Automatic sheet feeder having means for resuming continuous copying after power stoppage

Abstract

An automatic sheet feeder for a copying machine etc. for correctly resuming a continuous copying operation after power to the sheet feeder (as well as the copying machine) is stopped by an emergency (safety) power stop. The copying machine has a state memory in which the state of the automatic sheet feeder (whether it is operating or not operating) at the time of a power stoppage to the automatic sheet feeder is stored. When the supply of power to the automatic sheet feeder begins, the state data is sent from the copying machine to the automatic short feeder. When the state data from the copying machine indicates that the sheet feeder was not operating, the automatic sheet feeder performs a preset initializing process in which the feeding rollers are rotated to eject the original sheet on the contact glass plate of the copying machine. When the state data indicates that the sheet feeder was operating when the power supply was stopped however the sheet feeder does not perform the initializing process and the original sheet still on the contact glass plate (which has not yet copied due to the emergency stop) is copied, and the continuous copying operation is resumed without missing any copies of plural original sheets.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.