Plate feeding apparatus

Abstract

Plate feeding apparatus for feeding plates from a plate stack is described. The apparatus comprises a deflectable separator and a feed member. In use, the feed member is adapted to urge the endmost plate in the stack against the separator, thereby causing deflection of the separator so as to allow no plates other than the endmost plate to be fed to a position downstream of the separator.

1 . Plate feeding apparatus for feeding plates from a plate stack, comprising: 
 a deflectable separator; and    a feed member; wherein in use the feed member is adapted to urge the endmost plate in the stack against the separator, thereby causing deflection of the separator so as to allow no plates other than the endmost plate to be fed to a position downstream of the separator.    
   
   
       2 . Plate feeding apparatus according to  claim 1  further comprising a plate support for holding the plate stack against the feed member.  
   
   
       3 . Plate feeding apparatus according to  claim 2  wherein the plate support is movable towards the feed member so as to enable the endmost plate to contact the feed member.  
   
   
       4 . Plate feeding apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the feed member comprises a feed roller.  
   
   
       5 . Plate feeding apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the separator is positioned adjacent to the plate support.  
   
   
       6 . Plate feeding apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the separator is an integral part of the plate support.  
   
   
       7 . Plate feeding apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the separator is movable between a plate retention position to retain the passage of the plate and a deflected position which allows the passage of the plate past the separator to the downstream position.  
   
   
       8 . Plate feeding apparatus according to  claim 7  wherein the separator is biassed towards the plate retention position.  
   
   
       9 . Plate feeding apparatus according to  claim 8  wherein the separator is biassed towards the plate retention position by a spring.  
   
   
       10 . Plate feeding apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the separator is one or more of a panel, flap or tab.  
   
   
       11 . Plate feeding apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the separator is rotatable about an axis.  
   
   
       12 . Plate feeding apparatus according to  claim 1  further comprising an interleaf separator, downstream of the separator, and operable in use to separate any interleaf sheets from the endmost plate when they have passed the is separator together.  
   
   
       13 . An image setter system comprising plate feeding apparatus according to  claim 1  and an image setter to which plates are supplied by the plate feeding apparatus.