Apparatus and method for singling stacked cards

An apparatus for singling cards including groups of such cards, wherein the cards have generally planar opposed card surfaces defined by surface perimeters, the apparatus comprising:

• a card magazine for supporting a stacked supply of cards to be singled with their surfaces adjacent one another, said magazine including a card orienting device for causing each successive card or card group to be retained in the magazine in relatively rotated positions about an axis extending perpendicular to their surfaces such that the card or card group surfaces are rotationally misaligned in the magazine leaving protruding card surfaces of cards or card groups in the magazine;
• a card removing device including a card engaging device moveable in a direction substantially perpendicular to the surfaces of the cards, and including an actuator for moving the card engaging device in directions for approaching and removing an uppermost card or card group in the stacked supply of cards from the magazine in a direction perpendicular to a surface of the uppermost card or card group;
• and
• a card retaining device associated with the card magazine and the card removing device that includes means for interfering with removal of any card or card group following the uppermost card or card group by engagement with a protruding card surface of such following card or card group.