GB1391198A - Sheet separating apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

1391198 Feeding sheets XEROX CORP 21 April 1972 [26 April 1971 (2)] 18592/72 Heading B8R Pile supports; guides.-A pile of sheets is supported on plates 10, 12. On depression of a release member 17, Fig. 1, the plate 10 can be moved laterally, the plate 12 being moved oppositely by a rack-and-pinion arrangement 23, 25, 27, to accommodate sheets of different widths, the width being indicated by a pointer 19. Sheet separators.-Sheets are separated from the top of the pile by friction rollers 35, Figs. 1 and 5(a). Supplementary devices to assist separation.-A pressing and holding means 30, Figs. 1, 5(a) and 7(a), overlies each front corner of the pile, and each means 30 is supported on a weighted arm 53, Figs. 2 and 7(a) supported by pins 75, 77 in slots 71, 73 in a vertical plate 70 secured to the plate 10 or 12, so that the means 30 can be raised vertically by a mechanically or electrically operated cam 81 to accommodate a new pile, while it is urged downwardly by a coil spring 89 and a weighted portion 67. The means 30 comprises a plate member 40, Figs. 2 and 4, resting on the pile with linear contact, two arms 42, 44 having slots 46, 48, and a resilient portion 45. The means 30 is supported on a shaft member 51 passing through the slots 46, 48 and engaged by the resilient portion 45. The shaft member 51 is connected to the arm 53. A coil spring 69 wound round the shaft has one end engaging a stop portion 49 of the arm 42 and the other end engaging a stop portion 65 of the arm 53 to urge the plate member 40 against the top sheet. When a fairly rigid sheet is urged against the means 30 by the rollers 35, the means 30 is forced to swing about a vertical axis to the dash-line portion of Fig. 2 against the resilience of the portion 45, the movement being permitted by the length of the slot 48. The top sheet when urged forwards by the rollers 35 buckles and then snaps over the plate member 40.