US3635140A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Tripod-mounted scanning camera
Assignee: TRANS HORIZONS Inc
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Filing: 1969-09-05
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Granted: 1972-01-18
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Expires: 1989-09-05
Abstract
Abstract A rotary panoramic camera assembly consisting of a support and a camera rotatably mounted thereon and driven in a horizontal plane by a reversible electric motor whose operation is controlled by microswitches at opposite ends of a specified arc of scanning traverse of the camera. The camera has changeable lenses and a changeable film cassette having a film advance mechanism driven through a gear system by the main camera motor. The gear system includes a speed-selecting gear-change assembly to change the speed of film movement in accordance with a change of camera lenses. The camera includes adjustable focusing mechanism, an automatic iris control system, an adjustable aperture, a film footage indicator, and a solenoid-operated idler gear in the gear system which automatically uncouples the film advance mechanism from the system at the end of the forward scan of the camera and during the return movement of the camera to its starting position for repeating the scan.
Inventors
- 👤 Jesse D Wolf
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 07:48
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03B; G03B37/00; G03B37/02
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
117 words
In a panoramic camera, a support, a camera rotatably mounted on said support for rotation of the optical axis thereof substantially in a horizontal plane, said camera including a changeable lens system and film transport means for moving a film relative to said lens system, motor means on the support, first transmission means drivingly coupling said motor means to the camera, and second transmission means dRivingly coupling said first transmission means to the film transport means, wherein said second transmission means comprises changeable gearing and gear-shift means to selectively adjust the drive ratio of said changeable gearing for adjusting the relative speed of movement of the film with respect to the speed of rotation of the camera.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
117 words
In a panoramic camera, a support, a camera rotatably mounted on said support for rotation of the optical axis thereof substantially in a horizontal plane, said camera including a changeable lens system and film transport means for moving a film relative to said lens system, motor means on the support, first transmission means drivingly coupling said motor means to the camera, and second transmission means dRivingly coupling said first transmission means to the film transport means, wherein said second transmission means comprises changeable gearing and gear-shift means to selectively adjust the drive ratio of said changeable gearing for adjusting the relative speed of movement of the film with respect to the speed of rotation of the camera.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
47 words
The panoramic camera of claim 1, wherein said changeable gearing includes a plurality of idler transmission gears movably mounted on the camera, and said gear-shift means comprises means to selectively move the idler gears into drive-transmitting relationship between the first transmission means and the film transport means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
39 words
The panoramic camera of the claim 2, and wherein the idler gears are provided with respective supporting frames pivoted to the camera, and wherein the means to move the idler gears comprises means to selectively rotate said supporting frames.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
41 words
The panoramic camera of claim 3, and wherein said supporting frames are pivoted on a common vertical axis, and wherein said means to rotate the supporting frames comprises respective levers pivoted to the camera and drivingly connected to the supporting frames.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
80 words
The panoramic camera of claim 4, and wherein said changeable gearing comprises a gear train including a vertical shaft journaled on the camera and carrying a plurality of vertically spaced gears of different size, said vertical shaft being drivingly coupled to said first transmission means in a fixed speed ratio relative thereto, said supporting frames being respectively mounted at the same levels as said last-named gears, whereby said idler gears can be selectively meshingly engaged with said different-sized last-named gears.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
16 words
The panoramic camera of claim 1, and wherein said second transmission means includes electromagnetic clutch means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
51 words
The panoramic camera of claim 6, and means to actuate said electromagnetic clutch means to establish a driving connection between the first and second transmission means when the camera is driven in one direction, and means to render the clutch means inoperative when the camera is driven in the opposite direction.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
37 words
The panoramic camera of claim 1, and wherein said second transmission means includes a gear train having a movably mounted coupling gear retractable to noncoupling position, and electromagnetic means to move said coupling gear into coupling position.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
21 words
The panoramic camera of claim 8, and means to actuate said electromagnetic means simultaneously with the operation of said motor means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
55 words
The panoramic camera of claim 8, and wherein said electromagnetic means comprises a solenoid mounted on the camera and having a plunger, said coupling gear being journaled to the plunger and being in noncoupling position when the solenoid is deenergized, said coupling gear being movable into coupling position responsive to the energization of said solenoid.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
42 words
The panoramic camera of claim 10, and wherein said motor means comprises a reversible electric motor having respective forward and reverse windings, means to selectively energize said windings, and means to energize said solenoid simultaneously with the energization of said forward winding.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
29 words
The panoramic camera of claim 11, and means to deenergize said windings responsive to the rotation of the camera to respective forward and reverse limiting positions on said support.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
31 words
The panoramic camera of claim 12, and wherein said second transmission means comprises changeable ratio gearing, and means mounted on the camera to selectively adjust the drive ratio of said gearing.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
46 words
The panoramic camera of claim 13, and wherein said changeable ratio includes a plurality of idler transmission gears, respective supporting frames pivoted to the camera and carrying said idler gears, and means to selectively rotate said supporting frames to move said idler gears into coupling positions.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
56 words
The panoramic camera of claim 14, and wherein the camera includes a removable cassette cOntaining said film transport means, said cassette having a film exposure aperture and having means to couple the film transport means to the second transmission means when the cassette film exposure aperture is aligned with the optical axis of the lens system.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
28 words
The panoramic camera of claim 15, and wherein said cassette is provided with an adjustable gate member cooperating with said aperture to determine the width of said aperture.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
37 words
The panoramic camera of claim 16, and width-adjusting means on the lens system operatively engageable with said gate member when the cassette is in a position to couple the film transport means to the second transmission means.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-01-17 | 1975-07-19 | 1976-01-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-01-17 | 1979-07-19 | 1980-01-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-01-17 | 1983-07-19 | 1984-01-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |