Switchable automatic document feeder capable of feeding continuous form documents or single sheet documents

An automatic document feeder for an image recorder having a top open platen, comprising:

• sheet-like document feeding means for feeding sheet-like documents to the platen, each of the sheet-like documents having a predetermined size;
• a separate inlet provided independent of said sheet-like document feeding means for feeding therethrough to the platen continuous documents constituted by a sequence of continuous pages and having a plurality of equally spaced holes;
• document transporting means located to face the platen for transporting any of the sheet-like or continuous documents placed on and along the platen;
• document discharging means for discharging said document from the platen;
• first sensor means located upstream of the platen with respect to an intended direction of transport of the continuous document for generating first pulses by sensing the holes of the continuous document;
• second sensor means located upstream of the platen with respect to the intended direction of transport of the continuous document for sensing presence of the continuous document;
• pulse generator means for generating second pulses after the second sensor means has stopped sensing presence of the continuous document;
• and
• control means for controlling said document transporting means, said document discharging means and said pulse generator means such that the first page of the continuous document is manually set on a predetermined position of the platen by inserting the leading edge of the continuous document into said inlet, the second page and successive pages except for the last page of the continuous document are set on said predetermined position of the platen by counting a predetermined number of said first pulses, and the last page of the continuous document is set on said predetermined position of the platen by counting a predetermined number of said second pulses, wherein said control means includes speed reduction means for reducing a driving speed of said document transporting means and said document discharging means in response to a determination that said second sensor means has stopped sensing said continuous document such that said driving speed is reduced during a period of time after said second sensor means has stopped sensing the continuous document and before said continuous document is brought to a halt.