Adjustable paper cassette

Claim 1

An adjustable container housing a stack of sheet material to be dispensed therefrom, including; a base plate; a tray member arranged to support the stack of sheet material, said tray member being mounted pivotably on said base plate; a side member affixed substantially stationarily to said base plate in the region of one side marginal edge portion thereof, said side member defining a generally planar surface adapted to engage one side edge portion of the stack of sheet material; a gate member attached movably to said base plate in the region of the leading marginal edge portion thereof, said gate member defining a generally planar surface adapted to engage the leading edge portion of the stack of sheet material; a rear guide defining a generally planar surface having means for maintaining the trailing edge of the uppermost sheet of the stack of sheet material in engagement therewith as the uppermost sheet moves rearwardly during the separation thereof from the remainder of the stack of sheet material, said rear guide being mounted movably on said tray member to engage the trailing edge of the stack of sheet material substantially aligning the leading and trailing edges thereof; and a side guide mounted movably on said tray member, said side guide having at least one protuberance extending inwardly therefrom adapted to engage the other side edge of the stack of sheet material to define a channel therebetween enabling air to pass downwardly between the other side edge of the stack of sheet material and said side guide substantially preventing the formation of a partial vacuum therebetween and facilitating the separation of the uppermost sheet from the remainder of the stack of sheet material.