Liftable bail bar for allowing return of multi-ply separated sheets to stack

Claim 1

Apparatus for separating and feeding individual sheets of material from a stack of sheet material comprising: separator means adapted for frictional engagement with the bottom sheet in the stack to displace the sheet in a direction parallel to the plane of the sheet; pressure means, adapted for engagement with the top of the stack to provide a force normal to the plane of the sheets for maintaining the bottom sheet in frictional engagement with said separator means; feed means for engaging and feeding the separated sheets away from the stack, said feed means including a first feed roll positively driven in the feed direction; a second feed roll adapted for cooperation with said first roll, said second roll being urged in a direction opposed to the first feed roll direction, friction between said first and second rolls or between said rolls and a single sheet of material causing said second roll to rotate in the feed direction, reduced friction between multiple sheets presented between said first and second rolls allowing said second roll to rotate in a direction opposite from said feed direction to push the multiple sheets back toward the stack; and, means for relieving the pressure exerted on the top of the stack by said pressure means after engagement of the separated sheet by said feed means to minimize the drag on the separated sheet caused by frictional contact between the separated sheet and the adjacent sheet in the stack and allow the multiple sheets pushed toward the stack by said second roll to be returned thereto.