Abstract: A lawn mower includes a cutter blade rotatably disposed in a cutter housing, for cutting grass, a discharge fan rotatably disposed in the cutter housing upwardly of the cutter blade, for discharging grass clippings cut off by the cutter blade, a power source disposed outside of the cutter housing, and a speed reducer mechanism disposed outside of the cutter housing upwardly of the discharge fan, for transmitting mechanical power from the power source at a reduced speed to the discharge fan to rotate the discharge fan at a speed lower than the speed at which the cutter blade rotates. The cutter blade comprises a flat member and lies substantially horizontally.

Abstract: A copying apparatus includes a copy condition setting unit for setting copy conditions such as a copy count, a copy density, and a magnification. A standard mode setting unit initially sets the copy conditions upon starting of the apparatus to predetermined initial values, and a frequency calculating unit calculates a setting frequency of each copy condition set by the copy condition setting unit and the standard mode setting unit. When the frequency calculated by the frequency calculating unit exceeds a predetermined value, a correction unit corrects the corresponding copy condition to have the initial value set by the standard mode setting unit.

Abstract: The invention provides an improved color image reader in which the document having a color original image is irradiated by a light source moving relatively on such document and the reflected light is introduced into a single unit including a lens and a color separator so that the color original image is separated into plural color component images. The plural color component images are respectively read and photo-electrically converted into plural signals by CCD's. In such arrangement, the light source is positioned at the upper side of the optical axis of the lens and the CCD's are disposed at the lower side of the axis. The color separator can form the plural color component images on the same plane.

Abstract: A multicolor image forming apparatus wherein a plurality of developing devices for forming a multicolor image are integrally supported by a support member which can be inserted into and withdrawn from an apparatus body, and a plurality of resupply devices for replenishing toner particles are mounted on each of the developing devices. Each of the developing devices and each of the resupply devices corresponding to each of the developing devices are automatically connected to and disconnected from each other, when the support member is inserted into and withdrawn from the apparatus body. The support member further supports an image retainer and if necessary a cleaning member integrally.

Abstract: A recording apparatus having an image carrier and a heated intermediate transfer member is disclosed. The improvement is the addition of a shielding member of porous metal for preventing water vapor and/or heat from reaching the surface of the image carrier, wherein the shielding member has a trapping capability for condensing and trapping the water vapor.

Abstract: A cleaning member for an intermediate transfer member of a reproducing apparatus for transferring a toner image formed on a toner image forming member to the intermediate transfer member and further transferring the toner image to a subsequent transfer material from the intermediate transfer member, wherein the cleaning member has an outer layer of a porous or fibrous substrate and an outer surface of the toner, a resin identical with the toner or a resin compatible with the resin, or the cleaning member has an outer layer of adiabatic elastic material and a thin metallic outer surface layer.

Abstract: A recording apparatus wherein an electrostatic latent image on an electrostatic latent image retaining member is developed into a visible image by means of a developer transported on the surface of a developer carrier having at least a magnet movably provided therein. At least a part of the electrostatic latent image retaining member is constituted by a magnetic material.

Abstract: A recording apparatus for electrostatic images comprising a photoreceptor, an intermediate transfer substance and a means for heating toner images transferred onto said intermediate transfer substance and transferring again and fixing them onto a transfer material, characterized in that there are provided a means for detecting a temperature of aforesaid photoreceptor and a means for keeping the temperature of said photoreceptor within a fixed range of T.sub.1 through T.sub.2.

Abstract: A developer for developing an electrostatic latent image comprising colored electroscopic particles and at least one silicon dioxide powder having its particles made hydrophobic with a specified organosilicon compound is disclosed. Silicon atoms in said organosilicon compound are bonded to silicon atoms on the surface of individual silicon dioxide particles through oxygen atoms. At least one organic group in the organosilicon compound has a total carbon number of 8 or more and is a saturated or unsaturated aliphatic organic group with at least 5 carbon atoms or an organic compound having a hydrocarbon ring. In a preferred embodiment, such a silicon dioxide powder is used in combination with another silicon dioxide powder whose particles are rendered hydrophobic by an organosilicon compound wherein any of the organic groups present has a total carbon number of 7 or less and is a saturated or unsaturated organic group with not more than 4 carbon atoms or an organic group having a hydrocarbon ring.

Abstract: A vapor source-holding container has an opening smaller than the evaporating area of the material held in the container and a wall portion in contact with the material and having an emissivity lower than the external surface of the wall portion not in contact with the material.

Abstract: A toner supply controlling device wherein the rate of supply of toner is altered according to information from a monitoring device for monitoring the continuation status of the supply of toner, when the supply of toner is conducted continuously beyond a prescribed level. The monitoring device also monitors the status of a continued stoppage of the supply of toner and, when the stoppage continues beyond a prescribed period of time, the changed rate of supply of toner is returned to the original rate.

Abstract: The present invention is such that in a recording apparatus comprising a toner image carrier and an intermediate image transfer material which receives the toner image transferred from the image carrier and then transfers the toner image onto the subsequent transfer sheet material (recording sheet), and an image transfer section for transferring the toner image onto the moving transfer sheet material comprising a transfer roller and pressure roller pressing thereon, the recording apparatus has the following pre-heating means comprising a heat member and a pressing member which is located at a position prior to the transfer section and which, brings the subsequent transfer sheet material into close contact with or presses the subsequent transfer sheet material against the periphery of the pressure roller, the member being provided at least on its side facing the transfer sheet material with a heat-resistant, elastically deformable porous material.

Abstract: In a method for the formation of images such as an electrophotographic method in which toners are used, when a heat roller is used for fixing toner images, the durability and the heat efficiency of the heat roller is improved reducing the wall thickness of the cylindrical metal of the heat roller, shortening the warming-up time, using a material having a substantial Young's modulus, and by shortening the outer diameter of the cylindrical metal, respectively.With respect to toners specifically used for the above, stains on an image carrier are prevented by making use of a binder that is fused at a heating temperature of the heat-fixing roller and is increased in the elasticity of the toner at the same temperature or higher. Such binders may be obtained by copolymerizing a polyhydric alcohol and/or a polyhydric amine, and a polyhydric carboxylic acid.

Abstract: A developing device for use in an electrophotographic copying machine or electrostatic recording apparatus includes a stirring blade for mixing the developer. The driven shaft driving the stirring blade is intermittently revolved in a reverse direction to the main driving shaft directly connected to the developing sleeve by a mechanism incorporated between the main shaft and the driven shaft.

Abstract: A peelable film-forming paint is disclosed which is used for removing contamination from and protecting the surface of equipment subject to contamination such as oil, and which contains film-forming components of a polyurethane resin and an isocyanate resin dissolved in a volatile solvent. Such a paint is also disclosed which further contains less than 15% by weight of ethylene glycol monoalkyl ether.

Abstract: A semiconductor laser is comprised of a terrace shaped substrate andepitaxially grown layers including an active layer on the substrate. The active layer has an oblique active region formed between an upper horizontal part on the thicker part of the substrate and a lower horizontal part on the thinner part of the substrate. The laser is characterized by a current limiting layer of high resistivity or a layer forming a current limiting p-n junction with the substrate between the lower horizontal part of the active layer and the thinner part of the substrate, thereby limiting the path of the current from the active layer to the substrate almost horizontally through the vertical step wall part between the thinner part and the thicker part.

Abstract: There is provided a process for preparing a photosensitive plate for printing which comprises providing a heat-depositable fine powder having a constant directional size of 0.5-40.mu. onto the surface of a photosensitive plate for printing at a ratio of 0.005-0.5 g. of the said powder per m.sup.2 of the said plate to uniformly disperse and adhere the said powder onto the said surface, while preheating the right side (side on which powder adheres) and/or the reverse side of the said plate upon providing said powder or before or after providing, and subsequently contacting the right side of the said plate with a heating roll having a high releasing surface, whereby the said fine powder is fused and fixed on onto the surface of the said plate.

Abstract: There is provided a process for the production of a photosensitive plate for printing which comprises providing a given amount of a fine powder having a constant directional size of 0.5-40 .mu. from a dust supplier directly or via a distributor to a cyclone, feeding the said powder together with a small volume of air from the bottom of said cyclone, uniformly dispersing and adhering the so flowed fine powder onto the surface of a continuously running photosensitive plate for printing.

Abstract: A light-sensitive silver halide photographic material comprising a basic mordant, an acidic dye, a hydrophilic colloid layer containing a compound (I) and a layer containing a compound (II) which layer is adjacent to said hydrophilic layer.