Abstract: An improved printing machine for moving paper sheets from a paper stack along an endless belt to an impression cylinder with continual movement of the paper sheet without stopping and starting. The instantaneous angular position of the impression cylinder is sensed and the instantaneous position of the paper along the endless belt is sensed and an error signal is generated if the relative positions are such that the paper will not arrive at the impression cylinder clamp at the proper time. The error signal causes the vacuum to be applied to a vacuum paper sheet pickup to be turned on and off at varying times to vary the time of pickup of each paper sheet that is deposited on the endless belt, thus controlling the position of each sheet on the belt. The invention allows large increases in printing speeds over the prior art because the sheets of paper are moved between the paper stack and the impression cylinder in a nonstop manner.

Abstract: A method of controlling a cut-sheet feeder installed on a printer to feed a cut sheet from a sheet hopper (1) included in the cut-sheet feeder to the printing unit of the printer at a sheet feeding speed corresponding to that of the printer. The printer gives a correction signal (S.sub.1) of a predetermined pulse width to the cut-sheet feeder, and then the cut-sheet feeder converts the pulse width of the correction signal into a corresponding number of pulses of a clock signal generated by its control unit (25), and obtains the difference between the number of pulses of the clock signal and a predetermined reference value to determine the deviation of the frequency of the clock signal from a reference frequency. The difference between the number of pulses of the clock signal and the reference value is added to a reference motor controlling value for driving a stepping motor (4) at a reference speed to obtain a corrected motor controlling value. When the printer gives a sheet feed command signal (S.sub.

Abstract: An image recording apparatus using expendable supplies, the apparatus including a rotary portion of the paper tray for detecting the amount of expendable supplies which are available for use during image recording, a similar rotary portion of the document tray or an automated document feeder capable of counting sheets of paper for calculating the quantity of expendable supplies necessary for the selected recording operation, a comparator for comparing the detected amount with the calculated amount, and a display for informing an operator of the result of comparison.

Abstract: The apparatus is for automatically transporting sheets of original to a reading position on a plane member of an image forming apparatus. The apparatus includes an assembly for setting in position or accommodating sheets of original, an assembly for feeding the sheets, a transporting rolling device and a guiding device. The sheet setting assembly is located beside the plane member. The sheet feeding assembly is for feeding a sheet from the sheet setting assembly. The transporting rolling device presses on the plane member of the image forming apparatus to transport a sheet from the sheet feeding assembly by means of nipping the sheet against the plane member. The guiding device is located at a place adjacent to the transporting rolling device and ahead or upstream of it, with respect to the sheet transporting stream, for guiding the leading edge of the sheet to the nipping position between the transporting rolling device and the plane member.

Abstract: When a main body of an image forming apparatus is operated so that an image formation mode is set, a signal for determining which of several up-and-down type paper feeding devices is selected is applied from the main body of the image forming apparatus. In the selected paper feeding device, a selection signal detector determines that this selection signal is applied. If a paper detector determines that there are copy sheets whose number is at least a predetermined number, the paper deck is automatically raised by an up-and-down mechanism, even if the paper deck is in the lowered position. Even in the case where no up-and-down type paper feeding device is selected, if a timer measures time previously set, the paper deck may be automatically raised to a position where copy sheets can be fed. The up-and-down type paper feeding device according to the present invention has been constructed as described above and thus, an operator need not perform any operation so as to raise the paper deck from the lowered state.

Abstract: A paper feeder having a feed unit for dispensing paper from a paper containing unit and delivering the paper to a transport assembly. The feeder comprises a first guide portion for guiding the paper containing unit and a second guide portion for guiding the feed unit. The paper containing unit and the feed unit are slidably supported by the first guide portion and the second guide portion respectively individually.

Abstract: A sheet feeding system for ensuring feed of a single sheet includes a suction cup for holding the uppermost sheet of a stack. During initial lifting of the sheet, movement of the suction cup is halted for a predetermined time to allow sheets which have clung, by static attraction or otherwise to the uppermost sheet, to return to the stack. The initial lifting of the sheet takes place by swinging the suction cup about an axis. Thereafter the suction cup is lifted vertically to bring the topmost sheet into position to be taken up by portion feeding rollers and fed into a feed path. A stack empty detector employs a swinging arm which is positioned above the position the position of initial displacement of the suction cup so that, even if the last few sheets of the stack are initially attracted by the suction cup, the indicator will be prevented from giving a spurious "stack empty" signal.

Abstract: An apparatus for controlling a sheet supplying device having a feeding device capable of feeding a copying sheet from a plurality of stacked copying sheets in a sheet stacking portion and a reversing device capable of returning copying sheets desired not to be fed at an instance of feeding process includes an unit for applying a rotational driving force to the feeding device so as to draw a copying sheet out of the stacked copying sheets in the sheet stacking portion by rotating the feeding device in one direction, and an unit for applying a rotational driving force to the reversing device so as to return a copying sheet desired not to be fed to the sheet stacking portion at a time when a plurality of copying sheets are simultaneously fed out from the sheet stacking portion by rotating the reversing device in another direction.

Abstract: In a paper feeding control device according to a first embodiment of the invention, paper sheets delivered from paper containing sections are stopped once when their ends are detected by a paper detecting means. The paper sheet starts to be fed from the position where it is stopped, and a subsequent paper sheet is delivered at intervals of time corresponding to the minimum spacing required between paper sheets. Accordingly, even if the spacing between sheets is below the minimum because of slipping of the sheets during feeding, the sheets tend not to collide with each other and jamming is less likely. In a second embodiment of the invention, with continuously feeding paper sheets, two conditions are ANDed, namely, the elapse of time corresponding to the ideal spacing with which sheets are fed and the elapse of time corresponding to the minimum spacing required between the sheets. This ANDing is used to control the timing of the feeding of the subsequent sheet.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for document feeding for improved operator document manual insertion in which a document may be manually initially inserted into a document input area and released. The document is sensed in the document input area by a document sensor, and then automatically clamped in a document feeding nip which is automatically actuated in response to the document sensing, and then the document is automatically fed. Here, a first time delay period is provided between the sensing of the manually inserted document and the automatic clamping of the document. A second time delay is provided between the automatic clamping and the automatic feeding of the document. Preferably the automatic clamping of the document in the feeding nip is with a limited initial nip force sufficiently low to allow manual document retraction without document damage during the second time delay period.

Abstract: A sheet feed device for feeding sheets from a stack to a machine, such as a copier, is provided with rollers for feeding the top sheet of the stack to the entrance of the machine. When a sheet is being fed through the machine, the presence of the sheet is sensed and used to generate a signal to disengage the rollers from the stack to thereby ensure precise feeding of the sheets.

Abstract: An automatic document feeder includes original stacker having plural stages spaced from each other, each of which is capable of accommodating sheet originals; a support for supporting the plural stages for movement substantially along the stages; a feeder for feeding sheet originals from a selected one of the stages of the original stacker; conveyer for conveying the sheet originals from the feeder to a predetermined position; reversing device for returning the sheet originals having been placed at the predetermined position to the same selected stage; and a driver for driving the original stacker so as to bring the plural stages selectively toward the feeder.

Abstract: A sheet transport apparatus has opposed sheet transport guide baffles defining a sheet transport path having an upstream and downstream direction and, a switch adjacent the path to detect the presence of a sheet in the path, the switch having a main switch body fixedly mounted adjacent the path, a switch actuator movable between a rest position and a switch actuated position including an actuator arm having a free end and being pivotally mounted on an actuator pivot at the other end to the main switch body and movable between a position associated with the said rest position and switch actuated position, a switch actuator tip pivotally mounted to the free end of the actuator arm and movable between a first position extending the length of the arm into said path detecting the presence of a sheet in the path and a second position pivoted toward the sheet transport upstream direction out of the sheet transport path, the actuator tip being spring biased to the first position enabling positive switch actuation by

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a mechanism for the handling of and the singulating of a stack or plurality of aligned and substantially flat materials such as for example, sheets of paper, cards, printed flyers, envelopes, checks, business cards, labels, other printed documents and the like. There is incorporated into the mechanism novel systems and assemblies which control the rate of the advance of the stack of materials, which advance is effected by an amplitude or magnitude of a unidirectional jogging motion. The magnitude is a function of the attitude of the stack or the angle formed with the horizontal of the leading sheet of the stack. There is also provided a pulsing mechanism for pulsing, synchronously with jogger belts of an input conveyor assembly for joggingly advancing the plurality of flat materials, the first singulator assembly which pulsing enhances the action of singulation of the plurality of flat material.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus has a stocker unit for storing a stack of sheet materials, a forward sheet feed roller having an operative condition capable of feeding a sheet material in a forward direction from the stocker unit during each cycle of operation of the apparatus, a sheet passageway through which a sheet material is to be fed in the forward direction further away from the stocker unit, a detector assembly for detecting the presence of a single sheet material or the concurrent presence of two or more sheet materials in the sheet passageway, a backward/forward feed roller located in proximity to the forward sheet feed roller and operative to feed a sheet material in a backward direction toward the stocker unit, a control system for actuating the backward/forward feed roller to feed a sheet material in the backward direction toward the stocker unit if the concurrent presence of two or more sheet materials in the sheet passageway is detected by the detector assembly when the forward sheet feed roller is i

Abstract: A document feeder is disclosed which can be used with glass-top copy machines. It fits such copiers, having either a stationery or a moving sheet-support. It is small, light-weight, compact and portable. It feeds the bottom-most page first from a face-up stack of sheets, and re-stacks the copied sheets, face-up, with the bottom sheet at the bottom of the new stack. It operates in excess of 25 copies per minute.Drive wheels feed the document-to-be-copied onto the copier glass and, when the wheels are reversed, remove the document from the glass into a stacking area. The removal of a document from the glass and the placement of the next document onto the glass occur during the non-copying time of the continuously-running copier. The feed/separation act upon the center of the documents.The copier can derive its driving force and energy from the copier or can have its own independent power source.

Abstract: A sheet feeding device is provided for taking up and feeding a plurality of sheets one by one by a selectively driven sheet feeding roller from the stack thereof positioned on a sheet feeding base to a register roller and for transporting the sheet to an image developing and processing device at a predetermined timing by the register roller; the feeding device comprising a movable sheet guide member provided between the feeding roller and the register roller which is adapted to be displaced by the curving deformation of a sheet between the feeding roller and the register roller in the direction of the growing of the curving deformation. The feeding device may further comprise a detector for sensing the displacement of the sheet guide member to determine based upon the displacement that a predetermined curvature of a sheet has been reached, and a control for stopping the rotation of the feeding roller in response to the detection by the detector so as to prevent the sheet from deforming excessively.

Abstract: Apparatus for sensing the passage of sheets (1) through a nip formed by rollers (5 and 6), includes a core (14), moving with the shaft of one of the rollers, and a flat coil (15) connected to an oscillator circuit for sensing the deflection of one roller relative to the other. The oscillator circuit (18) provides a train of signals the frequency of which varies with the amount of the relative deflection of the rollers, and a counter (19) counts the signals from the oscillator in a fixed time interval. A store (22) stores counts representing the relative deflections of the rollers in a cycle of movement of the rollers when no sheet is present. The difference between a subsequent count and a stored count for a corresponding position in the cycle of rotation of the rollers is compared with a predetermined threshold, to establish the presence or absence of a sheet between the rollers.

Abstract: In a sheet stacking system, especially for a printer or copier set complier, in which sheets are sequentially fed for stacking into a stacking tray to a stacking registration wall position, a sheet stacking assistance and control system is provided by partially supporting and rotating an endless weighted chain-like lose element member, e.g., a metal bead chain, from above the stacking tray, preferably by two spaced and commonly driven pulleys, so that a first chain portion continuously moves downwardly towards the stacking tray in the path of said sheets being fed in the stacking tray to help pull them down, and then the chain flexes so that a substantial second chain portion continuously lies on the top sheet being stacked and continuously drags it towards the registration position, and then desirably an immediately following third chain section is pulled through the registration wall and sharply arcuately dropped there below the stack top level to continuously drag down the sheet edges there.

Abstract: An automatic document feeder comprising a document deck table for loading a plurality of documents in a stack, a first feeder for subsequently feeding two documents loaded on the document deck table, a second feeder for transporting a fed document onto the platen, a stopper, provided with the one end of the platen, for stopping a transported document by interfering with the end of the document, a detector for detecting a fed document, a measuring device for measuring a distance between two documents subsequently fed, based on the signal output from the detector, and a controller for putting the second feeder out of action, based on the value measured by the measuring device. In a dual feeding mode, two documents are subsequently fed one by one, the second feeder continues its action after the leading edge of the first document has interfered and stopped with the stopper.

Abstract: Disclosed is a sheet feeder device including support for a generally vertical stack of sheets. The support means includes endless belts having an upper belt run position to extend across the bottom of the stack of sheets. A stationary gate forming member is provided which is positioned above the upper run of the belts and adjacent the forward side of the stack to define a nip which forms a gap between the gate forming member and the upper run for permitting the lowermost sheet of the stack to pass forwardly from the stack through a nip. The gate forming member is a cylindrical roll defining a central axis and an outer peripheral surface which is concentric to the central axis. The roll has a plurality of annular grooves extending about the circumference thereof, and the grooves are disposed concentrically about a second axis which is eccentric to the central axis.

Abstract: A stack of documents to be supplied to a processing device rest on at least one pull wheel for pulling the documents towards the processing device. A pushing element exerts a constant and uniform force which pushes the stack of documents against the pull wheel. The pull wheel pulls the documents towards a guide. The guide, which is configured such that only one document is permitted to pass through to the processing device, includes a first roller with three toric projections mounted thereon on one side of the guide and a pair of rollers with two toric projections mounted therebetween on the other side of the guide. As the direction of the rollers on opposite sides of the guide rotate in different directions and as the force of rotation of the single first roller is greater than the force of rotation of the two second rollers, the toric projections mounted on opposite sides of the guide will only permit documents to pass therebetween one at a time.

Abstract: A sheet stacking mechanism for use in apparatuses wherein an image is recorded on both sides of a recording sheet, including a bumper roller which is capable of retractably shifting to a downward position to be in pressure contact with the recording sheets on an intermediate tray and transport the recording sheets to a stopper where the leading edges thereof are aligned and, a sensor and control device for controlling the position of the roller so that the roller is shifted downward onto the recording sheet to be aligned when the sheets reach the tray, and raised out of contact with the sheets when the leading edges reach the stopper.

Abstract: A copying paper feeding device for an intermediate tray for use in a copying machine having functions of creating a copy on both sides of a paper or printing a compound copy. In the device while being pressed by a push-out roller, copying papers fed into the intermediate tray are delivered by the rotation of the push-out roller in the direction of a copying paper aligner located downstream and upper-positioned copying papers are pushed out a little further than lower-positioned copying papers in response to a counted number of copying papers fed into the intermediate tray.

Abstract: A paper feed unit for image forming apparatuses comprising a paper feed roller assembly having a paper feed shaft rotatably supported in the body of the image forming apparatus and a paper feed section slidably mounted on the paper feed shaft for removal therefrom and fixed to the paper feed shaft for integral rotation therewith, the rotation of said paper feed section causing a roller of said paper feed roller assembly to rotationally contact the paper, thereby feeding the paper; and a paper detection switch so fixed to a given mounting portion adjacent to the paper feed section as to detect the presence of the paper to be fed by the paper feed roller assembly and mounted in such a way as to slide following a slide in the paper feed section when unfixed from the mounting portion.

Abstract: A paper feeding stand on which a recording apparatus such as a copying machine is mounted and which contains paper for recording and feeds the paper to the recording apparatus through intermediate rollers provided at the position opposing the paper entry of the recording apparatus according to the rotation of the intermediate rollers. When paper jam occurs between the intermediate rollers and the recording apparatus, the intermediate rollers are rotated in the reversal direction to return the paper to the intermediate roller section, and then the intermediate rollers are moved in the direction intersecting at right angles with the axial direction thereof to expose the intermediate rollers and the jammed paper to the outside so that the paper can be removed easily and surely without tearing.

Abstract: A shredder for feeding documents from a document loading portion to a document shredding portion so as to shred the documents by the document shredding portion, in which the document loading portion is constituted by a plurality of document loading apertures such that a total quantity of the documents capable of being fed from the document loading apertures to the document shredding portion is so set as to be not more than a shredding capability of the document shredding portion.

Abstract: An envelope processing system (20) includes an input transport section (22); a processing/transport section (24); and a discharge transport section (28). Envelopes are fed on-edge from the input transport section to the processing/transport section (24) by a feeder section (40) comprising a feeder (72) and a feed assist device (80). When a signal controller (190) monitoring the feeder (72) detects a significant delay between the feeding of envelopes, the feeder (72) is enabled to acquire greater contact with the next envelope by displacing the feed assist device (80) out of its normally biased co-planar position with a feed belt (130) of the feeder (72), resulting in a greater force vector on the next envelope in the direction toward a singulation region (73). A stacker section (38) comprising the discharge conveyance section (28) includes introductory conveying means (302), stacker conveying means (304), and a discharge magazine (300).

Abstract: An apparatus for feeding sheets has a surface over which a sheet may be fed, a sheet feeder for feeding sheets over the surface which has at least one feed roll rotatably driven in the feeding direction at least one nudger roll upstream of the feed roll for urging a sheet to be fed toward the feed roll, the at least one nudger roll being pivotally supported about the at least one feed roll, a drive to rotate the feed roll in the feeding direction, an endless belt drive means to couple the rotational movement of the feed roll to the nudger roll, means responsive to identified feeding conditions to stop the drive and terminate the rotation of the feed roll in the feeding direction and reverse the direction of rotation of the feed roll whereby the endless belt drive coupling reverses the direction of rotation of the nudger roll and creates a drive torque on the nudger roll which urges it upwardly away from the feed surface.

Abstract: An automatic paper feeder presses the surface of copying paper loaded on a paper loading plate in a paper cassette against a paper feeding roller, and feeds the paper sheet by sheet in accordance with the rotation of the roller. When a paper detector provided at a downstream side of the roller does not detect the paper within a specified period of time after starting a paper feeding operation, the automatic paper feeder rotates the roller in the reverse direction, at the same time releasing the pressure between the paper and the roller, and then increases the pressure and rotates the roller in the forward direction to restart the paper feeding operation.

Abstract: A control system for the pressing force created on the draw-off roller system (24) in a single-feed mechanism for sheet material (16) is described. This pressing force has an optimum value when the time required for the respective draw-off operation is the minimum amount. For a corresponding regulation, a time measurement is performed with successive draw-off operations. The times thus determined are evaluated, and if they are found to be the same, the value of the pressing force reached following regulation of a drive that produces the pressing force is retained.

Abstract: A document feeder for use with a copying machine, for automatically recirculating documents through a copying process. The document feeder comprises a housing, a document tray disposed in the housing for storing a plurality of documents to be copied, a drive shaft carrying a pickup roller and a drive gear coaxially with each other, a rotary shaft carrying a driven gear and a document detector coaxially with each other, and a sensor for detecting one angular movement of the driven gear. The document detector contacts the documents on the document storing member for detecting presence of the documents. The driven gear defines, peripherally thereof, a gear portion for meshing with the drive gear and a cutout portion out of mesh with the drive gear.

Abstract: A computer enhanced document forwarding system capable of feeding individual generally flat documents from a horizontally disposed edge stack of documents and include a transporter for accepting serially disposed end to end individual documents one at a time, the transporter sequentially moving each document to at least one station for observation by an operator; electronic information storage facility having an interconnected input and retrieval means positioned adjacent to the operator observation station; a supply of self-adhering labels sequentially disposed in end to end fashion; an electronically controlled printer where the labels pick up ink in a predetermined symbol array capable of being different for each label; and a continuous label applying device for serially applying corrective labels to serially disposed documents with both the labels and documents moving in the same direction, thereby carrying corrective information supplied by said storage means to individual pieces of incorrectly designate

Abstract: An image recording device for forming an image on an image receptive member includes a casing for storing a stack of image receptive sheets, a sheet feed roller for delivering one image receptive member at a time from the casing, a movable plate disposed in the casing and displaceable toward the sheet feed roller as the number of the image receptive members in the casing is reduced, and a detector mechanism for detecting a predetermined amount of displacement of the movable plate. An image recorded on a photosensitive member is transferred to the image receptive member delivered by the sheet feed roller.

Abstract: A foreign substance disposing device for a money receiving and disbursing machine comprising stationary clip plates for clipping the bills therebetween, movable clip plate for clipping the bills, pick out rollers for picking out the bills which are clipped between the stationary and movable clip plates, a pick out motor for controlling an operation of the pick out rollers, a detection coil provided on a circuit board for producing a change in impedance in response to passing of the bills, impedance detector for detecting the change in the impedance of the coil, controller for judging whether or not the bills passing the coil are accompanied by a foreign substance based on signals from the impedance detector and for providing the pick out rollers with a control signal for preventing the pick out rollers from picking the bills out when a foreign substance is detected, and alarm for receiving signals from the controller and producing an alarm signal.

Abstract: To reduce a distance between a bill container and a bill discharge outlet and eliminate a complicated bill rearrangement mechanism in a bill discharge apparatus incorporated in cash handling machines, bills are discharged and conveyed one by one a little shifted with one end of a bill superposed upon the other end of another bill. The apparatus comprises first and second let-out rollers for letting out bills in sequence under partial superposed condition; a paper conveying device for conveying the paper delivered by the let-out rollers, a paper stopper for stopping conveyed paper; and a paper thickness sensor disposed between the first let-out roller and the paper stopper.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus for use in a photocopier or the like in which sheets can be fed automatically from a cassette or manually from a manual-insertion tray to a pair of conveying rollers without interference and using a simple structure. Sheets are fed from the cassette to the conveying rollers with a semicircular roller, the latter having a flat surface which is directed downward at the completion of each sheet feeding operation. The manual insertion tray guides the manually inserted sheets along a path below the semicircular roller. A sensor detects when a sheet has been manually inserted, in which case rotation of the semicircular roller is inhibited.

Abstract: Sheet feeding apparatus such as a cash dispenser comprises a first transport system having feed rollers (5), separation rollers (6), and a contra-rotating roller (7); a second transport system comprising a pair of belts (11, 12); and a diverter (25) positioned between the two transport systems. The diverter is movable between a first position in which sheets may be conveyed from the first transport system to the second transport system and a second position in which sheets may be conveyed upon reverse movement of the second transport system past the diverter (25) and away from the first transport system. The diverter is biassed towards its second position and is movable towards its first position in response to engagement of the diverter by a sheet fed towards the diverter by the first transport system.The first transport system withdraws sheets from a store (1) having a lid (34) which provides a dump into which rejected sheets are fed upon reverse movement of the second transport system.

Abstract: This specification discloses an automatic sheet supplying device for automatically feeding sheets from a sheet supporting table to a predetermined position. More particularly, the specification discloses an automatic sheet supplying device which is provided with a feeding member movable in a sheet feeding direction and a separating member opposed to the feeding member, whereby when sheets fed one by one by the action of the two members arrive at a predetermined position, the two members are caused to be spaced apart from each other to thereby eliminate any load against the sheets being conveyed.

Abstract: An automatic feed device for postal franking machines includes a feed tray, a device for transporting mail on the feed tray and a drive of the transporting device. A separating head in the form of a structural unit includes brake levers separating mail and pressure rollers, holding-down devices and a manual actuating lever transporting mail. Guide shafts support the separating head during displacement of the separating head into a housing from an operating position outside the housing. A detent shaft and a slide lock the separating head in the operating position. A microswitch coupled with the slide controls the drive of the transporting device.

Abstract: A cut sheet feeder feeds out a cut sheet from a first paper cassette when a bidirectional pulse motor for driving paper feed rollers rotates forward and from a second paper cassette when the bidirectional pulse motor rotates reversely, and can suppress feed-out of the cut sheet from the wrong paper cassette when the pulse motor starts to rotate. The feeding of the cut sheet from the wrong paper cassette is suppressed by stopping the motor at a predetermined phase. A first memory stores the predetermined phase and a second memory stores the current phase. A controller compares the contents of the first and second memories and applies a drive pulse to the motor until the contents of the memories coincide. A loop is formed in the cut sheet prior to the comparison of the contents of the memories to permit the motor to be rotated in the proper direction.

Abstract: A mechanism for automatically feeding individual pre-cut sheets and stuffing a personalized letter or some other pre-cut insert into a personalized envelope. The mechanism has means to permit additional inserts to be automatically added to the envelope and to automatically seal the contents within the envelope. The mechanism will also combine pre-cut inserts and envelopes fed from different sources and form them into a completed mailing envelope.

Abstract: A cartoner has a generally horizontal magazine and a rotary feeder at the discharge end of the magazine, the rotary feeder having a knife that is generally parallel to the plane of the cartons to slice the cartons one at a time from the stack in the magazine. A mechanism is provided for pivoting the plane of the slicing blade to follow the plane of the upper edges of the cartons in the event that the cartons become twisted in the magazine.

Abstract: A paper feeder is disclosed which has a plurality of trays arranged one above another and a paper feed unit movable up and down to one of the trays selected. To control paper transport speed, a paper sensor is actuated prior to a level sensor during movement of the paper feed unit to a paper feed position, and a paper feed unit drive motor begins to be decelerated in response to an "on" signal of the paper sensor. The amount of papers remaining in any of the trays is detected by counting drive pulses applied to a pulse motor, which is adapted to drive the paper feed unit. After a power source has been turned on, the amounts of remaining papers in all the trays are detected and displayed prior to a copying operation.

Abstract: A sheet feeder for a copier for the sequential separation and feeding of individual sheets from a stack of sheets with an impact type sheet feeder with flexible frictional flapper blades, a preprogrammed drive for automatically moving the sheet stacking tray towards or away from the sheet feeder, a reference stop automatically limiting the movement of the top of the stack relative to the feeder, and a programmed positioning mode for automatically slightly lowering the tray into an optimum feeding position in which the top of the stack is maintained at a substantially constant level position relative to the feeder, closely adjacent, but slightly spaced below, the limit position, and automatically programmed repositioning to maintain the optimum feeding position and to compensate for the reduction in the height of the stack as sheets are fed, and to provide improved double sheet feed prevention by cycling the tray through small up and down movements coordinated with the feeding of sheets from the stack, for mov

Abstract: In a sheet feeding system for a copier, for the sequential separation and feeding of individual sheets from a stack of sheets by an impact type sheet feeder, there is provided a plural mode stack repositioning system for automatically repositioning the top sheet of the stack of sheets into an optimum feeding position relative to the impact sheet feeder, which optimum feeding position is closely adjacent to, but slightly spaced below, a maximum limit position of the top of the stack. This stack repositioning system further provides a retard repositioning mode in which the stack of sheets is automatically lowered into a retard position after each sheet feed has been initiated, which retard position is substantially below the optimum feeding position, in response to a sheet feeding sensor detecting a sheet being successfully fed from the stack by the impact sheet feeder and acquired by a take-away feeding system.

Abstract: A printer/feeder apparatus of the type having: (i) a feed/transport platen rotatable so that its peripheral surface moves past a sheet supply zone, a print path ingress, a print zone and a print path egress; (ii) frictional feed surface located on a peripheral sector of the platen surface and (iii) means for selectively effecting feeding engagement between the face sheet(s) of a stack of sheet media and the feed surface features a detection/control system that includes (a) a first detector for sensing and signalling when and when not a forward edge of the feed surface is at a predetermined start position; (b) a second detector means for sensing and signalling when and when not engagement condition exists; (c) a third detector means for sensing and signalling when and when not a sheet is located along a predetermined portion(s) of the print path; and (d) a control system for receiving signals from the detectors and enabling printing cycles and signalling error conditions.

Abstract: Sheet feeding systems provide a sheet receiving nip at a peripheral region of a rotary sheet transport and arrange sheets in a stack having a stack and formed by a bottom sheet and spaced from the nip by a distance shorter than the minimum length of any of the sheets. The stack is temporarily lifted from a stack rest, and the bottom sheet is removed therefrom. Sheet jams are prevented by advancing any bottom sheet to the rotary sheet transport in a plane intersecting that rotary sheet transport at a distance from the nip. Each bottom sheet is further advanced from that intersecting plane to the nip, and such advanced bottom sheet is engaged with the nip for transport away from the stack with the rotary sheet transport. The stack end is returned to the stack rest after said removal of a bottom sheet, and the temporary stack end lifting, sheet advancing, sheet engaging and stack end returning steps are repeated individually for further bottom sheets advanced from the stack end.

Abstract: A sheet or coupon dispensing apparatus includes a magazine for storing a plurality of sheets or coupons and components for advancing each sheet individually from the magazine to a dispensed position. The apparatus is inoperative for dispensing another sheet until a previously dispensed sheet has been removed from the apparatus. The disclosed apparatus is especially adapted for use with automatic equipment, such as automatic vending machines.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus for use with a printing office machine includes at least one magazine, a drive wheel for removing a single sheet from the magazine and passing the sheet in a forward direction the nip of a printing wheel; the printing wheel is drivingly connectable with the separating roller and is driven in a forward direction to provide rotary power to the sheet feeder wheel to effect feeding of a single sheet to the nip; the method includes first driving the printing wheel in the forward direction and then reversing the direction of rotation of the printing wheel to move the sheet back out of the nip, the reverse rotation being disengaged from the separating wheel by a latch device.