Medium feeding direction switching mechanism and medium issuing and collecting device

A medium feeding direction switching mechanism for switching a feeding direction of a carried information recording medium, the medium feeding direction switching mechanism comprising:

• a feed roller that abuts an information recording medium to carry the information recording medium;
• a pinch roller which is oppositely disposed to the feed roller and configured to sandwich and carry the information recording medium together with the feed roller;
• an urging member configured to urge the pinch roller toward the feed roller;
• a support shaft structured to rotatably support the pinch roller;
• a first holding member configured to hold the urging member;
• and
• a second holding member configured to hold the support shaft so that the pinch roller is turnable with a rotation center of the feed roller as a turning center between a first facing position where the pinch roller and the feed roller are facing each other in a predetermined first direction and a second facing position where the pinch roller and the feed roller are facing each other in a predetermined second direction that is inclined with respect to the first direction through a third facing position which is located between the first facing position and the second facing position, the third facing position being a position at which the rotation center of the feed roller, the first end of the urging member, and the second end of the urging member are disposed in a substantially straight line;
• wherein a first end of the urging member is engaged with the support shaft and a second end of the urging member is engaged with the first holding member;
• and
• wherein the feed roller, the pinch roller and the urging member are configured such that when the feed roller is rotated in a forward direction, the pinch roller located at the second facing position is moved toward the third facing position against an urging force of the urging member by a frictional force generated between the pinch roller and the feed roller by the urging member and, after passing the third facing position, the pinch roller is moved to the first facing position by utilizing the urging force of the urging member and, when the feed roller is rotated in a reverse direction, the pinch roller located at the first facing position is moved toward the third facing position against the urging force of the urging member by the frictional force generated between the pinch roller and the feed roller by the urging member and, after passing the third facing position, the pinch roller is moved to the second facing position by utilizing the urging force of the urging member.