Apparatus for feeding flat articles

Apparatus for removing relatively flat articles from the bottom of a stack and delivering the articles one-by-one in sequence, which apparatus comprises;

• a hopper for holding a stack of relatively flat articles,
• conveyer means adapted for continuous unidirectional operation that is located below said hopper and extends downstream to a delivery point, said conveyer means including an endless apertured belt,
• first chamber means disposed below said endless belt at a location below said hopper,
• second chamber means disposed below said hopper at a location upstream of said first chamber means,
• first means for connecting said first chamber means with a source of vacuum at a desired time proportional to the desired delivery sequence to cause the lowermost article in said hopper to be engaged by the upper surface of said belt and travel downstream, and
• second means for connecting said second chamber means with a source of vacuum independent of the connection of said first chamber means after said lowermost article has traveled downstream sufficiently for its trailing edge to have moved past said second chamber means so that the next lowermost article in said hopper is held in vacuum engagement by said second chamber means and restrained from following the lowermost article.