摘要 |
A hopper for receiving documents and stacking documents flat wherein the documents are fed on edge along a document feeding track which terminates tangentially to a vertical back plate of the hopper includes a first guide means which moves the upper edge of a document, which enters the hopper parallel to the plate, away from the plate, and a second guide means for guiding the lower edge of the document while holding it on the same course until the document reaches a position where it drops into the hopper by tilting about its lower edge. The hopper includes a tilting ramp which is attached to the vertical back plate at a level substantially lower than that of the upper edge of a document entering the hopper. The ramp moves the upper edge of the document away from the plate as the document is introduced into the hopper. A retainer guide, which is also attached to the back plate, guides the lower edge of the document while holding it close to the plate until the document tilts about its lower edge to fall flat into the receptacle. |