Abstract: A photometric system structure used in a printer section in which an image of a photographic film is printed onto a photosensitive material through a lens system. The lens system can be removed from an optical axis of light emitted from a light source and replaced by another lens system. A photometric device is disposed on the optical axis of the light emitted from the light source and changes an optical axis direction of at least a part of the light emitted from the light source to measure the light whose optical axis direction has been changed and which is used as photometric light. A beam splitter moves integrally with each of the lens systems.

Abstract: A paper mask unit for setting a paper mask in an exposure station of a photographic printer. A mask frame of the paper mask unit has a paper guide member which is movable in a direction transverse to a paper transporting direction between a paper guide position for guiding photographic paper thereon and a rest position wherein the paper guide member is retracted from the exposure station. After the photographic paper is set in the exposure station, the mask frame is displaced apart from the photographic paper. When the paper mask is inserted into the mask frame through the mask guide path, the paper guide member is pushed by the paper mask inwards from the paper guide position into the rest position. Simultaneously, a letter printing aperture of the paper mask is automatically positioned on a lamp housing which is mounted on the paper guide member. Thereafter, the mask frame is moved into a masking position so as to bring the paper mask into contact with the photographic paper.

Abstract: An automatic paper loading device and method wherein a paper magazine is placed on a magazine table. The table is slid toward a pair of feed rollers disposed at a paper entrance of a printer processor. While the paper magazine is moving together with the magazine table, the feed roller pair starts rotating, so that a paper leading end is nipped by the feed roller pair immediately before the paper magazine is completely set in the printer processor. A cut-out for allowing the access of the feed roller pair to the paper leading end is formed in the exit of the paper magazine. When the paper leading end has passed through the feed roller pair, the feed roller stops rotating. Then, the width of paper guide are adjusted according to paper data read from the paper magazine. After the adjustment, the feed roller pair starts rotating again, so as to feed the paper further into the printer processor.

Abstract: A paper transporting device for a photographic printer. A pulse motor starts rotating during a magazine setting operation. The rotation of the pulse motor is transmitted to a pair of feed rollers through a pin-clutch mechanism and a paper feed gear train. Immediately before a paper magazine is completely attached to the photographic printer, the feed rollers nip the leading end of photographic paper and pull the photographic paper out of the paper magazine. When changing the paper magazine, a solenoid is turned on to change over the pin-clutch mechanism from the paper feed gear train to a paper rewind gear train. Thereafter, the pulse motor is rotated in reverse, so as to rotate a winding shaft of the paper magazine through the pin-clutch mechanism and the paper rewind gear train. An unexposed portion of the photographic paper remaining in the photographic printer is thus wound back into the paper magazine.