PURPOSE: To increase corona electric current flowing into a photoreceptor and to separate efficiently paper so that the jamming of paper is not generated, by arranging the top ends of pawls preventing paper rushing-in of an electrostatic charger for separating paper so as not to place over a wire of electrostatic charge.

CONSTITUTION: Both ends of a wire 14 of electrostatic charge are fixed by fixing members 13, and is connected electrically to a connecting pin 16, and AC high voltage is charged to the connecting pin 16. A case 12 of an electrostatic charger has a channel-shaped section and is constituted of a bottom part and side walls 12A, 12B. Plural pawls 15 preventing paper rushing-in are fitted on the side wall 12A. The pawls 15 are detachably fixed. The paper which is transferred moves from the side walls 12A, pawls 15 and the side wall 12B to a fixing part. When the distance from the side wall 12A to the wire 14 is denoted by (a) and the distance to the top ends of pawls is denoted by l, the relation of a>l is applicable. Therefore, the pawls 15 are not placed over the wire 14, and corona discharge current flowing to a photoreceptor becomes larger to increase the effect of separating paper.