Abstract: Paper regulating mechanism in a paper feed cassette for accommodating paper sheets , has: a regulation guide plate disposed below a bottom plate, on which are placed the paper sheets, and formed with a slit having a predetermined width; upper plate-shaped portions against which the paper sheets come into abutment; lower guided portions disposed at the lower ends of said upper plate-shaped portions and so loosely fitted in said slit as to easily move; rollers connected to said upper plate-shaped portions or said lower guided portions and rotatably abutting against said regulating guide plate; and lock members for fixing said upper plate-shaped portions in arbitrary positions with respect to said regulation guide plate.

Abstract: In hard copy machines, automatic detection of the size of print media in a supply bin is provided by electrical devices. Adjustable print media alignment fences are operatively connected to the electrical devices, such as potentiometers, photovoltaic strips, photoemitter-photodetector arrays, or the like. The output signals from the electrical devices are correlated to width and length dimensions of the print media or the absence of print media availability. Embodiments are disclosed for standard and custom print media size detection.

Abstract: An apparatus for determining the dimensions of a stack of sheets in the tray. An optical sensor is arranged so that movement of the sheet guides in a paper tray causes a variably graduated scale to be moved past the sensor. The sensor may either be a transmissive or reflective type analog sensor in which the strength of the signal generated by the sensor is converted into a position of the side guides and as the analog scale is continuously variable, there is no need for separate discrete sensors or switches and sheet sizes of any dimension can be accommodated. A recalibration process is used to prevent contamination of the gauge and the associated change in signal strength by this sensor from causing the size determinations to be inaccurate. Alternatively, a digital sensor in cooperation with a digital bar code or other digital scale can be utilized to determine the variable sheet size, which digital sensor and variable scale are insensitive to contamination by dirt or paper particles, etc.

Abstract: A paper sheet feeder device for a printer apparatus includes a plate on which a stack of paper sheets is mounted, a paper feeder roller arranged above the front end of the paper feeder plate and rotated to pick up the paper sheets from the paper feeder plate, a cover for supporting the paper feeder plate to cause the paper sheets to be in contact with the paper feeder roller, and a paper sheet separator pad arranged adjacent to the front end of the paper feeder plate to introduce the paper sheets from the paper feeder plate to a certain position on the outer circumference of the roller and cooperate with the roller to separate the top one from the other paper sheets on the paper feeder plate. In particular, the cover includes a projecting section for freely swingably supporting the rear end of the paper feeder plate when it is projected outside through an opening formed in a side of the printer apparatus, and a spring for urging the paper feeder plate to the roller.

Abstract: An apparatus which advances sheets from different stacks of sheets. In one mode of operation, two stacks of sheets are supported side by side. A sheet feeder associated with each stack of sheets advances successive uppermost sheets from the respective stack to a transfer station of a printing machine. Alternatively, a single sheet feeder mounted movably in the sheet feeding apparatus may be employed to advance successive sheets from each of the stack of sheets, in lieu two sheet feeders. In the absence of these stacks of sheets, another oversized stack of sheets may be positioned in the sheet feeder. This oversized stack of sheets extends from a first sheet storing section into a second sheet storing section. When two stacks of sheets are disposed in the sheet feeder, one stack is positioned in the first sheet storing section and the other stack is positioned in the second sheet storing section. In this way, the sheet feeding apparatus has capability of feeding multiple size sheets.

Abstract: There is provided an apparatus for conveying a media's size to a printing system. First there is a rotatable shaft. Several cams are formed around the shaft. Each cam has a lobe extending beyond the radius of the shaft. A number of levers, one for each cam, pivot about a pivot point and have a tab that is adjacent to a corresponding cam. An indicator wheel is also attached to the shaft. The indicator wheel has a first set of faces located around the circumference of the indicator wheel, where each face indicates a media size. The indicator wheel has another set of faces that indicate a second set of media sizes. Finally, there is a slidable lever positioned adjacent to the indicator wheel. When the slidable lever is in a first position, only media sizes in the first set are visible and the presently visible size is the size conveyed to the printing system.

Abstract: A stacker for stacking paper documents seriatim is disclosed. The stacker includes: a platform, a helix extending upwardly from the platform; and a device for rotating the helix, whereby a paper document placed at the bottom of the helix can be driven upwardly to the top of the helix.

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: There is provided an apparatus for conveying a media's size to a printing system. First there is a rotatable shaft. Several cams are formed around the shaft. Each cam has a lobe extending beyond the radius of the shaft. A number of levers, one for each cam, pivot about a pivot point and have a tab that is adjacent to a corresponding cam. An indicator wheel is also attached to the shaft. The indicator wheel has a first set of faces located around the circumference of the indicator wheel, where each face indicates a media size. The indicator wheel has another set of faces that indicate a second set of media sizes. Finally, there is a slidable lever positioned adjacent to the indicator wheel. When the slidable lever is in a first position, only media sizes in the first set are visible and the presently visible size is the size conveyed to the printing system.

Abstract: A sheet-accommodating cassette includes a cassette body for accommodating sheets. The cassette body is made up of a main container and a sub container. Both the main container and the sub container have a plurality of engagement portions which enable them to be coupled to each other at one of a plurality of positions selected according to the size of the sheets to be accommodated. A sheet-accommodating cassette, which is formed by coupling the main container to the sub container in such a manner that the cassette can accommodate sheets of a large size, is housed in an image-forming apparatus body with part of the cassette protruding from the image-forming apparatus body.

Abstract: A sheet supply/conveyance mechanism for sheets includes a hopper for accommodating a stack of plural sheets, a conveyer for picking up the sheets from the hopper and conveying the sheets in an advancing direction along a path, two detectors for optically detecting a leading edge of a sheet being conveyed, a correcting device for correcting the horizontal alignment of the sheet in accordance with the detection results of said detectors, and right and left guide plates provided in the hopper for aligning the respective, opposite sides of the stacked sheets. The guide plates are slidable in a horizontal direction perpendicular to the sheet advancing direction. The guide plates are respectively connected with the two detectors, so that the detectors are also slidable in the horizontal direction, together with the respective guide plates.

Abstract: A sheet media handling system is provided which includes an input tray, an output tray, and an alignment mechanism capable of aligning sheet media which is to be input and supplementing support of sheet media once it has been expelled. The alignment mechanism thus employs an upstanding member which defines the length (or width) of the input tray, and which extends upwardly to supplement support of sheets within the output tray.

Abstract: In a document handling system for sequentially feeding document sheets from a stack of document sheets to an imaging station and then to an output, with a document input tray in which stacks of documents of varying sizes may be supportably loaded, and a document output tray for the output, underlying the input tray, and the document input tray has a resettable stack registration side guide system with upstanding opposing document edge guides resetably conformable to the lateral dimensions of the stack of document sheets loaded in the document input tray by movement of at least one the edge guide towards or away from another; the document input tray has a substantially planer document stack supporting tray surface which automatically varies in lateral area upon the resetting of the resettable side guide system so as to substantially reduce the overlying area of the input tray over the output tray for smaller documents loaded into the input tray, and to reduce obstruction of and access to documents in the outpu

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 has its object to achieve a reduction in the size and cost of a paper feeding cassette. A cassette body (2) which can contain a plurality of papers is provided with a pair of front-edge guide sections (3) and (3) for positioning the front-edges of the papers, a pair of traverse guide sections (4) and (4) for positioning the side-edges of the papers, a rear-edge guide section (5) for positioning the rear-edges of the papers, a pair of separating sections (6) and (6) for separating one at a time the papers contained in the cassette body (2), and a pair of push-up members (7) and (7) for pushing upward both side sections of the front-edges of the papers toward the lower surfaces of a pair of separating sections (6) and (6). Both side sections of the front-edges of the papers are pushed upward toward the lower surfaces of the separating sections (6) and (6) by the elasticity of the push-up members (7) and ( 7).

Abstract: The present invention provides a sheet supplying apparatus having an extendible sheet support for supporting sheets, a sheet supply for feeding out the sheets supported by the sheet support, a shiftable separating claw capable of separating the sheets fed by the sheet supply, one by one, by engaging from corners of the sheets supported by the sheet support, a regulator for shifting the separating claw toward the sheet support in response to insert and retracting movements of the sheet support and a second separator for separating the sheets rested on an upper surface of the separating claw shifted toward the sheet support by the regulator, one by one, when the sheets are fed out by the sheet supply.

Abstract: The present invention provides a sheet feed device having a sheet supporting device for supporting a sheet, a regulating member for regulating both one lateral edge and a rear edge of the sheet, and a positioning device for positioning the regulating member in a position depending upon the size of the sheet supported by the sheet supporting device.

Abstract: A top vacuum corrugation feeder with optimized performance for a large variation in sheet sizes is obtained by adjusting the vacuum port area of a vacuum chamber simply by the action of adjusting the paper guides in the paper tray for different sheet sizes.

Abstract: A paper feeding device having a supporting member for supporting recording paper thereon, and at least one width regulating member which is provided on the supporting member and freely movable in a direction perpendicular to a paper transporting direction. A slide portion provided on the width regulating member is adapted to slide along a guide surface formed on the supporting member. A width regulating surface on the width regulating member intended to contact with the recording paper is so disposed as to deviated in the transporting direction from the slide portion. When a recording paper in process of conveyance happens to swerve and pressingly contact with the width regulating surface, the width regulating member is made to generate moment and is consequently prevented from sliding due to the swerve of the recording paper.

Abstract: A sheet feeder of the present invention allows a sheet feed cassette having a small capacity and a sheet feed cassette having a large capacity to be installed to a sheet feed unit by making not only members for connection between each sheet feed cassette and the sheet feed unit but also their positional relationship in common.

Abstract: In apparatus for feeding respective sheets including framework and a deck mounted thereon for supporting a plurality of sheets in an upright stack thereof, wherein the deck defines a path of travel for respective lowermost sheets to be fed from the stack, and the stack has an upstream end and a downstream end, an improvement for facilitating feeding lowermost sheets from the stack, the improvement comprising a platform connected to the framework, the platform including a base wall portion having a longitudinal length extending upstream from the upstream end of the deck; a stack supporting member, the member including an upright upper wall portion having a lower end, the member including a lower wall portion extending upstream from the upper wall portion's lower end and forming therewith an elongate downstream marginal edge having a wedge-shaped transverse cross-section; and structure for adjustably mounting the stack supporting member on the platform, the mounting structure including first structure for movin

Abstract: A print material handling system is described which comprises an input tray, and an output tray, with the trays having at least one common side wall which is adjustable laterally relative to the other side wall such that adjustment of the moveable side wall simultaneously adjusts the width of the input and the output trays. As the moveable wall is adjusted, the support structures defining the bottom of the input and the bottom of the output tray are simultaneously adjusted such that the input and output trays support print material of various widths. Additionally, the invention includes at least one retractable wing positioned on one of the side walls. The wing can be manufactured in a relatively narrow width because the wing will always be positioned adjacent a print material side edge due to the simultaneous adjustment of the input and output trays.

Abstract: A smart paper tray determines paper size to enable maximization of throughput. The width and length of paper in the paper tray is determined by detectors mounted on slides contacting edges of the paper. The detectors can be linear or rotary encoders, potentiometers, etc. The detectors provide signals to a pitch controller and/or instructor. The pitch controller controls pitch of the printing apparatus on the basis of the signals such that the pitch is maximized to enable maximum throughput of the printing apparatus. The instructor instructs an operator on the basis of the signals how to load the paper to achieve maximum throughput.

Abstract: A device for feeding sheets from a sheet tray which minimizes mis-feeds and multi-feeds. The device includes a device detecting sheet properties such as sheet basis weight and sheet size, a device selecting appropriate air parameters, such as air plenum pressure, plenum flow, and air knife pressure based on the sheet properties detected, and a device adjusting air parameters based on the appropriate air parameters selected.

Abstract: The present invention provides a sheet feeding apparatus including a sheet supporting device for supporting sheets, more than one rotary sheet supply device for feeding out the sheets from the sheet supporting device, a separating device for separating the sheets by regulating a front corner of a sheet to be fed out by the rotary sheet supply device, wherein the rotary sheet supply device closest to the separating device as a greater sheet feeding force than the other rotary sheet supply device.

Abstract: A paper feed mechanism is provided for individually supplying recording papers to an imaging apparatus. A plurality of papers are stacked on a tray member of a paper cassette. One end of the tray member is biased toward a feeding roller and presses the stacked papers toward the feeding roller. The papers are fed one by one upon rotation of the feeding roller. A swingable guide member is mounted on the paper cassette to cover the stacked papers. By swinging the guide member, the stacked papers, as well as the tray member, are downwardly moved away from the feeding roller, so that a spacing is formed between the feeding roller and the stacked papers. One or more other recording papers can be inserted into the spacing, to be fed by the feeding roller instead of the stacked papers.

Abstract: Apparatus for feeding sheets seriatim from a sheet supply stack. The apparatus comprises a sheet feed head assembly including a plenum, a vacuum source in flow communication with the plenum, and a mechanism, such as a feed belt, for example, associated with the plenum for urging a sheet acquired by vacuum in a sheet feeding direction away from the sheet supply stack. The sheet supply stack is supported, for example in a hopper on a support platform, so as to maintain the topmost sheet in such stack at a predetermined level in spaced relation with respect to the urging mechanism of the sheet feed head assembly. A first positive air supply directs a flow of air at the sheet supply stack to levitate the top several sheets in the supply stack to an elevation enabling the topmost sheet to be acquired by vacuum from the sheet feed head assembly plenum; and a second positive air supply directs a flow of air at an acquired sheet to assure separation of any additional sheets adhering to such topmost sheet.

Abstract: A variable sheet sized sheet feeder adapted to be reloaded while running in a dual tray mode. A dual tray sheet feeder having a sheet transport to reload a stack of sheets from a holding station to an active feed station is provided. The dual tray design allows the holding station to be reloaded while the active tray is feeding thereby providing load while run capability. The feed tray is further provided with tray extensions to allow the loading and feeding of oversized sheets within the same confines. Multiple sensors and movable stack guides are provided to allow the transfer of the sheet stack from one tray to another and to report the status of each tray to the operator through a user interface.

Abstract: An adjustable sheet cassette for use in apparatus feeding sheets and being movable in the apparatus from a sheet feeding position to a nonsheet feeding position, the adjustable cassette having a sheet stack support platform capable of supporting stacks of sheets of a plurality of length and width dimensions, at least one sheet edge guide movable in a path in the cassette to accommodate stacks of sheets of different length or width dimensions, the sheet edge guide having attached thereto an actuator arm having a plurality of switch actuators for selectively actuating a plurality of switches on a circuit board on the main body of the apparatus when the cassette is in sheet feeding position in the apparatus, the actuators being located to selectively actuate the switches on the main body of the apparatus which represent one of a plurality of sheet sizes, whereby when each of the switches is actuated it generates a unique resistance in the circuit on the circuit board, the resultant of these unique resistances de

Abstract: A paper supplying deck is insertable into and withdrawable from a paper supplying portion of a body resulting in electrical connection between the side of the paper supplying deck and the side of the body through a drawer-type connector when the paper supplying deck is inserted and interruption of such electrical connection when the drawer is withdrawn. The paper supplying deck has a paper carrying portion with a paper width setting mechanism and a variable resistor the resistance value of which is changed in dependence on the paper width setting mechanism, thereby changing an output paper width detecting voltage. On the wide of the paper supplying deck, a resistance which prevents the paper width detecting voltage from amounting to a power source voltage even though the resistance value of the variable resistor reaches a maximum value, is connected in series with the variable resistor.

Abstract: An image recording apparatus wherein paper sheets are fed to a transport system along a predetermined feed path having a center line. The apparatus is provided with a pair of edge guides opposedly arranged about the center line for holding the paper sheets. Movement of one of the edge guides results in the corresponding movement of the other about the center line. With the use of a clutch disc, either paper guide may be moved independently of the other effectively changing the center line relative to the feed path of the transport.

Abstract: A recording paper size discriminating structure is provided for discriminating a recording paper size of recording papers which are accommodated in a recording paper cassette which is detachably attached to an imaging apparatus. The recording papers are cut in a predetermined size. The structure is provided with a guide plate for identifying the accommodated recording papers, and sensors for detecting the guide plate. The guide plate is provided on the recording paper cassette and the sensors are disposed at the imaging apparatus.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus having a refeeding unit for temporarily containing image-formed sheets as a horizontal pile and for refeeding the sheets for the second image forming operation. The refeeding unit can be pulled out from a body frame in the direction perpendicular to a sheet transporting direction. A setting position of the refeeding unit in the body frame can be adjusted to be parallel with the sheet transporting direction. The refeeding unit has an intermediate tray on which the sheets are piled, a refeeding roller which feeds the sheets piled on the intermediate tray from the most bottom sheet successively one by one, a sheet front end aligning member, a sheet rear end aligning member, a sheet side aligning member and a sheet pressing plate which, every time a sheet is transported to the intermediate tray and every time a sheet is refed from the intermediate tray, presses the sheet toward the refeeding roller.

Abstract: A paper cassette adapted to be removably mounted in a paper feed section of an image forming device. The paper cassette is generally constructed of a main frame and an auxiliary frame slidably engaged with the main frame. The auxiliary frame is moved forwardly or rearwardly relative to the main frame in accordance with a longitudinal size of the desired sheets of paper to be stored in the paper cassette. Thereafter, the auxiliary frame is fixedly positioned by a position adjusting member provided on the main frame. Thus, a longitudinal size or length of the paper cassette to be mounted into the paper feed section of the image forming device can be varied in accordance with a longitudinal size of the desired sheets of paper to be used, thereby reducing the types of paper cassettes required.

Abstract: A sheet cassette is provided with an adjustable paper storage area capable of accommodating multiple paper sizes, through the adjustment of a guide plate. The adjustment of one set of guide plates automatically adjusts the other guide plate pair, which moves in a perpendicular direction.

Abstract: A sheet feed cassette capable of preventing a sheet of a sheet stack from diagonal feeding when the sheet is delivered out of the cassette. The sheet feed cassette has sheet guides at lateral sides thereof whose inner surfaces serve as sheet guide surfaces. In the sheet guide, box like portions are provided. In the box-like portions, sub-guides are provided protrudable from upper ends of the sheet guides. The sub-guides have sub-guide surfaces flush with the guide surfaces of the sheet guides. Each lateral side edge of the sheet is abuttable with each of the sub-guide surfaces if the sheet is positioned above the upper ends of the sheet guides for guiding the sheet in a sheet feeding direction. Thus, the diagonal travel of the sheet can be obviated by the sub-guides.

Abstract: A sheet post-processing apparatus includes trays for accommodating discharge sheets; an aligning device for aligning the sheets on said trays by urging edges of the sheets; a driver for driving the aligning device; supporting device for supporting said aligning device for rotation; and a controller for controlling the driver to change a degree of the urging of the aligning device in accordance with a size of the sheets accommodated in the tray.

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: The present invention provides a reserving type original feeding apparatus comprising a circulating original feeding portion having a first stack tray on which originals are supported, a first separating/supplying means unit for separating and supplying the originals supported in the first stack tray one by one from the bottom, an introduction sheet path for introducing the original supplied by the first separating/supplying unit to a processing portion, and an ejection sheet path for introducing the original processed by the processing portion to the first supply tray from the processing portion; a reserving original feeding portion having a second stack tray on which originals are supported, a second separating/supplying unit for separating and supplying the originals supported in the second stack tray one by one from the bottom, and a second introduction sheet path for introducing the original supplied by the second separating/supplying unit to the processing portion; an original ejector tray arranged subs

Abstract: A paper disjointing device employable for a paper feeding unit such as a paper feeding cassette or the like serves to individually disjoint papers from each other without an occurrence of malfunction that one corner of each paper is delivered ahead of the other corner of the same. To cope of a size of each paper to be delivered, papers received in the paper feeding unit are normally squeezed toward one side wall of the paper feeding unit by a movable side guide slidably mounted on a bottom plate of the paper feeding unit. The paper disjointing device includes a first snubber on the movable side and a second snubber on the stationary side. The first snubber is turnably mounted on the movable side guide so as to depress one corner of each paper, and has a comparatively light weight. The first snubber is normally turnably biased to generate a depressing force via a pawl member disposed at the foremost end thereof.

Abstract: A sheet supplying device in which a stack of sheets are accommodated for feeding each one of the sheets to an image forming apparatus. The device has a casing having a size smaller than a maximum size of the sheets for reducing occupying space of the casing, and sound leakage is avoided by minimizing a gap distance in case of a sheet supplying operation. If A4 size sheets are used, the entire sheets are stored within the sheet supplying device, and a lid member closes an open end portion. Therefore, sound or noise is not leaked to the outside. If A3 size sheets are used, a pull-out segment is pulled out from a side of the sheet supplying device. Part of the sheets are mounted on the pull-out segment and are protruded from the side of the sheet supplying device. In this case, the lid member has a slanting posture. However, a lower portion of the open end portion is closed by the protruded sheets. Any sound directing laterally is shut off by sector plates. Thus, no sound leakage occurs.

Abstract: Paper supply cassette inserts for copy machines are disclosed which adapt cassettes for such machines for feeding sub-standard paper sizes. These inserts carry the sub-standard paper to be fed and are completely inserted in the paper cavity of existing paper supply cassettes without modification of those paper supply cassettes. Each insert includes a paper stack carrying platform, one or more paper stack locating stops, and positioning means for positioning the paper stack within the cavity of the cassette.

Abstract: A side edge alignment system for pre-aligning side edges of sheet stock prior to feeding them into a printing press employs a sheet engaging vacuum suction member driven reciprocatingly across the feed path of the press. As the member travels towards a side alignment stop the engaged sheet is aligned upon engaging the stop. The suction level is adjustable so that the suction member disengages to slide over the top surface of the aligned sheet after engagement with the side alignment stop. Suction is terminated before the return stroke of the suction member. For stack feeding operations the side alignment stop is configured as a rail having planar upper and lower vertical wall surfaces, the upper being offset away from the suction member. Initial stack alignment is secured by lower elements of the stack engaging the lower face of the side alignment stop, leaving upper sheets at a standoff distance from the upper stop surface.

Abstract: A feeding and delivery structure for a cutform medium for use in a printer having a feeder positioned upstream of a platen, includes rollers disposed adjacent to the platen, a stacker having a curved bottom face member for storing delivered cutform media, guide plates positioned adjacent the feeder, and guide members slidingly attached to front faces of the guide plates, for guiding a manually fed cutform medium. The guide members form a surface of the stacker, and may have ribs formed thereon to decrease the carrying load of the cutform medium after it is conveyed through the rollers.

Abstract: A reproduction apparatus including a logic and control unit, and a sheet storage tray having selectable sheet alignment positions and a movable sheet edge guide for positioning at a selected sheet alignment position. A mechanism for automatically positioning the sheet edge guide includes magnetizable reed switches, a magnetic member attached to the sheet edge guide and controls for counting and moving the magnetic member relative to a selected magnetizable reed switch through a first motion in a first direction for a first total number of counts, and through a second motion in a second and opposite direction for a second total number of counts equal to one-half the first total number of counts.

Abstract: A sheet supply tray (31) having two walls (33,34) extending in parallel with the direction from which the sheets are extracted from the tray (31) seriatum, the two walls (33,34) being spaced an adjustable distance apart to accommodate sheets of different widths. One wall (34) of the tray (31) comprises a longitudinally-extending area from which resilient bristles (73) project, the free ends of the bristles (73) pointing in the sheet-extraction direction so as to provide a resilient cushion acting on the adjacent sheet edges so to bias the sheets against the opposing wall (33), to remove any skew therefrom.

Abstract: A process and an apparatus for prestacking in a sheet feeder of a rotary printing press provided with lateral stack stops, which can be adjusted to the format of the sheet to be printed, the printing press also having an automatic lateral stacking orientation and a stack raising apparatus, which are designed so that they make possible an easy manual prestacking in the sheet feeder by the operator.

Abstract: A paper feeding cassette case in an image forming apparatus according to the present invention is so adapted that an arbitrary internal unit out of a plurality of types of internal units including at least one internal unit of a universal type having a structure in which paper sheets of a plurality of sizes requiring the switching of the printing ranges can be set can be attached thereto. In the paper feeding cassette case, detecting member mounting portions are respectively formed in different positions respectively corresponding to the types of internal units, and the detecting member and each of the detecting member mounting portions are provided with mounting member for detachably mounting the detecting member on the detecting member mounting portion.

Abstract: A carton blank prefeeding apparatus generally comprising a carton blank stack magazine situated above a conveyor. The conveyor is preferably tri-sectional, having a blank withdrawal section, an intermediate section and a delivery section. Typically, the blank withdrawal section and the delivery section are pivotally attached to the supporting subframe, thus allowing adjustment of the relative angles of inclination between successive conveyor sections. An upper conveyor may be situated above the delivery section to cooperate therewith in the delivery of the blanks. A center driven pulley may be utilized to drive the tri-sectional conveyor directly, as well as the upper conveyor via an interconnecting drive belt. A pair of opposing blank flexing members situated laterally of the conveyor facilitate the removal of debris on the blanks. The process of the invention contemplates first providing a stack of carton blanks. Second, individual blanks are removed from the bottom of the stack in shingled arrangement.

Abstract: A fixed cover (7) having a pair of manual feed guides (12) for guiding opposite side edges of manual feed paper (10) is fixedly provided at a front portion of an upper opening of a cassette case (5) in respect of the paper feeding direction. A rotatable cover (8) is located behind the fixed cover (7), and a front end portion of the rotatable cover (8) is vertically rotatably supported to the cassette case (5). Accordingly, the manual feed guides (12) can be located near a paper feed roller in a body of a printer. In feeding the manual feed paper (10) along an upper surface of the fixed cover (7), the inclination of a front end of the manual feed paper (10), which causes skewing, can be prevented. Furthermore, in supplying sheets of paper into the cassette case (5) with the rotatable cover (8) opened, the interference of the front end of the rotatable cover (8) with the sheets can be prevented.