Original conveying apparatus for electrophotographic copying machines

Claim 1

An original conveying apparatus for an electrophotographic copying machine of an original travelling type, comprising; a drive roller unit; a follower roller unit including an original guide surface for guiding an original being conveyed, which surface is adapted to be swingably moved between a first position cooperating with said drive roller unit for conveying a single sheet-shaped original therebetween and a second position for conveying an original having substantial thickness where the original guide surface is being deployed to provide an extension of an original conveying path on the upper surface of the copying machine, said follower roller unit including follower rollers which are movable below said guide surface and are resiliently cooperable with associated drive rollers of the drive roller unit which is provided on the copying machine, to convey the single sheet-shaped original in the first position and which are resiliently urged to partly project through said original guide surface; a holding member slidably disposed within the follower roller unit to be displaceable between first and second positions in interlocked relationship with the movement of the follower roller unit for allowing the movement of the follower rollers when in the first position, and preventing said follower rollers from moving below said guide surface when in the second position, to forcibly maintain them in a non-resilient manner in said second position partly projecting above the guide surface for rollingly supporting an original having substantial thickness delivered to the follower roller unit by said drive roller unit; said follower unit further including resilient bias means normally urging said holding member toward its first position; and a stationary surface for urging said holding member to its second position when said follower roller unit is moved to its second position.