Manuscript scanning device for copying machines and the like

Claim 1

A scanning device for a copying machine and the like, said copying machine copying an original document and including a photosensitive material driven at a predetermined speed, said scanning device comprising means for maintaining said original document stationary; a light source for illuminating said stationary original document; reflecting means for directing light from said stationary original document towards the photosensitive material; a rotatable shaft having a predetermined axis; said reflecting means including three reflectors radially mounted at equal angular intervals on said rotatable shaft for scanning the original document by progressively directing the light from the original document towards the photosensitive material, each said reflector being fixedly mounted on said rotatable shaft and extending therefrom along an outwardly directed radial, each said reflector being covered on its reflecting side by a non-reflecting portion extending from said rotatable shaft along said reflector, the length of each of said non-reflecting portions being such as to prevent reflections from its associated reflector onto the reflector in front of it; driving means for driving said rotatable shaft in one direction so that said reflectors successively scan the original document; and means for mounting said document and reflectors with respect to one another so that a light ray from any predetermined point on the stationary original document is incident to and reflected from said reflectors in a plane which is substantially perpendicular to said predetermined axis of the shaft.