Abstract Document feed apparatus for transporting one document at a time from a supply tray to a work station and back to the supply tray on completion of the work cycle, the apparatus having relatively high speed first document transport means for feeding each document to the work station and returning the document to the supply tray, relatively low speed second transport means for bringing the next document forward to a point adjacent the work station inlet, and means to maintain documents returned to the supply tray segregated from documents awaiting feeding to the work station, the last mentioned means being adapted, where the cycle is repeated, to automatically move onto the topmost one of the returned documents following return of the last document to the supply tray.
In a document feed apparatus having means for supporting a supply of documents to be fed, the combination of: document-transporting means adapted to feed documents forward singly from said document-supporting means and to return each of said documents back to said document-supporting means and onto the topmost document on said supporting means, said transporting means including a primary transport engageable with the bottommost document on said supporting means; and separating means positionable above the topmost document of said document supply so that returned documents rest at least partly on said separating means whereby said separating means prevents feed of said returned documents by said primary transport following feed of the last document in said document supply form under said separating means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
121 words
In a document feed apparatus having means for supporting a supply of documents to be fed, the combination of: document-transporting means adapted to feed documents forward singly from said document-supporting means and to return each of said documents back to said document-supporting means and onto the topmost document on said supporting means, said transporting means including a primary transport engageable with the bottommost document on said supporting means; and separating means positionable above the topmost document of said document supply so that returned documents rest at least partly on said separating means whereby said separating means prevents feed of said returned documents by said primary transport following feed of the last document in said document supply form under said separating means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
51 words
The apparatus according to claim 1 including reset means responding to feed of the last document from under said separating means to move said separating means from under said returned documents to a position above said returned documents whereby to enable said returned documents to be recycled by said document-tansporting means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
55 words
The apparatus according to claim 2 including timing means adapted to prevent actuation of said reset means for a predetermined time interval following feed of said last document from under said separating means whereby to enable said transporting means to return said last document to said supporting means prior to actuation of said reset means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
69 words
The apparatus according to claim 2 in which said reset means includes signal responsive means on one of said separating means and said document-supporting means, and signal generating means for said signal responsive means on the other of said separating means and said document-supporting means, said signal responsive means being adapted on a signal from said signal-generating means following feed of said last document to actuate said reset means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
36 words
The apparatus according to claim 1 in which said separating means comprises a barlike member supported for swingable movement above said document supporting means, and bias means tending to displace said member toward said primary transport.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
35 words
The apparatus according to claim 5 including motor means for said member adapted when actuated to swing said member away from said document-supporting means to remove said member from under documents on said supporting means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus according to claim 5 in which said member is generally U-shaped depending legs of said member being pivotally attached to said document-supporting means.