Abstract: A photographic roll-film pack, comprised of a light-proof core case with roll-film, with a photographic shutter, film advance means with manual control, a picture counter, a shutter-release device and apertures and/or lenses of a picture-taking lens and/or viewfinder defining optical beam paths, with a covering for the core case which leaves uncovered at least one manual control, is designed so that the covering is formed by a protective case (11, 12), enclosing the core case (1, 2), which is composed of shells (11, 12) of essentially rigid plastics which is at least transparent in the areas of apertures and/or lenses of a picture-taking lens and/or viewfinder defining optical beam paths. The roll-film pack is thereby protected against moisture, dirt and damage, but can still be manufactured cost-effectively using automated production and it can be re-assembled following removal of an exposed film.

Abstract: A camera for roll film which can be wound into a film cassette has a central subassembly forming a light-tight inner body in which a film cassette chamber which receives the film cassette is contained and in which a film guidance device is contained, and has an outer body which surrounds the central subassembly, wherein the film cassette chamber of the central subassembly can be closed by a removable cassette chamber cover which is accessible through an opening in the outer body.

Abstract: Relatively short sections of photographic roll films (such sections can consist of a single film frame or of two or another small number of film frames) are provided with elongated strip-shaped extensions for convenient transport through a copying machine. Extensions are severed from the leader of a roll of convoluted flexible material having a width matching the desired length of an extension, and one end of a freshly severed extension is caused to overlap one end of a film section so that the extent of overlap is not more than the width of a frame line between two neighboring frames of a roll film. One side of each extension is fully coated with a layer of hotmelt, and the extension is sealed to the respective film section by a narrow elongated heating element which is moved against the overlapping ends of the film section and the properly oriented extension. The roll can be subdivided into wider or narrower extensions, depending upon the width of film sections which are to be connected with extensions.

Abstract: Apparatus for convoluting exposed and copied photographic films on the cores of takeup reels has an advancing mechanism which transports successive films along a given path so that the leaders of successive films can be engaged by the gripper of a pivotable arm serving to transfer the leader of the film in the path toward the peripheral surface of the core of an empty takeup reel. The reel has no flanges or is provided with a single flange carrying or adjacent a fixedly mounted or movable protuberance which defines with the peripheral surface of the core a gap for the leader of the film. Once the leader has entered the gap and the takeup reel is set in rotary motion, the film is wound onto the protuberance and is thus affixed to the core. The length of the protuberance is less than the axial length of the core but exceeds one-fourth of such axial length.

Abstract: A photographic copying machine wherein the images of successive frames on a long roll of spliced-together exposed and developed customer films are copied while successive films are advanced stepwise from a supply reel on a first driven mandrel toward and is convoluted on a takeup reel on a second driven mandrel. The copying machine employs a third mandrel which can support a fresh roll in the plane of the roll on the first mandrel, and a fourth mandrel which can support an empty takeup reel in the plane of the rotating takeup reel. The leader of the fresh roll is located adjacent the film path ahead of the copying station and is automatically advanced into the range of an automatic attaching mechanism when the trailing end of the expiring roll has advanced beyond the copying station. The attaching mechanism secures the leader of the fresh roll to the core of the empty takeup reel, and the machine is then ready to make copies of frames forming part of the fresh roll.

Abstract: When a trigger lever is depressed, both a focus adjuster ring and a control disk commence to rotate in unison, driven by a spring mechanism. Position-sensing switches receive signals indicating which subject-distance setting the focus adjuster ring should be arrested at, and furthermore are opened and closed by the control disk during movement of the latter. When the focus adjuster ring reaches the required subject distance setting, it is arrested and kept arrested, thereby completing an automatic focussing operation, but the control disk continues to turn on to its end position, at which it causes the shutter mechanism of the camera to open and furthermore the exposure-timing circuit of the camera to initiation a scene-light-dependent exposure-timing operation.

Abstract: A film winding spool for a photographic camera has an inner cylindrical member driven in rotation and provided with engaging formations for engaging an initial portion of the film, and an outer cylindrical member surrounding the inner member so as to form a space therebetween and having a slot for introducing the initial portion of a film into this space and an outer surface for winding successive coils of the film, wherein the outer member has at least one opening arranged so that a piece of the film separated from a remaining part of the film can be withdrawn from the space between the inner and outer members through the opening.

Abstract: A film transport arrangement for a cassette has a film transport handle, a perforation wheel having a plurality of keys and arranged to engage a perforated film accommodated in a cassette having a film mouth and inserted or insertable in the camera and to move the film from the cassette, and an adjusting device for adjusting the perforation wheel and arranged between the film transport handle and the perforation wheel so that the perforation wheel is always held or brought into such an angular position in which one of its teeth engages in a perforation hole of a film initial portion lying in a film mouth of the cassette insertable or inserted in the camera.

Abstract: The invention relates to a film cassette for a photosensitive film consisting of a light-proof, flat flexible case substantially equal in length to the strip of film and a cassette opening which extends perpendicularly of the length of the case and which is provided with light-sealing means whereby the top part and the bottom part of the cassette being fixedly interconnected solely in the vicinity of the cassette opening and the other three edges are displaceable relative to one another in light proof labyrinths, even if the case is bent, the strip of film retains its freedom of movement.

Abstract: A photographic still provided with a magnetizable coating is inserted into a recording/playback device provided with a movably mounted head unit having a set of heads. A rotary motor drives an endless belt in a single direction, the upper and lower runs of the belt always travelling in opposite directions. The head unit is alternately coupled to the upper and to the lower run of the belt, for travel in one and then the opposite direction. Upon each reversal of the travel direction of the head unit, a successive one of the magnetic heads is activated, so as to track a meandering track on the magnetic coating.

Abstract: A distance measuring system generates an in-range signal when an object is located within a range of focus or a zone of protection, as the case may be. The system utilizes a single infrared transmitter and two receivers in order to determine the position of the object by triangulation.

Abstract: A photographic still or motion-picture camera has a viewfinder and a manually moved focus adjuster, such as a focussing ring. When the user peers into the viewfinder, there is a visible indication of the direction in which the focus adjuster should be manually moved to reduce the state-of-focus error, for example two curved illuminated errors, one pointing clockwise and the other counterclockwise, only one of which lights up to indicate the direction in which the focussing ring should be manually turned. When the state-of-focus error has been reduced to zero or a minimum, this is likewise indicated, for example because neither curved arrow is illuminated. To control the activation of the indicating elements, use can be made of components of a conventional completely automatic focussing system, but minus the adjusting motor of such system and minus superfluous motor-energization control circuitry.

Abstract: A novel film cartridge, camera for use with such cartridge and method of making such cartridge are disclosed. The cartridge is in form of a pocket of a material which is impermeable to light and which accommodates a multi-exposure film strip having a length at least equal to the length of the pocket.

Abstract: A film advancing arrangement for a film projector having an optical system and two spools between which a film is advanced, comprises two spool supports for carrying a supply spool and a takeup spool respectively. The spool supports are pivotally mounted with respect to the housing of the projector to be positioned inside of the housing or outside of the housing so that the spools of small standard diameters may be located within the contours of the housing and the spools of large standard diameters may be mounted on the same spool supports and located outside of the housing.

Abstract: When a trigger lever is depressed, both a focus adjuster ring and a control disk commence to rotate in unison, driven by a spring mechanism. Position-sensing switches receive signals indicating which subject-distance setting the focus adjuster ring should be arrested at, and furthermore are opened and closed by the control disk during movement of the latter. When the focus adjuster ring reaches the required subject distance setting, it is arrested and kept arrested, thereby completing an automatic focussing operation, but the control disk continues to turn on to its end position, at which it causes the shutter mechanism of the camera to open and furthermore the exposure-timing circuit of the camera to initiation a scene-light-dependent exposure-timing operation.

Abstract: A still-camera film transport system includes a perforation feeler and cooperating perforation-detecting switch generating a perforation signal. A motor speed sensor generates a signal indicative of whether the motor speed is above or below a certain level. A shutter-state switch generates a signal indicating whether the shutter is in set or unset state. A motor-control switch is controlled from the output of a logic-circuit stage which receives the above three signals. During normal operation before the film end is reached, the perforation signal is used to generate a deenergize-motor signal, but in dependence upon the shutter-state signal. When the film end is reached no further perforations follow, but the transport motor comes to a halt because it cannot pull the film further. The motor-speed signal indicates this and, when applied to the logic-circuit stage, causes the motor to be deenergized if the shutter is in set state.

Abstract: The bellows type folding camera includes two pairs of collapsable struts symmetrically hinged inside the bellows between the camera housing and the displaceable objective support; the upper and lower struts are interconnected by transverse straps and only one of the struts is operated by an actuation handle whereby the movement of this one strut is transmitted to the remaining struts by a coupler and crank linkage and by the transverse straps.

Abstract: A slide member is slid by the user for adjusting the value of an exposure parameter, such as exposure-aperture size or exposure duration. The slide member has an inoperative setting and various operative settings, some of which are associated with different exposure-parameter values, others of which are additionally or alternatively associated with other functions and/or operating modes, the user necessarily often referring to the slide member because of its multi-purpose control actions. Electrical switch means are furthermore responsive to the setting of the slide member. A mechanical indicator mechanism of simple design, involving in the preferred embodiment a blocking blade coupled to the slide member and moving into and out of a little indicator window, quickly indicates to the user whether the slide member is in its inoperative setting or one of its various operative settings.

Abstract: A photographic camera has a housing the front wall of which is provided with a view finder having an inlet window and with a lens. A manually slidable first cover is movable to and from a position in which it covers the inlet window, and the second cover is movable to and from a new position in which it covers the lens. An arrangement is provided which links the covers for joint movement so that when the view finder cover moves to a position in which it uncovers the view finder the lens cover automatically also moves to a position to which it uncovers the lens, and vice versa.