Sheet-feeding apparatus with one-way clutch to avoid premature sheet-feed during sheet reloading

Claim 1

Sheet-feeding apparatus for use in a sheet-processing device for feeding sheet material along a predetermined path toward a sheet processing station, said apparatus comprising: (a) a sheet supply station including means for supporting a stack of sheet material, said stack-supporting means being slidable along a rectilinear path between an operative, sheet-feeding position and an inoperative, sheet-loading position, said stack-supporting means having means defining a cam surface associated therewith which moves parallel to said rectilinear path during sliding movement of said stack-supporting means; (b) sheet-feeding means located at a fixed location along said predetermined path for feeding sheet material, seriatim, from a stack of sheet material supported by said stack-supporting means when said stack-supporting means is located in its operative, sheet-feeding position, said sheet-feeding means comprising at least one sheet-feeding roller rigidly mounted on a rotatably-mounted drive shaft, said shaft being supported for movement perpendicular to said predetermined path between a first position in which said shaft locates said roller in a first position in which it engages the top-most sheet of a stack of sheet material supported by said stack-supporting means when positioned in said operative, sheet-feeding position, and a second position in which said shaft locates said roller in a position spaced from said topmost sheet, said sheet-feeding means further including means for biasing said shaft towards its first position; and (c) drive means for selectively rotating said drive shaft to cause said roller to feed the top-most sheet in the stack when said roller is positioned to engage such sheet; and (d) cam-follower means including a roller member rotatably mounted on said shaft and positioned to engage said cam surface during movement of said sheet-supporting means along said predetermined path, said cam surface being shaped to cause said drive shaft to move from said first position to said second position during movement of said sheet-supporting means between its operative and inoperative positions, respectively, said roller member being mounted on said shaft by means of a one-way clutch, whereby said roller member is rigidly coupled to said shaft during rotation of said roller member in a first direction, and decoupled from said shaft during rotation of said roller member in an opposite direction.