Overhead rail supporting structure for photographic apparatus

Claim 2

In photographic apparatus used to copy graphic sheet mateRial, supporting structure for a pair of rails along which a support containing a film platen moves relative to a subject holder, said structure comprising a single long spanning member and a pair of spaced piers on which the two opposite ends of the spanning member rest, the rails being affixed to opposed sides of the spanning member and said spanning member comprising a pair of interfitted channel members, the inner channel member having upturned sidewalls secured to the inside of the upturned sidewalls of the outer channel member, the underwall of the inner channel member being spaced off the underwall of the outer channel member, and the end portions of the outer channel member being turned inwardly and secured to the underwall of the inner channel member outwardly of its inturned sidewalls.

Claim 3

Supporting structure according to claim 1 wherein the two piers each comprise four vertically spaced posts united by cross beams adjacent their top and base, the ends of the single spanning member resting on two of the cross beams of each said piers so as to be effectively cradled between the four vertical posts effectively paired on either side of said spanning member.

Claim 4

Supporting structure according to claim 1 wherein the two piers comprise supporting frames having a rectangular parallelepipedonal shape.

Claim 5

Supporting structure according to claim 3 wherein two sides of said rectangular parallelepipedonal frames are disposed generally parallel to the sidewalls of the spanning member and are so spaced as to effectively resist swaying of the rail supporting spanning member on said piers.

Claim 6

Supporting structure according to claim 1 wherein both the inner and outer channel members of the spanning member comprise heavy gauge sheet metal folded into said shapes and welded together to constitute a rigid non-yielding integral structure.

Claim 7

Supporting structure according to claim 5 wherein the inturned sidewalls of the outer channel member meet with the underwall and the inwardly inclined end portions thereof comprise arcuate as opposed to sharply defined corners.

Claim 8

In photographic apparatus employing a film platen, an objective and a subject holder in spaced axial alignment, at least one of which is mounted for movement along overhead rails to spatially adjust the platen relative to the subject holder, the improvement wherein the rails are mounted on a rigid non-yielding structure comprising an elongated channel member and a pair of spaced rectangular parallalepipedonal frames on which the respective ends of said channel member rests, the elongated channel member comprising an underwall having upstanding opposed integral sidewalls, the end portions of said sidewalls being turned inwardly and downwardly at acute angles with respect to said sidewalls and towards said underwall, and a second reinforcing member secured within said channel and spaced off said underwall, said second member being also secured to said inwardly and downwardly turned end portion of the channel member sidewalls.

Claim 9

In photographic apparatus employing a film platen, an objective and a subject holder in spaced axial alignment, at least one of which is mounted for movement along overhead rails to spatially adjust the platen relative to the subject holder, the improvement wherein the rails are mounted on a rigid non-yielding structure comprising an elongated channel member and a pair of spaced rectangular parallalepipedonal frames on which the respective ends of said channel member rests, the elongated channel member comprising an underwall having upstanding opposed integral sidewalls, the end portions of said sidewalls being turned inwardly and downwardly at acute angles with respect to said sidewalls and towards said underwall, and a second reinforcing member secured within said channel and spaced off said underwall, said second member being also secured to said inwardly and downwardly turned end portion of the channel member sidewalls.

Claim 10

The improvement of claim 7 wherein the second member disposed within the channel member is of channel shape and has a bottom wall in spaced relation off the underwall of the channel member and has opposed sides welded to the edges of the inwardly turned end portions of the channel member, said second member having its edges disposed against and welded to the inner surfaces of the opposed sidewalls of the channel member.

Claim 11

The improvement according to claim 7 wherein said second member has opposed side flanges which are disposed against and welded to the inner surfaces of the opposed sidewalls of the channel member.

Claim 12

The improvement according to claim 7 wherein one of said rectangular parallelepipedonal frames supports the subject holder.

Claim 13

The improvement according to claim 8 wherein the subject holder is translucent and the said rectangular parallelepipedonal frame which supports it also has means spaced behind the subject holder for rear lighting the subject holdEr.

Claim 14

The improvement according to claim 7 wherein the platen and objective are supported within an optical head which moves along said rails.

Claim 15

The improvement according to claim 7 further including channel guide means extending lengthwise thereof for guiding electrical conduits which connect to the optical head and are pushed and pulled with the movement of the optical head toward and away from the subject holder.

Claim 16

The improvement according to claim 1 wherein the upturned sidewalls of the inner channel member extend upwardly to adjacent the junction of the inclined end portions of the outer channel member with its side portions.

Claim 17

The improvement according to claim 14 wherein the rails are bolted to the upturned sidewalls of both the inner and outer channels at locations above the underwall of the inner channel member.

Claim 18

The improvement according to claim 1 wherein the underwall of the inner channel member is spaced off the underwall of the outer channel member a distance equal to approximately twice the remaining height of the sidewalls of said outer channel members.

Claim 19

Supporting structure according to claim 1 wherein the upturned sidewalls of the outer channel member approximate one-half the lateral dimension of the underwall thereof.

Claim 20

Supporting structure according to claim 1 wherein the inclined end portions are disposed at approximately thirty degrees with respect to the upturned sidewalls of said outer channel member.