Abstract: A sheet feeding clutch mechanism for a sheet feeding unit comprises a drive disk rotatably mounted on a sheet feed shaft of the feeding unit, a clutch disk having a pawl guide groove on its outer peripheral surface, rotatably mounted on the feed shaft so as to be coaxially mounted adjacent to the drive disk, and a drive gear fixed to the feed shaft in the clutch disk. A ratchet pawl is pivoted to the drive disk, and slidably contacts the pawl guide groove of the clutch disk. While the drive disk rotates forwardly, the pawl engages the drive gear through a slit in the guide groove. A first initializing stop is formed in the guide groove of the clutch disk, for engaging the ratchet pawl when the drive disk rotates forwardly. A second initializing stop is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the clutch disk and engages the pawl during the reverse rotation of the drive disk.