Teller machines and methods of operation thereof

Claim 1

A teller machine for use at a transaction location for delivery of items in accordance with a customer-requested transaction at that location, comprising transaction-counter means having a counter-surface for separating the customer from a human teller at the transaction location and across which counter-surface face to face personal service to the customer can be provided by the human teller, means including a first keyboard for defining a teller's station located to one side of the counter means, means including a second keyboard for defining a customer's station separated from the teller's station across the counter-surface, item-receptacle means located intermediate the customer's and teller's stations across the counter-surface, said receptacle means having a top opening within reach of the customer and the human teller when occupying their respective stations for access to the contents of said receptacle means, dispenser means operable to dispense items through an opening in a wall of said receptacle means different from said top opening for subsequent delivery via said top opening from the receptacle means to said customer, control means for controlling operation of said dispenser means, said control means being switchable selectively to a first mode in which it is responsive to operation of said first keyboard to operate said dispenser means under manual control from said first keyboard, or to a second mode in which the control means operates said dispenser means under machine control in dependence upon data entered via said second keyboard, and means operable from said teller's station to obstruct or enable, selectively, access from said customer's station via said top opening to the contents of said receptacle-means.