Abstract: A medium passage switching mechanism disposed on a casing of an image forming device, includes a medium tray, a guiding component and a resilient component. An entrance passage, a first exit passage and a second exit passage are formed inside the casing. The medium tray is pivoted to the casing and can pivot between a first position and a second position. The guiding component is pivoted to the casing and can pivot between a third position and a fourth position. The resilient component abuts against the guiding component and the casing. When the medium tray pivots between the first position and the second position, the guiding component can be driven by cooperation of the resilient component and the medium tray to pivot between the third position and the fourth position for guiding a medium to enter into the first exit passage or the second exit passage from the entrance passage.

Abstract: An adjustable filter track system a filter track having a recess configured to receive a filter, and a frame having a first coupling feature configured to couple to the filter track in a first configuration and a second coupling feature configured to couple to the filter track in a second configuration, where the filter track and the frame are configured to hold the filter in place within the recess, and where the filter track is adjustable between the first configuration and the second configuration to accommodate different thicknesses of the filter.

Abstract: A paper conveying mechanism includes an elastic urging member provided on each side surface of an upper guide. The urging member includes a projecting portion that projects toward a side guide forming each end of a paper conveying path. An outer width of the upper guide inclusive of the projecting portion is greater than an inner width of the side guides. When a printer cover is closed, the upper guide is urged by the urging member substantially to the center of the inner width of the side guides, thereby producing gaps of substantially equal size on both sides of the upper guide in the paper width direction.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus, in which a drive motor rotates a pickup roller, and a drive transmission portion provided between the drive motor and the pickup roller transmits a drive from the drive motor to the pickup roller. During sheet feeding, one of the drive motor and the drive transmission portion causes the pickup roller to perform an intermittent drive of iterating the drive and a stop, so that a sheet is gradually deflected between the pickup roller and separation claws.

Abstract: An apparatus for a media feeding system having a trail edge guide, a frame, an elevator, a feed head and a stack of media including a plurality of sheets of media disposed on the elevator, wherein the plurality of sheets of media include an uppermost set of sheets of media located at a top portion of the stack of media. The apparatus includes a trail edge deflector having a body including an angularly disposed lower surface, at least one opening, and at least one stopping surface. The angularly disposed lower surface being shaped to contact and thereby shingle the uppermost set of sheets of media, the at least one opening being shaped for complimentary sliding engagement with the trail edge guide thereby permitting the trail edge deflector to slide along a portion of the trail edge guide and the at least one stopping surface being shaped to limit downward sliding movement of the trail edge deflector along the trail edge guide.

Abstract: Various methods and apparatuses are disclosed for handling a sheet, wherein at least one projection extends across a stack of sheets such that corners of the sheet are bent when being lifted from the stack.

Abstract: The invention describes a sheet feed device having a sheet tray having a bottom plate defining a first portion of a storing portion that receives sheets therein, a feed roller, a separation plate, and a recessed portion formed in the separation surface. The feed roller moves to contact a sheet of the sheets, and to feed the sheet. The separation plate is disposed at a downstream end of the sheet tray and extends in a width direction. The separation plate has a separation surface which is inclined with respect to the bottom plate of the sheet tray, and defines at least a second portion of the storing portion. The recessed portion is formed in the separation surface and extends toward a downstream end of the separation surface. The separation plate is configured to separate the sheet from the sheets as the feed roller feeds the sheet.

Abstract: A media support apparatus for a media cassette of an automatic media dispenser includes a base plate having a guide piece which is provided with a guide slot. A link mechanism has at least one connection pin, which is moved along the guide slot, and two connection link plates, the height of which, relative to the base plate, can be adjusted. A media seat is seated on each connection link plate. The horizontal spacing between the media seats can be adjusted. The apparatus is advantageous in that a single media cassette can be adapted to supply media of various sizes.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for improving the sheet transport in the grip of grippers in a sheet-processing machine, for example a printing press. The sheet corners of the print-free gripper edge are removed in order to increase the sheet stability and in order to avoid these limp sheet corners being able to turn over.

Abstract: An automatic edge guide assembly comprises a sheet feeding mechanism, a slide housing mounted within the sheet feeding mechanism and an edge guide slidably connected to the slide housing. The edge guide is biased by a first biasing force and a second biasing force, wherein the first force is greater than the second force, allowing for automatic edge alignment within a predetermined range of widths.

Abstract: A sheet feeding device is operable to feed a sheet medium to an image forming apparatus. A cassette chamber has an inner face. A cassette member is adapted to accommodate the sheet medium therein, and to be withdrawably inserted into the cassette chamber in a first direction. The cassette member has an outer face adapted to oppose the inner face of the cassette chamber when the cassette member is inserted into the cassette chamber. At least one recess is formed on one of the inner face of the cassette chamber and the outer face of the cassette member. At least one protrusion is formed on the other one of the inner face of the cassette chamber and the outer face of the cassette member, and adapted to be fitted with the recess when the cassette member is plenarily inserted into the cassette chamber.

Abstract: A paper feeding apparatus of an image forming apparatus has a paper setting unit that includes a knock-up plate raising/lowering portion raising and lowering a knock-up plate with respect to a pickup roller, a paper guide slidably formed on the knock-up plate to guide papers in accordance with a paper size, and a finger device portion formed on both sides of the frame to press both corners of a leading end of a paper when the paper is picked up by the pickup roller, thereby causing the papers to be separated and fed sheet by sheet. By providing the finger device portion that presses both corners of the leading end of the paper with a predetermined pressure, the papers can be picked up and fed sheet by sheet, and undesired phenomenon, such as paper jam, and double-, or multi-sheet feed, can be prevented.

Abstract: A paper feed cassette includes a pair of side guides, the side guides are arranged opposite to each other such that the side guides guide both side portions of the recording papers with respect to a transporting direction of the recording papers, and the side guides have a guide width adjusting mechanism for adjusting a guide width. One of the side guides is formed of synthetic resin and includes a position adjusting portion for operating the guide width adjusting mechanism, and the other side guide is formed of a metal plate.

Abstract: A paper cartridge for a printing apparatus includes a cartridge body; a pressure plate moving upward and downward in the cartridge body; a pick-up roller to pick up the paper stacked on the pressure plate; a spring to elastically bias the pressure plate toward the pick-up roller; a claw unit to support a front end of the paper stacked on the pressure plate and separate the paper picked up by the pick-up roller sheet by sheet; and a cover member pivotably disposed at the paper cartridge, to cover the paper stacked on the pressure plate to prevent the paper from being contaminated with foreign material such as dust.

Abstract: A paper cassette for an image forming apparatus includes a cassette body, a pair of aligning plates, paper separating fingers, and a biasing member. The cassette body has a knock-up plate on which paper is stackable. The pair of aligning plates are disposed on the paper cassette body and moving in a widthwise direction for aligning paper stacked on the knock-up plate in the widthwise direction. The paper separating fingers are disposed on the aligning plates and are vertically movable to a predetermined distance above the aligning plates, for pressing against two corners of a leading edge of an uppermost sheet of paper stacked on the knock-up plate. The biasing member is connected to at least a side of one of the paper separating fingers, for increasing a relative downward pressure exerted by the paper separating finger on the uppermost sheet of paper stacked on the knock up plate.

Abstract: A paper cassette removably connectible to a body of an image forming apparatus. The paper cassette prevents a paper from being bent or crumpled. The paper cassette has a case wherein a paper is loaded, a finger rotatably installed at a side of the case to press a front corner of the paper, a spring installed at a lower side of the finger to flexibly support the finger to press the front corner of the paper, and a pressing plate installed at a lower side of the case to press the front corner of the paper towards the finger. The finger rotates downwardly by pressing the spring when the paper is loaded. When the loading of the paper is finished, the finger is returned to a position to press the front corner of the paper by a recovery force of the spring.

Abstract: A printer guide clip is configured for retrofit in a paper tray of pre-existing commercially available printer for blocking corner curling of forms transported therethrough. The clip includes first and second side tabs integrally joined together by an arcuate cap extending between the top ends thereof. The first tab is configured for retention inside a pre-existing slot in the paper tray. An inclined ramp extends outwardly from the second tab inside the tray in the vicinity of the form corner for blocking curling thereof during use. The clip is readily attachable to the tray for use with laminated forms, and is easily removable therefrom when no longer needed.

Abstract: After a separating arm is rotated forward so that a plate axis of an attachment plate is inserted into a hole and an insertion slit of the separating arm, in a state that the insertion slit faces an arresting slit, the separating arm is rotated reverse while a portion in the periphery of the hole that faces the portion at which the insertion slit is formed is kept pressed against an end portion of the plate axis, so that a portion in the periphery of the hole other than the portion at which the insertion slit is formed is fit into the arresting slit.

Abstract: A paper cassette removably connectible to a body of an image forming apparatus. The paper cassette prevents a paper from being bent or crumpled. The paper cassette has a case wherein a paper is loaded, a finger rotatably installed at a side of the case to press a front corner of the paper, a spring installed at a lower side of the finger to flexibly support the finger to press the front corner of the paper, and a pressing plate installed at a lower side of the case to press the front corner of the paper towards the finger. The finger rotates downwardly by pressing the spring when the paper is loaded. When the loading of the paper is finished, the finger is returned to a position to press the front corner of the paper by a recovery force of the spring.

Abstract: After a separating arm is rotated forward so that a plate axis of an attachment plate is inserted into a hole and an insertion slit of the separating arm, in a state that the insertion slit faces an arresting slit, the separating arm is rotated reverse while a portion in the periphery of the hole that faces the portion at which the insertion slit is formed is kept pressed against an end portion of the plate axis, so that a portion in the periphery of the hole other than the portion at which the insertion slit is formed is fit into the arresting slit.

Abstract: A method for dismantling a stack (1) of flat objects (2, 3) piece by piece, in which the top object (2) of the stack (1) is moved in its plane, gripped at its freed edge and removed from the stack (1). The top object (2) is moved against a stop (5), at least in the region of one of its corners (2b), by a movable separating element (6, 6′) and, as a result of further movement, is bent in such a way that it escapes from the stop (5) and is moved out of the stack (1). The invention further relates to an apparatus for dismantling a stack (1) of flat objects (2, 3) piece by piece.

Abstract: A substrate tray includes a tall backstop guide that is attached to the bottom of the feed tray and which rotates about a vertical axis into three positions 45° apart, presenting four different surfaces to a stack of substrates in the tray. Each surface accommodates a different substrate size and thereby accommodates four different widths of substrates. The backstop guide includes a cam member that is flexed against a back wall of the tray when a load is applied to the backstop guide by the stack of substrates shifting inboard if the tray is pushed to forcefully into a machine after loading, in order to prevent skewing of the substrates.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes a sheet containing tray withdrawable from a housed position to a front side of an apparatus body of the image forming apparatus. A sheet feeding device is provided so as to feed sheets in the sheet containing tray in a direction perpendicular to a withdrawal direction of the sheet containing tray. A pair of side aligning members is also provided so as to align widthwise ends of the sheets. A rear side aligning member mounts a hitching member so as to hitch and prevent a jammed sheet from remaining in the apparatus body of the image forming apparatus when the sheet containing tray is withdrawn. The hitching member includes a horizontally protruding plate so as to overhang the uppermost sheet set on the sheet containing tray at a position a prescribed length downstream of a downstream end of the rear side aligning member. A joining portion is also provided so as to join the protruding plate and the rear side aligning member.

Abstract: All the constituent members of a tray 1, for example, a side guide 30, a paper separating claw 50, a tray body 10, a drawing handle member 70, a member for regulating an end guide 40, and a holding member for holding a retard roll 60 each have a snap-fit structure. Therefore, the assembling and disassembling of the tray can be easily performed. The tray is formed only from members that enable all the steps of processes of assembling and disassembling the tray to be performed from the same direction without changing the orientation of the tray.

Abstract: A sheet supplying apparatus has a sheet support for supporting sheets, and a sheet supply roller for feeding out the sheets supported by the sheet support. An abutment member is pivotally supported to be rocked between a regulating position to regulate a tip end of the sheets supported by the sheet support and a non-regulating position to allow supply of the sheets by the sheet supply roller. An operation unit shifts the abutment member from the regulating position to the non-regulating position when the sheets are supplied by the sheet supply roller and shifts the abutment member from the non-regulating position to the regulating position after the sheets are supplied.

Abstract: An improved front type of automatic paper feeding apparatus having a paper aligning device for preventing a skewing of a paper to be fed.

Abstract: A one-sheet feeding device for an ink-jet printer includes a feeding roller for supplying paper sheets, and a finger having an overlap piece put on the edge of paper for paper separation. The overlap amount of the finger with the paper sheet put under the overlap piece varies by a finger adjusting means. The finger adjusting means has: a control shaft installed on a frame to idle and having a screw for finger movement; a nut hole to which the screw is fastened; and a knob for rotating the control shaft for finger movement. According to the rigidness of paper used, the overlap amount of paper with the finger varies, thereby enhancing paper feeding reliability.

Abstract: The present invention provides a sheet supplying apparatus comprising a sheet stacking means for stacking a plurality of sheets, a sheet supply means for feeding out the sheets stacked on the sheet stacking means, a separation means for separating the sheets one by one by abutting the sheets against the separation means to cause elastic angular change in the sheet thereby to ride the sheet over the separation means, and a guide means having a guide surface for guiding the sheet separated by the separation means toward a downstream side, and wherein the sheet stacking means is provided at its downstream end with a projection which protrudes toward downstream sides of the separation means and of the guide surface of the guide means.

Abstract: A paper cassette having an improved finger may be provided. The finger may be constructed using a flange for pressing down on sheets of paper that are loaded on the upper part of a tray. The flange has a pair of shaft connectors each bearing a bore that can accommodate a shaft. A plate can be pivotally attached to the flange via said shaft. A second pair of shaft connectors are attached to the plate for engaging the shaft. A spring may be used to bias the plate against any papers stacked on the tray to restrain the papers from premature loading into the electrophotographic apparatus. In addition restraining rings may be used to prevent the shaft form disengaging either of the pair of shaft connectors.

Abstract: An apparatus in an automatic sheet feeder for a printer, a copy machine, or the like that prevents a corner of a sheet of feed paper from being turned down or "dog-eared" when that sheet of feed paper is being advanced from a stack of the feed paper. The apparatus includes a resilient finger engaging the forward edge of the sheet of feed paper. The resilient finger deflects slightly when the sheet of feed paper is urged forward such that the corner of the sheet of feed paper advances past the finger without folding or becoming dog-eared and the sheet of feed paper is separated from the stack of paper. In a preferred embodiment, the resilient finger is pivotally secured to a cassette for holding the stack of paper, and the finger is biased to engage the top most sheet of the stack of feed paper.

Abstract: A single sheet feed system for feeding sheets, such as sheets of paper into a printer or other device which use individual sheets, such as a telefax machine or copier, is mounted on a tray that has a spring loaded bottom wall to urge a stack of sheets upwardly toward feed rollers. Scissor catches are provided at the leading edge corners and include stop and lift guides which will induce buckling of the corners of a sheet as the sheet is fed. The sheet is also guided by feed blocks adjacent the scissor catches, so that as the sheet is moved toward the printer the corners of a top sheet are caused to buckle and separate from the rest of the stack of sheets without allowing a second sheet to release from the tray as the top sheet is feeding into the printer.

Abstract: Sheet feeding apparatus and method for reliably feeding sheets from a column of sheets. The sheet feeding apparatus includes separation tangs each having a step-wise topography of reduced contact area for the sheets in order to reduce frictional drag on the sheets as the sheets are fed into an imaging apparatus. This allows for reliable feeding of the sheets because the reduced contact area of the separation tangs reduces contact time, as well as frictional drag, with the separation tangs. Moreover, the step-wise topography of the tangs individually separates each sheet from the column of sheets to be fed into the imaging apparatus in order to avoid multiple-feeding of the sheets.

Abstract: A system and method for feeding paper into an image forming device which allows sheets of paper to be manually fed without becoming jammed. The paper feeding cassette uses one or more corner separators which hold down the corner(s) of the paper in the cassette while a feed roller rotates. The rotation of the feed roller in combination with the corner separators causes one sheet of paper to be removed from the paper cassette. During a manual feed operation in which a user manually feeds a single sheet of paper, a guide plate deflects the manually fed sheet of paper above the corner separators, thus preventing the sheet of paper from becoming jammed under the corner separators.

Abstract: A finger device freely loads the printing papers in a feed cassette. The finger apparatus includes a conductor protrusion coupled to a paper sensor at one side of a body where the cassette is attached and detached. The finger is supported by a pin and spring in the feed cassette for separating with a tray portion of the feed cassette. A finger portion of the finger apparatus can be located at an edge of the feed cassette by the projection of the body, upon the feed cassette being attached. The finger portion can automatically separate the feed cassette using a stability of the spring upon the cassette being detached from the body.

Abstract: A paper feeding mechanism and method which reliably feeds individual sheets stacked on a base plate. When a full stack of sheets resides on the base plate, as the sheets are removed one-by-one from the top of the stack, the base plate pivots about an end of the base plate. After the base plate pivots to a predetermined level, a pin passing through an oblong hole in a side support connected to the base plate contacts an end of the oblong hole and changes the pivot position of the base plate to the position of the pin. Also, a separating claw is raised as the sheets are removed from the stack. As the sheets from the stack are removed, the base plate supporting the sheets is raised. The raising of the base plate causes the rotation of a cam member. As the cam member rotates, the changing cam surface which contacts a separating member connected to the separating claw causes the separating claw to be raised.

Abstract: The present invention provides a sheet supplying apparatus which has a sheet supporting unit for supporting a sheet, a first abutment member for regulating a tip end of the sheet supported by the sheet supporting unit, a displaceable second abutment member for regulating the tip end of the sheet supported by the sheet supporting unit, and a sheet supply for feeding out the sheet supported by the sheet supporting unit An angle between a surface of the sheet supported by the sheet supporting unit and a sheet abutment surface of the second abutment member is smaller than an angle between the surface of the sheet and a sheet abutment surface of the first abutment member.

Abstract: A sheet feeding device for an image forming apparatus of the present invention includes a sheet sustaining portion for sustaining a stack of sheets loaded on a bottom plate. Even when a great number of sheets are stacked on the bottom plate, the sustaining portion reduces a load to act on the bottom plate and thereby prevents the bottom plate and sheets from warping or sinking. This allows a pick-up roller to press the sheet stack with an adequate force and feed the sheets stably one by one.

Abstract: A tray for a sheet processing apparatus has a receptacle (11), a lifting plate (12) movable between the low and high positions, arranged at the bottom of the receptacle and cooperating with an elastic thrust return member towards the high position, a lid (13) for covering the receptacle, and the tray has an arrangement preventing the passage of sheets between the cover and receptacle, having at least one clearance (44, 44') arranged on the periphery of the receptacle, and at least one plane limitation area (46, 46') arranged on the periphery of the lid and parallel to the bottom (37) of the receptacle, when the lid (13) is closed, the plane area (46, 46') being offset with respect to the internal surface of the lid and arranged on a support structure (48, 48') integral with the lid, this structure being positioned so that, in the closed position of the lid, it enters the said clearance (44, 44'), the plane limitation area (46, 46') then opening onto the inside of the receptacle.

Abstract: A tray for a sheet processing apparatus having a receptacle, a lifting plate movable between a low position and a high position, an elastic member for elastically moving the lifting plate to the high position from the low position, a lid mounted on the receptacle pivoting about an axis and movable between an open position and a closed position, and a pushing member for pushing the lifting plate toward the low position against an elastic force of the elastic member when the lid moves into the open position, and characterized in that the pushing member is mounted on the lid and maintains the lid in the open position against the elastic force of the elastic member.

Abstract: A system and method for feeding paper into an image forming device which allows sheets of paper to be manually fed without becoming jammed. The paper feeding cassette uses one or more corner separators which hold down the corner(s) of the paper in the cassette while a feed roller rotates. The rotation of the feed roller in combination with the corner separators causes one sheet of paper to be removed from the paper cassette. During a manual feed operation in which a user manually feeds a single sheet of paper, a guide plate deflects the manually fed sheet of paper above the corner separators, thus preventing the sheet of paper from becoming jammed under the corner separators.

Abstract: A high capacity, high reliability cassette tray sheet feeding assembly for supporting a high capacity stack of sheets, and for feeding such sheets with a high degree of reliability, one at a time, in a sheet using machine. The high capacity, high reliability cassette tray sheet feeding assembly includes a cassette frame for removing and reinstalling into a sheet supply station of the sheet using machine. The cassette frame has a front end over which sheets are fed into the machine, and a forward feed corner snubber that is mounted to one corner of the front end of the cassette frame for preventing the feeding of multiple sheets at a time. The cassette frame includes a fixed position stationary base plate within the cassette frame for supporting a high capacity stack of sheets having a topmost sheet.

Abstract: A sheet feeding device is particularly useful in feeding sheets from a stack in apparatus in which a trailing portion of the sheet is returned toward the stack as the sheet moves through a reciprocating path. Corner nails used to help prevent double feeds in the sheet feeding device are attached to a guide means positioned to guide the trailing portion above the stack. The nails and guide means float vertically with respect to the top of the stack, preventing interference between the leading edge of the sheet and the guide means and between the trailing edge of the sheet and the stack.

Abstract: To feed a plurality of cut sheets of paper to a recorder, in a one-by-one picking up manner, a stack plate supports the cut sheets placed on a paper stacking side thereof, a spring member is provided on an opposite side to the paper stacking side of the stack plate, a feed roller is rotated to force out in a paper feed direction a top sheet of the cut sheets placed on the stack plate, as the stack plate is elastically urged by the spring member toward the feed roller, a pawl member separates the top sheet from the rest, as it is forced in the paper feed direction by the feed roller, and a convex stripe part is provided on the paper stacking side of the stack plate, the stripe part extending in a crossing direction with the paper feed direction.

Abstract: A printer including an automatic paper feeder having a stacker section capable of setting a plurality of sheets of paper therein, wherein a bottom of said stacker section is formed by a bottom itself of a printer case. In addition, the printer may include a hopper disposed in the stacker section to urge the paper upwardly, a pair of swinging members each having a separation pawl located above a corner of the paper and a pressing-down portion for pressing down the hopper, each of the swinging members being supported swingably about a shaft located between the separation pawl and the pressing-down portion and an operation lever having a pair of actuating portions capable of pressing downward the swinging members and supported rotatably above the stacker section.

Abstract: A paper feed device for a recording apparatus includes means for containing a plurality of sheets therein, supply means for feeding the sheets from the containing means, conveyor means for feeding the sheets fed by the supply means in the paper feeding direction and in the opposite direction so as to pass through a recording station, a reversible motor for commonly driving the supply means and the conveyor means, means for driving the conveyor means in the paper feeding direction by forward rotation of the motor, driving the conveyor means in the opposite direction by reverse rotation of the motor and driving the supply means, and means for selectively inhibiting the operation of the supply means during the reverse rotation of the motor.

Abstract: A gear train (1) pivoted (11) around its drive gear (3) rotates a drive roller (13) with increasing pressure until the top sheet of paper (15) is moved. The corner buckler (19) is moved around a pivot (25) under the paper tray to drive the buckler into the paper stack. A bottom roller (27) permits the drive roller to rotate when the tray is empty. To reduce the angular variation of the gear train, its pivot point may be lowered by positioning it to the side of the tray. The assembly adjusts automatically to correct feeding variations.

Abstract: The present invention has its object to achieve a reduction in the size and cost of a paper feeding cassette. A cassette body (2) which can contain a plurality of papers is provided with a pair of front-edge guide sections (3) and (3) for positioning the front-edges of the papers, a pair of traverse guide sections (4) and (4) for positioning the side-edges of the papers, a rear-edge guide section (5) for positioning the rear-edges of the papers, a pair of separating sections (6) and (6) for separating one at a time the papers contained in the cassette body (2), and a pair of push-up members (7) and (7) for pushing upward both side sections of the front-edges of the papers toward the lower surfaces of a pair of separating sections (6) and (6). Both side sections of the front-edges of the papers are pushed upward toward the lower surfaces of the separating sections (6) and (6) by the elasticity of the push-up members (7) and ( 7).

Abstract: A sheet supplying apparatus comprises a sheet supporting plate for supporting sheets, a separation claw for regulating one end of a leading edge of the sheets supported by the sheet supporting plate, sheet supply rollers for feeding out the sheets supported by the sheet supporting plate, a regulator for regulating leading ends of the sheets supported by the sheet supporting plate, and a guide for guiding side edges of the sheets on which the separation rollers act. One sheet supply roller is positioned between the separation claw and the regulator in a direction perpendicular to a sheet feeding direction.

Abstract: The present invention provides a sheet feeding apparatus comprising a supply means contacting one of the sheet in a sheet stack, for applying a feeding force to the sheet; a first limiting means abutting against a front end of the sheet stack in a sheet feeding direction, for limiting the movement of the sheet stack in the sheet feeding direction; a second limiting means contacting the sheet to which the feeding force is applied from the supply means, for limiting the movement of the sheet stack in a sheet thickness direction; and a clearance defined between the first and second limiting means, the clearance having a predetermined length in the sheet feeding direction.

Abstract: The present invention provides a sheet supplying apparatus having an extendible sheet support for supporting sheets, a sheet supply for feeding out the sheets supported by the sheet support, a shiftable separating claw capable of separating the sheets fed by the sheet supply, one by one, by engaging from corners of the sheets supported by the sheet support, a regulator for shifting the separating claw toward the sheet support in response to insert and retracting movements of the sheet support and a second separator for separating the sheets rested on an upper surface of the separating claw shifted toward the sheet support by the regulator, one by one, when the sheets are fed out by the sheet supply.