Sheet transporting device with locking mechanism

A sheet transporting device comprising:

• a transportation unit that transports a sheet to a transportation path by rotating in a forward direction;
• a discharge unit that discharges the sheet from the transportation path by rotating in a forward direction, and that feeds the sheet to the transportation unit through a reversing path by rotating in a reverse direction;
• a motor that serves as a source of driving force for a transportation roller and a discharge roller;
• and
• a first rotation-transmitting mechanism that transmits rotational driving force of the motor to the transportation roller,
• wherein the first rotation-transmitting mechanism includes
• a first planetary gear mechanism that transmits rotational driving force to the transportation unit through a first planet gear to rotate the transportation roller in the forward direction when the motor rotates in a first direction, and that transmits rotational driving force to the transportation unit through a second planet gear to rotate the transportation roller in the forward direction when the motor rotates in a second direction, and
• a locking mechanism that locks a planetary rocking member of the first planetary gear mechanism in such a condition that rotational driving force of the motor is transmitted to the transportation unit through the second planet gear,
• wherein the locking mechanism terminates locking of the planetary rocking member of the first planetary gear mechanism by engaging with the sheet in the transportation path downstream of the transportation roller with respect to a direction in which the sheet is transported.