Provided is a paper-discharge apparatus that suppresses operating sound of the paper-discharge apparatus. A contact member changes the posture of the introduction guide by coming in contact with the introduction lever and rotating the introduction lever. A control unit sets a state in which paper is introduced to the paper-discharge-conveying unit to a non-contact state of the introduction lever and contact member, and sets a state when conveyed paper is guided to another discharge destination to a contact state of the introduction lever and the contact member. The control unit rotates the motor at a first speed and moves the contact member, and brings the contact member in contact with the introduction lever after setting the rotating speed of the motor to a second speed that is slower than the first speed.

Unwinder of a thin ply product wound on a roll, comprising a first roll-holder assembly equipped with a first unwinding rod for a respective roll, on which the roll is adapted to be supported, and which has an axis of rotation transversal to the direction of movement of the ply unwound from the roll, a second roll-holder assembly equipped with a second unwinding rod of a respective roll, on which the roll is adapted to be supported, said second rod being parallel to said first unwinding rod of the first roll-holder assembly, said second roll-holder assembly facing said first roll-holder assembly in an unwinding zone, a ply splicing assembly placed above said first and second facing roll-holder assemblies, a ply accumulation unit to allow automatic switching between a roll being unwound in one said roll-holder assembly and a spare roll provided in the other roll-holder assembly, a system for the lateral movement of each of said unwinding rods with respect to said unwinding zone, from said unwinding zone to a loading zone wherein said rolls are outside said winding zone to facilitate loading the rolls into the respective roll-holder assemblies, wherein said splicing assembly can be moved from a working position above the two said roll-holder assemblies in said unwinding zone, to a working position above an extracted roll assembly in the loading zone, to allow preparation for splicing of the leading edge of the ply wound on the spare roll.