Abstract: A feeding device includes a receptacle, a conveyor, an elastic member, and a load adjuster. The receptacle is vertically movable and holds a stack of sheets. The conveyor feeds an uppermost sheet of the stack of sheets on the receptacle in a feeding direction in which a sheet of the stack of sheets is fed. The elastic member biases the receptacle to press the uppermost sheet of the stack of sheets on the receptacle against the conveyor. At least when a height of the stack of sheets on the receptacle is equal to or greater than a given value, the load adjuster applies a reduced magnitude of load downward to the stack of sheets on the receptacle in response to a decrease in the height of the stack of sheets.

Abstract: A sheet conveying device includes a sheet stacker, an air blower, and a guide. The sheet stacker stacks sheets. The air blower blows air to the sheets. The guide faces an uppermost sheet on the sheet stacker. A set height of a contact portion of the guide to contact the uppermost sheet is changeable.

Abstract: The sheet conveying apparatus according to the present invention includes: a conveyance roller which conveys a sheet; a roller support portion on which the conveyance roller is mounted; a roller engaging portion which is mounted on the conveyance roller; a support engaging portion which is mounted on the roller support portion and is engaged with the roller engaging portion; and a guide portion which is mounted on at least one of the roller engaging portion and the support engaging portion, the guide portion being configured to guide the roller engaging portion to a mounting position by rotating the roller engaging portion relative to the support engaging portion in an interlocking manner with a mounting operation in which the conveyance roller is mounted on the roller support portion.

Abstract: There are provided a paper conveying apparatus which can effectively detect a sound which is generated when a jam occurs for various types of jams. The paper conveying apparatus includes a side guide, arranged to be movable in a direction which is perpendicular to a conveyance direction of a paper placed on a paper tray, for restricting a width direction of the paper, a sound signal generator, provided at the side guide so that a sound detector moves in accordance with movement of the side guide, for generating a sound signal corresponding to a sound generated by the paper during conveyance of the paper, and a sound jam detector for determining whether a jam has occurred based on the sound signal.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus capable of reliably feeding a sheet even when a gap is formed between the sheet and a regulating portion, and an image forming apparatus are provided. A tail end regulating plate 13 regulates a movement of a sheet supported by a tray supporting the sheet so as to be lifted or lowered, and when a gap is formed between the tail end regulating plate 13 and the sheet supported by the tray, tail end regulating projections 18H and 18I which are provided so as to protrude to the gap regulate the movement of the sheet toward the tail end regulating plate 13.

Abstract: A sheet feeding cassette includes a sheet stacking portion provided turnably in a vertical direction within a cassette body. The sheet feeding cassette also includes first and second side edge restricting portions configured to restrict widthwise positions of the sheets. The second side edge restricting portion includes first and second pressing portions configured to press the sheets on the sheet stacking portion against the first side edge restricting portion. The second pressing portion provided upstream in the sheet feeding direction of the first pressing portion is moved up and down by an interlock mechanism in linkage with a total thickness of the sheets on the sheet stacking portion.

Abstract: In a sheet feeding cassette (10), wall portions (25a to 25d) are provided upright at four peripheral end portions of a cassette base (25). Of the wall portions (25a to 25d), the wall portion (25a) positioned on a downstream side in a sheet feeding direction has a first notch portion (41) formed at a substantially center portion in a longitudinal direction of the wall portion (25a), the first notch portion (41) facing a feeding roller (30a) provided on an image forming apparatus (100) main body side.

Abstract: A recording medium supply device includes a cassette attachable to and detachable from a main body and capable of stacking recording medium thereon, a feeding roller which feeds the uppermost recording medium to the main body from a leading end of the recording medium, a regulating member which is arranged forward in the direction in which the cassette is removed from the main body as seen from the feeding roller, and a projection preventing member attached adjacent to the tip portion of the cassette facing the leading end of the recording medium. The position of the lower end of the regulating member is higher than the cassette attached to the main body, and lower than the lower end of the feeding roller, and the position of the upper end of the projection preventing member is higher than the position of the lower end of the regulating member.

Abstract: A sheet loading device includes a sheet tray, a lift plate, a restricting part, and an auxiliary restricting member. The restricting part is movable to a plurality of predetermined fixed positions and restricts a position of the sheets in a sheet width direction. The auxiliary restricting member is disposed on the one edge side of the restricting part. The auxiliary restricting member restricts, with first biasing force, the side edge of the sheets lifted by the lift plate when the number of sheets housed in the sheet tray is a first number of sheets, and restricts, with second biasing force that is greater than the first biasing force, the side edge of the sheets lifted by the lift plate when the number of sheets housed in the sheet tray is a second number of sheets that is greater than the first number of sheets.

Abstract: A sheet feeding device includes a sheet storing portion storing sheets stacked on a stacking surface thereof; a feeding roller feeding each of the sheets by rotating while being in contact with a topmost one of the sheets; a support member having a support surface that supports downstream-side part, in a sheet feeding direction, of the sheets and, at the time of sheet feeding, being movable perpendicularly to the stacking surface while lifting the downstream-side part of the sheets with the topmost sheet kept in contact with the feeding roller; and a stopper member configured to come into contact with leading ends of some sheets to be fed by the feeding roller and to stop sheets other than the topmost sheet. The support surface of the support member slopes upward, with respect to the stacking surface, toward a downstream side in the sheet feeding direction.

Abstract: A recording medium supply device includes a cassette attachable to and detachable from a main body and capable of stacking recording medium thereon, a feeding roller which feeds the uppermost recording medium to the main body from a leading end of the recording medium, a regulating member which is arranged forward in the direction in which the cassette is removed from the main body as seen from the feeding roller, and a projection preventing member attached adjacent to the tip portion of the cassette facing the leading end of the recording medium. The position of the lower end of the regulating member is higher than the cassette attached to the main body, and lower than the lower end of the feeding roller, and the position of the upper end of the projection preventing member is higher than the position of the lower end of the regulating member.

Abstract: A sheet feeding device is provided. The sheet feeding device includes a body, a sheet cassette, a lifting plate, which is movable to an uplifted position when the sheet cassette is in the body and to a lowered position when the sheet cassette is outside the body, and uplifts the stack of sheets according to the uplifting movement thereof, a feeder to pick up and feed a topmost sheet, and a restrictive member, which is movable in association with the movement of the lifting plate. The restrictive member is in a restrictive position, in which at least a restricting part of the restrictive member is arranged over the stack of sheets, when the lifting plate is in the lowered position. The restrictive member is in a retracted position, in which the restrictive member is retracted off from the stack of sheets, when the lifting plate is in the uplifted position.

Abstract: The sheet feeding apparatus includes an apparatus body, a sheet cassette, a positioning member which includes a positioning pin arranged at one of the apparatus body and the sheet cassette and a positioning hole arranged at the other of the apparatus body and the sheet cassette and which performs positioning of the sheet cassette owing to fitting of the positioning pin with the positioning hole when the sheet cassette is slidingly moved to an attached position, and a restriction member which performs restriction of movement of the sheet cassette in the horizontal direction being perpendicular to a sliding direction from a drawn position to a fitting beginning position where fitting of the positioning member begins and which releases restriction of the movement of the sheet cassette in the horizontal direction from the fitting beginning position to the attached position.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes a placement surface on which a sheet to be transported is placed; a fixed guide which abuts against one side edge of the sheet; a movable guide which abuts against the other side edge of the sheet; a sheet feeding roller which abuts against a surface of the sheet at a position which is at the side of the fixed guide; an abutment member which is provided on the movable guide. The abutment member has a side surface opposed to the fixed guide in the width direction, and the side surface is formed into a slant shape such that as a portion of the side surface is nearer to the fixed guide in the width direction, a distance between the portion of the side surface and the placement surface is increased.

Abstract: Apparatuses for feeding sheets and printing apparatuses are provided.

Abstract: A paper supply apparatus includes: a placement surface on which paper to be transported is placed; a fixed guide that guides the transport of the paper; a movable guide whose distance to the fixed guide in the widthwise direction of the paper is capable of being adjusted and that guides the transport of the paper; a paper supply roller that abuts the paper in a position, on the side where the fixed guide is located, and that is rotationally driven so as to transport the paper; an abutment member, provided on the movable guide. The abutment member is disposed in a position so that a second abutment point where the abutment member abuts the surface of the paper is further downstream in the transport direction of the paper than a first abutment point where the paper supply roller abuts the surface of the paper.

Abstract: The invention describes a sheet feed device having a sheet tray having a bottom plate defining a first portion of a storing portion that receives sheets therein, a feed roller, a separation plate, and a recessed portion formed in the separation surface. The feed roller moves to contact a sheet of the sheets, and to feed the sheet. The separation plate is disposed at a downstream end of the sheet tray and extends in a width direction. The separation plate has a separation surface which is inclined with respect to the bottom plate of the sheet tray, and defines at least a second portion of the storing portion. The recessed portion is formed in the separation surface and extends toward a downstream end of the separation surface. The separation plate is configured to separate the sheet from the sheets as the feed roller feeds the sheet.

Abstract: The present invention provides a removable input tray to be used in an image forming device, such as a printer. The input tray includes a front wall with a sloped surface for sheet separation, an opening in the front wall, and a retractor pivotally mounted in the opening. The retractor is movable between a stopping position and a retracted position, the stopping position provides a stop to the leading edge of a stack of media sheets when the stack is being inserted into the input tray, and the retracted position is triggered when the input tray is fully inserted into the image forming device.

Abstract: A sheet feeding unit and an image forming apparatus having the same. The image forming apparatus includes a body and the sheet feeding unit to supply sheets into the body. The sheet feeding unit includes a sheet feeding cassette coupled to the body, a sheet lifting plate positioned in the sheet feeding cassette to stack sheets thereon, a pick-up device to feed the sheets piece by piece from the sheet feeding plate, and an adjustment unit to vary a sheet feeding force by which the sheets are fed from the sheet lifting plate. Accordingly, the sheets can be smoothly fed into the body without skewing through adjustment of a sheet feeding force of the pick-up device.

Abstract: In a mail processing machine having a receive deck for receiving a stack of mail items for printing, jogging means for jogging the stack of items against a reference wall, selection means for extracting mail items for printing one by one from stack of items, and print means for printing a postal imprint on the selected mail item, a jogging device is provided that includes an external strip slidably mounted on a moving slideway and having a jogging flat mounted at the terminal end thereof, a brake-forming friction shoe secured to the stationary slideway and mounted between the stationary slideway and the moving slideway, and a resilient element having one end connected to the moving slideway and its other end connected to the external strip in order to cause the external strip to back off automatically through a determined distance from the moving slideway once the jogging flap has been brought into contact with the stack of mail items.

Abstract: A sheet-feeding cassette includes: a stacking member including first engaging sections and second engaging sections provided at intervals which are smaller than those of the first engaging sections; and a regulatory member regulating the position of sheets, the regulatory member including an operation section that is operated at the time of movement of the regulatory member and is capable of being displaced, a first engaged section that is capable of engaging with the first engaging sections and is elastically deformable, and a second engaged section that is capable of engaging with the second engaging sections. The second engaged section is displaced in a direction so as to be disengaged from the second engaging sections in accordance with displacement of the operation section, and the first engaged section is elastically deformed as a result of being interlocked with the second engaged section according to displacement of the operation section.

Abstract: An automatic edge guide assembly comprises a sheet feeding mechanism, a slide housing mounted within the sheet feeding mechanism and an edge guide slidably connected to the slide housing. The edge guide is biased by a first biasing force and a second biasing force, wherein the first force is greater than the second force, allowing for automatic edge alignment within a predetermined range of widths.

Abstract: A printer guide clip is configured for retrofit in a paper tray of pre-existing commercially available printer for blocking corner curling of forms transported therethrough. The clip includes first and second side tabs integrally joined together by an arcuate cap extending between the top ends thereof. The first tab is configured for retention inside a pre-existing slot in the paper tray. An inclined ramp extends outwardly from the second tab inside the tray in the vicinity of the form corner for blocking curling thereof during use. The clip is readily attachable to the tray for use with laminated forms, and is easily removable therefrom when no longer needed.

Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus has an adjustable tray for receiving and storing paper, such as photographic paper, has adjustable sheet width aligning and sheet receiving guide members that can alignably accommodate various sizes of paper. Independent quick release/latch mechanisms enable easy and quick deployment of the adjustable sheet width aligning and sheet receiving guide members.

Abstract: Springs 34 and 35 are located on the back face of a paper cassette, between a movable plate 32 and a bar 31, coupled with a side edge aligner 27. A slot extending in the direction in which a spring load is generated is formed in the movable plate, and a hook portion is formed at the end of the spring in the direction in which the spring is extended or contracted. The length of the slot and the length of the spring end in the direction in which the spring load is generated differ for the individual springs, and correspond to the distance the movable plate is displaced. That is, a size difference is defined for each spring until the spring load is applied. During the insertion of the paper cassette, the movable plate is displaced by the mechanism constituted by the groove cam 41 and the boss 36a, and in accordance with the displacement, different spring loads are multiply applied the paper side edge aligning member via the bar.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an apparatus and method for separating an entire collation of individual sheets from a supply stack for downstream processing. The apparatus generally includes a supply stack tray for containing the supply stack while the collations in the supply stack are being separated; a separator device positioned adjacent to the supply stack tray for separating a corner of each sheet of the collation from the supply stack; a deflector positioned adjacent to an edge of the collation for deflecting the collation from the supply stack after the collation has been separated by the separator; and a gripper device positioned in a plane proximate to the first sheet in the collation for gripping the entire collation after the collation has been deflected from the supply stack and for moving the entire collation downstream for processing.

Abstract: A system and method for providing the ability to more effectively control a paper stack in a reproduction apparatus. The level control behavior of the paper stack is characterized, and accordingly, additional lift commands are signaled when the behavior indicates that such increments are necessary. The behavior is characterized by sampling data during a sampling period including switch initiated increments. Upon characterization, additional increments are initiated by a source other than the switch initiated increments to more effectively control the paper stack.

Abstract: A sheet trailing edge restriction member (65) according to the present invention has a main body (68) disposed upright in a sheet holding portion. The main body (68) is provided with a hook (71) for fixing the main body upright to the sheet holding portion. The restriction member is attached to and detached from the sheet holding portion by deforming the hook (71) toward a space (72) defined between the hook and the main body. Unless the hook is deformed toward the space (72), the restriction member cannot be detached from the sheet holding portion. The main body (68) is provided with a rear support plate (70) for supporting a rear end of a sheet stack. The rear support plate (70) is displaceable so as to support the rear end of the sheet stack. An insert (82) is provided integrally with the rear support plate (70). The insert (82) is usually inserted in the space (72) to prevent the deformation of the hook (71).

Abstract: A sheet cassette for an image forming apparatus supports a pivotally mounted sheet loading plate while giving a degree of freedom to the cassette tray by allowing a free end of the sheet loading tray to vertically move. Sheet guides for regulating the lateral position of sheets on the sheet loading tray are supported by the cassette tray and are aligned with apertures provided in the sheet loading plate, so that some play exists between the sheet guides and the cassette tray.

Abstract: An apparatus in an automatic sheet feeder for a printer, a copy machine, or the like that prevents a corner of a sheet of feed paper from being turned down or "dog-eared" when that sheet of feed paper is being advanced from a stack of the feed paper. The apparatus includes a resilient finger engaging the forward edge of the sheet of feed paper. The resilient finger deflects slightly when the sheet of feed paper is urged forward such that the corner of the sheet of feed paper advances past the finger without folding or becoming dog-eared and the sheet of feed paper is separated from the stack of paper. In a preferred embodiment, the resilient finger is pivotally secured to a cassette for holding the stack of paper, and the finger is biased to engage the top most sheet of the stack of feed paper.

Abstract: A finger device freely loads the printing papers in a feed cassette. The finger apparatus includes a conductor protrusion coupled to a paper sensor at one side of a body where the cassette is attached and detached. The finger is supported by a pin and spring in the feed cassette for separating with a tray portion of the feed cassette. A finger portion of the finger apparatus can be located at an edge of the feed cassette by the projection of the body, upon the feed cassette being attached. The finger portion can automatically separate the feed cassette using a stability of the spring upon the cassette being detached from the body.

Abstract: A paper feeding mechanism and method which reliably feeds individual sheets stacked on a base plate. When a full stack of sheets resides on the base plate, as the sheets are removed one-by-one from the top of the stack, the base plate pivots about an end of the base plate. After the base plate pivots to a predetermined level, a pin passing through an oblong hole in a side support connected to the base plate contacts an end of the oblong hole and changes the pivot position of the base plate to the position of the pin. Also, a separating claw is raised as the sheets are removed from the stack. As the sheets from the stack are removed, the base plate supporting the sheets is raised. The raising of the base plate causes the rotation of a cam member. As the cam member rotates, the changing cam surface which contacts a separating member connected to the separating claw causes the separating claw to be raised.

Abstract: An apparatus for facilitating handling particularly tab stock in a sheet feeder, having a top feed vacuum corrugated feed head assembly for feeding sheets seriatim from a sheet supply stack. The facilitating apparatus includes a platform adapted to support a sheet supply stack of the tab stock type. A tab stock sheet supply stack is located on the platform in relation to the top feed vacuum corrugated feed head assembly. A force is applied to the tab stock sheet supply stack, such force having at least a component in a direction relative to such tab stock sheet supply stack to prevent individual tab stock sheets in such stack from prematurely moving out of control of the top feed vacuum corrugated feed head assembly.

Abstract: An article placing assembly having a pushing mechanism constructed and arranged to engage and move articles from an article stack. The assembly has opposing pivoting gate members which cooperate to hold and release successive articles. Movable clamps further cooperate to hold the article stack as successive articles are sequentially moved from the article stack. A process is set forth for separating and removing successive articles from an article stack in a magazine.

Abstract: An article release assembly mounted on the from or exit end of an article supply magazine. The article release assembly is for use in feeding successive thick or heavy rigid articles from an article supply magazine. The article release assembly cooperates with an article transfer assembly and comprises an upper magazine clip assembly and a lower magazine clip assembly which cooperate to shift upward the next-out article from the article stack in the magazine. The upper clip assembly has an elongated body with an upwardly extending retention slot having specified dimensions. The lower clip assembly has an elongated body with an upwardly extending terminal end having a rounded portion. The retention slot of the upper clip assembly and the rounded portions of the lower clip assembly cause the first or next-out article to be repositioned with respect to the article stack as the article transfer assembly transfers successive articles from the article stack in the magazine.

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: Sheet feeder of a printing press having suckers for seizing an uppermost sheet of a sheet pile at a leading end of the uppermost sheet, at least one sheet-pile stop having an upper edge over which the uppermost sheet is liftable, and a pair of transport rollers to which the uppermost sheet is feedable includes grooves formed in the sheet-pile stop and extending parallel to leading and trailing edges of the sheets on the sheet pile.

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 cassette is attachable to an image forming apparatus including a feed roller. The cassette is provided with a push-up member for pushing up leading edges of sheets placed in the cassette so as to bring the uppermost one of the contained sheets into contact with the feed roller, and a restricting member for restricting displacement of the contained sheets from a specified position. By attaching thus constructed cassette to the image forming apparatus, sheets can be fed properly by the feed roller.

Abstract: In order to facilitate adjustment of the height of impaling pins, a signature supply station includes a pair of generally parallel side frame members each of which supports a rotatable impaling pin adjustment assembly. The adjustment assembly includes supporting structure for a pair of impaling pins whereby the pins are supported between the side frame members for guided movement in generally vertically upward and downward directions, and it also includes an adjusting screw rotatable in a clockwise and counterclockwise direction. With the signature supply station supporting signatures generally vertically, the adjustment assembly further includes interconnection structure or guided generally vertically upward and downward movement of the impaling pins responsive to clockwise and counterclockwise rotational movement of the adjusting screw.

Abstract: A lead-frame separating apparatus includes an inclined stationary stocker placed with a plurality of rectangular sheet-type lead-frames in alignment, and a chuck unit capable of taking two positions consisting of a stand-by position above conveying rails where it swings within a vertical plane and extends beneath the stocker, and a chuck position where it adjoins the first lead-frame on the stocker. At the chuck position, the chuck unit holds and takes out the first lead-frame, which is released at the stand-by position and transferred onto the conveying rails.

Abstract: One column (16) of each of two pairs of columns (14,16) on which mutually remote edges of the sheet-metal members 12 are guided, has a resiliently flexible strip to exert a resilient pressure on the associated edges of the sheet-metal members (12) stacked between this column (16) and a rigid column (14) situated opposite. The strip is divided into a plurality of pressure members (10) which are disposed one below the other and are individually resiliently supported. As a result, the sheet-metal members (12) are kept snugly against the opposite rigid columns (14) and so precisely positioned ready for destacking; at the same time, however, individual sheet-metal members (12) are prevented from being loaded with excessively great spring forces.

Abstract: A label magazine comprising a tray for supporting a stack of labels and having a device at one end for yieldingly urging the labels toward the other end of the tray and a plurality of circumferentially spaced spring fingers positioned at the other end of the tray about the labels, each finger including an axially extending portion and an inwardly extending portion engaging the outermost label of the stack. Each finger is mounted so that it can be adjusted to move the finger inwardly of the label and accomodate variations in the size of the labels.

Abstract: A money feeding machine having a friction feed mounted to feed from the top of a stack of money is disclosed. The stack of money is contained within a cassette having a moveable bottom. The bottom of the cassette is raised by a motor as money is fed from the top of the stack in order to maintain the top of the stack of money substantially at the top of the cassette and available for feeding by the friction feed. Ramps are mounted a predetermined distance down from the top of the cassette to squeeze sheets of money inwardly and cause them to bow upwardly as they are pushed up by the motor. The ramps cause blocks of mint money to be separated into a short loose stack of sheets above the ramps for reliable feeding by the friction feed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for feeding sheets, particularly fabrics, from a stack comprises an arrangement for: engaging the opposite edges of the upper sheet of the stack by a pair of restrainer members, bringing a pick-up head into engagement with the upper sheet of the stack while producing air streams from the pick-up head directed outwardly across the opposite edges of the upper sheet of the stack, lowering the pick-up head to depress the stack below the restrainer members whereby the air streams cause the opposite edges of the upper sheet of the stack to curl upwardly to clear the restrainer members, lifting the upper sheet from the stack, and permitting the stack to rise so as to bring the next sheet into engagement with the restrainer members.

Abstract: A paper feeding device for a copier or the like enables reliable feeding of thicker paper products by providing at least one pivotable holding arm carrying a paper pressing member and a contacted adjacent elastic member. The feeding of the topmost paper effects deformation of the elastic member until a gap is formed sufficient to pass one sheet, following which the sheet is advanced. Further sheets are prevented from being passed together with the first sheet by the size of the gap and frictional resistance. The elastic member may be formed of an elastomer such as natural rubber and may include an upper hollow defining a contact surface of arcuate shape.

Abstract: An apparatus for transferring sheet materials comprises a plurality of externally threaded rods having threads spaced at equal pitches and grooves therebetween. The threaded rods extend parallel to each other and are mounted in a one-sided box-shaped housing for rotation about their axes. The threaded rods are drivable for synchronous rotation in the same lead direction to transfer the sheet materials inserted edgewise in the grooves of the threaded rods in the lead direction in synchronism with rotation of the threaded rods.

Abstract: This invention relates to sheet feeding apparatus including a cassette for holding a stack of sheets. It is known to provide in the cassette a lip or spring extending into the space in front of the stack, so that when a suction feeder acts on the front sheet to swing it through an arc and introduces it leading end into the nip of a pair of rollers, the leading end is momentarily retarded by the lip of spring. This has the effect of reducing the number of double feeds. In the present invention, the degree to which the lip or spring extends into the space in front of the stack of sheets is adjusted as the cassette is inserted into the apparatus by a control device which is set in accordance with the required rate of feed of the sheets.

Abstract: An improvement in a document feeding device having a hopper oriented at an acute angle with respect to a horizontal plane and able to support a pack of documents to be fed seriatim therefrom. The improvement comprises at least one pad having a high coefficient of friction material situated on the upper surface of the hopper whereby the effect of the weight of the documents situated in the hopper above the pad on the pressure of the pack situated below the pad is decreased.

Abstract: A device for separating an end blank from a stack of blanks comprises a stacking rack and an arrangement including at least one drivable feeder tooth, at least two supports lying against the outer side of an end blank and at least one abutment. In said arrangement which can be coupled together with the rack, a support and a feeder tooth are located in close proximity, and at least one such set is located at opposite sides of an end blank in the stack. A fixed and a movable abutment is arranged at one side of the end blank in connection with the support and the feeder tooth. The support(s) opposite the abutments can be displaced perpendicularly to the plane of the blanks. The feeder teeth are arranged to move an end blank laterally in the stack.