Sheet feeding assembly

Claim 2

A sheet feeding assembly for feeding sheet material from a stack, in single sheets comprising: feed roller means for feeding the sheets sequentially; a shaft; separation roller means fixed to said shaft at a predetermined distance from said feed roller means for separating single sheets from the stack; sheet protecive roller means for preventing sheet damage mounted coaxially on said shaft with said separation roller means and capable of rotation independently from said shaft; and axial movement prevention means for retaining said sheet protective roller means in axial engagement to said separation roller means; wherein said sheet protective roller means is slidably engaged with said separation roller means so that when a sheet initially contacts said sheet protective roller means and said separation roller means, said sheet protective roller means resists the movement of the sheet due to inertial effects; and wherein these inertial effects are quickly overcome by the force moving the sheet so that said protective roller means rotates to aid the movement of the sheet and to prevent the sheet from bending.

Claim 3

The sheet feeding assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said sheet protective roller means comprises two sheet protective rollers mounted on opposite sides of said separation roller means.

Claim 4

The sheet feeding assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said separation roller means does not rotate.

Claim 5

The sheet feeding assembly of claim 1 wherein said separation roller means rotates in a direction to oppose the paper feed.

Claim 6

The sheet feeding assembly of claim 1 wherein the predetermined distance between said separation roller means and said feed roller means varies during operation.

Claim 7

The sheet feeding assembly of claim 1 wherein said sheet protective roller is substantially the same diameter as said separation roller means.

Claim 8

A sheet feeding assembly for feeding sheet material from a stack in single sheets comprising: feed roller means for feeding the sheets sequentially; a shaft; separation roller means fixed to said shaft at a predetermined distance from said feed roller means for separating single sheets from the stack; sheet protective roller means for preventing sheet damage mounted coaxially on said shaft with said separation roller means and capable of rotation independently from said shaft; and axial movement prevention means for retaining said sheet protective roller means in axial engagement to said separation roller means; an adjustment arm attached to said shaft, said adjustment arm being L-shaped and having a corner and first and second ends, said shaft being attached to said adjustment arm at said first end and said adjustment arm pivoting about said corner; a spring for biasing said separation and sheet protective rollers toward said feed roller means, said spring connected to the second end of said adjustment arm; and predetermined distance adjustment means for adjusting the predetermined distance between said separation and sheet protective roller means and said feed roller means, said predetermined distance adjustment means counting the biasing force of said spring; wherein said sheet protective roller means is slidably engaged with said separation roller means so that when a sheet initially contacts said sheet protective roller means and said separation roller means, said sheet protective roller means resists the movement of the sheet due to inertial effects; wherein these inertial effects are quickly overcome by the force moving the sheet so that said protective roller means rotates to aid the movement of the sheet and to prevent the sheet from bending; and wherein said sheet protective and separation roller means may be forced away from said feed roller means more than said predetermined amount when the force of said spring is overcome by a sheet thicker than said predetermined distance.

Claim 9

A sheet feeding assembly for feeding sheet material from a stack in single sheets comprising: feed roller means for feeding the sheets sequentially; a shaft; separation roller means fixed to said shaft at a predetermined distance from said feed roller means for separating single sheets from the stack; sheet protective roller means for preventing sheet damage mounted coaxially on said shaft with said separation roller means and capable of rotation independently from said shaft; and axial movement prevention means for retaining said sheet protective roller means in axial engagement to said separation roller means; an adjustment arm attached to said shaft, said adjustment arm being L-shaped and having a corner and first and second ends, said shaft being attached to said adjustment arm at said first end and said adjustment arm pivoting about said corner; a spring for biasing said separation and sheet protective rollers toward said feed roller means, said spring connected to the second end of said adjustment arm; and predetermined distance adjustment means for adjusting the predetermined distance between said separation and sheet protective roller means and said feed roller means, said predetermined distance adjustment means counting the biasing force of said spring; wherein said sheet protective roller means is slidably engaged with said separation roller means so that when a sheet initially contacts said sheet protective roller means and said separation roller means, said sheet protective roller means resists the movement of the sheet due to inertial effects; wherein these inertial effects are quickly overcome by the force moving the sheet so that said protective roller means rotates to aid the movement of the sheet and to prevent the sheet from bending; and wherein said sheet protective and separation roller means may be forced away from said feed roller means more than said predetermined amount when the force of said spring is overcome by a sheet thicker than said predetermined distance.