A sheet supply apparatus detachably attached to an image forming apparatus is configured to receive a drive force from the image apparatus to supply sheet to the image forming apparatus. The sheet supply apparatus includes a sheet supply tray, a sheet supply roller, a first transmission mechanism configured to transmit a drive force from the image forming apparatus to the sheet supply roller, a second transmission mechanism including an output member and configured to transmit a drive force supplied from the image forming apparatus to the output member, a clutch mechanism configured to intermittently transmit a drive force from the image forming apparatus to the second transmission mechanism, a latch member pivotable between a restriction position and an allowance position, a change cam, a sector gear, a rotational force applying member, an engaging member, a first engagement portion, a second engagement portion, and an electromagnetic solenoid.

There is provided a conveyance unit including a conveyance roller; a nip member movable between a contact position and a separation position; a tray movable between an installation position and a pull-out position; and a lever. The lever is configured to have a first state, a second state and a third state. The lever in the first state can make contact with the tray moving between the installation position and the pull-out position. The lever pivots from the first state to the second state when the tray moves from the installation position to the pull-out position, and the lever pivots from the first state to the third state when the tray moves from the pull-out position to the installation position. The conveyance unit further includes an interlocking mechanism.

Meandering of a medium at a time of transporting is reduced. A recording apparatus which transports medium, and performs recording on the medium, the apparatus includes a recording unit; a medium clamping unit which is provided on a side further upstream than the recording unit in a transport direction, and clamps the medium therebetween; and a medium support unit which is provided on the side further upstream than the medium clamping unit in the transport direction, and supports the medium, in which the medium is slackened between the medium clamping unit and the medium support unit.

A contact-separation mechanism includes a cam to rotate to move a contact-separation member to and from a counterpart member, a detection target to rotate together with the cam, and a detector to detect presence or absence of the detection target in a detection area of the detector, and circuitry. The cam has a reference range. The circuitry issues a rotation stop instruction of the cam after a target time elapses from passing of the reference range of the detection target through the detection area, and sets the target time based on a duration of an immediately preceding passing of the reference range through the detection area.

A sheet post-processor includes a processing tray, a sheet discharge port, a discharge roller pair, a pair of cursor members, a pair of support members, and an interlocking mechanism. The interlocking mechanism includes a pair of coupling members arranged in the processing tray so as to be reciprocatable in a sheet width direction. The pair of coupling members are coupled to or decoupled from the pair of cursor members in accordance with movement of the pair of cursor members. While being coupled to the pair of cursor members, the pair of coupling members contact the pair of support members so as to displace the pair of support members to a protruding position, and while being decoupled from the pair of cursor members, the pair of coupling members separate from the pair of support members so as to displace the pair of support members to a retracted position.

A sheet post-processor includes a processing tray, a sheet discharge port, a discharge roller pair, a pair of cursor members, a pair of support members, and an interlocking mechanism. The interlocking mechanism includes a pair of coupling members arranged in the processing tray so as to be reciprocatable in a sheet width direction. The pair of coupling members are coupled to or decoupled from the pair of cursor members in accordance with movement of the pair of cursor members. While being coupled to the pair of cursor members, the pair of coupling members contact the pair of support members so as to displace the pair of support members to a protruding position, and while being decoupled from the pair of cursor members, the pair of coupling members separate from the pair of support members so as to displace the pair of support members to a retracted position.

Sheet feeding device (1) comprising an elevator (2) for a stack of sheets, and an air supply system (3) configured to supply and direct one of more air streams towards an upper region (4) of the sheet feeding device (1) for floating a plurality of upper sheets of the stack of sheets, wherein the elevator (2) comprises a vertically movable support (5) for supporting the stack of sheets from below, wherein the sheet feeding device (1) comprises a first side support member (6) and a second side support member (7) configured to sideways support respective opposite sides of the stack of sheets, wherein the sheet feeding device (1) further comprises a vacuum belt feeder (8) provided above the elevator (2) and configured to grab and feed an uppermost sheet of the floated sheets away from the floated sheets, and wherein an upper portion of each side support member (6, 7) is provided with at least one respective cam (9) comprising a respective guide surface extending obliquely upwards-inwards from the respective side support member (6, 7).

A veneer sheet feed device for multistage veneer sheet dryer is provided between an auto feeder including a carry-in conveyor and a roll dryer (veneer sheet dryer). The veneer sheet feed device is provided with a guide member and a feed conveyor for feeding a veneer sheet carried in from the carry-in conveyor to each conveyance unit of the roll dryer in this order from a conveyance up stream side. The veneer sheet feed device further provided with a pivot mechanism that allows a starting end of the guide member belonging to the conveyance stage immediately above the conveyance stage in which the veneer sheet is carried this time from the carry-in conveyor to pivot to a portion above a horizontal position of a roller shaft located at a terminal end of this guide member.

A configurable cutting and transfer apparatus includes a cutter mechanism to cut an incoming web of material into a plurality of discrete articles and a transfer mechanism operable with the cutter mechanism to transfer and rotate the discrete articles from a web receiving location to an article placement location. The transfer mechanism includes a drive shaft rotatable about a transfer axis, a carriage plate mounted to the drive shaft so as to rotate therewith about the transfer axis, and a segmented puck wheel comprising a plurality of carriage units securable to, and repositionable on, the carriage plate so as to rotate therewith to travel along a transfer path about the transfer axis from the web receiving location to the pad placement location, each of the carriage units including a puck operable to provide a rotating and re-pitching of the articles between the web receiving location and the pad placement location.

An image forming apparatus includes a first conveyance unit including an image forming unit to convey a sheet on which an image is formed, and a second conveyance unit including a cover movable between a close position and an open position, the second conveyance unit being movable between a first position where the sheet can be conveyed to the sheet conveyance path and a second position separated from the first position. The first conveyance unit includes a retaining portion to retain the cover at a predetermined position, wherein the cover does not interfere with the retaining portion when the second conveyance unit is positioned at the first position, and the cover is in contact with the retaining portion and retained at the open position in a condition where the second conveyance unit is positioned at the second position and the cover is moved from the close position to the open position.