Sheet feeding apparatus

A sheet feeding apparatus capable of mounting a cassette in which a sheet is stored by allowing the cassette to be inserted in a cassette-loading direction into the sheet feeding apparatus, the sheet feeding apparatus comprising:

• a sheet feeding mechanism configured to convey a sheet in a direction orthogonal to the cassette-loading direction of the sheet feeding apparatus, wherein the sheet feeding mechanism includes a sheet feed roller movable to a press-contacting position and a retraction position, an elevation cam operatively connected to the sheet feed roller to cause the sheet feed roller to move to the press-contacting position and to the retraction position, and a driving member operatively connected to the elevation cam to drive the elevation cam and operatively connectable to the sheet feed roller to drive the sheet feed roller;
• a locking member movable to a locking position and to a release position, wherein the locking member is disposed to lock the cassette when the locking member is at the locking position so that the cassette cannot be drawn out of the sheet feeding apparatus, and the locking member is disposed to not lock the cassette when the locking member is in the release position so that the cassette can be drawn out of the sheet feeding apparatus;
• an interlocking member operatively connected to the elevation cam such that the interlocking member moves with the sheet feed roller and the elevation cam, wherein the interlocking member is at a position at which it fixes the locking member at the locking position when the sheet feed roller is at the press-contacting position, and the interlocking member is at a position at which it does not fix the locking member at the locking position but allows the locking member to move to the release position when the sheet feed roller is at the retraction position;
• a coupling unit movable between a coupling position, at which it transmits a drive of the driving member to the elevation cam, and a non-coupling position, at which it does not transmit the drive of the driving member to the elevation cam;
• a switching unit movable between a first state and a second state;
• and
• a regulation unit movable upon movement of the switching unit to regulate a position of the coupling unit.