Patent ID: 6053492
Filing Date: 2000-04-25
Classification: B65H

Abstract:
An apparatus for sequentially feeding cards along a path of travel, and comprisingmeans for supporting a plurality of cards in a generally vertical stack such that the stack includes a rear edge, and a forward edge, and defines a forward direction extending from the rear edge toward the forward edge, said supporting means including a rear platform underlying the rear edge portion of the stack and a vertical guide member overlying the forward edge of the stack and being forwardly spaced from the rear platform so as to define a downwardly open access window therebetween,a card transport drum having a cylindrical peripheral surface, said drum being mounted for rotation about an axis which is transverse to said forward direction and so that an upper peripheral portion of the drum extends across said access window so as to underlie and support the forward edge portion of the stack and so that a gate is formed between the drum and the vertical guide member,at least one suction opening communicating with the peripheral surface of said drum, with the one suction opening being of oval outline with the major dimension thereof being aligned with the circumferential direction of the peripheral surface of the drum,drive means for rotating the drum about said transverse axis, and such that the one suction opening moves forwardly across the access window once during each rotation of the drum,suction means for drawing a suction in said one suction opening during at least a portion of the movement of the one suction opening across the access window, so that the drum grips the lowermost card of the stack and advances it forwardly from the stack and through said gate, anda resilient O-ring mounted in said suction opening so as to encompass the periphery of the opening and so that a portion of the O-ring extends above the peripheral surface of said drum.