A transportation apparatus includes a plurality of transportation members that are arranged in a transportation direction for a medium and transport the medium, a plurality of actuators that drive the plurality of transportation members, and a processor that controls the plurality of actuators in such a manner as to increase transportation velocities of the plurality of actuators in order from actuators for driving transportation members on a downstream side in the transportation direction to actuators for driving transportation members on an upstream side in the transportation direction.

In an image-forming apparatus, when a sheet length of a first sheet is shorter than or equal to a predetermined length, a controller supplies power to an electromagnetic clutch to convey the first sheet and a second sheet so that a sheet gap of the second sheet is equivalent to a first gap. When the sheet length of the first sheet is longer than the predetermined length, the controller supplies power to the electromagnetic clutch to successively convey a first number of sheets so that the sheet gap of each of the first number of sheets is equivalent to the first gap. After the first number of sheets has been conveyed, the controller supplies power to the electromagnetic clutch to convey at least one sheet so that the sheet gap of each of the at least one sheet is equivalent to a second gap greater than the first gap.

In an image-forming apparatus, when a sheet length of a first sheet is shorter than or equal to a predetermined length, a controller supplies power to an electromagnetic clutch to convey the first sheet and a second sheet so that a sheet gap of the second sheet is equivalent to a first gap. When the sheet length of the first sheet is longer than the predetermined length, the controller supplies power to the electromagnetic clutch to successively convey a first number of sheets so that the sheet gap of each of the first number of sheets is equivalent to the first gap. After the first number of sheets has been conveyed, the controller supplies power to the electromagnetic clutch to convey at least one sheet so that the sheet gap of each of the at least one sheet is equivalent to a second gap greater than the first gap.

A sheet feeding device includes a feeding guide of resin material constituting a sheet feeding path along which a sheet is fed; a feeding roller for feeding the sheet along the feeding path, the feeding roller being provided with a metal shaft; a sheet sensor configured to detect the sheet fed along the sheet feeding path; and a grounding member electrically grounding the shaft. The feeding guide has a guiding surface for guiding the sheet, and the guiding surface is provided with a hole portion for exposing the shaft to the sheet feeding path.

An image reading apparatus includes a reading unit, a transport unit that transport a document, a feeding unit that transports the document to the transport unit, a controller that stops the feeding operation of the feeding unit after the leading end of the preceding document transported from the feeding unit reaches the transport unit and restarts the feeding operation after the rear end of the preceding document passes a predetermined position. The controller, restarts the feeding operation a first time after the rear end of the succeeding document following the preceding document passes the predetermined position when a size of the preceding document indicates a first size, and restarts the feeding operation a second time after the rear end of the succeeding document passes the predetermined position where the second time is longer than the first time when the size indicates a second size larger than the first size.

A device is provided for feeding sheets to a sheet-processing machine having at least one processing mechanism. A feeder head is provided for cyclically separating the sheets from a pile of such sheets and has transporting suckers for transporting the sheets to a belt table. The belt table has at least one revolving transport belt which is guided over at least two feed rollers. A first drive is assigned to at least one feed roller and a sheet flap, which is connected to a pivotally mounted shaft, is provided between the transporting suckers and the at least one transport belt. A second drive is assigned to the shaft, for pivoting that shaft. A sheet arrival sensor, which is arranged between the belt table and the processing mechanism, generates first signals representing the arrival of the sheets for a sequence of sheets. A clock generator generates second signals representing the angular position of the at least one processing mechanism, and has a controller, which controls the first drive as a function of the second signals and which controls the second drive as a function of the first and second signals.

A device is provided for feeding sheets to a sheet-processing machine having at least one processing mechanism. A feeder head is provided for cyclically separating the sheets from a pile of such sheets and has transporting suckers for transporting the sheets to a belt table. The belt table has at least one revolving transport belt which is guided over at least two feed rollers. A first drive is assigned to at least one feed roller and a sheet flap, which is connected to a pivotally mounted shaft, is provided between the transporting suckers and the at least one transport belt. A second drive is assigned to the shaft, for pivoting that shaft. A sheet arrival sensor, which is arranged between the belt table and the processing mechanism, generates first signals representing the arrival of the sheets for a sequence of sheets. A clock generator generates second signals representing the angular position of the at least one processing mechanism, and has a controller, which controls the first drive as a function of the second signals and which controls the second drive as a function of the first and second signals.

A device is provided for feeding sheets to a sheet-processing machine having at least one processing mechanism. A feeder head is provided for cyclically separating the sheets from a pile of such sheets and has transporting suckers for transporting the sheets to a belt table. The belt table has at least one revolving transport belt which is guided over at least two feed rollers. A first drive is assigned to at least one feed roller and a sheet flap, which is connected to a pivotally mounted shaft, is provided between the transporting suckers and the at least one transport belt. A second drive is assigned to the shaft, for pivoting that shaft. A sheet arrival sensor, which is arranged between the belt table and the processing mechanism, generates first signals representing the arrival of the sheets for a sequence of sheets. A clock generator generates second signals representing the angular position of the at least one processing mechanism, and has a controller, which controls the first drive as a function of the second signals and which controls the second drive as a function of the first and second signals.

A print medium feeding device includes a guide unit; a first conveyance unit that applies first conveyance force F1 to the print medium, a first part of the first conveyance force applying section moving at a first linear velocity V1; a second conveyance unit including a second conveyance force applying section that makes contact with the print medium and applies second conveyance force F2 to the print medium, a second part of the second conveyance force applying section moving at a second linear velocity V2; and a third conveyance unit including a third conveyance force applying section that makes contact with the print medium and applies third conveyance force F3 to the print medium, a third part of the third conveyance force applying section moving at a third linear velocity V3, wherein V2>V3>V1 and F3>F1>F2 are satisfied.

In an image-forming apparatus, when a sheet length of a first sheet is shorter than or equal to a predetermined length, a controller supplies power to an electromagnetic clutch to convey the first sheet and a second sheet so that a sheet gap of the second sheet is equivalent to a first gap. When the sheet length of the first sheet is longer than the predetermined length, the controller supplies power to the electromagnetic clutch to successively convey a first number of sheets so that the sheet gap of each of the first number of sheets is equivalent to the first gap. After the first number of sheets has been conveyed, the controller supplies power to the electromagnetic clutch to convey at least one sheet so that the sheet gap of each of the at least one sheet is equivalent to a second gap greater than the first gap.