US Patent 7887038 Sheet material feeding device

A compact sheet material feeding device with a small height is provided. The device includes a lower sheet material stacking unit, an upper sheet material stacking unit disposed above and movable relative to the lower sheet material stacking unit, a feeding mechanism swingable between a first position relatively near to the lower sheet material stacking unit and a second position away from the lower sheet material stacking unit, a holding member configured to hold the feeding mechanism at the second position, and a pressing plate configured to move sheet material stacked in the upper sheet material stacking unit toward the feeding mechanism so that the sheet material is pressed against the feeding mechanism.