Patent ID: 7192025

Claim:
Article feeding apparatus of the type in which flat articles such as sheets are moved downstream along an article flow path, including a prompter for moving articles along the flow path, wherein the prompter comprises: a shaft, extending transversely to the flow path; a first roller, mounted on the shaft; a body, having a first end and second end lying along the body length; the first end pivotably engaged with the shaft proximate the first roller; a second roller, mounted at the second end of the body; a belt, mounted on and endlessly running around the first and second rollers, having a surface which frictionally engages and moves downstream an article along the flow path, when the body second end is positioned upstream of the first end; means for moving the belt around the rollers and thus rotating the rollers; and, means for imparting to the body a first moment created by a rotary friction force applied directly to the body; wherein the first moment urges the body to rotate around the shaft and thereby press at the second roller end against any article lying along the flow path; wherein said frictional engagement of the belt with an article moving downstream along the flow path, due to the motion of the belt running around the rollers, imparts to the body a second moment, distinct from the first moment, which urges the body to rotate in the same direction as the first moment; wherein the means for moving the belt comprises a first roller driven by rotation of the shaft; and, wherein the body first end is bifurcated to straddle the first roller and frictionally engage the rotating shaft, thereby to create said first moment.