A placement method using a placement device provided with a first process of pressing a transfer plate a topmost layer sheet member so as to pick up it when a restraint device is rendered a restraining state, a second process of rendering the restraint device a non-restraining state to render the transfer plate an inclined state while pressing down the plurality of sheet members from above in the stacking direction by a base end part side of the transfer plate rendered the inclined state, a third process of inserting the restraining blade into the space formed between the topmost layer sheet member and the sheet member of the layer below it and again render the restraint device the restraining state, and a fourth process of making the transfer plate retract upward while returning it to the horizontal state and transferring the topmost layer sheet member to the holder.

A sheet feed device includes a pair of sheet feed rollers, a pair of separation pads, and a first contact portion. The pair of sheet feed rollers are provided in alignment with an interval between them in a width direction perpendicular to a feeding direction in which sheets placed on a sheet placing portion are fed, and feed a sheet from the sheet placing portion. When an overlapping sheet overlaps under a target sheet that is in contact with the pair of sheet feed rollers, the pair of separation pads separate the overlapping sheet from the target sheet. The first contact portion is provided on the holder at a position between the pair of separation pads and projecting more than contact surfaces of the pair of separation pads, and comes in contact with the lower surface of the sheet.

A sheet feed device includes a pair of sheet feed rollers, a pair of separation pads, and a first contact portion. The pair of sheet feed rollers are provided in alignment with an interval between them in a width direction perpendicular to a feeding direction in which sheets placed on a sheet placing portion are fed, and feed a sheet from the sheet placing portion. When an overlapping sheet overlaps under a target sheet that is in contact with the pair of sheet feed rollers, the pair of separation pads separate the overlapping sheet from the target sheet. The first contact portion is provided on the holder at a position between the pair of separation pads and projecting more than contact surfaces of the pair of separation pads, and comes in contact with the lower surface of the sheet.

A directional gear is adapted to be fitted to a driving shaft and includes a driving element, an external gear and a plurality of catching elements. The driving element is fitted to the driving shaft. A plurality of receiving slots are disposed at the periphery of the driving element. The external gear is disposed radially outside the driving element and includes a ring-shaped body and a plurality of tilted inner teeth. The tilted inner teeth are connected to the inner side of the ring-shaped body. The catching elements are movably disposed in the receiving slots and each include a catching portion corresponding in shape to the corresponding tilted inner teeth. The catching elements are selectively engaged with at least one of the tilted inner teeth of the external gear through the catching portions.

A medium regulating component for use in a medium feeding device feeding sheet media accommodated in an accommodating unit, the component for regulating excessive floating of a medium accommodated in the accommodating unit, the component includes: a regulating member protruding in a horizontal direction from an accommodating unit periphery and contacting the floating medium; a holding member holding the regulating member in a non-contact state with the medium; a first rotating shaft rotatably supporting the regulating member relative to the holding member; and a second rotating shaft rotatably supporting the holding member relative to the accommodating unit, in which when the regulating member receives a pressing force from below in a gravitational direction, rotates about the first rotating shaft in a state where movement of the holding member is suppressed, and pushes the holding member to rotate about the second rotating shaft.

According to an embodiment, a sheet supply device includes a stacking unit, a first roller, a second roller, and a stopper. The stacking unit has a stack surface on which sheets are stacked. The first roller conveys a sheet from the stacking unit in a conveying direction. The second roller conveys the sheet conveyed by the first roller. The stopper has an abutting surface. The stopper is rotatable around a rotation shaft along a width direction. The stopper rotates such that a posture of the stopper switches between a first and a second posture. The first posture has a first angle at which an angle between the abutting surface and the stack surface is an obtuse angle. The second posture has a second angle at which an angle between the abutting surface and the stack surface is an obtuse angle, the second angle being more than the first angle.

Disclosed is a film feeding apparatus including a turntable including a driving member and a rotation bar having a central part shaft-coupled to a rotating shaft of the driving member to be driven to rotate around the rotating shaft and driven to rotate to repeatedly perform an operation in which the rotation bar rotates by a predetermined reference angle through the driving member and is then stopped for a predetermined reference time, a film tray that is installed in a predetermined first operation region to position one of opposite ends of the rotation bar on the film tray in a state in which the rotation bar is stopped for the reference time and on which a plurality of films are located in multiple layers, gripping units coupled to the opposite ends of the rotation bar, respectively, to transfer the films along a predetermined circular trajectory around the rotating shaft by the rotation bar and provided to grip the films, and a film ejection unit that is installed in a predetermined second operation region to position a remaining end opposite to the one end of the opposite ends of the rotation bar in the film ejection unit in the state in which the rotation bar is stopped for the reference time and provided to eject the films to an outside, wherein, in the state in which the rotation bar is stopped for the reference time, a griping unit positioned in the first operation region among the gripping units grips a film from the film tray, and a gripping unit positioned in the second operation region among the gripping units releases a film that is pre-gripped from the film tray and transfers the film to the film ejection unit.

Disclosed is a film feeding apparatus including a turntable including a driving member and a rotation bar having a central part shaft-coupled to a rotating shaft of the driving member to be driven to rotate around the rotating shaft and driven to rotate to repeatedly perform an operation in which the rotation bar rotates by a predetermined reference angle through the driving member and is then stopped for a predetermined reference time, a film tray that is installed in a predetermined first operation region to position one of opposite ends of the rotation bar on the film tray in a state in which the rotation bar is stopped for the reference time and on which a plurality of films are located in multiple layers, gripping units coupled to the opposite ends of the rotation bar, respectively, to transfer the films along a predetermined circular trajectory around the rotating shaft by the rotation bar and provided to grip the films, and a film ejection unit that is installed in a predetermined second operation region to position a remaining end opposite to the one end of the opposite ends of the rotation bar in the film ejection unit in the state in which the rotation bar is stopped for the reference time and provided to eject the films to an outside, wherein, in the state in which the rotation bar is stopped for the reference time, a griping unit positioned in the first operation region among the gripping units grips a film from the film tray, and a gripping unit positioned in the second operation region among the gripping units releases a film that is pre-gripped from the film tray and transfers the film to the film ejection unit.

A document feeding device includes a feeding unit feeding documents from a batch of documents on a placing tray, a separation member in pressure contact with the feeding unit and separating documents one by one, a separation swinging member supporting the separation member and displaceable in a thickness direction of the batch of documents, and a movable member supported as to be displaceable with respect to the separation swing member in the thickness direction of the batch of documents, and entering a space formed between the separation member and a document.

A document feeding device includes a feeding unit feeding documents from a batch of documents on a placing tray, a separation member in pressure contact with the feeding unit and separating documents one by one, a separation swinging member supporting the separation member and displaceable in a thickness direction of the batch of documents, and a movable member supported as to be displaceable with respect to the separation swing member in the thickness direction of the batch of documents, and entering a space formed between the separation member and a document.