Abstract: A sheet such as a stimulable phosphor sheet or a photographic film is fed in an auxiliary scanning direction by a sheet feed mechanism while the sheet is being scanned by a one-dimensionally deflected light beam along a main scanning line in a main scanning direction substantially perpendicular to the auxiliary scanning direction. The feed mechanism has an auxiliary scanning feed belt having a plurality of holes, a first suction chamber positioned upstream of the main scanning line with respect to the auxiliary scanning direction, a second suction chamber positioned downstream of the main scanning line with respect to the auxiliary scanning direction, and first and second valve bodies communicating with the first and second suction chambers, respectively. The sheet is attracted to the feed belt under an attractive force developed by only the first suction chamber while the sheet is being fed in the auxiliary scanning direction.

Abstract: A sheet such as a stimulable phosphor sheet, a photographic film, or the like is fed toward an image reading mechanism for reading an image from the sheet or an image reproducing mechanism for reproducing an image on the sheet. The sheet is gripped and fed by at least one pair of rollers, which are then displaced away from each other to release the sheet. The sheet is displaced in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which it is fed by the rollers, until the sheet is positioned in a predetermined position. Thereafter, the positioned sheet is gripped again by the rollers and fed thereby into the image reading mechanism or the image reproducing mechanism.

Abstract: A stacker for storing a plurality of stimulable phosphor sheets has a plurality of stock plates defining a plurality of sheet bins for storing the stimulable phosphor sheets respectively therein. The stock plates are slidably supported on and between two holder members. One of the sheet bins is selected and relatively brought into confronting relation to a feed roller pair. The stimulable phosphor sheet stored in the selected sheet bin can be displaced toward the feed roller pair by displacing the stock plate which defines the selected sheet bin.

Abstract: A radiation image storage panel comprising a support made of plastic film or paper and a phosphor layer provided on the support which comprises a binder and a stimulable phosphor dispersed therein, characterized in that an antistatic layer which comprises a conductive material is provided on the surface of the support not facing the phosphor layer, or between the support and the phosphor layer.