GB1003124A - Improvements relating to means for feeding documents to document processing machines - Google Patents

Abstract

1,003,124. Feeding sheets. PARNALL & SONS Ltd. Oct. 8, 1962 [Oct. 17, 1961], No. 37102/61. Heading B6B. Magazines 11 containing stacks of documents 12 on edge are fed past separating means 6 by a conveyer 5, whereby documents are separated one at a time from the leading stack, the front and back walls 13 of each magazine being cut away to permit the free passage of the magazines past said separating means. The latter comprises a pair of spaced endless belts 7 passing over a vacuum shoe 9. The belts are provided with groups of apertures spaced along their lengths. A pivoted finger 15 is located between the belts 7 and bears against the leading stack of documents to maintain it upright. Pressure between the leading document and the belts 7 is maintained at a suitable value by driving the conveyer 5 at a speed slightly in excess of the rate of emptying the magazines. If said pressure exceeds the desired value, the finger 15 is pivoted by the documents to operate a switch 16, which breaks the circuit of the drive motor of the conveyer. The magazines are maintained in alignment on the conveyer by guide rails 14. The magazines may be adapted to hold stacks of documents of different heights by means of removable floors 18, said floors having a central well 19 to permit the passage of the finger 15 through the magazine, Fig. 3 (not shown).