Paper supply device with multiple cam surfaces and followers

A paper supply device for feeding sheets of paper along a paper feed direction comprising:

• a paper insertion part for holding a plurality of said sheets of paper with each sheet of paper having opposite ends and a leading edge directed inwardly toward the paper insertion part;
• a supply roller that is rotationally driven having a fan-shaped profile including a circular arc part and a bowed part;
• a pressure member in engagement in a first position against the supply roller with the paper insertion part disposed therebetween for urging the leading edge of each individual sheet of paper in the paper insertion part toward the supply roller in accordance with a given rotational position of the supply roller;
• a pressure member control mechanism for displacing the pressure member from the first position to another position separated from the supply roller when the bowed part of the supply roller is rotated into a position opposite the pressure member with the paper insertion part therebetween;
• a separation pad disposed to the paper insertion part downstream from the pressure member in said paper feed direction, with said separation pad being displaceable into a stand-by position for inhibiting the sheets of paper from being fed past the paper insertion part when there is no interference from said circular arc part of the supply roller protruding into the paper insertion part and being displaceable into an inclined angle position relative to the stand-by position in response to the displacement of said pressure member for changing the angle of contact of the supply roller with the leading edge of each sheet of paper so as to separate one sheet of paper from said plurality of sheets;
• and
• a pad control mechanism interconnected to the supply roller so as to rotate in unison therewith and which engages the separation pad for displacing said separation pad into said stand-by position to cause alignment of the ends of the sheets of paper when the supply roller is in the rotated position with the bowed part of the supply roller disposed opposite the pressure member and the paper insertion part therebetween.