Automatic assembly machine for film cartridges

Claim 2

A film cartridge assembly and loading apparatus including: a first unit adapted to position a film cartridge body and a cover thereon; a second unit including a film and paper feeding means; a cutting means, a scrolling means adapted to scroll a predetermined length of photographic film and paper, means for inserting said spool-scroll assembly into said cartridge and means for ultrasonically sealing a cartridge cover and body while still maintaining the proper focal plane.

Claim 3

A film cartridge assembly and loading apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein; said first unit includes storage means for storing said cartridge bodies in a manner permitting such bodies to enter one at a time by gravity onto a feed track means including a table, said table having a locating nest for positioning said cartridge body at a designated location, circuit means to detect the presence of a cartridge body in said nest, a first air cylinder means responsive to the presence of said nested cartridge body for transferring said cartridge body to a cover loading station, cover loading means for guiding said cartridge cover onto said body, slide means to receive said cover in a detented position as it moves to the forward area of said track, a second air cylinder means adapted to direct said slide and cover down said track into a position above the nested cartridge body, a third air cylinder means above said cartridge cover adapted to retain said cover on said cartridge body to form a cover-cartridge body combination until said slide is in the full retracted position, and electrical circuit means for energizing a conveyor means to direct said cover-cartridge-body combination to another area for further work.

Claim 4

A film cartridge assembly and loading apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said cover is held in position by a slide arrangement until such slide is fully retracted to prevent further advance of additional slide covers through the action of an air cylinder entering a hole in said cartridge cover.

Claim 5

An apparatus as claimed in claim 3 including: A labeling means for placing a label on said cartridge assembly, constant speed escape belT having an indexing air cylinder means for receiving said cover-cartridge body assembly, said belts being adapted to transfer said cartridge assembly to a notching means where said cartridge is notched in a pre-designated manner and immediately thereafter tested for the presence or absence of said notches, and transport means for transporting said notched cartridge assembly into a light-lock chamber for insertion therein of a scroll of film and paper.

Claim 6

An apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein the presence of a notch in said cartridge assembly is detected by a limit switch.

Claim 7

An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, including: means for controlling a pre-determined amount of film and backing paper, an arm control assembly for controlling the tension of said film being drawn from a roll, a tape dispenser means for dispensing tape to attach said film to said paper backing; a scrolling means for combining said film and paper combination into a coreless scroll; a spool feeding means adapted to advance an empty film spool to a position where a pre-selected length of tape is automatically applied to said paper scroll and spool to form a scroll-spool combination; a track means for maintaining registration between said film and paper, means for inserting said scroll-spool combination into a cartridge body, a sealing means for ultra-sonically sealing said loaded cartridge cover and body, and torque-testing means for applying a pre-established torque on the film paper and tape-spool combination.

Claim 8

An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein film tension is governed by a mechanical brake in cooperation with a loop arm controlled by a spindle such that a decrease in film tension causes said arm to lower its position of travel resulting in added film feed out.

Claim 9

An apparatus as claimed in claim 7 including photoelectric light-sensing means for sensing the presence of film and paper registration.