Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus which is cable of moving a sheet without applying extra load to the movement of the sheet in the case of laterally moving the sheet for sorting after completion of punching of holes in the sheet. A sheet is conveyed toward an abutment member. The sheet comes into abutment with the abutment member, whereby skew of the sheet is corrected. A punching unit punches holes in the sheet in abutment with the abutment member. A shift unit shifts the punched sheet that has been punched by the puncher in a direction intersecting with a conveying direction of the conveying unit. A controller causes the shift unit to start shifting the sheet in response to separate between the punched sheet and the abutment member.

Abstract: A post-processing unit of an image forming apparatus includes a vertical conveying path and a horizontal conveying path. A stapling mechanism and a folding mechanism are arranged in the horizontal conveying path. When saddle processing is carried out, paper sheets sent into the horizontal conveying path are struck against a trailing end stopper and, after the number of sheets to be bound is accumulated, the center of the paper sheets is stapled and folded double. A movable tray projected to the outside of a housing is provided at a terminal end of the horizontal conveying path. The movable tray functions as a tray for discharging paper sheets that pass through a saddle stitcher and also functions as a supporting member that supports a leading end side of the paper sheets at the time of the saddle processing.

Abstract: A saddle stitching portion which can bind the center portion in the conveying direction of a sheet bundle by a stapler and fold it by a pair of folding rollers and a pushout member, includes an end stopper which receives the downstream end of a sheet conveyed by a first conveying roller in a first receiving position on the downstream of the first conveying roller by a length not buckling the sheet on the downstream of the stapler or the downstream end of the sheet conveyed by a second conveying roller in a second receiving position on the downstream of the second conveying roller by the length on the further downstream, wherein the receiving position of the downstream end stopper is selected according to the length in the conveying direction of the sheet.

Abstract: A sheet aligning device includes a transport path, a movable fence, a tapping tab, and jogger fences. The transport path transports a sheet stack. The movable fence and the tapping tab align the sheet stack in a first direction in which the sheet stack is transported on the transport path. The jogger fences align the sheet stack in a direction perpendicular to the first direction on the transport path. The movable fence, the tapping tab, and the jogger fences align the sheet stack according to a plurality of aligning modes.

Abstract: The invention is to stabilize an amount of application of a glue to sheets, to stabilize adhesive force between the sheets, and to further improve the productivity of a glued sheet bundle. A sheet processing apparatus includes a processing tray 130 that stacks a sheet discharged by a pair of discharge rollers, an attitude changing unit 150 that displaces the aligned sheet bundle on the processing tray 130 to partially expose sheet surfaces, an adhesive agent delivery device 160 that applies a glue to the exposed parts of the sheet surfaces of the displaced sheet bundle on the processing tray 130, and a sheet bundle aligning portion such as aligning plates 140 and 141 that aligns the glued sheet bundle.

Abstract: The invention provides a sheet processing apparatus in which a controller transports a sheet, delivered to a process tray, by a predetermined distance by a transport member for contacting a stopper, and selects the distance according to a friction on the lower surface of the sheet by detecting at least either of stack information on the process tray and sheet information of the sheet transported by the transport member, thus selecting the distance larger for a larger frictional force.

Abstract: A sheet alignment mechanism includes a stacking tray on which a sheet or sheet bundle transported along a sheet transport path is stacked, a pair of side fences that are movable in a sheet width direction and align edges of the sheet or sheet bundle, stacked on the stacking tray, in the sheet width direction, a single drive source that moves the side fences, and detecting units that detect home positions of the respective side fences.

Abstract: A sheet post-processing apparatus includes a sheet stacking unit, a moving member, and a discharging member. The moving member moves up the pile stacked on the sheet stacking unit to one of a plurality of scooping positions, and the discharging member receives the pile from the moving member at the one of the scooping positions and scoops up the pile by supporting a bottom edge of the pile for discharging the pile out of the sheet stacking unit.

Abstract: A sheet finishing apparatus includes: a puncher which moves between a penetrate position and a standby position; a detection unit which detects a lateral edge of a sheet; a standby tray which supports the sheet passed through the puncher, by a pair of tray members; a lateral alignment unit which holds and aligns the sheet falling off the standby tray, by a pair of alignment boards; a moving mechanism which moves the position of the standby tray or the alignment boards in a direction orthogonal to the carrying direction of the sheet; and a control unit which measures a quantity of misalignment of the sheet by using a result of detection of the lateral edge from the detection unit and controls the moving mechanism in accordance with the quantity of misalignment.

Abstract: A printing system capable of increasing the working efficiency of an operator engaged in a post-process necessary after printing can be provided. For this purpose, the user interface unit can execute a display which allows the operator to explicitly input, for each job, instruction information in consideration of a post-process necessary after a printing process in a job requiring a printing process by a printing apparatus in a printing system capable of stacking, on a stacking unit, printed materials having undergone the printing process. When the job to be processed is a job for which the operator inputs the instruction information via the display, printed materials of the job for which the operator inputs the instruction information are stacked on the stacking unit while the printed materials are classified every printed materials on the basis of the instruction information input by the operator for the job.

Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes an aligning member configured to align an end of a bundle of sheets including a folded sheet by engaging with the edge of the bundle of sheets, and a sheet processing unit configured to process the bundle of sheets having the end aligned by the aligning member. The end of the bundle of sheets engaged with the aligning member is opposite to a folded portion of the folded sheet.

Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus or an image forming apparatus has a discharging member which discharges sheets; a stacking member which stacks the discharged sheets; a sheet positioning member, located on the downstream side of the stacking member in the discharging direction, which receives ends of the discharged sheets in a discharging direction of the sheet discharged by the discharging member; and a pressure member having a pressure surface which presses the sheet received by the sheet positioning member toward a stacking surface of the stacking member; wherein at first a downstream side in the discharging direction of the pressing surface presses the discharged sheets toward the stacking surface of the stacking member, and subsequently an upstream side in the discharging direction of the pressing surface presses the discharged sheets toward the stacking surface sequentially.

Abstract: A pressing unit presses vicinity of a trailing edge of a stack of sheets stacked in a tray. An aligning unit aligns the stack of sheets stacked in the tray. A stapling unit binds the stack of sheets aligned by the aligning unit. A discharging unit discharges the stack of sheets bound by the stapling unit. A control unit controls the pressing unit to keep a constant distance from a surface of a top sheet of the stack of sheets when the discharging unit discharging the stack of sheets.

Abstract: A paper-sheet handling device comprises a clamp movement mechanism for sandwiching a bundle of paper-sheets by attaching component guide members to a position covering a portion of punch holes from the front and rear surfaces of the bundle of paper-sheets. A binding component is bound to the bundle of paper-sheets while contacting both tip portions of the binding component to the binding component guide members and sandwiching the bundle of paper-sheets by the clamp movement mechanism. Such a configuration enables both tip portions of the binding component to insert into each perforated hole while keeping a distance between both tip portions of the binding component and each of the perforated holes substantially constant and at the same time, even in the case of binding components of different diameters, the distance between the binding component and an internal circumference of each of the holes perforated in the bundle of paper-sheets is kept substantially constant.

Abstract: A sheet post-processing apparatus includes a stacking tray on which sheets are stacked, an aligning unit that aligns the sheets stacked on the stacking tray, a stapler that staples the sheets aligned by the aligning unit using two members provided on one surface side and the other surface side in a thickness direction of the sheets, first conveying rollers arranged in a position on an upstream side along a conveying direction after stapling of the sheets and in contact with one end of the sheets and driven to rotate after the stapling by the stapler, and second conveying rollers arranged in a position on a downstream side along the conveying direction of the sheets and in contact with the other end of the sheets and driven to rotate at rotation speed different from that of the first conveying rollers after the stapling by the stapler.

Abstract: In a sheet processing apparatus that, for example, sorts or staples sheets after image formation, when preceding finishing is not completed on a processing tray, a third sheet fed anew into a waiting tray of a sheet placing member configuring a sheet waiting unit, which temporarily puts a sheet conveyed thereto on standby, is stacked to be shifted such that leading ends of second and third sheets are located further on a conveying direction upstream side than a leading end of a first sheet. Consequently, longitudinal alignment in the processing tray after that is surely performed.

Abstract: A sheet post-processing apparatus includes a sheet aligning device that increases, when the number of sheets conveyed thereto exceeds a predetermined number, the number of times of an aligning operation of the sheet aligning device, which aligns the sheets conveyed thereto, to be larger than the number of times of the aligning operation at the number of sheets equal to or smaller than this predetermined number.

Abstract: A compiling unit includes a collection tray and a variable-speed compiling system adapted to operate at at least two speeds to thereby receive a sheet of media at a higher speed and register the sheet of media within the collection tray at a lower speed. A control system is adapted to selectively operate the variable-speed compiling system at the at least two speeds. A printing system having a sheet media source, at least one marking engine, such a compiling unit and such a control system is included. A method of compiling sheet media is also included.

Abstract: A post-processing apparatus including a conveyance unit containing a stacker for storing a plurality of sheets placed one on top of the other and a conveyance path having a curvature for ejecting a plurality of sheets placed one on top of the other in the stacker and a control section for controlling conveyance of sheets, wherein the control section controls aligning the plurality of sheets in the conveyance unit, feeding a plurality of sheets placed one on top of the other to a roller through the conveyance path having a curvature, driving the conveyance roller so as to feed the plurality of sheets, hitting the sheet ends against a stopper so as to align the sheet ends, further conveying the sheets with the ends aligned until a loop is formed on sheets, and punching the sheets using by a punching section subsequent to formation of the loop.

Abstract: Provided is a shift transport device for transporting a sheet to a sheet transport direction upstream side of a sheet process tray and for shifting the sheet. The shift transport device offsets the sheet and the sheets are stacked on a sheet process tray. Then, the sheets stacked on the sheet process tray in a state of being offset are aligned by an aligning member.

Abstract: A sheet finishing apparatus includes: a puncher which moves between a penetrate position and a standby position; a detection unit which detects a lateral edge of a sheet; a standby tray which supports the sheet passed through the puncher, by a pair of tray members; a lateral alignment unit which holds and aligns the sheet falling off the standby tray, by a pair of alignment boards; a moving mechanism which moves the position of the standby tray or the alignment boards in a direction orthogonal to the carrying direction of the sheet; and a control unit which measures a quantity of misalignment of the sheet by using a result of detection of the lateral edge from the detection unit and controls the moving mechanism in accordance with the quantity of misalignment.

Abstract: The present invention provides a sheet stacking apparatus which has a pair of lower discharge rollers which discharges a sheet, a processing tray which stacks the sheet discharged from the pair of lower discharge rollers, a trailing end stopper which aligns the trailing end portion in the conveying direction of the sheet bundle stacked on the processing tray, and pull-in paddles which drop the sheet discharged from the pair of lower discharge rollers on the processing tray and conveys the sheet to abut against the trailing end stopper where the pull-in paddles rotate at a first rotating speed so that the sheet discharged from the pair of lower discharge rollers is dropped on the processing tray and the pull-in paddles rotate at a second rotating speed, slower than the first rotating speed, so that the sheet abuts against the trailing end stopper.

Abstract: A sheet post-processing unit which includes a sheet stacking portion, a sheet conveying portion, an intersectional moving device, a vertical moving device, an intersectional regulating member, and a controller. The sheet stacking portion stacks sequentially discharged sheets. The sheet conveying portion conveys each sheet stacked on the sheet stacking portion. The intersectional moving device moves the sheet conveying portion in a direction intersecting with a sheet discharging direction. The vertical moving device moves up and down the sheet conveying portion in a vertical direction. The intersectional regulating member aligns each sheet by contacting an edge of each sheet. The controller controls the intersectional moving device and the vertical moving device to move the sheeting conveying portion, and to press-contact the sheet conveying portion to an upper surface of a sheet and separate it from the sheet.

Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes an aligning member and a shift conveying unit. The aligning member is movable in a width direction perpendicular to a sheet conveying direction and presses a sheet stack loaded on a sheet processing tray so as to align the sheet stack in the width direction. The unit is provided on the upstream side of the tray and conveys a sheet, shifting the sheet in the width direction. Being shifted by the unit, sheets are loaded at first and second loading positions on the tray. When sheets are loaded at the first loading position, the aligning member is moved to a first standby position corresponding to the first loading position in advance. When sheets are loaded at the second loading position, the aligning member is moved in advance to a second standby position corresponding to the second loading position.

Abstract: An aligning unit aligns a front end of a sheet bundle stacked in a tray in a discharging direction. A sheet bundle conveying unit holds a rear end of the sheet bundle and conveys the sheet bundle in the discharging direction. The aligning unit is arranged to be retracted from a conveying path of the sheet bundle after aligning the front end of the sheet bundle and to come out in the conveying path of the sheet bundle behind the sheet bundle conveying unit after a movement of the sheet bundle conveying unit.

Abstract: Provided is a sheet processing apparatus for processing sheets, including: a sheet process tray on which sheets to be processed are stacked; a sheet transport means for transporting processed sheets on the sheet process tray; a pressure member which is provided on an upstream side of the sheet transport means with respect to a sheet transport direction and which moves in the sheet transport direction while pressing the processed sheets, for transporting the processed sheets in cooperation with the sheet transport unit; and a controller for selectively operating the pressure member.

Abstract: A sheet aligning apparatus includes a tray device for piling and storing sheets from a sheet outlet, a sheet discharging and delivering device arranged above the tray device, and a shift device for moving the sheet discharging and delivering device between an operating position of pressing the uppermost sheet with predetermined pressing force and a non-operating position of lightening or releasing pressing force. The apparatus also includes a regulating stopper member for colliding the sheets sent by the sheet discharging and delivering device at the sheet front or back ends for regulating sheet position, an aligning device for regulating the sheets on the tray in a direction crossing the sheet discharging direction, and a control device for controlling the sheet discharging and delivering device, the shift device and the aligning device.

Abstract: Disclosed is a multiple stapling apparatus that can staple at least two or more parts of a sheet by exactly supporting the sheet a stapling position of a sheet finisher which finishes the sheet ejected from a digital output device. The multiple stapling apparatus includes a clamp shaft (65) parallel to a moving direction of the stapler, a first guide (50) having a first base wall (51) axially rotated around the clamp shaft (65) at a predetermined angle on the clamp shaft, supporting the sheet stacked on the compile tray, and second guides (60a and 60b) having second base walls (61a and 61b) slid along the clamp shaft along with the stapler, supporting the sheet on the compile tray when the first base wall is opened, wherein the first guide is axially rotated at a predetermined angle around the clamp shaft to open the first base wall when the stapler moves at a predetermined distance along the clamp shaft from a hole position (94).

Abstract: A sheet post-processing apparatus includes a sheet aligning device that increases, when the number of sheets conveyed thereto exceeds a predetermined number, the number of times of an aligning operation of the sheet aligning device, which aligns the sheets conveyed thereto, to be larger than the number of times of the aligning operation at the number of sheets equal to or smaller than this predetermined number.

Abstract: A bundle claw attached to a sheet conveyor belt includes a concave portion having a bottom surface for regulating a position of a trailing end of the sheets, and, in the bottom surface, a surface on a lower side that comes into contact with the sheet conveyor belt is formed deeper than a surface on an upper side to form the step portion between the surface on the lower side and the surface on the upper side. Therefore, when a small number of sheets are discharged from a processing tray to a stacking tray, a trailing end of the sheets is located on the lower surface side of the concave surface of the bundle claw, where the trailing end of the sheets should be originally located, and does not move to the upper surface side of the concave surface of the bundle claw.

Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus including: a saddle stitching stapler including a staple driving portion movable in a sheet width direction and a staple clinching portion arranged at a saddle stitching position, and adapted to staple a middle portion of a sheet bundle by causing the staple driving portion to approach the staple clinching portion after the staple driving portion moves to the saddle stitching position; and a side stitching stapler including a staple driving portion and a staple clinching portion pivoted to each other, and adapted to staple an end portion of the sheet bundle by holding the end portion between the staple driving portion and the staple clinching portion after the staple driving portion and the staple clinching portion move to a side stitching position in the sheet width direction, the side stitching stapler and the saddle stitching stapler being aligned in the sheet width direction.

Abstract: A sheet loader for loading a folded sheet bundle provided from a sheet bundle provider with a folded edge of the folded sheet bundle in the lead, including: a folded edge support configured to support the folded edge of the folded sheet bundle provided from the sheet bundle provider, the folded edge support movable back and forth in a direction declined from a side near the sheet bundle provider, and an undersurface support configured to support an undersurface of the folded sheet bundle so that the folded edge is lower than a trailing edge of the folded sheet bundle.

Abstract: A pressing member pressed against a sheet stack portion can be moved to both a retracting portion where alignment of the sheet by the aligning portion is not prevented and a pressing position where the aligned sheet S1 is pressed against the sheet stack portion. Moreover, a regulation member for regulating upward movement of the end of the aligned sheet in a conveyance direction can be moved in association with movement of the pressing member to both a retracting portion where alignment of the sheet S1 by the aligning portion is not prevented and a regulating position where upward movement of the end of the aligned sheet S1 in a conveyance direction is regulated.

Abstract: A sheet loader for loading a folded sheet bundle provided from a sheet bundle provider with a folded edge of the folded sheet bundle in the lead, including: an undersurface support configured to support an undersurface of the folded sheet bundle so that the folded edge is lower than a trailing edge of the folded sheet bundle; a folded edge blocker configured to support the folded edge of the folded sheet bundle supported by the undersurface support, a lower end of the folded edge blocker being held by the undersurface support, and a canceller configured to release the lower end of the folded edge blocker from the undersurface support if a predetermined amount of sheet stacks are loaded on the undersurface support.

Abstract: After an image was formed, a position in the width direction of the sheet stacked on a stacking portion is aligned by fixing one of aligning plates which can independently be driven and moving the other aligning plate in one direction. When the image is formed onto the sheet, a side edge of the sheet on the side which is come into contact with the aligning plate on the side fixed as a reference wall upon aligning is used as a reference and the image is formed.

Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus including: a sheet supporting table that supports a sheet stack made of a plurality of sheets which have been folded; a stopper against which a first edge of the sheet stack which is a side to be cut of the sheet stack is pressed on the sheet supporting table; and a pushing member which pushes a second edge of the sheet stack so that the first edge is pressed against the stopper, wherein the pushing member comprises a first surface that is inclined with respect to a sheet supporting surface of the sheet supporting table so that the first surface restricts a height of the folded part of the sheet stack with respect to the sheet supporting surface when the pushing member presses the sheet stack towards the stopper.

Abstract: There is provided a technique in which a retracting operation of a bundle of sheets from a stapler after a staple process can be stably performed irrespective of the number of sheets constituting the bundle of sheets or the transport resistance. When the bundle of sheets subjected to the staple process is moved by a stacker in a direction of retracting from the stapler, an alignment roller is caused to come in contact with the bundle of sheets held by the stacker and to assist the movement of the bundle of sheet.

Abstract: A sheet post processing apparatus of compact shape with good alignment can be obtained by providing an accumulation tray for aligning and accumulating sheets successively delivered, a post processing unit for performing a post process such as binding to a sheet stack accumulated on the accumulation tray, and a grip unit for gripping the post processed sheet stack. The post processing unit enables the accumulation tray to reciprocate in a direction transverse to a discharging direction of a sheet discharge tray. The grip unit has a grip part for gripping the sheet stack, a guide part for reciprocally guiding the grip part back and forth in the sheet discharging direction. The grip part is separable from the guide part during a movement of the post processing unit.

Abstract: An image forming system which is capable of preventing paper jam from occurring in a sheet processing apparatus to thereby maintain the stability of the system. An alignment plates of an alignment unit movable in a lateral direction each sheet are brought into abutment with opposite side edges of sheets stacked on the sheet stack unit to laterally align the sheets. A lateral registration sensor unit detects a lateral position of the sheet being conveyed. When the detected lateral position of the sheet is beyond a predetermined position, the CPU of the apparatus changes the standby positions of the alignment plates such that spacing therebetween in the lateral direction the sheet is widened by a predetermined amount, and extends the conveying interval of sheets in the image forming apparatus by a predetermined time period.

Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes a sheet stacking member for temporarily receiving a sheet conveyed thereto and stacking the sheet thereon and a conveyance unit for outputting the sheet stacked on the sheet stacking member therefrom, wherein the conveyance unit includes a sheet output face having a predetermined acute angle with respect to a sheet stacking face of the sheet stacking member and configured to output a stack of sheets by touching a back end of the stack of sheets and pushing the stack of sheets.

Abstract: A machine that is operable to create a series of holes in at least one sheet of paper includes a base, a punch mechanism positioned on the base, and a tray coupled to the base. The tray includes a first guide and a second guide. The tray is configured to move between a first position and a second position. Movement of the tray between the first position and the second position adjusts a position of the first guide and a position of the second guide relative to the punch mechanism.

Abstract: A stacker, including a sheet stacking section which receives sheets and stacks the sheets, a stopping member which stops the top edge of the sheet and aligns the sheet, plural paddle-wheels which press against the sheet and convey the sheet to the stopping member, and a control section which controls the paddle-wheels to shift perpendicular to the sheet conveyance direction, to be arranged on both side edges of the sheets, and to press against the both side edges of the sheets.

Abstract: A sheet loader for loading a folded sheet bundle provided from a sheet bundle provider with a folded edge of the folded sheet bundle in a lead, including: an undersurface support configured to support an undersurface of the folded sheet bundle provided from the sheet bundle provider; a folded edge blocker configured to take a blocking position to block the folded edge of the folded sheet bundle on the undersurface support and a releasing position to release the folded sheet bundle; and a joint configured to evacuate from an orbit of the folded edge blocker returning from the releasing position to the blocking position, the joint is configured to join the undersurface support with the folded edge blocker at the blocking position after the returning to the blocking position.

Abstract: The present invention provides a sheet processing apparatus comprising a sheet holding device capable of storing supplied sheets, a first sheet stacking tray on which sheets are stacked at a downstream side of the sheet holding device in a sheet conveying direction and on which the sheets are subjected to processing, a sheet discharging device for discharging the sheets stacked on the first sheet stacking tray, a second sheet stacking tray on which the sheets discharged by the sheet discharging device are stacked, and a controller for controlling the sheet discharging device and the sheet holding device if sheet jam occurs at an upstream side of the sheet holding device, in such a manner that, after the sheets on the first sheet stacking tray are discharged onto the second sheet stacking tray, the sheets stored in the sheet holding device are discharged onto the first sheet stacking tray.

Abstract: A support member 60 that projects to a sheet conveying direction and supports sheets, which are sorted and discharged, from a rear surface side thereof is provided in a discharge port 7a of a processing tray 12 or a standby tray 10. The support member 60 is installed not to interfere with a shutter 52 when the shutter 52 rises. The support member 60 is installed to be inclined upward at an angle equal to or larger than an installation angle of the processing tray 12 or the standby tray 10. The support member 60 may be formed of a conductor that conducts static electricity and installed in a metal section of the discharge port 7a.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a tray includes a take on surface on which a sheet is placed, a projecting portion configured to stick out from the take on surface, and a slip stopper including a sheet-slip stopper portion having a larger frictional coefficient with the sheet than the take on surface has. The slip stopper sticks the sheet-slip stopper portion out from the take on surface when the sheet comes into contact with the projecting portion.

Abstract: A sheet finishing apparatus includes: a supporting unit which supports a sheet supplied from an image forming unit; a positioning unit against which a side edge of the sheet placed on the supporting unit is abutted; a moving unit which contacts a surface of the sheet placed on the supporting unit and moves the sheet in a direction toward the positioning unit; and an adjustment unit which adjusts a movement mode of the moving unit.

Abstract: A sheet post-processing apparatus discharges and conveys a sheet from a process tray to a storage tray, and decelerates a bundle hook and a paper discharge roller when the bundle hook reaches a discharge start position of a bundle of sheets. At this time, a tangential speed of the paper discharge roller is faster than a movement speed of the bundle hook. Subsequently, the sheet post-processing apparatus stops the paper discharge roller in accordance with a rotation position of the bundle hook, and then decelerates the movement speed of the bundle hook. After the sheets are stacked on the storage tray, the bundle hook accelerates to return to a home position. Additionally, the sheet post-processing apparatus includes a spool 17 having a sheet pressing guide member 16 with a bent portion 16A.

Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus of the present invention includes a post-processing unit provided inside a housing and configured to perform post-processing on sheets discharged from an image forming apparatus, a sheet discharge unit configured to guide sheets having undergone post-processing to a discharge port, a paper discharge tray configured to accommodate sheets discharged from the discharge port and allowed to ascend and descend within a specific height range lower than the discharge port, and a sheet member disposed directly below the discharge port and configured to move along a wall surface of the housing in association with ascending and descending of the paper discharge tray and receive rear ends of the sheets accommodated in the paper discharge tray, a width of a receiving portion thereof in a height direction varying with a quantity of the sheets accommodated in the paper discharge tray.

Abstract: Tray means for stacking sheets, pickup means for separating and for conveying sheets into a single sheet on the tray means, and sheet conveyance means for conveying a sheet separated by the pickup means to a predetermined processing position are provided. Projecting guide means project from a sheet support surface of the tray means into a notched opening of the sheet is provided; and an oblique surface is formed to prevent a trailing side edge of the opening from catching on a leading side edge of the opening of a lower sheet when feeding an uppermost sheet to the projecting guide means. This makes it possible to feed only the uppermost sheet downstream without an opening edge formed in the uppermost sheet from interfering with an opening edge of a lower sheet.