Image-forming machine having a cover member for covering part of an image bearing member

Claim 1

An image-forming machine comprising a lower support frame; an upper supporting frame mounted on the lower supporting frame for free pivotable movement, between a supporting frame open position and a supporting frame closed position, around a central axis of pivoting extending in the front-rear direction; an image bearing member having an electrophotographic material thereon, said image bearing member being mounted on the upper supporting frame and adapted to be moved in a predetermined direction; means defining a sheet material conveying passage for conveying sheet material from a supply thereof, into contract with the image bearing member of formation of an image on the sheet material, through an image fixing device, and to a copy discharge location; a cover member disposed for free movement between a cover member covering position at which the cover member covers part of the image bearing member, isolating said part of the image bearing member from the sheet material conveying passage, and a cover member open position at which the cover member is removed from the cover member covering position to expose said part of the image bearing member to the sheet material conveying passage and to define, in part, said sheet material conveying passage, said cover member being adapted to be held at the cover member open position when the upper supporting frame is at the supporting frame closed position and to be moved in substantially the same direction as the moving direction of the image bearing member and brought to the cover member covering position when the upper supporting frame is brought to the supporting frame open position from the supporting frame closed position.