Automatic sheet feeding apparatus

Claim 2

An automatic sheet feeding apparatus comprising: a sheet receiving table for receiving sheets placed in a stack; a separating roller disposed adjacent the front end of the table and having its peripheral surface partly projecting above the sheet receiving surface of the table; drive means for driving the separating roller for rotation in a sheet feed direction; brake means including at least one brake member disposed in abutment against the peripheral surface of the separating roller; a sheet passage for guiding a sheet delivered by the separating roller; a separation unit carrying the brake member; and means for moving the separation unit toward or away from the table to bring the separation unit selectively into a first position corresponding to an automatic feed mode in which the brake member is brought into abutment against the separating roller and a second position corresponding to a manual feed mode in which the brake member is moved away from the separting roller such that one end of the sheet passage is opened to define a manual of feed passage through which sheets can be inserted manually to said separating roller; wherein the separation unit is pivotally supported by a pair of side plates utilizing a single support shaft, the unit including a frame, the opposite ends of which are disposed in abutment against the top of the pair of side plates, the bottom of the opposite ends of the unit being disposed in abutment against protection mechanism provided on the respective side plates.

Claim 3

An apparatus according to claim 1 in which the protecting mechanism comprises an eccentric cam connected to the side plate, the separation unit abutting against the cam edge of the eccentric cam.

Claim 4

An automatic sheet feeding apparatus comprising: a sheet receiving table for receiving sheets placed in a stack; a separating roller disposed adjacent the front end of the table and havings its peripheral surface partly projecting above the sheet receiving surface of the table; drive means for driving the separating roller for rotation in a sheet direction; brake means including at least one brake member disposed in abutment against the peripheral surface of the separating roller; a sheet passage for guiding a sheet delivered by the separating roller; a separation unit carrying the brake member; and means for moving the separation unit toward or away from the table to bring the separation unit selectively into a first position corresponsing to an automatic feed mode in which the brake member is brought into abutment against the separating roller and a second position corresponding to a manual feed mode in which the brake member is moved away from the separating roller such that one end of the sheet passage is opened to define a manual feed passage through which sheets can be inserted manually to said separating roller; wherein the table includes a pair of cross sheet guides lying in a central recess of the table for forming part of the receiving surface and operating to guide the opposite lateral edges of the sheets, means including a guide shaft for supporting the cross sheet guides so they can be moved in a direction perpendicular to the sheet feed direction, connecting means for simultaneously moving the pair of cross sheet guides in opposite directions, positioning means for selectively maintaining the cross sheet guides, by a click stop action, at selected positions on the guide shaft which correspond to the location of the lateral edges of sheets or a plurality of different widths, and release means for releasing the click stop action of the positioning mechanism; wherein the release means comprises a rockable member engaged with the positioning means, a slide plate engaged with the rockable member and slidable along the guide portion of one of the cross sheet guides which guides a lateral edge of the sheets, and a release knob substantially integral with the slide plate.

Claim 5

An automatic sheet feeding apparatus comprising: a sheet receiving table for receiving sheets placed in a stack; a separating roller disposed adjacent the front end of the table and havings its peripheral surface partly projecting above the sheet receiving surface of the table; drive means for driving the separating roller for rotation in a sheet direction; brake means including at least one brake member disposed in abutment against the peripheral surface of the separating roller; a sheet passage for guiding a sheet delivered by the separating roller; a separation unit carrying the brake member; and means for moving the separation unit toward or away from the table to bring the separation unit selectively into a first position corresponsing to an automatic feed mode in which the brake member is brought into abutment against the separating roller and a second position corresponding to a manual feed mode in which the brake member is moved away from the separating roller such that one end of the sheet passage is opened to define a manual feed passage through which sheets can be inserted manually to said separating roller; wherein the table includes a pair of cross sheet guides lying in a central recess of the table for forming part of the receiving surface and operating to guide the opposite lateral edges of the sheets, means including a guide shaft for supporting the cross sheet guides so they can be moved in a direction perpendicular to the sheet feed direction, connecting means for simultaneously moving the pair of cross sheet guides in opposite directions, positioning means for selectively maintaining the cross sheet guides, by a click stop action, at selected positions on the guide shaft which correspond to the location of the lateral edges of sheets or a plurality of different widths, and release means for releasing the click stop action of the positioning mechanism; wherein the release means comprises a rockable member engaged with the positioning means, a slide plate engaged with the rockable member and slidable along the guide portion of one of the cross sheet guides which guides a lateral edge of the sheets, and a release knob substantially integral with the slide plate.

Claim 6

An apparatus according to claim 3 in which the rockable member is formed by a leaf spring having its end which is adapted to engage the slide plate urged for engagement with the latter.

Claim 7

An apparatus according to claim 3 in which the release means releases the click stop action as the release knob is moved in the same direction as the sheet feed direction.

Claim 8

An automatic sheet feeding apparatus comprising: a sheet receiving table for receiving sheets placed in a stack; a separating roller disposed adjacent the front end of the table and having its peripheral surface partly projecting above the sheet receiving surface of the table; feed means including a feed roller located upstream, relative to a sheet feed direction, of the separating roller and adapted to be driven for rotation in the sheet feed direction, drive means for driving the separating roller for rotation in the sheet feed direction; brake means including at least one brake member disposed for abutment against the peripheral surface of the separating roller; a sheet passage for guiding a sheet which is delivered by the separating roller; a separation unit carrying the brake member; and means for moving the separation unit toward or away from the table to bring the separation unit selectively into a first position corresponding to an automatic feed mode in which the brake member is disposed in abutment against the separating roller and into a second position corresponding to a manual feed mode in which the brake member is moved away from the separting roller to open one end of the sheet passage to thereby define a manual feed passage so that sheets can be inserted manually to said separating roller; wherein the separation unit is pivotally supported by a pair of side plates utilizing a single support shaft, the unit including a frame, the opposite ends of which are disposed in abutment against the top edge of the pair of side plates, the bottom of the opposite ends of the unit being disposed in abutment against protection mechanism provided on the respective side plates.

Claim 9

An automatic sheet feeding apparatus comprising: a sheet receiving table for receiving sheets placed in a stack; a separating roller disposed adjacent the front end of the table and having its peripheral surface partly projecting above the sheet receiving surface of the table; feed means including a feed roller located upstream, relative to a sheet feed direction, of the separating roller and adapted to be driven for rotation in the sheet feed direction, drive means for driving the separating roller for rotation in the sheet feed direction; brake means including at least one brake member disposed for abutment against the peripheral surface of the separating roller; a sheet passage for guiding a sheet which is delivered by the separating roller; a separation unit carrying the brake member; and means for moving the separation unit toward or away from the table to bring the separation unit selectively into a first position corresponding to an automatic feed mode in which the brake member is disposed in abutment against the separating roller and into a second position corresponding to a manual feed mode in which the brake member is moved away from the separting roller to open one end of the sheet passage to thereby define a manual feed passage so that sheets can be inserted manually to said separating roller; wherein the separation unit is pivotally supported by a pair of side plates utilizing a single support shaft, the unit including a frame, the opposite ends of which are disposed in abutment against the top edge of the pair of side plates, the bottom of the opposite ends of the unit being disposed in abutment against protection mechanism provided on the respective side plates.

Claim 10

An apparatus according to claim 6 in which the protecting mechanism comprises an eccentric cam connected to the side plate, the separation unit abutting against the cam edge of the eccentric cam.

Claim 11

An automatic sheet feeding apparatus comprising: a sheet receiving table for receiying sheets placed in a stack; a separating roller disposed adjacent the front end of the table and having its peripheral surface partly projecting above the sheet receiving surface of the table; feed means including a feed roller located upstream, relative to a sheet feed direction, of the separating roller and adapted to be driven for rotation in the sheet feed direction, drive means for driving the separating roller for rotation in the sheet feed direction; brake means including at least one brake member disposed for abutment against the peripheral surface of the separating roller; a sheet passage for guiding a sheet which is delivered by the separating roller; a separation unit carrying the brake member; and means for moving the separation unit toward or away from the table to bring the separation unit selectively into a second position corresponding to an automatic feed mod in which the brake member is moved away from the separating roller to open one end of the sheet passage to thereby define a manual feed passage so that sheets can be inserted manually to said separating roller; wherein the table comprises a pair of cross sheet guides forming part of the receiving surface and operating to guide the opposite lateral edges of the sheets, a guide shaft for supporting the cross sheet guides to be movable in a direction perpendicular to the sheet feed direction, connecting means for causing a movement of the pair of cross sheet guides in opposite directions simultaneously, a positioning mechanism for selectively maintaining the cross sheet guides, by a click stop action, at selected positions on the guide shaft which correspond to the location of the lateral edges of sheets of a plurality of different widths, and a release mechanism for releasing the click stop action of the positioning mechanism; and wherein the release mechanism comprises a rockable member engaged with the positioning member of the positioning mechanism, a slide plate engaged with the rockable member and slidable along a guide portion of one of the cross sheet guides which guides a lateral edge of sheets, and a release knob substantially integral with the slide plate.

Claim 12

An automatic sheet feeding apparatus comprising: a sheet receiving table for receiying sheets placed in a stack; a separating roller disposed adjacent the front end of the table and having its peripheral surface partly projecting above the sheet receiving surface of the table; feed means including a feed roller located upstream, relative to a sheet feed direction, of the separating roller and adapted to be driven for rotation in the sheet feed direction, drive means for driving the separating roller for rotation in the sheet feed direction; brake means including at least one brake member disposed for abutment against the peripheral surface of the separating roller; a sheet passage for guiding a sheet which is delivered by the separating roller; a separation unit carrying the brake member; and means for moving the separation unit toward or away from the table to bring the separation unit selectively into a second position corresponding to an automatic feed mod in which the brake member is moved away from the separating roller to open one end of the sheet passage to thereby define a manual feed passage so that sheets can be inserted manually to said separating roller; wherein the table comprises a pair of cross sheet guides forming part of the receiving surface and operating to guide the opposite lateral edges of the sheets, a guide shaft for supporting the cross sheet guides to be movable in a direction perpendicular to the sheet feed direction, connecting means for causing a movement of the pair of cross sheet guides in opposite directions simultaneously, a positioning mechanism for selectively maintaining the cross sheet guides, by a click stop action, at selected positions on the guide shaft which correspond to the location of the lateral edges of sheets of a plurality of different widths, and a release mechanism for releasing the click stop action of the positioning mechanism; and wherein the release mechanism comprises a rockable member engaged with the positioning member of the positioning mechanism, a slide plate engaged with the rockable member and slidable along a guide portion of one of the cross sheet guides which guides a lateral edge of sheets, and a release knob substantially integral with the slide plate.

Claim 13

An apparatus according to claim 8 in which the rockable member is formed by a leaf spring having its end which is adapted to engage the slide plate urged for engagement with the latter.

Claim 14

An apparatus according to claim 8 in which the release mechanism releases by a click stop action as the release knob is moved in the same direction as the sheet feed direction.