Abstract: An electronically programmed shutter assembly for a camera including an oing ring and a closing ring with locking shutter blades activated by rotation of the rings is provided. The locking ring is held in position upon rotation of the opening ring by a holding member attached to a holding magnet. The holding member is prevented from releasing the closing ring until the opening ring has travelled a minimum distance and the holding magnet has been demagnetized in order to insure attainment of a minimal lens opening prior to closing of the shutter blades. Insuring minimal lens opening will prevent the closing ring from closing the shutter immediately upon activation of the opening ring under intensive lighting conditions.

Abstract: A camera adapted to receive an attachable flash device includes a transfer echanism to place the flash in an off position when the camera is placed in a non-operational position is provided. The transfer mechanism operatively sets the shutter assembly in the camera in response to displacement of the on-off switch of the flash device to an operational position. The transfer mechanism is operatively coupled to the on-off switch of the flash device and is displaced when a camera element is displaced to put the camera in a non-operational condition. This prevents accidental discharge of the flash which results in inadvertent discharging of the flash batteries. The camera element to be displaced to put the camera in a non-operational condition may be a closing lens cover, a lens slide or a retracting lens assembly.

Abstract: A camera including an electronically programmed shutter including improved witches closed during operation of the shutter is provided. The shutter assembly includes an opening member and a locking member carrying shutter blade pivotably mounted to the opening member. Actuation of the opening member triggers closing of the switch which closes the current circuit to an electronic flash device at a maximum predetermined lens opening and initiates the shutter closing. The switches are closed by displacement of a transfer member which is positioned in the locus of movement of the opening member. The position of the transfer member may be set by a switch in the flash device through a linking flash slide or may be changed in response to rotation of the camera focusing element.

Abstract: An assembly including a single activation element for tensioning and releng the tension on a camera shutter is provided. The activating element is an elongated slide displaceable transverse to the axis of the lens having activating surfaces for tensioning the shutter when displaced in a first direction towards the axis of the lens and for releasing the shutter when the lever is displaced in the direction away from the axis of the lens. The slide is displaced towards the lens axis by the film transport and tensions the shutter by pivoting a shutter tension lever in engagement with a shutter ring and locks the shutter ring. The slide is displaced away from the lens axis and unlocks the shutter ring which is biased for opening the shutter. In a further embodiment of the invention, a camera including the assembly also includes a separately activated integrated time-delay release mechanism.

Abstract: A removable assembly for attaching a carrying strap or similar member to a amera or other article is provided. The assembly includes a thin planar link having an opening therethrough which extends into an opening slit in the forward or coupling end of the link. The opening slit has a width which is smaller than the largest width of the opening. A cooperating stepped-locking pin positioned in the camera or other article has one dimension which is thicker than the width of the slit and smaller than the largest width of the opening and a second dimension smaller than the width of the slit. The faces of the opening slit are inclined with respect to the link surface and the locking pin has a cooperating inclined surface between the strap for permitting displacement of the pin within the article body as the link is inserted into the article in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the pin.

Abstract: A camera leaf shutter assembly having at least one activation ring rotatable about a stationary carrier ring for operating the shutter assembly is provided. The number of individual parts of the assembly is reduced and assembly is facilitated by forming the activation ring and carrier ring of a synthetic material.The carrier ring is formed with a groove for receiving the activation ring with the groove walls securing the activation ring in the radial direction. The camera ring is formed with securing elements for securing the activation ring in the axial direction. The securing element may be a bayonet-type closure or deformable tabs biased toward the axis of the assembly. In a preferred embodiment the shutter blades are pivotably mounted between two activation rings, the activation rings and shutter blades disposed within a shutter chamber formed by an outer ring cooperating with the camera ring for securing the assembly.

Abstract: Two telescopic bodies are held together by a collapsible bridge which is hinged centrally and along the side connections between the bridge and the telescopic bodies. The three hinge axes are parallel to the optical axes of the bodies. Three or more interlocking hole elements on each hinge assure body alignment, and the side hinge pins are retained by knots in the carrying cord. The folded thickness of the telescope substantially equals the diameter of a single telescopic body.

Abstract: An improved flasher wherein power input to the charging circuit thereof is automatically cut-off when the device is ready to flash including a two-way switching member and an electromagnet which cooperate to form a relay for controlling current feed to the flasher circuit high-voltage capacitor as a function of the condition of charge thereof, the electromagnet being concomitantly controlled by a charge indicator as a corresponding function of the voltage present thereon.

Abstract: A camera system has a self-contained flash unit where the supply of current from a battery to the flash unit charging capacitor is discontinued immediately after the level of charge on the capacitor reaches a predetermined full charge level and charging of the capacitor is controlled as a function of existing light conditions. The shutter release member is movable from a rest position through an intermediate position to a fully depressed position. A pivotally mounted holder member which is movable in response to the movement of the shutter release member carries an electromagnet and a pivotally mounted magnet armature which moves into and out of contact with the electromagnet in response to the energization and deenergization of the electromagnet to latch and release the shutter.

Abstract: An improved electronic flasher for a camera having automatic power cut-off means for automatically cutting the power input to the charging circuit thereof when the device is ready to flash is provided with means for producing a flash sufficiently luminescent for picture taking for a finite period of time after power input thereto has been cut-off. The improved flasher includes a two-way switching means, an electromagnet and a charge indicating means, for instance, a glow lamp, which provides the operator with a positive indication when the device is suitably charged to provide a satisfactory flash. The switching means and electromagnet cooperate to form a relay for controlling current feed to a flasher circuit high-voltage capacitor as a function of the condition of charge thereof, the electromagnet being concomitantly controlled by the charge indicating means as a corresponding function of the voltage present thereon.

Abstract: Apparatus for retracting and extending the lens carrier of a camera comprises epicyclic gearing having a planetary gear mounted on a web and a driving pin mounted on the planetary gear for moving the lens carrier, and a stop for stopping the extension of the lens carrier at a picture-ready position, the center of the driving pin and the central axis of the web both lying, when the lens carrier engages the stop, on a line which extends at least approximately parallel to the lens axis.

Abstract: A ring-shaped element for a camera mechanism formed from a metal sheet maial is provided. Selected areas of the ring element are provided with operating regions of a synthetic material for providing operative engagement surfaces. The inwardly facing surfaces of the synthetic material provide a sliding surface for rotation about the fixed camera part. Rotation of the ring elements actuates a camera mechanism such as the shutter. A camera shutter includes a series of the ring elements mounted for rotation about a fixed camera part having a central axis which traverses the center of the ring elements. Several ring elements may be arranged successively with the synthetic material regions on adjacent rings at different radial positions so that the rings may be disposed in close proximity for providing a compact construction.

Abstract: A pivot-joint construction for a binocular telescope wherein each telescope ube is pivotable for adjusting the interocular distance between the tubes is provided. Required friction between hinged telescope tube and connection bridge elements is provided by hinge friction tabs stressed in the direction of the axis of the hinge. The tube and the bridge include at least two outer pairs of cooperating non-tensioned hinge tabs having axial holes therein for retaining a hinge pin. A pre-stressed spring is disposed on a central hinge tab of one element about the pin between cooperating tabs on the other element for stressing in the axial direction so that the interocular distance of the telescope will remain set without disturbing the required parallelism between the telescope tubes. The construction is particularly well suited for binocular telescopes fabricated from synthetic materials.

Abstract: A dual mode flash unit for a camera for selectively actuating either an etronic flash tube or a high-voltage flash bulb. The flash unit includes a high-voltage supply for selectively applying a high-voltage pulse to an electronic flash tube during normal operation and for applying a high-voltage pulse to a high-voltage flash bulb when same is inserted into the electronic flash unit.

Abstract: A film cartridge loading type camera is provided with improved apparatus controlling camera exposure comprising a sensing slide for sensing a film speed code carried on a film cartridge, and a pivotable lever operatively connected to the sensing slide which is responsive to latching of the camera housing after mounting the film cartridge thereon. The operative connection between the pivotable lever and sensing slide is a variable function of the film speed of the cartridge load. A regulable intermediately mounted bell crank and lever arrangement integrally connected to the sensing slide control the position of a camera exposure regulating member.

Abstract: A system for mounting an accessory unit, such as a flash unit, on a camera ousing comprises at least one fixed hook-shaped bolt and at least one movable hook-shaped bolt on the accessory unit with corresponding apertures in the camera housing for receiving the bolts, the inner surface of the camera housing being provided with inclined surfaces leading away from the apertures, the hook-shaped bolts being provided with corresponding inclined surfaces and the inclined surface of the movable hook-shaped bolt being substantially parallel to the contact plane, the locking action being secured by a spring urging the bolts into contact with the inclined surfaces associated with their corresponding apertures.

Abstract: A camera which has a shutter-control structure for cocking and releasing a amera shutter and a film-transporting structure for transporting film is provided with a drive for driving both the shutter-control structure and the film-transporting structure. A drive-control is provided for controlling this drive in such a way that when it is operated first the shutter-control is operated to cock a shutter of the camera, while no drive is transmitted to the film-transporting structure, and then when the shutter is cocked by the shutter-control structure, the drive to the latter is terminated while during the continued operation of the drive, the drive therefrom is transmitted to the film-transport structure.

Abstract: A novel gear arrangement is provided for coordinately performing two or more functions such as winding a film load within a camera, resetting the shutter thereof and setting the flash cube assembly therein. To effect these functions, an internal gear is provided having an internal annular area provided with gear teeth and an internal annular area free from gear teeth. Operatively connected to the internal gear are a plurality of planetary gears, each having an annular external area of gear teeth and an external annular area free of gear teeth, the respective gear teeth areas being in meshing engagement and the respective areas free of gear teeth being in facing relation. The internal gear is provided with a partially milled or corrugated exterior edge mounted through the camera housing. Rotatably connected to the planetary gears is a planetary carrier provided with at least one, and preferably two, sets of function driving gear teeth.