Automatic density setting apparatus

Claim 5

In combination with a process camera having a shutter, camera lights and flash lamp, an automatic density-setting apparatus comprising: an evaluator having two prepositionable parts which are respectively movable with respect to one another as well as with respect to said evaluator, means to move said two parts as a function of selectively matched steps of a gray scale to the selected highlight and shadow densities of copy material, receptor means for receiving said evaluator in mechanical and electrical assembly therewith, said receptor having electrical means responsive to the relative prepositioning of said two parts to generate electrical signals, and a master control unit responsive to said electrical signals for automatically regulating the shutter, camera lights and flash lamp of the camera in order to provide properly exposed main, flash and bump exposures.

Claim 6

In combination with a process camera having a shutter, camera lights and flash lamp, an automatic density-setting apparatus comprising: an evaluator having two prepositionable parts which are respectively movable with respect to one another as well as with respect to said evaluator, means to move said two parts as a function of selectively matched steps of a gray scale to the selected highlight and shadow densities of copy material, receptor means for receiving said evaluator in mechanical and electrical assembly therewith, said receptor having electrical means responsive to the relative prepositioning of said two parts to generate electrical signals, and a master control unit responsive to said electrical signals for automatically regulating the shutter, camera lights and flash lamp of the camera in order to provide properly exposed main, flash and bump exposures.

Claim 7

In combination, a graphic arts camera having a variably timed shutter, a flash lamp for said camera arranged and disposed for effecting a flash exposure, camera lights for illuminating copy material to be exposed in said camera, and an automatic density-setting apparatus operatively associated with said camera comprising an evaluator having first and second movable parts which are also relatively movable with respect to one another, means for adjustably presetting said parts as a function of intelligence corresponding to highlight and shadow densities of a material to be copied, whereby the intelligence is converted and stored in said evaluator in terms of a mechanical spatial relationship of said first and second parts, receptor means into which said evaluator may be mechanically and electrically inserted, said receptor having electronic conversion means for converting said mechanical spatial relationship of said evaluator into electronic signals, and control means responsive to said electronic signals to automatically regulate the shutter, camera lights and flash lamp of the camera.

Claim 8

In combination, a graphic arts camera having a variably timed shutter, a flash lamp for said camera arranged and disposed for effecting a flash exposure, camera lights for illuminating copy material to be exposed in said camera, and an automatic density-setting apparatus operatively associated with said camera comprising an evaluator having first and second movable parts which are also relatively movable with respect to one another, means for adjustably presetting said parts as a function of intelligence corresponding to highlight and shadow densities of a material to be copied, whereby the intelligence is converted and stored in said evaluator in terms of a mechanical spatial relationship of said first and second parts, receptor means into which said evaluator may be mechanically and electrically inserted, said receptor having electronic conversion means for converting said mechanical spatial relationship of said evaluator into electronic signals, and control means responsive to said electronic signals to automatically regulate the shutter, camera lights and flash lamp of the camera.

Claim 9

A computer for automatically calculating exposure times in photography comprising, an evaluator for evaluating an image to be reproduced, said evaluator comprising a pair of movable gray scale means for matching with the highlight and shadow densities of said image, a main control unit for controlling various exposure times in response to the setting of said movable gray scale means when said evaluator is connected to said main control unit, wherein said evaluator comprises, a housing formed with a pair of openings, one of which is crescent-shaped, said highlight density scale means visible through one of said pair of openings and rotatably mounted in said housing to match the highlight density of said image, first switch actuator means connected to said highlight density scale means and positioned thereby, said highlight density scale means having an extending portion formed with an opening which is aligned with the crescent-shaped opening of said housing and moves in said crescent-shaped opening as the highlight density scale is set through the other opening of said housing, said shadow density scale rotatably mounted in said housing and visible through the crescent-shaped opening of the housing and the opening oF said extending portion so it may be set to the shadow density of image, and second switch actuator means connected to the shadow density scale and positioned thereby.

Claim 10

A computer for automatically calculating exposure times in photography comprising, an evaluator for evaluating an image to be reproduced, said evaluator comprising a pair of movable gray scale means for matching with the highlight and shadow densities of said image, a main control unit for controlling various exposure times in response to the setting of said movable gray scale means when said evaluator is connected to said main control unit, wherein said evaluator comprises, a housing formed with a pair of openings, one of which is crescent-shaped, said highlight density scale means visible through one of said pair of openings and rotatably mounted in said housing to match the highlight density of said image, first switch actuator means connected to said highlight density scale means and positioned thereby, said highlight density scale means having an extending portion formed with an opening which is aligned with the crescent-shaped opening of said housing and moves in said crescent-shaped opening as the highlight density scale is set through the other opening of said housing, said shadow density scale rotatably mounted in said housing and visible through the crescent-shaped opening of the housing and the opening oF said extending portion so it may be set to the shadow density of image, and second switch actuator means connected to the shadow density scale and positioned thereby.

Claim 11

A computer according to claim 5 wherein said highlight density scale means comprises, a generally fan-shaped plate with a plurality of highlight gray scales attached adjacent one edge, a collar rotatably supported by said housing attached to said fan-shaped plate and rotatable to match one of the highlight gray scales to an image and to move the opening in said extending portion, said shadow density scale means comprises a disc with a plurality of shadow gray scales about its periphery, and a shaft rotatably supported by said housing attached to said disc to position said shadow gray scale.

Claim 12

A computer according to claim 6 wherein said first switch actuator means is mounted to move with said collar and said second switch actuator means is mounted to move with said shaft.

Claim 13

A computer according to claim 7 including means for limiting the angular movement of said collar and fan-shaped plate relative to said housing.

Claim 14

A computer according to claim 8 comprising first detent means between said housing and said collar to hold the plate in a set position.

Claim 15

A computer according to claim 7 comprising a first knob mounted on said collar and a second knob mounted on said shaft and means for adjusting the angular position of said second knob relative to said shaft.

Claim 16

A computer according to claim 10 wherein said first switch actuator means is mounted to said first knob, and said second switch actuator means is mounted to said second knob.

Claim 17

A computer according to claim 11 wherein said first and second switch actuator means comprise magnets.

Claim 18

A computer for automatically calculating exposure times in photography comprising, an evaluator for evaluating an image to be reproduced, said evaluator comprising a pair of movable gray scale means for matching with the highlight and shadow densities of said image, a main control unit for controlling various exposure times in response to the setting of said movable gray scale means when said evaluator is connected to said main control unit, and a receptor electrically connected to said main control unit and formed with an opening into which said evaluator may be received to control set conditions in said main control unit, said receptor having a plurality of switch means which are selectively actuated by the positions of said scales when said evaluator is inserted into said receptor for establishing a circuit to provide a given exposure in response to a given setting of said gray scales.

Claim 19

A computer for automatically calculating exposure times in photography comprising, an evaluator for evaluating an image to be reproduced, said evaluator comprising a pair of movable gray scale means for matching with the highlight and shadow densities of said image, a main control unit for controlling various exposure times in response to the setting of said movable gray scale means when said evaluator is connected to said main control unit, and a receptor electrically connected to said main control unit and formed with an opening into which said evaluator may be received to control set conditions in said main control unit, said receptor having a plurality of switch means which are selectively actuated by the positions of said scales when said evaluator is inserted into said receptor for establishing a circuit to provide a given exposure in response to a given setting of said gray scales.

Claim 20

A computer according to claim 13 wherein said evaluator has movable switch actuator means for selectively actuating said switch means.

Claim 21

A computer according to claim 14 wherein said switch actuator means are magnetic means and said plurality of switch means are responsive to magnetic fields.

Claim 22

A computer according to claim 15 wherein said plurality of switch means are mounted in two banks and said switch actuators comprise a pair of magnets, one of which actuates a switch in the first bank and the other of which actuates a switch in the second bank when said evaluator is inserted in said receptor.

Claim 23

A computer according to claim 16 comprising means for locating said evaluator in said receptor.

Claim 24

A computer according to claim 17, wherein said first and second banks of switch means are mounted in arcs in the receptor and the pair of magnets of the evaluator are movable in arcs and said magnets are each adjacent one of the switch means in one of said banks when the evaluator is in the receptor.

Claim 25

A computer as defined in claim 13 wherein said evaluator comprises a portable evaluator having a pair of separately movable parts each having its own gray scale consisting of a plurality of gray scale steps and adjustment and detent means for each of said parts whereby an inTelligence corresponding to the highlight and shadow densities of copy material may be converted and stored in said evaluator by physically prepositioning the two parts in selected positions corresponding to a selectively matched gray scale step.

Claim 26

A computer as defined in claim 13 wherein said main control unit comprises a pulse train generator and wherein said evaluator comprises means for varying the base of the pulse train generator as a function of the setting of said movable gray scale means, and wherein said main control unit comprises a counter receiving the output of said pulse train generator and producing an output signal when said pulse train equals the setting of said counter.

Claim 27

A control system according to claim 20 comprising means for controlling the setting of said counter.