Arrangement for supporting original documents on an optical copying machine

摘要

An optical copier has a transparent exposure plate which supports a portion of an original document to be copied and exposes the latter to light rays during the copying operation. The transparent plate extends across an opening of a frame, being inwardly offset with respect to a support surface of the frame. A lid is mounted on the frame for pivoting between a closed position in which the lid covers the transparent plate, and fully open position. A marginal portion of the frame holds the lid in its fully open position so that the lid serves to support another portion of the original document. A hinge which mounts the lid on the frame may include a connecting link and two pivots which respectively connect the link to the lid and to the frame. The hinge may be mounted either on the lid or on the frame for an easy detachment therefrom, for instance, by resiliently yieldable bearing blocks which engage with snap action behind an edge portion which surrounds an orifice. The easy detachment may also be achieved by providing bifurcated connecting members whose prongs yieldably embrace and engage an axle.