There is provided a disbursing device in a paper sheet counting machine. The disbursing device comprises a feed roller continuously rotated in one direction, a first brake plate disposed along the periphery of the feed roller to confront the feed roller, with a gap between the feed roller and the brake plate being freely adjustable, and a second brake plate disposed just behind the first brake plate and arranged so that a gap between the second brake plate and the feed roller can be adjusted independently of the adjustment of the first-mentioned gap. Two gaps can be adjusted respectively according to the thickness of paper sheets to be disbursed. The gap adjustment is performed in two stages, whereby paper sheets are reliably delivered one at a time.