Patent GB-416324-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to machines for spooling photographic roll films
IPC: G03B21/43
Filed: 1933-04-29
Abstract: 416,324. Spooling photographic roll-films. SYMONS, A. B., Northumberland Park, Tottenham, London, and DAVIDSON, L. F., The Limes, Stock, Essex. April 29, 1933, No. 12529. [Class 98 (i).] A spooling-machine for photographic rollfilms comprises means to feed the spools one at a time to a winding station, a device for adjusting the spools angularly so that the slot in each successive spool is similarly placed at the winding station, means to feed the backing strips one at a time in the direction of their length to the spool and to thread the leading end of each through the spool slot, winding mechanism operable after the backing strip has been threaded to rotate the spool to wind on the strip, and a film feeder operable to feed the films one at a time to the winding station and at a predetermined interval from the commencement of the winding of the backing strip to direct the film end-on into the nip between the spool and the backing strip being used thereon. The spools 15, Fig. 1, are fed on an endless chain conveyer to a wheel 7 mounted on an axle 8 provided with four similar spool holders 9, Fig. 3, comprising two opposed radial arms 10, 11 and having imparted to it by a pawl and ratchet mechanism a step-by-step rotational movement to bring each holder in turn to successive stations and temporarily arrest it. Each spool is fed to a holder down an incline 25 Fig. 5, where it enters the carrier holder 9. The holders are provided with spring-pressed longitudinally-moving stub axles 17, 18 to engage the recesses in the ends of the spools, the axle 18 being also provided with a key 23 toengage the corresponding slot in the spool. The axles are positively separated at the loading station by a cam 21 engaging a groove 22 on the axle 17. As the holder moves away from the station the axle 18 is slowly rotated by a rack 28, Fig. 5, engaging a pinion 24, while the spool is oppositely rotated by friction with a soft pad 29. When the slot and key are in registration the spring 19 brings the axle into engagement with the spool. If however, a spool has been accidentally inserted the wrong way the axle 18 will not move inwards and will engage a lever 111 to actuate the stop mechanism and at the same time close an alarm switch 114. On reaching the position 13 the arm is again arrested and the spool turned into the correct feeding position and a threader inserted through the slots. For this purpose the spool is rotated by a driving train while a bifurcated feeler 41, Figs. 8 and 9, is pressed against it until it registers with the wide end of the slot, when it will enter it and hold the spool in position, further rotation being prevented by a slipping clutch 52. A threader is now passed into the slot by cam-actuated arms 59 bearing on a bridge piece 54 guided in slots in the arm 11. The threader comprises a pair of leaves 57, Figs. 10 and 11, normally tending to spring apart but held together when outside the spool by spring pressed plungers 63. When the threader is passed into the spool a pair of spring jaws 60 are forced upwards to engage the spool to form a funnel-like opening as shown in Fig. 11. From the position 13 the carrier now passes to the loading position 14. Backing papers 70 provided with sticking tabs are stacked on a table 71 hinged at 75 and are held down by a cam-actuated chain 77 against the action of a spring 76 which tends to raise the stack. When the stack is raised the top paper is engaged by a suction roller 72, Fig. 13, which feeds it to the spool. After the backing paper has entered the spool the threader is removed by a cam-actuated lever 78, Fig. 1. The cut films are stacked on a table 88 and are raised by plungers 89 to engage a suction member 87. This member 87 comprises a barrel 86 rotating about a horizontal axis and provided with two flat bearing surfaces formed on slides 87 to the lower of which the film is transferred by suction and then turned into the upper position. While on the slide two sticker bands are applied to the ends of the film, cut from rolls 96, 97. These are simultaneously cut by cam-operated cutters 101, 102. Fig. 21 shows a combined cutter and presser for the sticker band attached to the forward end of the film comprising a cutter 99 combined with a presser plate. The sticker band as it is fed to the film passes a damping pad 98 and rollers 116, 117 are provided to crimp it at 119. The rear sticker band is fixed to adhere by pressure only and the damping pad is therefore omitted. An alarm is combined with one or both of the cutters to indicate if the sticker band is missing. This comprises an electric contact bell circuit in which one contact is mounted on the presser unit while the other is formed by the slide 87. Normally electric contact is prevented by the sticker but if this is absent an alarm is sounded. When the stickers are applied the slide 87 is pushed forward by a cam-operated lever 104 to move the film 84, Fig. 13, with its sticker 94 to the backing 70 when it has been threaded on the spool. The spool is driven by means shown in Fig. 16 comprising a boss 79 extending beyond the pinion 24 and having two humps on it which are engaged by fingers 87 carried on a shaft 82 and controlled by a spring 83. By this means intermittent drive is given to the spool. When the end of the backing strip 70 reaches the drum 72 a finger 108, Fig. 13, is turned to engage the label attached thereto to engage a damping pad 109. The filled spool is now moved to the discharge station and while travelling there is rolled against a surface 66 to smooth the winding and cause the label to adhere. At the discharge station 20 the spools are received by a spring-pressed gate and discharged on a carrier chain, the bearing stubs being withdrawn by the cam 22.