Xerox Corporation

John R Strutt

Anil G Bhagwat

Jan Hirst

The present invention relates to a sheet feeding apparatus for delivery of sheets from multiple sheet stores. The sheet feeding apparatus comprises a sheet feed member such as an endless belt having a plurality of movable sheet receiving surfaces. A plurality of sheet transfer mechanisms move sheets from the sheet stores, which may be stationary, onto the receiving surfaces. Once on the receiving surfaces, the sheets are transported toward a common delivery position such as the entrance to the common paper path of a reprographic print engine.

Sheet feeding apparatus

A sheet transport includes one or more drive nips and a mechanism for automatically disengaging the nips in response to a predetermined condition such as the sensing of a jammed or stalled sheet, the movement of a sheet delivery tray between a sheet feeding position and a retracted position or the opening of an access door to the sheet transport. In a preferred form, one element of each drive nip is moved from the other element on a pivoted mounting.

Sheet transport

A sheet transport for a photocopier for reversing the direction of sheet travel has only an outer curved guide surface, and input, intermediate and output drive rolls spaced apart less than the length of a sheet. The disengageable output drive nip cooperates with an opposed guide surface and one or more retractable stops to achieve registration of the copy sheet with the image.

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Shefford, United Kingdom

John R Strutt