Abstract: A compact folding camera having a mirror in its exposure optical path includes a horizontal base section having a film plane therein, a pivoting lens housing near one end of the film plane, a pivoting mirror assembly adjacent the opposite end of the film plane, a foldable bellows, and a cover section. The cover is pivotally coupled to one end of the base section near the mirror connection and is interconnected with the lens housing for coordinated movement by an erecting link. The lens housing and mirror assembly are interconnected for coordinated movement by a linkage system. When the camera is erected, the cover section is angularly displaced with respect to the base section so that the lens housing, mirror assembly and bellows may assume their upstanding erected positions over the base section in readiness to effect exposure of a film unit at the film plane.

Abstract: A compact folding camera having a mirror in its exposure optical path includes a self-erecting and folding viewfinder. Major camera components include a base housing section having a film plane therein, a pivoting lens housing, near one end of the film plane, mounting an objective lens, a pivoting mirror assembly, near the opposite end of the film plane, for reflecting light from the lens onto the film plane to expose a film unit thereat, a cover housing section, and an elongated viewfinder pivotally mounted on the cover section. When the camera is erected, the forward end of the viewfinder engages a locating surface on the lens housing to accurately locate the viewfinder with respect to the objective lens. As the camera is folded, the lens housing pivots back down over the film plane and the viewfinder pivots into a recess provided in the lens housing to accommodate the viewfinder when the camera is in its folded storage position.

Abstract: A reusable universal modular unit, which may be used alone or in combination with one or more similar units to form a production line, is provided for facilitating manual and/or mechanized work or assembly operations on a product supported on a carrier having a reusable standardized base section and an expendable component supporting nest section. Each modular unit includes a work table having at least one work station thereon, a self-contained conveyor for transporting carriers to and away from the work station and a carrier handling system at each work station for disengaging a carrier from the conveyor, locating and locking it at a fixed work position to facilitate assembly operations and for thereafter reengaging the carrier with the conveyor for transport away from the work station. A production line of any suitable length is formed by arranging the units serially in end-to-end relation. Provisions are made for easily adding accumulator units at selected locations along the line.

Abstract: A copy camera, preferably configured to make enlarged prints from 35mm slides, operates in at least two different magnification modes for providing either a full frame or cropped reproduction of the slide on a film unit having an image area format that differs from that of the slide. Magnification change is accomplished by locating the slide and film unit at alternative corresponding object and film planes that are located at different predetermined image and object distances from a projection lens. An electromechanical logic system provides an indication to the operator of which magnification mode has been selected and automatically inhibits initiation of an exposure cycle if the slide and film unit are not in the corrected corresponding positions to provide a focused image of the slide on the film unit.

Abstract: An accumulator is provided for use with a production line formed by two or more standardized modular production units for receiving product supporting carriers in sequence from one production unit, advancing the carriers along a serpentine path of travel of a given length, and for thereafter advancing the carriers onto the next production unit. The accumulator includes a plurality of side-by-side conveyors and corresponding passive turnaround guide bars responsive to motion imparted to the carriers by next adjacent conveyors moving in opposite directions for deflecting the carriers from one conveyor to the next adjacent conveyor while at the same time effecting the turning of the carriers through approximately 180.degree..

Abstract: A microcomputer is used in an exposure control system and method for developing and controlling execution of a film exposure strategy based on selected pre-exposure inputs including scene brightness level and camera-to-scene distance. The computer is preprogrammed with shutter trajectory and strobe operating parameter data bases. In the ambient light mode, a trajectory signal program correlated to the scene brightness level is developed and fed to a stepper motor which drives a dynamic aperture shutter in a manner whereby its operation is characterized by an aperture size versus time trajectory curve defined by the developed signal program. In the strobe flash mode, the trajectory curve correlated to scene brightness is tailored to enhance flash mode operation and an appropriate strobe firing aperture and quench time is automatically selected in accordance with both the brightness and camera-to-scene distance inputs to control the strobe contribution to exposure value.

Abstract: A self-developing slide copier or printer configured to be supported on a support surface and operable for effecting distribution of a fluid processing composition between sheets of a self-developing film unit in response to manually withdrawing or pulling the film unit along a preferred exit path has its film receiving housing set at a predetermined angle on a support frame so that the preferred exit path will fall within a range of natural pull paths along which an operator most likely will pull the film unit to withdraw it from the housing. The printer is also provided with multiple timers for separately timing a predetermined imbibition period for each of a plurality of sequentially processed film units.

Abstract: A camera having an automatic lens focusing system is provided with a torsion spring drive arrangement for rotatably driving a disc having a plurality of different focal length lens elements thereon in circumferentially spaced apart relation to sequentially present each of the lens elements at a focusing position. A combined shutter blade latch and lens disc actuator member is movable between latching and unlatching positions and additionally serves to releasably hold an acceleration arm of the torsion spring at an initial cocked position, to release the acceleration arm to effect disc rotation in response to movement of the member from the latching to the unlatching position, and thereafter to recock the acceleration arm when the member is moved back to the latching position.

Abstract: A camera, including an automatic lens focusing system of the type wherein a disc holding a plurality of different lens elements is accelerated by an arm of a torsion spring to effect disc rotation for sequentially presenting the lens elements at a focusing system, is provided with an arrangement for easily adjusting the amount of energy stored in the spring prior to release to thereby change the resultant disc rotational velocity. The adjustment is made in connection with a method of calibrating disc rotational velocity.

Abstract: An autofocusing camera having an ultrasonic ranging system, formed in part by a sonic transducer, for measuring subject distance is provided with an audio system which incorporates the same sonic transducer for providing the camera operator with audible information, such as warning signals indicating that the camera is out of film or that the flash illumination system is not in its operative or ready state.

Abstract: An automatic exposure control system, of the type wherein a dynamic aperture blade mechanism is displaceably driven by a stepper motor, is provided with a microcomputer that is preprogrammed with data representing a plurality of different blade trajectory signal programs for different photographic conditions. In response to inputs, including scene brightness level, provided before or during an exposure cycle, the computer develops an appropriate trajectory signal program and feeds the signals to the stepper motor so as to drive the blade mechanism in a manner characterized by a corresponding trajectory curve that is correlated to the indicated photographic conditions. In one embodiment the system is configured for open loop operation, and, in an alternative embodiment, the system additionally includes a blade position feedback circuit for closed loop operation.

Abstract: A photographic film pack for use with battery energized photographic apparatus and including a film container having a blocking member therein for capturing an end portion of a flat battery within the container and blocking its movement away from a rear wall of the container in response to an upwardly directed force applied to the battery terminals by resiliently mounted battery contact members in the apparatus which extend into the container through access openings in the rear wall. This construction minimizes the depth of contact penetration required for good electrical contact and increases the tolerances of the shape of battery contact members which may achieve such minimum penetration.

Abstract: A camera including an automatic lens focusing system, wherein a disc holding a plurality of different lens elements is rotated to sequentially present the lens elements at a focusing system, is provided with a disc stopping arrangement comprising a plurality of notches in a peripheral section of the disc and a pawl having a tang therein configured to be received in a selected one of the notches to stop disc rotation and locate a corresponding one of the lens elements at the focusing position. The outer edge portion of the disc, the notches and the pawl tang are specially configured so as to stabilize the pawl prior to tang entry into a notch and to efficiently dissipate inertial energy of the disc.

Abstract: A photographic apparatus, suitable for use in a low cost microfiche system, for exposing a plurality of image areas on a single card-like film unit, preferably of the self-developing type. The apparatus has a fixed object plane, where documents to be copied are supported; a fixed film plane spaced from the object plane; a laterally extending row of gate apertures for defining a row of image areas on a film unit at the film plane and a system for advancing a lens laterally over the gate areas in increments which locate the lens at successive imaging positions in imaging relation with a corresponding one of the image areas. At those imaging positions that correspond to an image area which is laterally offset with respect to the object plane center the lens is proportionally offset with respect to the image area center so that an image formed by the lens of an object centered at the object plane is centered with respect to the image areas.

Abstract: A cassette for releasably holding a film unit and locating it at an exposure position therein. The cassette includes base and cover sections locatable in a closed position wherein a pressure plate assembly on the cover section is movable toward and away from the base section between a raised film release position and a lowered pressure applying position wherein the film is pressed between opposed bearing surfaces, one of which may be formed by an intensifying screen for x-ray applications, within the cassette to locate the film unit at the exposure position. A simply-constructed, low-cost pressure plate assembly latching system is provided including a pair of latch members having latch tabs thereon which are captured in corresponding detents on the pressure plate assembly to releasably hold the latch members in a cocked unlatching position.

Abstract: A self-developing slide copier or printer configured to be supported on a support surface and operable for effecting distribution of a fluid processing composition between sheets of a self-developing film unit in response to manually withdrawing or pulling the film unit along a preferred exit path has its film receiving housing set at a predetermined angle on a support frame so that the preferred exit path will fall within a range of natural pull paths along which an operator most likely will pull the film unit to withdraw it from the housing. The printer is also provided with multiple timers for separately timing a predetermined imbibition period for each of a plurality of sequentially processed film units.

Abstract: A self-developing camera back is provided with a film processing assembly that is removably received in a recess within a camera back housing and is releasably retained therein by a slidable retaining member that also functions as a film unit guide. The processing assembly includes a support frame, a pair of bearing block assemblies supporting a pair of pressure-applying rollers, a movable edge control bar and a spring assembly for retaining the bearing block assemblies and edge control bar in corresponding support frame receiving channels and for applying biasing forces to one of the rollers and the edge control bar.

Abstract: A self-developing microfiche camera for exposing a plurality of micro-image areas arranged in rows and columns on a single card-like film unit. The camera includes a system for controlling operation of an electrical motor in an exposure cycle mode during which the motor drives a barrel cam through a rotational increment to operate the shutter and index the objective lens, and in a reset cycle mode during which the motor advances the barrel cam through as many rotational increments as necessary to return the lens and barrel cam to a predetermined starting position. A shutter latching device is provided to disenable shutter operation during each reset cycle.

Abstract: An improved glare control system for use on a vehicle for reducing headlight glare from oncoming vehicles, the system being of the type wherein the headlights are rapidly switched between light emissive and non-emissive states and the operator views the roadway through a visor operating in synchronism with the headlights and being switchable between light transmissive and opaque states, and wherein the improvement includes means for measuring the glare intensity of the oncoming path and providing a proportional glare level signal and means responsive to the signal for varying the transmissive-to-opaque interval ratio of the visor cycle so that at least between upper and lower glare intensity limits the apparent density of the visor increases with increasing glare intensity and decreases with decreasing glare intensity.

Abstract: A microfiche system for recording a regular pattern of micro image frames on a transparency film unit, preferably of the self-developing type, and thereafter for projecting enlarged images of the recorded frames for viewing. The system includes as separate cooperable components a microfiche camera, a microfiche projector and a console. The console includes a combination document mounting glass and image display screen area, a camera/projector mount for alternatively receiving the camera or projector and a pair of mirrors for transmitting images between the mounting and display area and the mount. For recording the camera is located on the mount and incrementally movable camera exposure and film advance mechanisms provide the capability of recording an orthogonal pattern of images of documents supported successively on the document mounting glass. After film processing, the system is converted for viewing by replacing the camera with the projector and locating the image display screen over the mounting glass.