Pivoting film drive mount

Claim 2

A mounting assembly for a film drive unit used with photographic film printers, comprising: a mount base having a central aperture therein and adapted to be secured proximate the optical stage of a photographic printer; a pair of substantially parallel rails attached to said mount base on opposite sides of said central aperture and oriented so as to lie substantially in the plane of said mount base; a pair of carrier blocks, each of said blocks being mounted for sliding movement on a respective one of said rails, each block having an upwardly projecting cradle portion; and a brace member adapted to support a film drive assembly proximate said central aperture, said brace member having a pair of pins positioned on opposite sides of said brace member and oriented so that the axes of the pins are substantially co-linear, said pins being further positioned a sufficient distance apart so as to engage the cradle portions of corresponding carrier blocks, whereby a film drive mounted on said brace member may be moved linearly as said carrier blocks slide along said rails and pivoted about the pins of said brace member releasably secured within said cradle portions.

Claim 3

Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said mount base is adapted to pivot between positions designed to dispose a film frame in either landscape or portrait formats.

Claim 4

Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said carrier blocks include bearing members adapted to engage said respective rails and aid in the movement of said blocks along said rails.

Claim 5

Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said carrier blocks include a shelf portion adapted to support said brace member apart from said cradle portion.

Claim 6

Apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein at least one spring-biased retaining element is disposed in the cradle portion of each carrier block to removably and pivotably secure the brace member thereto.

Claim 7

Apparatus as defined in claim 5, wherein said retaining element is a spring biased ball element.

Claim 8

Apparatus as defined in claim 5, wherein at least two spring-biased retaining elements are disposed in the cradle portion of each carrier block.

Claim 9

A mounting assembly for a film drive unit used with photographic film printers, comprising: a mount base having a central aperture therein and adapted to be secured proximate the optical stage of a photographic printer; an outwardly projecting keeper shaft secured to said mount base and having a keeper mechanism secured thereto; a brace member adapted to engage said mount base and to movably support a film drive assembly proximate said central aperture; and a selector mechanism rotatably secured to said brace member through an outwardly extending selector shaft, said selector mechanism having a plurality of outwardly extending tab members adapted to be secured at varying distances from said brace member, each said tab member being configured to releasably engage said keeper mechanism, whereby the position of the film drive relative said central aperture can be variably defined by manipulating said selector mechanism to position a selected one of said tab members in releasable engagement with said keeper mechanism.

Claim 10

A mounting assembly for a film drive unit used with photographic film printers, comprising: a mount base having a central aperture therein and adapted to be secured proximate the optical stage of a photographic printer; an outwardly projecting keeper shaft secured to said mount base and having a keeper mechanism secured thereto; a brace member adapted to engage said mount base and to movably support a film drive assembly proximate said central aperture; and a selector mechanism rotatably secured to said brace member through an outwardly extending selector shaft, said selector mechanism having a plurality of outwardly extending tab members adapted to be secured at varying distances from said brace member, each said tab member being configured to releasably engage said keeper mechanism, whereby the position of the film drive relative said central aperture can be variably defined by manipulating said selector mechanism to position a selected one of said tab members in releasable engagement with said keeper mechanism.

Claim 11

Apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein said keeper mechanism comprises a pair of keeper pins spaced apart and extending substantially parallel to one another away from said keeper shaft.

Claim 12

Apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein said selector mechanism is rotatably secured to said selector shaft.

Claim 13

Apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein said selector shaft is rotatably secured to said brace member.

Claim 14

Apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein said selector mechanism includes a plurality of substantially parallel slots; a corresponding plurality of threaded shafts are disposed in said slots; and said tab members are secured to respective threaded shafts such that rotation of said threaded shafts moves said tab members along said selector mechanism.

Claim 15

A mounting assembly for a film drive unit used with photographic film printers, comprising: a pivoting mount base having a central aperture therein and adapted to be secured proximate the optical stage of a photographic printer; a pair of substantially parallel rails attached to said mount base on opposite sides of said central aperture and oriented so as to lie substantially in the plane of said mount base; a pair of carrier blocks, each of said blocks being mounted for sliding movement on a respective one of said rails, each block having an upwardly projecting cradle portion; an outwardly projecting keeper shaft secured to said mount base and having a pair of keeper pins secured thereto so as to extend away from said shaft substantially parallel to one another; a brace member adapted to support a film drive assembly proximate said central aperture, said brace member having a pair of pins positioned on opposite sides of said brace member and oriented so that the axes of said pins are substantially co-linear, said pins being further positioned a sufficient distance apart so as to engage the cradle portions of corresponding carrier blocks; and at least one spring-biased retaining element disposed in the cradle portion of each carrier block; and a selector mechanism rotatably secured to said brace member through an outwardly extending selector shaft, said selector mechanism having a plurality of outwardly extending tab members adapted to be secured at varying distances from said brace member, each said tab member being configured to releasably engage said keeper pins, whereby the position of the film drive relative said central aperture can be variably defined by manipulating said selector mechanism to position a selected one of said tab members in releasable engagement with said keeper pins, and a film drive mounted on said brace member may be moved linearly as said carrier blocks slide along said rails and pivoted as the pins of said brace member rotate within said cradle portions.

Claim 16

A mounting assembly for a film drive unit used with photographic film printers, comprising: a pivoting mount base having a central aperture therein and adapted to be secured proximate the optical stage of a photographic printer; a pair of substantially parallel rails attached to said mount base on opposite sides of said central aperture and oriented so as to lie substantially in the plane of said mount base; a pair of carrier blocks, each of said blocks being mounted for sliding movement on a respective one of said rails, each block having an upwardly projecting cradle portion; an outwardly projecting keeper shaft secured to said mount base and having a pair of keeper pins secured thereto so as to extend away from said shaft substantially parallel to one another; a brace member adapted to support a film drive assembly proximate said central aperture, said brace member having a pair of pins positioned on opposite sides of said brace member and oriented so that the axes of said pins are substantially co-linear, said pins being further positioned a sufficient distance apart so as to engage the cradle portions of corresponding carrier blocks; and at least one spring-biased retaining element disposed in the cradle portion of each carrier block; and a selector mechanism rotatably secured to said brace member through an outwardly extending selector shaft, said selector mechanism having a plurality of outwardly extending tab members adapted to be secured at varying distances from said brace member, each said tab member being configured to releasably engage said keeper pins, whereby the position of the film drive relative said central aperture can be variably defined by manipulating said selector mechanism to position a selected one of said tab members in releasable engagement with said keeper pins, and a film drive mounted on said brace member may be moved linearly as said carrier blocks slide along said rails and pivoted as the pins of said brace member rotate within said cradle portions.

Claim 17

Apparatus as defined in claim 13, wherein said keeper shaft is formed from one of said rails operative to extend outwardly away from the mount base.

Claim 18

Apparatus as defined in claim 13, wherein said carrier blocks include a shelf portion adapted to support said brace member apart from said cradle portion.

Claim 19

Apparatus as defined in claim 13, wherein said retaining element is a spring biased ball element.

Claim 20

Apparatus as defined in claim 13, wherein at least two spring-biased retaining elements are disposed in the cradle portion of each carrier block.

Claim 21

Apparatus as defined in claim 10, wherein said selector mechanism is rotatably secured to said selector shaft.

Claim 22

Apparatus as defined in claim 11, wherein said selector shaft is rotatably secured to said brace member.

Claim 23

Apparatus as defined in claim 12, wherein said selector mechanism includes a plurality of substantially parallel slots; a corresponding plurality of threaded shafts are disposed in said slots; and said tab members are secured to respective threaded shafts such that rotation of said threaded shafts moves said tab members along said selector mechanism.