Abstract: An image reading device having a feed roller and a document-separating member for separating and feeding one document at a time from a stack of documents on a hopper, and an image sensor for reading each document being transported through a suitable document transport path inside the device. The document transport path is inclined downward for a short distance immediately downstream of the feed roller and the document-separating member, then is bent in a near-horizontal direction, stretching substantially straight. This structure reduces the overall height of the device. A rotatable pushing member for pushing the document-separating member against the feed roller has a document guide surface which is located downstream of the document-separating member and which protrudes beyond the putative extension of the document contact plane at the end of the document-separating member, the pushing member thereby constituting a bend of the path.

Abstract: The feed table of a paper folder is provided with a downward step at the discharge end of the feed table. The downward step provides a discharge area so that the leading edge of a sheet can be pulled forward and down for a positive feed without wrinkling the leading edge through contact with the feed table. A vacuum wheel engages and holds the paper to effect the feed, and the vacuum wheel has an increased number of holes for a stronger grip. The rear ends of paper guides are movable by screws for carefully controlled skewing of the paper with respect to the feed table.

Abstract: An automatic cut-sheet feeding apparatus includes a feed roller which rotates in a direction so as to feed in and feed out an upper most cut-sheet, and means for stopping the feeding of excessive cut-sheets which should not be fed out together with the uppermost cut-sheet when a plurality of cut-sheets are fed in together by the feed roller, and thereby automatically feeding cut only the uppermost cut-sheet of the stack of cut-sheet one by one, the stopping means includes a holder pressed against said feed roller, a push-piece supported on the holder and pressed at a position preceding a position where the holder makes contact with said feed roller along a direction in which the cut-sheet is transported thus causing excessive cut-sheets to curve downwards when a plurality of cut-sheets pass between the feed roller and the push-piece, and a stop surface disposed to confront a leading edge of the curved excessive cut-sheet and engage the leading edge thereof.

Abstract: A sheet feeder in which a cam member shiftable transversely of the sheet feed path provides concomitant adjustment relative to the feed rollers of stripper shoes carried by resilient arms integral with stripper supports mounted for movement as a unit relative to the feed rollers and in which elements on the supports adjust the positions of the resilient arms for individual adjsutment of the shoes. A rib on a curved guide adjacent to the feed rollers prevents snapping of sheets against the feed rollers as they are picked up by an accelerating nip formed adjacent to the end of the guide by a pair of acceleration rollers, one of which is formed with a groove for accommodating the nip.

Abstract: A device for extracting sheets seriatim from the top of a stack of sheets and feeding them to a downstream sheet-using device, includes a pivoted tray which supports a stack of sheets; a nudger roll disposed at a fixed location above the tray and with which the top sheet of the stack can be brought into contact to slide the top sheet in a sheet-feed direction by frictional engagement when the nudger roll is rotated in a feed direction; a retard pad mounted for pivotal movement about an axis at or near the movable end of a first lever of which its other end is mounted for pivotal movement about a fixed support, the pad being biased into frictional engagement with either the nudger roll or a separate sheet-feed roll, the retard pad having movable with it a first arm of which movement about the pivotal axis of the pad is effective to increase the mechanical bias on a pivotally-mounted second lever adapted to urge the tray towards the nudger.

Abstract: A paper feeder includes a rotatable feed roller and a retard roller biasingly urged toward one another, the feed roller being rotatable in a feed direction for feeding a paper sheet between the feed roller and the retard roller. A pivot are pivotably supports the retard roller, and a motor mounted on the pivot arm is operable to apply a turning torque to the retard roller in a direction opposite to the direction of feed of the feed roller.

Abstract: In a sheet feeding apparatus for separating individual sheets (1b, 1c) of different stiffness from stacks (1d) thereof, the stack is pressed under the urgency of a spring force against separating rollers (9) and the sheet supply container (1) has an inclined front wall surface (10) on its front wall (4) upon which the stacked sheets are supported. A pair of arms (12) carrying separating elements (3) on their lower ends are carried on the supply container side wall (1a) for substantially parallel movement therealong. The arms (12) are implemented as linearly-movable switch sides (13) which are reciprocally displaceable between a lowered position in which the separating element end surfaces (15) rest against the supply container front wall surface (10) or the front region (11) thereof, and an upper or raised position in spaced apart relation to and providing a well-defined clearance (16) relative to the topmost sheet in the stack (1d).

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus of the invention comprises a conveying belt which is driven in such a direction as to send sheets, a belt or the like which is driven in the direction opposite to the belt conveying direction so as to apply a predetermined resistance force to the feeding of the sheets, and a frictional member adapted to be come into pressure contact with the conveying belt through the sheets. With the apparatus, the sheets can be certainly separated one by one irrespective of the material and thickness of the sheet.

Abstract: An improved retard type sheet feeder with sheet separation for sequentially feeding individual sheets from a stack of the sheets, with particular utility for a bottom sheet (bottom of stack) separator/feeder which may be used in low cost document feeders for copiers. A low cost retard member mounting system prevents tilting or other undesired movement of the retard pad in the direction of sheet feeding, and allows only desired vertical movement [spring loading restricted] plus desired free lateral tilt for lateral pivotal self-leveling with respect to the opposing sheet feeding member. The retard pad sheet engagement surfaces and the opposing sheet feeding member engaging surface are shaped and positioned to optimize stack sheet separation and feeding while minimizing varying, uneven or localized high pressure points which could induce image smearing, vibration or other difficulties, cooperatively with and assisted by the mounting system.

Abstract: An automatic document feed apparatus comprising a separation pad and at least one feed roller which comes into slidable contact with the separation pad. The roller is driven and transports a sheet of document pinched between the roller and the separation pad. This automatic document feed apparatus comprises a handle, thumbscrew or disk for adjusting force to press the roller by the pad.

Abstract: An apparatus for selectively feeding sheets from a stack of sheets in sequence along a paper line, has an endless carrier belt which advances the sheets individually and successively through a feeding zone. A vertically actuated feed gate operates between two opening positions to allow only the lowermost sheet in the stack to advance sequentially through each opening position and the opening of both positions is controlled. A stack lifter moves sequentially in a vertical path above and below the carrier belt so that the lowermost sheet advances when in contact with the carrier belt to advance a portion of the lowermost sheet in the stack through the first opening position. The apparatus also forms a second predetermined opening portion between the lifter and feed gate which moves the gripper surface through which the remaining portion of the sheet advances.

Abstract: A plurality of pinch rollers are employed to drive sheets of paper containing material to be scanned past an optical scanner to generate an optical image of the material which is converted into electrical signals. Each pinch roller includes a drive roller which is driven by a synchronized drive mechanism and an idler roller. The support shafts for the idler rollers are supported in elongated bearings which provide limited freedom of motion for the idler rollers in a direction substantially normal to their axes of rotation. A pressure plate has spring fingers which resiliently urge the idler rollers towards the drive rollers to resiliently pinch the paper sheets being driven. In the event that the paper should become jammed and needs to be removed or repositioned, a roller release lever can be actuated to drive the pressure plate so as to permit the idler rollers to move freely in their elongated support bearings.

Abstract: This paper feeding mechanism comprises a first spring for biasing a stack of paper against a belt for driving one or two sheets of paper from the stack toward a gap which is slightly larger than the width of one sheet of paper, and a second spring for flattening the selected sheet or sheets against the belt just prior to entering the gap. The belt is held solidly in position by a backing Teflon block to form one side of the gap, and a sharp edge that is positionally adjustable forms the other side. The sharp edge is rounded slightly to compensate for the possibility of mechanical inaccuracies, and the second spring presses the paper against the belt just prior to the knife edge for more reliable operation with stiff paper.

Abstract: The present invention has adopted a fixture as its principle device for urging a friction pad with pressure against the outer circumferential surface of a paper feed roller disposed in an image forming apparatus to prevent duplicated paper feed. The fixture according to the present invention includes a first support member detachably mounted on the body of the image forming apparatus, a second support member for movably carrying the friction pad, and a resilient device for urging the second support member toward the paper feed roller.

Abstract: An envelope feeding assembly providing for the individual, lengthwise feeding of envelopes and enabling printing thereon while said envelopes are in motion, including an envelope storage bin for holding a stack of envelopes prior to printing and having a gate with a driven feed roller and a control surface defining an envelope nip leading from the bin to the print head array, transport rollers to carry envelopes from the gate to the platen, envelope position sensors to sense the leading and following edges of envelopes passing through said transport rollers and to produce control signals corresponding to envelope position, and a controller to receive the timing and control signals and to control the feed roller and to control the "start time" and speed of printing, so that envelopes may be printed seriatim and lengthwise while continuously moving.

Abstract: An automatic paper feeding apparatus which automatically feeds sheets one by one to an image forming portion, comprises a sheet storing plate, a paper-feeder roller for feeding sheets stored on the sheet storing plate, a transport roller positioned at the downstream relative to the paper-feeder roller in the paper feeding direction and rotatable in the paper feeding direction, a separation roller touching and pressing the transport roller and rotatable in the reverse direction to the paper feeding direction, a supporting plate for rotatably supporting the separation roller and being pivotably provided to move in the direction where the separation roller touches with and separates from the transport roller and being urged by an elastic member so as to cause the separation roller to be pressed toward the transport roller, and a guide plate for guiding a sheet into the nipping portion between the transport roller and the separation roller.

Abstract: A sheet separating arrangement including a sheet feeding roller and a separating rubber plate held in contact under pressure with the sheet feeding roller both of which are provided along a transport path so as to successively send out sheets transported via the transport path sheet by sheet, between the sheet feeding roller and the separating rubber plate, characterized in that there is provided a separating spring which is formed of an adjustable plate spring for urging the separating rubber plate so as to be depressed onto the sheet feeding roller. The separating spring is held in direct contact with the separating rubber plate and fixed to a fixing plate by a screw member.

Abstract: A sheet feeding mechanism includes a receiving member, a feed member for feeding sheets from a stack thereof on the receiving member, and an overlapping feed preventing device including a roller to be rotated in a predetermined direction and a friction member cooperating with the roller. In relation to the friction member, a device is provided for substantially preventing the leading end of a fed sheet from contacting that part of the friction member which is upstream, in the sheet feeding direction, of the nipping site between the friction member and the roller.

Abstract: A vertical stack of envelopes is produced adjacent the infeed end of a printing press, for removal one at a time by envelope infeed mechanism of the printing press, the stack being maintained by adding envelopes one at a time to the bottom end of the stack when the height of the stack or number of envelopes in the stack is reduced to a predetermined magnitude, the rear end of the stack being elevated to facilitate insertion of added envelopes to the bottom of the stack. The envelopes are removed one at a time by operation of the envelope infeed mechanism of the printing press. The addition of envelopes to the stack is stopped when the height of the stack or number of envelopes in the stack is increased to a predetermined magnitude.

Abstract: A mechanism for feeding sheets having a feed belt on front and rear rollers. A singulator assembly overlying and in contact with the feed belt. An auxiliary roller interposed between said front and rear rollers, with the singulation assembly in contact with the feed belt at a point between the front roller and the auxiliary roller. The singulator having a pair of spaced side frame members, central pressure means between the spaced frame members, a roller rotatably mounted on each end of the frame members, and a belt surrounding the rollers and the central pressure means, so that sheets on said feed belt are fed one by one between the singulator assembly and the feed belt.

Abstract: A device for feeding successive sheets without overlapping the sheets includes a loading chute having a recess formed therein at the exit end for guiding individual sheets, a pivotally mounted retractable gate at the exit end of the chute which when in the closed position extends into the chute recess, means to retract the gate so that a sheet may be fed from the chute including means to release the gate from the retracted position after the leading edge of the sheet has passed the closed position of the gate and before the trailing edge of the sheet has passed the closed position of the gate. The release permits the gate to float against the sheet in the recessed portion of the chute so that when the trailing edge of the sheet being fed passes under the gate, the gate drops of its own weight into the recess thereby blocking passage of the next sheet. In a preferred embodiment the loading chute is inclined to the horizontal.

Abstract: An improved separator assembly for document feeders comprises a retarding roller and a cooperating opposed feed roller. The retarding roller is selectably rotatable into orientations such that the selected one of a plurality of different peripheral portions of the retarding roller will be oriented into operative position with respect to the feed roller. The retarding roller includes at least one cylindrical portion and another portion which has an interfering member projecting outwardly from the roller. Other surfaces of the retarding roller may comprise different materials in order to avoid scratches on the documents to be fed or to change the frictional force on the documents.

Abstract: A stream feeder for moving a shingled stream of signatures forwardly to maintain a small upright stack of signatures at a packer box of a bindery line collator has a transversely extending impaling pin bar movably mounted on a forward end portion of the stream feeder frame, and a line of impaling pins that are individually adjustable in the pin bar have free ends projecting into the path of movement into the packer box of signatures from the small upright stack. Mechanism for moving the pin bar to simultaneously adjust the extent of projection of all the pins includes a manually movable adjustment control member mounted at a position spaced from the pin bar where it is readily accessible to an operator attending the bindery line.

Abstract: A separating apparatus, to which the sheet material is transported in stacks via a stack transporting system, comprises a movable retaining means which reduces the separating gap before the stack is fed and is restored to its original width immediately before separation begins. This allows for the prevention of sheets being wedged in the separating gap, which would otherwise lead to a disturbance of the separation process. The design of a stationary retaining element having an integrated second, movable element allows for the formation of a stopping surface which protrudes beyond the stopping surface of the stationary part and is hit by the leading edges of the sheets in the stack. A toothed design of the new stopping surface allows for the leading edge of the stack of sheet material to be influenced selectively.

Abstract: An automatic sheet feeding device for feeding sheets automatically one after another to an operation station including a sheet tray for supporting a stack of sheets thereon, a separation roller being contact with a lowermost sheet of the stack of sheets, a separation member including a free end portion maintained in contact with the separation roller. At least one sheet pressing member is located in such manner that its free end portion forces the sheets against the separation roller in a position which is located upstream of the separation member is in contact with the separation roller.

Abstract: This invention provides a sheet feeding device suitable for use as a paper feeding device in an image forming apparatus such as a copying apparatus. The feeding device is provided with a sheet receiving portion for supporting thereon a number of sheets in superposed relationship, and means for passing therethrough the endmost one of the sheets supported on the sheet receiving portion. The feature of the invention resides that a control member vertically movable as viewed in the direction of superposition of the sheets to direct only the endmost sheet to the means is provided between the leading end edge of the superposed sheets and the means.

Abstract: There is disclosed an envelope hopper for attachment to a printer requiring envelopes. Spring members provided with adjustable throats for permitting passage of a single envelope are biased downward against the upward force of the supply stack for compensating for changes in relative position of the uppermost envelope and the throats during separation from the stack.

Abstract: In a mail processing machine, there is at least one mail piece separating and feeding device for handling vertically oriented mail pieces to assure that only one mail piece at a time is fed into the mail processing machine. A feeding roller is positioned in a feed path defined by guide plates to keep the mail pieces in a vertical orientation, and a separator belt is mounted on a plurality of rollers mounted on a bell crank, one of the rollers being a drive roller. The bell crank is resiliently urged toward an adjustable stop member so that, a predetermined minimum gap is maintained between the outer surface of the belt and the adjacent surface of the feeding roller regardless of the extend of wear on the belt.

Abstract: A sheet feeding device for feeding single sheets of paper from the bottom of a stack of paper sheets. The device includes a feed tray angled at approximately 60.degree. with the horizontal and a substantially rigid paper drive member cooperating with a plurality of differentially yieldable retard members. By successively increasing the normal pressure on the members or by changing their coefficients of friction, increments of increasing or decreasing retarding force are provided. Uniform frictional forces between individual sheets are provided by a bail weight.

Abstract: A feed-out roller and a friction member are disposed to form a gap therebetween, through which bills are fed out, one at a time. A gap adjusting mechanism is provided for changing the size of the gap by moving the friction member relative to the feed-out roller. A pressure sensor detects pressure acting on the friction member to generate a pressure signal. The gap is adjusted on the basis of the pressure signal.

Abstract: An apparatus for unstacking or destacking sheets of material from a stack of such sheets is disclosed. The apparatus includes an arrangement for directing air against the stack of sheets in order to entirely separate at least one uppermost sheet of the stack from the remaining sheets by floating that sheet on a layer of air. A pusher mechanism is provided for moving the separated sheet out of registry with the remaining sheets, and into a roller mechanism which displaces the separated sheet from above the remaining sheets of the stack. The apparatus also includes an indexing mechanism for indexing the stack of sheets upwardly in order to float the next sheet of the stack and present it to the pusher mechanism. A sensing mechanism is provided for determinig the position of the uppermost one of the remaining sheets of the stack as the stack is indexed upwardly.

Abstract: A paper feeding apparatus is provided with a paper feeding roller and a paper separating plate mounted on an end of a spring-biased swingable lever. Paper sheets are separated, one sheet from the other, at a gap between the paper feeding roller and the paper separating plate. A guiding means is provided in opposition to a swingable part of the lever, and a stopper is interposed in a space between the swingable part of the lever and the guiding means. The stopper is movably biased into mechanical engagement with the swingable part of the lever, thereby to prevent double-feed of paper sheets by maintaining a predetermined extent of the gap between the paper feeding roller and the paper separating plate.

Abstract: The disclosure is directed to an improved paper sheet feeding arrangement for use in a copying apparatus or the like, which is capable of positively preventing paper sheets from wrinkling, bending, etc. during withdrawal of a paper sheet cassette by returning the paper sheet having a projecting leading edge, back into the paper sheet cassette in association with a multi-sheet feeding prevention mechanism when the cassette is released from a paper feeding section.

Abstract: The invention relates to a mechanism whereby individual sheets are fed from a cassette that carries a pile of paper sheets. The mechanism comprises a paper feed member which is mounted over the front portion of a feed bed whereon a cassette is removably installed and which is movable orbitally to feed sheets forward, and a retarding member engaged under upward bias against the feed member to prevent forward feed of sheets below one that is directly engaged with the feed member. The retarding member is so arranged as to be in its operative position when a cassette is fully installed on the feed bed but to move rearwardly and away from the feed member as the cassette is rearwardly removed from the feed bed, to thus release unfed but jammed sheets for removal with the cassette.

Abstract: An inserter is adapted to insert successive enclosures from a stack carried by an enclosure feeder assembly into envelopes carried by an envelope feeder assembly. Each feeder assembly includes a sloped tray and a pair of side guides which engage the ends of the stack of materials being fed. Both side guides are adjusted by releasing a tab adjacent one of the guides and sliding the guide. An endless belt mounted beneath the tray assures symmetrical displacement of both guides relative to the center of the tray. A feed wheel is carried along a drive shaft which extends transversely above the tray. The hub of the feed wheel includes a one way clutch which permits adjustment of the feed wheel position. A separator stone projecting from beneath the tray in staggered registration with the feed wheel includes a stone shield. Both the stone and the stone shield are adjustable through control knobs accessible at the front of the inserter.

Abstract: Apparatus for separating, counting and stacking sheets, including a feed roller and cooperating stripper shoe for permitting the passage of only single sheets fed therebetween, said sheets being moved along a curved path defined by a guide plate cooperating with the feed roll as the sheet emerges from the region between the stripper shoe and feed roll. The leading edge of the sheet moving along said curved path enters into a nip between an acceleration roller and an acceleration idler mounted on a common axis with the feed roll to abruptly accelerate the sheet and drive it into a stacker wheel which delivers the sheet to an outfeed stacker. The feed roll is provided with a plurality of surfaces of differing coefficients of sliding friction to facilitate separation of sheets.

Abstract: A paper feeding device used for feeding stacked paper to an electrophotographic copying machine is provided with a lift for a stack of papers, which move the top sheet against a swingably supported feeding roller as the size of the stack decreases under use. Forwardly of the feeding roller in the direction of travel of the paper is a plate in frictional contact with the roller, the paper being thus fed forwardly to the copying machine through the nip between the roller and plate. This arrangement avoids the problem of a multifeed of the sheets. The feeding-out operation may be further improved by the provision of separating claws engaging the leading corners of the paper as it passes from the feeding roller. Raising of the lift is controlled by a detecting device actuated by position of the swingable support for the feeding roller.

Abstract: An improvement in a labeling station for bottles having pivoting extractors 2, 3, 4 with convex pickup surfaces, means for applying adhesive to the extractors and means for rolling the extractors over a stack of labels so as to pick up the front-most label which is thereafter supplied to a gripping cylinder, all in conventional manner. In accordance with the invention the labels are present as stacks in a magazine which can be moved from operative to inoperative position by holders which are activated only in the intervals between label removals so that the magazine can be moved to inoperative position when there is a gap in the supply of bottles going through the station.

Abstract: An improved counter for documents, currency, paper money, sheets or the like achieves low weight, low power consumption, low cost and high counting accuracy by a feeding mechanism in which a first roller or set of rollers successively feeds a sheet from the bottom of a stack thereof to a second roller or set of rollers for further feeding, on a sheet-by-sheet basis, to a pair of pulling rollers which pulls each sheet at high speed and dispenses it. The first and second rollers or sets of rollers have about their respective peripheries portions having a large coefficient of friction and portions having a small coefficient of friction. Such intermittent feed rollers are synchronized to rotate with related space phases, i.e. with the low friction coefficient portion of each roller in contact with its associated sheet at the same time, thus assuring that the pulling rollers require minimal torque to pull each sheet away from the second of the intermittent rollers.

Abstract: In a labeling station that is intended for articles like bottles, that has at least one revolving or pivoting label grasper-applicator with a capture-and-release surface for taking a label from a stack and applying it to an article to be labeled, and that has holders that hold the edge of the stack of labels, the improvement which comprises controls for the holders (41, 42) or supplementary holders (45, 46) that hold the edge of the stack so that the retentive force the holders exert on the labels can be adjusted to be made greater than the attractive force exerted by the capture-and-release surface of the grasper-applicator (2, 3, 4) and, when the stack is held in a moving magazine, than the inertia exerted by the stack of labels on the stack holders as the magazine (6) moves backwards, the controls having a detector that scans the series of articles to be labeled and actuates the controls and the holders (41, 42 or 45, 46) when it senses a condition calling for a label not to be applied, e.g.

Abstract: An original feed control unit for a copying machine has programming means for variably setting a stop position of an original fed by an original feed device prior to the start of the copy operation. By varying the stop position, the size of the margin formed on the copy paper can be varied. The position of a detector for detecting a jam of the original may be also varied in accordance with the desired size of the margin in order to properly detect a jam.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus of the type capable of feeding sheets individually from the lowermost sheet of a stack of sheets placed on a sheet tray, for use in facsimile apparatus, a copying machine or the like, comprises a sheet feed roller rotated in the sheet feeding direction and a sheet separation roller also rotated in the sheet feeding direction and disposed downstream of a sheet feed roller in terms of the sheet feeding direction. A brake member is in contact with the peripheral surface of the sheet separation roller and a pressure application plate is disposed above the sheet feed roller to bring the sheets into pressure contact with the sheet feed roller. The pressure application plate is movable between its pressure application position and a position substantially away from the sheets whereby the pressure plate may be held away from the sheets when they are being driven by the sheet separation rollers.

Abstract: A document separation device for separating documents in a stack employs counter-rotating drum and friction belt members to strip away and hold back more than a single document trying to pass between them. The structure employs a pair of friction drums and a free-wheeling pulley between them of slightly smaller diameter but on the same axis. Counter-rotating friction stripper belt is supported between two pulleys one of which is driven and is wrapped over the pulley between the friction drum members. A third rotatable pulley between the two supporting the friction belt is located opposite the free-wheeling pulley and has flanges which bear upon the friction drum surfaces such that the friction belt will normally not contact the third pulley when the friction belt is in direct contact with the idler between the friction drums. The friction belt is slightly slack.

Abstract: Apparatus for feeding single sheets of paper from a stack of the sheets, including fixed upper and lower guide surfaces between which the sheets travel during feeding, a single, centrally-located feed roll, a registration roll downstream of the feed roll, the registration roll being activated at the end of a predetermined delay period beginning when the feed roll is activated, the delay period being sufficient to assure that a single sheet is moved into engagement with the registration roll before the end of the period, the separation between the upper and lower guide surfaces being greater at a location intermediate the separation and registration rolls than at the rolls to define a buckle-restraint region intermediate the rolls wherein buckling of the sheet occurs after engagement with the registration roll and before the end of the delay period, and the moving feed surface of the feed roll being adapted to slip with respect to the sheet after the sheet has buckled against the surface of the region.

Abstract: A hinged-cover holder receives a film storing magazine. A cavity with an upward opening is positioned below the magazine holder. The cavity also has an exit opening with a light-tight closure mechanism. A planar slide is between the magazine and the cavity and when it is moved from between them it opens both the magazine and the cavity in a light-tight manner so that a stack of film sheets in the magazine falls into the cavity. Transport consists of a stacking arm which pushes the film stack against a separate knife and a downward pressing arm which pushes the film stack toward a powered roller beneath the cavity, which is spaced from the separator knife by about the thickness of a film sheet. Rotation of the roller moves the lower-most film sheet between the roller and the separator knife and through the light-tight exit closure.

Abstract: There is provided a disbursing device in a paper sheet counting machine. The disbursing device comprises a feed roller continuously rotated in one direction, a first brake plate disposed along the periphery of the feed roller to confront the feed roller, with a gap between the feed roller and the brake plate being freely adjustable, and a second brake plate disposed just behind the first brake plate and arranged so that a gap between the second brake plate and the feed roller can be adjusted independently of the adjustment of the first-mentioned gap. Two gaps can be adjusted respectively according to the thickness of paper sheets to be disbursed. The gap adjustment is performed in two stages, whereby paper sheets are reliably delivered one at a time.

Abstract: A self-compensating stripper assembly cooperating with a feed roller for separating sheets from a stack and feeding them one-at-a time to facilitate counting, examining and endorsing operations on each individual sheet. Said assembly has a pivotally mounted stripper member positioned upon the free end of a swingable arm. A resilient element urges the swingable arm toward the feed roller and an adjustable stop limits the movement of the stripper assembly toward the feed roller. An additional independent resilient member urges the stripper member toward the feed roller and is yieldable to accommodate changes in sheet thickness. The shape of the stripper member facilitates the stripping operation by shaping the stack of sheets prior to entry into the stripping operation. Separate stops are provided for limiting the pivotal movement of the stripper member about its pivotal mounting.

Abstract: Sheet feeding and separating apparatus adapted to separate a single sheet from a stack of sheets and forward the separate sheet away from the stack for subsequent processing. The apparatus includes a feed belt disposed adjacent the stack for contact with the top sheet to separate the sheet therefrom. A retard shoe is spring biased into engagement with the feed belt. Actuation of the feed belt and engagement of the retard shoe with the sheets provide a rotating and locking relation with the mounting member of the retard shoe thereby preventing passage of multiple sheets by the feed belt but allowing the fed sheet to be pulled from the apparatus by a low value of pull force.

Abstract: A floating feed device is adapted to be engaged by the top sheet in a rising stack and to feed the sheet downstream. The mount for the feed device is articulated, and the device includes a vacuum chamber and horizontal drive rollers. A narrow slot is formed between a guide roller of the feed device and a gate which is disposed in the plane of a stack back-up plate and which is vertically movable in said plane. A control is provided to maintain the same slot width, no matter what the articulated position of said guide roller, by automatically adjusting the gate vertically with the guide roller. The feed device is caused to articulate about its mount upon engagement by a rising stack, and such articulation causes a resultant change in the speed of the stack lift drive.

Abstract: Apparatus for separating, counting a stacking sheets, including a feed roller and cooperating stripper shoe for permitting the passage of only single sheets fed therebetween, said sheets being moved along a curved path defined by a guide plate cooperating with the feed roll as the sheet emerges from the region between the stripper shoe and feed roll. The leading edge of the sheet moving along said curved path enters into a nip between an acceleration roller and an acceleration idler mounted on a common axis with the feed roll to abruptly accelerate the sheet and drive it into a stacker wheel which delivers the sheet to an outfeed stacker. The feed roll is provided with a plurality of surfaces of differing coefficients of sliding friction to facilitate separation of sheets.