Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a first detection unit, a second detection unit, a first conveyance unit, a second conveyance unit, which is provided on downstream in the conveyance direction with respect to the first detection unit and is configured to convey sheets, and a control unit. When the first detection unit does not detect a trailing edge of a first sheet before a first timing, the control unit stops the drive of the first conveyance unit and continues drive of the second conveyance unit, and when the second detection unit detects the trailing edge of the first sheet before a second timing later than the first timing, the control unit re-drives the first conveyance unit or stops the drive of the second conveyance unit in accordance with a sheet length of the first sheet in the conveyance direction.

Abstract: An image reading apparatus includes a document tray, a set document sensor, a sheet feed rotary member, an image reader, a staple detector, a display panel and a controller. The set document sensor detects a document sheet set on a document tray. A staple detector detects a staple attached to the document sheet bundle. On recognizing set document sheets, based on the output from the staple detector, a controller checks whether or not the set document sheets are stapled. On detecting that they are stapled, the controller makes a display panel indicate that the document sheets are stapled and cannot be conveyed.

Abstract: Systems for safety grip control of telescoping sheet lifters are provided. The systems incorporate at least one load interlock element and at least two alignment interlock elements joined to a carrying angle of the telescoping sheet lifter. The load interlock element detecting the presence of a load on the sheet lifter. The alignment interlock elements detecting the alignment of the load on the sheet lifter. The systems define three different load conditions: empty lifter, properly aligned sheets, and misaligned sheets. Corresponding or associated methods are also provided.

Abstract: A system and method of detecting the presence of metallic objects in media to be conveyed in a medium transport system is disclosed. One or more metal detectors are included in the medium transport system to detect the presence of metal in the medium being transported. Signals from the metal detectors are sent to a system processor, which analyzes the signals, and produces proximity, duration, and/or intensity values therefrom. One or more microphones may also be included which detect the sound created as the medium is being transported. The processor computes sound values from the microphone signals, and analyzes the computed sound values along with the proximity, duration, and/or intensity values in order determine if the conveyance of the medium along the transport path should be stopped due to the presence of metal in the media or a jam occurring within the medium transport path.

Abstract: An original reading apparatus conveys an original placed on an original stacking unit, reads the conveyed original, makes a setting about whether to validate a function of interrupting conveyance of originals upon detection of double feed of the originals during conveyance of the originals in accordance with detection of originals stacked on the original stacking unit, detects an original placed on the original stacking unit, and validates the function based on the made setting in accordance with detection of the original by the original detection unit.

Abstract: A system and method of detecting the presence of metallic objects in media to be conveyed in a medium transport system is disclosed. One or more metal detectors are included in the medium transport system to detect the presence of metal in the medium being transported. Signals from the metal detectors are sent to a system processor, which analyzes the signals, and produces proximity, duration, and/or intensity values therefrom. One or more microphones may also be included which detect the sound created as the medium is being transported. The processor computes sound values from the microphone signals, and analyzes the computed sound values along with the proximity, duration, and/or intensity values in order determine if the conveyance of the medium along the transport path should be stopped due to the presence of metal in the media or a jam occurring within the medium transport path.

Abstract: A duplex printing method performed by a printing apparatus comprises the steps of feeding in a first sheet; transporting the first sheet along a sheet-circulating path; forming an image on a front side of the first sheet when the first sheet is transported past an image forming system of the printing apparatus at a first time; feeding in a second sheet; detecting a sheet-feeding error; inhibiting an entry of the second sheet into the sheet-circulating path; forming an image on a back side of the first sheet when the first sheet is transported past the image forming system at a second time; and ejecting the first sheet.

Abstract: A paper feeding mechanism includes a mechanical frame, a gear assembly, a paper supply tray, a pickup assembly, a paper pressing assembly and a stopper assembly. The gear assembly includes a drive gear and a transmission gear. The paper pressing assembly includes a paper pressing frame, a paper pressing tray, a gear shaft, at least one swing arm and an elastic element. The stopper assembly includes a blocking element and a connecting element. The drive gear drives the transmission gear and the gear shaft to rotate, the connecting element drives the blocking element to move downward to make the blocking element realize a paper blocking function, and the drive gear breaks away from the drive gear, the elastic element pushes against the paper pressing tray to move downward, the blocking element breaks away from the paper supply tray to raise up for making the paper blocking function disappeared.

Abstract: A switchable note-picking device (1) used at a note inlet of a note processing device comprises a note-bearing platform (17), a note-picking mechanism (13) for picking notes on the note-bearing platform (17) and a note-classifying mechanism (11) for classifying the picked notes. The note-classifying mechanism (11) comprises a note-classifying shaft (112) and a note-classifying wheel fixed on the note-classifying shaft (112). The switchable note-picking device (1) further comprises a driving component (15) for driving the note-picking mechanism (13) hidden below the note-bearing platform (17) to be exposed out of the note-bearing platform (17) and contact with the notes. By the driving component (15), the note-picking mechanism (13) is exposed out of the note-bearing platform (17) when picking notes and hidden below the note-bearing platform (17) when being free from picking notes, so that the switchable note-picking device (1) can stop deposition and deposit a specified amount of notes.

Abstract: A paper money input and output device includes a money input unit to which paper money is paid in, a money output unit which releases paper money to the exterior of the device, a plurality of recirculation cases which, along with storing paper money, also output stored paper money to the money output unit, a collection case which can store paper money from the money input unit or the plurality of recirculation cases, and a rejected-for-payout case which stores money which has been paid out from the recirculation cases and which has been rejected for outpayment; and, along with these units being arranged so that the thickness direction of the paper money which they receive is in the same direction, and along with them being provided in a stacked state in that direction, on one side only of a direction which is orthogonal with respect to the direction along which the money input unit, the money output unit, the collection case, the rejected-for-payout case, and the recirculation cases are provided in a stacked

Abstract: A paper sheet handling machine includes: a storage unit 30 for storing therein paper sheets P in a batch form; a kicker roller 2 for providing drive force to the paper sheet P located in the lowest position, among the paper sheets P in the batch form, by rotating; a gate mechanism 5 for grasping each paper sheet P provided with the drive force by the kicker roller 2, and feeding out the paper sheet P along a feed out plane; and a pressing member 11 for pressing, from above, the paper sheets P stored in the storage unit 30. The gate mechanism 5 includes a feed roller 3 provided to the storage unit 30, and a gate member 4 provided to be opposed to the feed roller 3. Further, a guide roller 10, which is rotatable in a feeding direction of the paper sheets P, is provided to a bottom end of the pressing member 11.

Abstract: A desktop card print having an improved automatic card feed hopper that employs a card picking mechanism that includes an automatic gate mechanism in combination with a card edge assist picker while providing a card exception slot for manual feeding of a card, a removable ribbon cassette that employs a magnetic encoder mechanism for tracking the motion of a ribbon mounted on the ribbon cassette, a scanning station that is configured and arranged to capture an image of one or more surfaces of the card as it passes the scanner, and a power take-off (PTO) gear adjacent the rear end of the printer for use in driving an additional processing mechanism to be mounted at the rear of the printer.

Abstract: A modular placement device for a feed station of a mail processing apparatus, wherein the feed station includes an ejection roller, has a housing that is separate for the modular placement device located upstream, in terms of the mail flow, of the feed station. The housing has a cavity therein to receive a stack of mail items, and a pressure element mounted so as to be pivotable and so as to be plugged into the cavity. The pressure element exerts a pressure force on the stack of mail items in the cavity, with a bottommost item of mail being pressed against the ejection roller so that the bottommost item of mail is propelled in the mail flow direction. The weight loss of the stack due to removal of the bottommost item of mail therefrom is counteracted by the pressure element.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus has a sheet accommodating unit for accommodating a sheet, the sheet accommodating unit being detachably mountable to the apparatus; a feeding unit for feeding the sheet from the sheet accommodating unit; a press-contact device for press-contacting the sheet in the sheet accommodating unit to the feeding unit; a guiding member provided in the sheet feeding apparatus for guiding the sheet accommodating unit such that sheet accommodated in the sheet accommodating unit is not contacted to the feeding unit when the sheet accommodating unit is mounted to the apparatus; a moving device for moving the guiding member to bring the sheet into contact to the feeding unit after the sheet accommodating unit is mounted to the apparatus.

Abstract: This invention provides a bottom removal-type paper supply apparatus used in an image reading apparatus or the like which can always accurately supply paper into the image reading apparatus regardless of whether the amount of paper stacked on a paper support base is small or large. In order to transport paper stacked on the paper support base into the apparatus, a first pickup roller to which a pressing force can be applied by a pressing roller and a second pickup roller at a central portion of the paper support base which assists the first pickup roller are provided. The second pickup roller is provided with a shutter. By closing the shutter when the paper stacked on the paper support base is less than or equal to a prescribed number of sheets or weight, the pickup roller and the paper can be prevented from contacting.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a paper sheet handling apparatus includes a supply unit including a support surface which tilts from a vertical direction, and a mounting surface substantially perpendicular to the support surface, and configured to receive a plurality of paper sheets which tilt along the support surface and are stacked on the mounting surface, a pick up mechanism configured to pick up the paper sheets from a mounting surface side of the supply unit, a conveyance path configured to convey the picked up paper sheet, an inspection device configured to inspect the conveyed paper sheet, and an accumulation unit configured to accumulate the inspected paper sheets.

Abstract: Provided herein are a sheet of wax-coated paper for separating food patties and a paper dispensing apparatus for dispensing sheets of the paper, the apparatus including: a frame configured to dispense a sheet of paper; a hopper connected to the frame and configured to hold a stack of the sheets of paper within the hopper, the hopper having an opening from which the sheets are dispensed; a pair of guides within the hopper, the guides being disposed on inner surfaces of the hopper, formed to correspond to notches in the sheets of paper, and configured to hold the sheets of paper within the hopper; and a rod which is mounted in the frame and extends upward through the hopper, and configured to fit through holes in the sheets of paper.

Abstract: A media cassette comprises: a base on which a stack of media items may be placed, a pusher plate biased towards the base and a plurality of drive rollers located beneath the profiled surface and partially protruding through apertures defined in the profiled surface. The base includes a profiled surface extending from a central low region disposed along an axis of the base to higher regions on opposing sides of the central low region. The pusher plate is operable to urge a stack of media items onto the profiled surface. The plurality of drive rollers are operable to drive a media item in contact with the profiled surface out of the media cassette.

Abstract: A sheet feeding device, which is configured to feed stacked sheets one by one in a sheet feed direction, is provided with a sheet tray configured to accommodate the stacked sheets, a feed-out roller protruded from the sheet tray and configured to feed the stacked sheets from the sheet tray, a feed-out nip member arranged above and opposite to the feed-out roller, the feed-out nip member being configured to contact an uppermost sheet of the stacked sheets and bias the sheets toward the feed-out roller, a separation unit located on a downstream side, in the sheet feed direction, of the feed-out roller, the separation unit separating a lowermost sheet from the stacked sheets fed by the feed-out roller, and a friction member configured to contact the uppermost sheet of the stacked sheets at a position different from a position where the feed-out nip member contacts the uppermost sheet.

Abstract: A feeding device includes a tray for stacking sheet-like conveyance-target media, a first pressing unit, and a second pressing unit. The first and second pressing units face and apply a first and second pressing force, respectively, on a circumferential surface of a pick roller so that a first contact area and a second contact area overlap each other. The first pressing unit includes a first pressing unit separation roller, and the first contact area is defined wherein the first pressing unit and the pick roller make contact with each other. The second contact area is defined wherein the second pressing unit and the pick roller make contact with each other such that the first contact area and the second contact appear to partly overlap each other when viewed from an axial direction of the pick roller.

Abstract: A repositionable side guide assembly with vertically repositionable side guides for use with a friction sheet feeding machine.

Abstract: A bill discriminating and counting apparatus in which a plurality of bills with different sizes are filled between side hopper members and fed into a transport path by a feeding mechanism. The feeding mechanism comprises a plurality of rollers disposed in a bilaterally symmetrical state. The plurality of rollers are arranged so that, when a distance between the side hopper members is adjusted according to the longitudinal dimension of a bill with the maximum dimension in the longitudinal direction and a bill with the minimum dimension in the longitudinal direction is disposed at a position where the bill is brought into contact with one of the side hopper members, at least a part of the rollers installed on the opposite side of the side hopper member where the bill is brought into contact therewith is brought into contact with the bill. Also, the feeding mechanism comprises a guide member guiding the bill to the inlet of the transport path.

Abstract: A banknote processing apparatus according to the present invention includes a banknote separating and feeding portion which separates, from banknotes, one feed-out banknote closest to a banknote holding portion, and feeds out the feed-out banknote. The banknote separating and feeding portion includes a feed roller, a separating roller, a kick-on roller, and auxiliary rollers. The auxiliary rollers are positioned on an opposite side of the kick-on roller from the feed roller, protrude onto the banknote pressing portion side beyond the banknote holding surface, and contact with the feed-out banknote. Each of the auxiliary rollers has a plurality of large diameter portions formed intermittently in a circumferential direction of the auxiliary roller. The auxiliary rollers are positioned on the same axis and apart from each other such that phases of mutually adjacent auxiliary rollers in a rotation direction of the auxiliary rollers are offset from each other.

Abstract: A paper sheet storage unit 101 is opened upward and forward. Holding members 30, 32 are respectively configured to be reciprocated, between a waiting position and a holding position, by a lifting and lowering mechanism 35. When the respective holding members 30, 32 are in the waiting position, such holding members 30, 32 can serve as a guide surface, on the back side of the paper sheet storage unit 101, for guiding a batch of paper sheets stored in the paper sheet storage unit 101. Meanwhile, when the respective holding members 30, 32 are in the holding position, the holding member 32 is in contact with a top face of the paper sheet present at the lowest layer of the paper sheets stored in the paper sheet storage unit 101, and serves to press the paper sheet downward.

Abstract: An improved document feeder flag assembly is disclosed. The improved document feeder flag assembly allows single handed, on the fly loading of a document sorter. A method for loading a document sorting machine with a single hand, while the method of operating the machine is also disclosed. The document feeder flag assembly includes a baseplate and a pivot post attached to the baseplate. Further, the assembly includes a flag arm having a first side and a second side, the first side of the flag arm is attached to the pivot post. There is also a feeder flag having a first side and a second side, the first side of the feeder flag being attached to a second side of the flag arm. The document feeder flag assembly also includes a resistance device attached between the feeder flag and the flag arm.

Abstract: A device for separation of damp silicon wafers from a wafer stack, whereby the damp wafers may be removed individually from the stack, transferred to a subsequent conveyor device and the damp thin fragile wafers held in the stack can be rapidly separated and isolated even in large format. The device comprises separation rollers on which the wafer stack may be placed. On rotation of the separation rollers, the lowest wafer is displaced under a doctor strip through a wafer-thin gap between the roller plane and doctor strip and withdrawn from the wafer stack by elastic pressure by a pair of superimposed delivery rollers driven at the same speed.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to improve the process sequence in a printing machine. Another object of the present invention is to increase the operational life of the printing machine. A method has been provided for transporting printing material (9) through a printing machine in which, in case of an occurrence of paper jam in the transport path (2), a flap (5) in the transport path (2) is actuated and a sheet of printing material (9) is transported along the flap (5) out of the transport path (2). Furthermore, a transport arrangement (1) for transporting printing material (9) along a transport path (2) in a printing machine is provided, comprising at least one transport path flap (5) actuated by a control arrangement (20) for opening and closing, and comprising an associated container (8) for receiving waste printing material when said flap (5) is open.

Abstract: An improved document feeder flag assembly is disclosed. The improved document feeder flag assembly allows single handed, on the fly loading of a document sorter. A method for loading a document sorting machine with a single hand, while the method of operating the machine is also disclosed. The document feeder flag assembly includes a baseplate and a pivot post attached to the baseplate. Further, the assembly includes a flag arm having a first side and a second side, the first side of the flag arm is attached to the pivot post. There is also a feeder flag having a first side and a second side, the first side of the feeder flag being attached to a second side of the flag arm. The document feeder flag assembly also includes a resistance device attached between the feeder flag and the flag arm.

Abstract: A card dispensing apparatus having a compact configuration has a housing to support a stack of cards on a fixed base. Openings in the base member can permit surfaces from a conveying member to extend into the housing and contact a surface of the lowest card. The conveyer member can move horizontal to a release point and retract beneath the base member to return to an initial position. A movement unit provides a cyclic looping movement of the conveyer member into and out of the housing for transporting cards. A feed unit positioned at the dispensing point of the cards can grasp and release the cards from the card dispensing apparatus.

Abstract: A vacuum friction feeder including at least one vacuum friction belt provided with a plurality of holes, a pair of rollers, a table top provided with at least one suction port, an exposure table having a substantially horizontal top surface and a separator. The at least one vacuum friction belt is adapted to rotate around the table top while supported by the rollers such that a suction pressure can be drawn through the plurality of holes provided in the at least one vacuum friction belt as the plurality of holes pass over the suction port. The exposure table is operatively associated with the table top and is adapted to be movable relative to the table top in a plane defined by the substantially horizontal top surface to adjust the portion of the bottommost product in the stack of products exposed to the at least one vacuum friction belt.

Abstract: A bill discriminating and counting apparatus in which a plurality of bills with different sizes are filled between side hopper members and fed into a transport path by a feeding mechanism. The feeding mechanism comprises a plurality of rollers disposed in a bilaterally symmetrical state. The plurality of rollers are arranged so that, when a distance between the side hopper members is adjusted according to the longitudinal dimension of a bill with the maximum dimension in the longitudinal direction and a bill with the minimum dimension in the longitudinal direction is disposed at a position where the bill is brought into contact with one of the side hopper members, at least a part of the rollers installed on the opposite side of the side hopper member where the bill is brought into contact therewith is brought into contact with the bill. Also, the feeding mechanism comprises a guide member guiding the bill to the inlet of the transport path.

Abstract: A document processing machine including a document feeder including a support intended to receive a stack of documents, and a unit for extracting documents from the stack of documents and transferring the extracted documents onto a horizontal support of a downstream processing unit, wherein the support of the document feeder is inclined relative to the horizontal is described.

Abstract: A friction feeder apparatus for handling sheets of paper of differing thicknesses includes a first plurality of laterally spaced apart transport belts positioned in underlying relation to the paper and a second plurality of laterally spaced apart separator wheels positioned in overlying relation to the paper. The transport belts are staggered with respect to the separator wheels. A sheet of paper passing through the feeder apparatus is undeflected from the top as it encounters the transport belts and is unsupported from the bottom as it encounters the separator wheels so that the sheet of paper is not held flat as it passes through the feeder but instead is forced into a wave-like, sinusoidal-like shape. In a first embodiment, the separator wheels are downstream of a fixed nip roller and in a second embodiment, the separator wheels are upstream of the fixed nip roller.

Abstract: A paper sheet storage unit 101 is opened upward and forward. Holding members 30, 32 are respectively configured to be reciprocated, between a waiting position and a holding position, by a lifting and lowering mechanism 35. When the respective holding members 30, 32 are in the waiting position, such holding members 30, 32 can serve as a guide surface, on the back side of the paper sheet storage unit 101, for guiding a batch of paper sheets stored in the paper sheet storage unit 101. Meanwhile, when the respective holding members 30, 32 are in the holding position, the holding member 32 is in contact with a top face of the paper sheet present at the lowest layer of the paper sheets stored in the paper sheet storage unit 101, and serves to press the paper sheet downward.

Abstract: A credential production device is provided. The credential production device includes a card holder. The card holder includes a housing having a base and a card press. The card press is configured to apply a load to a top card of a stack of cards supported above the base. The load includes a perpendicular load component oriented perpendicularly to the base and having a magnitude that increases as a thickness of the stack of cards decreases.

Abstract: A sheet feeder having a stack hopper for holding a stack of sheets, and feed belts for advancing the bottom-most sheet from the stack, is constructed to move at least one of the feed belts laterally toward and away from another of the feed belts while the belts are being driven. Preferably, side guides extend substantially to the end of the feeder, and extend both above and below the upper surface of belts to which they are adjacent. The belts extend between and around shafts of uniform diameter through the reach of lateral movement of the belts. The shafts are journaled in bearings mounted in such a way that they can be lifted out to change belts quickly and easily.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes sheet accommodating means for accommodating a sheet, the sheet accommodating means being detachably mountable to the apparatus; feeding means for feeding the sheet from the sheet accommodating means; press-contact means for press-contacting the sheet in the sheet accommodating means to the feeding means; a guiding member for guiding the sheet accommodating means such that sheet accommodated in the sheet accommodating means is not contacted to the feeding means when the sheet accommodating means is mounted to the apparatus; moving means for moving the guiding member to bring the sheet into contact to the feeding means after the sheet accommodating means is mounted to the apparatus.

Abstract: The present disclosure includes an apparatus for feeding a stack of sheet stock in blocks. The apparatus includes a backstop, a block pusher plate, and at least one sensor for determining a height differential between the stack at generally near a lead edge of the stack and the stack at generally near a trail edge of the stack. The apparatus automatically adjusts for warp in the sheet stock. The present disclosure further includes a method comprising obtaining a first measurement at generally near a lead edge side of the stack, obtaining a second measurement at generally near a trail edge side of the stack, comparing the first and second measurements, and pushing the portion of sheet stock from the stack with a block pusher plate when the second measurement is within a predetermined tolerance of the first measurement.

Abstract: A credential production device is provided. The credential production device includes a card holder. The card holder includes a housing having a base and a card press. The card press is configured to apply a load to a top card of a stack of cards supported above the base. The load includes a perpendicular load component oriented perpendicularly to the base and having a magnitude that increases as a thickness of the stack of cards decreases.

Abstract: A feeder device is provided, comprising a drive mechanism for driving a media unit in a feed direction, the media unit being provided from a stack of media units by a hopper including upstream and downstream hopper members. A directing member associated with the upstream hopper member engages the trailing edge of the media unit to direct the same to the drive mechanism, reduces an adhesive force between the media unit and remaining media units in the stack, and engages the trailing edge of one other media unit to direct the same toward the downstream hopper member and to partially support the weight of the remaining media units. A biased member urges the media unit against the drive mechanism, thereby increasing a driving force on the media unit, and prevents remaining media units from being fed to the receiving apparatus, also reducing the adhesive force. Associated methods are also provided.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes a sheet stacking portion for stacking thereon a sheet, a sheet feeding portion for axially supporting a sheet feeding roller, and a spring portion actable on the sheet feeding portion. The spring portion acts on the sheet feeding portion so that the sheet feeding roller is pressed against the sheet with a pressing force when a sheet stacking amount is large and so that the pressing force is decreased by canceling moment created by a weight of the sheet feeding portion when the sheet stacking amount is small.

Abstract: System and method for monitoring grouped resources. A system and method of monitoring resource units in a stack is provided. The system and method includes providing a group of resource units and determining a thickness of one or more of the resource units. The system and method also includes indicating when the group of resource units reaches a predetermined size after one or more of the resource units has been moved from the group.

Abstract: An improved hopper and singulating/feed assembly for a utilization device, such as an inserter, that feeds sheet-like materials from a hopper feed stack that reduces the various geometrical and physical problems that lead to jams, misfeeds and failures to properly singulate the stack is provided. A hopper reduces the pressure on the bottom sheets of the stack by providing a parallel wedge structure at the stack base. This wedge structure also helps to drive bottom sheets successively forward toward a front face so as to further break frictional and adhesive contact between sheets at the bottom of the stack. Hopper side guides with integral angled shelves engage front side edges of the stack and allow easier singulation of respective bottom sheets. Likewise a fixed sucker block assembly, which seats a suction cup in a rotating base with a surrounding planar block face and an integral fulcrum edge improves the separation of the bottom sheet from the overlying stack.

Abstract: A system and method for storing and dispensing a stack of materials to a feed station of the utilization device that is adapted to feed stacks of the materials is provided. The materials, typically sheets or envelopes, are provided in a predetermined orientation in a stack in a container having a dispensing end or other opening. To dispense, the container is positioned with respect to the feed station and a release on the container is operated using a predetermined motion. The release enables the contents of the container, in stack form, to be transferred to the feed station free of any operator intervention with the contents of the stack. The dispensing end/opening can be shoulders on a container that are moved out of interfering contact with the stack when the stack is placed over upright guides on the feed station.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for reducing burden in retrieving sheets of material from the bottom of a substantially vertical stack of sheets in a sheet feeder. The apparatus comprises a first convex surface at the bottom half of the stack protruding into one side of the stack for pushing the sheets toward the other side, and a second convex surface on the second side below the first convex surface for pushing the sheets toward the first side. The first and second convex surfaces each provide a counteracting force resisting the downward movement of the stack, and these countering forces have upward vertical components partially countering the downward vertical force due to the weight of the stack.

Abstract: A printer comprises a loader (2) for supports (1) to be printed, a printing device (9) and transfer elements delimiting a series of gripping regions (8) forming a transport path (8A) to lead sequentially the printed supports (1) from the outlet (5) of the loader (2) to the printing device (9) and from the printing device (9) toward collection elements disposed below the loader (2). At least the portion of a wall (7) with an opening (4) of the loader (2) is inclined at a positive angle relative to the transport path (8A) to give to the support (1) to be printed an inclination in the inlet direction of a first gripping region (8) of the transport path (8A). The inlet is provided with a deflector (11).

Abstract: A credit card stacker holding up to a predetermined number of cards in a lower section. Cards are supplied by a separator mechanism from the upper section of the card stacker, as they are depleted from the lower section by the issuing mechanism. The separator mechanism supports one edge of a card in the upper section only while the other edge of the card is supported by a predetermined number of cards in the lower section. When the number of cards in the lower section drops below the predetermined number, the separator allows cards to drop to the lower section.

Abstract: A credit card stacker holding up to a predetermined number of cards in a lower section. Cards are supplied by a separator mechanism from the upper section of the card stacker, as they are depleted from the lower section by the issuing mechanism. The separator mechanism supports one edge of a card in the upper section only while the other edge of the card is supported by a predetermined number of cards in the lower section. When the number of cards in the lower section drops below the predetermined number, the separator allows cards to drop to the lower section.

Abstract: A sheet feeding mechanism including a singulating assembly and mechanism for accumulating sheets in a stack adjacent the singulating assembly. The singulating assembly comprises a retard roller and a guard adjacent thereto. The retard roller has a first bearing surface at a lower position. A mechanism is provided for feeding single sheets from the stack past the bearing surface of the retard roller and beneath it. The retard roller is adjustable to move the first bearing surface away from its lower position and replacing it with a second bearing surface at the lower position.

Abstract: A display apparatus (18) capable of sequentially displaying a plurality of annotated image prints (36), each image print having audio data encoded (54) and made integral its back surface (46), thereby providing a convenient way to both display image prints and play back audio data associated with image prints. In one aspect of the present invention, the display apparatus (18) also records audio data for a plurality of image prints and provides a handwritten means to electronically associate a particular image print with its respective audio recording.