Adjustable pressure roller feeding assembly

In a paper feeding machine having means defining a feed path along which various items of paper are adapted to be fed and feed roller means disposed on one side of said feed path for feeding said items of paper along said feed path, an adjustable pressure roller device for maintaining proper feeding pressure between said items of paper and said feed roller means, said device comprising:

• A. a back up pressure roller disposed on the opposite side of said feed path in juxtaposition to said feed roller means,
• B. means mounting said pressure roller for movement toward and way from said feed roller means to vary the amount of pressure exerted by said pressure roller against a paper item disposed between said pressure roller and said feed roller means between a preset maximum and zero, said mounting means including:
• an elongate housing mounted in spaced relationship to said paper feed path,
• an arm pivotally connected to said housing adjacent one end of said arm for movably supporting said pressure roller, said arm having an integral finger that extends beyond said one end of said arm, said pressure roller rotatably mounted to the other end of said arm for movement toward and away from said feed roller means,
• resilient means interconnected between said finger and said housing for normally urging said pressure roller toward said feed roller means, and
• C. actuating means for controlling the direction and extent of movement of said pressure roller,
• whereby said pressure feeding device can accommodate a wide variety of thicknesses, types and grades of paper without risk of mutilating or misfeeding the paper.