Abstract: An image reading device includes a tray unit, a recording unit disposed above the tray unit, an outer guide defining a curved path extending from the tray unit to the recording unit, a sheet feeder configured to feed a sheet from the tray unit to the curved path, and a return guide disposed between the recording unit and the tray unit. The return guide pivots about a shaft and guides the sheet having an image recorded thereon back to the curved path. The tray unit includes at least one supporting portion. The return guide includes at least one supported portion. The at least one supporting portion of the tray unit engages the at least one supported portion of the return guide such that the return guide takes a guiding position in which the return guide defines a return path extending to the curved path.

Abstract: Provided is a transporting device including a transport section that contacts with a material to be transported and that transports the material to be transported, a table on which the material to be transported is placed, a moving member that includes the table provided on an upper surface of the moving member so that an upper surface of the table is higher than the upper surface of the moving member in a vertical direction and moves the material to be transported, which is placed on the table, to a contact position where the material to be transported contacts with the transport section, and a positioning member that contacts with an end portion of the material to be transported in a width direction orthogonal to a transport direction in which the material to be transported is transported by the transport section.

Abstract: A sheet cutting device includes a cutter including opposed blades to cut a sheet fed along a sheet feed path to the device, a cutter holder holding the cutter and reciprocally movable in a width direction of the sheet perpendicular to a sheet feed direction in which the sheet is fed, and a guide member including a first path to guide the holder in the width direction of the sheet to cut the sheet with the cutter and a second path to guide the holder in the width direction after the sheet is cut. The second path is disposed away from the first path in a thickness direction of the sheet perpendicular to both the sheet feed direction and the width direction of the sheet. When the holder moves along the second path, the holder is retracted away from the sheet feed path in the thickness direction of the sheet.

Abstract: When a sheet is fed, a feeding roller is rotated in the direction opposite to the direction in which the sheet is fed to draw out the uppermost sheet from a separation claw, and then the sheet is fed in such a manner that the feeding roller is rotated in the direction in which the sheet is fed to feed the drawn out sheet along the upper surface of a separation claw. When the sheet is fed, a curvature formation portion curves downward both ends in the width direction of the second and subsequent sheets to integrally lower pressing portions for pressing both ends in the width direction of the sheet along with the curved sheets and to separate the pressing portions from the uppermost sheet, thereby preventing the leading end of the uppermost sheet from catching the pressing portions.

Abstract: A method and an arrangement for feeding out end sheets from a stack of sheets comprises that a driver acting against the end sheet of the stack (1) first displaces the end sheet in the plane thereof toward a support for elastic bulging of the end sheet, and then displaces the buckled end sheet away from the support, to a separating arrangement for the separation of sheets that unintentionally are accompanying the end sheet (21) fed out. The driver being carried by a spring arrangement, which offers an increasing support force to the driver upon the advancement of the stack by means of a pusher acting against the rear end of the stack. A sensor detects the displacement position of the driver, and activates the driver for a sheet-outfeed operation when the distance sensor detects a displacement position of the driver corresponding to a predetermined abutment force of the driver against the end sheet. Between the sheet-outfeed operations, the pusher is unloaded.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus has a chassis, a paper feed roller, a lifting member, and a biasing member. The chassis has a first side surface, a second side surface, and a bottom surface that connects the first and second side surfaces. The bottom surface has one of a first L-shaped projecting portion and a first coupling hole unitarily formed thereon. The paper feed roller is rotatably supported by the first and second side surfaces of the chassis and configured to convey paper. The lifting member is pivotably supported by the bottom surface of the chassis, and has a main portion and the other of the first L-shaped projecting portion and the first coupling hole unitarily formed on the main portion. The first L-shaped projection is pivotably coupled to the first coupling hole, such that the lifting member is pivotably coupled to the bottom surface.

Abstract: A value sheet handling apparatus comprises an actuating mechanism for exerting pressure onto a value sheet so as to move the value sheet, and further comprises detecting means to detect movement of the value sheet with respect to the actuating mechanism, wherein if the detecting means ascertains that the value sheet has not been moved by the actuating mechanism the pressure exerted Onto die flexible media is increased until motion of the value sheet is detected. Additionally or alternatively, the pressure is varied in dependence on the type of the value sheet. The value sheet is dispensed from a stack by buckling the sheet, the rest of the stack being gripped in the area exposed by the buckling of the sheet.

Abstract: A cylinder jacket profile for impression cylinders or sheet transfer cylinders has uniformly distributed elevations with an easy-clean layer as a surface coating. The easy-clean layer has a thickness of less than 5 &mgr;m, in particular 1 &mgr;m, and a surface energy of less than 50 mN/m. The cylinder jacket profile has an improved cleaning behavior. A method of producing an easy-clean layer on a cylinder jacket profile is also provided.

Abstract: A sheet separating device having a mechanism for buckling or humping a top sheet of a stack and thereby separating the top sheet from an underlying sheet that may be adhering to the underside of said top sheet.

Abstract: An object of the paper sheet feed mechanism of the present invention is to provide a paper sheet feed mechanism in which delivery of paper sheets is stable. The paper sheet feed mechanism comprises a feed roller conveying paper money to the right direction of the drawing, a spring pressing the feed roller against the paper money, a sensor detecting the press force that the paper money receives by being pressed by the feed roller, a push-up board pushing up the paper money, and a control section regulating the height of the push-up board based on the detection result by the sensor, and also comprises a pick roller conveying the paper sheet at a conveyance speed faster than a conveyance speed by the feed roller.

Abstract: A sheet separating device having a mechanism for buckling or humping a top sheet of a stack and thereby separating the top sheet from an underlying sheet that may be adhering to the underside of said top sheet.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus comprising a movable sheet supporting device for supporting a sheet, a sheet feeding roller urged against the sheet supported by the sheet supporting device and adapted to rotate in a sheet feeding direction to feed the sheet, a separating roller opposed to the sheet feeding roller and adapted to rotate in a direction along which the sheet is restored to separate the sheet fed from the sheet feeding roller, a feeding device disposed at a downstream side of the sheet feeding roller in the sheet feeding direction and adapted to feed the sheet fed from the sheet feeding roller, and a pressing and retracting device for moving the sheet supporting device to bring the sheet supported by the sheet supporting device into presser contact with the sheet feeding roller and release the pressure contact, and wherein the sheet supporting device which places the sheet into pressure contact with the sheet feeding roller is moved by the pressing and retracting device to release the pressure contact b

Abstract: An improved front type of automatic paper feeding apparatus having a paper aligning device for preventing a skewing of a paper to be fed.

Abstract: A substrate feeding system, and printers that use such feeding systems, that includes a feed roll and a retard roll that form a nip, a nudger roll for advancing a substrate from a substrate stack toward the nip, and an entrance guide between the nudger roll and the nip. The entrance guide has a contact surface that forms an angle of more than 100.degree. with the direction of motion of the substrate. The entrance guide further including a top section over which the substrate moves as it advances into the nip. The entrance guide is beneficially pivotally mounted such that when a retard roll is removed the entrance guide pivots out of the way, and such that when a retard roll is in place the entrance guide moves into position.

Abstract: A cradle for holding and feeding a stack of sheets in a printer or copier which compensates for non-uniformities in the stack, and especially non-uniformities in the central portion of the stack, thereby presenting a level top sheet to a sheet feeder regardless of how many sheets are in the stack. The cradle broadly comprises a rectangular base plate and four support posts arranged proximate the corners of the base plate. Two extension springs are arranged diametrically with respect to one another, each spring supported at its ends by the support posts, with the springs intersecting one another at approximately the center of the base plate. The extension springs support a plastic sheet, upon which the stack of sheets is laid.

Abstract: Disclosed is a device for feeding a recordable paper in an ink jet printer. The device according to the present invention is designed such that a recordable paper stacking plate is upward shifted by a reciprocal movement of a carriage to be positioned at a paper feeding position at an initial printing so that a recordable paper is in close contact with a feed roller. Thus, the recordable paper is picked up by a rotation of the feed roller and moved to a base frame. As a result, it is possible to save a time for feeding the recordable paper and printing data on the recordable paper. Further, there is advantage in that a time for picking up the recordable paper can be reduced by using a CR motor having a large torque.

Abstract: A single sheet feed system for feeding sheets, such as sheets of paper into a printer or other device which use individual sheets, such as a telefax machine or copier, is mounted on a tray that has a spring loaded bottom wall to urge a stack of sheets upwardly toward feed rollers. Scissor catches are provided at the leading edge corners and include stop and lift guides which will induce buckling of the corners of a sheet as the sheet is fed. The sheet is also guided by feed blocks adjacent the scissor catches, so that as the sheet is moved toward the printer the corners of a top sheet are caused to buckle and separate from the rest of the stack of sheets without allowing a second sheet to release from the tray as the top sheet is feeding into the printer.

Abstract: Sheet feeding apparatus and method for reliably feeding sheets from a column of sheets. The sheet feeding apparatus includes separation tangs each having a step-wise topography of reduced contact area for the sheets in order to reduce frictional drag on the sheets as the sheets are fed into an imaging apparatus. This allows for reliable feeding of the sheets because the reduced contact area of the separation tangs reduces contact time, as well as frictional drag, with the separation tangs. Moreover, the step-wise topography of the tangs individually separates each sheet from the column of sheets to be fed into the imaging apparatus in order to avoid multiple-feeding of the sheets.

Abstract: A sheet feeder system for a sheet-fed printing press includes a device for causing a sheet pile to sag at least partly in at least an upper region thereof, and at least two contact elements disposed in mutually spaced-apart relationship on an upper side of the sheet pile and having respective contact surfaces for pressing against the upper side of the sheet pile at least partly or temporarily, at least one of the contact elements being drivable so as to move the respective contact surfaces pressing against the upper side of the sheet pile towards and away from one another, respectively, for forming an interspace between the uppermost sheet of the sheet pile and a sheet immediately therebelow, and a method for individually separating sheets.

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: 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: A sheet separating device for removing an uppermost sheet of an adhesive pad containing a plurality of such sheets includes a housing; a support plate for holding the pad, resiliently biased in an upward direction. A sheet separator mechanism is movable in forward and reward directions, includes a frame, a pick wheel mounted for rotation within the frame, and a knife blade having a closed periphery opening therein defined in part by at least one entry projection, wherein the pick wheel is located ahead of the at least one entry projection of the knife blade in the forward direction such that, in use, the pick wheel lifts an edge of the uppermost sheet extending transverse to the forward direction, and the at least one entry projection of the knife blade then moves between the uppermost sheet and a next underlying sheet as the uppermost sheet passes through the closed periphery opening.

Abstract: An inexpensive large-capacity paper hopper capable of energizing a paper feed table with a constant lift force irrespective of the quantity of paper sheets remaining thereon, thereby performing stable paper feeding. To achieve such a paper hopper, a paper hopper, wherein a paper feed table is lifted or lowered being kept in a horizontal condition and paper sheets stacked on the paper feed table are sequentially sent out from the top sheet for feeding, is arranged such that the paper feed table is so suspended by a wire suspending device as to be lifted or lowered in a horizontal condition, and an elastic tensile force of extension coil springs included in a lift force exerting device is so exerted to the paper feed table that the direction in which the restoring displacement of the extension coil springs takes place becomes coincident with the direction of lifting the paper feed table.

Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus comprising a feeding device for feeding a sheet, a regulating member for regulating a position of a lateral edge of the sheet fed by the feeding device, a first rotary member adapted to feed the sheet fed by the feeding device while urging the lateral edge of the sheet against the regulating member, a second rotary member adapted to feed the sheet fed by the first rotary member while urging the lateral edge of the sheet against the regulating member, and a guide device for guiding the sheet in such a manner that the sheet is curved between the feeding device and the first rotary member. An urging force of the first rotary member by which the sheet is urged against the regulating member is set to be equal to or smaller than an urging force of the second rotary member by which the sheet is urged against the regulating member.

Abstract: A sheet feed cassette to be installed to a sheet feed unit of an image forming apparatus. The sheet feed cassette includes a frame unit having at least a side frame and a bottom frame; a bottom plate, provided above the bottom frame of the frame unit, for placing and supporting sheets thereon, the bottom plate being capable of moving up and down; a pushing-up unit, provided at a front end portion of a sheet feed side of the bottom plate, for pushing up the bottom plate with respect to the bottom frame of the frame unit when the sheet feed cassette is installed to the sheet feed unit of the image forming apparatus; and a spring, provided at an end portion opposite to the sheet feed side of the bottom plate, for urging up the bottom plate with respect to the bottom frame of the frame unit.

Abstract: An apparatus for sequentially feeding an accumulation of sheets stored in a storing section thereof one by one to a predetermined transport path. A pressing member presses the accumulation of sheets to one side in a direction in which the sheets are accumulated. A pair of pick-up rollers abut against the surface of the accumulation of sheets at the above-mentioned one side. A pair of feed rollers are located at a predetermined feed position in parallel with the pair of pick-up rollers. Actuators cause the pick-up roller pair and the feed roller pair to move toward and away from each other in a reciprocating motion. A pair of reverse rollers are located to face the pair of feed rollers and rotatable in a counter-feed direction opposite to a predetermined feed direction. The pick-up rollers and feed rollers moving toward and away from each other pay out a sheet from one side of the accumulation.

Abstract: An adjustable cassette for use in an envelope printing system. The cassette includes an elevator for maintaining the top envelope in a stack of envelopes in contact with a take-up roller in the printing system. The cassette also includes lateral guides positioned adjacent to the extreme forward portion of the envelope stack. The lateral guides are resiliently mounted to depress and pass beneath the take-up roller as the cassette is inserted into the printing system.

Abstract: A first sheet stacker in which first sheets are stacked and retained by sheet separation claws is formed by a pair of first stacker forming members, and otherwise, a second sheet stacker free from the sheet separation claws is formed by placing second stacker forming members in between the first stacker forming members. Thus, the sheets different in size and thickness can be properly stacked in a single sheet stacker and selectively sent one by one to a printing apparatus such as a general purpose printer without use of any auxiliary sheet cassette or stacker.

Abstract: A method of controlling a cut-sheet feeder installed on a printer to feed a cut sheet from a sheet hopper (1) included in the cut-sheet feeder to the printing unit of the printer at a sheet feeding speed corresponding to that of the printer. The printer gives a correction signal (S.sub.1) of a predetermined pulse width to the cut-sheet feeder, and then the cut-sheet feeder converts the pulse width of the correction signal into a corresponding number of pulses of a clock signal generated by its control unit (25), and obtains the difference between the number of pulses of the clock signal and a predetermined reference value to determine the deviation of the frequency of the clock signal from a reference frequency. The difference between the number of pulses of the clock signal and the reference value is added to a reference motor controlling value for driving a stepping motor (4) at a reference speed to obtain a corrected motor controlling value. When the printer gives a sheet feed command signal (S.sub.

Abstract: In an apparatus for the feeding of individual sheets (1) into office machines (2) in which the individual sheets (1) form a stack (3) of sheets atop which rotatively-driven fixed delivery rolls (4) rest and from which individual sheets (1) can be drawn over separating corners (5) of a paper-receiving frame (6), the stack (3) of sheets lies on a spring-action swing plate (8) between lateral paper-guide frames (7a, 7b). The invention provides for selectively alternative use, for supporting the sheet stack (3), of either the fixed paper-receiving frame (6) or of a separate and additional paper cassette (12) which is engageable with the machine (2) such that the spacing between the separating corners (30) on the cassette (12) and the circumference of the delivery rolls (4), when the cassette is mounted on the machine (2), is the same as the normal spacing between the separating corners (5) on the paper-receiving frame (6) and the circumference of the delivery rolls (4).

Abstract: An image-forming machine comprising a conveying passage for conveying a sheet material through a transfer zone, a first and a second feed system for feeding the sheet material to the conveying passage, a first feed passage for conducting the sheet material delivered from the first feed system to the conveying passage, a second feed passage for conducting the sheet material delivered from the second feed system to the conveying passage, and a first and a second opening-closing member for opening and closing the first and second feed passages. Various improvements are made on the first and second opening-closing members.

Abstract: A sheet feed device for feeding sheets from a stack to a machine, such as a copier, is provided with rollers for feeding the top sheet of the stack to the entrance of the machine. When a sheet is being fed through the machine, the presence of the sheet is sensed and used to generate a signal to disengage the rollers from the stack to thereby ensure precise feeding of the sheets.

Abstract: A dispenser for sequentially dispensing one sheet at a time from a stack of sheets. A housing encloses a drive and a lift roller, and each roller has a longitudinal axis arranged in parallel aligned relationship respective to one another and spaced from the one another an amount to bring the outer peripheral surfaces thereof into rolling contact with one another. A holding post is aligned in parallel relationship with respect to the rollers and is spaced therefrom for enabling a stack of sheets to be held against the holding post and lift roller, with one outermost sheet having a marginal edge portion thereof urged against the lift roller and the opposed marginal edge portion thereof is urged against the holding post. The outer peripheral surface of the drive roller is made of high friction material while the lift roller has a relatively small segment of its outer peripheral surface made of high friction material and the remainder of the peripheral surface made of low friction material.

Abstract: A feeding apparatus for a printer wherein an uppermost sheet of a sheet stack placed on a support member is delivered by a feed roll in contact with the uppermost sheet, through a clearance formed between a presser member which engages the upper surface of the uppermost sheet, and an elastic member which is disposed adjacent to the presser member for abutting contact with the edges of the sheet stack. The apparatus includes a support mechanism for supporting the presser and elastic members such that the two members are movable toward and away from each other, and a biasing spring for biasing the two members toward each other. The relative position of the presser and elastic members and the amount of the clearance therebetween during a normal sheet feeding operation are determined by a stopper device.

Abstract: A sheet-feed mechanism for feeding paper or the like from a stack of paper sheets in a tray in which the sheets have a soft or pressure-sensitive coating, includes a sheet-engaging apparatus which distributes the load over a substantial area of the sheet, in order to control the pressure on the sheet. Simultaneously, the apparatus is moved in a direction to cause buckling of the exposed or first sheet, for separation from the stack and subsequent removal. Two embodiments are disclosed. One embodiment employs a pair of feed wheels and another embodiment employs a sheet-engaging flat pad. The wide feed wheels or the pad are caused to be moved, following engagement with the exposed sheet, in a direction generally parallel to the plane of the sheet, for causing the separation of the sheet.

Abstract: A sheet feeding method and apparatus particularly suited to handling plastic sheets having a tendency to adhere to each other under electrostatic action, in which the uppermost sheet of a stack is fed by first lifting the rear edge of the sheet into a generally arcuate configuration and translating a lifting member forwardly under the lifted rear edge to progressively separate the uppermost sheet from the rest of the stack. The lifting members preferably in the form of an idler roller which translates to a position in cooperation with a drive roller so that the sheet becomes sandwiched between the tow rollers for final feeding from the stack. The mechanism features a pick assembly particularly suited for engaging and lifting the rear edge of each sheet into a predictable arcuate configuration.

Abstract: Disclosed is a sheet feeding device for printers and the like, which comprises a detachable holder for thick cut sheets. In this device, thin ordinary cut sheets, supported in a pile by paper supporting means, are delivered one by one in a sheet feeding direction by feed rollers, which are in contact with the uppermost one of the sheets. In feeding relatively thick cut sheets, such as postal cards and other cards, the holder carrying the sheets thereon is detachably mounted on the supporting structure. The holder includes a supporting member for supporting the leading ends of the thick cut sheets, with respect to the sheet feeding direction. The supporting member has a slanting or curved guide surface. As the feed rollers rotate in contact with the uppermost one of the thick cut sheets, the sheets are delivered, sliding on the guide surface.

Abstract: An adjustable sheet cassette for use in apparatus feeding sheets such as in an automatic copier or printer comprises a sheet stack support platform capable of supporting stacks of sheets of a plurality of length and width dimensions, sheet width and length dimension representing members on the cassette, each independently movable to a plurality of positions representing a plurality of sheet width and length dimensions which are automatically positioned to represent the sheet width and sheet length dimensions of the stack of sheets on the platform with their position being detected by detectors on the main apparatus and a controller to determine the length and width dimensions of the copy sheets in the cassette thereby enabling the apparatus to automatically select the correct cassette to supply sheets for a printing operation. In a preferred embodiment a binary code is provided which represents the sheet length and width which is decoded by the controller.

Abstract: This specification discloses a cut sheet loading device in a cut sheet holding and containing device used in a recording apparatus such as a printer or a copying apparatus.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for piling a plurality of cut blanks of a flexible material in overlapped and shingled or stacked relationship. After being cut each blank is accelerated to increase its lineal speed to thereby produce a gap between the blank and an immediately succeeding blank. After acceleration, each blank is deflected, preferably by a plate, away from and out of its accelerated path of travel toward an underlying receiving surface such as a conveyor or platform. After being deflected, the trailing portion of each blank is displaced preferably by rotating cams so that when rapidly decelerated, an immediately succeeding blank passes into and is deposited in overlapping relationship with such blank. To deposit the blanks is stacked relationship with their leading edges substantially aligned, they are decelerated from their forward travel to a complete stop preferably by striking a positive stop.

Abstract: A paper tray for a printing device is disclosed having a pair of paper supporting members, movable relative to one another, for supporting the lateral sides of a stack of individual sheets of paper. The movability of the paper supporting members relative to one another allows the paper tray to accommodate stacks of individual sheets of paper having different widths or size. The paper supporting members are provided with a concave paper supporting surface such that the stack of individual sheets of paper assumes a concave shape, thereby having sufficient mechanical strength to be self-supporting in the unsupported region between the paper supporting members. The curved shape of the stack is provided, in part, by a forwardly arranged paper pressing plate which is rotatable about an axis spaced from the rotational axis of a control rod which is adapted for rotating the paper pressing plate into a position for replenishing the individual sheets of paper within the stack.

Abstract: To provide for a single-sheet feeding to an office-type writing apparatus, such as a typewriter, word processor, printer or the like, in form of a separable attachment unit, a unitary assembly is provided including two parallel rockers (2, 12) having lateral sheet guide walls (12) which are located on a common shaft (9) connecting side walls of the attachment apparatus.

Abstract: A sheet feed device for a printer or typewriter having a plurality of cassettes supporting stacks of sheets to be printed, a sheet removal mechanism associated with each cassette for removing a sheet from the cassette and positively driving the removed sheet to a position for feeding it into the printer, and a selection mechanism for actuating a selected one of the sheet removal mechanism.

Abstract: A sheet feeding device for a business machine includes a cassette and a cassette receiving station which cooperate to move sheets in the cassette toward a sheet feed roll after the cassette has been fully inserted and which also cooperate to move sheets in the cassette away from the sheet feed roll immediately before the cassette is withdrawn. Two projections extend from opposite sidewalls of the cassette and cooperate with grooves in the receiving station for facilitating cassette insertion and removal and for locking the cassette in place. Sheets in the cassette rest on top of a pressure plate. A pressure arm in the receiving station moves in an opening in the bottom of the cassette below the pressure plate to move the latter, thereby raising or lowering the sheets. A lug formed on the cassette engages an operating arm for the pressure arm upon insertion of the cassette.

Abstract: A paper feed apparatus includes, in a cassette, a separation plate mounted upright so that it is positioned close to a feed roller slightly forward thereof in the direction of paper feed, and an upper guide plate mounted so that it is positioned above a stack of papers being fed and at a level about even with the upper end of the separation plate when the forward end of the upper guide plate is pivotably moved downward. A guide plate, the position of which is adjustable according to the size of papers, partially guides the papers at one side thereof as seen in paper feed direction.

Abstract: An attachable feed and delivery system for envelopes in a high speed, batch printer (14) environment is described. Included is a hopper (10) having input (30) and output sections (32) separated from each other by a spring loaded bail (34). The transport path to and from the print station includes a picker/separator (90) located adjacent to the input section of the hopper. Fresh envelopes are urged toward the pick area by the spring loaded bail (34). Endless belts (56) passing through the base (50) of the hopper (10) assist in urging printed envelopes into the output area (32).

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

Abstract: An electrophotographic copying machine comprises a copy paper feeding device for serving for an automatic paper feeding mode and a manual paper feeding mode. The automatic paper feeding mode is such that a great number of papers as stored in the device are automatically inserted into the copying machine. The manual paper feeding mode is such that a manually inserted paper different from the papers stored in the device is inserted into the copying machine. A cover of the device is slided for selecting either the automatic paper feeding mode or the manual paper feeding mode. Responsive to the slide position of the cover, a stopper is seesawed for opening or closing an opening through which the manually inserted paper is to be transported.

Abstract: A cam and abutment surface cooperate to urge apart a paper stack and roller as a paper cassette is inserted into the feeding station of a reproducing machine, thereby providing temporary clearance for the paper stack to pass by the roller during insertion.

Abstract: To provide for single-sheet feeding to an office-type writing apparatus, such as a typewriter, word processor, printer or the like, in form of a separable attachment unit, a unitary assembly is provided including two parallel rockers (2, 12) having lateral sheet guide walls (12) which are located on a common shaft (9) connecting side walls of the attachment apparatus.