Sheet transport apparatus

摘要

A sheet transport apparatus picks up and transports a topmost sheet of a stack of sheets in a one-by-one manner. A suction drum with a cylindrical member rotating in a cyclic manner picks up the leading edge of the topmost sheet by suction force when the cylindrical member is substantially in a momentary stop state. A stationary separation suction head disposed adjacent the stack in the transport direction separates by suction force any sheets underlying the topmost sheet undesirably picked up by the operation of picking the topmost sheet from the stack. A belt conveyor system disposed adjacent the stationary separation suction head in the transport direction gradually grasps the leading edge of the sheet picked-up by the suction drum while the trailing portion of the grasped sheet is also attracted by the suction drum means so that a slight tension is given to the sheet until it is firmly held and transported by the belt conveyor system.