Automatic media loader for feeder

An automatic loader for delivering vertically stacked media to a hopper of a feeder that is associated with the loader, the loader comprising:

• a powered conveying device defining a staging area for the vertically stacked media, the staging area defining a discharge end arranged closest to the hopper, the conveying device being actuatable to move the vertically stacked media that is in the staging area in a first direction toward the discharge end, off of the conveying device, and into the hopper;
• actuated plates movably arranged at the discharge end of the conveying device and actuatable to move between an extended state and a retracted state,
• wherein in the extended state, the actuated plates support the vertically stacked media that is moved into the hopper in an elevated position above a feeder belt of the feeder, and
• wherein in the retracted state, the actuated plates do not support the vertically stacked media that is moved into the hopper in the elevated position, and the vertically stacked media that is moved into the hopper is thereby free to fall onto the feeder belt of the feeder;
• a first sensor in communication with the conveying device and the actuated plates, said first sensor being configured to sense a height of the vertically stacked media that is in the hopper and, when the height is sensed to be less than a first predetermined threshold, to generate a signal to move the actuated plates to the extended state and to move the vertically stacked media in the staging area of the conveying device in the first direction, off of the conveying device, into the hopper, and onto the actuated plates to be supported in the elevated position;
• and
• a second sensor in communication with the conveying device and the actuated plates, said second sensor being configured to sense a separation between the hopper and the vertically stacked media that is being moved in the first direction and, when the separation is sensed to be less than a second predetermined threshold, to generate a signal to stop moving the vertically stacked media in the staging area of the conveying device in the first direction and to move the actuated plates to the retracted state thereby allowing the vertically stacked media that was supported in the elevated position to fall onto the feeder belt of the feeder.