Importance

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Abstract

An apparatus for removing a sheet from the top of a stack of sheets and transporting it laterally in the direction of a processing station has a pick roller with an arcuate contact surface for frictionally engaging an exposed edge of the top sheet in a stack. The arcuate contact surface transports the sheet laterally at a small downward angle relative to the plane of the top of the stack. The arcuate contact surface contacts the exposed edge so that portions of the arcuate contact surface adjacent the edge extend both above and below the plane of the top of the stack. A dam is located adajcent but spaced from the arcuate contact surface and below the plane of the top of the stack. The dam slidingly engages the sheet edge and the sheet surface opposite the surface engaged by the arcuate contact surface to guide the sheet edge toward the arcuate contact surface. A retard pad is mounted downstream from the dam so as to receive the edge of sheets guided by the dam and pinch the sheets between the retard pad and the arcuate contact surface.

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First Claim