Patent ID: 7182332

Claim:
A feed device for stacks of paper or plastic material, the feed device comprising: at least one transport unit comprising a slide for the stack and at least one transport element; wherein the slide and the at least one transport element are not drivingly connected to one another; a separating unit comprising at least one rotatably driven feed drum; wherein the at least one transport unit transports the stack to the separating unit; wherein the slide is pretensioned in a transport direction toward the at least one feed drum such that the stack rests with pretension against the feed drum; at least one sensor, wherein the at least one transport element is coupled to the at least one sensor that provides a switching signal for driving the at least one transport element, wherein the at least one sensor is a light barrier and wherein the switching signal is generated when a part of the slide enters a monitoring area of the at least one sensor when moving by the pretension in the transport direction; a support unit for the stack resting on the slide, wherein the support unit rests against a side of the stack facing away from the feed drum; wherein the support unit engages in a first engaging position the at least one transport element of the at least one transport unit and the at least one transport element and the support unit move the stack relative to the slide toward the separating unit when the switching signal is generated.