Inexpensive camera

Claim 2

An inexpensive camera comprising a housing having a front, top, bottom and side walls, a shutter mechanism in said housing rotatably supported by the front wall, said front wall having a lens opening, said shutter mechanism comprising first and second plates, spring means biasing said plates to an inoperative position, said plates each having an aperture adapted to be aligned with said leans opening, said first plate having a handle portion to permit actuation of the shutter mechanism, sprinG means extending between the plates of said shutter mechanism for causing the second plate to follow the first plate, limit stop means on said front wall for temporarily retaining the second plate at its inoperative position, cam means on said first plate for causing the second plate to move in a direction away from the front wall so that it may clear said limit stop means, and a limit stop on said first plate against which the second plate will be in contact after an exposure has been made and wherein the plates will have apertures which are out of alignment.

Claim 3

A camera in accordance with claim 1 wherein said housing lacks a rear wall, said handle portion being fixed to said first plate and extending through a hole in one of said side walls, and each spring means being in a relaxed state when the shutter mechanism is in an inoperative position.

Claim 4

A camera in accordance with claim 1 wherein said first plate is between said front wall and said second plate, said plates being rotatable about a pin integral with the front wall.

Claim 5

A camera in accordance with claim 3 wherein said camera housing is a molded plastic housing having said limit stop means and said pin integral in one piece with the front wall.

Claim 6

A camera in accordance with claim 1 wherein said limit stop means has an inclined cam surface up which the second plate will ride when the second plate moves to its inoperative position under the influence of said first spring means.

Claim 7

A camera in accordance with claim 1 wherein said limit stop on said first plate pushes the second plate as the first plate moves to its inoperative position under the influence of said first-mentioned spring.

Claim 8

A camera in accordance with claim 1 wherein said cam means is located on said first plate in a position so that it moves the second plate to clear the limit stop means only after the first plate has rotated through a predetermined arc.

Claim 9

An inexpensive camera comprising a housing having a front, top, bottom and side walls, a shutter mechanism rotatably supported by the front wall, said front wall having a lens opening, said shutter mechanism comprising first and second plates, said front wall having an integral pin, spring means on said pin and biasing said plates to an inoperative position, said first plate having a handle portion to permit actuation of the shutter mechanism, spring means extending between the plates of said shutter mechanism, limit stop means on said front wall blocking the second plate, cam means on said first plate for causing the second plate to move in a direction away from the front wall so that it may clear said limit stop means, and a limit stop on said first plate against which the second plate will be in contact after an exposure has been made and wherein the plates will have apertures which are out of alignment, said housing lacking a rear wall, said handle portion extending through a hole in a side wall, said spring being in a relaxed state when the shutter mechanism is in an inoperative position, wherein said first plate is between said front wall and said second plate, said plates being rotatable about a second pin integral with the front wall, and said camera housing being a molded plastic housing having said limit stop and said pins integral in one piece with the front wall.

Claim 10

An inexpensive camera comprising a housing having a front, top, bottom and side walls, a shutter mechanism rotatably supported by the front wall, said front wall having a lens opening, said shutter mechanism comprising first and second plates, said front wall having an integral pin, spring means on said pin and biasing said plates to an inoperative position, said first plate having a handle portion to permit actuation of the shutter mechanism, spring means extending between the plates of said shutter mechanism, limit stop means on said front wall blocking the second plate, cam means on said first plate for causing the second plate to move in a direction away from the front wall so that it may clear said limit stop means, and a limit stop on said first plate against which the second plate will be in contact after an exposure has been made and wherein the plates will have apertures which are out of alignment, said housing lacking a rear wall, said handle portion extending through a hole in a side wall, said spring being in a relaxed state when the shutter mechanism is in an inoperative position, wherein said first plate is between said front wall and said second plate, said plates being rotatable about a second pin integral with the front wall, and said camera housing being a molded plastic housing having said limit stop and said pins integral in one piece with the front wall.