Light-proofed automatic radiographic cassette unloader-reloader

Claim 2

A light-proofed automatic radiographic cassette unloaderreloader adapted for use with an automatic film processor and for use with a cassette having a cover removable from its base, comprising: a single light-proof cabinet; a compartment in the cabinet for storing a plurality of sheets of unexposed film; a cassette chamber in the cabinet for supporting the cassette therein in a fixed position; cassette-unlocking means in the chamber; cassette cover-removing and cover closing means in the chamber; means operable when the cover is removed to extract an exposed film sheet from the cassette and means to convey it to the processor; means associated with the compartment for extracting unexposed sheets of film one-at-a-time and means for conveying the extracted sheet to the opened cassette; and electrical programming means for successively operating the unlocking means, the cover removing means, the exposed film extracter and conveyer means, the unexposed film extractor and conveyer means, and the cover closing means.

Claim 3

A light-proofed automatic radiographic cassette unloader-reloader adapted for use with an automatic film processor and for use with a cassette having a cover removable from its base, comprising: a single light-proof cabinet; a compartment in the cabinet for storing a plurality of sheets of unexposed film; a cassette chamber in the cabinet having means supporting the cassette therein in fixed position; unlocking plungers associated with the chamber for unlocking the cassette cover from its base, the cassette having a plurality of sliding locks, each lock having a slanted camming surface for sliding the lock from locked to unlocked position when contacted by an unlocking plunger and being spring biased toward locked position for automatic locking when the cassette cover is forced against its base; cover lifting plungers associated with the chamber, the cassette cover having projecting lifting tabs adapted to be contacted by the lifting plungers to raise the cover above its base; cover closing plungers associated with the chamber for forcing the cover against its base; motor means for operating each plunger; means operable when the cover is raised to extract an exposed film sheet from the cassette and means to convey it to the processor; means associated with the compartment for extracting unexposed sheets of film one-at-a-time and means for conveying the extracted sheet to the opened cassette; and electrical programming means for successively operating the unlocking plungers, the cover lifting plungers, the exposed film extractor and conveyer means, the unexposed film extractor and conveyer means, and the cover closing plungers.

Claim 4

A light-proofed automatic radiographic cassette unloader-reloader adapted for use with an automatic film processor and for use with a cassette having a cover removable from its base, comprising: a single light-proof cabinet; a compartment in the cabinet for storing a plurality of sheets of unexposed film; a cassette chamber in the cabinet having means supporting the cassette therein in fixed position; unlocking plungers associated with the chamber for unlocking the cassette cover from its base, the cassette having a plurality of sliding locks, each lock having a slanted camming surface for sliding the lock from locked to unlocked position when contacted by an unlocking plunger and being spring biased toward locked position for automatic locking when the cassette cover is forced against its base; cover lifting plungers associated with the chamber, the cassette cover having projecting lifting tabs adapted to be contacted by the lifting plungers to raise the cover above its base; cover closing plungers associated with the chamber for forcing the cover against its base; motor means for operating each plunger; means operable when the cover is raised to extract an exposed film sheet from the cassette and means to convey it to the processor; means associated with the compartment for extracting unexposed sheets of film one-at-a-time and means for conveying the extracted sheet to the opened cassette; and electrical programming means for successively operating the unlocking plungers, the cover lifting plungers, the exposed film extractor and conveyer means, the unexposed film extractor and conveyer means, and the cover closing plungers.

Claim 5

The unloader-reloader defined in claim 2 having a plurality of layers in a single cabinet, each layer having the components recited in claim 1 and each layer being adapted for use with a different size of cassette, each layer terminating in a chute leading to a common chute at the entrance to the processor, and the programming means including means for successively releasing film sheets from the layer chutes in a planned scheme of priority.

Claim 6

A light-proofed automatic radiographic cassette unloader-reloader adapted for use with an automatic film processor and for use with cassettes having a cover removable from its base, comprising: a single light-proof cabinet having a plurality of vertically stacked layers, a compartment in each layer for storing a plurality of sheets of unexposed film, a chamber in each layer having means therein for supporting a cassette therein in fixed position, each chamber terminating in a chute leading to the processor, the compartment and chamber each having a floor inclined to the horizontal down from the compartment to the chamber and the chute being inclined down to the processor; unlocking plungers associated with each chamber for unlocking the cassette cover from its base, the cassette having a plurality of locks, each lock having a slanted camming surface for sliding the lock from locked to unlocked position when contacted by an unlocking plunger and being biased toward locked position for automatic locking when the cover is forced against its base; cover lifting plungers associated with each chamber, the cassette cover having projecting lifting tabs adapted to be contacted by the lifting plunger to raise the cover above its base; cover closing plungers associated with each chamber for forcing the cover against its base; motor means for operating each plunger; means operable when the cover is raised to extract an exposed film sheet from the cassette so that it will slide down the chute; means associated with each compartment for extracting unexposed sheets of film one-at-a-time so that the sheet will slide down the compartment floor to an opened cassette in the adjacent chamber; each layer having a compartment and chamber adapted to receive film sheets and cassettes of a different size; electrical programming means associated with each layer for successively operating the unlocking plungers, the cover lifting plungers, the exposed film extractor, the unexposed film extractor, and the cover closing plungers; and means in the chutes associated with the programming means for planned release of film sheets from the chutes to the processor.

Claim 7

A light-proofed automatic radiographic cassette unloader-reloader adapted for use with an automatic film processor and for use with cassettes having a cover removable from its base, comprising: a single light-proof cabinet having a plurality of vertically stacked layers, a compartment in each layer for storing a plurality of sheets of unexposed film, a chamber in each layer having means therein for supporting a cassette therein in fixed position, each chamber terminating in a chute leading to the processor, the compartment and chamber each having a floor inclined to the horizontal down from the compartment to the chamber and the chute being inclined down to the processor; unlocking plungers associated with each chamber for unlocking the cassette cover from its base, the cassette having a plurality of locks, each lock having a slanted camming surface for sliding the lock from locked to unlocked position when contacted by an unlocking plunger and being biased toward locked position for automatic locking when the cover is forced against its base; cover lifting plungers associated with each chamber, the cassette cover having projecting lifting tabs adapted to be contacted by the lifting plunger to raise the cover above its base; cover closing plungers associated with each chamber for forcing the cover against its base; motor means for operating each plunger; means operable when the cover is raised to extract an exposed film sheet from the cassette so that it will slide down the chute; means associated with each compartment for extracting unexposed sheets of film one-at-a-time so that the sheet will slide down the compartment floor to an opened cassette in the adjacent chamber; each layer having a compartment and chamber adapted to receive film sheets and cassettes of a different size; electrical programming means associated with each layer for successively operating the unlocking plungers, the cover lifting plungers, the exposed film extractor, the unexposed film extractor, and the cover closing plungers; and means in the chutes associated with the programming means for planned release of film sheets from the chutes to the processor.

Claim 8

The unloader-reloader defined in claim 4 wherein the unexposed film extracting means comprises a cartridge containing a plurality of stacked film sheets interleaved with a continuous strip of flexible sheet material in the compartment, the strip forming a double layer between each film sheet and having a fold at the leading edge side of the sheet stack, the lower layer of each double layer being folded over the trailing edge of the underlying sheet to the double layer underneath, the cartridge having an exit opening for one sheet at one end of the stack, the stack being biased toward said one stack end, a pair of parallel rollers mounted in the compartment, one roller being motor driven and the rollers being biased toward one another, and one end of the strip being adapted to pass through the exit opening and be threaded between the pair of rollers, whereby, as the strip is pulled through the exit by the rollers, a fold at the trailing edge of the stack engages the edge of the end sheet in the stack and withdraws the sheet through the exit opening.

Claim 9

The unloader-reloader defined in claim 4 wherein the unexposed film extracting means comprises a cartridge containing a continuous roll of film in the compartment, the cartridge having an exit slot at one side through which the film may be drawn, a pair of parallel rollers in the compartment adjacent the slot, one roller being biased toward contact with the other, and one roller being motor driven, whereby the film may be threaded between the rollers, shearing means in the compartment adjacent the rollers, and timing means in the programming means for controlling the motor drive of the rollers and operation of the shearing means, whereby sheets of film of desired length are cut from the roll.

Claim 10

The unloader-reloader defined in claim 4 wherein the exposed film extracting means comprises at least one flap raising plunger in the chamber, the cassette base having a hinged flap at one end and a light-proofed entrance means for the flap raising plunger, motor means operable by the programming means for raising the flap raising plunger into contact with The flap and for raising the end of the exposed film sheet in the open cassette above the cassette base, an extractor head in the chamber normally spaced from the cassette, motor driven means operable by the programming means for introducing the head into the opened cassette above the flap and for withdrawing it therefrom after the flap is raised to contact the head, the head having an area substantially coextensive with the flap at least partially coated with a tacky material whereby the exposed film in the cassette is drawn with the head from the cassette base when the head is withdrawn from the cassette.

Claim 11

Film marking means in combination with the unloader-reloader defined in claim 7 comprising: a card having information typed thereon, the head having means therein for positioning the card immediately above the film in the cassette, a light source in the head above the card and substantially coextensive with the card, the light source being adapted to be briefly illuminated by the programming means after the head has been introduced into the open cassette and the flap raised to contact the head, whereby the exposed film in the cassette is marked with the information on the card.

Claim 12

The unloader-reloader defined in claim 7 having light-proofed doors to the compartments and chambers; sensing means for signalling to the programming means the passage of a film sheet between each compartment and chamber, between each chamber and its chute, and at the end of each chute; sensing means at each door for signalling that the door is closed; sensing means in each chamber for signalling when a cassette is in place, when the cover is raised, and when the cover is closed; signal lights associated with each chamber and operated by the programming means for signalling malfunctions in the automatic operations and for signalling for manual insertion of film into the compartment and a cassette into the chamber; and switch means associated with each chamber for changing the operation of the programming means for initial loading of an empty cassette.