Conveying apparatus with conveyance surface facing downward

A conveying apparatus comprising:

• a conveyor including a conveyance surface facing downward and configured to convey a conveyed object having a sheet-like shape;
• a conveyed object receptor arranged below the conveyor and configured to receive the conveyed object having fallen from the conveyor;
• a first guide plate at least partially spaced from and upstream of the conveyor in a conveyance direction of the conveyed object and configured to support the conveyed object;
• and
• a second guide plate spaced from and downstream of the conveyor in the conveyance direction of the conveyed object and configured to support the conveyed object,
• wherein the first guide plate supports and guides the conveyed object to the conveyor and is at least partially spaced from the conveyor in the conveyance direction of the conveyed object so as to support an upstream portion of the conveyed object and to not support a downstream portion of the conveyed object when the conveyed object remains at a first position bridging the conveyance surface and the first guide plate during a first time when conveyance of the conveyed object is stopped due to an occurrence of a jam, whereby the downstream portion of the conveyed object hangs toward the conveyed object receptor thereby permitting removal of the conveyed object supported by the first guide plate during the first time, and
• the second guide plate is spaced from the conveyor in the conveyance direction of the conveyed object so as to support a downstream portion of the conveyed object and to not support an upstream portion of the conveyed object when the conveyed object remains at a second position bridging the conveyance surface and the second guide plate during a second time when conveyance of the conveyed object is stopped due to the occurrence of the jam, whereby the upstream portion of the conveyed object hangs toward the conveyed object receptor thereby permitting removal of the conveyed object supported by the second guide plate during the second time.