Device to frame photographic films

Abstract: Device (15) to frame photographic films (18) which is suitable to divide the photographic films (18) into single photographs (19) and to insert and position the photographs (19) between two half-frames (12) forming frames (12) to hold photographs (19) and is fitted to framing machines (10), which comprise storage containers (11) to feed empty frames (12), conveyors (13-14) to convey empty frames (12) and storage bins (21) to receive the finished slide consisting of a frame (12) holding a photograph (18), the empty frames (12) arriving at the device (15) in a direction at a right angle to the direction of feed of the photographic films (18) in the device (15), which comprises in reciprocal cooperation: - at least two drawing units (22) to draw the photographic film (18), each unit consisting of a powered roller (23) equipped with drawing needles (24) and an opposed roller (25) provided with a groove (26), the opposed roller (25) being movable vertically in relation to the powered roller (23), - a first knife (30) with a shearing blade (31), and - an opposed knife (32) with a shearing edge (34) and an opener profile (33) to open the half-frames (112-212) of the frames (12), the first knife (30) and opposed knife (32) being movable reciprocally to cooperate with the frame (12) in forming an opening in the frame (12) for introduction of the photographic film (18), the first knife (30) and opposed knife (32) cooperating with each other to divide the photographic film (18) into single photographs (19) within the opening of the frame (12) thus opened.

Description: This invention concerns a device to frame photographic films. To be more exact, the invention concerns a device suitable to insert photographic films in mechanically openable frames and to split the photographic films into single photographs inserted in the frames, the splitting being carried out within the frames themselves. The device according to the invention is fitted to framing machines which are advantageously of a type in which the direction of feed of the photographic film is at a right angle to the direction of feed of the frames. The state of the art includes framing machines which insert photographs cut from a photographic film into their respective frames. The frames are opened mechanically while the film is split into single photographs outside the frames. The severed photograph is inserted only partially into the frame; complete insertion is generally performed with mechanical grippers which work in the internal window of the frame. This method of working leads to scratches, grazes, the depositing of foreign bodies and general damage to the processed photograph and, at the same time, limits greatly the speed of framing by the machine. The above problems have been partly overcome by using a thrust system for insertion of the photograph into the frame, the photograph being fully inserted into the frame by a required feed of the photographic film that follows the photograph. One drawback of the known framing devices concerns the drawing of the photographic film. This drawing is performed by claws or sprockets which cooperate with lateral perforations in the film. Where there are joints in the film, the meshing of the claws or sprockets with the perforations is not perfect and entails faulty drawing of the film. The drawing of the film can be carried out equally well with a metallic roller and rubberized opposed roller operating on the outer strip of the film, but in this case there will be slipping of the film during drawing, especially at high speed and with abrupt starting. Document DE-A-3.236.842 discloses a device which conforms to the pre-characterizing part of our main claim and includes upper means which take part in the first opening of the two half-frames forming the frame. There are also shortcomings due to the system of fixture of the photographs within the frame. These systems, when they are of a mechanical type or because of the action of special shapings made on the inner surfaces of the frame, are not very efficient in that such shapings are hard to produce with the required tolerances. Other systems providing for fixture of part of the photograph with an adhesive on the inner surfaces of the frame entail the drawback of dirtying the photograph or causing tension thereon owing to the temperature gradient while this slide is being projected. The present applicant has designed, tested and embodied a framing device able to overcome all the problems of the state of the art. The device comprises two units to draw the photographic film, each unit consisting of a powered roller with needles coupled to at least one opposed idler roller. Each of these drawing units acts on a lateral edge of the photographic film and performs the drawing action by means of the needles which perforate the lateral edges. The perforations in the edges of the film have the further purpose of making on these edges some raised portions which are suitable to achieve fixture of the photograph, when sheared,, to the inside of its respective support frame. In this way the photograph is prevented from moving inside the frame during use of the completed slide without the use of adhesives or special inner conformations of the frame. The drawing of the film by a roller comprising needles according to the invention makes it possible to exclude also any joints on the film and always enables the films to be properly positioned in the station where the photographs are sheared. Each opposed roller is solidly secured to a body able to move vertically in relation to the plane of the film; this movable body forms a guide for the film during insertion of the film into the frame. A first knife is solidly fixed to the movable body and cooperates with a stationary opposed knife in performing the operations of a first opening of the two half-frames, a second opening of the same for insertion of the film, insertion of the film into the half-frames thus opened, shearing a photograph inside the half-frames and resetting the first opening of the two half-frames. Embodiments can be provided equally well in which the opposed knife can move while the first knife is stationary. When the photograph has been inserted and sheared within its respective frame, the frame is fed towards a discharge station while the framing rotation of the rollers according to the invention brings a new empty frame for the next insertion of a photograph. The invention is therefore embodied according to the contents of Claim 1 and the dependent claims. The attached figures give a non-restrictive example as follows:- Figs.1 and 2 show respectively a front view and a plan view of a framing machines that employs a framing device according to the invention; Fig.3 gives a view from above of a framing device according to the invention; Fig.4 shows an axial cross section, according to the arrow B of the device of Fig.3; Fig.5 is a view according to the direction of the arrow A, of the device of Fig.3; Fig.6 is a plan view of a frame with a photograph inserted; Fig.7 shows a section of the frame of Fig.6 according to the line A-A. Figs.1 and 2 show a framing machine 10 which comprises a storage container 11 for empty frames 12 that feeds a first conveyor 13 conveying the frame 12. The first conveyor 13 cooperates with a second conveyor 14 in conveying the frames 12 to a framing device 15 according to the invention. The frames 12 can arrive at the framing device 15 with written messages 16-116 already imprinted on them by imprinting units 17-117. The framing device 15 is fed with a photographic film 18 which is divided into single photographs 19 to be inserted into the respective frames 12. The frame 12 with a photograph 19 inserted is fed advantageously to an auxiliary unit 20 for closure of the two halves of the frame 12 and is then discharged into suitable storage bins 21. In Figs.3, 4 and 5 the framing device 15 comprises a unit 22 to draw the film 18 on each edge of the film 18. Each drawing unit 22 consists of a powered roller 23 including drawing needles 24 and an opposed idler roller 25 having a groove 26 for cooperation with the needles 24. The powered roller 23 is solidly fixed to the body of the machine 10 and obtains its motion in a suitable manner, whereas the opposed idler roller 25 is solidly fixed to a movable body 27 able to move vertically in relation to the film 18 owing to the action of suitable control means (not shown in the figures) of the framing machines 10. The movable body 27 has the task of guiding the film 18 within appropriate guides by means of a spring 28 retained by a movable element 29. Figs.4 and 5 show with lines of dashes the position taken up by the movable element 29 in its vertical alternating travel. A first knife 30 is integrally fixed to the movable element 29 and comprises lateral fins 36 bearing a shearing blade 31 having a width slightly greater than the width of the film 18. The first knife 30 cooperates with a stationary opposed knife 32 which comprises an opener profile 33 having a width coordinated with the width of the frame 12. The opener profile 33 causes the opening of the two half-frames 112-212 of each frame 12 while the latter 12 is fed on the second conveyor 14 in correspondence with the framing device 15. In its inactive position the shearing blade 31 of the first knife 30 is in contact with a shearing edge 34 of the opposed knife 32, both knives being inserted in the opening caused in the frame 12 by the opener profile 33. During the vertical lifting of the movable element 29 the first knife 30 causes a further opening of the upper half-frame 112 and thus provides the conditions for insertion of the film 18 by means of the drawing units 22. The lowering of the first knife 30 brings the shearing blade 31 into cooperation with the shearing edge 34 of the opposed knife 32, thus causing the photograph 19 to be sheared within the two half-frames 112-212. Figs.6 and 7 show the positioning and fixture of the photograph 19 within the frame 12. The perforations made in the film 18 by the drawing needles 24 of the powered roller 23 provide protrusions suitable to secure the photograph 19 mechanically within the two half-frames 112-212 when the latter have been closed to form the frame 12. This mechanical fixture prevents the photograph 19 moving or being displaced from its required position in the frame 12 during subsequent use.

Claims: Framing device (15) arranged to frame photographic slides, which is arranged to divide the photographic films (18) into single photographs (19) and to insert and position the photographs (19) between two half-frames (112-212) forming frames (12) to hold photographs (19) and is fitted to framing machines (10) which comprise storage means (11) for empty frames (12), conveyor means (13-14) to convey empty frames (12), storage means (21) to receive the finished slide consisting of a frame (12) holding a photograph (19), the empty frames (12) arriving at the framing device (15) in a direction at a right angle to the direction of feed of the photographic film (18), the framing device (15) comprising a first knife (30) with a shearing blade (31) and an opposed knife (32) with a shearing edge (34), the first knife (30) and opposed knife (32) being movable reciprocally, the first knife (30) and opposed knife (32) cooperating with each other to divide the photographic film (18) into single photographs (19) within the opening of the frame (12), characterized in that the first knife (30) and the opposed knife (32) cooperate with the frame (12) in forming an opening in the frame (12) for introduction of the photographic film (18) when the frame (12) is conveyed to the framing device (15), the knives (30, 32) are stationary with respect to the direction of feed of the photographic film (18). Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the opposed knife (32) has an opener profile (33) to open the half-frames (112 - 212) of the frames. Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the shearing blade (31) and shearing edge (34) lie within the opening formed by the half-frames (112-212) when opened by the opener profile (33). Device according to anyone of the preceding claims, characterized in that a further opening of one of the half-frames (112-212) is caused during vertical travel of the shearing blade (31) together with a movable element (29). Device according to anyone of the preceding claims, characterized in that the shearing of photographic films (18) is obtained during vertical travel of the shearing blade (31) together with the movable element (29). Device according to anyone of the preceding claims, characterized in that the shearing of the photographic film (18) is obtained by closure of the shearing blade (31) of the first knife (30) against the shearing edge (34) of the opposed knife (32). Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it further comprises at least two drawing units (22) to draw the photographic film (18), each unit consisting of a powered roller (23) equipped with drawing needles (24) and an opposed roller (25) provided with a groove (26), the opposed roller (25) being movable vertically in relation to the powered roller (23). Device according to claim 7, characterized in that the needles (24) of the powered rollers (23) operate on the outer edges of the photographic film (18). Device according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the opposed rollers (25) are solidly fixed to a movable body (27) connected to the first knife (30). Device according to anyone of claims 7 to 9, characterized in that the movable body (27) forms a guide for the photographic film (18) during insertion of the latter into the frame (12). Device according to anyone of the preceding claims, characterized in that the photograph (19) comprises perforations (35) in its edges. Device according to anyone of the preceding claims, characterized in that the perforations (35) cooperate with the inner surface of one of the half-frames (112-212) when the latter has been closed to form the frame (12). Framing machine, comprising a framing device (15) according to any one of claims 1 to 12.

Inventors: FACCHINI EDOARDO, SAVIO LUCIANO, FACCHINI, EDOARDO, SAVIO, LUCIANO
Applicants: GEIMUPLAST MUNDT KG PETER, GEIMUPLAST PETER MUNDT GMBH & CO. KG
Application year: 1989
Main classification: G03D15
IPC codes: G03D15