Sheet-feeding apparatus

Claim 1

SHEET FEEDING APPARATUS INCLUDING A STACKHOLDER HAVING AN OUTLET OPENING AND IN WHICH A STACK OF SHEETS IS ARRANGED TO BE POSITIONED FLAT WITH THE LEADING EDGES OF THE SHEETS ADJACENT SAID OUTLET OPENING, A FIRST RESTRAINING MEANS ARRANGED IN REGISTER WITH AT LEAST A PORTION OF THE LEADING EDGES OF ALL THE SHEETS TO PREVENT THEIR PASSAGE THROUGH THE OUTLET OPENING, SUCTION MEANS INCLUDING A SUCTION WHEEL ACTING ON SAID FIRST SHEET AND MEANS FOR CONTINUOUSLY ROTATING SAID SUCTION WHEEL, SAID SUCTION WHEEL IMPARTING TO SAID FIRST SHEET A CURVATURE IN A DIRECTION SUCH THAT SAID SHEET IS NO LONGER SUBJECT TO THE EFFECT OF SAID FIRST RESTRAINING MEANS AND A CURVATURE IN A DIRECTION PERPENDICULAR TO THE FIRST DIRECTION, A SECOND RESTRAINING MEANS UNAFFECTED BY THE CURVATURE OF SAID FIRST SHEET AND MEANS FOR RENDERING SAID SECOND RESTRAINING MEANS TEMPORARILY INOPERATIVE AT REGULAR INTERVALS, WHEREBY SAID FIRST SHEET IS GIVEN THE CURVATURES IN THE TWO DIRECTIONS WHILE RESTRAINED BY SAID SECOND RESTRAINING MEANS AND IS MOVED THROUGH SAID OUTLET OPENING WHEN NEXT SAID SECOND RESTRAINING MEANS IS RENDERED TEMPORARILY INOPERATIVE AND SAID SHEETS ARE FED OUT OF SAID STACKHOLDER A SUBSTANTIALLY REGULAR INTERVALS.