Patent ID: 8074978

Claim:
A sheet feeding apparatus comprising: air-type separating means for separating a sheet one at a time by blowing air on both side edge surfaces of a loaded sheet stack; air suctioning means for suctioning an uppermost separated sheet; a pair of side fences, which control a location of both side edges of the sheet stack with respect to a sheet width direction that is orthogonal to a sheet feeding direction, and which are configured to move in the sheet width direction; and sheet feeding means for feeding the sheet held by suction by the air suctioning means in the sheet feeding direction, wherein the air-type separating means has a plurality of side air outlets via which air is blown onto the respective side edge surfaces of the sheet stack, and a side air blowing drive source which is communicatively connected to the plurality of side air outlets, and the plurality of side air outlets are disposed in at least two locations opposite the respective side edge surfaces of the sheet stack, and the side air outlets are each disposed at different distances from the leading edge of the sheet stack with respect to the sheet feeding direction such that no two side air outlets are at a same distance from the leading edge of the sheet stack with respect to the sheet feeding direction, and one side air outlet being attached to each side fence and moving with the side fence.