US3829211A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Easel construction
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1973-02-28
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Granted: 1974-08-13
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Expires: 1993-02-28
Abstract
Abstract An easel construction for use in a darkroom and a method of using it which enables multiple exposures to be made on a single sheet of photographic paper in a series of simplified steps, the easel construction comprising a base, a plurality of interchangeable covers adapted to overlie one surface of the base and a lid or similar securing means for maintaining the covers in place over the base. A focusing target surface having delineated surface areas corresponding to the areas of the covers is formed on a second outer surface of the base. Prior to exposing areas of the photographic paper, the image to be printed is properly focused on a target surface area and the lense aperture adjusted, the easel is inverted and one or more corresponding areas of photographic paper retained on the opposite side are exposed after removal of an appropriate cover. The covers are uniquely configured to avoid double exposures and facilitate the desired print sizes and after complete exposure the entire sheet of sensitive paper is removed, chemically processed, and if desired, cut to form a plurality of individual prints.
Inventors
- 👤 R Mitchell
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 06:39
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03B; G03B27/00; G03B27/32; G03B27/52; G03B27/58; G03B27/582
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
98 words
An easel construction comprising a paper supporting base having one surface adapted to hold photographic paper to be exposed, a plurality of close-fitting, opaque covers adapted to interfit in close contiguous relationship with no interval therebetween, removably positionable in said close relationship on said one surface, securing means movable over said covers and connected to said base for locking said covers in place over said one surface; and target means disposed on a second outer surface of said base dividing said second surface into area segments corresponding to the areas of said covers disposed on said one surface.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
98 words
An easel construction comprising a paper supporting base having one surface adapted to hold photographic paper to be exposed, a plurality of close-fitting, opaque covers adapted to interfit in close contiguous relationship with no interval therebetween, removably positionable in said close relationship on said one surface, securing means movable over said covers and connected to said base for locking said covers in place over said one surface; and target means disposed on a second outer surface of said base dividing said second surface into area segments corresponding to the areas of said covers disposed on said one surface.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
115 words
An easel construction comprising a support for photographic paper having an upper planar support surface, a frame generally surrounding said surface, a plurality of opaque covers adapted to interfit in close contiguous relationship and substantially covers said surface and fill said frame, each of said covers being individually removably positioned in said close contiguous relationship on said planar support surface, lid means adapted to overlie said support surface to maintain said covers in tight assembled relation with said support surface to prevent relative movement of said covers and said support and means releaseably holding said lid adjacent said frame to maintain said covers in said tight assembled relation irrespective of the position of said support.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
115 words
An easel construction comprising a support for photographic paper having an upper planar support surface, a frame generally surrounding said surface, a plurality of opaque covers adapted to interfit in close contiguous relationship and substantially covers said surface and fill said frame, each of said covers being individually removably positioned in said close contiguous relationship on said planar support surface, lid means adapted to overlie said support surface to maintain said covers in tight assembled relation with said support surface to prevent relative movement of said covers and said support and means releaseably holding said lid adjacent said frame to maintain said covers in said tight assembled relation irrespective of the position of said support.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
The easel of claim 2 in which said lid means comprises an opaque lid hinged along one edge of said support.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
26 words
The easel of claim 2 in which said securing means comprises an opaque plate slidably movable over said covers in retaining grooves formed in said support.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
49 words
The easel construction of claim 2 wherein each of said covers has a first surface and a distinctively different second surface whereby said cover may be placed in said frame in an inverted position and inversion of said cover provides tactile indication of exposure of the sensitive material thereunder.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
47 words
The easel construction of claim 5 wherein each of said covers is provided with handle means on one surface thereof to facilitate manual removal from the frame and inversion, said handle means providing a tactile indication of cover position and consequent exposure of the support surface thereunder.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
21 words
The easel construction of claim 6 wherein said frame, said support and said covers are formed from deformable thermoplastic sheet material.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
135 words
An easel construction comprising a rectangular frame having upwardly sloping, converging sides with said sides having downwardly extending vertical terminal edge portions in a normal position of easel use; a base receivable within said frame having a paper support surface spaced beneath two opposed terminal edge portions of said frame so as to define parallel slots therewith adjacent opposed edges of said support surface, outer peripheral portions of said base being secured to lower, inner peripheral portions of said frame, opaque cover means adapted to rest on said support surface in close-fitting relation with no interval therebetween and snugly receivable within the frame opening defined by said terminal edge portions, and releasable means connected to said frame for maintaining said covers in tight, assembled relation with said frame and base when said construction is inverted.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
135 words
An easel construction comprising a rectangular frame having upwardly sloping, converging sides with said sides having downwardly extending vertical terminal edge portions in a normal position of easel use; a base receivable within said frame having a paper support surface spaced beneath two opposed terminal edge portions of said frame so as to define parallel slots therewith adjacent opposed edges of said support surface, outer peripheral portions of said base being secured to lower, inner peripheral portions of said frame, opaque cover means adapted to rest on said support surface in close-fitting relation with no interval therebetween and snugly receivable within the frame opening defined by said terminal edge portions, and releasable means connected to said frame for maintaining said covers in tight, assembled relation with said frame and base when said construction is inverted.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
109 words
An easel construction comprising a support for photographic paper having an upper planar support surface, a frame surrounding said surface, a plurality of opaque covers adapted to interfit in close contiguous relationship and substantially cover said surface and fill said frame, each of said covers being individually removably positioned in said close contiguous relationship on said planar support surface, said covers being rectangular and related to one another in size whereby the smallest cover is substantially equal to an area 1/2n of the area defined by the frame and from one to 2n prints may be produced in a single printing and processing operation wherein n is any integer.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
109 words
An easel construction comprising a support for photographic paper having an upper planar support surface, a frame surrounding said surface, a plurality of opaque covers adapted to interfit in close contiguous relationship and substantially cover said surface and fill said frame, each of said covers being individually removably positioned in said close contiguous relationship on said planar support surface, said covers being rectangular and related to one another in size whereby the smallest cover is substantially equal to an area 1/2n of the area defined by the frame and from one to 2n prints may be produced in a single printing and processing operation wherein n is any integer.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
34 words
The easel construction of claim 9 in which indicia are outlined on an outer surface of said base oppositely disposed to said support surface, said indicia defining precisely areas defined by said opaque covers.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
43 words
The easel construction of claim 9 in which said planar support surface and said outer surface of said base and equidistant from an easel support surface when said base surfaces are arranged uppermost and said easel is resting on said easel support surface.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
37 words
The easel construction of claim 9 in combination with paper-retaining projections secured to said base and positioned adjacent said base outer surface whereby a sheet of photographic paper may be locked in position over said support surface.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
137 words
A method of exposing photographic prints comprising the steps of: a. providing a photographic light image on a reproduction surface; b. disposing a sheet of photographically sensitive material on said reproduction surface, the size of said sheet being substantially greater than the image to be reproduced; c. covering said sheet with a plurality of individual opaque covers, at least one of which corresponds to the size of the image to be reproduced; d. removing said one cover to expose a selected area of said sensitive material; e. replacing said one cover in a unique manner which distinguishes it from the covers which have not been removed; f. and removing and replacing each of said covers in turn while moving said image relative to said sheet until substantially the entire sensitive sheet has Been exposed to said image.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
137 words
A method of exposing photographic prints comprising the steps of: a. providing a photographic light image on a reproduction surface; b. disposing a sheet of photographically sensitive material on said reproduction surface, the size of said sheet being substantially greater than the image to be reproduced; c. covering said sheet with a plurality of individual opaque covers, at least one of which corresponds to the size of the image to be reproduced; d. removing said one cover to expose a selected area of said sensitive material; e. replacing said one cover in a unique manner which distinguishes it from the covers which have not been removed; f. and removing and replacing each of said covers in turn while moving said image relative to said sheet until substantially the entire sensitive sheet has Been exposed to said image.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
67 words
The method of claim 13 wherein said sheet is a standard available sheet of photographic paper, two of said covers have an area equal to approximately one-half of said sheet, four covers are equal to one-quarter of said sheet and eight covers are each equal to one-eighth of said sheet whereby the entire sheet is covered and can be exposed to as many as eight separate images.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 13 wherein each of said covers is inverted to expose the opposite surface to provide a unique distinction between the position of said cover before and after exposure of the area of the sheet thereunder.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 13 including the additional steps of: g. processing the exposed sensitive sheet and h. cutting the sheet to separate the individual images and form separate individual prints.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
64 words
The method of claim 16 in combination with the step of preliminarily focusing the image of a negative to be printed on said paper at the precise level of the light-sensitive surface of said photographic paper and of the precise size desired whereby a focused image of appropriate size and location is present when a cover is removed for exposing the light-sensitive surface therebeneath.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-08-12 | 1978-02-11 | 1978-08-13 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-08-12 | 1982-02-11 | 1982-08-13 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-08-12 | 1986-02-11 | 1986-08-13 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |