Patent ID: 6575457
Filing Date: 2003-06-10
Classification: B23K,B65H

Abstract:
A sheet feeding mechanism comprising a frame support assembly, an accumulating area mounted on the said frame support assembly, said accumulating area comprising feeding means and release means, said feeding means adapted to feed sheets into said accumulating area to accumulate a stack of sheets, means for moving a stack of sheets out of said accumulating area past said release means, means for changing the size of said accumulating area to permit the accumulating area to receive sheets of different sizes, said size-varying means changes the length of the accumulating area to permit the accumulating area to receive sheets of different lengths, said feeding means being adapted to be moved toward said release means to change the length of said accumulating area, said release means is at one end of said accumulating area and said feeding means is spaced from said release means lengthwise of said accumulating area, a kicker assembly is provided substantially adjacent to said feeding means to push a stack of sheets out of the accumulating area, means are provided to activate the kicker assembly to move the stack out of the accumulating area and wherein means are provided to activate said release means to permit a stack to move out of the accumulating area, said feeding means comprise feed rollers, said feed rollers comprise main feed rollers, a main kicker assembly is provided adjacent to said main feed rollers, said main feed rollers and said main kicker assembly are adapted to move with said size-varying means, said size-varying means comprises a movable trolley assembly.