AUFSCHMELZEINRICHTUNG

A positively heated fusing roller and a not positively heated counterpressure roller define a roller nip through which copy paper bearing toner images to be fused is transported, with the toner images in contact with the peripheral surface of the heated fusing roller. The two rollers are driven by a drive mechanism during copying operations but not driven by that drive mechanism during the intermediate ready intervals during which the copying machine is awaiting a copying command from the operator. Because the fusing roller radiates heat to the counterpressure roller during the ready intervals, there is a tendency for the peripheral surface of the counterpressure roller to become non-uniformly heated, which can result in non-uniform fusing of toner along the length of the transported copy paper. In accordance with the present invention, at least the not positively heated counterpressure roller is automatically rotated during the ready intervals, preferably at a speed lower than the speed at which the rollers rotate during copying and fusing.