The present invention provides a sheet supplying apparatus comprising auxiliary convey means for feeding out sheets stacked on a stacking tray, separation means for separating the sheets fed out by the auxiliary convey means one by one and for conveying the separated sheet, drive means for driving the separation means and the auxiliary convey means, sheet convey means for conveying the sheet separated by the separation means at a speed faster than a conveying speed of the separation means, rotation control means for transmitting one direction rotation of the drive means to a drive shaft of the drive means to cause the separation and conveyance of the sheet and for interrupting the transmission of the one direction rotation to the drive shaft so that the separation means is driven by the movement of the sheet due to the difference in conveying speed thereby causing such interruption by the driven movement of the separation means, support means for supporting the auxiliary convey means for shifting movement between a sheet convey position and a non-convey position and for shifting the auxiliary convey means to the sheet convey position, and retract means for retracting the auxiliary convey means to the non-convey position when the one direction rotation to the drive shaft is interrupted.