description the card advancing apparatus 10 shown in fig1 3 and 4 has a plate 12 for supporting a stack 13 of cards 14 the supporting plate 12 is resiliently mounted by spring devices schematically shown at 15 in fig1 and 2 only a relatively stationary upright member or ledge 16 secures the cards 14 in the stack below the top card against movement in the direction of the arrow 17 shown in fig3 where lateral movement of the cards 14 is a problem lateral card guides or restraining members shown in dotted outlines at 18 in fig2 may be provided the card advancing apparatus 10 further includes a carriage 20 which travels along a track 21 from an initial position at a stop 22 see fig1 to an advanced position at a stop 23 see fig4 a handle or actuating member 25 is connected to the carriage 20 to permit manual or other actuation thereof between the stops 22 and 23 the heart of the apparatus shown in fig1 to 4 is a device 31 which has a first portion 32 having a first friction relative to the cards 14 and a second portion 33 having a second friction relative to the cards 14 the second friction is higher than the first friction so that the first portion 32 may be referred to as a low friction portion while the.