The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 15, 2000
Filed:
Mar. 07, 1997
Arthur S Zerfahs, Elk Grove, IL (US);
General Railway Signal Corporation, Rochester, NY (US);
Abstract
An automated sheet dispenser for dispensing a single sheet removed from the bottom of a stack formed of a plurality of sheets. The dispenser includes a hopper for supporting the stack of sheets, the hopper having an opening provided in the bottom surface thereof to allow passage of a sheet through the opening; a separator for separating a leading edge of the bottom sheet from the stack through the opening and moving the leading edge to a position below the hopper; and a guide for engaging the leading edge of the sheet separated from the stack by the separator and guiding the sheet to a sheet exit chute. The separator is lowered from the stack to separate the leading edge of the bottom sheet and the guide pivots to engage the leading edge and guide the leading edge between a pair of feed rollers that transport the sheet to the exit chute. The lowering of the separator, the pivoting of the guide and the advancing of the gripping feed roller are actuated by rotation of a main cam.