ORIGINAL SEPARATION AND TRANSPORT MECHANISM, AUTOMATIC ORIGINAL TRANSPORT DEVICE, IMAGE READER, AND IMAGE FORMATION APPARATUS

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an original separation and transport mechanism, an automatic original transport device, an image reader, and an image formation apparatus capable of setting an appropriate separation pressure for an original, and improving skew correction performance while keeping productivity.SOLUTION: An original transport mechanism includes: an original table 11 loading thereon an original bundle; a pickup mechanism 21 calling the loaded original bundle from an upper surface side; a separation and transport mechanism 23 transporting an original located at an uppermost position of the original bundle by a sheet feed belt 45; a reverse roller 46 arranged opposite to the separation and transport mechanism 23, and feeding an original located below the uppermost position in an opposite direction; and a pull-out roller 61 pulling out the original at the uppermost position. The original transport mechanism includes: a winding-angle change unit changing a winding angle at which the sheet feed belt 45 is wound around the reverse roller 46; a pressure change unit applying a pressure to the sheet feed belt 45 from the reverse roller 46, and releasing the pressure; and a controller 100 controlling pressurization and pressure release of the pressure change unit.