Paper feeder having hard nip and flexible nip

A friction feeder apparatus for handling paper of differing thicknesses, comprising:

• a first pair of laterally spaced apart transport belts positioned in underlying relation to said paper;
• a second pair of laterally spaced apart transport belts positioned in underlying relation to said paper;
• said first and second pair of transport belts being laterally spaced apart from one another;
• a first separator wheel adjustably positioned between the transport belts of said first pair of transport belts, said first separator wheel being adjustably positionable in the upstream and downstream directions relative to the transport belts;
• a second separator wheel adjustably positioned between the transport belts of said second pair of transport belts, said second separator wheel being adjustably positionable in the upstream and downstream directions relative to the transport belts;
• whereby a sheet of paper passing through said sheet feeder apparatus is unsupported from the top as the sheet encounters the first and second pair of transport belts and is unsupported from the bottom as it encounters said first and second separator wheels so that said sheet of paper is forced into a substantially wave-shaped configuration.