An image reading apparatus includes a scanner structured to reads an image formed on a medium which is conveyed; a calibration member located opposite to the scanner and structured to reflect irradiation light to be radiated to the medium when reading an image; a first roller arranged in a fixed position and structured to guide a conveying direction of the medium passing between the scanner and the calibration member; and a second roller arranged in a variable position in accordance with the stiffness of the medium and structured to guide the conveying direction of the medium passing between the scanner and the calibration member.

A placement station for placing flat items has multiple transport elements extending through a related opening in a placement deck of the placement station. All transport elements are driven by a single drive motor via toothed belt discs and toothed belts. At least one trigger sensor is arranged in the placement station on the exit side of the mail-item flow. The drive motor and the trigger sensor are electrically connected with means for controlling the transport speed of the flat items. Each transport element is carried by a transport module. The placement station has multiple transport modules, each extending with a transport element mounted on its head side through a related opening in a placement deck of the placement station. The transport modules are lowerable below the placement deck in a direction contrary to a spring force. The direction of traction can be changed by turning at least one transport module before or during operation of the placement station. Each transport element has a barrel-shaped body with an equator, wherein different friction values of said body of the transport element are provided on both sides of the equator. The transport modules are directionally positioned such that the half of the body of the transport element with the higher friction value is closest to the alignment wall.

An automatic teller machine includes a guide, shafts and rollers. The guide extends in a conveyance direction along which papers are conveyed and includes a conveyance surface on which the papers are conveyed. The shafts are retained in the guide, and the rollers are turnably supported by the shafts. The guide includes a roller slot in which the rollers are disposed, and pairs of shaft slots that are opposingly formed to sandwich the roller slot. Each pair of shaft slots retains two ends of one of the shafts. The guide may include protrusion portions in the shaft slots that protrude in a direction orthogonal to the conveyance surface, and the shafts may include holes through which the protrusion portions are inserted when the shafts are retained in the shaft slots. Projection portions may be formed at the guide, projecting from predetermined positions of inner faces of the shaft slots, and the projection portions may abut against the shafts when the shafts are retained in the shaft slots.

Contamination of a washing liquid in a washing tank is suppressed at a downstream side of a path for transferring a film. A washing device includes a roller for transferring a heat-resistant separator from a washing tank to another washing tank. Two rollers contact one surface of the heat-resistant separator, and a remaining roller, between the two rollers, contacts the other surface of the heat-resistant separator. A washing liquid removed from the heat-resistant separator by the remaining roller returns to the washing tank.

A sheet conveyance apparatus includes first and second conveyance paths, a conveyance roller pair, first and second conveyance guides, and a holding unit. The reverse unit reverses a sheet having passed through the first conveyance path. The second conveyance path conveys the sheet having passed through the first conveyance path between the reverse unit and the first conveyance path. The conveyance roller pair nips and convey the reversed sheet. The first conveyance guide forms the second conveyance path and the second conveyance guide forms the second conveyance path. The holding unit moveably holds the first conveyance guide. The first conveyance guide moves between a first position located at a first distance from the second conveyance guide and a second position located at a second distance. The sheet reversed by the reverse unit is conveyed toward the conveyance roller pair by the first conveyance guide located at the first position.