Camera with retractable objective

Claim 2

In a camera, an objective, support means supporting said objective for retractable movement from an outer operating position to an inner inoperative position, manually operable means engageable at the exterior of the camera and operatively connected to said objective for moving the latter both outwardly to its operative position and inwardly to its inoperative position, and releasable lock means coacting with said manually operable means for locking and unlocking the latter in response to movement of said manually operable means to displace said objective between said outer operative and inner inoperative position thereof.

Claim 3

The combination of claim 1 and wherein said manually operable means has a pair of portions operatively connected with said objective for transmitting movement thereto.

Claim 4

The combination of claim 2 and wherein a support means supports said manually operable means for swinging movement and wherein a spring means coacts with said manually operable means for urging the latter to a position which locates the objective in said outer operative position thereof.

Claim 5

The combination of claim 3 and wherein said support means supports said releasable lock means for movement only to a pair of predetermined positions.

Claim 6

The combination of claim 4 and wherein a pawl means is carried by said support means and coacts with said releasable lock means for releasably holding the latter in one or the other of its positions.

Claim 7

The combination of claim 5 and wherein said releasable lock means has three projections respectively situated in different planes and respectively coacting with three different portions of said manually operable means.

Claim 8

The combination of claim 6 and wherein said manually operable means has a manually engageable portion fixed thereto.

Claim 9

The combination of claim 7 and wherein said manually engageable portion is made of plastic and affixed to the remainder of said manually operable means.

Claim 10

The combination of claim 6 and wherein said manually operable means has a manually engageable portion thereof independent of the remainder of said manually operable means and includes an intermediate connecting component for establishing or releasing a connection between said manually engageable portion of said manually operable means and the remainder thereof.

Claim 11

The combination of claim 4 and wherein said manually operable means is movable with respect to said lock means without displacing the latter from one of the positions thereof when said manually operable means displaces said objective to said outer operative position thereof until said manually operable means locates the objective at the last region of its movement to its outer operative position whereupon said manually operable means moves said lock means to its other position for coacting with said manually operable means for releasably holding the latter in its locking position during subsequent actuation of said manually operable means.

Claim 12

The combination of claim 10 and wherein said manually operable means returns said lock means to its first position during an initial actuation of said manually operable means, first releasing the latter for displacing said objective to its outer position during subsequent movement of said manually operable means.

Claim 13

The combination of claim 11 and wherein said manually operable means at the end of its displacement of the objective to its outer operating position returns the lock means to its position where it will again lock the manually operable means in the position holding the objective at its inner inoperative position.

Claim 14

The combination of claim 1 and wherein said manually operable means carries a manually engageable element which is movable with respect to the remainder of said manually operable means, the latter having a spring which urges said manually engageable element to a predetermined rest position.

Claim 15

The combination of claim 13 and wherein said manually engageable element is operatively connected with a lock means for releasably locking the manually operable means in a position retaining the objective at its inner inoperative position.

Claim 16

The combination of claim 14 and wherein said manual engageable element has engaging surfaces to be engaged by the operator for displacing said manual engageable element first to a position releasing said manually operable means and then controlling the movement of said manually operable means for manually controlling the movement of the objective.

Claim 17

The combination of claim 1 and wherein the objective include an outer tubular portion and an inner tubular portion surrounded thereby, said outer tubular portion having an inner flange connecting said outer tubular portion to said inner tubular portion and said inner tubular portion having an interior space for accommodating camera components such as a diaphragm, shutter, and the like, said outer tubular portion carrying cams at its exterior while said support means includes guides coacting with said cams for guiding said outer tubular portion for movement along the axis of the objective.

Claim 18

In a camera, an objective, support means supporting said objective for retractable movement from an outer operating position to an inner inoperative position, manually operable means engageable at the exterior of the camera and operatively connected to said object for moving the latter both outwardly to its operative position and inwardly to its inoperative position, said objective including an outer tubular portion and an inner tubular portion surrounded thereby, said outer tubular portion having an inner flange connecting said outer tubular portion to said inner tubular portion and said inner tubular portion having an interior space for accommodating camera components such as a diaphragm shutter, and the like, said outer tubular portion carrying cams at its exterior while said support means includes guides coacting with said cams for guiding said outer tubular portion for movement along the axis of the objective, the camera having a front wall formed with an opening and a cam ring being turnable in said opening and coacting with said cams on said outer tubular portion for displacing the latter along the optical axis.

Claim 19

In a camera, an objective, support means supporting said objective for retractable movement from an outer operating position to an inner inoperative position, manually operable means engageable at the exterior of the camera and operatively connected to said object for moving the latter both outwardly to its operative position and inwardly to its inoperative position, said objective including an outer tubular portion and an inner tubular portion surrounded thereby, said outer tubular portion having an inner flange connecting said outer tubular portion to said inner tubular portion and said inner tubular portion having an interior space for accommodating camera components such as a diaphragm shutter, and the like, said outer tubular portion carrying cams at its exterior while said support means includes guides coacting with said cams for guiding said outer tubular portion for movement along the axis of the objective, the camera having a front wall formed with an opening and a cam ring being turnable in said opening and coacting with said cams on said outer tubular portion for displacing the latter along the optical axis.

Claim 20

The combination of claim 17 and wherein said outer tubular portion has in the region of camming surfaces of said cams portions which are operatively connected with said manually operable means.

Claim 21

The combination of claim 18 and wherein a spring means which acts on said manually operable means to urge the latter and said objective to a position locating said objective in its outer operative position also acts to maintain the camming edges in operative engagement with each other.

Claim 22

The combination of claim 19 and wherein an objective adjusting ring is made of plastic and is supported by a front wall of the camera for rotary movement, said adjusting ring being operatively connected with said cam ring for turning the latter and coacting with the camera front wall for preventing removal of said adjusting ring.

Claim 23

The combinAtion of claim 20 and wherein said adjusting ring has springy holding elements which when pressed through an opening in the front wall of the camera snap behind the latter for preventing removal of said adjusting ring.