Electrophotographic copying machine and method of setting copy

Abstract

An electrophotographic copying machine and a method of setting a copy magnification. The machine includes a glass plate on which an original sheet is set, an exposure lamp for scanning the original sheet, a photoconductor, first, second and third mirrors for reflecting in turn the light reflected by the original sheet, a lens refracting the light from the third mirror for imaging on the photoconductor, a first moving frame for carrying the exposure lamp and the first mirror, a second moving frame for carrying the second and third mirrors, an inputting device for inputting a copy magnification, a setting device for setting the inputted copy magnification by moving the lens and fourth mirror system, and a driving device for moving the first and second moving frames, when the original sheet is scanned, to keep a fixed optical length from the original sheet to the lens. When a magnification larger than the copy magnification already set is newly inputted, the setting device moves the lens so as to set the new magnification after the first and second moving frames have returned to their respective home positions. According to another aspect to the invention, when the newly inputted magnification is larger than the previously inputted magnification, the lens is moved first. Also, a fourth mirror system may be first moved when the newly inputted magnification is equivalent to or smaller than the previously inputted magnification.