Photographic paper feeding attachment for processor

Claim 2

An attachment, for feeding exposed photographic paper from an enclosed cassette loaded with such paper to a processor disposed within a room containing light with the paper having a leading end outwardly extended from the cassette and with said processor having a paper guide mechanism disposed therein, comprising a light impervious housing adapted to receive such a tape cassette and to locate said leading end of the paper in a feeding position with respect to the processor; paper feed means disposed within the housing in bridging relation between the cassette and the processor upon which said paper is permitted to travel; a drive roller within the housing having a lower periphery in frictional driving relation to said paper upon the feed means; drive means operationally associated with said drive roller being manipulatable externally of the housing for initially feeding the paper into the processor until caught by said drive mechanism within the processor; and means pivotally mounting said roller on said feed means eccentrically of said drive means for swinging movement between a position rested upon the feed means and a position spaced therefrom permitting relatively free rotation of the roller in a direction tending to lift the roller from said feed means to feed said paper from the cassette toward the processor but restricting rotation of the roller in the opposite direction tending to force the roller against the feed means to preclude reverse travel of said paper toward the cassette.

Claim 3

The attachment of claim 1 in which said roller-mounting means includes a pair of elongated spaced substantially parallel arms individually having opposite pivot and swinging ends, a shaft having ends rotatably journaled in said swinging ends of the arms rotatably mounting said roller therebetween, support means on said feed plate pivotally mounting said pivot ends of the arms for free-floating rolling engagement of the roller upon said feed plate and for permitting said swinging movement of the roller away from the feed plate, and roller drive means having a control end outwardly extended from the housing and an inner end within the housing, a roller drive member mounted on said inner end of said drive means laterally adjacent to one of said arms eccentrically between its pivot and swinging ends, and a driven member mounted on said roller shaft for engagement with said drive member when the roller is rested against said feed plate.

Claim 4

An attachment, for feeding exposed photograpHic paper from an enclosed cassette loaded with such paper to a processor disposed within a lighted room with the paper having a leading end outwardly extended from an elongated paper discharge slot in the cassette and with said processor having an elongated paper-receiving slot and a paper drive mechanism disposed therein, comprising a light impervious housing having a compartment adapted to receive such a cassette therein; baffle means within the housing precisely locating the cassette to dispose said paper discharge slot therein in spaced aligned relation with the paper receiving slot in the processor; a substantially flat paper feed plate disposed in bridging relation between said slots in the cassette and in the processor and having a portion extendible through said slot in the processor in hooking relation to preclude inadvertent separation of the attachment therefrom; an elongated paper drive roller within the housing; a pair of elongated spaced substantially parallel arms having pivot ends pivotally mounted on said feed plate and opposite swingable ends; an elongated shaft having ends rotatably journaled in said swinging ends of the arms rotatably mounting said roller therebetween for movement between a position with the roller rested upon said feed plate and a position outwardly disposed therefrom; and roller drive means having a control end outwardly extended from the housing and an inner end adapted drivingly to engage one of said ends of the shaft when the roller is rested against said feed plate freely to rotate the roller in a direction tending to lift the roller from the feed plate to feed said paper from the cassette toward said processor but restricting rotation of the roller in the opposite direction tending to press the roller tightly against the feed plate to preclude reverse travel of the paper toward the cassette.

Claim 5

An attachment, for feeding exposed photograpHic paper from an enclosed cassette loaded with such paper to a processor disposed within a lighted room with the paper having a leading end outwardly extended from an elongated paper discharge slot in the cassette and with said processor having an elongated paper-receiving slot and a paper drive mechanism disposed therein, comprising a light impervious housing having a compartment adapted to receive such a cassette therein; baffle means within the housing precisely locating the cassette to dispose said paper discharge slot therein in spaced aligned relation with the paper receiving slot in the processor; a substantially flat paper feed plate disposed in bridging relation between said slots in the cassette and in the processor and having a portion extendible through said slot in the processor in hooking relation to preclude inadvertent separation of the attachment therefrom; an elongated paper drive roller within the housing; a pair of elongated spaced substantially parallel arms having pivot ends pivotally mounted on said feed plate and opposite swingable ends; an elongated shaft having ends rotatably journaled in said swinging ends of the arms rotatably mounting said roller therebetween for movement between a position with the roller rested upon said feed plate and a position outwardly disposed therefrom; and roller drive means having a control end outwardly extended from the housing and an inner end adapted drivingly to engage one of said ends of the shaft when the roller is rested against said feed plate freely to rotate the roller in a direction tending to lift the roller from the feed plate to feed said paper from the cassette toward said processor but restricting rotation of the roller in the opposite direction tending to press the roller tightly against the feed plate to preclude reverse travel of the paper toward the cassette.

Claim 6

The attachment of claim 3 in which said roller includes a peripheral portion spaced from said feed plate slidably engaging said cassette in light shielding relation to said slot in the cassette.

Claim 7

The attachment of claim 4 wherein said cassette provides an internal light-sealing mechanism normally closing said paper discharge slot to preclude inadvertent exposure of said photographic paper therein and having an outwardly extended actuating arm, and an elongated lever pivotally mounted within the housing having a camming ramp end slidably engageable with said actuating arm of the cassette for manipulating the same to open said paper discharge slot in the cassette when the cassette is disposed within the housing in a position to feed said photographic paper into the processor.