Paper feed mechanism including lower pinch rollers

A paper feed mechanism including lower pinch rollers, comprising:

• a rotatable paper feed roller;
• a plurality of pinch rollers;
• lever means for pivotally supporting said plurality of pinch rollers;
• a first side plate disposed at a predetermined position;
• a shaft having a substantially D-shaped cross-section in the vertical direction relative to the axial direction thereof for engaging with said lever means, one end of said shaft abutting against said first side plate to define movement of the one end of said shaft in the axial direction thereof;
• a second side plate for rotatably and pivotally supporting the other end of said shaft;
• bracket means arranged between said first side plate and said second side plate for rotatably holding said shaft with a semi-cylindrical bearing portion;
• an intermediate transmission member arranged on a side opposide said bracket means relative to said second side plate, having a substantially D-shaped hole into which said shaft is fitted and a pin member extending from said intermediate transmission member substantially in parallel with said shaft when said shaft is fitted into said D-shaped hole;
• and
• actuation means having a groove portion for engaging said pin member, disposed on said second side plate so as to confine said intermediate transmission member between said actuation means and said second side plate, and abutting against the other end of said shaft to define movement of the other end of said shaft in the axial direction of said shaft, and for rotating said shaft to bring said pinch rollers into contact with and away from said paper feed roller.