Automatic feeding apparatus with sheet-input assisting mechanism

An automatic feeding apparatus, comprising:

• a body;
• a sheet passage formed in the body;
• a sheet-separation mechanism, disposed in the body and at an entrance of the sheet passage, for sheet separation, the sheet-separation mechanism forming a nip portion;
• and
• a sheet-input assisting mechanism disposed in the body and comprising:
• a frame;
• a presser, mounted on the frame, for pressing a sheet in front of the nip portion, the presser comprising a holder and a gear rack mounted on a side wall of the holder;
• a clutch gear, supported and displaceable on a guide groove of the frame, wherein the clutch gear is configured to move within the guide groove between a first position and a second position;
• and
• a driving device for selectively driving the clutch gear to rotate forward and rearward, wherein:
• the clutch gear when rotating rearward is engaged with the gear rack at the first position and drives the presser to move in a first direction;
• and
• the clutch gear when rotating forward is shifted to the second position and disengaged from the gear rack, wherein the presser, after being released by the clutch gear, moves in a second direction to press the sheet.