Sheet feeding device for inverting a sheet

A device for feeding sheets one by one, comprising:

• a suction pad movable towards stacked sheets so as to attract an uppermost sheet thereto;
• a drum rotatable in both forward and reverse directions;
• a means for rotating said drum in said forward and reverse directions;
• means for changing the rotation of said drum from said forward direction to said reverse direction when said uppermost sheet has reached a predetermined position in said device;
• a first belt-type conveying system disposed on one part of the surface of said drum;
• a second belt-type conveying system disposed on another part of the surface of said drum;
• a sheet insertion port defined by said drum and said first belt-type conveying system;
• and
• a sheet withdrawal port defined by said drum and said second belt-type conveying system;
• the arrangement being such that said suction pad is displaced to face said sheet insertion port so as to interpose said uppermost sheet between said drum and said first belt-type conveying system, followed by a transfer toward said second belt-type conveying system and a subsequent discharge of said uppermost sheet in a reversed position from said sheet withdrawal port upon reverse rotation of said drum by said rotating means in response to said means for changing the rotation.