a feeder for a stack of upright documents includes a horizontally disposed receptacle having a planar base and a side restrainer . a spring loaded back plate and a fanning device move the stack form one end of the base to the other end adjacent a separator . the fanning device , which includes a plurality of movable belts projecting above the planar base each having a different rate of linear speed relative to one another , cause individual documents to fan away from the stack and thereby relieves pressure .