Sheet-material transporting device and automatic sheet-material feeder

摘要

A sheet-material transporting device including a separation roller which is rotated in a predetermined direction; and a retarding member having an opposing surface opposing the separation roller, and forming a sheet-material transport passage between the opposing surface and the separation roller. The device is provided with a pressing member disposed in the opposing surface. The pressing member has a pressing surface which projects from the opposing surface and has a coefficient of friction smaller than that of the opposing surface. The pressing surface of the pressing member is caused to retract from its projecting position in correspondence with the thickness of the sheet material inserted into the transport passage. Accordingly, if, for example, two sheets are inserted in a superposed state into the transport passage, the pressing surface is caused to retract by a large amount. Hence, the sheet located on the opposing surface side is brought into contact with the opposing surface, and the transport thereof is hampered. At the same time, only the sheet located on the separation roller side slips over the sheet located on the opposing surface side and is transported by means of the rotational force of the separation roller.