Abstract: A cassette (10) includes a sliding knife (52) having a slot (70) which slides past a driven pinion (72). Slot (70) includes a curved trailing edge (76) with a latch tooth (74) which engages and prevents rotation of the driven pinion when the knife has cut a web material extended from an exit slit (42) of the cassette and then closed the exit slit. Openings (86, 88) in a knife cover (56) permit external access to the knife and driven pinion.

Abstract: A cassette (10) includes a sliding knife (52) having a slot (70) which slides past a driven pinion (72). Slot (70) includes a curved trailing edge (76) which surrounds the driven pinion when the knife has cut a web material extended from an exit slit (42) of the cassette and then closed the exit slit. Openings (86, 88) in a knife cover (56) permit external access to the knife and driven pinion.

Abstract: A film packet includes a clip (42); a carrier (54) received into and attached to the clip; a film sheet (56) attached to the carrier; and an envelope (12) including two side panels (14, 16), the two side panels being joined along substantially three edges (18, 22, 24) of each and substantially unjoined along fourth edges (30, 31) of each, the two side panels slidably receiving therebetween the carrier with the attached film sheet, the unjoined fourth edges being received into the clip, the clip overlaying the fourth edges, the clip urging the fourth edges against the carrier, the envelope further including at least one light lock seal (60) for preventing ingress of light when the envelope becomes axially or transversely displaced in the clip.

Abstract: Apparatus is disclosed for loading and unloading a discrete film strip into or from a film guide track (566) extending between an unexposed film chamber (562) and an exposed film chamber (564) within a camera (426), the camera being of a type including an external housing (428, 478) having a movable closure (484) giving access to the film guide track and the film having opposing longitudinal edges. The apparatus may include a frame (320, 352); a device (324-334, 348-356) supported by the frame for defining a first pair of opposed guide slots (336, 338) for receiving the longitudinal edges as the film is driven into the camera; and a device (370, 372, 378) supported by the frame for guiding the film from or to the first guide slots into or from the film guide track.

Abstract: A thermal printer (10) is useful for printing onto a receiver sheet (22, 24, 26) having a leading edge and a trailing edge and includes an elongated rotatable platen (34); an elongated thermal print head (30) positioned parallel to the platen; a pathway (12, 14, 16) for receiving a receiver sheet in a printing direction from the platen, the platen being positioned for rotation in the printing direction with at least a portion of the platen in the pathway to engage a receiver sheet or a dye donor web (31); a supply roll (28) of dye donor web positioned upstream of the print head; a mechanism (76-112, 132-142) for moving the print head into the pathway opposite the portion of the platen to press the print head into engagement with the dye donor web, the dye donor web into engagement with the receiver sheet, and the receiver sheet into engagement with the platen; a mechanism (180-188) for rotating the platen in the printing direction to move either the dye donor web or both the dye donor web and the receiver she

Abstract: A hybrid camera includes a camera housing (12); an electronic imaging device (68) supported within the camera housing; a first optical system (58) for focusing light from a scene onto the imaging device, the first optical system having a first optical axis (16') and a first field of view (162); a film imaging plane (48) defined within the camera housing for photographic film (44); a second optical system (30) for focusing light from a scene onto the film imaging plane, the second optical system having a second optical axis (14') spaced from the first optical axis and a second field of view (164); a viewfinder (18, 26) supported by the camera housing, the viewfinder having a third optical axis (18') and a third field of view, the viewfinder being located relative to a selected one of the first and second optical systems such that the third field of view includes at least 75% of the field of view of the selected optical system; the field of view of the selected optical system being larger than that of a non-sel

Abstract: An image capture apparatus includes means for recording an image of a scene and means for recording audio information. The camera further includes means for determining that a request has been made for the recording means to record an image and means for ascertaining whether or not audio information has already been recorded for the requested image recordation.

Abstract: A web (44) passes over an air bar (40) or metering drum, defines a loop (48, 50, 52) within an open space (46) defined between two pneumatic tensioning wall members (14, 16), and passes over an air bar (42) or metering drum. Pressurized air issues through apertures (36) arranged in rows along web control surfaces (32, 34) to establish curtains of air flowing between the surfaces and the web, thereby applying tension to the web due to the Bernoulli and viscous drag effects.

Abstract: A cassette (10) for photosensitive web material includes a hollow cassette housing (12) having a peripheral wall (16) with an outside surface; a first exit slit (42) extending through the peripheral wall to the outside surface; a device (20) within the housing for rotatably supporting a roll (22, 24) of the web material; a mechanism (32, 38) within the housing for engaging a leading end of a web material to drive the web material through the first exit slit, an external access (110, 112) to the driven member; a knife blade (92) movably mounted on the housing adjacent the first exit slit, the blade having a cutting edge (100) transverse to web material extended through the first exit slit, the blade being movable between a first position in which the first exit slit is open and a second position in which web material has been cut by the cutting edge and the first exit slit is closed by the blade to prevent entry of light into the housing through the first exit slit; and a feature (106, 108) formed in the blade

Abstract: A fixture (90) is disclosed for repositioning at least one mispositioned component (28, 78) mounted via at least one deformable connector (74,76) on and extended outward from a circuit board (20). The fixture includes a base (92); means (94-116, 126-134) supported by the base for simulating a mounting geometry for the circuit board in an apparatus (10) into which the circuit board is to be installed; and camming means (118-124) supported by the base for engaging the component to deform the connector and thereby reposition the component to a desired position for installation in the apparatus. When the circuit board is placed on the means for simulating, the component engages the camming means to deform the connector and reposition the component to the desired position. A corresponding method is disclosed.

Abstract: An adjustable iris diaphragm assembly (26) in a zoom lens system (16) of a photographic printer (10) is calibrated for each magnification setting by progressively adjusting the aperture opening until a predetermined light intensity is detected by a sensor (36) near a paper plane of the printer and then determining an output voltage of a feedback sensor (88) of the iris diaphragm assembly. A correlation is established among magnification settings of the printer, iris stop settings, and sensor output voltages to enable the printer to accurately set the iris for a desired exposure.

Abstract: An improved system (10) conveys comminuted material from a source (12) to a vessel (14), especially for continuously conveying chopped poly(ethyleneterephthalate), or PET, into a methanolysis recovery reactor without entrainment of air into the reactor and without frequent jamming of the apparatus. A single rotary vane valve (36) is provided in the conveyance path at an inlet (38) to the vessel. The valve has clearances between the vanes (44) and the housing (48) larger than the smallest dimension of the comminuted material to prevent jamming of the rotor by PET flakes. The internal spaces (52, 47) in the valve are continuously purged with nitrogen at sufficient volume and pressure such that gases and fumes in the vessel are substantially prevented from passing upward through the valve. Nitrogen also flows from the valve countercurrently through the supply ducts (26, 30) to strip entrained air from the incoming material.

Abstract: A detector (14) for regions of excess thickness in a moving web (12a) includes a first jaw member (120; 72, 82); a second jaw member (122; 68, 70); a frame (56; 120a, 122a) supporting the first and second jaw members with a gap (88; 138) there between through which a web can be transported, the gap having a width more narrow than a maximum desired thickness of a transported web; a support (52, 54; 116, 118; 160, 162; 164, 166) for the frame to allow the frame and the first and second jaw members to move when a web having a region of thickness in excess of the width of the gap engages the jaw members at the gap; and a sensor (96-100; 148-152) for detecting movement of the frame to indicate presence of a region of excess thickness at the gap. A web transport system embodying such a detector also is disclosed.

Abstract: A recording head apparatus includes a first rigid frame (80); a magnetic head (14) supported by the first frame; a head-to-medium backer device (18; 37) including a second rigid frame (24; 38) supporting an elastically deformable leaf spring (20; 40) for engaging a magnetic medium (16) to urge the medium into contact with the head; a carrier (100) supported on the first frame for movement toward or away from the head, the backer device being supported by the carrier; and a spring member (110) for biasing the carrier toward the head, the carrier and backer device being moveable away from the head against the bias of the spring member to permit the head to be cleaned without requiring disassembly of the apparatus.

Abstract: Apparatus (10) is disclosed for loading a camera frame (110) for subsequent inclusion in a single-use camera, the camera frame including an exposure opening (112), a first receiver (114) on one side of the exposure opening for a light-tight film cartridge (18) enclosing a spool (20) to which is attached a trailing end of a filmstrip (44), a second receiver (118) on an opposite side of the exposure opening for a scroll (234) formed from the filmstrip, the second receiver having a longitudinal axis (126), at least one open end (120), and a wall (124) extended at least partially around the axis, the apparatus including a nest (32) for holding a cartridge; a mechanism (36-42; 356) for moving a leading end (46; 354) of a filmstrip from a cartridge; a scroll retainer (92; 278, 290) including at least one abutment (94, 96; 280, 282, 286; 292, 296, 304, 308) for engaging an external surface of a scroll to prevent clock-springing; a mechanism (72) for positioning the scroll retainer near a scrolling quill; a scrolling

Abstract: Described herein is an arrangement which allows solution to be supplied to a process from a `bag-in-box` arrangement, used solution being returned to an emptied `bag-in-box` arrangement for disposal. The arrangement includes a process (40) having an inlet (46) and an outlet (48) which is connected to a valve arrangement (10) by way of the inlet (46) and outlet (48). Respective `bag-in-box` arrangements (62, 64) are connected to the valve arrangement (10) which determines whether the `bag-in-box` arrangement is connected to the inlet (46) or the outlet (48) by its position. The arrangement provides a system in which new `bag-in-box` arrangements containing fresh solution for the process (40) are connected to inlet (46) thereof regardless of their relative positioning. Using the valve arrangement (10), the number of connections and disconnections for the `bag-in-box` arrangements is halved.

Abstract: A camera (10) includes a camera body (12), an objective lens (14) that receives light from a scene (34) and focuses the light on a focal plane (36) in the camera body. An emitter (18) receives power and produces a beam (66) oriented generally along an optical axis (20) of the objective lens such that the beam reflects from an object (32) in the scene. A sensor (22) measures an intensity level of a portion of the beam reflected back from the object to the sensor. An emitter controller (42) adjusts the output power of the emitter when the intensity level measured by the sensor for the reflected visible beam differs from a predetermined level. The beam may be visible or invisible. Corresponding methods of operating such a camera also are disclosed.

Abstract: A zoom lens assembly (10) includes a plurality of cam barrels (18, 38, 66) which rotate together within non-rotating lens barrels (12, 34, 54) as the assembly is extended and contracted. A compact focusing mechanism (92-156) travels with the innermost cam barrel (66).

Abstract: Apparatus for producing photographic prints (10) with write-on borders (14) from filmstrips (26, 46, 48, 58) having images (28-34, 38, 42) with varying orientation from image to image or from filmstrip to filmstrip or both, includes a mechanism (56, 60, 86) for intermittently conveying a filmstrip (58) through a filmstrip print gate (62); a system (80-86; 180-280) for determining an orientation of each image on the filmstrip to identify a top (18), bottom (16), left (20) or right (22) edge of each image; a controller (86) for selecting for at least some images on a filmstrip a common edge on which to provide a write-on border on at least one photographic print of each image; a system (72, 76, 86) for intermittently conveying a photographic paper strip (74) through a paper print gate (78); at the photographic paper print gate, a mechanism (88-94; 96-116; 118-148) for masking at least one edge of the paper print gate which corresponds to the selected common edge; and an illuminator (64) for each image at the fi

Abstract: An index print includes a recording sheet having positive images corresponding to respective images on an image recording medium and being right-side-up or up-side-down on the recording sheet. The index print further includes eye-readable means on the recording sheet which relate to the positive images. The invention is characterized in that the eye-readable means is positioned relative to the positive images to permit at least a portion of the eye-readable means to be read without being up-side-down on the recording sheet when viewing the positive images right-side-up on the recording sheet, whether the positive images are recorded right-side-up or up-side-down on the recording sheet.