US3743400A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Film strip handling apparatus and method
Assignee: CHASE & COMPANY Inc
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Filing: 1970-12-24
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Granted: 1973-07-03
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Expires: 1990-12-24
Abstract
Abstract Apparatus and a method for handling and reading any one of a number of film strips, each having a number of segments with each segment containing a plurality of information-containing, highreduction image frames. The film strips are housed in a cassette which is movable with respect to a fixed reference to align a desired film strip with a reading station disposed across the optical path of an optical system. A film strip is moved out of the cassette by a force applied to one of its side edges. Control information carried by each film strip is sensed as the film strip moves out of the cassette and the sensed information is used to control the distance through which the film strip moves so that a particular segment thereof will stop at the reading station. The optical system is moved relative to the reading system so that the optical path of the optical system is selectively alignable with a particular image frame of the film strip removed from the cassette.
Inventors
- 👤 J Haning
- 👤 B Kool
- 👤 J Moritz
- 👤 R Mizrahi
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 12:31
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03B; G03B21/00; G03B21/10; G03B21/11
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
320 words
Information retrieval apparatus comprising: a support; a cassette having an open end and one side provided with an opening therein, said cassette having means for mounting a plurality of film strips in stacked relationship therein with a side marginal edge of each film strip being generally continuous and partially disposed in the opening of said one side of the cassette; means on the support for releasably mounting the cassette for movement into any one of a number of operative positions, there being an operative position of the cassette for each film strip, respectively; first means coupled with the cassette mounting means for selectively moving the cassette into an operative position; second means adjacent to said one side of the cassette fOr frictionally engaging said side marginal edge of a film strip and for moving the same partially out of the cassette and along a predetermined path when the cassette is in one of the respective operative positions; means adjacent to said path and coupled with said second means for sensing indicia on a film strip as the latter moves along said path, said sensing means being coupled to said second means and being operable to control the same to thereby limit the movement of a film strip to a preselected distance with respect to the cassette; means adjacent to said path and spaced from the cassette for releasably holding a film strip in a fixed location after it has moved partially out of the cassette through a preselected distance; and optical system; means mounting the optical system for movement with respect to said film holding means, whereby the optical system can be shifted relative to said holding means; third means coupled with the optical system mounting means for moving the optical system with respect to said holding means; and means coupled with the first means, the second means and the third means for selectively and sequentially controlling the actuation thereof.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
320 words
Information retrieval apparatus comprising: a support; a cassette having an open end and one side provided with an opening therein, said cassette having means for mounting a plurality of film strips in stacked relationship therein with a side marginal edge of each film strip being generally continuous and partially disposed in the opening of said one side of the cassette; means on the support for releasably mounting the cassette for movement into any one of a number of operative positions, there being an operative position of the cassette for each film strip, respectively; first means coupled with the cassette mounting means for selectively moving the cassette into an operative position; second means adjacent to said one side of the cassette fOr frictionally engaging said side marginal edge of a film strip and for moving the same partially out of the cassette and along a predetermined path when the cassette is in one of the respective operative positions; means adjacent to said path and coupled with said second means for sensing indicia on a film strip as the latter moves along said path, said sensing means being coupled to said second means and being operable to control the same to thereby limit the movement of a film strip to a preselected distance with respect to the cassette; means adjacent to said path and spaced from the cassette for releasably holding a film strip in a fixed location after it has moved partially out of the cassette through a preselected distance; and optical system; means mounting the optical system for movement with respect to said film holding means, whereby the optical system can be shifted relative to said holding means; third means coupled with the optical system mounting means for moving the optical system with respect to said holding means; and means coupled with the first means, the second means and the third means for selectively and sequentially controlling the actuation thereof.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
199 words
Information retrieval apparatus comprising: a support; means on the support for mounting an information-containing film strip in an operative position with the film strip having a generally continuous side marginal edge; actuatable means rotatably mounted on the support adjacent to one side of said operative position and frictionally engageable with said side marginal edge of the film strip for moving the same along a predetermined path to a position which is at least partially out of said means on the support for mounting; means adjacent to said path and coupled with said film strip moving means for generating a control signal usable to control the actuation of the film strip moving means; means adjacent to said path and spaced from said operative position for releasably holding the film strip at a said position; an optical system shiftably mounted on the support adjacent to said holding means and having an optical path alignable with a preselected region on the film strip held thereby; means coupled with said optical system for moving the same in a preselected X-Y plane; and means coupled with said film strip moving means and said optical system moving means for controlling the operation of the same.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
199 words
Information retrieval apparatus comprising: a support; means on the support for mounting an information-containing film strip in an operative position with the film strip having a generally continuous side marginal edge; actuatable means rotatably mounted on the support adjacent to one side of said operative position and frictionally engageable with said side marginal edge of the film strip for moving the same along a predetermined path to a position which is at least partially out of said means on the support for mounting; means adjacent to said path and coupled with said film strip moving means for generating a control signal usable to control the actuation of the film strip moving means; means adjacent to said path and spaced from said operative position for releasably holding the film strip at a said position; an optical system shiftably mounted on the support adjacent to said holding means and having an optical path alignable with a preselected region on the film strip held thereby; means coupled with said optical system for moving the same in a preselected X-Y plane; and means coupled with said film strip moving means and said optical system moving means for controlling the operation of the same.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
298 words
Apparatus for handling a plurality of film strips, each having a plurality of frames, each frame having a plurality of images, the film strips being disposed in stacked relationship in a cassette having an open end and an opening in one of its sides with each film strip having a generally continuous side marginal edge comprising: a support; means on the support for mounting the cassette for movement into and out of any one of a number of operative positions to permit a respective film strip in the cassette to be moved at least partially out of the cassette through said open end thereof and along a predetermined path; first means coupled with the cassette mounting means for selectively moving the cassette into an operative position; second means rotatably mounted on the support adjacent to the position normally occupied by the opening of said one side of the cassette for frictionally engaging said continuous side marginal edge of a film strip and for moving the latter a preselected distance along said path to a position at least partially out of the cassette when the cassette is in the corresponding operative position to select a particular frame; means for releasably holding the film strip in a fixed location after it has moved through said preselected distance out of the cassette; an optical system shiftably mounted on said support for movement with respect to said holding means, whereby the optical system can be shifted relative to a film strip into and out of optical alignment with a predetermined image on said selected frame; third means coupled with the optical system for moving the optical system witH respect to said holding means; and means coupled with said first means, said second means and said third means for controlling the operation thereof.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
298 words
Apparatus for handling a plurality of film strips, each having a plurality of frames, each frame having a plurality of images, the film strips being disposed in stacked relationship in a cassette having an open end and an opening in one of its sides with each film strip having a generally continuous side marginal edge comprising: a support; means on the support for mounting the cassette for movement into and out of any one of a number of operative positions to permit a respective film strip in the cassette to be moved at least partially out of the cassette through said open end thereof and along a predetermined path; first means coupled with the cassette mounting means for selectively moving the cassette into an operative position; second means rotatably mounted on the support adjacent to the position normally occupied by the opening of said one side of the cassette for frictionally engaging said continuous side marginal edge of a film strip and for moving the latter a preselected distance along said path to a position at least partially out of the cassette when the cassette is in the corresponding operative position to select a particular frame; means for releasably holding the film strip in a fixed location after it has moved through said preselected distance out of the cassette; an optical system shiftably mounted on said support for movement with respect to said holding means, whereby the optical system can be shifted relative to a film strip into and out of optical alignment with a predetermined image on said selected frame; third means coupled with the optical system for moving the optical system witH respect to said holding means; and means coupled with said first means, said second means and said third means for controlling the operation thereof.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
70 words
Apparatus as set forth in claim 3, wherein said film strip moving means includes a power device having means thereon for making a driving connection to a film strip, and means adjacent to said path for sensing indicia on a film strip as the latter is moved along said path, said sensing means being coupled with said power device and cooperably with said control means to control the power device.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
48 words
Apparatus as set forth in claim 3, wherein said film strip moving means includes a rotor for frictionally engaging said continuous side marginal edge of a film strip and applying a longitudinal force thereto, and means coupled with said rotor for selectively rotating the same in opposed directions.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
47 words
Apparatus as set forth in claim 5, wherein said rotor includes a pair of relatively shiftable disks, said disks being normally in face-to-face relationship, one of the disks being biased toward and movable axially of the other disk, the disks presenting an outer peripheral, film strip-receiving groove.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
74 words
Apparatus as set forth in claim 5, wherein is provided an arm, means mounting said arm on said support for pivotal movement toward and away from said cassette position, said rotor being mounted on said arm in spaced relationship to the axis of pivotal movement thereof, means coupled with said arm for pivoting the same in one direction about said axis, and means biasing the arm in a direction opposite to said one direction.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
29 words
Apparatus as set forth in claim 3, wherein said holding means includes a fixed window, and means for releasably clamping a film strip against one side of the window.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
77 words
Apparatus as set forth in claim 8, wherein said clamping means includes a second window aligned with the first window, means pivotally mounting the second window for movement toward and away from said first window, means biasing the second window toward the first window, and means coupled with the second window for pivoting the same away from the first window to permit a film strip to be moved into and out of the space between the windows.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
17 words
Apparatus as set forth in claim 8, wherein said one side of the window is optically flat.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-07-02 | 1977-01-01 | 1977-07-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-07-02 | 1981-01-01 | 1981-07-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-07-02 | 1985-01-01 | 1985-07-03 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |