Gang safety latching mechanism and an image producing machine including same

An image producing machine comprising

• (a) a main machine body having image forming and transfer components including a photoreceptor, sheet supply modules and a fusing apparatus;
• (b) several modules including a reference module and at least two movable modules co-assembled to said reference module for movement relative to each other and to the reference module;
• and
• (c) a gang safety latching mechanism for preventing unsafe separate simultaneous movement of the at least two co-assembled movable modules relative to said reference module, the gang safety latching mechanism comprising;
• (x) (a) a torsion spring and bracket device including (i) a torsion spring subassembly for attaching to a first movable module of the plural co-assembled movable modules, (ii) a first bracket mounted onto said torsion spring subassembly, having a first free position and a first loaded position, and being movable between said first free position and said first loaded position, and (iii) a second bracket mounted onto said torsion spring subassembly, having a second free position and a second loaded position, and being movable between said second free position and said second loaded position, and wherein on said torsion spring and bracket device, a first direction of movement of said first bracket from said first loaded position to said first free position is opposite to a second direction of movement of said second bracket from said second loaded position to said second free position;
• (y) an interference assembly defining a receiving area, said interference assembly being locatable on said reference module and including (i) an opening for passage of an end portion of said torsion spring and bracket device into and out of said receiving area, (ii) a knocker member for contacting said first bracket when said end portion of said torsion spring and bracket device is passed through said opening;
• and (iii) a catch lip for trapping said second bracket within said receiving area;
• and
• (z) a gang locking member locatable on a second movable module of the plural co-assembled movable modules for locking said second bracket to said first bracket, thereby gang locking said second movable module to said first movable module, and thereby preventing unsafe separate simultaneous movement of said second movable and said first movable module relative to said reference module.