Patent ID: 6866258

Claim:
In apparatus for singulating flat articles, wherein articles are transported from a stuck along an article flow path, the improvement which comprises: two spaced apart singulator assemblies of substantially identical construction, each forming a nip with one or more moving transport belts; said assemblies operating in tandem to simultaneously receive the forward edges of the articles at respective singulator nips; each singulator assembly comprising a body, rollers mounted on the body, and a singulator belt endlessly running around the rollers; and, means for resisting motion of said hefts around said rollers, the means having a breakaway threshold, so that the belt is stationary while an article is in said nip, and so that the belt moves when an article is not in the nip, due to contact and frictional engagement of the belt with a moving transport belt which engagement overcomes said breakaway threshold, to thereby produce scuffing of the singulator belt.