Methods and apparatus for launch and recovery of a remote inspection device within a liquid storage tank. In one embodiment, the tank is accessed by opening an entrance hatch and then injecting a vapor suppression foam across a surface of a stored liquid mass to form a foam layer. A launching system having a remote inspection device is attached to the entrance hatch to define a launch and recovery space sealed from an external environment and isolated from the stored liquid mass in the tank via a valve and the foam layer. The launch and recovery space is purged of hazardous vapors by injection of an inert gas prior to launch and recovery of the remote inspection device. Prior to removal of the launching system, the surface of the stored liquid mass is re-coated with vapor suppression foam.

It is an object of the present invention to provide method for receiving sheets for a sheet supplying apparatus. The method includes converting an up and down motion of a tray to a rotational motion of a rotary member by a movement conversion mechanism, converting the rotational motion of the rotary member around a rotational axis to a linear motion of a cylindrical member parallel to the rotational axis by the rotary member and a cam and slider mechanism, and elastically pressing an end portion of the cylindrical member of the cam and slider mechanism in the rotational axis direction to lift the tray by a compression spring.

A sheet supporting apparatus includes a body, a supporting portion configured to be held in an elevating manner by the body and to support a sheet, a sheet regulation portion regulating a position of the sheet supported on the supporting portion, a movement portion capable of moving between a first position where the sheet regulation portion regulates the position of the sheet supported on the supporting portion, and a second position where the supporting portion is regulated from elevating with respect to the body, and a movement regulation unit regulating the movement portion from moving to the second position.

An assembly of a device having a component, the assembly including a damper having a damper gearwheel coupled to a damper member. The damper member has a first condition restricting motion of the component of the device to a first rate in a first direction and a second condition restricting motion of the component of the device to a second rate in the first direction slower than the first rate. The damper gearwheel is rotationally fixed relative to the damper member when the damper is in the first condition. The damper gearwheel is rotatable relative to the damper member when the damper is in the second condition.

A sheet feeder includes an apparatus main body, a sheet housing unit, and a sheet feeding unit. The sheet housing unit includes a housing space, a lift plate, an elevating mechanism, and a side fence. The elevating mechanism includes a pair of first wires, a pair of second wires, first pulleys, second pulleys, a reel, and a pair of first connecting members. The reel winds up the pair of first wires and the pair of second wires. The pair of first connecting members are connected to be relatively movable with respect to the lift plate in a vertical direction, causes a relative position to vary with respect to the lift plate in a vertical direction in accordance with a weight of the plurality of sheets loaded on the lift plate, and causes the lift plate to move upward when the weight is lighter than a predetermined value.

A sheet stacking apparatus includes a tray capable of stacking plural sheets, and four wires with one end of each of them being connected to a corresponding one of portions at four corners of the tray. On the downstream side of the tray concerning a sheet feeding direction, the other end of each of two wires is connected via pulleys provided above the tray. A winding unit in the apparatus vertically moves the tray hung by the four wires by winding up or rolling down the two wires. On a side opposite to the side of the tray where the connecting portion to which one end of each of the two wires connected to the winding unit is connected, the other end of each of the remaining two wires are connected via pulleys provided above and below the tray, respectively.

A sheet feeding apparatus includes a sheet tray configured to hold sheets, a sheet feeding unit configured to feed sheets from the sheet tray, and a lift unit configured to move the sheet tray up and down. When the type of sheets to be held on the sheet tray is to be changed to another type, the lift unit moves the sheet tray up or down to a sheet holding position set for sheets of the other type. Thus, the position where the sheet tray can hold sheets is changed in accordance with the material or size of the sheets. The largest number, in which sheets can be mounted on the sheet tray, can thereby be changed.

A transport apparatus includes an accommodating unit that accommodates a recording medium and that is mounted to be capable of reciprocating with respect to a body portion, a loading plate that is provided in the accommodating unit to be movable up and down and that is loaded with the recording medium, a lifting unit that moves up the loading plate to a position where the recording medium is able to be fed by winding wires connected to opposite end portions of the loading plate to suspend the loading plate, and moves down the loading plate by feeding the wires, and a receiving member that is provided on a bottom surface of the accommodating unit and that receives abutments provided on the loading plate when the loading plate moves down.

A sheet supporting apparatus includes a sheet supporting portion, a regulation member, a flag portion, a detection portion, and a holding portion con. At the holding position, the holding portion supports the flag portion at the upper position in a case where the sheet supporting portion is positioned at the first position, and, at the allowing position, the holding portion allows movement of the flag portion to the lower position in a case where the sheet supporting portion is positioned at the second position. A lower end of the flag portion is positioned above the regulation surface in a case where the flag portion is positioned at the upper position, and is positioned below the regulation surface in a case where the flag portion is positioned at the lower position.

A robotic document feeder system may comprise a robotic arm coupled to a Bernoulli cup assembly powered by a vacuum source; a base disposed over an imaging surface of a document scanner, wherein the base comprises a designated scan area through which a document may be imaged by the document scanner; an input bin for storing at least one document to be imaged by the document scanner; and an output bin for storing the at least one document after it has been imaged by the document scanner. The system may further comprise an alignment mechanism in proximity to the designated scan area and configured to align the document substantially over the imaging surface of the document scanner; at least one automated door configured to close the designated scan area after the document has been placed in the designated scan area; and a camera positioned above the designated scan area for imaging a second side of the document.