Patent US4442744A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4442744A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus for supplying photographic sheet materials, for use in a darkroom
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1981-11-30
•
Granted: 1984-04-17
•
Expires: 2001-11-30
Abstract
Abstract In the embodiment depicted, the apparatus comprises a housing having an access door and a materials-discharging opening. Within the housing is a support structure for receiving a plurality of cassettes of photographic sheet material, such as photosensitive paper and negative stock. To the support structure are mounted a plurality of platforms which grip the cassettes, and a plurality of chutes for conveying the sheet materials from the cassettes to the discharging opening. Rollers intrude into the chutes and define nips which grasp the sheet material and a handwheel fixed to one roller of pairs thereof is used to advance the sheet material along the chutes. A bladed cutter is reciprocatingly supported by the housing, in immediate adjacency to the discharging opening, for severing thereat lengths of sheet material which are passed therethrough.
Inventors
- 👤 Gary E. Raymond
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 16:25
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03D; G03D13/00; G03D13/003; B; B26; B26D; B26D1/00; B26D1/01; B26D1/12; B26D1/14; B26D1/20; B26D1/205; G03B; G03B27/00; G03B27/32; G03B27/52; G03B27/58; G03B27/585; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T83/00; Y10T83/869; Y10T83/8821; Y10T83/8822; Y10T83/889; Y10T83/896; Y10T83/902
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
260 words
Apparatus for supplying photographic sheet materials, for use in a darkroom, comprising: a housing having a material-discharging opening formed therein; means fixed within said housing for supporting a plurality of sheet material cassettes; said supporting means comprising means defining a plurality of platforms; chutes mounted within said housing for conveying photographic sheet materials therealong from said platforms to said opening; and means mounted in said housing in adjacency to said chute, operative for gripping photographic sheet materials and moving such materials along said chutes to said opening; wherein said platforms comprise means for gripping opposite sides of sheet material cassettes; and further including means coupled to said supporting means for latchingly engaging sheet material cassettes and securing them to said platforms; and a given plurality of sheet material cassettes; wherein said platforms comprise a same given plurality as said cassettes; each one of said cassettes being disposed upon one of said platforms; each of said cassettes having a flat bearing surface at a forward end thereof, and means defining a relief at the opposite, rear end thereof; and said gripping means comprises a flat wall in confronting, frictional engagement with said flat bearing surface of a cassette disposed on the respective platform, and a rib in fast engagement with said relief of such disposed cassette; wherein each of said cassettes has means formed thereon defining a prominent land; and said latchingly-engaging means comprises a latch, movable relative to said supporting means, having a limb which, upon said latch being moved, effects a compressive engagement, and releasing disengagement, with said land.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
260 words
Apparatus for supplying photographic sheet materials, for use in a darkroom, comprising: a housing having a material-discharging opening formed therein; means fixed within said housing for supporting a plurality of sheet material cassettes; said supporting means comprising means defining a plurality of platforms; chutes mounted within said housing for conveying photographic sheet materials therealong from said platforms to said opening; and means mounted in said housing in adjacency to said chute, operative for gripping photographic sheet materials and moving such materials along said chutes to said opening; wherein said platforms comprise means for gripping opposite sides of sheet material cassettes; and further including means coupled to said supporting means for latchingly engaging sheet material cassettes and securing them to said platforms; and a given plurality of sheet material cassettes; wherein said platforms comprise a same given plurality as said cassettes; each one of said cassettes being disposed upon one of said platforms; each of said cassettes having a flat bearing surface at a forward end thereof, and means defining a relief at the opposite, rear end thereof; and said gripping means comprises a flat wall in confronting, frictional engagement with said flat bearing surface of a cassette disposed on the respective platform, and a rib in fast engagement with said relief of such disposed cassette; wherein each of said cassettes has means formed thereon defining a prominent land; and said latchingly-engaging means comprises a latch, movable relative to said supporting means, having a limb which, upon said latch being moved, effects a compressive engagement, and releasing disengagement, with said land.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
63 words
Apparatus, according to claim 1, wherein: said platforms comprise means defining a void in each thereof; each of said chutes comprises means defining a diverging throat at an end thereof and a pair of spaced-apart, parallel walls extending outwardly from said throat; and each one of said chutes has said throat thereof in immediate adjacency to said void in one of said platforms.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
15 words
Apparatus, according to claim 1, wherein: said sheet materials gripping and moving means comprises rollers.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
Apparatus, according to claim 3, wherein: said chutes have cut-outs formed therein; and said rollers intrude into said cut-outs and define a nip within said walls.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
28 words
Apparatus, according to claim 1, wherein: said supporting means comprises means for supporting not less than four sheet material cassettes; said chutes comprise not less than four thereof.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
Apparatus, according to claim 2, wherein: said chutes each have the throat thereof fixed to one of said platforms astride said void in said platform.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
39 words
Apparatus, according to claim 3, wherein: said rollers comprises a pair of rollers mounted in adjacency to each of said chutes; and one of said rollers of said pairs has a handwheel fixed integrally thereto at an end thereof.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
31 words
Apparatus, according to claim 1, wherein: said supporting means includes a pair of spaced apart, vertical walls; and said platforms are fixed to said pair of vertical walls, and bridge thereacross.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
17 words
Apparatus, according to claim 8, wherein: said chutes are fixed to said platforms, and traverse said housing.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
53 words
Apparatus, according to claim 1, wherein: said platforms further comprise means defining a void in each thereof; each of said cassettes has a sheet material-discharging slot formed therein; and said slot in each said cassette is in aligned registry with said void in a corresponding platform upon which each said cassette is disposed.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
21 words
Apparatus, according to claim 10, further including: light occluding means, interposed between said cassettes and their respective platforms, astride said slots.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
28 words
Apparatus, according to claim 1, further including: cutting means, fixed to said housing in immediate adjacency to said opening, for severing sheet materials which pass through said opening.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
58 words
Apparatus, according to claim 12, wherein: said cutting means comprises a rigid support upon which to receive sheet materials; said rigid support having a linear edge; a cutting blade supported for movement along said edge; and clamping means for constraining sheet materials upon said rigid support and holding such materials fast thereon to enable clean, efficient cutting thereof.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
33 words
Apparatus, according to claim 13, wherein: said cutting means further includes a carrier in which said blade is supported; and said carrier comprises means for constraining said clamping means against said rigid support.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3920238A
Cited
US4067034A
Cited
US4014536A
Cited
US4245835A
Cited
US4311379A
Cited
US4285607A
Cited
US4324480A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1987-04-17 | 1987-10-17 | 1988-04-17 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1991-04-17 | 1991-10-17 | 1992-04-17 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1995-04-17 | 1995-10-17 | 1996-04-17 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |