US3795477A — Selective actuating mechanism for percussive phot…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 134 words

A selective actuating mechanism for a photoflash lamp array; said array including a support member, a plurality of percussively-ignitable flashlamps mounted in two parallel rows on said support member, and a plurality of preenergized strikers mounted in two parallel rows on said support member, each row of strikers being associated with a respective row of said flashlamps and each striker being individually releasable to fire a respective one of said flashlamps; the selective actuating mechanism comprising, in combination: a longitudinal channel in said support member located between and parallel to said two rows of strikers; a slidable bar retained in said channel; and, means provided on said slidable bar for sequentially releasing said preenergized strikers to fire respective flashlamps of said array in response to successive indexing of said slidable bar along said channel.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 134 words

A selective actuating mechanism for a photoflash lamp array; said array including a support member, a plurality of percussively-ignitable flashlamps mounted in two parallel rows on said support member, and a plurality of preenergized strikers mounted in two parallel rows on said support member, each row of strikers being associated with a respective row of said flashlamps and each striker being individually releasable to fire a respective one of said flashlamps; the selective actuating mechanism comprising, in combination: a longitudinal channel in said support member located between and parallel to said two rows of strikers; a slidable bar retained in said channel; and, means provided on said slidable bar for sequentially releasing said preenergized strikers to fire respective flashlamps of said array in response to successive indexing of said slidable bar along said channel.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 33 words

The mechanism of claim 1 wherein the sequence of releasing said strikers is programmed by the spatial disposition of said releasing means on said slidable bar and the respective location of said strikers.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 61 words

The mechanism of claim 1 wherein said strikers are mounted so that, in the preenergized conditions, said strikers project beyond the peripheries of said channel to overlie a portion of said slidable bar, the strikers associated with one of said rows of lamps projecting in a direction opposite that toward which the strikers associated with the other row of lamps project.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 46 words

The mechanism of claim 3 wherein said releasing means comprises one or more ramps, and the sequence of releasing said strikers is programmed by the number and respective location of said ramps along the length of said slidable bar and the respective location of said strikers.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 174 words

The mechanism of claim 4 in which there are an equal number of evenly spaced strikers in each of said rows of strikers, the distance between strikers in each row is x(n + 1), where n is the total number of strikers in the two rows thereof and x is the distance said slidable bar translates along said channel during each indexing increment for release of a striker, the number of said ramps equals n/2 + 1, the first ramp on said bar is adapted to release the first striker in one of said rows of strikers, the last ramp on said bar is adapted to release the last striker in the other of said rows of strikers, each of the ramps intermediate said first and last ramps is adapted to sequentially release two oppositely projecting strikers, each set of two oppositely projecting strikers to be released by one of said intermediate ramps is spaced apart by a distance x, and said ramps are evenly spaced apart by a distance of (n - 1)x.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 18 words

The mechanism of claim 5 wherein the minimum length of said channel is x(n2 + n + 2)/2.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 24 words

The mechanism of claim 1 further including a plurality of ratchet drive teeth on said slidable bar which are engagable for indexing said bar.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 175 words

A photoflash assembly comprising, in combination a substantially planar base member; a substantially planar wall member secured to said base member and disposed substantially normal thereto, said wall member containing a longitudinal channel; a plurality of percussively-ignitable flashlamps mounted in two parallel rows on the side of said wall member containing said channel with the longitudinal axes of said lamps projecting parallel to said base member; a plurality of preenergized strikers mounted in two parallel rows on said wall member with said longitudinal channel located between and parallel to said rows of strikers, each row of strikers being associated with a respective row of said flashlamps and each striker being individually releasable to fire a respective one of said flashlamps; a slidable bar retained in said longitudinal channel; and means projecting from said slidable bar and adapted for selectively releasing said preenergized strikers; said slidable bar being operative upon translation along said channel to selectively release said strikers in a predetermined sequence by means of said projecting means to thereby fire the respectively associated flashlamps.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 175 words

A photoflash assembly comprising, in combination a substantially planar base member; a substantially planar wall member secured to said base member and disposed substantially normal thereto, said wall member containing a longitudinal channel; a plurality of percussively-ignitable flashlamps mounted in two parallel rows on the side of said wall member containing said channel with the longitudinal axes of said lamps projecting parallel to said base member; a plurality of preenergized strikers mounted in two parallel rows on said wall member with said longitudinal channel located between and parallel to said rows of strikers, each row of strikers being associated with a respective row of said flashlamps and each striker being individually releasable to fire a respective one of said flashlamps; a slidable bar retained in said longitudinal channel; and means projecting from said slidable bar and adapted for selectively releasing said preenergized strikers; said slidable bar being operative upon translation along said channel to selectively release said strikers in a predetermined sequence by means of said projecting means to thereby fire the respectively associated flashlamps.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 73 words

The assembly of claim 8 wherein said wall member has an aperture therethrough within said channel, and further including means provided on said slidable bar which is accessible through the aperture in said wall member to be engaged for indexing said slidable bar along said channel, said bar being operative in response to successive indexing to sequentially release said strikers by means of said projecting means to fire respective ones of said flashlamps.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 81 words

The assembly of claim 9 wherein the preenergized strikers mounted on said wall member project beyond the peripheries of said channel to overlie a portion of said slidable bar, and said means projecting from said slidable bar comprises one or more ramps linearly disposed along one side of said bar, said sequence of releasing said strikers being programmed by the number and respective location of said ramps along the length of said slidable bar and the respective location of said strikers.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 55 words

The assembly of claim 10 wherein said means accessible to be engaged for indexing said slidable bar comprises a plurality of evenly spaced ratchet drive teeth, said teeth being disposed on a side of said bar adjacent that on which said ramps are located, and said aperture being located on a side of said channel.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 173 words

The assembly of claim 11 wherein there are an equal number of evenly spaced strikers in each of said rows of strikers, the distance between strikers in each row is x(n + 1), where n is the total number of strikers in the two rows thereof and x is the distance said slidable bar translates along said channel during each indexing increment for release of a striker, the number of said ramps equals n/2 + 1, the first ramp on said bar is adapted to release the first striker in one of said rows of strikers, the last ramp on said bar is adapted to release the last striker in the other of said rows of strikers, each of the ramps intermediate said first and last ramps is adapted to sequentially release two oppositely projecting strikers, each set of two oppositely projecting strikers to be released by one of said intermediate ramps is spaced apart by a distance x, and said ramps are evenly spaced apart by a distance of (n - 1)x.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 18 words

The assembly of claim 12 wherein the minimum length of said channel is x(n2 + n + 2)/2.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 121 words

The assembly of claim 10 wherein: each of said flashlamps has a primer tube depending therefrom; said wall member contains a plurality of bores each for receiving the primer tube of a respective one of said flashlamps to provide support therefor; and, each of said preenergized strikers is a portion of a folded torsion spring comprising a substantially hairpin torsional section having two segments joined by a bight, said striker portion projection from one of said segments, a supporting foot projecting from the other of said segments and fixedly mounted on said wall member, and a catch formed at the tip of said foot, said striker portion crossing said foot with said catch restraining said striker portion in a cocked condition.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 58 words

The assembly of claim 14 further including an array of substantially concave reflectors each disposed coaxially about a respective One of said flashlamps, the optical axes of said reflectors being substantially perpendicular to said wall member and said reflectors all facing in one direction away from the side of said wall member upon which said flashlamps are mounted.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1977-03-04	1977-09-03	1978-03-05	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1981-03-04	1981-09-03	1982-03-05	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1985-03-04	1985-09-03	1986-03-05	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Selective actuating mechanism for percussive photoflash lamp array

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