Apparatus for loading plane film cassettes in daylight

Claim 1

Apparatus for daylight loading plane film cassettes having a central panel for supporting on at least one surface thereof a light sensitive film sheet with the light sensitive side facing outwardly, peripheral flanges rigid with said central panel for overlying the margins of each such supported sheet, slots in said flanges spaced from said central panel for slidably receiving a dark slide parallel with said panel and the film sheet thereon which can be slidably displaced to open the side of the cassette for exposure of the outwardly facing light-sensitive side of said film sheet, and openable closure means for one end flange through which when open, the sheet can be inserted into and removed from said cassette, said apparatus comprising: a light-tight housing having an entrance which is fitted with a light-trap and via which said plane film cassette can be introduced into a loading position in said housing with the dark slide on at least one side of said cassette displaced to at least partially open said cassette side and with said closure means open, a storage station in light-tight communication with said loading position for storing a supply roll of photographic material, delivery means operative for advancing a predetermined sheet-size length of photographic material from said storage station and for inserting said length through said open end flange and under side flanges partly into the open plane film cassette while in said loading position, cutting means for cutting said predetermined length from said roll of photographic material, and means insertable through the thus at least partially opened side of said cassette at an angle to the plane of said sheet to engage the outwardly facing side of said partly inserted film sheet and for further advancing said predetermined length of photographic material into a position wholly within such cassette.