Paper-like-piece handling apparatus

A paper-like piece handling apparatus comprising:

• a pressing plate that presses a paper-like piece;
• and
• a reciprocating unit that reciprocates said pressing plate, said reciprocating unit including a pair of link mechanisms disposed along opposite sides of said pressing plate, each of said link mechanisms including a pair of link members pivotally connected with each other in an intersecting fashion, at least one of said link members being coupled at one end to said pressing plate for sliding movement therealong,
• wherein said reciprocating unit further includes:
• a connecting member that interconnects said pair of link mechanisms at a predetermined position;
• an actuator operatively connected to said connecting member;
• and
• a drive unit that linearly displaces said actuator,
• whereby said pair of link mechanisms are caused to extend and contact, together as an integral unit, via said connecting member in response to linear reciprocating movement of said actuator so that said pressing plate reciprocates in response to extension and contraction of said pair of link mechanisms,
• wherein said actuator is connected at one end to said drive unit and is loosely coupled at another end to said connecting member, said drive unit displaces said actuator linearly in a direction substantially perpendicular to a surface of the paper-like piece.