Patent GB-925474-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to optical projectors
IPC: G03B23/04
Filed: 1961-09-15
Abstract: 925,474. Optical-projection apparatus; magazine slide changers. ERNST LEITZ A.G. Sept. 15, 1961 [Sept. 23, 1960], No. 33175/61. Class 97 (1). In an optical projector having an automatic transparency changing device comprising a motor, releasable coupling means being provided for coupling the motor to a crankplate arranged for actuating a linkage for effecting movement of a transparency carrier serving for transporting transparencies between a transparency magazine and a projection position, the coupling means comprises an actuating member linked to a mechanism for controlling the position of a deflecting member rockably arranged on the crank-plate and the arrangement of the deflecting member is such that on rotation of the crankplate the deflecting member moves past a driving gear of a mechanism serving for transporting the magazine and depending on the position of the said deflecting member, causes the driving gear to perform a rotational step in one direction or the other, whereby to effect magazine transport in one direction or the other. As shown, a projector comprises a motor 2 which, during operation of the projector, continuously rotates both a cooling fan 6 and a ratchet disc 13, the latter being driven by way of a worm 7, a wormwheel 8, a pinion 10 on the same shaft as wheel 8 and a toothed wheel 11 rigid with the disc 13. Transparency slide changing mechanism includes a crank-plate 14 rotatably mounted coaxially with the disc 13 and provided with a pin 15 coupled by way of a lever 17 (Fig. 3) pivoted at 16 to a slide changing slide 19 (cf. Fig. 5) which latter is slidable between a projection position (shown in Fig. 3) and a position in which it straddles a slide magazine 23. Rotation of the plate 14 through 360 degrees from the position of Fig. 1 corresponds to a movement of the slider 19 from the projection position, to the magazine, and back again. A compensating cam groove 20 is provided in the lever 17 for engagement by the pin 15. Magazine transport mechanism includes a toothed wheel 50 rotatably mounted about a fixed axis and engageable with a rack 23a of a magazine 23 which is slidably accommodated at one side of the projector. This latter mechanism also includes a deflecting member 45 pivotally mounted on the plate 14 and spring urged into the position shown, which member 45 engages with the wheel 50 during rotation of said plate and moves the magazine either one step forwards or backwards as described below. The plate 14 may be releasably coupled to the disc 13 for actuating the slide-changing mechanism by a spring-urged pawl 25 which is pivotally mounted at 24 on the plate 14, but is held out of engagement with the disc 13 in the position of Fig. 1 by a lug 30 of a locking lever 31. This lever, pivoted at 32, is resiliently held in the locking position by a spring 33 but may be pivoted into a releasing position by a solenoid 34, energization of which is effected upon closure of a switch 78 connected to a rectifier 59. The way in which the mechanism operates is determined by the length of time for which the switch 78 is closed. Upon closure of the switch 78 for a short period, the locking lever 31 is actuated so as to release the pawl 25 and couple the plate 14 to the rotating disc 13 for rotation through 360 degrees, the locking lever 31 then again becoming operative. During the first part of the rotation, the slide already in the projection position (cf. 22 in Fig. 3) is returned to the magazine 23 by means of the slide 19 as described above. On further rotation of the plate 14, the deflecting member 45 engages with the wheel 50 and thereby advances the magazine to bring the next slide 22 in to register with the slide 19, a pin 52 engaging with the inside of a fixed guide 53 being provided on the member 45 to hold it in the angular position shown during engagement with the wheel 50. The rest of the rotation of the plate 14 is effective to transport said next slide 22 from the magazine into the projection position. Upon closure of the switch 78 for a longer period until member 45 reaches a movable member 43-which member is controlled by the lever 31 through a link 42- then by means of this member 43 the deflecting member 45 is rotated against its spring loading and about its pivot 47 into a position so that the wheel 50 is rotated in a reverse direction (for example for projection of a previously projected slide). In this case the pin 52 engages with the outside of guide 53 for rigidly holding the member 45 in a fixed angular position (relative to the plate 14). Upon closure of the switch 78 for an even longer period, then the rotation of the plate 14 is arrested after only 180 degrees through engagement of the pawl 25 by a lug 82 on a lever 37 coupled to the lever 31 by a linkage 35, 36. In this arrested position, the wheel 50 registers with an interrupted region 55 of a grooved track 54 provided on the plate 14 for preventing unintentional movement of the magazine, and, as a result of the magazine may now be repositioned manually or completely removed from the projector. The switch 78 may be housed in a separate switch box 81 for remote control of the projector and alternative mechanical control is provided by a push-button 40 coupled to levers 37 and 31 through a further lever 39. In the preferred embodiment shown, means including a switch 63 are provided to ensure operation of the magazine transport mechanism as desired, irrespective of the length of operation of the switch 78. If reverse movement of the magazine is desired then switch 63 is closed, and by means of a cam 74 rotating with the plate 14 and operating a switch 67 through a lever 72, the solenoid 34 is energized through contacts 66, 68 at just the right moment to cause deflection of the member 45. If forward movement is desired, then switch 63 is opened, whereby energization of the solenoid 34 in the above manner is prevented. The mechanism is locked against further operation if the end of a magazine is reached (or if no magazine is present) by means of a sensing lever 89 which has a slot 90 engaging a stationary pivot pin 86 and is under loading by two springs 83 and 97, the actual locking being effected by a lug 87 on a lever 85 entering the path of movement of the pawl 25 when a sensing projection 93 of the lever 89 slips off the end of a magazine 23, the levers 89 and 85 being coupled by an openended pin-and-slot connection 91, 92. On insertion of a fresh magazine into the projector, the lever 89 is pushed thereby so that a wider portion of the slot 91 registers with the pin 92. It is now possible by operation of either button 40 or solenoid 34 and by way of a projection 88 on the lever 37, to pivot the lever 85 out of its locking position (without moving the lever 89), such operation being previously precluded by the strength of the spring 83, compensating springs 41 and 34b being provided to absorb idle movements of the members 40 and 34. During the ensuing rotation of the plate 14, by means of a cam 96 rotating therewith and engaging an arm 95 of the lever 89, this lever is pivoted so that the sensing projection 93 engages a side of the magazine (cf. Fig. 1) and the lug 87 is thereby held out of the path of the pawl 25 until the end of the magazine is reached.