Patent ID: 7753364

Claim:
A device for feeding sheets to a feeder, the device comprising; a tray assembly containing sheets, wherein the sheets rest on a pivoting support; and the tray assembly has a tray having a feed sheet end and a tray load end; a base and a fixed cover that slopes downward from the tray feed end to the tray load end; a feed assembly that singulates the sheets, wherein the feed assembly pivots on an axis parallel to the pivoting support; a linkage mechanism that couples an angle of a pivoting support motion of the tray assembly to a pivoting motion of the feed assembly so that sheets may be presented by the pivoting support to the feed assembly so that a capacity of sheets in the device exceeds a capacity of the sheets in the tray assembly and a capacity of the sheets in the feed assembly; wherein the linkage mechanism comprises: a lift arm that lifts the tray; a lift arm cam; a first cam follower connecting the lift arm to the lift arm cam; a motor which drives the lift arm cam; a feed assembly cam which lifts the feed assembly; and a second cam follower connecting the feed assembly to the feed assembly cam; so that the motor drives the feed assembly cam.