FEEDING MECHANISM

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a highly reliable paper feeding mechanism in a simple structure capable of feeding sheets in a stable condition. SOLUTION: A feeding mechanism includes a placement table 9 for placing a plurality of recording sheets 17 in a laminated condition, a plurality of feeding rollers 3 put in contact with the plurality of recording sheets 17 placed on the placement table 9 for feeding the recording sheets 17 in sequence from the upper side, an energizing means for energizing the placement table 9 to the feeding rollers 3, a releasing cam 5 for separating the placement table 9 from the feeding rollers 3 against the energizing force of the energizing means, a drive transmitting means arranged coaxially with the shaft 2 of the releasing cam 5 and rotated in association with the rotation of the releasing cam 5 and a clutching means for transmitting or cutting the rotating force to/from the feeding rollers 3 via the drive transmitting means, wherein the rotating force can be transmitted from the drive transmitting means to the feeding rollers 3 only when the feeding rollers 3 are press contacted against the recording sheets 17.