PURPOSE: To improve the separating and transporting functions by reducing the press-contact force of a friction member, which is provided so as to be brought near or in contact with a separating roller, on detecting a sheet being fed in the device in the headline used for a copying machine, etc.

CONSTITUTION: Sheets P1 to P3 are fed by means of the rotation of a preparatory transport roller 6, a separating roller 7, and transport roller 8 respectively and, as their ends reach a friction piece 9, the sheet P1 at the lowest position is transported by means of the transporting force of the separating roller 7. On the other hand, the sheets P2, P3 are checked to proceed due to the frictional resistance of the friction piece 9, which is being in press contact by means of a spring 10, and are separated from the sheet P1. And, when the end of the processing sheet P1 is detected by a detecting means 11, the control section 12 disconnects a clutch 18, making the rotation of the preparatory transport roller 6 free, while it reduces the deformation of the press-contact spring 10 through a press-contact force adjusting means 13, reducing the press-contact force to facilitate the transport of the sheet P1. Thereby, the separating and transporting functions can be improved.