Light-proofed radiographic cassette unloader and reloader

Claim 2

A light-proofed radiographic cassette unloader-reloader adapted for use with an automatic film processor and for use with a hinged cassette having a narrow flap along its opening side adapted to raise a film edge above the cassette base edge when the cassette lid is raised, comprising: a light-proofed cabinet, a magazine rotatably mounted within the cabinet and having at least one compartment means therein adapted to slidingly receive a cassette, the compartment means being open at one end and provided with cassette arresting stop means at the other end, means for turning the magazine from a first position in which the compartment floor is inclined at substantially 45* in one direction from vertical to a second position in which the floor is inclined at substantially 45* in the opposite direction from vertical, the cabinet having a cassette insertion station in which insertion door means register with the open end of the compartment means when the magazine is in its first position, the cabinet having an unloading station in which film-guide passage means register with the stop means end of the compartment means when the magazine is in its first position and means for passing unloaded film to the processor, the magazine having motoroperated means for unlocking cassettes therein and lifting cassette lids when the magazine is in its first position, the cabinet having a reloading station in which at least one chamber is adapted to contain a stack of film sheets of a size to fit the cassettes and downwardly inclined film supply passage means adapted to register with the stop means end of the compartment means when the magazine is in its second position, the compartment means having releasable latch means for holding the cassette therein adjacent the stop means end of the compartment means and the lid lifting means being adapted to maintain the cassette open when the magazine is turned from its first to its second position, means in the chamber for advancing and expelling a single sheet Of film on demand through the film supply passage, the cabinet having a cassette ejection station in which cassette closing means and ejection door means register with the open end of the compartment means when the magazine is in its second position, and means in the magazine for releasing the releasable latch means, the releasing means being controlled at the ejection station; whereby a cassette falls to the stop means end of the compartment means when inserted, the exposed film falls and is carried to the processor when the cassette is opened, a fresh sheet of unexposed film falls into the open cassette after the magazine is turned to its second position, and the cassette is ejected when the latch means is operated.

Claim 3

A light-proofed radiographic cassette unloader-reloader adapted for use with an automatic film processor and for use with a hinged cassette having a narrow flap along its opening side adapted to raise a film edge above the cassette base edge when the cassete lid is raised, comprising: a light-proofed cabinet, a magzine rotatably mounted within the cabinet and having at least one compartment therein adapted to receive a cassette, means mounted on the cabinet for turning the magazine from a first position in which the compartment floor is inclined at a substantial angle in one direction from the vertical to a second position in which the compartment floor is inclined a substantial angle in the opposite direction from the vertical, the cabinet having a cassette insertion station in which an insertion door is in register with the upper open end of the compartment when the magazine is in its first position, the cabinet having a film unloading station in which a passage for guiding film downward is in register with the lower partially open end of the compartment when the magazine is in its first position, the compartment having stop means for keeping the cassette therein from dropping out of its partially open end, the magazine having motor-operated means for unlocking a cassette therein and lifting its lid to release the film therein when the magazine is in its first position, the motor means being initiatable by control means at the cassette insertion station, endless belt conveyor means in the cabinet at the end of the film guide passage for carrying film from the passage to a film exit from the unloader-reloader, movable stop means at the end of the conveyor to normally engage the leading edge of a film carried on the conveyor, the film exit being adapted for light-proofed engagement with the film-receiving entrance of the processor, means for moving the movable stop means to free the passage of the film when the processor is in condition to accept the film, the cabinet having a film reloading station in which at least one chamber is adapted to contain a stock of film sheets of a size to fit the cassette in the compartment, the chamber having a downwardly inclined exit passage adapted to register with the compartment partially open upper end when the magazine is in its second position, the compartment having spring biased latch means for holding the cassete therein adjacent the partially open end and the lid lifting means being adapted to maintain the cassette open when the magazine is turned from its first to its second position, means in each chamber for advancing and expelling a single sheet of film through its exit passage, the cabinet having a cassette ejection station in which a pair of spaced rollers is in register with the lower open end of the compartment when the magazine is in its second position for receiving therebetween a cassette released from the compartment squeezing the cassette therebetween to close and lock the cassette, the cabinet having an exit door aligned with each pair of rollers to allow the ejection of the cassette therethrough by the rollers, the insertion and ejection doors being light-proofed and normally spring-biased closed, and means in the magazine for releasing the latch means in the compartment, the releasing means being initiaTable at the cassette ejection station; whereby a cassette falls to the partially open end of the compartment when inserted, the exposed film falls and is carried to the movable stop means when the cassette is opened, a fresh sheet of unexposed film falls into the open cassette when it is selectively released from its chamber, and the cassette is ejected from the cabinet by the rollers when the latch means is released at the ejection station.

Claim 4

A light-proofed radiographic cassette unloader-reloader adapted for use with an automatic film processor and for use with a hinged cassette having a narrow flap along its opening side adapted to raise a film edge above the cassette base edge when the cassete lid is raised, comprising: a light-proofed cabinet, a magzine rotatably mounted within the cabinet and having at least one compartment therein adapted to receive a cassette, means mounted on the cabinet for turning the magazine from a first position in which the compartment floor is inclined at a substantial angle in one direction from the vertical to a second position in which the compartment floor is inclined a substantial angle in the opposite direction from the vertical, the cabinet having a cassette insertion station in which an insertion door is in register with the upper open end of the compartment when the magazine is in its first position, the cabinet having a film unloading station in which a passage for guiding film downward is in register with the lower partially open end of the compartment when the magazine is in its first position, the compartment having stop means for keeping the cassette therein from dropping out of its partially open end, the magazine having motor-operated means for unlocking a cassette therein and lifting its lid to release the film therein when the magazine is in its first position, the motor means being initiatable by control means at the cassette insertion station, endless belt conveyor means in the cabinet at the end of the film guide passage for carrying film from the passage to a film exit from the unloader-reloader, movable stop means at the end of the conveyor to normally engage the leading edge of a film carried on the conveyor, the film exit being adapted for light-proofed engagement with the film-receiving entrance of the processor, means for moving the movable stop means to free the passage of the film when the processor is in condition to accept the film, the cabinet having a film reloading station in which at least one chamber is adapted to contain a stock of film sheets of a size to fit the cassette in the compartment, the chamber having a downwardly inclined exit passage adapted to register with the compartment partially open upper end when the magazine is in its second position, the compartment having spring biased latch means for holding the cassete therein adjacent the partially open end and the lid lifting means being adapted to maintain the cassette open when the magazine is turned from its first to its second position, means in each chamber for advancing and expelling a single sheet of film through its exit passage, the cabinet having a cassette ejection station in which a pair of spaced rollers is in register with the lower open end of the compartment when the magazine is in its second position for receiving therebetween a cassette released from the compartment squeezing the cassette therebetween to close and lock the cassette, the cabinet having an exit door aligned with each pair of rollers to allow the ejection of the cassette therethrough by the rollers, the insertion and ejection doors being light-proofed and normally spring-biased closed, and means in the magazine for releasing the latch means in the compartment, the releasing means being initiaTable at the cassette ejection station; whereby a cassette falls to the partially open end of the compartment when inserted, the exposed film falls and is carried to the movable stop means when the cassette is opened, a fresh sheet of unexposed film falls into the open cassette when it is selectively released from its chamber, and the cassette is ejected from the cabinet by the rollers when the latch means is released at the ejection station.

Claim 5

A light-proofed radiographic cassette unloader-reloader adapted for use with an automatic film processor and for use with a hinged cassette havig a narrow flap along its opening side adapted to raise a film edge above the cassette base edge when the cassette lid is raised, comprising: a light-proofed cabinet, a magazine rotatably mounted within the cabinet, the magazine having a plurality of compartments therein adapted to receive cassettes of a different size in each compartment, means mounted on the cabinet for turning the magazine from a first position in which the compartment floors are inclined substantially 45* in one direction from the vertical to a second position in which the compartment floors are inclined substantially 45* in the opposite direction from the vertical, the cabinet having a cassette insertion station in which an insertion door is in register with the upper open end of each compartment when the magazine is in its first position, the cabinet having a film unloading station in which a passage for guiding film downward is in reister with the lower partially-open end of each compartment when the magazine is in its first position, each compartment having stop means for keeping the cassette therein from dropping out of its partially open end, the magazine having motor-operated means for unlocking a cassette in any compartment and lifting its lid to release the film therein when the magazine is in its first position, the motor means being initiatable by control means at the cassette insertion station, endles belt conveyor means in the cabinet at the converging ends of the film guide passages for carrying film from the passages to a film exit from the unloader-reloader, movable stop means at the end of the conveyor to normally engage the leading edge of a film carried on the convryor, the film exit being adapted for light-proofed engagement with the film-receiving entrance of the processor, means for moving the movable stop means to free the passage of the film when the processor is in condition to accept the film, the cabinet having a film reloading station in which a plurality of chambers are adapted to contain a stack of film sheets, the chambers having respective downwardly inclined exit passages adapted to register with the compartments partially open upper ends when the magazine is in its second position, each compartment having spring biased latch means for holding a cassette therein adjacent the partially open end and the lid lifting means being adapted to maintain the cassette open when the magazine is turned from its first to its second position, each chamber having film sheets therein of a size to fit a cassette in the compartment with which its exit passage is in register, means in each chamber for advancing and expelling a single sheet of film through its exit passage, the cabinet having a cassette ejection station in which a pair of spaced rollers is in register with the lower open end of each compartment when the magazine is in its second position for receiving therebetween a cassette released from the compartment and squeezing the cassette therebetween to close and lock the cassette, the cabinet having an exit door aligned with each pair of rollers to allow the ejection of a cassette therethrough by the rollers, the insertion and exit doors being light-proofed and normally spring-biased closed, and means in the magazine for releasing all the latches in the compartments, the releasing means being initiatable at the cassette ejection station; whereby a cassette falls to the partially opEn end of its compartment when inserted, the exposed film falls and is carried to the movable stop means when a cassette is opened in a compartment, a fresh sheet of unexposed film falls into the open cassette when it is selectively released from its chamber, and the cassette is ejected from the cabinet by the rollers when the latches are released at the ejection station.

Claim 6

A light-proofed radiographic cassette unloader-reloader adapted for use with an automatic film processor and for use with a hinged cassette havig a narrow flap along its opening side adapted to raise a film edge above the cassette base edge when the cassette lid is raised, comprising: a light-proofed cabinet, a magazine rotatably mounted within the cabinet, the magazine having a plurality of compartments therein adapted to receive cassettes of a different size in each compartment, means mounted on the cabinet for turning the magazine from a first position in which the compartment floors are inclined substantially 45* in one direction from the vertical to a second position in which the compartment floors are inclined substantially 45* in the opposite direction from the vertical, the cabinet having a cassette insertion station in which an insertion door is in register with the upper open end of each compartment when the magazine is in its first position, the cabinet having a film unloading station in which a passage for guiding film downward is in reister with the lower partially-open end of each compartment when the magazine is in its first position, each compartment having stop means for keeping the cassette therein from dropping out of its partially open end, the magazine having motor-operated means for unlocking a cassette in any compartment and lifting its lid to release the film therein when the magazine is in its first position, the motor means being initiatable by control means at the cassette insertion station, endles belt conveyor means in the cabinet at the converging ends of the film guide passages for carrying film from the passages to a film exit from the unloader-reloader, movable stop means at the end of the conveyor to normally engage the leading edge of a film carried on the convryor, the film exit being adapted for light-proofed engagement with the film-receiving entrance of the processor, means for moving the movable stop means to free the passage of the film when the processor is in condition to accept the film, the cabinet having a film reloading station in which a plurality of chambers are adapted to contain a stack of film sheets, the chambers having respective downwardly inclined exit passages adapted to register with the compartments partially open upper ends when the magazine is in its second position, each compartment having spring biased latch means for holding a cassette therein adjacent the partially open end and the lid lifting means being adapted to maintain the cassette open when the magazine is turned from its first to its second position, each chamber having film sheets therein of a size to fit a cassette in the compartment with which its exit passage is in register, means in each chamber for advancing and expelling a single sheet of film through its exit passage, the cabinet having a cassette ejection station in which a pair of spaced rollers is in register with the lower open end of each compartment when the magazine is in its second position for receiving therebetween a cassette released from the compartment and squeezing the cassette therebetween to close and lock the cassette, the cabinet having an exit door aligned with each pair of rollers to allow the ejection of a cassette therethrough by the rollers, the insertion and exit doors being light-proofed and normally spring-biased closed, and means in the magazine for releasing all the latches in the compartments, the releasing means being initiatable at the cassette ejection station; whereby a cassette falls to the partially opEn end of its compartment when inserted, the exposed film falls and is carried to the movable stop means when a cassette is opened in a compartment, a fresh sheet of unexposed film falls into the open cassette when it is selectively released from its chamber, and the cassette is ejected from the cabinet by the rollers when the latches are released at the ejection station.

Claim 7

The unloader-reloader defined in claim 3 wherein means for marking unloaded film is provided at the film unloading station, comprising: a carrier box pivotably secured in the cabinet adjacent the movable stop means at the end of the conveyor, the box being adapted to slidingly receive cards having the data desired to be marked inscribed thereon, an access door in the cabinet for access to the box for loading the cards in the box, switch means adjacent the movable stop means having an operating arm in the path of unloaded film on the conveyor prior to reaching the movable stop means, a lamp in the carrier box adapted when lit to photosensitize the film, means for maintaining the box normally out of contact with film on the conveyor and release means for the maintaining means operable by the leading edge of film on the conveyor meeting the switch arm for briefly dropping the box on the leading edge of the film and illuminating the lamp, whereby the film, when processed, bears the data inscribed on the card.