Abstract: A container and a method of using the container for storing sheets of material, such as photosensitive materials, enables individual sheets to be transported from the container to an imaging unit by a feed mechanism of the imaging unit. The container fits within the imaging unit to provide a light-tight environment for the photosensitive material. The container includes shiftable walls, including a front ramp which can have a serrated surface to separate sheets. The container also includes a clamping components to allow for the removal of a light-tight bag which encloses the sheets.

Abstract: The present invention provides a sheet supply apparatus with a sheet stacking plate for stacking and supporting sheets, a supply rotary member for feeding out the sheets stacked on the sheet stacking plate, and a preventing device biased toward the supply rotary member and adapted to prevent double-feed of sheets. The preventing device has a lower central portion and high end portion along an axial direction of the supply rotary member.

Abstract: A device for transporting material, in the form of discrete sheets, seriatim to a stack of discrete sheets, and subsequently seriatim away from such stack. The discrete sheet material transport device comprises a support for a stack of discrete sheets. The stack support includes a first stop for a first marginal edge of a discrete sheet, and opposed second and third stops for opposed marginal edges of a discrete sheet perpendicular to the first marginal edge of such discrete sheet. Discrete sheets are delivered seriatim to the vicinity of the stack support and are urged in a first direction into engagement with the first stop to form a stack of discrete sheets on the stack support. The discrete sheets are subsequently urged seriatim in a direction opposite the first direction to remove discrete sheets seriatim from the stack on the stack support. The second and third stops are located to accurately position the stack of discrete sheets on the stack support.

Abstract: An automatic paper feeder of a document input device includes a pick roller 20, separator pads 68 that come into contact with the pick roller 20, a first pair of pick springs 58, and a second pick spring 60. The first pick springs 58 are disposed on the upstream side of the second pick spring 60 in the direction of conveying the paper. The first pick springs 58 are disposed on the regions on both outer sides of the width of the separator pads 68 in the axial direction of the roller, and the second pick spring 60 is disposed at a central position in the width of the separator pad 68. The first and second pick springs 58 and 60 are integrally formed as a spring unit using a single metal plate, and a force of contact of the first pick springs 58 upon the pick roller 20 on the upstream side is smaller than a force of contact of the second pick spring 60 upon the pick roller 20 on the downstream side. The separator pad 68 is formed by branching a web 70 of a rubber sheet into fork-like pad units.

Abstract: An envelope hopper including a rear panel and a pair of side panels extending forward from the rear panel. A convex curved deck is mounted to the rear panel. The deck extends between a rearmost section of the side panels. The deck has a receiving end and a feeding end for supporting a stack of envelopes. The deck has at least one convex curved side extending upwardly from the deck. A bottom panel is positioned below the feeding end of the deck and extends between the side panels thereby positioning the envelopes for passage from the envelope hopper.

Abstract: The introduction device includes a supply tray (6) with a front wall (9), in which a pile of sheets (14) is biased towards driving rollers (17) by the action of a support plate (12) and a spring (16). The front wall (9) is provided with an extension (30) of which one portion forms a fixed sloping plane (31) provided with three openings (34). Three leaf springs (35) are fastened on one side of the supply tray and have at their other end a curved part (36)engaged into the openings (34). These springs (35) form with the sloping plane (31) a retaining member (40) of which the slope is variable depending on the rigidity of the sheets or envelopes to be introduced, the slope being small in the case of thin sheets and greater in the case of rigid sheets or envelopes, thus ensuring a sheet by sheet introduction which is reliable.

Abstract: A paper feed roller (5) is divided into a first roller (5a) and a second roller (5b); a slit (58) through which about 10 to 20 sheets of documents can pass is formed between the first roller and a gate plate (57) opposite to this; and the paper fed out therefrom is fed out to a space between the second roller (5b) and a separation pad (7) in contact with this.Also, there is adopted a construction in which the pressing force of a paper conveyance spring is transformed by a slide cam sliding in a direction parallel to the paper feed roller; and the paper width detection sensor is assembled by a fitting construction.

Abstract: The present invention provides an automatic sheet feeding apparatus comprising sheet supporting means for supporting a plurality of sheets, sheet supply means for feeding out the sheets supported by the sheet supporting means, separation means for separating the sheets one by one by abutting the sheet against the separation means and by riding one of the sheets over the separation means, and flexion permitting means for causing the sheet supply means not to apply the load to the flexion of the sheet produced when the sheet is riding over the separation means.

Abstract: A high speed sheet feeder comprises a support for supporting a stack of sheets. The sheets are driven by a backing plate assembly along the support toward a singulator. The backing plate is driven by a drive member such as a drive chain positioned along the support. The drive chain moves the backing plate in predetermined increments. The singulator is mounted on a bracket that moves in response to pressure exerted by the leading face of the stack thereupon. The increments in which the backing plate moves are varied based upon the degree of movement of the singulator bracket in response to pressure exerted thereupon by the stack. Minimum pressure causes a maximum increment of movement while maximum pressure causes a minimum increment or virtually no movement in the backing plate assembly. The singulator comprises an elastomeric wheel pivotally mounted on a support bracket having concentric a sleeve that is mechanically interconnected with the drive mechanism.

Abstract: A fabric piece handling apparatus for picking up and placing fabric pieces. The fabric piece handling apparatus includes a pickup assembly having a pair of opposed jaws, a "trapeze" unfolder assembly adjacent to the pickup assembly, and a vacuum assisted magazine for supplying a stack of fabric pieces to the pickup assembly.

Abstract: A mail flow compensating device which is a straight horizontal conveyor belt and is supplied with a stream of overlapping flat mail items. The flow compensating device is made of a stop wall sloping in relation to the belt and presenting a bottom end portion facing the belt. When the height of the stream exceeds a maximum value, the mail items contact and accumulate against the stop wall to form a group of superimposed mail items. The flow compensating device also presents an optical sensor for detecting the limit contour of the group of mail items, generating a full-flow-compensating-device signal, and cutting off supply to the conveyor belt.

Abstract: A sheet feeding mechanism for feeding sheets is described including an advance preventive member which is abuttable on the sheet feeding roller by a spring. The advance preventive member functions to prevent multiple feeding of sheets. The sheet feeding cassette has a first sheet advance preventive part which acts on a second sheet advance preventive part on the advance preventive member when the sheet feeding cassette is moved toward or away from the sheet feeding roller, to thereby separate the advance preventive member from the sheet feeding roller against the urging force of a spring. Specific designs of the first and second sheet advance preventive parts may be included to vibrate and rotate a roller of the advance preventive member.

Abstract: A planar article or sheet, such as a divider sheet for stacked products, and the method of supplying substantially planar articles from a supply magazine to an article transfer device, which then transfers the article to a desired location for further processing. The planar article itself can be a divider sheet for stacked beverage containers, folded paperboard cartons for carriers, or any other substantially planar article which is adapted to be consecutively arranged with other such articles in a group, and placed in a supply magazine for singular delivery to an article transfer device. The method of the present invention is specifically designed to insure that only one sheet at a time is removed from the group by the article transfer device. The sheets or articles themselves, are designed to cooperate with the supply magazine to facilitate singular delivery.

Abstract: A system having a stack of panels from which a pack of any given height may be removed, a work station having a supporting surface, a transfer bar for feeding the pack onto the supporting surface using at least one push member, and an arresting assembly for arresting the panels underlying the pack which tend to slip towards the supporting surface when the pack is fed by the transfer bar. The arresting assembly comprises at least one body installed between the stack and the supporting face for arresting the panels underlying the pack, an actuator for pushing the body against the bottom of the moving pack, and sensing means for detecting movement of the pack to a given point, and for activating the actuator so as to bring the body into contact with the bottom edge of the pack.

Abstract: The present invention provides a sheet feeding apparatus comprising a supply means contacting one of the sheet in a sheet stack, for applying a feeding force to the sheet; a first limiting means abutting against a front end of the sheet stack in a sheet feeding direction, for limiting the movement of the sheet stack in the sheet feeding direction; a second limiting means contacting the sheet to which the feeding force is applied from the supply means, for limiting the movement of the sheet stack in a sheet thickness direction; and a clearance defined between the first and second limiting means, the clearance having a predetermined length in the sheet feeding direction.

Abstract: A printer includes an opening in communication with a tray receptacle for receiving a paper tray. The printer further includes a pick roller assembly; a separator shaft including a first separator roll; an arm structure connecting the pick roller assembly to the separator shaft and enabling a pick action to be imparted to the pick roller assembly; and a feed roller coupled to the separator shaft. A removable media tray is positioned in the tray receptacle, holds a stack of paper sheets and includes a second separator roll and a gear that couples the second separator roll to the separator shaft. A controller causes (i) a rotation of the separator shaft and separator roll in a first direction to enable a paper pick action and to simultaneously rotate the second separator roll to enable a paper sheet separation action, and (ii) a rotation of the separator shaft in a second direction to disable the pick action and to rotate the feed roll to accomplish a paper feed.

Abstract: A paper cassette comprises a paper stack tray provided on a cassette body, a stack tray locking mechanism for locking the paper stack tray and releasing the lock when the cassette is inserted into the cassette receptacle, and a first restoring member for pushing the paper stack tray toward a supply roller and bringing the paper when the lock of the stack tray locking mechanism is released. The stack tray locking mechanism comprises a pivot member provided on the cassette body such that the pivot member is free to pivot, a locking member which engages with the pivot member, and engages the paper stack tray in the locked position, and a second restoring member for pushing the pivot member in such a direction that the pivot member comes in contact with the supply roller so as to engage the locking member with the paper stack tray.

Abstract: A paper feeder for a printing and bookbinding system incorporates a top load, bottom feed hopper having a cyclically operated platform for transporting paper signatures from a stack to a conveyor. The platform utilizes spaced supports of a high friction, low durameter rated material in contact with the lowermost signature in the stack. A gating mechanism is adjustable to pass only a single signature during each cycle of the platform. Outfeed rollers grasp the signature after initial advancement by the platform. Operation of the platform is synchronized to position such that the platform lowers to drop the supports out of contact with the signature as the advancing signature is grasped by the rollers. In one form, the platform may include a vacuum attachment to assure adherence of the signature to the supports. A vacuum mechanism may also be attached to the outfeed rollers for use in opening signatures for an insert-stitch-trim operation.

Abstract: A highly reliable sheet feed device for a copier, facsimile apparatus, printer or similar image forming apparatus and having a plurality of sheet storing portions which are arranged substantially horizontally and serially in an intended direction of sheet transport. The device surely feeds sheets from the storing portions one by one and eliminate sheet jams and defective sheet feed. Further, the device is simple and miniature and capable of accommodating a plurality of kinds of sheets therein.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a device for feeding sheets, one by one, from a stack of sheets stored in a sheet placement unit. The sheet feeding device basically comprises suction cups or pads facing one end of the edge of an uppermost sheet of the stacked sheets, for taking out the uppermost sheet, an engaging member located at the sheet placement unit, for supporting the leading ends in the withdrawal direction of the stacked sheets, and a roller disposed near the engaging member and positioned to face a cut-away portion in a portion of the engaging member facing the opposite end of the uppermost sheet, the opposite end being spaced away from the suction pads. The cut-away portion is formed to prevent the opposite end of the uppermost sheet from contacting with the engaging member due to hang down of the uppermost sheet. In addition, the cut-away portion is inclined downwards toward the opposite end of the uppermost sheet from the one end thereof.

Abstract: A high speed sheet feeder comprises a support for supporting a stack of sheets. The sheets are driven by a backing plate assembly along the support toward a singulator. The backing plate is driven by a drive member such as a drive chain positioned along the support. The drive chain moves the backing plate in predetermined increments. The singulator is mounted on a bracket that moves in response to pressure exerted by the leading face of the stack thereupon. The increments in which the backing plate moves are varied based upon the degree of movement of the singulator bracket in response to pressure exerted thereupon by the stack. Minimum pressure causes a maximum increment of movement while maximum pressure causes a minimum increment or virtually no movement in the backing plate assembly.

Abstract: A sheet feeding device for an image forming apparatus A plurality of blades have their edges pressed against a feed roller by springs to increase the force obstructing the transport of sheets while reducing the force pressing sheets. As a result, the force with which the sheets press against each other is reduced. This is successful in easily separating a single sheet from the others and, when two-sided recording sheets are fed, preventing them from rubbing against and degrading each other.

Abstract: Improvements relate to a photocopying machine with an auxiliary sheet feeder including a sheet-separation unit which withdraws sheets disposed on a tray. The improvements enable better separation of the sheets and easier removal of jammed sheets. (FIG. 1).

Abstract: Device for feeding single sheets out of a stack of film sheets while avoiding the risk of artifacts. The device comprises a housing for housing the stack of film sheets, a driven feed roller in contact with the first film sheet of the stack, biasing means for keeping the stack with its first film sheet in contact with the feed roller, and a withdrawal passageway for the film sheets, characterized in that the passageway is defined by a first guide surface forming an angle of 30.degree. to 60.degree. with the sheets of the stack and a second rounded guide surface, the passageway has a height at least twice the thickness of a single film sheet, and the feed roller has an outer surface comprising a material which provides a coefficient of static friction between that material and a film sheet which is greater than the coefficient of static friction between two adjacent film sheets of the stack.

Abstract: A paper cassette unit includes a base part installed in an image forming system, a paper cassette having a compartment in which sheets of paper are accommodated, the paper cassette being detachably mounted in the base part, a cassette cover for covering an opening of the compartment when the paper cassette is mounted in the base part, and a connecting part connecting the cassette cover to the base part in such a way that only the cover stays in the base part when the paper cassette is demounted from the base part.

Abstract: A paper cassette used in a printer for holding sheets of paper. The cassette comprises a case holding sheets of paper and corner claws mounted at both sides of the front end of this case. The claws engage the front ends of the corners of the uppermost sheet of paper. The claws have front walls which are inclined upwardly toward the direction in which the uppermost sheet is fed. The front walls are also inclined from the front end of the uppermost toward the direction in which the walls are distant from the front end of the sheet by slow degrees toward the inside of the widthwise of the sheet. When the uppermost sheet is curled, the corners of the front end of the sheet are disengaged from the corner claws certainly.

Abstract: A document handling apparatus includes a friction retard feeder for feeding documents from a stack. The friction retard feeder has a feed belt and a retard pad with a concaved portion as well as an inclined, but essentially straight stepped portion that shingles the documents in order to inhibit multifeeding, stubbing and reduce image abrasion of documents during feeding.

Abstract: A bottom vacuum corrugated feeder (BVCF) includes a tray for supporting a stack of documents. The tray is angled downhill relative to the feeding direction of the documents such that the leading edge of the stack is urged to a common stop member. The tray also includes a single side guide for aligning one side edge of the stack. A stack height sensor sends a signal corresponding to stack height to a controller which in turn controls voltage to be applied to a DC motor controlled blower based on a predetermined ratio of air flow pressure to stack pressure. The structure enables intermixed size document feeding in a BVCF.

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: Discrete light sensitive exposed but undeveloped sheets which are stacked in a dark box are transferred toward or into one or more developing machines by one or more suction cups which can jointly attract a single sheet at a time or each of which can attract the uppermost sheet of one of two or more stacks of sheets in the dark box. A suction cup which attracts a portion of the uppermost sheet of a stack in the dark box is caused to flex the attracted portion above and away from the sheet below the uppermost sheet in order to promote separation of the uppermost sheet from the remainder of the stack. The flexed uppermost sheet is then at least partially extracted from the dark box and is monitored to ascertain whether or not its underside adheres to one or more sheets.

Abstract: An opening is formed in the bottom portion of a paper cassette, and a rockable elevator is opposed to the opening. The elevator is rocked by an elevator operating mechanism, thereby pushing up a tray so that paper sheets in the paper cassette reach a position suited for takeout, or getting out of the cassette. The elevator is continuously moved up and down a plurality of times by means of the elevator operating mechanism after the end of paper feeding operation, whereby the takeout end portions of a second one of the paper sheets P and its subsequent ones, which project from the paper cassette as the sheets are taken out by a takeout mechanism, are vertically oscillated so that those sheets are repeatedly curved and straightened. As a result, the paper sheets projecting from the paper cassette are automatically returned to the cassette by their own elasticity.

Abstract: A sheet film magazine for a film changer comprises a housing and a cover that form a space for storing a stack of unseparated sheets of film that lie against a film plane. The magazine includes a conveyor which is provided for conveying individual sheets of film from the film stack through a film exit opening of the sheet film magazine into a receptacle part of said film changer. So that only one sheet of film is conveyed out of the magazine, the sheet film magazine is provided with a control arrangement adjoining the exit opening and the arrangement guarantees that only one sheet is removed at a time.

Abstract: An improved sheet feeding device is disclosed for feeding individual sheets separately from a stack into a high-speed press. The device is positioned over a portion of the stack, and includes flexible and moveable springs attached to a base portion, which is adjustably connected to the printer. The individual springs exert a downward pressure on the top sheet of the stack, preventing multiple sheets from being conveyed into the printer at one time.

Abstract: A film sheet load magazine is adapted to hold a stack of superimposed films with at least central portions of the films in a curved configuration and leading ends of the films adjacent a film separator mechanism. The curvature of the films is such that they retain themselves in desired positions in the magazine independent of the orientation of the films with respect to gravity. When a top cover of the magazine is opened, floating primary feed rollers are raised by spring-biasing assemblies to facilitate loading of the films under the rollers, and when the top cover is subsequently closed, the rollers are moved into feeding engagement with an innermost film, and the films are held in position by leaf biasing springs. A cleaning mechanism removes contaminants from the primary feed rollers, which feed each film to secondary feed rollers driven at a faster speed than the primary feed rollers.

Abstract: A gravity fed, "load-while-run" envelope feeder places a high capacity envelope storage bin's long dimension against a printer which creates a small footprint. The feeder transfers the envelopes from the storage bin to a horizontal transporation area with the rotation of a motor driven blade to within access of the printer's feed rollers. The blade catches an envelope's flap to feed it and rotates it by 90.degree. into the transportation area.

Abstract: An apparatus for individually feeding sheets from a stack of sheets, comprises a tray for supporting a stack of sheets to be fed therefrom. A sheet feeder is provided for individually capturing a top sheet from the stack and for conveying the top sheet out of the tray. A solenoid-activated sheet hold down device is provided which includes a portion being cyclically movable toward and away from the stack for exerting a force on a next top sheet beneath the top sheet to prevent the next top sheet from being forwarded out of the tray while the top sheet is being forwarded.

Abstract: A sheet media feed mechanism including a sheet media tray, the sheet media tray having a lower tray for holding a stack of automatic-feed cut sheet media and an upper tray for holding individual sheets of manual-feed sheet media. The lower tray has a pair of corner-pick separators for separating the top sheet of sheet media from the stack. The upper tray has a frame positioned over a rear portion of the lower tray leaving a front portion of the lower tray exposed, and pair of flexible sidekicks extending out over the exposed portion and having a sheet media separator at the front tips of the sidekicks. A pair of D-rollers mounted on a shaft pick the top sheet of sheet media from the lower tray when no sheet media is present at the upper tray, the D-rollers also adapted to pick the top sheet of sheet media from the upper tray when at least one sheet of sheet media is present thereat. The picked sheet media is then fed to a feed path.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for transferring flanged articles from a vibratory feeder to a discharge station which features a pair of feed rails one of which has a curved external hearing surface for providing point bearing contact with a flange of the article being transferred.A method is disclosed for discharging and orienting flanged articles for delivery from a vibratory feeding device which includes the mounting of one of a pair of feed rails above the other feed rail at an entrance end of a discharge device for supporting the flanged article with its body portion tilted away from the other rail and supporting an outlet end of the discharge device such that its rails position the body portion of the flanged article in a substantially vertical orientation.

Abstract: A sheet material separating device has a rotatable conveying member for conveying sheet materials in a predetermined direction, a separating member opposed to the rotatable conveying member and prohibiting passage of the sheet materials other than the sheet material which is in direct contact with the rotatable conveying member and conveyed thereby, and a support member for supporting the separating member so that the position of contact between the rotatable conveying member and the separating member is changeable in the direction of conveyance of the sheet materials.

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: In a sheet feeding apparatus, a first regulating member provided this side of a separation section regulates the amount of transport by narrowing a sheet transport path extending to the separation section to a first width. A second regulating member is provided in the rear of the first regulating member for further regulating the amount of transport by narrowing the first width to a second width which is narrower than the first width.

Abstract: Between a sheet separation arrangement and a sheet skew correction means which are disposed along a non-linear sheet guide passage, there is provided at least one idle roller partly protruding into the passage so that the transferring efficiency of a sheet feeding device can be improved. Additionally by providing a damping member within the sheet guide passage, a sheet can be smoothly transferred along the passage at a high speed without producing harsh noises.

Abstract: Apparatus for automatically feeding workpieces of limp material one at a time and one after another from a stack thereof to a device for operating thereon, e.g. for feeding plies of fabric from a stack of plies to sewing apparatus, comprising an endless conveyor having spaced flights and gaps. The stack of workpieces is held under an upper reach of the conveyor. A pick-up is operable through the gaps to grasp the top workpiece of the stack and pick it up with the workpiece extending down into the gap for engagement of the bottom surface of the workpiece by the oncoming flight of the conveyor to complete the separation of the workpiece from the stack and to bring it to lie generally flat on the oncoming flight.

Abstract: A multifeed resistance system 90 which is a simple and low cost modification of known non-retard type bottom sheet separator/feeders, especially a vacuum feeder 17 in which the stack 14 of sheets is fluffed by an air knife 18 and the front area of the bottom sheet 98 is pulled down by vacuum and fed vacuum out from the bottom of the stack 14 with the corrugating vacuum belt feeder 17 and there fed out of the tray 16 from underneath the stack 14. A limited area of special multifeed resisting or retarding member 92 under the rear area of the stack 14 has been found to be effective in resisting multifeeds, yet not interfere with effective bottom sheet sequential feeding. One or more areas of the double feeding resistance member 92 overly the rear or upstream portion of the stack supporting bottom surface 15 of the stacking tray 16. This is an oriented (one-way) fiber mat, cloth or pad material, the fibers 94 of which are angled upstream (oriented towards the rear of the tray 16).

Abstract: A sheet feeding device for feding stacked sheets one by one incorporates therein a sheet separator in which a friction pad touching a sheet feeding roller is rocked by one or more sheets passing through between the sheet feeding roller and friction pad, thereby to successfully separate the overlapping sheets. The rocking movement of the friction pad is fulfilled, for example, by providing the pad on its leading end within an uplift protrusion which is forced up by the sheet being contacted therewith. By the action of the friction pad thus rocked, the so-called double-feed phenomenon can be completely prevented.

Abstract: The apparatus, according to the invention, comprises essentially a container (10) wherein is arranged a pile (11) of objects (12) to be distributed. A friction drive wheel (13) is mounted at the end of a lever (14) pivoting about an axis (15). An inclined ramp (21) is arranged downstream of the objects to be distributed. The upper part of the ramp is provided with a staircase-shaped recess (26) and is prolonged by a plane surface (22) which defines with a plane surface (23) parallel therewith a guiding channel (25) for guiding the objects (12).

Abstract: Apparatus for the seriatim separation and feeding of garment parts from a shingled stack of the parts to a predetermined destination. Comprising the apparatus is a movable hold down mechanism for engaging the trailing edge of the second part in the stack and a picker head for engaging the leading edge of the first part in the shingled stack and removing it from the stack. Mechanisms are provided for accurately determining the location of the trailing edge of the second part in the stack and moving the hold down mechanism into position to accurately engage the trailing edge of the second part in the stack. Following separation, the separated part is transferred to a second location at which the head is withdrawn from the transferred part.

Abstract: A feed magazine for feeding items for an envelope insertion apparatus is adjustable along three axes and includes a resiliently mounted adjustable floor plate which permits tilting adjustment about a lateral axis, and includes a jam detector for signaling misfeeds.

Abstract: A light-tight magazine for dispensing recording sheets one by one from a stack in which the sheets are separated from each other by intervening spacing foils (17), the spacing foils being held against removal from the magazine by means of ear portions (20, 21) that protrude laterally beyond the sides of the stack and are engaged by means of fixed abutment walls (27, 28) in the magazine interior.

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.