Slide projector with means to eliminate jams

Claim 2

In a side projector capable of holding a tray of slides and including a housing having a tray channel for receiving the tray and a slide channel opening into the tray channel at one side thereof for accepting slides from the tray, a changer arm shiftable across the tray channel toward and away from the slide channel for displacing slides from the tray and pushing them into the slide channel, a spindle located adjacent to the other side of the tray channel and directly opposite the slide channel, a pinion gear on the spindle and projecting into the tray channel for engagement with a rack on the tray, means for rotating the pinion gear when the changer arm is withdrawn for indexing the tray, and means for projecting the slide which is in the slide channel; the improvement comprising a guide shoe mounted on the spindle and engaged with the changer arm for confining the changer arm in the direction transverse to the direction in which the changer arm shifts across the tray channel.

Claim 3

The structure according to claim 1 wherein the guide shoe has an upwardly opening groove which receives the changer arm.

Claim 4

The structure according to claim 2 wherein the changer arm includes a pusher bar which moves across the tray channel and engages the slides in the tray and an operating arm which extends beneath the tray channel; and wherein means are provided for engaging and turning the pinion gear, said means being actuated by the operating bar.

Claim 5

The structure according to claim 1 wherein the tray is circular; wherein means are provided in the channel for positioning the tray so that it rotates about an axis which remains fixed in position relative to the housing; wherein a bearing surface is positioned at said one side of the tray channel and generally above the entry of the slide channel into the tray channel for engagement with the end of the tray so as to position the tray relative to the pinion gear; and wherein restraining means are provided for engagement with the tray generally above the pinion gear to prevent the tray from tilting such that its rack backs away from and does not fully engage the pinion gear.

Claim 6

For use with a slide projector for projecting slides carried in a circular tray which rotates about its axial centerline and has an annular hub, an outwardly presented annular rim surrounding the hub, webs extended between the hub and rim for dividing the annular space therebetween into slide-receiving slots, and a rack on the rim at one end of the tray, said projector including a housing configured to receive the tray with the axis of rotation for the tray being presented generally horizontally, supporting means on the housing for engaging the downwardly presented surface of the rim and supporting substantially the entire weight of the tray, a pinion gear engageable with the tray rack at said one end of the tray along generally the lowermost portion of the tray for rotating the tray to bring different slides in the slots thereof into a position wherein they may be removed from the tray and projected, a positioning surface on the housing for engaging the hub at the other end of the tray and preventing the rack from moving axially away from the pinion gear, the positioning surface being located above the pinion gear, changer means for removing the slides individually from the slots in the tray, and means for projecting the slides which are removed; the improvement comprising: an end member attached rigidly to hub and extended across the hollow hub at said one end of the tray to position a bearing surface along the axis of rotation for the tray; a restraining member mounted on the housing and positioned adjacent to said one end of the tray, the restraining member being engageable with said bearing surface on the end member for applying only an axially directed force to the tray so that the tray is not supported at the restraining member and is confined in only one axial direction by the restraining member, the tray being confined in the other axial direction by the positioning surface, whereby the tray will not tilt and cause the lower portion of the rack thereon to back away from the pinion gear.

Claim 7

For use with a slide projector for projecting slides carried in a circular tray which rotates about its axial centerline and has an annular hub, an outwardly presented annular rim surrounding the hub, webs extended between the hub and rim for dividing the annular space therebetween into slide-receiving slots, and a rack on the rim at one end of the tray, said projector including a housing configured to receive the tray with the axis of rotation for the tray being presented generally horizontally, supporting means on the housing for engaging the downwardly presented surface of the rim and supporting substantially the entire weight of the tray, a pinion gear engageable with the tray rack at said one end of the tray along generally the lowermost portion of the tray for rotating the tray to bring different slides in the slots thereof into a position wherein they may be removed from the tray and projected, a positioning surface on the housing for engaging the hub at the other end of the tray and preventing the rack from moving axially away from the pinion gear, the positioning surface being located above the pinion gear, changer means for removing the slides individually from the slots in the tray, and means for projecting the slides which are removed; the improvement comprising: an end member attached rigidly to hub and extended across the hollow hub at said one end of the tray to position a bearing surface along the axis of rotation for the tray; a restraining member mounted on the housing and positioned adjacent to said one end of the tray, the restraining member being engageable with said bearing surface on the end member for applying only an axially directed force to the tray so that the tray is not supported at the restraining member and is confined in only one axial direction by the restraining member, the tray being confined in the other axial direction by the positioning surface, whereby the tray will not tilt and cause the lower portion of the rack thereon to back away from the pinion gear.

Claim 8

The structure according to claim 5 wherein the restraining member is an arm which swings from an operative position, wherein it extends generally across said one end of the tray and prevents the tray fRom backing away from the pinion gear, to an inoperative position, wherein it is located generally away from the tray and does not obstruct removal of the tray from the projector.

Claim 9

The structure according to claim 6 wherein the arm has an engagement member through which it engages the end member on the tray, the engagement member being disposed along the axis of rotation for the tray when the arm is in its operative position and being adjustable in the direction of the axis of rotation for the tray.

Claim 10

The structure according claim 6 wherein the arm when in its inoperative position is located in a generally horizontal disposition adjacent to the top surface of the housing, whereby it will not interfere with the insertion of a tray into or the removal of a tray from the projector.

Claim 11

The structure according to claim 5 wherein the supporting means comprises a pair of support elements, and the pinion gear is interposed between and located lower than the two support elements.

Claim 12

The structure according to claim 5 wherein the restraining member is shiftable to an inoperative position where it is located generally away from the end face of the tray to facilitate removal of the tray from the projector.