Apparatus for mounting a film magazine into camera

Claim 2

Apparatus, comprising: a camera body having a film chamber formed therein; a magazine receiving casing for receiving a film magazine therein; mounting means for tiltably mounting said casing in said film chamber so that it is movable between a first position wherein said casing is wholly located in said chamber and a second position wherein said casing extends at least partially outside of said camera body to permit insertion or removal of a film magazine; and a drive shaft extending into said casing and adapted to engage a film shaft of a film magazine when a film magazine is located in said casing, said drive winding shaft tilting with said casing.

Claim 3

An apparatus according to claim 1 in which said magazine receiving casing has an open top and is channel-shaped in cross section including an open side which is covered by a stop sheet, the stop sheet providing a grip to enable a user to tilt said casing, said stop sheet being resilient such that it can be pulled away from said casing so as to increase the effective size of said top opening.

Claim 4

An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said camera body has a rear lid, and wherein said casing is located in such a position that said stop sheet abuts the inner surface of said rear lid of said camera body when said rear lid is closed so that said casing may be returned into said first position within said camera body as said lid is closed.

Claim 5

An apparatus according to claim 2 in which said magazine receiving casing is angularly movable about a pair of suport pins fixedly mounted on opposite sides thereof toward the bottom thereof at a location remote from the open side and which are pivotally mounted in said camera body, said casing being normally urged to said first position by a coiled spring disposed below said casing.

Claim 6

An apparatus according to claim 1 in which said casing has a notch formed therein which is utilized to locate a film outlet of the film magazine therein.

Claim 7

An apparatus according to claim 1 further including a click stop mechanism for allowing said magazine receiving casing to be maintained in said first and second positions.

Claim 8

An apparatus according to claim 1 further including a bevel gearing disposed below said magazine receiving casing and coupled to said drive shaft for rotation therewith, said mounting means mounting both said casing and said bevel gearing to said camera body for rotation about an axis which is perpendicular to an axis of rotation of said drive shaft.

Claim 9

An apparatus according to claim 7 in which an angular movement of the casing is guided by a guide slot and stop pin arrangement formed in said casing and on said camera body, respectively.

Claim 10

An apparatus according to claim 1 in which the casing is angularly movable about a pair of support pins fixedly mounted on opposite sides thereof toward the bottom thereof and which are pivotally mounted in the camera body.

Claim 11

An apparatus according to claim 1 in which the casing is normally urged toward said second position by the resilience of a leaf spring disposed below said casing.

Claim 12

An apparatus according to claim 10 further including a spring member mounted at a given position on said camera body adapted to engage an upper end of a film magazine which is received in said casing for constraining said casing from angular movement under resilience of the leaf spring.

Claim 13

An apparatus according to claim 11 in which the spring member comprises a second leaf spring which forms a movable electric contact disposed adjacent to a fixed electric contact, said movable contact being urged into contact with said fixed contact when a film magazine is received in said casing to provide a switching action for a detection circuit which indicates the presence of a film magazine in said casing.

Claim 14

An apparatus according to claim 1 in which the drive shaft is disposed in said bottom of said casing and is integral with a spur gear which it utilized for drive transmission, and further including a coiled spring which normally urges said drive shaft into said casing.

Claim 15

An apparatus according to claim 13 in which said coiled spring also serves as a resilient member which returns said magazine receiving casing into said first position within said camera body.

Claim 16

An apparatus according to claim 13 in which said spur gear integral with said drive shaft is disposed for meshing engagement with another gear, but is disengaged from said another gear when said casing is moved to said second position, both said gears having their teeth edge chamfered to facilitate an engagement and disengagement therebetween.

Claim 17

An apparatus according to claim 1 in which said drive shaft is disposed in the bottom of said magazine receiving casing and is integrally formed with a connection member carrying drive transmitting projections on the lower surface thereof, and said apparatus further including a drive transmitting gear carrying projections which are engageable with the projections of said connection member and disposed in opposing relationship with said connection member, said projections on said connection member being disengaged from said projections on said transmitting gear when said casing is angularly moved to said second position.

Claim 18

An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said drive shaft maintains a predetermined orientation with respect to said casing as said casing is moved between said first and second positions.

Claim 19

Apparatus comprising: a camera body having a film chamber formed therein; a magazine receiving casing for receiving a film magazine therein, said magazine receiving casing having an open top which is channel-shaped in cross-section including an open side which is covered by a stop sheet, said stop sheet providing a grip to enable a user to tilt said casing, said stop sheet being resilient such that it can be pulled away from said casing so as to increase the effective size of said top opening; mounting means for tiltably mounting said casing in said film chamber so that is is movable between a first position wherein said casing is wholly located in said chamber and a second position wherein said casing extends at least partially outside of said camera body to permit insertion or removal of a film magazine; and a drive shaft extending into said casing and adapted to engage a film winding shaft of a film magazine when a film magazine is located in said casing.

Claim 20

Apparatus comprising: a camera body having a film chamber formed therein; a magazine receiving casing for receiving a film magazine therein, said magazine receiving casing having an open top which is channel-shaped in cross-section including an open side which is covered by a stop sheet, said stop sheet providing a grip to enable a user to tilt said casing, said stop sheet being resilient such that it can be pulled away from said casing so as to increase the effective size of said top opening; mounting means for tiltably mounting said casing in said film chamber so that is is movable between a first position wherein said casing is wholly located in said chamber and a second position wherein said casing extends at least partially outside of said camera body to permit insertion or removal of a film magazine; and a drive shaft extending into said casing and adapted to engage a film winding shaft of a film magazine when a film magazine is located in said casing.

Claim 21

An apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said camera body has a rear lid and wherein said casing is located in such a position that said stop sheet abuts the inner surface of said rear lid of said camera body when said rear lid is closed so that said casing may be returned into said first position within said camera body as said lid is closed.

Claim 22

An apparatus according to claim 18 wherein said magazine receiving casing is angularly movable about a pair of support pins fixedly mounted on opposite sides thereof towards the bottom thereof at a location remote from said open side and which are pivotally mounted in said camera body, said casing being normally urged to said first position by a coiled spring disposed below said casing.

Claim 23

Apparatus, comprising: a camera body having a film chamber formed therein; a magazine receiving casing for receiving a film magazine therein; mounting means for tiltably mounting said casing in said film chamber so that it is movable between a first position wherein said casing is wholly located in said chamber and a second position wherein said casing extends at least partially outside of said camera body to permit insertion or removal of a film magazine; a drive shaft extending into said casing and adapted to engage a film winding shaft of a film magazine when a film magazine is located in said casing; and a bevel gear disposed below said magazine receiving casing and coupled to said drive shaft for rotation therewith, said mounting means mounting both said casing and said bevel gear into said camera body for rotation about an axis which is perpendicular to an axis of rotation of said drive shaft.

Claim 24

Apparatus, comprising: a camera body having a film chamber formed therein; a magazine receiving casing for receiving a film magazine therein; mounting means for tiltably mounting said casing in said film chamber so that it is movable between a first position wherein said casing is wholly located in said chamber and a second position wherein said casing extends at least partially outside of said camera body to permit insertion or removal of a film magazine; a drive shaft extending into said casing and adapted to engage a film winding shaft of a film magazine when a film magazine is located in said casing; and a bevel gear disposed below said magazine receiving casing and coupled to said drive shaft for rotation therewith, said mounting means mounting both said casing and said bevel gear into said camera body for rotation about an axis which is perpendicular to an axis of rotation of said drive shaft.

Claim 25

An apparatus according to claim 21, wherein angular movement of said casing is guided by a guide slot and a stop pin arrangement formed in said casing and on said camera body, respectively.

Claim 26

Apparatus comprising: a camera body having a film chamber formed therein; a magazine receiving casing for receiving a film magazine therein; mounting means for tiltably mounting said casing in said film chamber so that it is movable between a first position wherein said casing is wholly located in said chamber and a second position wherein said casing extends at least partially outside of said camera body to permit insertion or removal of a film magazine; a drive shaft extending into said casing and adapted to engage a film winding shaft of a film magazine when a film magazine is located in said casing; and said casing being urged towards said second position by the resilience of a leaf spring disposed below said casing; and a spring member mounted at a position on said camera body which will cause said spring member to engage an upper end of a film magazine which is received in said casing for constraining said casing from angular movement under the resilience of said leaf spring, said spring member comprising a second leaf spring which forms a movable electric contact disposed adjacent to a fixed contact, said movable connact being urged into contact with said fixed contact when a film magazine is received in said casing to provide a switching action for a detection circuit which indicates the presence of a film magazine in said casing.

Claim 27

Apparatus comprising: a camera body having a film chamber formed therein; a magazine receiving casing for receiving a film magazine therein; mounting means for tiltably mounting said casing in said film chamber so that it is movable between a first position wherein said casing is wholly located in said chamber and a second position wherein said casing extends at least partially outside of said camera body to permit insertion or removal of a film magazine; a drive shaft extending into said casing and adapted to engage a film winding shaft of a film magazine when a film magazine is located in said casing; and said casing being urged towards said second position by the resilience of a leaf spring disposed below said casing; and a spring member mounted at a position on said camera body which will cause said spring member to engage an upper end of a film magazine which is received in said casing for constraining said casing from angular movement under the resilience of said leaf spring, said spring member comprising a second leaf spring which forms a movable electric contact disposed adjacent to a fixed contact, said movable connact being urged into contact with said fixed contact when a film magazine is received in said casing to provide a switching action for a detection circuit which indicates the presence of a film magazine in said casing.

Claim 28

Apparatus, comprising: a camera body having a film chamber formed therein; a magazine receiving casing for receiving a film magazine therein; mounting means for tiltably mounting said casing in said film chamber so that it is movable between a first position wherein said casing is wholly located in said chamber and a second position wherein said casing extends at least partially outside of said camera body to permit insertion or removal of a film magazine; a drive shaft extending into said casing and adapted to engage a film winding shaft of a film magazine when a film magazine is located in said casing; said drive shaft being disposed in the bottom of said casing and being integral with a spur gear which is utilized for drive transmission; and a coiled spring which normally urges said drive shaft into said casing.

Claim 29

Apparatus, comprising: a camera body having a film chamber formed therein; a magazine receiving casing for receiving a film magazine therein; mounting means for tiltably mounting said casing in said film chamber so that it is movable between a first position wherein said casing is wholly located in said chamber and a second position wherein said casing extends at least partially outside of said camera body to permit insertion or removal of a film magazine; a drive shaft extending into said casing and adapted to engage a film winding shaft of a film magazine when a film magazine is located in said casing; said drive shaft being disposed in the bottom of said casing and being integral with a spur gear which is utilized for drive transmission; and a coiled spring which normally urges said drive shaft into said casing.

Claim 30

An apparatus according to claim 24, in which said coiled spring also serves as a resilient member which returns said magazine receiving into said first position within said camera body.

Claim 31

An apparatus according to claim 24, in which said spur gear is disposed for meshing engagement with another gear, but is disengaged from said another gear when said casing is moved to said second position, both said gears having their teeth chamfered to facilitate an engagement and disengagement therebetween.

Claim 32

Apparatus comprising: a camera body having a film chamber formed therein; a magazine receiving casing for receiving a film magazine therein; mounting means for tiltably mounting said casing in said film chamber so that it is movable between a first position wherein said casing is wholly located in said chamber and a second position wherein said casing extends at least partially outside of said camera body to permit insertion or removal of a film magazine; a drive shaft extending into said casing and adapted to engage a film winding shaft of a film magazine when a film magazine is located in said casing; said drive shaft being disposed in the bottom of said magazine receiving casing and being integrally formed with a connection member carrying drive transmitting projections on the lower surface thereof; and a drive transmitting gear carrying projections which are engageable with the projections of said connection member and disposed in opposing relationship with said connection member, said projections on said connection member being disengaged from said projections on said transmitting gear when said casing is angularly moved to its said second position.

Claim 33

Apparatus comprising: a camera body having a film chamber formed therein; a magazine receiving casing for receiving a film magazine therein; mounting means for tiltably mounting said casing in said film chamber so that it is movable between a first position wherein said casing is wholly located in said chamber and a second position wherein said casing extends at least partially outside of said camera body to permit insertion or removal of a film magazine; a drive shaft extending into said casing and adapted to engage a film winding shaft of a film magazine when a film magazine is located in said casing; said drive shaft being disposed in the bottom of said magazine receiving casing and being integrally formed with a connection member carrying drive transmitting projections on the lower surface thereof; and a drive transmitting gear carrying projections which are engageable with the projections of said connection member and disposed in opposing relationship with said connection member, said projections on said connection member being disengaged from said projections on said transmitting gear when said casing is angularly moved to its said second position.