Conveying apparatus and method

1. A document conveying apparatus comprising:

an inlet channel for receiving a plurality of documents therein;

a drive member positioned for engagement with one of the plurality of documents in the inlet channel and operable to move one document from the inlet channel to a downstream location thereof; and

an elongated member disposed in the inlet channel and movable to a first position towards the drive member which biases one of the plurality of documents in the inlet channel towards the drive member, one portion of said elongated member being movable to a second position away from the drive member for insertion of at least one additional document into the inlet channel, and another portion of said elongated member being movable towards the drive member to bias one of the plurality of documents and the at least one additional document in the inlet channel into engagement with the drive member when said one portion of said elongated member is moved to the second position.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the elongated member is pivotable.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the elongated member pivots along an axis disposed along its length.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the elongated member includes a rotatable member along its length for engagement with one of the plurality of documents.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the drive member is rotatable.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the elongated member is normally biased during operation to said first position by a resilient member.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said elongated member is movable to a third position in which the elongated member is spaced from the drive member when the apparatus is not operating.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising an actuating member operable to move the elongated member between a selected one of the first, second or third positions to at least another of said positions.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the actuating member includes an electromagnetic member.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the actuating member includes a solenoid.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the inlet channel includes two opposed vertical walls for receiving the plurality of documents therebetween in a vertically disposed orientation.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein at least a portion of one wall is angled from a vertical plane.

13. A document conveying apparatus comprising:

a housing;

an inlet channel associated with the housing for receiving a plurality of documents therein;

an outlet channel associated with the housing and downstream of the inlet channel for receiving at least one document therein;

a scanner unit positioned between the inlet and outlet channels operable to scan at least one side of at least one document;

a path positioned between the inlet and outlet channels to allow movement of one document at a time from the inlet channel to the outlet channel;

a drive member positioned for engagement with at one of the plurality of documents that are disposed in the inlet channel and operable to move a document from the inlet channel to a downstream location thereof; and

an elongated member disposed in the inlet channel and movable to a first position towards the drive member which biases one of the plurality of documents in the inlet channel towards the drive member, one portion of said elongated member being movable to a second position away from the drive member for insertion of at least one additional document into the inlet channel, and another portion of said elongated member being movable towards the drive member to bias one of the plurality of documents and the at least one additional document in the inlet channel into engagement with the drive member when said one portion of said elongated member is moved to the second position.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the elongated member is pivotable.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the elongated member pivots along an axis disposed along its length.

16. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the elongated member includes a rotatable member along its length for engagement with one of the plurality of documents.

17. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the drive member is rotatable.

18. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the elongated member is normally biased during operation to said first position by a resilient member.

19. A method for conveying documents including:

providing an apparatus including an inlet channel for receiving at least one document therein, a drive member positioned for engagement with at least one document in the inlet channel and operable to move a document from the inlet channel to a downstream location thereof, and an elongated member disposed in the inlet channel;

inserting a plurality of documents into the inlet channel;

moving the elongated member towards the drive member to a first position which biases one of the plurality of documents in the inlet channel towards the drive member; and

during operation, moving at least a portion of the elongated member to a second position to allow insertion of at least one additional document into the inlet channel while another portion of the elongated member engages one of the plurality of documents and the at least one additional document disposed in the inlet channel with the drive member.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein moving at least a portion of said elongated member to a second position includes moving one portion of said elongated member away from the drive member so as to provide a gap sufficient for insertion of at least one additional document into the inlet channel, and another portion of said elongated member is movable towards the drive member to bias one of the plurality of documents and the at least one additional document in the inlet channel into engagement with the drive member when said one portion is moved to the second position.