Control device for an electrophotographic printing machine

Claim 2

An electrophotographic printing machine of the type having a fusing apparatus to substantially permanently affix a powder image to a sheet of support material, including: means for separating and advancing successive sheets of support material from a stack thereof; means for supporting a first stack of sheet material in said separating and advancing means; removable means for supporting a second stack of sheet material in said separating and advancing means; and means, responsive to insertion of said second stack supporting means in said separating and advancing means, for automatically switching the fuser temperature set-point from a first temperature for the first stack of sheet material to a second temperature for the second stack of sheet material.

Claim 3

A printing machine as recited in claim 1, wherein said switching means controls the number of copies made from an original document disposed in the printing machine for each energization thereof.

Claim 4

A printing machine as recited in claim 1, wherein said first stack supporting means includes: a frame member; and a base plate mounted pivotably on said frame member and arranged to hold the first stack of sheet material thereon.

Claim 5

A printing machine as recited in claim 3, wherein said second stack supporting means includes: a bottom member positioned on the first stack supported on said base plate, said bottom member having a generally planar surface arranged to support the second stack of sheet material thereon; a first side member secured to and extending in a direction substantially normal to said bottom member; and a protuberance secured to and extending in an outwardly direction from said first side member, said protuberance being adapted to actuate said switching means to change the fuser temperature set-point from the first temperature to the second temperature.

Claim 6

A printing machine as recited in claim 4, wherein the first stack of sheet material includes a plurality of fibrous sheets.

Claim 7

A printing machine as recited in claim 4, wherein the second stack of sheet material includes a plurality of substantially transparent non-fibrous sheets.

Claim 8

A printing machine as recited in claim 4, further including: a back member secured to said bottom member and extending in an upwardly direction substantially normal thereto; a top member secured to said back member with the leading marginal portion thereof hinged to the rear portion thereof, said top member extending in a direction substantially parallel to said bottom member; and a front member hinged to the leading marginal portion of said top member and extending in a downwardly direction substantially normal thereto.

Claim 9

A printing machine as recited in claim 7, further including a second side member secured to and extending in a direction substantially normal to said bottom member and the rear portion of said top member opposed from said first side member, said second side member extending over a portion of said bottom member and the rear portion of said top member.

Claim 10

A printing machine as recited in claim 1, wherein said separating and advancing means includes: a frame member; a retard roller mounted eccentrically on said frame member; biasing means for resiliently urging said retard roller to pivot from an inoperative position spaced from one surface of an advancing sheet to an Operative position in contact therewith; and a rotary driven feed roller having a first portion of the circumferential surface thereof engaging the other surface of the advancing sheet and a second portion of the circumferential surface engaging the circumferential surface of said retard roller disposed in the operative position thereof prior to the advancing sheet being interposed therebetween, said feed roller being adapted to advance the sheet into the nip defined by said feed roller and said retard roller to prevent multiple sheet feeding.