Patent ID: 6286827
Filing Date: 2001-09-11
Classification: B65H

Abstract:
In a high capacity copy sheet supplying system for a reproduction apparatus, with a sheet feeder for feeding copy sheets into said reproduction apparatus, and with a sheet supply input into which a multi-ream stack of a large number of copy sheets may be loaded, and with an elevator system for lifting the stack of copy sheets in said sheet supply input into sheet feeding engagement between the top of said stack and said sheet feeder, and for maintaining the top of said stack in said sheet feeding engagement with said sheet feeder as said stack is depleted by said feeding of said copy sheets by said sheet feeder into said reproduction apparatus, the improvement in said high capacity copy sheet supplying system comprising:a sheet supplying container insertable into said sheet supply input of said high capacity sheet supplying system,said sheet supplying container having sheet stack confining side walls and a bottom wall with plural spaced apertures,a false bottom tray insert loosely overlying said bottom wall of said sheet supplying container,said stack of copy sheets being supported on said false bottom tray insert in said sheet supplying container,plural spaced apart lift rods operatively connecting with said elevator mechanism for substantially vertical movement,said lift rods being respectively spaced in alignment with respect to said plural spaced apertures in said bottom wall of said sheet supplying container,said lift rods extending substantially parallel to one another and having rod ends in substantially the same plane,said lift rods extending longer than said sheet stack confining side walls,said plurality of spaced apart lift rods being movable by said elevator system to extend up through said plural spaced apertures in said bottom wall of said sheet supplying container to engage and lift said false bottom tray insert and said stack of copy sheets supported thereon by lifting engagement of said rod ends of said lift rods with said false bottom tray insert, so as to vertically lift said stack of copy sheets relative to said sheet supplying container above said sheet stack confining side walls and into engagement with said sheet feeder.