Abstract: In a film cassette, a spool is supported for rotation in an unwinding direction inside a cassette shell, a convoluted film roll whose outermost convolution is a film leader is coiled about the spool, and a film stripper is located substantially adjacent a passageway to the exterior of the shell to be received between a leading end of the film leader and a next-inward convolution of the film roll responsive to rotation of the spool in the unwinding direction to divert the leading end into the passageway. According to the invention, a protuberance projects from the film leader to lie against the next-inward convolution in order to hold the leading end of the film leader and the next-inward convolution apart to generally ensure the stripper will fit between the leading end and the next-inward convolution.

Abstract: In a film cassette, a spool is supported for rotation in an unwinding direction inside a cassette shell, a convoluted film roll whose outermost convolution is a film leader is coiled in the unwinding direction about the spool, and a film stripper is located substantially adjacent a passageway to the exterior of the shell to be received between a leading edge portion of the film leader and a next-inward convolution of the film roll responsive to rotation of the spool in the unwinding direction to divert the leading edge portion to between a pair of light-trapping pads spaced opposite each other in the passageway. According to the invention, one of the light-trapping pads is located substantially in abutment with the stripper and the other of the pads is spaced from the stripper to generally ensure the leading edge portion of the film leader will be advanced over the one pad before the leading edge portion can be advanced over the other pad when the spool is rotated in the unwinding direction.

Abstract: A photographic camera includes a lens carrier with alternative taking lenses having shorter and longer focal lengths. The lens carrier is pivotable relative to the camera body between a storage position in which the two lenses are concealed within the camera body and respective use positions in which the two lenses alternatively are located for picture-taking.

Abstract: A photographic camera to be used with a film cassette having a locking member movable between respective locking and non-locking positions for arresting and releasing a film exposure status indicator in any one of several exposure status positions, is characterized in that a loading chamber is configured to receive the film cassette with the indicator in at least one of its exposure status positions and actuation means is located in the loading chamber for moving the locking member from its locking position to its non-locking position responsive to insertion of the cassette into the loading chamber and for moving the locking member from the non-locking position to the locking position responsive to removal of the cassette from the loading chamber.

Abstract: Insertion of a planar element of plastic into the optical path between camera taking lens and the film, or rack and pinion rotation of the lens is a threaded lens mount, under the control of the device by which the user selects that particular pseudo or other image, adjusts the compromise setting of the lens to provide improved focus in the film area receiving the selected type of image.

Abstract: A film cassette comprises a spool rotatable to thrust a filmstrip coiled about the spool out of the cassette shell, and an exposure status indicator rotatable from an unexposed position to an exposed position for providing respective indications that the filmstrip is unexposed or is exposed. According to the invention, a shroud substantially surrounds a circumferential edge of the status indicator to prevent one from manually grasping the edge in order to rotate the indicator from its unexposed position to its exposed position. However, the shroud allows a top face of the status indicator to be accessed by an actuating mechanism in a camera, for example, to rotate the indicator from the unexposed position to the exposed position.

Abstract: A film cassette comprises a film spool supported inside a lighttight cassette shell for rotation to thrust a filmstrip coiled about the spool automatically to the exterior of the shell, and a film exposure status indicator supported for movement with respect to the shell from an unexposed position for providing a visible indication that the filmstrip is unexposed to an exposed position for providing a visible indication that the filmstrip is exposed. According to the invention, the shell and the status indicator include mutually engagable pin and hole for locking the indicator in its unexposed position to prevent the indicator from being manually moved to its exposed position but which can be disengaged by a suitable device in a camera, for example, to unlock the indicator to permit the indicator to be mechanically moved to the exposed position.

Abstract: A photographic camera includes a viewfinder having a plurality of settable viewing modes and a shutter release means. A single actuating member is movable in a plane between a plurality of mode setting positions for setting the viewing mode of the viewfinder. The actuating member is movable perpendicular to the plane to actuate the shutter release means.

Abstract: A photographic camera is provided with a viewfinder having two lens assemblies and a separate mask. A movable member for positioning the two lens assemblies and the mask has a first position wherein the first lens assembly is in alignment with a viewing axis, a second position wherein the second lens assembly is in alignment with the viewing axis and a third position wherein both the second lens assembly and the mask are in alignment with the viewing axis. A lost motion connection between the second lens assembly and the mask enable the second lens assembly and the mask to be aligned in the third position.

Abstract: A film cassette comprises a spool supported within a cassette shell for rotation about an axis to thrust a filmstrip coiled about the spool to the exterior of the shell whether the filmstrip is unexposed or is only partly exposed, and a film exposure status indicator supported for rotation within the shell about the axis from an unexposed position to respective partly exposed and fully exposed positions for providing visible indications that the filmstrip is only partly exposed or is substantially exposed. According to the invention, the spool and the status indicator are fixed coaxially to each other. The spool has three spaced detents arranged at separate locations for respective engagement to lock the indicator in its unexposed, partly exposed and fully exposed positions. The shell has an end cap including a locking pawl normally urged to individually engage any one of the detents, but which can be moved to disengage any one of the detents by a suitable device in a camera.

Abstract: A film cassette comprises a spool supported within a lighttight shell for rotation to thrust a filmstrip coiled about the spool to the exterior of the shell whether the filmstrip is unexposed or is only partly exposed, and a film exposure status indicator secured to the spool for rotation from an unexposed position to respective partly exposed and fully exposed position for providing visible indications that the filmstrip is only partly exposed or is substantially exposed. The spool has three spaced detents arranged at separate radial locations for respective engagement to lock the indicator in its unexposed, partly exposed and fully exposed positions. The shell has a radial slot in which a locking member is movable between a locking position for individually engaging any one of the detents and a non-locking position for disengaging any one of the detents.

Abstract: In a photographic camera which includes a chamber for receiving endwise, i.e. axially, a film cassette capable of automatically thrusting a non-protruding film leader to the exterior of the cassette shell responsive to unwinding rotation of a film spool within the shell, an ejecting member pops the film cassette at least part way out of the chamber end first when a cover door for the chamber is manually opened.

Abstract: A film cassette comprises a spool rotatable about an axis to thrust a filmstrip coiled about the spool out of the cassette shell, and an exposure status indicator rotatable about the axis from an unexposed position to an exposed position for providing respective indications that the filmstrip is unexposed or is exposed. According to the invention, the shell and the status indicator include respective engagable means at least one of which is supported for movement relative to the other substantially radially of the axis in opposite directions for engagement to secure the status indicator in its unexposed and exposed positions and for disengagement to permit rotation of the status indicator from the unexposed to the exposed position.

Abstract: In an electronic flash assembly, an elastomeric strap secures a flash tube and a reflector housing relative to one another and is induced to yieldably bias the reflector housing firmly against a covering flash lens.

Abstract: In a film cassette, a spool core is supported within a cassette shell for rotation in an unwinding direction to automatically thrust a leading end of a filmstrip coiled about the spool core to the exterior of the shell. A pair of flanges are arranged in coaxially spaced relation along the spool core to radially confine the filmstrip. The flanges are sufficiently flexible to permit the filmstrip to flex the flanges farther apart to escape the confinement of the flanges when the spool core is rotated in the unwinding direction. According to the invention, a relatively short longitudinal section of the filmstrip proximate a trailing end of the filmstrip attached to the spool core is sufficiently tapered to permit it to extend between the flanges without having to flex the flanges farther apart.

Abstract: In a film cassette, a pair of flanges are coaxially arranged along a spool core to normally radially confine a filmstrip coiled about the spool core to prevent the filmstrip from uncoiling against an interior curved wall of the cassette shell. When the spool core is rotated to unwind the filmstrip, a stripper is received between a leading film section and the next-inward convolution of the filmstrip to induce the leading section to flex the flanges farther apart to escape the confinement of the flanges and be thrust through a lighttight passageway to the exterior of the cassette shell. According to the invention, several film supporting ribs severely limit the extent to which the leading film section will be uncoiled from between the flanges to assure the leading section maintains sufficient longitudinal rigidity to facilitate its being thrust through the lighttight passageway.

Abstract: A film cassette comprises a film spool supported inside a lighttight cassette shell for rotation to thrust a filmstrip coiled about the spool to the exterior of the shell whether the filmstrip is unexposed or is only partly exposed, and a film exposure status indicator supported for rotation relative to the shell from an unexposed position to respective partly exposed and fully exposed positions for providing visible indications that the filmstrip is only partly exposed or is substantially exposed. The status indicator includes integral lock-out means capable of being detected for the purpose of preventing insertion of the film cassette into various cameras intended to be used with the film cassette. A cap for covering the lock-out means to prevent the lock-out means from being detected includes respective window-like means for revealing the lock-out means when the status indicator is in its partly exposed and fully exposed positions.