Cropping device

A device for cropping photographs can be constructed utilizing upper and lower frames which are movable with respect to one another. Each of the frames has two edges located at right angles to one another; the frames are located one above another so that the edges of the frames define a rectilinear opening. The size of this opening can be varied by moving the two frames in a linear manner. The ratio between the lengths of the sides of the opening can be varied by varying the relative positions of the upper and lower frames including the noted edges.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
This invention pertains to new cropping devices such as are commonly 
utilized for photographic purposes. 
Because the word "crop" has a variety of different meanings in different 
fields, it is considered that an explanation of the present invention 
should include a definition of this word as used in this specification. As 
employed herein the word "crop" is used to designate the act of masking 
parts of a print, negative or the like so that the remainder of the print 
or negative includes only portions of the original which, for one reason 
or another, are desired in a final print or negative. These cropping 
devices can be utilized for several different purposes. 
On occasion, they can be utilized for the purpose of cutting down a 
comparatively large print so that a portion of that print will fit a frame 
or other member which is smaller than the original print. When a cropping 
device is used in this manner the device will enable the individual using 
the cropping device to determine how the print will visually appear after 
certain portions of the original print, as delineated by the cropping 
device, are cut off or severed from the print itself. At times, the act of 
cutting off or severing these portions is also referred to as "cropping." 
Cropping devices can also be utilized in delineating the parts of the print 
which will remain in a picture after the negative used to make the print 
has been employed, so as to make an enlargement of only a part of the 
negative. This is frequently quite desirable in preparing an enlargement 
of part of a print for exhibition purposes. This may also be desirable in 
connection with a preparation of the enlargement that is intended to fit a 
frame or mat having relative proportions which are different from those of 
the negative to be utilized in making the enlargement. 
Virtually everyone who is reasonably familiar with "serious" photographic 
activity is familiar with the fact that various different types of devices 
and structures are known for use in cropping prints, negatives and the 
like. An understanding of the present invention is not considered to 
require an understanding, or even a discussion, of such prior related 
structures. It is believed that all such prior structures have been 
relatively undesirable for any one or more of a variety of different 
reasons such as cost, relative ease or use or the like. Because of the 
deficiencies of prior cropping devices, it is considered that there is a 
need for new and improved cropping devices. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention is intended to fulfil this need. More specifically, 
it is intended to provide cropping devices which may be easily and 
conveniently manufactured at a comparatively nominal cost, which may be 
easily and conveniently used, which are not apt to become damaged as they 
are normally used, which can be employed for a variety of different 
cropping operations and which may be easily stored in a very minimal 
amount of space when not in use. The latter is considered to be important 
because of the limited space in many different facilities; the former is 
considered to be important because of the need to be able to adjust the 
cropping device so as to vary both the size and relative proportions of an 
opening in the device. 
In accordance with this invention, a device for cropping photographs having 
upper and lower frames which are movable with respect to one another, each 
of said frames having two edges located at a right angle with respect to 
one another, said frames being located one above another so that said 
edges on said frames define a rectilinear opening, said frames being 
movable relative to one another so that the size of said opening can be 
varied in an improvement which comprises: cooperating means on said frames 
permitting said frames to be moved to change both the ratio of the lengths 
of the sides of said opening and the dimensions of said opening when said 
opening has any specific ratio between the lengths of its sides.

In a broad sense, each of the different embodiments of the invention 
illustrated may be considered as a "preferred" embodiment of the present 
invention since different of the embodiments illustrated have various 
features and characteristics which may or may not make each of them more 
desireable for one utilization than another. 
Those skilled in the application of geometry to various simple mechanical 
devices will realize that a number of different changes may be made in the 
precise structures illustrated through the use or exercise of routine 
engineering skill. For this reason, the present invention is not to be 
considered to be limited by the accompanying drawings. Any specific 
structure coming from the scope of the appended claims is to be considered 
as to be coming within the scope of this invention regardless of the 
specific construction of such a structure or the way it may or may not 
appear. 
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
In FIG. 1 of the drawing is shown a simple cropping device 10 in accordance 
with the present invention which includes a lower frame 12 and an upper 
frame 14. The frames 12 and 14 may be formed of any conveniently available 
flat, sheet-like, reasonably self-supporting material. This lower frame 12 
includes a comparatively large rectilinear opening 16. The precise 
demensions of this opening 16 are relatively unimportant. It is however, 
important that this lower frame 12 include two linear edges 18 of the 
opening 16 which are located at right angles with respect to one another. 
The upper frame 14 also includes two linear edges 20 which are located at 
a right angle with respect to one another. 
These frames 12 and 14 are adapted to be located with respect to one 
another as indicated in the accompanying FIG. 1 so that cooperating 
"means" 22 and 24 on the lower and upper frame 12 and 14 respectively can 
be utilized to support the upper frame 14 on the lower frame 12 in such a 
manner that the edges 18 and 20 on these two frames 12 and 14 define an 
opening 26. This opening 26 is of lesser dimension than the opening 16 and 
in effect is a part of the opening 16. The dimensions of the opening 26 
may be changed through the use of the means 22 and 24 briefly indicated in 
the preceding. 
The precise means 22 on the lower frame 12 consists of a set of two pins 
22. It is noted that the pins 22 are capable of being located in any of a 
series of sets of openings 30 in the lower frame 12. Each of these sets is 
located in such a manner that as the pins 22 are located in it, these pins 
define a line located at an angle to any edge 18. The precise means 24 
with the upper frame 14 consists of any of a series of linear openings or 
slots 28. These grooves 24 extend linearly at different angles to the 
edges 18. These pins 22 can be located in any of the openings 24 so that 
the upper frame 14 will be supported in the lower frame 12 in such a 
manner that the size of the opening 26 may be varied as may be desired by 
sliding the upper frame 14 on the lower frame 12. The ratio between edges 
18 and 20 may be varied by relocating the pins 22 in different of the sets 
of openings 30 and different of the slots 24. As a result of adjustment of 
the relative position of the frames 12 and 14 a photograph located under 
the opening 26 may be viewed so as to give an indication as to how it will 
appear when cropped in various manners. This is considered to be 
particularly desirable if an enlargement of such a photograph is intended. 
In FIG. 2 there is shown a modified cropping device 40 which is quite 
similar to the device 10. Similarly, in FIG. 4 there is shown a second 
modified cropping device which is closely related to the device 10. In the 
interest of brevity, these portions of the devices 40 and 50 which are 
identical or substantially identical to corresponding parts of the device 
10 are not separately described herein and are designated in the drawing, 
and in this specification, by the numerals previously used to designate 
such parts, when this is necessary for explanatory purposes. 
The device 40 differs from the device 10 in that the means 22 and 24 are 
somewhat different than previously indicated. In the device 40 sets of 
grooves 42 and 44 are located on the lower and upper frames 12 and 14 
respectively. These grooves 42 and 44 are located at various angles 
relative to the edges 18 and 20. An elongated rod 46 is dimensioned so 
that is can be inserted in any groove 42 in lower frame 12. This rod 46 
will fit into any of the grooves 44 so as to permit linear motion as 
previously indicated. 
The device 50 differs from the device 10 in that the means 22 in the device 
50 takes the form of a plurality of elongated linear ridges 52 which are 
shaped so that each of these ridges is adapted to fit within a groove 54 
serving as a means 24 in the upper frame 14 in order to guide the movement 
of the upper frame 14 at an angle relative to the lower frame which is 
dependent upon which ridge 52 fits within which groove 54. It is noted 
that an excess of grooves 54 are provided in the device 50 so as to 
accomodate ridges 52 which are not being utilized for guidance purposes at 
any specific time. 
These devices 40 and 50 have been shown and described so as to indicate 
what a variety of different means permitting linear movement can be 
employed within the context of this invention so as to achieve openings 
having different ratios between the lengths of their sides. In FIG. 6 
there is shown a somewhat different type of device 60 which can be 
utilized for cropping purposes as indicated in the preceding. This device 
60 includes a lower frame 62 having a centrally located opening 64. A disk 
66 having a centrally located square opening 68 is located within this 
disk 66. This disk 66 and the frame 62 are preferably provided with 
beveled shoulders 70 so that the disk 66 is rotatably supported in the 
opening 64 without there being danger of the disk falling out of this 
opening. 
The device 60 utilizes a flat upper frame 72 which substantially 
corresponds to the frame 62 in that it has a centrally located circular 
opening 74 which holds a disk 76. This disk 76 in turn is provided with a 
centrally located square opening 78. The disks 76 and 66 are capable of 
being rotated so as to directly overlay one another as shown. Guide tabs 
80 are located on the disk 76 so as to support a slide 82 in such a manner 
that the slide can be moved so that the portion of the opening 64 which is 
visible will appear as a rectilinear viewing "window", or opening 84. 
The frames 62 and 72 carry upper and lower cooperating means 86 and 88, 
respectively, which correspond to the means 22 and 24 previously 
described. The lower means 88 consists of pins 88 located on the frame 62 
and the upper means 86 consists of elongated, aligned slots 86 in the 
upper frame 72. These means 86 and 88 are coordinated so as to permit 
linear movement of the upper frame 72 along a path which is aligned with a 
diagonal of the opening 78 and the opening 68 when these openings are 
aligned with one another. 
During the use of the device 60 a window 90 is used so that a small pointer 
92 on the disk 66 is aligned with a scale 94 so as to indicate the desired 
ratio between the sides of the rectangle to be obtained during cropping. 
Similarly, another pointer 96 on the disk 76 is rotated with another 
corresponding scale 98 on the upper frame 72 so as to indicate this same 
ratio. Concurrently, the slide 82 is moved relative to the opening 78 
until such time as another pointer 100 on it designates the same ratio on 
a further scale 102 on the disk 76. At this point the relative dimensions 
of a composite visible opening defined by edges 104 of the opening 68 and 
edges 106 of the opening 78 may be varied by moving the upper frame 74 
with respect to the lower frame 62. Such movement may be utilized in 
determining how a picture under the various openings will appear when 
cropped in accordance with the setting and movement of the device 60.