Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
127 words
Sheet feeding apparatus including a holder for a stack of sheets, and means acting on the end sheet of the stack of sheets for removing sheets singly from the end of the stack, and further including: multiple-sheet feeding means which remove from the same end of the stack a batch consisting of a plurality of sheets; and means sensing the failure of the single-sheet removing means to remove a sheet from the end of the stack and operating the multiple-sheet feeding means in response to such a failure, said multiple-sheet feeding means including a blade which, when the multiple-sheet feeding means is operative, is inserted into the stack to separate it from the batch to be removed and to urge the stack out of the stack holder.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
127 words
Sheet feeding apparatus including a holder for a stack of sheets, and means acting on the end sheet of the stack of sheets for removing sheets singly from the end of the stack, and further including: multiple-sheet feeding means which remove from the same end of the stack a batch consisting of a plurality of sheets; and means sensing the failure of the single-sheet removing means to remove a sheet from the end of the stack and operating the multiple-sheet feeding means in response to such a failure, said multiple-sheet feeding means including a blade which, when the multiple-sheet feeding means is operative, is inserted into the stack to separate it from the batch to be removed and to urge the stack out of the stack holder.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, in which the single-sheet removing means is a suction feeder operating on the endmost sheet of the stack.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
29 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, in which the multiple-sheet feeding means is adjustable to allow the number of sheets to be removed from the stack to be varied.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
48 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 comprising a driving means for the single-sheet removing means, and in which the multiple-sheet feeding means, in the event of failure of the single-sheet removing means to remove a sheet, is driven by the driving means for the single sheet removing means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
100 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 4, in which the multiple-sheet feeding means comprises: a follower movable into the path of a device connected to the driving means for the single-sheet removing means; a solenoid responsive to a signal from the sensing means, indicative of the failure of the single-sheet removing means to remove a sheet, to move the follower into the said path; and a batch separator linked to the follower, whereby the separator enters the stack when the follower is driven by the said driving means and separates and removes the said batch from the end of the stack.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
38 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, comprising a pair of rollers positioned to receive sheets delivered by the single-sheet removing means, and in which the same rollers receive a batch of sheets when the multiple-sheet feeding means operates.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
61 words
Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, in which the stack holder is a cassette which includes a spring-loaded packer plate at the trailing end of the stack, and wherein the packer plate is formed with a slot to enable the multiple sheet feeding means to remove a batch of sheets unimpeded by the packer plate, when the stack is nearly empty.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
113 words
Sheet feeding apparatus comprising a holder for a stack of sheets having a sheet outlet, and single-sheet removing means including a suction feeder acting on an end sheet of the stack for removing sheets singly from that end through the sheet outlet and further comprising: means sensing the failure of the single-sheet removing means to remove a sheet from the end of the stack and providing a failure signal; and multiple-sheet feeding means including a member movable independently of the operation of the single-sheet feeding means in response to the failure signal to urge a batch consisting of a plurality of sheets from the same end of the stack through the sheet outlet.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
113 words
Sheet feeding apparatus comprising a holder for a stack of sheets having a sheet outlet, and single-sheet removing means including a suction feeder acting on an end sheet of the stack for removing sheets singly from that end through the sheet outlet and further comprising: means sensing the failure of the single-sheet removing means to remove a sheet from the end of the stack and providing a failure signal; and multiple-sheet feeding means including a member movable independently of the operation of the single-sheet feeding means in response to the failure signal to urge a batch consisting of a plurality of sheets from the same end of the stack through the sheet outlet.