Importance

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Abstract

A plurality of pinch rollers are employed to drive sheets of paper containing material to be scanned past an optical scanner to generate an optical image of the material which is converted into electrical signals. Each pinch roller includes a drive roller which is driven by a synchronized drive mechanism and an idler roller. The support shafts for the idler rollers are supported in elongated bearings which provide limited freedom of motion for the idler rollers in a direction substantially normal to their axes of rotation. A pressure plate has spring fingers which resiliently urge the idler rollers towards the drive rollers to resiliently pinch the paper sheets being driven. In the event that the paper should become jammed and needs to be removed or repositioned, a roller release lever can be actuated to drive the pressure plate so as to permit the idler rollers to move freely in their elongated support bearings. Further, a friction pad is provided which rides on the surface of the paper so that in the event that more that one sheet of paper should pass through the rollers only the lowermost sheet will pass through.

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First Claim