Patent GB-1299992-A (GB)
Title: Motion picture film cassette-processor system
IPC: G03B19/18
Filed: 1970-04-02
Abstract: 1299992 Self-processing cassettes POLAROID CORP 2 April 1970 [4 April 1969] 15688/70 Headings G2A and G2E Processing liquid is applied to a strip of exposed photographic film by passing the film across an opening 106 in a dispenser 86. The opening can be covered or uncovered by a flexible blind 130 which has an opening 142 therein, and which can slide so that opening 142 is in alignment with opening 106, in which case the liquid in the dispenser can pass through both openings to reach the film, or so that opening 142 is out of alignment with opening 106, in which case the latter is blocked off. The thickness of the blind 130 determines the thickness of the liquid coating applied to the film. The processing arrangement forms part of the cassette 10 shown generally in Fig.1, the film 20 being driven initially from a supply reel 16 to a take-up reel 18 by way of idlers 22, 24, 26, 28, and 30, and passing through an exposure station at a gate 32. Behind gate 32 is a recess 46 in which is mounted a prismatic reflecting element 48, see also Fig. 2 (not shown) having a pair of parallel bearing surfaces (56,58) on which the moving film is supported. The dispenser 86 is formed as a chamber communicating with a rupturable pod (76), Fig.3 (not shown) containing a supply of processing liquid. The opening 106 in the dispenser wall is surrounded by an outwardly projecting frame 108, see also Fig.8 (not shown). The slider blind 132 is a thin sheet of stainless steel or a polymeric material, and is attached at one end to a spring 138 anchored to a fixed pin 140. The other end is attached to a tang 118 forming part of an actuator member 110 which can slide in grooved tracks 112, 114 in the dispenser. The actuator has a leaf-spring 116 which bears against the inner cassette wall, and so keeps the actuator seated firmly in the tracks 112, 114. As the actuator slides to the right, as seen in Fig.4, the slider blind 130 is drawn with it, against the spring 138, until the Fig. 4 position is reached. In this position the opening 142 in the blind is aligned with the opening 106 in the dispenser, so that this is "open". When the actuator 110 is moved to the left, the slider blind can also move to the left under the action of spring 138, until the position of Fig.5 (not shown) is reached. In this position the blind opening 142 has moved away from the opening 106, so that the latter is now closed by the remainder of the blind. In operation, the cassette 10 is mounted in a camera, and the film exposed by running it through the exposure gate 32, so that, initially wound on reel 16, it ends wound on reel 18. During this time, the opening in dispenser 86 remains closed. It is now removed from the camera, and inserted in a processor-projector unit 178, Fig. 6, a protector plate covering the rupturable pod being first removed. A retractable roller (189), Fig. 7 (not shown) actuated by a knob 193 is brought forward, so that as the cassette enters the unit 178 the roller engages the pod (76), and forces the liquid out of it into the dispenser 86. Actuation of another knob 202 causes a pin 156 to engage in a hole 154 in the actuator member 110 and draw it to the left, into the Fig. 4 poistion, so that the dispenser is now "open". The exposed film 20 is now driven back from reel 18 to reel 16. As it passes the dispenser opening 106 a retractable support plate 172 moves forward to hold the film against the dispenser, from which it draws processing liquid so as to form a uniform coating along its entire length. The thickness of this layer is determined by the thickness of the blind, see Fig.8 (not shown). Any foreign particles on the surface of the film are removed by a cleaning pad 152 attached to the blind 130 just before the opening 142. When the whole of the processed film is once more wound on reel 16, the knob 202 is actuated again so as to retract the plate 172 from the film, and to allow the actuator member 110 and blind 130 to be drawn once more by spring 138 so that the dispenser is once again in the "closed" position. The film is now driven once again from reel 16 to reel 18. This time the station 32 acts as a projector gate. A light source is switched on, and the image on the film projected, via mirrors 220, 222, 224 on to a viewing screen 226.