An image forming apparatus such as a laser beam printer has a plurality of movable image carrying members such as photosensitive drums, an image forming member such as a laser beam scanner capable of forming on the image carrying members images of different colors correspoding to image information, and transfer devices for sequentially transferring the image carried by the image carrying members to an image receiving member such that the image of different colors are superposed. The image receiving member may be copy paper or an overhead projector sheet, and is fed by a feeding device in the form of an endless belt. A lifting device is provided to move the feeding device from an operative position to at least one retracted position in response to detection of jamming or when an image receiving member having a large heat capacity is used.