PURPOSE: To enable the adoption of three kinds of paper feed methods with a compact paper feeder in a copier or the like, by detecting paper inserted onto a paper feed bearer and by temporarily rotating a paper feed roller in response to the signal of the detection to put the inserted paper in a stand-by state for feeding.

CONSTITUTION: Paper of high frequency in use is previously housed in a cassette 21. When the paper is needed, a selector switch is shifted to drive a paper feed roller 24 by a paper feed signal from the body of a copier to automatically feed the paper out of the cassette 21. To use paper of different size during the feeding of the former paper, the selector switch is shifted for a paper feed bearer 1 to drive a paper feed roller 3 by a paper feed signal to automatically feed the paper from the bearer. To feed only one sheet of paper, it is inserted through a paper feed opening 1-1 so that the paper feed roller 3 is rotated by a detection signal from a detection switch 14. When the front end of the sheet is found out by another detection switch 8, the roller 3 is stopped to put it in a stand-by state. The rotation of the roller 3 is resumed by a paper feed signal to feed the sheet. According to this constitution, a paper feeder is made compact.