Successive sheet feed mechanism

A successive sheet feed mechanism for feeding successive sheets of paper with holes in the sides thereof, comprising:

• a first frame and a second frame positioned a predetermined distance from the first frame;
• a drive shaft and a guide member each being disposed between said first frame and said second frame;
• a first tractor being slidable on said drive shaft and said guide member, a second tractor mounted on said drive shaft and said guide member, said first tractor and said second tractor each having a pin belt with a plurality of pins disposed thereon, said pin belts being driven by said drive shaft, said pins being for aligning and meshing with the holes in the sides of successive sheets of paper for permitting the paper to be conveyed in the forward or reverse direction;
• a linear member stretched between said first and said second frames and passing through at least said first tractor;
• an energizing member secured to said linear member in a region close to said first frame to apply a tension to said linear member;
• a fixing assembly carried by said first tractor displaceable to releasably fix said first tractor to said linear member at a location on said first tractor;
• and
• a loosening assembly displaceable to form a loosened portion in said linear member at a position between said location on said first tractor at which said fixing assembly fixes said first tractor to said linear member and said second frame, so that said first tractor can slide along said drive shaft and said guide member a distance relative to the second tractor to compensate for an increase or a decrease in the width of a successive sheet of paper when fixed to said linear member.