Multi-tray sheet feeder

Abstract

By providing an apparatus having a plurality of sheet feeders, each having a tray elongate in top plan view for supporting a stack of elongate sheets, wherein a tray can be displaced in an outward direction transverse to the longitudinal direction of the sheet feeders, it is made possible for a tray displaced in an outward direction to be tilted over a relatively large angle at a given vertical clearance from the other sheet feeders.

1 . An apparatus for individually feeding sheets from a plurality of stacks of sheets, the apparatus comprising a plurality of sheet feeders, the sheet feeders each having a tray elongate in top plan view for supporting a stack of elongate sheets and each comprising separating and transport members for feeding the elongate sheets one by one in a longitudinal feeding direction of the tray from the stack, wherein
 an upper one of the trays is arranged vertically above a neighboring lower one of the trays;   the tray of at least one of the sheet feeders is displaceable relative to the tray or trays of the other sheet feeder or sheet feeders in an outward direction transverse to the longitudinal direction between a feeding position in vertical alignment with the other tray or trays in the respective feeding positions and a loading position out of the vertical alignment; and   said at least one of the trays in the loading position being tilted or tiltable relative to its feeding position about an axis extending in its longitudinal direction, such that an edge of the tray facing in said outward direction is lowered relative to an opposite edge of the tray.   
   
   
       2 . An apparatus for individually feeding sheets from a plurality of stacks of sheets, the apparatus comprising a plurality of sheet feeders, the sheet feeders each having a tray elongate in top plan view for supporting a stack of elongate sheets and each comprising separating and transport members for feeding the elongate sheets one by one in a longitudinal feeding direction of the tray from the stack, wherein
 an upper one of the trays is arranged vertically above a neighboring lower one of the trays;   the tray of at least one of the sheet feeders is displaceable relative to the tray or trays of the other sheet feeder or sheet feeders in an outward direction transverse to the longitudinal direction between a feeding position in vertical alignment with the other tray or trays in the respective feeding positions and a loading position out of the vertical alignment;   at least one of the trays in the loading position is tilted or tiltable relative to its feeding position about an axis extending in its longitudinal direction, such that an edge of the tray facing in said outward direction is lowered relative to an opposite edge of the tray; and   the separating and transport members of said at least one sheet feeder are coupled to the tray for lifting the separating and transport members relative to said tray from a feeding position into a loading position in reaction to displacement of said tray from the feeding position to the loading position.   
   
   
       3 . An apparatus for individually feeding sheets from a plurality of stacks of sheets, the apparatus comprising a plurality of sheet feeders, the sheet feeders each having a tray elongate in top plan view for supporting a stack of elongate sheets and each comprising separating and transport members for feeding the elongate sheets one by one in a longitudinal feeding direction of the tray from the stack, wherein
 an upper one of the trays is arranged vertically above a neighboring lower one of the trays;   the tray of at least one of the sheet feeders is displaceable relative to the tray or trays of the other sheet feeder or sheet feeders in an outward direction transverse to the longitudinal direction between a feeding position in vertical alignment with the other tray or trays in the respective feeding positions and a loading position out of the vertical alignment;   at least one of the trays in the loading position is tilted or tiltable relative to its feeding position about an axis extending in its longitudinal direction, such that an edge of the tray facing in said outward direction is lowered relative to an opposite edge of the tray; and   at least the tray displaceable into the loading position has a side guide at the side of said opposite edge of the tray which is mounted in a position which is stationary when the tray is displaced between the loading position and the feeding position.   
   
   
       4 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the tray displaceable into the loading position is tiltable, such that when the edge of the tray facing in said outward direction is lowered relative to the opposite edge of the tray, an end of the tray facing in the feeding direction is lowered relative to the end of the tray facing in a direction opposite the feeding direction or the end of the tray facing in a direction opposite the feeding direction is lowered relative to the end of the tray facing in the feeding direction. 
   
   
       5 . An apparatus according to  claim 4 , further comprising at least one abutment for aligning a stack of sheets on the tray at the side of the tray that is lowered with respect to the opposite side when in the loading position. 
   
   
       6 . An apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the abutment is located at the side of the tray facing the feeding direction.