Method and apparatus for wind loading film magazines

Claim 1

A method for roll loading a precut strip of photographic film into a magazine and simultaneously assembling the latter from a spool having an axial slot therein for receiving an end of the film strip, a slotted cylindrical shell adapted to be concentrically disposed around the spool, and a pair of opposite end caps adapted to be disposed over the spool ends and to engage the ends of the shell, characterized by the steps of: (a) inserting the leading end of the film strip into the spool slot, (b) rotating the spool to wind the film strip thereon until only a predetermined tail end length of the film strip remains unwound and extending outwardly from the spool, (c) axially moving the shell over the wound spool to concentrically surround the spool with the tail end of the film strip extending through the shell slot, (d) squeeze engaging the shell to close the slot therein and reduce the shell diameter, (e) axially moving the end caps toward each other, over the ends of the spool, and into contact engagement with the ends of the shell, and (f) releasing the shell to enable it to diametrically expand into locking engagement with the end caps, (g) all of the above steps being carried out during the continuous movement of the film, spool, end caps and shell in the same direction and with the spool, end caps and shell continuously maintained in axial alignment.

Claim 2

A method for roll loading a precut strip of photographic film into a magazine and simultaneously assembling the latter from a spool having an axial slot therein for receiving an end of the film strip, a slotted cylindrical shell adapted to be concentrically disposed around the spool, and a pair of opposite end caps adapted to be disposed over the spool ends and to engage the ends of the shell, characterized by the steps of: (a) inserting the leading end of the film strip into the spool slot, (b) rotating the spool to wind the film strip thereon until only a predetermined tail end length of the film strip remains unwound and extending outwardly from the spool, (c) axially moving the shell over the wound spool to concentrically surround the spool with the tail end of the film strip extending through the shell slot, (d) squeeze engaging the shell to close the slot therein and reduce the shell diameter, (e) axially moving the end caps toward each other, over the ends of the spool, and into contact engagement with the ends of the shell, and (f) releasing the shell to enable it to diametrically expand into locking engagement with the end caps, (g) all of the above steps being carried out during the continuous movement of the film, spool, end caps and shell in the same direction and with the spool, end caps and shell continuously maintained in axial alignment.

Claim 3

An apparatus for roll loading a precut strip of photographic film into a magazine and simultaneously assembling the latter from a spool having an axial slot therein for receiving an end of the film strip, a slotted cylindrical shell adapted to be concentrically disposed around the spool, and a pair of opposite end caps adapted to be disposed over the spool ends and to engage the ends of the shell, said spool, shell and end caps being continuously maintained in axial alignment, said apparatus characterized by: (a) means for inserting the leading end of the film strip into the spool slot, (b) means for rotating the spool to wind the film strip thereon until only a predetermined tail end length of the film remains unwound and extending outwardly from the spool, (c) means for axially moving the shell over the wound spool to concentrically surround the spool with the tail end of the film strip extending through the shell slot, (d) means for squeeze engaging the shell to close the slot therein and reduce the shell diameter, (e) means for axially moving the end caps toward each other, over the ends of the spool, and into contact engagement with the ends of the shell, (f) means for releasing the shell to enable it to diametrically expand into locking engagement with the end caps, and (g) conveyor means mounting all of the means recited in sub-paragraphs (b)-(f), inclusive, for continuous movement in the same direction during their operation.

Claim 4

An apparatus for roll loading a precut strip of photographic film into a magazine and simultaneously assembling the latter from a spool having an axial slot therein for receiving an end of the film strip, a slotted cylindrical shell adapted to be concentrically disposed around the spool, and a pair of opposite end caps adapted to be disposed over the spool ends and to engage the ends of the shell, said spool, shell and end caps being continuously maintained in axial alignment, said apparatus characterized by: (a) means for inserting the leading end of the film strip into the spool slot, (b) means for rotating the spool to wind the film strip thereon until only a predetermined tail end length of the film remains unwound and extending outwardly from the spool, (c) means for axially moving the shell over the wound spool to concentrically surround the spool with the tail end of the film strip extending through the shell slot, (d) means for squeeze engaging the shell to close the slot therein and reduce the shell diameter, (e) means for axially moving the end caps toward each other, over the ends of the spool, and into contact engagement with the ends of the shell, (f) means for releasing the shell to enable it to diametrically expand into locking engagement with the end caps, and (g) conveyor means mounting all of the means recited in sub-paragraphs (b)-(f), inclusive, for continuous movement in the same direction during their operation.