US3854714A

US3854714A - Sheet dispensing machine

Info

Publication number: US3854714A
Application number: US00213005A
Authority: US
Inventors: Y Hatanaka; M Abe; H Terada; S Inoue
Original assignee: Glory Ltd
Current assignee: Glory Ltd
Priority date: 1970-12-28
Filing date: 1971-12-28
Publication date: 1974-12-17
Anticipated expiration: 1991-12-17
Also published as: GB1365099A; FR2121019A5; DE2164769A1

Abstract

In a money dispensing machine or the like in which bills or other sheets held in a stack are successively carried by suction to a sheet dispensing section, a suction head for carrying the sheets from their container to conveyor means leading to the sheet dispensing section is linked to a cam so as to flex upon due contact with the foremost one of the sheets within the container thereby partly separating the same from the rest of the sheets. Sheet-holding means operated by the same cam includes a member which holds the remaining sheets in position each time the foremost sheet is thus partly separated by the flection of the suction head. Sheet-detaching means also operated by the cam lifts the sheet succeedingly carried to the conveyor means off the suction head. A detector is provided to the conveyor means to ascertain if the sheets are being carried thereto one by one. There are also disclosed herein some improved constructions of the sheet container.

Description

United States Patent [191 Hatanaka et al.

[ SHEET DISPENSING MACHINE [75] Inventors: Yoshihiro Hatanaka; Masahiro Abe; Hiroshi Terada; Shigejiro Inoue, all

of Himeji, Japan [73] Assignee: Glory Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha,

Himeji-shi, Japan [22] Filed: Dec. 28, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 213,005

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Dec. 17, 1974 Primary ExaminerRichard E. Aegerter Attorney, Agent, or FirmHolman & Stern [57] ABSTRACT 1 In a money dispensing machine or the like in which bills or other sheets held in a stack are successively carried by suction to a sheet dispensing section, a suction head for carrying the sheets from their container to conveyor means leading to the sheet dispensing section is linked to a cam so as to flex upon due contact with the foremost one of the sheets within the container thereby partly separating the same from the rest of the sheets. Sheet-holding means operated by the same cam includes a member which holds the remaining sheets in position each time the foremost sheet is thus partly separated by the flection of the suction head. Sheet-detaching means also operated by the cam lifts the sheet succeedingly carried to the conveyor means off the suction head. A detector is provided to the conveyor means to ascertain if the sheets are being carried thereto one by one. There are also disclosed herein some improved constructions of the sheet container.

7 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PAIENIEU y 3.854.714

saw an; s

PATENTEL DEE] 71974 SHEET 3 BF 5 IFIG.3

SHEET DISPENSING MACHINE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to machines designed to release a desired number of bills, tickets, cards, and like sheets of paper having a definite size (hereinafter referred to as a sheet dispensing machine). More specifically, the invention is directed to some improvements in such sheet dispensing machines.

PRIOR ART In the majority of sheet dispensing machines of prior design, in each of which sheets held in a neat stack within a container are successively carried by suction to a sheet dispensing section of the machine, there have been frequent instances of malfunctioning wherein two or more sheets are carried simultaneously to conveyor means leading to the sheet dispensing section. This is a serious drawback in bill dispensing machines in particular.

The sheet container in most of the known sheet dispensing machines has also been unsatisfactory in that, for instance, a weight slidably or rollably mounted therein to press the sheets toward an open end of the container must be removed each time a new supply of sheets is placed therein. Moreover, the sheets sliding on the inner surfaces of the container toward its open end as mentioned above are subject to great frictional resistance, so that the successive sheets are not necessarily brought to the exact foremost position of the container and, therefore, are not always smoothly carried away therefrom.

OBJECTS ANDSUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the listed disadvantages of the prior art, the present invention has as an object to provide some novel improvements calculated to enhance the operating efficiency of sheet dispensing machines of prior design.

Another object of the invention is to provide the improvements of the character referred to, whereby sheets held in a container are smoothly carried away therefrom one by one.

A further object of the invention is to provide the improvements of the character referred to, whereby a suction head flexes upon due contact with the foremost one of the sheets within a container thereby partly separating the foremost sheet from the rest.

A further object of the invention is to provide the improvements of the above-described character whereby a sheet-holding member is operated to securely hold the sheets to be left in the container each time the foremost sheet is partly separated therefrom by the flection of the suction head.

A further object of the invention is to provide the improvements of the character referred to, whereby each sheet carried by the suction head to conveyor means leading to a sheet dispensing section is separated from the suction head when it enters the conveyor means, thereby substantially eliminating friction between the sheet and the suction head.

A further object of the invention is to provide the improvements of the character referred to, including detector means to ascertain whether the sheets are being carried from the container to the conveyor means one by one.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide an improved sheet container for use in sheet dispensing machines designed to facilitate the supply of a stock of sheets thereto.

An additional object of the invention is to provide an improved sheet container for use in sheet dispensing machines, wherein the friction exerted by the sheets sliding on the inner surfaces thereof is minimized.

With the above objects in view the present invention provides, in a sheet dispensing machine wherein sheets held in a stack are successively sucked and continuously fed to a sheet dispensing section, the combination of a container for holding therein the sheets in a stack, conveyor means adapted to convey the sheet placed thereon to the sheet dispensing section; said conveyor means having an input side; and a suction head adapted to be subjected to head-shaking movement for successively sucking and separating the foremost sheet from the stack and drawing out the sucked and separated sheet from the container while sucking said sheet, and then for carrying said drawn sheet to the input side of said conveyor means; driving means for causing said head-shaking movement of the suction head and said sheet conveying movement of said conveyor means; and sheet-holding means including a sheet-holding member which, in relation to the motion of said suction head, moves into and out of contact with the next foremost sheet within said container in step with the motion of said suction head to retain this next foremost sheet in place while said foremost sheet is separated from the stack.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic of the invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is an explanatory side view showing means for successively carrying sheets from a container to conveyor means in a sheet dispensing machine in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view showing some additional improvements of the invention in the sheet dispensing machine of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view showing the opposite side of FIG. 2 to illustrate further improvements of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a partial, longitudinal sectional view of the sheet container of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4, in which a weight within the sheet container is moved to the rear end thereof by way of explanation of a mode of use of the container;

FIG. 6 is a partial, exploded perspective view of the sheet container of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 7 is a partly broken away perspective view of another example of sheet container for use in a sheet dispensing machine.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring first to FIG. I, a cam 2 is fixedly mounted on a shaft 1 which is connected to a suitable driving means not shown in the drawing. A pin 3 is planted on the cam at a suitable distance from its axis or shaft 1, and a first link 5 of a linkage generally indicated by the numeral 4 is swingably supported at one end thereof by the pin 3. At the other end, this first link is pinned at 8 to one end of a second link 7 which is swingably supported by a pin 6 in the mid-part thereof. The pin 3 may be formed, alternatively, on a disc provided separately from the cam 2. The pin 6 also swingably supports a third link 9 which is further swingably connected at one end by a pin 10 to one end ofa fourth link 11 and which at the other extended end 12 is engageable with a stop 12a adapted for restriction of the angle of swing of the third link. The other end of the fourth link 11 is pinned at 13 to a body part 15 of a suction head 14. The other end of the second link 7 is also pinned at 16 to the body part 15 of the suction head. It is important that the

pins

13 and 16 are so arranged as to form a suitable triangle with a port 17 at the leading end of the suction head 14.

Although not shown in the drawing, it is assumed that the suction port 17 is communicated through piping and valving to suitable means, such as a vacuum pump, capable of creating a desired degree of vacuum therein. While the second link 7 and the third link 9 are pulled toward each other by a spring 18, they are ordinarily prevented from any relative motion by a projection 19 and a pin 20 secured respectively thereto.

A sheet container 21 is mounted at a suitable angle to the plane of the horizon, and rollers 22 are fixedly provided at the front, open end of the container 21 in order to keep in position a stack of sheets 23 within the container. The construction of this sheet container proper will be later described in greater detail with reference to FIGS. 4, 5 and 6. Above the container 21, a pin 24 swingably supports an arm 25 to which is secured a sheet holding member 26. This member 26 is pulled by a spring 27 into contact with the front end of the sheet container 21, in such a manner that its leading end 28 holds the upper edge of the foremost one of the sheets 23. A pin 29 is planted at the free end of the arm 25. Ata slight distance from this pin 29, a roller 30 is connected to one end of a bell crank 31.

As illustrated in greater detail in FIG. 2, the bell crank 31 is swingable on a pin 32 at the apex of the angle formed by its two arms. A roller 34 at the other end of the bell crank is urged against the periphery of the cam 2 by a spring 33 extending between one arm of the crank and the machine frame. Thus, when the roller 34 abuts against a peripheral part 35 of the cam 2, which is farthest from its axis or shaft 1, the roller 30 presses the roller 29 of the arm 25 downwardly thereby displacing the leading end 28 of the sheet holding member 26 away from the upper edge of the sheets 23 to a position indicated by the dotted lines in FIG. 1.

As briefly illustrated in FIG. 1, and in greater detail in FIG. 3, a pair of

endless belts

36 and 37, which form conveyor means leading to a sheet dispensing section of the machine, are mounted parallel to and in contact with each other to receive therebetween a sheet carried by the suction head 14 from the container 21 in a manner hereinafter to be described. As seen in FIG. 3, these belts are respectively passed around pairs of

pulleys

46 and 47, and are driven by one of the pairs. 46 in this example.

Detecting means generally indicated by numeral 48 is provided approximately in the mid-part of the belts extending between the spaced-apart pairs of pulleys.

The detecting means 48 includes a pair of

rollers

49 and 50. The roller 50 is mounted on a stationary shaft or pin 51, whereas the other roller 49 is mounted on a shaft or pin 52 which is supported by an arm 53 swingable on a pin 54. From the other end of the arm 53, a link 55 extends to a position adjacent a microswitch 56 which is connected to a suitable detector mechanism not shown in the drawings. The link 55 is so mounted as to operate the microswitch only when two, or more, sheets pass in superposition between the pair of

rollers

49 and 50.

A sheet-detaching roller 45 is mounted adjacent the entrance side of the

endless belts

36 and 37, with the roller 45 being supported at one end of a bent link or rod 39 the other end of which is secured to a pin 43.

Referring to FIG. 2, this pin 43 is further fixedly coupled to a link 42 at one end thereof, which link is connected to a bell crank 40 through anotherlink 44. Pinned at 41 to the machine frame, this bell crank rotatably supports a roller 59 at the other end thereof, with the roller 59 being urged against the periphery of the cam 2 by a spring 60 extending between one of the arms of the bell crank and the machine frame.

Proceeding now to the description of the operation of the above described embodiment of the invention, the first link 5 of the linkage 4, FIG. 1, is moved from its illustrated position I to position II by the counterclockwise rotation of the shaft 1, as indicated by the arrow in the drawing. As a result, the second link 7, the third link 9, which is pulled by the spring 18, the fourth link 11, and the suction head 14 move together into their positions indicated by the dot-and-dash lines in the same figure. The port 17 at the leading end of the suction head 14 now is brought sufficiently close to the upper part of the foremost one of the sheets 23. Immediately before the suction head moves into contact with the foremost sheet, its port 17 is communicated with the vacuum pump or the like by suitable cam means, not shown, so that the foremost sheet is readily attached to the head.

As the first link is further moved to position III by the rotation of the cam 2, the second link 7 is carried to its position shown by the broken lines, whereas the third link 9 remains immovable as its end 12 contacts the stop 120. Since, in this manner, the fourth link 11 swings downwardly on the immovable pin 10, to a position also indicated by the broken lines in the figure, the suction head 14 is turned upwardly on its lower edge 14a. Thus flexing, so to speak, the suction head pulls the upper edge of the foremost sheet out of the container 21.

With reference to FIG. 2, the above-described counterclockwise rotation of the cam 2 causes the bell crank 31 to turn on its pin 32 when the roller 34 rides on the peripheral part 35 of the cam, so that the roller 30 at the other end of the bell crank presses the pin 29, FIG. 1, thereby turning the arm 25 on the pin 24 to move the sheet-holding member 26 out of contact with the front end of the sheet container 21. It must be noted that the peripheral part 35 of the cam 2 is so formed that the sheet holding member 26 retracts from the front end of the container immediately before the linkage 4 occupies the position llshown by the dot-and-dash lines in FIG. I.

As the linkage 4 is succeedingly moved to the position "I indicated by the broken lines in the same figure.

the roller 34 of the bell crank 31 moves off the peripheral part 35. The bell crank is then turned clockwise, as viewed in FIG. 2, by the spring 33, so that its roller 30 releases the pin 29, FIG. 1. Pulled by the spring 27, the sheet-holding member 26 has its leading end 28 placed between the sheet precedingly partly separated from the rest by the suction head 14 and the next sheet within the container 21 to keep the latter in position.

I the belts.

At this instant the roller 59 on the cam 2, FIG. 2, is

displaced outwardly by its peripheral part 35, so that the upper arm of the crank turns counterclockwise on the pin 41, as viewed in the figure, thereby pulling the link 42 through the link 44. The pin 43 secured to the upper end of the link 42 is thus turned clockwise, with the result that the rod 39 secured to the pin 43 is also swung clockwise (counterclockwise when viewed in FIG. 3) to lift the sheet previously carried by the suction head 14 with its roller 45. Since then the suction head is already disconnected from the vacuum pump or the like by means not shown in the drawings, the sheet is readily separated from the suction head and is fed between the pair of

belts

36 and 37 without exerting any friction to the head.

Referring now to FIG. 3, the sheet thus fed between the endless belts passes between the pair of

rollers

49 and 50 of the detecting means 48 to turn, though only slightly, the upper roller 49 and therefore the arm 53 on the pin 54. Although substantially unaffected when one sheet passes at a time between the pair of

rollers

49 and 50, the link 55 extending from the free end of the arm 53 is displaced sufficiently to operate the microswitch 56 when two, or more, superposed sheets are allowed to travel therebetween. Thereupon, this microswitch is assumed to become operative either to sound an alarm or to terminate the entire operation of the machine.

The sheet fed out of the endless belts may be dropped into a suitably mounted enclosure or the like for dispensing. The continuous rotation of the cam 2 makes possible an uninterrupted repetition of the abovedescribed operating cycle except when, in rare cases, two or more of the sheets 23 are carried simultaneously to the conveyor means.

The detailed construction of the sheet container 21 referred to earlier in relation with FIG. 1 will now be described with reference to FIGS. 4, 5 and 6. The container 21 may be shaped in accordance with the shape or size of sheets to be held in a neat stack therein. Typically, however, it is supplied in the form of a rectangular box with its top openable being closed as by a cover 61, and is mounted at a suitable angle to the plane of the horizon, with its rear end elevated. As best shown in both FIGS. 4 and 5, a weight 62 is mounted within the container 21 so as to be movable by its own weight on a pair of rollers 63 provided thereto. A permanent magnet 64 is secured on the back of this weight. An opening 65, corresponding in shape to the permanent magnet 64, is formed through rear end 66 of the container. Further, at the back of the rear end of the container, an iron plate 67 is swingably supported at its lower end by suitable means and is urged toward the rear end 66 by a spring member 68, FIG. 6, with the upper end of the iron plate being bent backwardly at 69. The cover 61, which is hinged or otherwise operably coupled at one edge thereof to the container, is provided with a projecting member which, when the cover is closed, enters between the rear end 66 of the container and the backwardly bent upper end 69 of the iron plate 67.

In the sheet container 21 of the above described construction, the sheets 23 packed therein are suitably pressed toward the front end thereof by the weight 62, which advances gradually on its rollers 63 as the sheets are successively carried to the conveyor means by the suction head 14 (refer to FIG. 1). In this manner the sheets are always pressed toward the front end of the container under the same weight.

For replenishment of the sheet container, its cover 61 is opened and the weight 62 manually pressed rearwardly. Thereupon the permanent magnet 64 on the back of the weight protrudes through the opening 65 of the rear end 66 intocontact with the iron plate 67 and is thus retained thereby, as shown in FIG. 5. Additional sheets are now placed in the container. Upon closure of the cover 61, its projecting member 70 slidingly contacts the bent upper end 69 of the iron plate 67 thereby slightly turning the latter rearwardly. Thus separated from the iron plate, the weight 62 travels forwardly on its rollers 63 to press the new supply of sheets toward the front end of the container.

FIG. 7 illustrates a modification of, or a substitute for, the sheet container of FIGS. 4, 5 and 6. The container 21a is slotted longitudinally at 71 to receive a guide rail 72. A bracket 73 is movable along the rail guided by a plurality of, four in this embodiment, rollers 74. A sheet mount 75 fixedly supported by the bracket 73 is provided with rollers 76 in contact with the inner surfaces of the container, with the sheet mount being formed slightly smaller than the inner area of the container. A pin rotatably supporting the outer one of the rollers 74 has an extension 77 to hold one end of a spring 78 secured at the other end to a flange fonned at the open end of the container. In this manner a stack of sheets 23a within the container is always urged toward a pair of rollers 22a. A microswitch 79 may be mounted adjacent the slot 71, in such a position that its actuating member 80 is pressed by the pin extension 77 when the sheet mount 75 is elevated to a predetermined position.

A plurality of tape strips 81 of nylon or other suitable material are securely bonded to the inner surfaces of the sheet container, preferably two on each large surface and one on each smaller surface. Each tape strip has several knife-edged ridges 82 formed longitudinally thereon to minimize friction. A cover or door 83 is provided on one side opposite to the guide rail 72 and is retained in position by magnet means 84 when closed.

For use, the door 83 is opened against the force of the magnet means 84, and the sheets 23a are deposited on the manually depressed sheet mount 75. The door is then closed. Urged by the spring 78, the sheets are pressed against the rollers 22a. As the sheets are successively carried away by the suction head 14, FIG. 1,

the remaining sheets are smoothly lifted along the tape strips 81 by the spring 78. At the moment when the sheets have been completely or nearly exhausted from the container, the pin extension 77 of one of the rollers 74 actuates the microswitch 10 thereby causing the same either to sound an alarm or to stop the entire operation of the machine.

Although the present invention has been shown and described in the foregoing in terms of some preferred embodiments thereof, the invention, itself, is not considered to be restricted by the exact showing of the drawings and the description thereof, but includes a latitude of modification, substitution, and change. It is therefore appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the due significance and the proper scope of the invention herein disclosed.

We claim:

1. A sheet dispensing machine in which sheets held in a stack are successively sucked and continuously fed to a sheet-dispensing section, comprising a container for holding therein the sheets in a stack, conveyor meansto convey the sheet placed thereon toward the sheet dispensing section, said conveyor means having an input; and a suction head adapted to be subjected to head-shaking movement for successively sucking and separating the foremost sheet from said stack and to conveying movement for drawing out the sucked sheet from said container while sucking said sheet by said suction head and then for carrying said drawn sheet to the input of said conveyor means; driving means for causing said head-shaking movement of said suction head and said conveying movement; and sheet-holding means including a sheet-holding member which, in relation to the motion of said suction head, moves into and out of contact with the next foremost sheet within said container to step with the motion of said suction head so as to retain this next foremost sheet in place while said foremost sheet is separated from the stack, the driving means comprising a linkage connected to the suction head and rotatable means to which the linkage is connected eccentrically, said linkage and rotatable means causing tilting of the suction head upon contact with the foremost one of the sheets within said container, thereby partly separating said foremost sheet from the rest of the sheets, said linkage including a first link coupled at one end to said rotatable means, a second link swingably mounted at an intermediate point of its length and extending between the other end of said first link and said suction head, a third link swingably coupled to a mid-part of said second link and having an extended end, a stop positioned to restrict the angle of swing of said third link by engagement by said extended end, a spring member biasing said second and said third link toward each other, and a fourth link extending between the other end of said third link and said suction head.

2. A sheet dispensing machine in which sheets held in a stack are successively sucked and continuously fed to a sheet dispensing section, comprising a container for holding therein the sheets in a stack, conveyor means to convey the sheet placed thereon toward the sheet dispensing section, said conveyor means having an input, and a suction head adapted to be subjected to head-shaking movement for successively sucking and separating the foremost sheet from the stack and to conveying movement for drawing out the sucked sheet from said container while sucking said sheet by said suction head and then for carrying said drawn sheet to the input of said conveyor means; driving means for causing said head-shaking movement of said suction head and said conveying movement, and sheet-holding means including a sheet-holding member which, in relation to the motion of said suction head, moves into and out of contact with the next foremost sheet within said container in step with the motion of said suction head so as to retain this next foremost sheet in place while said foremost sheet is separated from the stack; and a sheet detaching means adapted to detach each sheet from said suction head after the sheet has been carried to said conveyor means, said detaching means being connected to said driving means so as to be operated thereby.

3. The machine as claimed in claim 2, in which said sheet detaching means includes a sheet-detaching roller positioned adjacent the input of said conveyor means and being lifted to detach each sheet from the suction head after being carried to said conveyor means by the latter.

4. The machine as claimed in claim 3, including a lever pivoted at an intermediate point of its length, said sheet-detaching roller being carried at one end of said lever and a cam with which the other end of the lever cooperates.

5. A sheet dispensing machine in which sheets held in a stack are successively sucked and continuously fed to a sheet dispensing section, comprising a container for holding therein the sheets in a stack, conveyor means to convey the sheet placed thereon toward the sheet dispensing section, said conveyor means having an input, and a suction head adapted to be subjected to head-shaking movement for successively sucking and separating the foremost sheet from the stack and to conveying movement for drawing out the sucked sheet from said container while sucking said sheet by said suction head and then for carrying said drawn sheet to the input of said conveyor means; driving means for causing said head-shaking movement of said suction head and said conveying movement; and sheet-holding means including a sheet-holding member which, in relation to the motion of said suction head, moves into and out of contact with the next foremost sheet within said container in step with the motion of said suction head so as to retain this next foremost sheet in place while said foremost sheet is separated from the stack; and. said driving means actuating said suction head so that said suction head tilts upon contact with the foremost one of the sheets within said container, thereby partly separating said foremost sheet from the rest of the sheets, said driving means including a linkage connected to the suction head and rotatable means to which the linkage is connected eccentrically, sheet detaching means operated by said driving means for detaching each sheet from said suction head after the sheet has been carried to said conveyor means, said sheet detaching means comprising a sheet detaching roller, positioned adjacent the input of said conveyor means and being lifted to detach each sheet from the suction head after being carried to said conveyor means by the latter, a lever pivoted at an intermediate point of its length, said sheet detaching roller being carried at one end of said lever, and a cam with which the other end of the lever cooperates, said cam constituting said rotatable means.

6. A sheet dispensing machine in which sheets held in a stack are successively sucked and continuously fed to a sheet dispensing section, comprising a container for holding therein the sheets in a stack, conveyor means to convey the sheet placed thereon toward the sheet dispensing section, said conveyor means having an input, and a suction head adapted to be subjected to head-shaking movement for successively sucking and separating the foremost sheet from the stack and to conveying movement for drawing out the sucked sheet from said container while sucking said sheet by said suction head and then for carrying said drawn sheet to the input of said conveyor means; driving means for causing said head-shaking movement of. said suction head and said conveying movement; and sheet-holding means including a sheet-holding member which, in relation to the motion of said suction head, moves into and out of contact with the next foremost sheet within said container in step with the motion of said suction head so as to retain this next foremost sheet in place while said foremost sheet is separated from the stack; and said sheet-holding means further including a swingable arm to which said sheet-holding member is secured, a cam, and a bell crank having a roller at one end thereof to ride on the periphery of the cam, with said roller being displaced by a raised part of the periphery of said cam to cause the other end of said bell crank to press said swingable arm, whereby said sheetholding member moves out of contact with the foremost one of the sheets within said container.

7. The machine as claimed in claim 6, including a spring member by which said sheet-holding member is normally kept in contact with the foremost sheet within said container.

Claims

1. A sheet dispensing machine in which sheets held in a stack are successively sucked and continuously fed to a sheetdispensing section, comprising a container for holding therein the sheets in a stack, conveyor means to convey the sheet placed thereon toward the sheet dispensing section, said conveyor means having an input; and a suction head adapted to be subjected to head-shaking movement for successively sucking and separating the foremost sheet from said stack and to conveying movement for drawing out the sucked sheet from said container while sucking said sheet by said suction head and then for carrying said drawn sheet to the input of said conveyor means; driving means for causing said head-shaking movement of said suction head and said conveying movement; and sheet-holding means including a sheetholding member which, in relation to the motion of said suction head, moves into and out of contact with the next foremost sheet within said container to step with the motion of said suction head so as to retain this next foremost sheet in place while said foremost sheet is separated from the stack, the driving means comprising a linkage connected to the suction head and rotatable means to which the linkage is connected eccentrically, said linkage and rotatable means causing tilting of the suction head upon contact with The foremost one of the sheets within said container, thereby partly separating said foremost sheet from the rest of the sheets, said linkage including a first link coupled at one end to said rotatable means, a second link swingably mounted at an intermediate point of its length and extending between the other end of said first link and said suction head, a third link swingably coupled to a mid-part of said second link and having an extended end, a stop positioned to restrict the angle of swing of said third link by engagement by said extended end, a spring member biasing said second and said third link toward each other, and a fourth link extending between the other end of said third link and said suction head.

5. A sheet dispensing machine in which sheets held in a stack are successively sucked and continuously fed to a sheet dispensing section, comprising a container for holding therein the sheets in a stack, conveyor means to convey the sheet placed thereon toward the sheet dispensing section, said conveyor means having an input, and a suction head adapted to be subjected to head-shaking movement for successively sucking and separating the foremost sheet from the stack and to conveying movement for drawing out the sucked sheet from said container while sucking said sheet by said suction head and then for carrying said drawn sheet to the input of said conveyor means; driving means for causing said head-shaking movement of said suction head and said conveying movement; and sheet-holding means including a sheet-holding member which, in relation to the motion of said suction head, moves into and out of contact with the next foremost sheet within said container in step with the motion of said suction head so as to retain this next foremost sheet in place while said foremost sheet is separated from the stack; and said driving means actuating said suction head so that said suction head tilts upon contact with the foremost one of the sheets within said container, thereby partly separating said foremost sheet from the rest of the sheets, said driving means including a linkage connected to the suction head and rotatable means to which the linkage is coNnected eccentrically, sheet detaching means operated by said driving means for detaching each sheet from said suction head after the sheet has been carried to said conveyor means, said sheet detaching means comprising a sheet detaching roller, positioned adjacent the input of said conveyor means and being lifted to detach each sheet from the suction head after being carried to said conveyor means by the latter, a lever pivoted at an intermediate point of its length, said sheet detaching roller being carried at one end of said lever, and a cam with which the other end of the lever cooperates, said cam constituting said rotatable means.

6. A sheet dispensing machine in which sheets held in a stack are successively sucked and continuously fed to a sheet dispensing section, comprising a container for holding therein the sheets in a stack, conveyor means to convey the sheet placed thereon toward the sheet dispensing section, said conveyor means having an input, and a suction head adapted to be subjected to head-shaking movement for successively sucking and separating the foremost sheet from the stack and to conveying movement for drawing out the sucked sheet from said container while sucking said sheet by said suction head and then for carrying said drawn sheet to the input of said conveyor means; driving means for causing said head-shaking movement of said suction head and said conveying movement; and sheet-holding means including a sheet-holding member which, in relation to the motion of said suction head, moves into and out of contact with the next foremost sheet within said container in step with the motion of said suction head so as to retain this next foremost sheet in place while said foremost sheet is separated from the stack; and said sheet-holding means further including a swingable arm to which said sheet-holding member is secured, a cam, and a bell crank having a roller at one end thereof to ride on the periphery of the cam, with said roller being displaced by a raised part of the periphery of said cam to cause the other end of said bell crank to press said swingable arm, whereby said sheet-holding member moves out of contact with the foremost one of the sheets within said container.