Document transport apparatus

Document transport apparatus (10) includes at least one pair of cooperating rollers (20A, 20B) for engaging documents therebetween and for defining a first stage (18) of a document transport path (16) for movement of documents therealong, the first stage (18) also being defined by at least one pair of tapes (28A, 28B) arranged such that one tape (28A) at least overlaps the other tape (28B) and such that documents are moved therebetween and relative thereto by the cooperating rollers (20A, 20B). Pinching means (26A, 26B) are further provided for pinching the tapes (28A, 28B) together so as to define another stage (22) in the transport path (16) in which the documents are sandwiched between the pinched tapes (24), and sensing means (40) can be located between the said one (18) and another (22) stages of the transport path (16) for detecting the presence of a document wherein a drive means for the forthcoming stage (18, 22) in the transport of a document is altered in response to an output from the sensing means (40) for the further transport of the document wherein the speed of travel of a document in one stage (18, 22) of the transport path is independent of the drive provided for the other stage.