Abstract: A device for the automatic removal of a photographic film from a cartridge in which the film has been wound onto a spool. A guide opening for the cartridge has a cross-section which allows the receiving of the cartridge in only one orientation is provided so that the cartridge moves through the opening in the direction of its spool axis by its own weight. A system for simultaneously linearly displacing and rotating the axis of the spool is provided, to rotate the spool axis from vertical to horizontal and to reposition the cartridge for unwinding the film from the spool. The system holds the cartridge in a spool receptacle, and repositions and rotates the cartridge with a single actuator.

Abstract: Apparatus for affording access to a dark chamber in a housing wherein successive customer films are spliced together has a door with a window which is normally sealed by a pair of sealing devices one of which has a cuff with two normally closed openings for insertion of hands and the other of which has two overlapping curtain panels. The operator inserts the hands into the openings of the cuff and thereupon pushes one or both panels aside to reach into the dark chamber when the need arises. The panels seal the chamber from the outside even if some light penetrates through one or both openings of the cuff, and the openings are filled by the wrists of the operator when the panel or panels are deformed to afford access to a defective film or cassette for film in the dark chamber.

Abstract: An apparatus for transporting cartridges for exposed photographic roll films to an opening station has a downwardly sloping duct whose inlet can receive the shells of successive cartridges only in a predetermined orientation. The lower end of an inserted container or cartridge comes to rest on a first gate and the gate is retracted from the duct so as to permit gravitational descent of the inserted cartridge only if the orientation of the inserted cartridge is proper. The cartridge which descends below the retracted first gate impinges upon a cylindrical bolt which tilts the cartridge approximately 90 degrees so that the axis of the shell of such tilted cartridge is substantially horizontal before the cartridge descends onto a second retractible gate and thereupon onto a third gate in the bottom of the duct. The inclination of the duct with reference to a horizontal plane is at least 45 degrees.

Abstract: Apparatus for unwinding exposed customer roll films from reels immediately upon expulsion of reels from their cartridges has a composite housing which can be opened up at an unwinding station to receive a reel in the open position and to thereupon close preparatory to unwinding of the film by means of a friction wheel which is movable sideways into engagement with the outermost film convolution between the flanges of the reel at the unwinding station. A stripping device is adjacent to the inlet of a channel which is defined for the roll film by the housing in closed position, and the stripping device engages and directs the leader of the film into the channel as soon as the reel starts to rotate under the action of the friction wheel. The friction wheel and the stripping device are disposed diametrically opposite each other, and the length of the housing is less than the distance between the flanges of the reel at the unwinding station.

Abstract: Apparatus for expelling reels with convoluted exposed roll films from successive film cartridges has a gate which supports a cartridge at an opening station between an axially movable mandrel and an axially movable pusher. A holder with four or more equidistant idler wheels having sharp edges is adjacent to one end of the shell of the cartridge which is located between the mandrel and the pusher to hold the shell against axial movement with the pusher when the latter is shifted axially toward the mandrel to bear upon the core of the reel in the cartridge and to expel the reel as well as one end wall of the cartridge from the shell while the mandrel transmits or is ready to transmit torque to the core in a direction to wind the film onto the core. The idler rollers are thereupon disengaged from the shell and the gate is retracted so that the shell can leave the opening station by gravity before the next cartridge enters the opening station by gravity feed.

Abstract: Apparatus for opening substantially rigid synthetic plastic film cassettes of the type having a pay-out section and a film take-up section which are connected by a film-guiding web section of U-shaped cross-section, has first instrumentalities which engage and immovably hold the take-up section, and second instrumentalities which exert upon the pay-out and/or web sections a force sufficient to displace these sections relative to the take-up section to an extent adequate to cause the cassette to crack open.

Abstract: Apparatus for splicing exposed photographic films to each other and to flexible threading tape has a housing defining a dark chamber, a splicer which is installed in the chamber, advancing rolls which transport the leaders of films and tape into the range of and beyond the splicer, a knife for the tape, and punches which apply holes into the tape ahead of and behind the knife. The holes which are punched into the leader of the remnant of severed tape are detected by a first photoelectric cell which is located ahead of the splicer whereby the cell arrests the advancing rolls for the tape to insure that the leader is located in an optimum position for splicing to the trailing end of the preceding film. The holes which are punched into the trailing ends of severed tape portions are detected by a second cell which is located behind the splicer and serves to arrest the advancing rolls for a severed tape portion so that its trailing end is held in an optimum position for splicing to the leader of a film.