US3921278A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for removing roll film from cassettes
Assignee: Agfa Gevaert AG
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Filing: 1974-07-03
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Granted: 1975-11-25
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Expires: 1994-07-03
Abstract
Abstract Cassettes of the type wherein the film is convoluted on a core which is rotatable in an elastic cylindrical shell having a longitudinally extending mouth and carrying at its ends detachable apertured covers are opened by mounting a cassette on a pivotable carrier which supports a film-engaging blade insertable into the mouth of a loaded cassette. The carrier is thereupon pivoted to locate the cassette at a film removing station where the shell is engaged by two jaws which reduce the width of the mouth and thereby facilitate the detachment of one of the covers by the prongs of a forked stripping member. The ends of the shaft of the core are then engaged by two driven shafts which rotate the core in a direction to collect the film thereon whereby the blade prevents clockspringing of the convoluted film. A recessed shifting member is thereupon moved into register with the open end of the shell, the jaws are retracted, and the shifting member is moved axially toward the shell to engage its open end and to push it axially and away from the convoluted film. The film is engaged by a driven band which rotates it in a direction to unwind the film from the core whereby the leader of the film engages the blade and is caused to enter a channel wherein it advances to a splicing station to be attached to the trailing end of the film which has been removed from the preceding cassette.
Inventors
- 👤 Prithwis Basu
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 13:49
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03D; G03D13/00; G03D13/003; G03D13/005; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S83/00; Y10S83/929; Y10S83/948; Y10T; Y10T29/00; Y10T29/49; Y10T29/49815; Y10T29/49822; Y10T29/49824; Y10T29/53; Y10T29/53465
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 29
Claim 1
Independent Claim
163 words
A method of removing photographic film from containers of the type wherein the film is convoluted on a core which is confined in and is rotatable relative to a substantially cylindrical deformable shell with a longitudinally extending mouth for the passage of film and wherein thE ends of the shell carry apertured end walls which afford access to the core and at least one of which is detachable from the shell, comprising the steps of deforming the shell to thereby reduce the width of the mouth; detaching the one end wall from the deformed shell; rotating the core in a direction to collect the film thereon; simultaneously holding the film against clockspringing in the shell; and removing the film from the shell including effecting a relative axial movement between the core and the shell so that the film leaves the shell with the core through that end of the shell which becomes exposed in response to detachment of the one end wall therefrom.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
163 words
A method of removing photographic film from containers of the type wherein the film is convoluted on a core which is confined in and is rotatable relative to a substantially cylindrical deformable shell with a longitudinally extending mouth for the passage of film and wherein thE ends of the shell carry apertured end walls which afford access to the core and at least one of which is detachable from the shell, comprising the steps of deforming the shell to thereby reduce the width of the mouth; detaching the one end wall from the deformed shell; rotating the core in a direction to collect the film thereon; simultaneously holding the film against clockspringing in the shell; and removing the film from the shell including effecting a relative axial movement between the core and the shell so that the film leaves the shell with the core through that end of the shell which becomes exposed in response to detachment of the one end wall therefrom.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method as defined in claim 1, wherein said detaching step comprises effecting a relative axial movement between the shell and the one end wall to thereby move the shell and the one end wall apart.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method as defined in claim 1, wherein said deforming step comprises gripping the shell at two diametrically opposite sides thereof.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising the step of maintaining the container in a predetermined angular and axial position prior to and during said deforming step.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method as defined in claim 4, wherein said holding stop comprises engaging the outermost convolution of film on the core by a tool which is introduced through the mouth of the shell.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
44 words
A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising the steps of rotating the film outside of the shell in a direction to unwind it from the core, intercepting the leader of the rotating film, and directing the intercepted leader into a predetermined path.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
188 words
Apparatus for removing photographic film from containers of the type wherein the film is convoluted on a core which is confined in and is rotatable relative to a substantially cylindrical deformable shell with a longitudinally extending mouth for the passage of film and wherein the ends of the shell carry two apertured end walls which afford access to the core and at least one of which is detachable from the shell, comprising means for locating a container at a film removing station where the shell of the thus located container is maintained in a predetermined axial and angular position; means for deforming the shell of the container at said station so as to reduce the width of the mouth; means for detaching the one end wall from the deformed shell; means for rotating the core in the shell in a direction to collect the film; film engaging means operative to prevent clockspringing of film during rotation of the core in said direction; and means for removing the film from the shell including a shifting member arranged to effect a relative axial movement between the shell and the core.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
188 words
Apparatus for removing photographic film from containers of the type wherein the film is convoluted on a core which is confined in and is rotatable relative to a substantially cylindrical deformable shell with a longitudinally extending mouth for the passage of film and wherein the ends of the shell carry two apertured end walls which afford access to the core and at least one of which is detachable from the shell, comprising means for locating a container at a film removing station where the shell of the thus located container is maintained in a predetermined axial and angular position; means for deforming the shell of the container at said station so as to reduce the width of the mouth; means for detaching the one end wall from the deformed shell; means for rotating the core in the shell in a direction to collect the film; film engaging means operative to prevent clockspringing of film during rotation of the core in said direction; and means for removing the film from the shell including a shifting member arranged to effect a relative axial movement between the shell and the core.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
41 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 7, wherein said deforming means comprises two jaws located at the opposite sides of a shell at said station and means for moving said jaws radially of into and from deforming engagement with a shell therebetween.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
41 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 7, wherein said detaching means includes a stripping member which is movable radially of the shell at said station and means for moving said stripping member radially toward and away from a shell at said station.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
33 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 7, wherein said shifting member is movable radially and axially of a shell at said station and said removing means further comprises means for moving said shifting member.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
42 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 7, further comprising drive means for rotating the removed film in a direction to unwind the film from the core, including a driving member movable radially of the removed film and means for moving said driving member.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
35 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 11, further comprising means for operating said deforming means, said detaching means, said rotating means, and removing means and said means for moving said driving member in a predetermined sequence.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
42 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 7, wherein said film eNgaging means comprises an elastic sheet-like tool which extends through the mouth of the shell at said station, at least while said rotating means is operative to collect the film on the core.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
20 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 13, wherein the width of said tool approximates or equals the width of the film.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
39 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 13, wherein said tool is secured to said locating means and said locating means is movable between first and second positions in which a container thereon is respectively located at and without said station.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
18 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 15, wherein said locating means is pivotable between said first and second positions.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
48 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 15, wherein a container is connectable to said locating means by hand while said locating means is maintained in said second position, and the connection of a container to said locating means involves introducing said tool into the mouth of the respective shell.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
77 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 7 for removing film from containers wherein the shell has a circumferential groove located adjacent to the one end wall and said detaching means comprises a stripping member which is movable radially of a shell at said station and includes at least one prong having a portion which enters said groove during movement of the prong toward a shell at said station to thereby detach the one end wall from the shell.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
43 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 18, wherein said stripping member is a fork including two prongs having portions which enter simultaneously the groove of a shell at said station while said stripping member is being moved radially toward a shell at said station.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
16 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 18, wherein said portion of said prong is a curved blade.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
101 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein said shifting member of said removing means is movable radially and axially of a shell at said station and has a recess large enough to permit passage of the convoluted film therethrough but small enough to prevent the passage of the shell, said removing means further comprising means for moving said shifting member radially of a shell at said station to thereby place said recess into registry with the convoluted film in such shell and thereupon axially toward the shell at said station to move the shell axially and away from the convoluted film.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
91 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 21, wherein said means for rotating the film in a shell at said station comprises two coaxial rotary shafts movable axially into and from torque-transmitting engagement with the respective ends of a core at said station, said shifting member of said removing means having a gap communicating with said recess thereof and being wide enough to permit the entry of one of said shafts into said recess during radial movement of said shifting member to place said recess into register with convoluted film at said station.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
46 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 7, further comprising drive means for rotating the removed film in a direction to unwind the film from the core, including an endless belt, means for driving said belt, and means for moving said belt against the film at said station.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
35 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 23, wherein said drive means further comprises a plurality of rollers, said belt being trained over said rollers and one of said rollers constituting said means for driving said belt.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
28 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 24, wherein said drive means further comprises resilient means arranged to bias one of said rollers against and to thereby tension said belt.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
46 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 7, further comprising drive means for rotating the removed film in a direction to unwind the film from the core, guide means defining a predetermined path for the leader of the film, and means for directing the leader into said path.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
21 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 26, wherein said means for directing the leader into said path constitutes said film engaging meaNs.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-11-24 | 1979-05-26 | 1979-11-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-11-24 | 1983-05-26 | 1983-11-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-11-24 | 1987-05-26 | 1987-11-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |