Device for aligning and feeding an original

A device for aligning and feeding an original from a feed station to an object stage in a copying machine, comprising:

• a cover positioned above at least a portion of the feed station and the object stage;
• a drivable feed roller associated with said cover in a position above the feed station to feed an original inserted onto the feed station, said feed roller being rotatable about an axis which is obliquely oriented with respect to the direction of transport of the original through the copying machine;
• a plurality of sensors for detecting a plurality of positions of the original in the copying machine, including a first sensor for detecting the presence of an original in the feed station;
• means for correctly aligning a leading edge and a leading corner of an original in the feed station, said aligning means including a front edge alignment member which is selectively movable upwardly and downwardly into and out of the transport path of the original;
• means for temporarily driving said feed roller in response to detection of an original by said first sensor, to feed the original into correct alignment in said aligning means;
• a transport device for an original, located in said cover, said transport device being movable back and forth between a first position located above said aligning means and a second position located above the object stage and including means for selectively and alternately supplying to said transport device a vacuum and positive air pressure, means for gripping an original by suction produced by said vacuum when the original is correctly aligned at said aligning means, and means for moving said transport device between said first and second position;
• a second sensor located as said aligning means for detecting when an original is correctly aligned there;
• and means, responsive to a signal from said second sensor, for moving said front edge alignment member out of the transport path of the original.