Ncr Corporation

Bryan D Sturrock

Kenneth J Peters

Steven A Carnegie

This invention relates to an electrically powered machine , for example, a card operated self service terminal (SST) and an automated teller machine (ATM). Such machines, in addition to necessary electronic circuitry and computer process controls, include means to receive a card ( ), a reader ( ) for reading data stored on the card, a display screen ( ), a keyboard pad ( ) and, in the case of an ATM a cash delivery slot ( ). In the event of power failure during a customer transaction, the customer's card, for example, a bank card is captured by the machine when power is subsequently restored. Capture of a card is inconvenient to a customer. In order to overcome such inconvenience, it has been proposed to equip such a machine with a battery back-up system operable on power failure to return the card to the customer. A battery back-up system is expensive and accordingly a machine according to the present invention uses a device for mechanically stored energy during normal operation of the machine and means for using the stored energy in the event of power failure to discharge the card ( ) from the machine.

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Dundee, United Kingdom

Bryan D Sturrock