Platen driving device in an electrophotographic copying machine

Claim 1

Apparatus for driving a platen in an electrophotographic copying machine comprising a platen; at least one drive roller in friction contact with the bottom of said platen; at least one platen support roller disposed at the bottom thereof; power means for rotating said drive roller to move said platen in a predetermined direction in the horizontal plane; at least one depressing roller for depressing said platen onto said drive roller to thereby prevent vertical movement of said platen during movement of said platen in said predetermined direction; a first groove disposed along the bottom length of said platen, said first groove being cooperatively engaged with a guide roller mounted on a first shaft upon which said drive roller is mounted; a second groove disposed along one side of said platen, said said second groove being cooperatively engaged with said one depressing roller which is biased with a depressing means to thereby press said platen onto said drive roller, and a third groove disposed along the opposite side to said one side, which prevents said platen from moving other than along the predetermined direction in cooperation with a pin slideably disposed in said third groove and downwardly biased to said platen, said third groove having a gradually raised portion with which said platen is gradually stopped.