Copying apparatus

Abstract

A copying apparatus in which thin or thick originals such as individual sheets or thick books are selectively driven over an illumination slit aperture, characterized by a transparent book support such as a glass plate connected to a known transport mechanism for individual sheets such as a pair of transport rolls. The book support is located on the extension of the transport mechanism, and the transport mechanism and the book support are selectively movable together.

We claim: 
     
       1. Photocopying apparatus comprising a housing, exposure slit means fixedly mounted on said housing, a transparent support member for receiving thereon a thick original to be copied, sheet original transporting means including at least one pair of opposed rollers operable to move a sheet original past said exposure slit means, a casing movably mounted on said housing and having said support member and sheet original .Iadd.transporting means .Iaddend.fixedly connected thereto wherein said support member can be moved past said exposure slit means, means for releasably holding said casing in a fixed position while said sheet original transporting means operates to move a sheet original past said exposure slit means and for releasing said casing for said movement on said housing when a thick original is to be copied, driving means coupled to one of said opposed rollers to impart rotational movement thereto, and clutch means mounted on said casing and coupled to said driving means for allowing said casing to remain in said fixed position while a sheet original is being copied and to maintain the speed of movement of said casing in synchronism with the speed of movement of said driving means when a thick original is being copied. 
     
     
       2. Photocopying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said clutch means comprises a shaft fixedly mounted to said casing and means engaging said driving means for free rotation only in one direction with respect to said shaft and being fixed with respect to said shaft to stop the rotation thereof when said casing is moved to copy a thick original. 
     
     
       3. Photocopying apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said driving means includes a chain, and wherein said engaging means comprises a wheel provided to be rotatable around said fixed shaft and having teeth for engaging said chain, said wheel having a plurality of circumferentially extending openings communicating with said shaft and each said opening being tapered at its outer periphery to provide a wide portion and a narrow portion, and a plurality of balls respectively received in said openings to be rotatable at said wide portion while confined to fix said wheel to said shaft at said narrow portion. 
     
     
       4. Photocopying apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said engaging means includes a wheel mounted on said shaft and provided with a gear, and wherein said driving means comprises a chain in mesh with said gear. 
     
     
       5. Photocopying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said casing is mounted for being manually returned to its said fixed position after completion of its movement. 
     
     
       6. Photocopying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said transparent support member for said thick original is mounted to provide a guide member for a sheet original inserted into said sheet original transporting means. 
     
     
       7. Photocopying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said means for releasably holding said casing comprises a projecting member resiliently mounted on said housing, and wherein said casing defines a recessed area for releasably receiving said projecting member. .Iadd. 8. Photocopying apparatus selectively operable in a first mode for copying relatively thick originals and in a second mode for copying sheet originals, comprising an exposure station through which an original to be copied is to be moved, an optical system for projecting an image of an original moving through said exposure station to an imaging station, means for moving a photosensitive member through said imaging station for the formation of an image of said original thereon, a support carriage capable of supporting relatively thick originals, means for permitting said carriage to be moved along a path such as to carry such originals through said exposure station when the apparatus is operated in the first mode, a sheet conveyor operable to transport sheet originals through said exposure station while said carriage is stationary when the apparatus is operated in the second mode, said sheet conveyor being mounted in tandem with said support carriage and being movable therewith when the apparatus is operated in the first mode, and an endless flexible transmission member engaged with said sheet conveyor for transmitting drive thereto, said transmission member including a portion which extends along said path of movement of said carriage so that, during operation of the apparatus in the first mode, said transmission member remains in engagement with said sheet conveyor. .Iaddend..Iadd. 9. Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said transmission member is a chain. .Iaddend..Iadd. 10. Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said sheet conveyor comprises a pair of transport rollers driven by said transmission member. .Iaddend..Iadd. 11. Apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said transmission member is a chain and said sheet conveyor includes a gear wheel engaged with said chain, and means connecting said gear wheel to said transport rollers so that said transport rollers are driven by said chain via said gear wheel. .Iaddend..Iadd. 12. Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said support carriage is arranged to be moved along said path by manual force. .Iaddend..Iadd. 13. Apparatus according to claim 12, including coupling means coupling said carriage to said transmission member so that, when said carriage is moved to carry an original through said exposure station during copying in said first mode, the carriage is prevented from being moved faster than said transmission member. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 14. Apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said coupling means comprises a freewheel device. .Iaddend..Iadd. 15. Apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said transmission member is a chain and said coupling means includes a gear engaged with said chain and coupling said chain to said freewheel device. .Iaddend..Iadd. 16. Apparatus according to claim 15, including a motor arranged to drive said transmission member and to provide a resistance to movement of the carriage at a speed faster than the speed at which the transmission member is driven by the motor, when the carriage is manually moved during copying in the first mode. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 17. Apparatus according to claim 8, including means for providing a driving force to said carriage for moving said carriage during operation of the apparatus in the first mode. .Iaddend..Iadd. 18. Apparatus according to claim 17, including coupling means for selectively coupling said carriage to said transmission member for the application of said driving force to said carriage, via said transmission member, when the apparatus is operated in the first mode. .Iaddend..Iadd. 19. Apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said coupling means is arranged so that said driving force may be applied to said carriage only in the direction in which the carriage is moved during exposure of an original carried thereby, said carriage being arranged to be manually moved in the opposite direction for return to a rest position. .Iaddend..Iadd. 20. Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said transmission member is also coupled to said means for moving a photosensitive member for effecting operation thereof. .Iaddend..Iadd. 21. Apparatus according to claim 8, including a lock mechanism for maintaining said carriage in a stationary position during operation of the apparatus in the second mode. .Iaddend..Iadd. 22. Apparatus according to claim 21, wherein said lock mechanism comprises a member biassed into locking engagement with said carriage but arranged to become disengaged therefrom when a force is applied to the carriage for effecting movement thereof. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 23. Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said sheet conveyor is arranged so that sheet originals may be guided thereinto by using an original support surface of said carriage as a guide surface. .Iaddend..Iadd. 24. Photocopying apparatus selectively operable in a first mode for copying relatively thick originals and in a second mode for copying sheet originals, comprising an exposure station through which an original to be copied is to be moved, an optical system for projecting an image of an original moving through said exposure station to an imaging station, means for moving a drum adapted to carry a photosensitive member through said imaging station for the formation of an image of said original thereon, a support carriage capable of supporting relatively thick originals, means for permitting said carriage to be moved along a path such as to carry such originals through said exposure station when the apparatus is operated in the first mode, a sheet conveyor operable to transport sheet originals through said exposure station while said carriage is stationary when the apparatus is operated in the second mode, said sheet conveyor being mounted in tandem with said support carriage and being movable therewith when the apparatus is operated in the first mode, and a transmission means engaged with said sheet conveyor for driving same while allowing said casing to remain stationary when said apparatus is operated in said second mode and to maintain the speed of movement of said casing in synchronism with the speed of movement of said photosensitive member during operation of said apparatus in the first mode, said transmission means remaining in engagement with said sheet conveyor during operation of the apparatus in said first mode. .Iaddend.