DEVELOPING DEVICE FOR ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHIC COPYING DEVICE

PURPOSE:To temporarily eliminate a toner exhausted state in the case that a toner supply chamber is not replenished with toner at once because no standby toner container is prepared by replenishing the chamber with small quantity of toner from a toner storing part. CONSTITUTION:The toner storing part 45 where a small quantity of toner 34 is stored is provided in the developing case 32 of a developing device main body so as to optionally and freely move to a 1st position where on part of the toner 34 can be stored when the toner is supplied and a 2nd position where the toner supply chamber 35 can be replenished with the stored toner. When the toner container 33 is replaced to supply the toner 34, one part of the toner 34 is stored in the part 45 at the 1st position and stored as standby toner. When the toner 34 is exhausted after the elapse of time and no standby toner container is prepared, the part 45 is moved to the 2nd position and the toner supply chamber 35 is replenished with the small quantity of toner 34 from the part 45. Thus, the image forming action is not interrupted for a long time and immediately restarted even when no standby container is prepared.