Patent ID: 7234656

Claim:
A paper feed mechanism for a paper shredder including a frame, a motor, a decelerator and paper shredding cutters, the paper feed mechanism comprising: a pair of cylindrical paper feed tubes, each having a length and an outer diameter; supported by a pair of positioning plates adapted for mounting on two end frames of a paper shredder with each of said positioning plates positioned above a centerline of a pair of paper shredding cutters of said paper shredder, each of said positioning plates having a W-shaped support recess, in a surface facing the paper shredding cutters, formed by the intersection of two partially overlapping U-shaped recesses, each said U-shaped recess having an open top connected by straight sides to an arcuate bottom surface for supporting one end of one of said paper feed tubes, a pair of slide retainers, each located at a center of curvature of said arcuate bottom surface of said U-shaped recess and disposed interior of said paper feed tubes when said paper feed tubes are assembled into said support recesses; whereby a paper insert opening, configured above the paper shredding cutters, is structured from said pair of paper feed tubes, which are ordinarily held closed together by the arcuate shape of the support recesses, and when paper is inserted between the paper feed tubes, the paper feed tubes displace outwardly opening the paper insert opening, thereby enabling the paper to be guided smoothly into the paper shredding cutters.