Abstract: A paper feed apparatus comprises a paper feed section, a separation section, a rotating body and a control device. The paper feed section feeds an image receiving medium that is placed. The separation section is arranged at a downstream side of the paper feed section in a conveyance direction of the image receiving medium. If a plurality of the image receiving media fed from the paper feed section is overlapped, the separation section separates the plurality of the image receiving media that is overlapped. The rotating body is arranged at the upstream side of the separation section in the conveyance direction of the image receiving medium. The rotating body is capable of contacting with the placed image receiving medium. The rotating body is rotatable. The control device carries out control to rotate the rotating body at least before an operation of the paper feed section.

Abstract: In an example, a lift mechanism may include a linkage to engage with a pick arm, a crank switchably disposed in a first position and a second position, and a swingarm to move the crank from the first position to the second position. The linkage may move the pick arm from a raised position to a lowered position when the crank moves from the first position to the second position.

Abstract: Provided are a sheet feeding device with improved separating/feeding performance. The sheet feeding device includes a sheet storage portion, a pickup roller which feeds the sheet, a driving motor which rotates the pickup roller, a feed roller and a separating roller which separate and feed the sheet, and a drive transmission mechanism which when the pickup roller abuts on the surface of the sheet accommodated in the sheet storage portion to feed the sheet, allows the pickup roller to perform intermittent rotation that alternately perform rotation and stop twice or more while one sheet is fed. The drive transmission mechanism is connected to the driving motor and includes an input gear having a plurality of protrusions and a regulating portion which is engaged with the protrusions of the input gear to regulate the rotation of the input gear.

Abstract: At a start of sheet feeding operation, a feed cam starts to rotate in association with rotation of a feed shaft and a feed roller starts to rotate from a time when the feed shaft has passed an idle zone, so as to send out each of sheets on a rising and lowering plate. After that, the feed roller is returned to a feed initial position by a return mechanism including a conveyance roller and a feed rotatable member. A cam curve of the feed cam reduces a rising speed as compared to a rising speed of a conventional rising and lowering plate, and reduces generation of noise at the time of collision between the sheets on the rising and lowering plate and the feed rotatable member. Thus, an image forming apparatus having lower noise level can be provided.

Abstract: An operation of a pickup roller to be performed upon powering on or after paper jam elimination is adjusted according the presence or absence of a document on a document sheet support. When the document is absent on the sheet support, the pickup roller is moved down sufficiently and then moved up by a first distance to assume an upper limit position. When the document is present on the sheet support, the pickup roller is moved up by a second distance which is shorter than the first distance.

Abstract: A feeding apparatus including a feeding device including (a) a feeder which feeds, in each of a plurality of feeding operations, an object in a feeding direction in a state in which an external force is exerted to the object in a direction parallel to the feeding direction, and (b) a motor which operates the feeder and thereby feeds the object; and a controller which controls, in each feeding operation, the motor by supplying, in a first control mode, a first power to the motor so as to feed the object to a control-end position distant from a target stop position by a predetermined amount, and supplying, in a second control mode, a second power different from the first power, to the motor so that the feeder applies, to the object, a resisting force resisting the external force and thereby prevents at least a portion of a movement of the object in the direction parallel to the feeding direction that is caused by the external force.

Abstract: Provided are a paper pickup device and an image forming apparatus having the same. The paper pickup device and the image forming apparatus having the same include a driving shaft whose end has a first combining portion and a driving shaft having a second combining portion configured to be integrally connected with the first combining portion. When the first combining portion and the second combining portion are combined with each other, the driven shaft bends and separates from the driving shaft. The first combining portion and the second combining portion may be screw-coupled to each other.

Abstract: A sheet picking system for picking a sheet of media includes a power source having a driveshaft. A first housing arm containing a drive gear is drivably coupled to the driveshaft. The drive gear defines a first pivot axis for the first housing arm, wherein the drive gear is driven by the driveshaft to rotate about the first pivot axis. A second housing arm contains an intermediate gear, a transmission device, and a pick roller. The transmission device is configured to rotatably couple the intermediate gear to the pick roller. The intermediate gear is positioned to be meshed with the drive gear. The intermediate gear defines a second pivot axis for the second housing arm. A link mechanism pivotably couples the first housing arm at the first pivot axis to the second housing arm at the second pivot axis.

Abstract: A sheet feeder includes first and second rollers, a power source, and first and second drive units. The first and second rollers can be independently rotated to apply a feeding force to a sheet. The sheet feeder can switch the first drive unit to a meshing state and the second drive unit to an escape state so as to input a rotational driving force from the power source to the first drive unit and can also switch the first drive unit to the escape state and the second drive unit to the meshing state so as to input the rotational driving force from the power source to the second drive unit.

Abstract: A sheet from the top of a stack of media, and is driven by a reversible electric motor operated in a forward direction to drive a feed roll and nudger roll; and operated in a reverse direction to drive a cam profiled to raise and lower the nudger roll. One-way clutched gears may be provided to restrict rotation of the feed roll and the nudger roll when the motor is operated in a reverse direction; and to restrict rotation of the cam when the motor is operated in a forward direction. A rotary cam may be profiled to allow for the reciprocating movement of the nudger roll from a down position in which the nudger roll contacts the top of the stack of media to an up position in which the distance between the nudger roll and the top of the stack of media is suitable for loading media onto the stack of media.

Abstract: A paper feeding apparatus includes a housing accommodating a plurality of papers, a pickup unit, a rotation transmitting member and a torque transmitting member. The pickup unit has a pickup lever, a driving shaft rotatably supporting the pickup lever, and a pickup roller rotatably provided on an end of the pickup lever. The rotation transmitting member transmits a rotating force of the driving shaft to the pickup roller. The torque transmitting member is provided between the driving shaft and the pickup lever. The torque transmitting member selectively rotates one of the pickup lever or the pickup roller depending on a torque acting on the driving shaft. The pickup roller is rotated while being pressed against the papers, thereby feeding the papers one by one out of the housing.

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 method of feeding sheets includes the step of conveying the sheets between a feed roller and a separation member. The separation member is pressed against and into contact with the feed roller with a pressure applied between the feed roller and the separation member. The method also includes the steps of separating and conveying the sheets conveyed between the feed roller and the separation member one by one, and providing a cyclic change in the pressure between the feed roller and the separation member.

Abstract: A sheet member feeding device comprises a first gear transmitting a driving force to a feeding roller for intermittently feeding a sheet member per a predetermined feeding amount, a second gear having a first mark and a second mark representative of a maximum eccentric position and a minimum eccentric position along a radial direction relative to a predetermined concentric circle in a tooth space, in opposition to each other and directly or indirectly transmitting a driving force to the first gear, a third gear directly or indirectly transmitting driving force from driving means to the second gear, detecting means for detecting the first mark and the second mark in the second gear and transmitting a detection output, and a control portion operating the driving means for performing operation for rotating the second gear through 180° between the first mark and the second mark with respect to feeding for a feeding amount of the sheet member for one time, on the basis of the detection output from the detectin

Abstract: A paper quality determining sensor and a faulty paper sorting device capable of detecting reaction forces of paper sheets themselves which vary according to paper quality using a plurality of rollers so as to detect the stiffness (rigidity) of paper sheets accurately without being affected by thicknesses of the paper sheets.

Abstract: A pick-up mechanism and a method for performing a pick-up cycle in a reproduction machine. The pick-up mechanism comprises a pick-up control pinion which is firmly coupled to a control cam, and a drive gearing including a first rocker driving gear and a second rocker driving gear. The first and second rocker driving gears are mounted to a rocker device to be alternately engaged into and disengaged from, respectively, the pick-up control pinion. Upon starting the pick-up operation, the second rocker driving gear is drivingly engaged into a toothed section of the pick-up control pinion, and, in the course of the pick-up operation, the first rocker driving gear is drivingly engaged into the toothed section of the pick-up control pinion.

Abstract: A paper discharging apparatus for a printer includes: a plurality of support plates for supporting the paper and rotating in a direction parallel to a paper proceeding direction; a rotation shaft of a feed roller arranged in a direction perpendicular to the paper proceeding direction, and to which a feed roller contacting the paper is coupled; a power transfer portion having a sector gear installed on the rotation shaft so that the sector gear doe not rotate when the rotation shaft rotates in a forward direction, and the sector gear does rotate when the rotation shaft rotates in a reverse direction; a crank rod having one end connected to the sector gear, and reciprocating when the sector gear rotates; and a cam shaft connected to the crank rod and rotating in correspondence to the reciprocation of the crank rod.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for delivery of sheet media to a printer includes a chassis, a drive motor, a media tray with elevatable pressure plate, a plurality of pick rollers situated opposite movable pinch rollers that come into contact with the pick rollers to form a roller assembly therebetween when in an extended position. A movable separator forms a throat between one of the pick rollers and the leading edge of the separator when it is in an extended position. A common transmission is used to simultaneously position the pinch rollers, separator, and the pressure plate. The apparatus also includes a media retarder for preventing multiple sheets of media from advancing through the apparatus at the same time. The method includes delaying the rotation of the pick rollers until a stack of media has been raised to press against the pick rollers, and the pinch rollers and separator are in an extended position.

Abstract: When a driven piece is caused to move forward, a follower piece is allowed to follow the forward movement of the driven piece with the assistance of the biasing force of a biasing member. The follower piece induces the movement of a urging member toward a pickup roller. When the urging member collides against the pickup roller with leaves interposed therebetween, the forward movement of the follower piece is prevented, while the driven piece is still allowed to keep moving forward. The elastic force is stored in the biasing member in response to the forward movement of the driven piece. The urging member is allowed to urge the leaves against the pickup roller by an urging force based on the elastic force stored in the biasing member. When the driven piece is caused to move backward, the follower piece receives the driven piece at the reception surface. The follower piece is allowed to rigidly receive the driving force from the driven piece without any influence of the biasing member.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to prevent a sheet of continuous-form paper from slackening when it is fed back in a printer capable of feeding both sheets of continuous-form paper and cut-form paper.

Abstract: A printing machine is described that includes a rotary plate for decollating top sheet from a stack of sheets by turning the top sheet so as to expose a second sheet. The machine also has a clamping finger that tilts into position to hold the second sheet once the top sheet has been turned. The top sheet is then turned back to the original position, aligned with the feed direction.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus that can be used in an image reading apparatus or an image recording apparatus to pick-up sheets of paper for one-by-one transfer to an image generating mechanism (e.g., an image reader or a print. head). The sheet feeding apparatus includes sheet pick-up member and a power transmission device that moves the pick-up member from a home position toward a sheet supply portion, from an arbitrary position to an initializing position, and from the initializing position to the home position.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus having a feeding roller for feeding a sheet, a support shaft forwardly and reversely rotatable integrally with the feeding roller and a stopper disposed upstream of the feeding roller in the sheet feeding direction for temporarily regulating the feed of a sheet to the feeding roller. When the rotation in one direction of the feeding roller is transmitted to a locking member through a one-way clutch, the locking member is rotated to lock the stopper. When the feeding roller is rotated in the opposite direction, the locked state of the stopper is released.

Abstract: The sheet feeder of an ink jet printer includes a semi-cylindrical feed roller. A first gear and a second gear are fixed to the roller coaxially with it. The feeder also includes a feed motor rotatable in both directions. The torque of reverse rotation and the torque of normal rotation of the motor are transmitted through a first gear system and a second gear system to the first and second gears, respectively. The first gear has a peripheral surface without teeth. The surface is formed in part of a different peripheral portion of the first gear than the peripheral portion of the first gear which engages with the first gear system while the reverse rotation of the motor by a predetermined amount of reverse rotation is turning the roller by a first predetermined amount from an initial position.

Abstract: A sheet film magazine for a film changer has a conveyor for conveying individual film sheets from a film stack to an exposure or receptacle portion of the film changer. The conveyor comprises at least one conveyor wheel which is attached to a shaft that is parallel to the plane of the film sheets and which is driven with a drive mechanism in the conveying direction of the film sheets. The conveyor also has a spacing mechanism for spacing between a film sheet and the conveyor wheel such that the conveyor wheel, when conveying a film sheet from the sheet film magazine to the exposure or receptacle portion, presses against the surface of the film sheet, and is removed from this surface after the end of the film conveying. In order to enable a high film conveying frequency with a conveyor of this type in a simple way, following the end of a film conveying, the conveyor wheel is separated from the surface of the film sheet with the assistance of a separating mechanism.

Abstract: A paper feeding system that eliminates a mechanism for interrupting driving force to picking rollers to lower the cost of the system and to secure the feeding of papers. Corner nails are supported in a manner displacable up and down on the both sides of the front end portion of a paper cassette and the front corner portions of papers stored within the paper cassette can be anchored by the corner nails. A projecting part of the corner nails abuts to a stopper to restrict its upper limit position. When the paper is not fed, the picking rollers are in an up position and are separated from the paper and the corner nails retain the paper at a certain height position engaging with the front corner portion of the paper. When the paper is fed, the picking rollers go down to a down position to press the paper against biasing force of a bias spring and the corner nails are separated from the stopper and contact with the front corner portion of the paper in the down position.

Abstract: There is disclosed a device for feeding documents stacked in a document tray for use in a facsimile machine. The device includes a pick-up roll for picking up the undermost document of the stacked documents, a transferring roll for transferring the document picked up by the pick-up roll, the two rolls being mounted parallel and synchronized with each other, a shaft for rotating the pick-up roll, a bushing having a cylindrical portion and a notch portion and fixedly mounted on one end portion of the shaft, a driving gear having a cylindrical portion and a plurality of notch portions and loosely mounted on the end portion of the shaft with the cylindrical portions opposing each other, and a clutch spring having an internal end and external end and encircling the two cylindrical portions with the internal and external ends respectively caught in the notch portions.

Abstract: A device for sequentially introducing sheets placed in a stack into the nips of a pair of introduction rollers comprising at least one linear member having ends secured to a control pulley or roller and passing around a return pulley or roller which is adjacent the nips of the introduction rollers. A plurality of cams mounted on rotating shafts for engaging a run of the linear member to shift it from a retracted position to a position for engaging a bottom sheet in a stack disposed above the linear member, a vacuum chamber disposed along each linear member for holding the sheet on the members as they engage the sheet and carry it toward the nips.

Abstract: A method for making a lead edge feeder for feeding corrugated paperboard is described which eliminates the need for a complex indexing transmission. The method includes connecting a rocker shaft to a rocker gear so that the rocker gear rotates in a feed direction and then in a direction opposite the feed direction. Feed wheels in turn rotate in a feed direction and then in a direction opposite the feed direction. The stack of paperboard to be fed intermittently moves relative to the feed wheels so that initial contact between the lowermost sheet to be fed initially contacts the feed wheels when the feed wheels are moving in a direction opposite the feed direction.

Abstract: A paper feeder system inclusive of a paper feed table for placing paper thereon, a transport roller, a first shaft for supporting the transport roller thereon, feed rollers, a first arm pivotably supported by the first shaft and extending toward the feed table, a delivery roller mounted on the first arm for delivering the paper from the feed table to the transport roller. A second arm pivotably supported between the delivery roller and the transport roller, and a shutter is attached to the second arm for preventing delivery of the paper to the transport roller. A first cam and a first cam shift therefor are provided for pivotally moving the first arm to thereby shift the delivery roller to an operative position, and a second cam and a second cam shaft therefor for pivotally moving the second arm to thereby shift the shutter to an operative position when the first arm is not pivotally moved, the first cam shaft and the second cam shaft being combined together in the form of a single rotary shaft.

Abstract: A roll feed apparatus has first and second rolls for gripping a plate when rotated in first directions and moving from each other when rotated in second directions, and first and second brake pieces for fixing the plate during rotation in the second direction. A pivot body has support portions along its length for rotatably supporting a first roll shaft at opposite ends. A pair of pivot shafts parallel to the first roll shaft are rotatably connected to the pivot body and a housing and eccentric with respect to each other. First and second adjusting arms are fixed to the shafts; third and fourth adjusting arms are pivotally fitted to the support portions and support the first brake piece. A first adjusting device with first and second links coupled to the first and second adjusting arms moves portions of the first roll and first brake piece located next to first and second arms towards or away from the second roll and the second brake piece by pivoting these arms.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus is arranged to feed sheets, such as bank statements, along a guideway (40) to an exit slot (16), the guideway (40) including a smooth guide surface (58) which has the configuration of part of a cylinder. Two elastomeric rolls (108) are rotatably mounted on a support (80) mounted on a drive shaft (64) whose axis lies along the center of curvature of said guide surface (58). During a sheet feeding operation, the support (80) is rotated from a position in which the rolls (108) are adjacent an entry throat (54) of the guideway (40) to a position in which the rolls (108) are adjacent the exit slot (16), the rolls (108) pressing a sheet (24') against said guide surface (58) and causing the sheet to be slidably moved along said guide surface. During this movement, gears (94, 100, 102, 104) carried by the support (80) bring about rotation of said rolls in such a direction as to increase the sheet feeding movement.

Abstract: A roll feed apparatus having a first roll and a second roll for intermittently clamping therebetween and feeding sheet material. An adjusting device is provided for adjusting the gap between the first and second rolls and includes a pivot member adapted to cause, when it pivots, the first roll to more towards and away from the second roll. First and second braking members temporarily fix the sheet when it is unclamped from the rolls. The second braking member is carried by a braking position adjusting arm disposed between the pivot member and the path of feed of the sheet. The adjusting arm is pivotally carried by the pivot member and arranged such that an imaginary plane connecting the portions of the first roll and the second braking member closest to the path of feed of the sheet is moved, when the pivot member pivots over a predetermined angle, substantially in parallel with the path of feed of the sheet.

Abstract: A roll feed apparatus having a first roll and a second roll for oscillatory rotation in opposite directions such as to intermittently feed a sheet clamped therebetween. The roll feed apparatus comprises a pivot member having one end fitting on a pivot shaft extending from the housing of the apparatus substantially in parallel with the first roll shaft and the other which is free, the pivoting member being mounted at its portion between the one and the free ends on a first roll shaft, the pivot member being adapted to cause, when it pivots, the first roll shaft and the first roll to move towards and away from said second roll, a first adjusting device for adjusting the force by which the first roll is urged towards the second roll is adjusted, and a second adjusting device for adjusting the gap between the rolls in accordance with the thickness of the sheet to be fed. The first and second adjusting devices are operable independently of each other.

Abstract: A dispenser for dispensing photographic sheets from a stack, comprising a dispensing mechanism with first and second sheet buckling members operative to make the upper sheet buckle and lift and then to release the leading edge of the buckled sheet to allow it to move under recovery forces of the sheet into a forward position beyond the end of the stack of sheets.

Abstract: A labelling machine comprises a revolving carrier with at least one pickup element rotatably mounted thereon. A stationary sun gear is provided and the drive for each pickup element includes a drive spindle, a pinion meshing with the sun gear and axially displaceable with respect thereto and coupled to the drive spindle. The coupling includes a cam-controllable compensating drive which comprises two opposite cam pieces which are axially displaceable with respect to the drive spindle and connected for rotation with the pinion, at least one driver disposed between the cam pieces for driving the spindle in response to the rotation of the pinion and axially settable to eliminate free play. Cam control for the compensating drive comprises an axial cam and a bipartite cam follower which is mounted for axial adjustment to eliminate free play.

Abstract: In a modified embodiment of the pull-foot sheet feeding device described in U.S. application Ser. No. 608,970, filed Aug. 29, 1975, now Pat. No. 4,013,283 the bottom roller is replaced by a roller segment. The roller segment is pivotally mounted on a carrier which is fixedly mounted on a driving shaft. The pivotal axis of the roller segment is offset from the axis of the driving shaft. The roller segment has an outer surface for pinching sheets between it and the pull-foot while rolling on a sheet in response to rotation of the driving shaft. The position of the roller segment relative to the carrier is constrained by a spring, which provides biasing of the roller segment surface against the pull-foot, and an adjustable stop. The pull-foot is driven outwardly to pull sheets from a hopper by the roller segment but is under the control of a biasing spring and cam during its return.

Abstract: In a mechanism for feeding individual sheets of paper separately from a stack of paper sheets, a separating device exposes an edge of an outer sheet and a "pull-foot" is oscillated between the separated sheet and a remaining stack. A roller is concurrently moved into position to pinch the separated sheet between the pull-foot and the roller. The pull-foot is oscillated away from the stack and, in doing so, the outer sheet is pulled from the stack by interaction between the pull-foot and the roller.

Abstract: Apparatus for feeding data processing record cards seriatim from the bottom of a stack to a data sensing station or the like including a pair of oscillating picker members for displacing a record card from the bottom of the stack, and a pair of sector rollers for intermittently gripping the displaced card and moving it at right angles to the direction of displacement to the nip of a set of feed rollers. Both the picker members and sector rollers are driven from a common source, the picker members being harmonically driven through a unique coupling device including a pair of flexural elements mounted at right angles to each other to give a universal action.

Abstract: To rotate sheet engaging means such as a roller disposed in engagement with an outermost sheet of a stack sheets in a receptacle, there is provided sheet feeding apparatus including first and second rotatable members, wherein the first member has inwardly and outwardly facing surface portions which respectively define oppositely facing paths of travel when the first member is rotated, and wherein the second member is disposed in the respective paths of travel. The surface portions of the first member are arranged relative to one another to permit one of them to rotate the first member in one direction and the other of them to rotate the first member in the opposite direction, when the first member is rotated in a given direction. Since the second member may be connected to a sheet engaging roller for rotating the roller in opposite directions, the sheet feeding apparatus is usable in buckle-loop sheet feeding systems.