Abstract: A camera assembly has a support that defines an optical axis. A traveler is movable along the optical axis between first and second positions relative to the support. A turret is disposed in and movable with the traveler. The turret has a primary aperture. The turret is pivotable relative to the traveler, between a first position in which the primary aperture is spaced from the optical axis, and a second position in which the primary aperture is aligned with the optical axis. The turret can have a secondary aperture that is aligned with the optical axis when the primary aperture is in the first position. An over-center mechanism is switchable between a first state, in which the over-center mechanism biases the traveler and turret into respective first positions, and a second state, in which the over-center mechanism biases the traveler and turret into respective second positions.

Abstract: A camera includes a frame counter having a single numerical scale of frame count indicia capable of being successively viewed after each picture is taken. The frame count indicia are arranged in one column in which the indicia are only odd numbers and are arranged in another column in which the indicia are only even numbers. An indicia viewing change-over is movable from one column to another after each picture is taken, to alternately view an odd number in one column or an even number in another column.

Abstract: A camera fame assembly has a frame and a pair of tie bars extending outward from the frame. The tie bars each have opposed first and second ends. The first ends are spaced apart. The first ends are each pivotally joined to the frame. A parallel bar is pivotally joined to the second ends of the tie bars. The parallel bar is spaced outward from the frame. The parallel bar is movable, relative to the frame, from a charged position to a discharged position. A striker is movable with the parallel bar between the charged and discharged positions. An impact shutter is movable from a closed position to an open position by the striker.

Abstract: A camera seal assembly has a first retainer having an opening. The first retainer defines an axis extending through the opening. A second retainer is disposed in fixed relation to the first retainer. The second retainer faces the first retainer in spaced relation along the axis. A barrel extends through the opening. The barrel has a cylindrical barrel wall. A collar has a side wall facing the barrel wall. The barrel is movable relative to the collar. A stack of alternating lesser and greater rings is disposed between the first and second retainers and between the barrel wall and side wall. The lesser rings are movable relative to the greater rings in directions radial to the axis. The stack has a centered state, in which each lesser ring more closely adjoins the barrel wall than the side wall and each greater ring more closely adjoins the side wall than the barrel wall.

Abstract: The invention relates to a shutter release apparatus for use in a camera for capturing images on a perforated film. The shutter release apparatus has a rotatable thumb wheel movable along an axis between a start position and a trigger position. A sprocket is provided having teeth to engage perforations on the film and to move therewith during film winding. A biased lever is moved by the sprocket against the bias from a position holding the thumb wheel in the start position to a position releasing the thumb wheel for urged movement into the trigger position. The thumb wheel blocks biased movement of the lever when the thumb wheel is in the trigger position and movement of the thumb wheel from the trigger position to the start position releases the lever for biased movement to drive the shutter to expose the film.

Abstract: According to the invention there is provided a camera having at least one image capture system. A timer latch is biased for movement between a lock position preventing image capture system from capturing an image and a release position that allows the image capture system to capture an image. An actuator is biased for movement between a first position separated from the timer latch and a second position moving the timer latch into the release position. A damper slows the movement of the actuator. According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a camera having at least one image capture system having a movement actuated shutter and a lever biased to move the shutter. A timer latch is biased for movement between a lock position preventing the lever from moving the shutter and a release position permitting the lever to move the shutter.

Abstract: The invention relates to a shutter release apparatus for use in a camera for capturing images on a perforated film. The shutter release apparatus has a rotatable thumb wheel movable along an axis between a start position and a trigger position. A sprocket is provided having teeth to engage perforations on the film and to move therewith during film winding. A biased lever is moved by the sprocket against the bias from a position holding the thumb wheel in the start position to a position releasing the thumb wheel for urged movement into the trigger position. The thumb wheel blocks biased movement of the lever when the thumb wheel is in the trigger position and movement of the thumb wheel from the trigger position to the start position releases the lever for biased movement to drive the shutter to expose the film.

Abstract: A camera comprising a shutter release button that is manually depressible to initiate picture-taking, and a self-timer for automatically initiating picture-taking after a predetermined interval of time has elapsed, is characterized in that a restrainer is movable to prevent picture-taking from being, initiated due to the shutter release button being manually depressed and is retractable following the shutter release button being manually depressed to permit picture-taking to proceed, and the self-timer is a flexible resilient diaphragm that can be manually deformed from a relaxed state to a tensioned state to move the restrainer to prevent picture-taking from being initiated and that will automatically recover to the relaxed state from the tensioned state after the predetermined interval of time has elapsed to allow the restrainer to permit picture-taking to proceed.

Abstract: According to the invention there is provided a camera having at least one image capture system. A timer latch is biased for movement between a lock position preventing image capture system from capturing an image and a release position that allows the image capture system to capture an image. An actuator is biased for movement between a first position separated from the timer latch and a second position moving the timer latch into the release position. A damper slows the movement of the actuator.

Abstract: A camera comprising a shutter release button that is manually depressible to initiate picture-taking, and a self-timer for automatically initiating picture-taking after a predetermined interval of time has elapsed, is characterized in that a restrainer is movable to prevent picture-taking from being initiated due to the shutter release button being manually depressed and is retractable following the shutter release button being manually depressed to permit picture-taking to proceed, and the self-timer is a flexible resilient diaphragm that can be manually deformed from a relaxed state to a tensioned state to move the restrainer to prevent picture-taking from being initiated and that will automatically recover to the relaxed state from the tensioned state after the predetermined interval of time has elapsed to allow the restrainer to permit picture-taking to proceed.

Abstract: A dual wheel exposure counter comprising a rotatable tenths counter wheel having a series of at least two spaced units, and a rotatable unit counter wheel having a series of ten spaced units and a rotating member which rotates the tenths counter wheel to change by one unit when the unit counter wheel is rotated to change by ten units, is characterized in that a retaining member engages the tenths counter wheel to prevent rotation of the tenths counter wheel and can be moved temporarily out of engagement with the tenths counter wheel to permit the tenths counter wheel to be rotated to change by one unit, and the unit counter wheel includes an actuating member separate from the rotating member that moves the retaining member temporarily out of engagement with the tenths counter wheel when the unit counter is rotated to change by ten units, whereby the rotating member can then rotate the tenths counter wheel to change by one unit.

Abstract: A lens and mount assemblage includes a lens and a mount for the lens which are secured to one another. The mount has elastic retaining members constructed to be deformed against the lens to secure the lens to the mount. A front cover part that fits over the lens and the mount has rigid deforming members arranged to deform the retaining members against the lens when the front cover part is fit over the lens and the mount.

Abstract: A rotary securing lens and mount assemblage has a lens and a mount for the lens which are secured to one another when the lens is rotated relative to the mount. The lens includes at least one cutting edge which is shaped to cut into the mount in order for the lens and the mount to become mutually engaged to be secured to one another when the lens is rotated.

Abstract: A photographic film unit has a spool having a shaft and a pair of opposed flanges fixed to the shaft. The shaft defines a spool axis. The flanges each have an inner face and an outer face. The inner faces each have a main portion and a periphery. The periphery is disposed radially and axially outward from the main portion. The filmstrip has opposed first and second ends. The first end is wound on the shaft. The filmstrip has a transverse dimension less than the axial separation of the main portions. A leader is conjoined with the second end. The leader has an inner segment adjoining the filmstrip and an outer segment adjoining the inner segment. The inner segment has a transverse dimension less than the axial separation of the main portions. The outer segment has a transverse dimension less than the axial separation of the peripheries.

Abstract: A camera includes an exposure counter wheel that has a series of exposure count indicia and is incrementally rotated in a count direction to successively view the exposure count indicia, and an anti-backup pawl that engages with the exposure counter wheel to prevent rotation of the exposure counter wheel in a reverse direction which is the opposite of the count direction. The anti-backup pawl is a combination single-piece unit having a stationary rigid transparent portion fixed in place above the exposure counter wheel to permit the exposure count indicia to be successively seen through the transparent portion when the exposure counter wheel is incrementally rotated in the count direction, and having a resilient flexible pawl portion positioned in engagement with the exposure counter wheel to prevent rotation of the exposure counter wheel in the reverse direction but to allow rotation of the exposure count wheel in the count direction.

Abstract: A camera comprising a main body part with spaced film supply and film take-up chambers and an exposure opening located between the film supply and take-up chambers and configured for exposing an unexposed film frame, a metering pawl for engaging a film perforation during exposure of the film frame at the exposure opening, and a film winding take-up for moving an exposed frame in a film take-up direction from the exposure opening to the film take-up chamber, is characterized in that the metering pawl is supported to engage a film perforation between the exposure opening and the film supply chamber during exposure of a film frame at the exposure opening, and a tensioning spring urges the metering pawl substantially opposite to the film take-up direction in order to tension a film frame at the exposure opening. Since the film length between the metering pawl and the film winding take-up is longitudinally tensioned, the film frame is similarly tensioned at the exposure opening.

Abstract: A camera comprising a film winder manually rotatable in a film winding direction about an axis and having a continuous alternating series of teeth and spaces concentric about the axis, and an anti-backup device having a tooth that can be received in any one of the spaces to bottom out in the space in order to prevent reverse rotation of the film winder in a film unwinding direction, is characterized in that the film winder is constructed to be tilted from being perpendicular to the axis in order to only partially retract any one of the spaces that has received the tooth from the tooth, when one manually rotates the film winder in the film winding direction, whereby as long as the film winder is tilted the tooth cannot bottom out in any one of the spaces that has received the tooth. This results in a film winder and anti-backup device that are quietly operating.

Abstract: A one-time-use camera comprising a film cartridge with a light lock that is to be moved closed after a filmstrip exposed in the camera is completely wound into the film cartridge, and a closing device movable in engagement with the light lock to move the light lock closed, is characterized in that a retainer support for the closing device is adapted to hold the closing device in the camera and is resilient to permit the retainer support to be deformed temporarily to make room for the closing device to be assembled in the camera and to release the closing device to permit it to be removed from the camera.

Abstract: A camera comprising an aperture through which ambient light is passed to cause a film exposure, a shutter blade movable open to uncover the aperture and movable closed to re-cover the aperture and susceptible of being moved accidentally due to mechanical shock such as when the camera is dropped or jarred, and a shutter release button manually depressible for the shutter blade to be moved open to uncover the aperture, is characterized in that a blocking device is positioned adjacent or adjoining the shutter blade to prevent the shutter blade from being moved open to uncover the aperture due to mechanical shock, and is movable away from the shutter blade to permit the shutter blade to be moved open to uncover the aperture, and the shutter release button is connected with a driver that moves the blocking device away from the shutter blade to permit the shutter blade to be moved open to uncover the aperture only when the shutter release button is manually depressed.

Abstract: A frame counter comprising a counter wheel rotatable in a count related direction to change a frame count, and an anti-backup pawl for engaging the counter wheel to prevent reverse rotation of the counter wheel, is characterized in that a fixed bearing constructed to support the counter wheel for rotation at a first location, and the anti-backup pawl has an integral bearing constructed to support the counter wheel for rotation at a second location which is spaced from the first location, and is supported to be retracted from a ready position for engagement with the counter wheel to retract the integral bearing from the second location, whereby the counter wheel can be placed between the fixed bearing and the retracted pawl and integral bearing during assembly of the frame counter.