Photographic implement

Claim 2

A photographic implement comprising: a pocket camera having a flat, generally prismatic body with side faces provided with a photographic objective and a viewfinder alongside each other; a protective case having a pair of cheek plates parallel to said side faces having formed thereon a pair of guide tracks, said body being provided on an end thereof with pivot studs transverse to said side faces engaging in said tracks for facilitating relative displacement of said body and said case in a composite motion with endwise insertion of said body into said case to establish a nonoperating position, said cheek plates bracketing said body and obstructing said objective and said viewfinder by respectively overlying said side faces in said nonoperating position; and holding means on said case engageable with said body for arresting said case in an operating position with said cheek plates extending substantially perpendicularly to said body whereby said case is usable as a rigid handgrip for said camera.

Claim 3

A photographic implement as defined in claim 1 wherein said holding means comprises a transverse brace spanning said cheek plates and forming an abutment for said body in said operating position.

Claim 4

A photographic implement as defined in claim 2 wherein said camera is provided with a heel embracing said end of said body and coming to rest on said abutment in said operating position, said pivot studs being fixed to said heel.

Claim 5

A photographic implement comprising: a pocket camera having a flat, elongate body with a top, a bottom and a pair of side faces perpendicular thereto, said side faces being provided with a photographic objective and a viewfinder alongside each other; a protective case pivotally connected with said camera at an end of said body for swinging about an axis perpendicular to said side faces between a nonoperating position and an operating position, said case including a pair of parallel cheek plates perpendicular to said axis, said cheek plates extending in said nonoperating position in the longitudinal direction of said body and obstructing said objective and said viewfinder by respectively overlying said side faces while bracketing said body over substantially the full length thereof; and abutment means on said case rigid with said cheek plates including a stop edge parallel to said axis supporting said bottom in said operating position with said cheek plates extending substantially perpendicularly to said bottom whereby said case is usable as a rigid handgrip for said camera.

Claim 6

A photographic implement comprising: a pocket camera having a flat, elongate body with a top, a bottom and a pair of side faces perpendicular thereto, said side faces being provided with a photographic objective and a viewfinder alongside each other; a protective case pivotally connected with said camera at an end of said body for swinging about an axis perpendicular to said side faces between a nonoperating position and an operating position, said case including a pair of parallel cheek plates perpendicular to said axis, said cheek plates extending in said nonoperating position in the longitudinal direction of said body and obstructing said objective and said viewfinder by respectively overlying said side faces while bracketing said body over substantially the full length thereof; and abutment means on said case rigid with said cheek plates including a stop edge parallel to said axis supporting said bottom in said operating position with said cheek plates extending substantially perpendicularly to said bottom whereby said case is usable as a rigid handgrip for said camera.

Claim 7

A photographic implement as defined in claim 4 wherein said body and said case have a swing range of substantially 270° between said operating and nonoperating positions, said top entering between said cheek plates and confronting said abutment means in said nonoperating position.

Claim 8

A photographic implement as defined in claim 5 wherein said abutment means comprises a back wall of said case and wherein said bottom is underlain by a wall member complementing said cheek plates and said back wall to a substantially closed shell in said nonoperating position.

Claim 9

A photographic implement as defined in claim 6 wherein said case further includes an end wall perpendicular to said back wall spanning said cheek plates.

Claim 10

A photographic implement as defined in claim 4 wherein said camera is provided with a heel embracing said end of said body and carrying a pair of pivot studs in line with said axis engaging said case, said heel coming to rest on said stop edge in said operating position.

Claim 11

A photographic implement as defined in claim 4 wherein said cheek plates form a pair of guide tracks, said body being provided with pivot studs engaging in said tracks for facilitating relative displacement of said body and said case in a composite motion with endwise insertion of said body into said case to establish said nonoperating position.

Claim 12

A photographic implement as defined in claim 8 wherein said case and said heel are mutually complementary segments of a shell enveloping said body in said nonoperating position.

Claim 13

A photographic implement as defined in claim 4 wherein said case has at least a surface layer of nonmetallic anti-slippage material disposed for engagement by the hand of a user.

Claim 14

A photographic implement as defined in claim 11 wherein said surface layer is part of a flexible sheath, enveloping said cheek plates.

Claim 15

A photographic implement as defined in claim 8 wherein said cheek plates form a pair of guide tracks engaged by said pivot studs for facilitating relative displacement of said heel and said case in a composite motion with endwide insertion of said body into said case to establish said nonoperating position.