Shutter-operating and film-advancing mechanism

Claim 1

In a camera having, 1. a shutter that is opened for a short picture-taking interval when a part of the shutter is moved, and 2. a lever that is movable to cause rotation of a takeup spool in an increment of rotation sufficient to advance film in the camera one frame-length, shutter-actuating and film-advance-actuating mechanism comprising 1. a shutter-actuating member mounted in the camera for movement against spring tension from a rest position to an energized position; 2. a film-advance-actuating member mounted in the camera for movement against spring tension from a rest position to an energized position; 3. a striker attached to the shutter-actuating member and adapted to move said part of the shutter during the return movement of the shutter-actuating member from its energized position to its rest position; 4. engaging means on the film-advance-actuating member adapted to engage the lever during return movement of the filmadvance-actuating member adapted to engage the lever during return movement of the film-advance-actuating member from its energized position to its rest position; 5. drive means operable by the camera user to forward the filmadvance-actuating member to its energized position and releasable to permit the member to return under the force of the spring tension from its energized position to its rest position; 6. connection means connecting the shutter-actuating member to the film-advance-actuating member so that forward movement of the film-advance-actuating member causes the shutter-actuating member to move forward; and 7. trigger means operable when the shutter-actuating and filmadvance-actuating members are in their energized position for disconnecting the shutter-actuating member from the filmadvance-actuating member, whereupon the shutter-actuating member returns under the force of the spring tension from its energized position to its rest position.