Mechanism for use in a camera for exposing and initiating the processing of photographic units

Claim 2

A camera for exposing and initiating the processing of film units, which film units include a photosensitive portion and at least one rupturable pod containing a processing reagent, said camera comprising: means defining a first chamber for receiving the film units; means defining a second chamber for supplying the film units to said first chamber; a mechanism reciprocably movable between first and second positions associated with said first and second chambers, respectively, for effecting the processing of a film unit in said first chamber, and for transporting the film units from said second chamber to said first chamber, said mechanism including means for rupturing the pod of a film unit in said first chamber in response to the movement of said mechanism from said first position towards said second position, and means for transportably engaging a film unit in said second chamber upon movement of said mechanism to the second position; and, means for directing said mechanism from said first position to said second position and back to said first position, and for preventing said mechanism from rupturing the pods of the film units in said second chamber, said last-mentioned means including a pair of spaced rails in said second chamber and abutment surfaces on both of said pod rupturing means and said transportably engaging means.

Claim 3

A camera according to claim 1, wherein said camera has forward and rearward and upper and lower portions, said mechanism is movable in a plane across the rearward portion of said camera, and said first and second chambers are disposed forwardly of the mechanism, and wherein: said pod rupturing means further comprises a roller for exerting force on the film unit and spring means for urging said roller towards the forward portion of said camera; and said rails extend along the upper and lower portions of said camera and relieve the force exerted by said spring means toward the forward portion of said camera.

Claim 4

A camera according to claim 2 wherein: said roller includes a main central portion having a first radius, and coaxially disposed opposing end portions having equal second radii smaller than the first radius; and said rails each have a first section and a second section and ramps connecting said sections, said second sections being disposed on the upper and lower edges of said second chamber and defining surfaces disposed rearwardly of said first sections by a distance at least as large as the difference between the radii of said roller portions, said second sections being engageable by said roller end portions when said roller is disposed in rearward alignment with said second chamber to prevent said roller from rupturing pods on film units in said second chamber.

Claim 5

A camera according to claim 1 wherein the film units are defined by edge portions; and said camera has forward and rearward and upper and lower portions; sAid mechanism is movable in a plane across the rearward portion of the camera; and said first and second chambers are disposed forwardly of the plane and are defined by upper and lower edges; said second chamber includes means for positioning a film unit in a predetermined plane generally parallel with the plane of movement of said mechanism; and said film-unit-engaging means comprises claw means for engaging an edge portion of a film unit in said second chamber and positioned in the predetermined plane, in response to movement of said mechanism to the second position, and for moving the engaged film unit toward said first chamber in response to the movement of said mechanism from the second position toward the first position.

Claim 6

A camera according to claim 4 wherein said mechanism further comprises: spring means for exerting force on said claw means to urge said claw means forwardly to facilitate the engagement of said claw means with a film unit in said second chamber; and said rails limit the forward displacement of said claw means.

Claim 7

A camera according to claim 1 further comprising: means defining a support surface at the rearward part of said first chamber; and means for guiding a film unit transported from said second chamber towards said first chamber onto said support surface and into engagement with a film unit already on said surface to displace the latter unit from said surface.

Claim 8

A camera according to claim 6 wherein: said first chamber is an exposure chamber; said support surface is a film gate on which film units are sequentially positioned for exposure; and said film-unit-guiding means comprises spring means for urging a film unit in said exposure chamber against said film gate.

Claim 9

A camera for exposing and initiating the processing of slide transparency units, the units including a photosensitive element and a rupturable pod containing reagents for processing the photosensitive element, said camera having upper and lower, and forward and rearward sections, and comprising: a forward portion including: an objective lens having a focal plane; an exposure chamber extending forwardly in said camera in alignment with said objective lens; a film gate at the rear of said exposure chamber, said film-gate-defining a surface for supporting a slide transparency unit in the focal plane of said objective lens; a supply chamber adjacent said exposure chamber and extending forwardly in said camera, for supplying unexposed slide transparency units in sequence to said exposure chamber, the rearward part of said supply chamber being defined by upper and lower edges; and a pair of parallel rails extending along the upper and lower edges of said supply chamber and defining rearwardly facing coplanar surfaces, said rearwardly facing surfaces being contoured in first, second, and third sections, said rail sections extending increasingly rearwardly from said front portion and being sequentially disposed along the upper and lower edges of said supply chamber; a door for closing the rear of said camera; a carriage mounted in said door and movable in a linear reciprocable path across said door between a first position to the rear of said exposure chamber and a second position to the rear of said supply chamber; said carriage comprising: a roller including a central portion having a first diameter for rupturing the pod of a slide transparency unit in said exposure chamber in response to movement of said carriage from the first position towards the second position; and opposing end portions coaxial with said central portion and having diameters smaller than the first diameter for riding on the second section of said rails when said carriage is behind said supply chamber to prevent said central roller portion from rupturing the pods on slide transparency units in said supply chamber; a spring for urging said roller forwardly; a pair of claws for engaging a slide transparency uNit in said supply chamber in response to the movement of said carriage to the second position, and for transporting the engaged unit towards said exposure chamber in response to the movement of said carriage from the second position towards the first position; a pair of shoe members fixed relative to each of said claws for riding on the third section of said rails for placing said claws in position for engaging a slide transparency unit in said supply chamber; and a spring for urging said claws and shoe members forwardly; and a pair of guide members disposed along the upper and lower portions of the rearward part of said front portion and defining forwardly facing surfaces for seating a slide transparency unit on said film gate, said guide members including rearwardly tapered end sections near said supply chamber for guiding slide transparency units transported from said supply chamber onto said film gate, whereby a slide transparency unit previously seated on said film gate is displaced therefrom.

Claim 10

A camera for exposing and initiating the processing of slide transparency units, the units including a photosensitive element and a rupturable pod containing reagents for processing the photosensitive element, said camera having upper and lower, and forward and rearward sections, and comprising: a forward portion including: an objective lens having a focal plane; an exposure chamber extending forwardly in said camera in alignment with said objective lens; a film gate at the rear of said exposure chamber, said film-gate-defining a surface for supporting a slide transparency unit in the focal plane of said objective lens; a supply chamber adjacent said exposure chamber and extending forwardly in said camera, for supplying unexposed slide transparency units in sequence to said exposure chamber, the rearward part of said supply chamber being defined by upper and lower edges; and a pair of parallel rails extending along the upper and lower edges of said supply chamber and defining rearwardly facing coplanar surfaces, said rearwardly facing surfaces being contoured in first, second, and third sections, said rail sections extending increasingly rearwardly from said front portion and being sequentially disposed along the upper and lower edges of said supply chamber; a door for closing the rear of said camera; a carriage mounted in said door and movable in a linear reciprocable path across said door between a first position to the rear of said exposure chamber and a second position to the rear of said supply chamber; said carriage comprising: a roller including a central portion having a first diameter for rupturing the pod of a slide transparency unit in said exposure chamber in response to movement of said carriage from the first position towards the second position; and opposing end portions coaxial with said central portion and having diameters smaller than the first diameter for riding on the second section of said rails when said carriage is behind said supply chamber to prevent said central roller portion from rupturing the pods on slide transparency units in said supply chamber; a spring for urging said roller forwardly; a pair of claws for engaging a slide transparency uNit in said supply chamber in response to the movement of said carriage to the second position, and for transporting the engaged unit towards said exposure chamber in response to the movement of said carriage from the second position towards the first position; a pair of shoe members fixed relative to each of said claws for riding on the third section of said rails for placing said claws in position for engaging a slide transparency unit in said supply chamber; and a spring for urging said claws and shoe members forwardly; and a pair of guide members disposed along the upper and lower portions of the rearward part of said front portion and defining forwardly facing surfaces for seating a slide transparency unit on said film gate, said guide members including rearwardly tapered end sections near said supply chamber for guiding slide transparency units transported from said supply chamber onto said film gate, whereby a slide transparency unit previously seated on said film gate is displaced therefrom.