The present invention relates to a printer, facsimile machine, copier or similar image recording apparatus which records an image on a paper sheet. More particularly, the present invention is concerned with an automatic sheet feeder for use with such an image recording apparatus for feeding paper sheets one by one to a body of the apparatus.
A predominant type of automatic sheet feeder has a feed roller and a reverse roller or a friction pad which prevents two or more paper sheets from being fed together, i.e., lap feed in association with the feed roller. The feed roller is located at the intermediate between widthwise opposite ends of a sheet transport path to which a paper sheet is driven by a pull-out roller from a sheet cassette, for example. On the other hand, many of modern printers or similar image recording apparatuses the type having such an automatic sheet feeder are operated with paper sheets which are formed with holes for filing purpose. For example, concerning a paper sheet having three filing holes, at least one of the holes is positioned at the intermediate between widthwise opposite ends of the paper sheet. When paper sheets of this kind are fed from a sheet cassette by the above-described type of automatic sheet feeder, the reverse roller which plays the role of lap feed feed preventing means and the intermediate hole of the paper sheet coincide resulting in lap feed.