Patent ID: 7540494

Claim:
A media feeder for feeding media items from a stack of media items, comprising: a media feed means for separating and feeding a single media item from a stack of media items; a media elevator platform moveable toward and away from said media feed means; a first and a second moveable media side guide mounted adjacent said media elevator platform; a side guide adjustment mechanism connected to said first and second side guides such that when said side guide adjustment mechanism is moved in a first direction said first and second side guides will move toward each other and when said side guide adjustment mechanism is moved in a second direction said first and second side guides will move away from each other; a first drive means connected to said side guide adjustment mechanism operable to cause said side guide adjustment mechanism to move in said first and second directions wherein said first drive means includes a torque limiting mechanism, said first drive means connected through said torque limiting mechanism to said side guide adjustment mechanism; and, a second drive means connected to said side guide adjustment mechanism operable to cause said side guide adjustment mechanism to move a predetermined amount in said second direction such that a predefined gap is established between media on said platform and said first and said second moveable media side guides after said side guides are moved into engagement with said media.