Film cartridge

Claim 1

A film cartridge for use with a document camera which will permit insertion and removal of the cartridge after the cartridge is initially inserted and prior to exposure of the entire film without complete rewinding, said cartridge comprising a housing formed of interfitting plastic part means for producing a light-tight compartment having large-area sidewalls and edge walls extending substantially around the periphery of said sidewalls to join said sidewalls with the discontinuity of said edge walls defining a rectangular opening along one edge of the housing extending between said sidewalls, means defining a pair of spools disposed within said compartment between said sidewalls for supporting a length of film and said spools being capable of receiving an exterior driving force, a roller positioned within said compartment and having a hollow cylindrical portion and an outer cylindrical periphery which defines a film supporting surface, said roller being positioned with the axis thereof extending in a direction between said sidewalls and with the periphery projecting through said opening in said edge wall, said roller also having a stub shaft coaxial with said cylindrical portion and supported from a support positioned within said cylindrical portion, a pin supported by one said sidewall and projecting toward the other sidewall and into said hollow cylindrical portion of said roller, and a spring secured to said stub shaft and to said pin for biasing said stub shaft and said roller outwardly of said compartment toward said opening and into contact with said edge walls defining said opening to lock the film when the cartridge is not in a camera and to align the roller with a pair of capstans when in a camera.