Automatic film retriever

Claim 1

An automatic film retriever characterized in that the same is comprised of a. a cartridge loading part having an insertion opening into which a film retrieving opening of the cartridge is inserted at one side thereof, a guide hole passage with a narrow clearance connected thereto and in addition a cartridge fixing member, b. separate motors which are arranged at the side opposite to said one side against said cartridge loading part and which may be rotated either in a clockwise or in a counter-clockwise direction, c. one first belt-like retriever plate of a resilient material of which the free end is moved forward or backward into said insertion opening through the guide hole passage by one of said motors, inserted into the cartridge through the film retrieving opening of the cartridge fixed at a cartridge loading part, and thereby set to hold a free end of the film which has already been rewound in the cartridge, d. a second retriever plate of which the free end is contacted along a lower surface of said first retriever plate, moved forward or backward into said insertion opening through the guide hole passage by the other of said motors, a leading end of the free end of the second retriever plate being made to form a folded part which is folded toward a central portion of the cartridge of which film retrieving opening is inserted into the insertion opening of said cartridge loading part and fixed therein, the plate being made of the same material as said first retriever plate and set to hold a free end of the film along with the first retriever plate, e. a torque motor to be engaged with a spool of the cartridge when the cartridge is firmly held at said cartridge loading part and enabling the spool of the held cartridge to be rotated either in a clockwise direction or in a counter-clockwise direction, f. a sound wave sensor mounted near said insertion opening in order to sense a sound generated when a free end of the film is moved past a folded part of a leading end of the second retriever plate which is slightly inserted into the cartridge through the film retrieving opening and to reverse a direction of rotation of said torque motor when the spool is rotated by said torque motor in a film winding direction after the free end of said first retriever plate is inserted into the cartridge through the film retrieving opening of the cartridge which is fixed to said cartridge loading part, whereby the first and second retriever plates are inserted in sequence through the film retrieving opening into the cartridge fixed to the cartridge loading part and thus the free end of the film which has already been wound in the cartridge may be pulled out of the cartridge while being held between the two plates.