Shutter operating apparatus for camera

Claim 2

In a camera including a camera body and a shutter sector movable between open and closed positions, a shutter operating apparatus comprising: means for opening and closing said sector, including a sector actuator member in driving association with said sector; a pivotally mounted setting member rotatable between a spring loaded cocked position and a discharge position; means for driving said sector actuator member, including a driving member pivotally mounted on said setting member and rotatable between a spring cocked position and a discharge position; selectively actuatable means releasably locking said setting member in its cocked position; means including a latch member for releasably locking said driving member in its cocked position and actuatable to release said driving member a variable time interval following the release of said setting member; and means for cocking said setting and driving members, including a cocking member movable along a predetermined path into sequential cocking engagement with said setting member and said driving member.

Claim 3

The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 the setting member comprises a rotatable member pivoted to the camera body and biased in one direction, the setting member supporting the driving member eccentrically of the center of rotation of the rotatable member and the setting member is initiated into movement simultaneously with the shutter release action to shift the driving member.

Claim 4

The apparatus as set forth in claim 1 further comprising: braking means for limiting the rate of discharge movement of the setting member upon release therefrom from its cocked position to thereby vary the degree of the engagement of the sector driving member with the sector actuating member, an exposure time control circuit including and responsive to a light measuring integration circuit, an electromagnet energized in response to the control circuit and a latch actuating member movable to shift said latch member to release the driving member from the cocked position under the control of the electromagnet.

Claim 5

The apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein the setting member has a cam and said actuator has a follower movable into engagement with said cam to control the amount of opening movement of the sector actuator member, the amount of opening of the sectors corresponding to the amount of the actuator member movement.

Claim 6

The apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein the latch member latches the driving member at the position of the center of rotation of the setting member upon the shutter cocking action.

Claim 7

The apparatus as set forth in claim 3, said driving member being so shaped that after the actuating member has been initiated into movement it is prevented from returning by the driving member until the shutter cocking action and is returned to the original position upon completion of the shutter cocking operation.

Claim 8

The apparatus as set forth in claim 3 further comprising: a pivotally mounted sector opening lever engageable and swingable by the setting member at a predetermined portion of the path of movement of the setting member, and A member resiliently connecting the sector actuator member to the opening lever to cause the sector actuator member to follow the swinging movement of the lever.

Claim 9

The apparatus as set forth in claim 7 wherein the exposure time control circuit includes a changeover switch for switching the energizing circuit of the electromagnet to an energizing circuit for a bulb exposure.

Claim 10

The apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein the electromagnet is energized upon a lapse of time responsive to the time constant of the light measuring integration circuit to cause the latch actuating member to retract the latch member and release the driving member into movement.

Claim 11

The apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein the electromagnet is energized upon actuation of the exposure control circuit and deenergized upon a lapse of time responsive to the time constant of the light measuring integration circuit to cause the latch actuating member to retract the latch member and release the driving member into movement.

Claim 12

The apparatus as set forth in claim 10 further comprising: a release member responsive to the shutter release action to free the setting member from its cocked position, the release member being prevented from returning by the setting member after the release action until the shutter is cocked, said control circuit including a main energizing switch and a switch lever disposed in operative relation to the release member, the switch lever being operative to retain the latch actuating member at its cocked position upon the shutter cocking action and to close said main switch of the exposure control circuit and free the actuating member for operation upon the shutter release action.

Claim 13

The apparatus as set forth in claim 11 wherein the latch actuating member comprises a portion engageable with the cocking member by the shutter cocking action to be pushed to its cocked position for engagement with the switch lever and another portion operable to follow said portion and to latch the driving member at its cocked position at the end of the shutter cocking operation.

Claim 14

The apparatus as set forth in claim 11 further comprising: a member movable operable by the shutter release action, a bulb changeover button having an operating portion exposed from the camera body and supported on the camera body so as to be manually shiftable, and a bulb changeover lever having a portion engageable with and disengageable from the changeover button and another portion engageable with and disengageable from the actuating member, the lever being so urged as to follow said member operable by the shutter release action, the lever being prevented from the following movement and from the engagement with the actuating member when in engagement with the changeover button, the lever being operable for the following movement when out of engagement with the changeover button to engage with the actuating member and to thereby prevent the movement thereof at the initial stage of the shutter release action, the lever being movable to follow the return of the shutter button and to release the actuating member into movement.

Claim 15

A shutter operating apparatus for a camera including a shutter sector movable between open and closed positions, comprising: means for opening and closing said sector including a swingable mounted sector actuator member, in driving association with said sector means for driving said sector actuator including a spring loaded sector driving member movable in a forward direction by a shutter release action and in an opposite backward direction by a shutter cocking action and means releasably retaining said driving member in its spring loaded cocked position, the driving member being engageable with the sector actuator member during the forward movement to swing said sector actuator member, and a setting member swingably supporting the driving member for movement therewith, the setting member being movable prior to the movemenT of the driving member to shift the driving member to a position where the driving member is engageable with the sector actuator member, the setting member having means including a cam for controlling the amount of sector opening movement of the sector actuator member in corresponding relation to the amount of its movement to make the amount of opening of the sector correspond to the amount of the movement of the setting member.

Claim 16

A shutter operating apparatus for a camera including a shutter sector movable between open and closed positions, comprising: means for opening and closing said sector including a swingable mounted sector actuator member, in driving association with said sector means for driving said sector actuator including a spring loaded sector driving member movable in a forward direction by a shutter release action and in an opposite backward direction by a shutter cocking action and means releasably retaining said driving member in its spring loaded cocked position, the driving member being engageable with the sector actuator member during the forward movement to swing said sector actuator member, and a setting member swingably supporting the driving member for movement therewith, the setting member being movable prior to the movemenT of the driving member to shift the driving member to a position where the driving member is engageable with the sector actuator member, the setting member having means including a cam for controlling the amount of sector opening movement of the sector actuator member in corresponding relation to the amount of its movement to make the amount of opening of the sector correspond to the amount of the movement of the setting member.