Abstract: A method of drawing an optical fiber preform to manufacture an optical fiber, includes the steps of heating an optical fiber preform to temperatures at which the heated preform can be drawn, drawing the heated optical fiber preform by applying tension to the preform, and making the tension substantially constant during the drawing step. The particular method permits manufacturing an optical fiber exhibiting uniform transmitting characteristics, particularly uniform transmission loss, over the entire lengthwise region of the optical fiber, even if the optical fiber is manufactured by drawing an optical fiber preform having a large diameter.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes an endless belt which is postioned to be adjacent to a rear part of a sheet stand on which trailing edges of a pile of sheets are loaded. The endless belt includes a holding member to hold a leading edge of a sheet that is being returned to the sheet stand so that the endless belt conveys the sheet together with the holding member and inserts the sheet being returned to the sheet stand under the pile of sheets. A single stopper is provided on the sheet stand to align the sheets of the pile as well as the sheets inserted under the pile.