Sheet material feeder

Abstract

A sheet material feeder includes a sheet material holder for holding a pile of sheet material, a rotating drum for transporting the sheet material from the pile, and an acceleration device receiving the sheet material from the rotating drum at a first speed and releasing the sheet material at a second speed greater than the first speed. Also disclosed is a sheet material feeder with a sheet material holder for holding a pile of sheet material; and a rotating drum for transporting the sheet material from the pile, the rotating drum including at least one sucker rotating with the drum for contacting the sheet material.

1 . A sheet material feeder comprising: 
 a sheet material holder for holding a pile of sheet material;    a rotating drum for transporting the sheet material from the pile; and    an acceleration device receiving the sheet material from the rotating drum at a first location at a first speed and releasing the sheet material at a second location at a second speed greater than the first speed, the acceleration device accelerating the sheet material between the first and second locations; wherein the acceleration device includes a plurality of variable-speed belts and input rollers and output rollers, the belts running around the input and output rollers, a surface speed of the belts at the input rollers being equal to a surface speed of the rotating drum.    
     
     
         2 . (canceled)  
     
     
         3 . (canceled)  
     
     
         4 . The sheet material feeder as recited in  claim 1  wherein the rotating drum includes a plurality of grippers spaced circumferentially about the rotating drum.  
     
     
         5 . (canceled)  
     
     
         6 . The sheet material feeder as recited in  claim 1  wherein the holder includes a bottom tray and an adjustable sheet material restrictor.  
     
     
         7 - 11 . (canceled)  
     
     
         12 . A sheet material feeder comprising: 
 a sheet material holder for holding a pile of sheet material;    a rotating drum for transporting the sheet material from the pile, the rotating drum having an outer circumferential surface and including at least one sucker rotating with the drum, the at least one sucker extending radially beyond the outer circumferential surface for contacting the sheet material in a first rotational position of the drum and being retracted to be radially inside the outer circumferential surface in a second rotational position of the drum; and    an acceleration device for receiving the sheet material from the rotating drum, the acceleration device including a plurality of variable-speed belts and input rollers and output rollers, the belts running around the input and output rollers, a surface speed of the belts at the input rollers being equal to a surface speed of the rotating drum.    
     
     
         13 - 18 . (canceled)  
     
     
         19 . The sheet material feeder as recited in  claim 12  further comprising a pressure roller interacting with the rotating drum prior to the acceleration device.  
     
     
         20 . (canceled)