A sheet takeout and separation device of an embodiment has a takeout section, a sending section, a separation portion. The takeout section takes out a sheet. The sending section sends out the sheet taken out by the takeout section. The separation portion is provided so as to come in contact with the sheets taken out in an overlapping state by the takeout section, and separates the sheets one by one. In addition, the separation portion has a separation portion main body and a cover. The separation portion main body elastically deforms in accordance with a thickness of the sheet. The cover is provided on the separation portion main body so as to come in contact with the sheet. And, on a surface of the cover, a surface roughening treatment for enhancing a friction coefficient of the relevant surface is performed.

A sheet conveying device includes conveyance passage forming bodies to define a sheet conveyance passage, a nip forming body to form a conveying nip region in the sheet conveyance passage, and a flexible plate body having a support portion to be attached to another body and having a downstream-side end portion as a free end in a sheet conveying direction. The support portion of the flexible plate body is located on an upstream side in the sheet conveying direction with respect to the conveying nip region. The free end being located on a downstream side in the sheet conveying direction with respect to the conveying nip region.

A deflectable lifting device can be mounted to a frame, work surface, or other member of a material conveying system. The deflectable lifting device can have a base that mounts into a mounting slot of a frame, and a bendable arm arranged in the pathway of a material conveying system, such as a paper stripping or paper blanking work station. When a sheet of material travels over the deflectable lifting device, the bendable arm can bend and deflect downwardly, but still contacts the sheet of material to provide a small margin of elevation or lift to the sheet of material. The sheet of material can therefore be elevated above edges, holes, or other obstructions in the pathway, which could otherwise jam or snag the delivery of the sheet of material.

A medium feeding apparatus includes a curved path that is a medium feeding path formed between a first pair of feeding rollers and a second pair of feeding rollers. The medium is transported along the curved path while being curved downward. The medium feeding apparatus further includes an accommodating portion formed outside a curve of the curved path and configured to accommodate a deformed part of the medium at the curved path. The first pair of feeding rollers is provided at a center area in a medium width direction intersecting with a medium feeding direction. The accommodating portion has a pushing member configured to push the deformed part of the medium upstream in the medium feeding direction.

A deflectable lifting device can be mounted to a frame, work surface, or other member of a material conveying system. The deflectable lifting device can have a base that mounts into a mounting slot of a frame, and a bendable arm arranged in the pathway of a material conveying system, such as a paper stripping or paper blanking work station. When a sheet of material travels over the deflectable lifting device, the bendable arm can bend and deflect downwardly, but still contacts the sheet of material to provide a small margin of elevation or lift to the sheet of material. The sheet of material can therefore be elevated above edges, holes, or other obstructions in the pathway, which could otherwise jam or snag the delivery of the sheet of material.

A sheet conveying device includes conveyance passage forming bodies to define a sheet conveyance passage, a nip forming body to form a conveying nip region in the sheet conveyance passage, and a flexible plate body having a support portion to be attached to another body and having a downstream-side end portion as a free end in a sheet conveying direction. The support portion of the flexible plate body is located on an upstream side in the sheet conveying direction with respect to the conveying nip region. The free end being located on a downstream side in the sheet conveying direction with respect to the conveying nip region.

A deflectable lifting device can be mounted to a support form, work surface or other member of a material conveyance system. According to embodiments, the deflectable lifting device can have a base that mounts into the support, and a bendable arm arranged in the pathway of a material conveyance system, such as a paper stripping or paper blanking work station. When a sheet or web of material travels over the deflectable lifting device, the bendable arm can bend and deflect downwards, but still contact the sheet or web with a gently humped or arcuate portion, providing a small margin of elevation or lift to the sheet or web. The sheet or web can therefore be elevated above edges, holes, or other obstructions in the pathway that could jam or snag the delivery of the material.

In a ramp device (1) for the positioning of raw material sheets and punched pieces, the ramp device (1) generally comprises a holding block (2). the holding block (2) has a top surface (8), a bottom surface (9) and at least three side walls (10.1 to 10.4). A spring element (4) is formed on the top surface (8) of the holding block (2), and the spring element (4) can, at first, have a curved course above the top surface of the holding block, and then can arch down toward the bottom surface (9) of the holding block (2) after reaching a vertex point (13).

A sheet feeder device includes: a sheet feed tray configured to store a sheet stack formed with a plurality of paper sheets; an elastic member capable of expanding and contracting; a contact mechanism configured to bring the elastic member into contact with an edge of the sheet stack; an expansion mechanism configured to expand the elastic member in a direction of stacking of the paper sheets; and a control unit configured to cause the expansion mechanism to expand the elastic member while the elastic member is kept in contact with the edge of the sheet stack by the contact mechanism.

An end cap sleeve stretch sub-assembly for holding the ends of the sleeve portion of a spreader roller assembly being rotatable on a stationary shaft, including a pivot arm assembly for adjusting the angular displacement of the end cap assembly with respect to an axis of the shaft in order to expand and contract sections of the roller assembly resilient sleeve, an outer bearing ring and bearing assembly including a slide ring which is adapted for slidable adjustment parallel to an axis of the shaft on the outer bearing ring in order to preload the end cap sub-assembly by adjusting the tension on the sleeve, and a clamping assembly for securely attaching the sleeve portion to the outer slide ring.