Paper feeding apparatus and image forming apparatus

A paper feeding apparatus comprising:

• a pickup roller that pulls out, on a one-by-one basis, sheets stacked on a paper feeding cassette;
• a paper feeding roller that sends, to a conveyance path, a sheet pulled out by the pickup roller;
• a separation roller that abuts the paper feeding roller and prevents double feeding of the sheets;
• a roller arrangement space in which the pickup roller, the paper feeding roller, and the separation roller are arranged;
• a work space that communicates with the roller arrangement space and is for taking out the pickup roller, the paper feeding roller, or the separation roller;
• a guide portion that closes the work space, such that the sheet passes through the work space, and that guides the sheets stacked on the paper feeding cassette to the conveyance path;
• and
• an opening and closing member that is provided with the guide portion and exposes the work space,
• wherein the opening and closing member is arranged slidably in an insertion and removal direction of the paper feeding cassette,
• the opening and closing member includes an abutment portion at a first end portion different from a second end portion of the opening and closing member where the work space is exposed, and
• when the paper feeding cassette abuts the abutment portion, the opening and closing member is slid in a direction of closing the work space.