Multiple copy arrangement for photocopy machine

Claim 1

A photocopy machine having: A. guide and transport means defining an illuminating station for an original document to be copied and an exposing station for copy paper to be imaged and for transporting an original document and copy paper through their respective stations, B. means for simultaneously illuminating an original document and for projecting an image of indicia thereon onto copy paper as the original document and copy paper are fed through their respective stations by said transport means, C. means for feeding copy paper from a supply thereof, D. switch means responsive to the movement of a document therepast for actuating said illuminating means and said copy paper feeding means, and E. means for directing an original document past said illuminating station for making a single copy of the document and for recycling original documents of varying length past said illuminating station along a selected one of a plurality of paths of different length as determined by the length of an original document for making a plurality of copies of the original document, said document directing and recycling means comprising a. means defining a single copy document path, a first recycling document path and a second recycling document path having a shorter effective length than said first recycling document path, each of said recycling document paths having a portion in common with said switch means and said illuminating station being located in said common portion of said recycling document paths, and said switch means being located therein in advance of said illuminating station, b. guide means for directing a document to be copied into said common portion of said recirculating document paths at a location in advance of said switch means, and c. control means operable to cause a document to be directed along a selected one of said recycling document paths in accordance with the length of the document.