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Claim 2

In projection apparatus having a projection plane and means for projecting a selected image from a medium bearing plural images which is located in the projection plane, an improved device for orienting the medium at each of a plurality of imageprojecting positions relative to the projecting means comprising: means for receiving such medium in the projection apparatus; means for supporting a portion of a received medium substantially in the projection plane; means associated with said receiving means for releasably engaging a received medium at each of a plurality of imageprojecting positions in the projection plane to provide a tactile reference via the received medium for indIcating the orientation of the medium with respect to the projection means at a selected one of said plurality of image-projection positions; said means for receiving including first and second spaced, opposed guide means defining a path of simple curvature extending from said means for supporting, said first and second guide means being spaced from each other a distance such that an image-bearing medium inserted therebetween is flexed to create restoring forces within the medium, said forces tending to straighten the flexed medium and urge the medium against said medium engaging means.

Claim 3

In projection apparatus having a projection plane and means for projecting a selected image from a medium bearing plural images which is located in the projection plane, an improved device for orienting the medium at each of a plurality of image-projecting positions relative to the projecting means comprising: means for receiving such medium in the projection apparatus; means for supporting a portion of a received medium substantially in the projection plane; means associated with said receiving means for releasably engaging a received medium at each of a plurality of image-projecting positions in the projection plane to provide a tactile reference via the received medium for indIcating the orientation of the medium with respect to the projection means at a selected one of said plurality of image-projection positions; said means for receiving including first and second spaced, opposed guide means defining a path of simple curvature extending from said means for supporting, said first and second guide means being spaced from each other a distance such that an image-bearing medium inserted therebetween is flexed to create restoring forces within the medium, said forces tending to straighten the flexed medium and urge the medium against said medium engaging means.

Claim 4

In projection apparatus having a projection plane and means for projecting a selected image from a medium bearing plural images which is located in the projection plane, an improved device for orienting the medium at each of a plurality of image-projecting positions relative to the projecting means comprising: means for receiving such medium in the projection apparatus; means for supporting a portion of a received medium substantially in the projection plane; means associated with said receiving means for releasably engaging a received medium at each of a plurality of image-projecting positions in the projection plane to provide a tactile reference via the received medium for indIcating the orientation of the medium with respect to the projection means at a selected one of said plurality of image-projection positions; said means for receiving including first and second spaced, opposed guide means defining a path of simple curvature extending from said means for supporting, said first and second guide means being spaced from each other a distance such that an image-bearing medium inserted therebetween is flexed to create restoring forces within the medium, said forces tending to straighten the flexed medium and urge the medium against said medium engaging means.

Claim 5

In projection apparatus having a projection plane and means for projecting a selected image from a medium bearing plural images which is located in the projection plane, an improved device for orienting the medium at each of a plurality of image-projecting positions relative to the projecting means comprising: means for receiving such medium in the projection apparatus; means for supporting a portion of a received medium substantially in the projection plane; means associated with said receiving means for releasably engaging a received medium at each of a plurality of image-projecting positions in the projection plane to provide a tactile reference via the received medium for indicating the orientation of the medium with respect to the projection means at a selected one of said plurality of image-projecting positions; said means for receiving including means defining a pair of spaced opposed, complementary curved surfaces extending from said means for supporting, one of said curved surfaces being convex in shape and the other of said surfaces being concave in shape, said curved surfaces of said defining means being spaced from each other a distance such that an image-bearing medium inserted therebetween is flexed to create restoring forces within the medium, said forces tending to straighten the flexed medium thereby maintaining the position of the medium between said curved surfaces.

Claim 6

In projection apparatus having a projection plane and means for projecting a selected image from a medium bearing plural images which is located in the projection plane, an improved device for orienting the medium at each of a plurality of image-projecting positions relative to the projecting means comprising: means for receiving such medium in the projection apparatus; means for supporting a portion of a received medium substantially in the projection plane; means associated with said receiving means for releasably engaging a received medium at each of a plurality of image-projecting positions in the projection plane to provide a tactile reference via the received medium for indicating the orientation of the medium with respect to the projection means at a selected one of said plurality of image-projecting positions; said means for receiving including means defining a pair of spaced opposed, complementary curved surfaces extending from said means for supporting, one of said curved surfaces being convex in shape and the other of said surfaces being concave in shape, said curved surfaces of said defining means being spaced from each other a distance such that an image-bearing medium inserted therebetween is flexed to create restoring forces within the medium, said forces tending to straighten the flexed medium thereby maintaining the position of the medium between said curved surfaces.

Claim 7

The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein said supporting means includes a pair of transparent plate elements supported on either side of the projection plane and spaced from each other a distance so as to substantially maintain in the projection plane a portion of an image-bearing medium inserted between said plate elements.

Claim 8

The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein said tactile reference providing means includes a series of corrugations on said concave surface of said defining means.

Claim 9

In combination with projection apparatus of the type having a projection plane and means for projecting an image from an image-bearing medium located in the projection plane, the improvement which comprises: a. a pair of transparent plates supported on either side of the projection plane, said plates being spaced from each other a distance such that the portion of an image-bearing medium inserted therebetween is maintained substantially in the projection plane; b. a first guide member having a generally convex guide surface extending from one of said transparent plates; c. a second guide member having a generally concave guide surface extending from the other of said transparent plates and supported in closely spaced, opposed relation to said first guide member, said concave and convex guide surfaces being opposed and generally complementary so that an image-bearing medium inserted between said guide surfaces is flexed to create forces in the inserted medium, which forces tend to bias the leading edge of the inserted medium against said concave guide surface; and d. means on said concave guide surface for exerting forces on the leading edge of an inserted medium which is biased against said concave guide surface so as to tend to orient the medium in a predetermined orientation with respect to said projecting means.

Claim 10

In combination with projection apparatus of the type having a projection plane and means for projecting an image from an image-bearing medium located in the projection plane, the improvement which comprises: a. a pair of transparent plates supported on either side of the projection plane, said plates being spaced from each other a distance such that the portion of an image-bearing medium inserted therebetween is maintained substantially in the projection plane; b. a first guide member having a generally convex guide surface extending from one of said transparent plates; c. a second guide member having a generally concave guide surface extending from the other of said transparent plates and supported in closely spaced, opposed relation to said first guide member, said concave and convex guide surfaces being opposed and generally complementary so that an image-bearing medium inserted between said guide surfaces is flexed to create forces in the inserted medium, which forces tend to bias the leading edge of the inserted medium against said concave guide surface; and d. means on said concave guide surface for exerting forces on the leading edge of an inserted medium which is biased against said concave guide surface so as to tend to orient the medium in a predetermined orientation with respect to said projecting means.

Claim 11

The invention defined in claim 5 wherein said force exerting means includes a series of corrugations in said concave guide surface, said corrugatioNs running substantially transverse to the direction of insertion of the image-bearing medium.

Claim 12

Apparatus for holding a flexible image-bearing medium in the projection plane of a projector, said apparatus comprising: a. a first holding member having a concave surface and including means defining a first aperture through which light can be projected, said first holding member being supported in said apparatus so that said first aperture defining means is located on one side of the projection plane; b. a second holding member having a convex surface and including means defining a second aperture through which light can be projected, said second holding member being supported in said apparatus so that said second aperture defining means is located on a side of the projection plane opposite said first aperture defining means with said second aperture aligned with said first aperture, said convex surface spaced in opposed relation from said concave surface a distance so that an image-bearing medium inserted therebetween is flexed by said surfaces, thereby causing the leading edge of the inserted medium to be biased against said concave surface; and c. means on said concave surface for influencing the orientation of an inserted image-bearing medium when its leading edge is biased against said concave surface.

Claim 13

Apparatus for holding a flexible image-bearing medium in the projection plane of a projector, said apparatus comprising: a. a first holding member having a concave surface and including means defining a first aperture through which light can be projected, said first holding member being supported in said apparatus so that said first aperture defining means is located on one side of the projection plane; b. a second holding member having a convex surface and including means defining a second aperture through which light can be projected, said second holding member being supported in said apparatus so that said second aperture defining means is located on a side of the projection plane opposite said first aperture defining means with said second aperture aligned with said first aperture, said convex surface spaced in opposed relation from said concave surface a distance so that an image-bearing medium inserted therebetween is flexed by said surfaces, thereby causing the leading edge of the inserted medium to be biased against said concave surface; and c. means on said concave surface for influencing the orientation of an inserted image-bearing medium when its leading edge is biased against said concave surface.

Claim 14

The invention as defined in claim 7 further including first and second transparent plates respectively mounted in said first and second apertures and spaced apart a distance such that the portion of an image-bearing medium inserted therebetween is maintained substantially in the projection plane.