Abstract: A magnetic reading and/or recording apparatus for reading and/or recording information from/on a magnetic information track on a web comprises a magnetic reading and/or recording element and a flexible member for supporting the magnetic reading and/or recording element for rotation about an axis perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the web while restraining the magnetic reading and/or recording element from rotating about an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the web and an axis in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the web.

Abstract: A magazine for holding plurality of film cartridges and method handling thrust film cartridges in a photofinishing process using the magazine. The magazine comprises a plurality of retaining pockets, each pocket designed to hold a film thrust cartridge. Each thrust cartridge having a rotatably mounted spool therein for holding a filmstrip wound around the spool. The magazine includes a flexible retaining member associated with each of the pockets for allowing insertion or removal of the thrust cartridge from the pocket and for retaining the thrust cartridge in a predetermined position when the thrust cartridge is disposed in the pocket.

Abstract: A leader card attachable to a photographic filmstrip having a lead end with at least one aperture. The leader card includes (1) a piece of material having a tab portion and (2) at least one hook secured to the material. The hook is sized to be extendible through the aperture to secure the leader card and lead end of the filmstrip together. The tab portion inhibits the hook from being removed from the aperture.

Abstract: A photographic filmstrip is initially coiled about a spool inside a cartridge with a trailing film end portion secured to the spool and a leading film end portion being free. The filmstrip is advanced, leading film end portion first, from the supply cartridge into a host container such that the filmstrip is reverse coiled in the host container to reduce any longitudinal curl in the filmstrip resulting from the filmstrip being wound on the spool. The trailing film end portion is released from the spool. The film in the host container can be heated to further reduce the longitudinal curl in the filmstrip.

Abstract: An apparatus for transporting a film cartridge, having a spool end and a film ingress/egress slot, containing an exposed photographic film through a photofinishing process comprises a pallet adapted to hold the film cartridge. The pallet includes an interior opening for holding a film cartridge in fixed relation to the pallet with the spool end and the film ingress/egress slot of the film cartridge exposed to permit the spool end to be rotated to thrust the photographic film out of the film cartridge and to return the photographic film to the film cartridge.

Abstract: A self-threading take-up magazine for a strip material comprises a magazine casing having an interior chamber, a winding core rotatable within the interior chamber to wind the strip material onto the core, and guide means for directing the strip material along the interior chamber towards the winding core to permit the strip material to be threaded to the core. According to the invention, the magazine casing has a web guide portion which is moveably connected to a remaining portion of the magazine casing for opening movement into the interior chamber to extend to the winding core to constitute the guide means and for closing movement out of the interior chamber away from the winding core to make room for the strip material to be wound onto the core.

Abstract: A magnetic reading and/or recording apparatus includes a plurality of magnetic reading and/or recording elements to read and/or record information from/on a flexible magnetic recording material and a flexible plate having several cut-outs arranged to define individual flexible sections of said plate between respective pairs of said cut-outs. The magnetic reading and/or recording elements and the flexible plate are arranged to position the flexible sections of the plate to support respective flexible sections of the flexible magnetic recording material substantially in contact with the magnetic reading and/or recording elements.

Abstract: A storage assemblage is disclosed for cassettes each of which holds an image bearing medium having recorded images and for index print sheets each of which has printed pictures that match the images on the image bearing medium in one of the cassettes. According to the invention, there is provided one or more containers each of which includes a flat transparent cover and a flat back dimensioned to snugly hold an index print sheet between them with the pictures on the index print sheet visible through the cover. The back has a fulcrum projecting from one of edge of the back, and a nest open at an inner side of the back to receive a cassette and which projects from an outer side of the back to hold the cassette out of the way of the index print sheet.

Abstract: A container is disclosed for a cassette holding an image bearing medium having a plurality of images recorded on it and for an index print sheet on which are printed a plurality of pictures that match the plurality of images on the image bearing medium. According to the invention, the container comprises a transparent sheet-like cover having a length and width slightly larger than corresponding dimensions of the index print sheet to closely overlay the index print sheet, and a sheet-like back having a length and width similar to the length and width of the cover to store the index print snugly between the cover and the back with the plurality of pictures on the index print sheet visible only through the cover. The back includes an integrally formed nest blown outward to hold the cassette out of the way of the index print sheet.

Abstract: A cleaning device for removing dust particles and other impurities from the surface of data carriers such as photographic film. Two counter-rotating brushes sweep across the film surface to remove the impurities while air flows on either side of the film sweep away the impurities. The air flows are created by two counter-rotating fans, the armatures of which also rotate the brushes. The fans remove the need for a separate vacuum source. A slot facilitates the passage of the film through the brushes while a static eliminator removes charged particles from the film after it exits the brushes. The stiff brushes aid in overcoming static charges that may be on the film surface.In a further embodiment only one of the two brushes is driven by a fan and the other brush rotates freely and is biased toward the driven brush.

Abstract: A container is disclosed for a cassette capable of advancing a filmstrip with visible recorded images through a film passageway out of the cassette responsive to unwinding rotation of a spool which supports the filmstrip inside the cassette and for an index print sheet with printed pictures that match the visible images on the filmstrip. The container comprises a transparent sheet-like cover having a length and width larger than corresponding dimensions of the index print sheet to overlay the index print sheet and a sheet-like back having a length and width similar to the length and width of the cover to store the index print snugly between the cover and the back with the printed pictures on the index print sheet visible through the cover. The cover and/or the back includes an integrally formed nest for storing the cassette and having an access opening arranged to be aligned with the spool and a film egress opening arranged to be aligned with the film passageway when the cassette is located in the nest.

Abstract: A storage assemblage is disclosed for cassettes each of which holds an image bearing medium having recorded images and for index print sheets each of which has printed pictures that match the images on the image bearing medium in one of the cassettes. According to the invention, the storage assemblage comprises display containers each of which includes a flat transparent cover and a flat back dimensioned to snugly hold an index print sheet between them with the pictures on the index print sheet visible through the cover. The back has a nest open at an inner side of the back to receive a cassette and projecting from an outer side of the back to hold the cassette out of the way of the index print sheet.

Abstract: A photographic film processor for conveying exposed film along a serpentine film path through a series of processing racks in a respective series of processing tanks, each processing rack including a sprocket-driven endless timing belt mounted for rotation on the rack and having outer teeth for engagement with an apertured film leader card to move the film leader card along a part of the path of the timing belt, the outer teeth being laterally expandable for positive engagement with the leader card, and contractible for disengagement from it. Alternatively, the outer teeth are laterally contractible for positive engagement with the leader card, and expandible for disengagement from it.In another embodiment, the endless timing belt has spaced flexible edge tabs to pass through the apertures of a leader card to engage the card.

Abstract: A photographic film processor having a controller and a drive motor for conveying exposed film from a spool and along a film path through a series of process stations is disclosed. The photographic processor includes: a main power supply and an auxiliary power supply for the processor; a selector switch normally operable to apply main power to the processor and alternatively operable to apply auxiliary power to the processor in the event of an interruption in main power; and a film cutter mechanism including a guillotine blade reciprocable relative to a stationary shear block in the film path, a latch to hold the blade in a ready position, a trip lever responsive to an unwound film spool being pulled against it to release the latch and blade, and a spring to drive the blade through a cutting stroke for cutting the spool from the film, whereby the processor is powered, in the event of an interruption of main power, to finish processing any film which is already in process.

Abstract: An improved photographic film processing apparatus is generally of the type wherein an upright processing rack is located within a processing tank adapted to contain a processing liquid for treating the emulsion side of a filmstrip, wherein a timing belt is moved through a vertical guide slot for advancement along the rack to draw successive sections of the filmstrip through a vertical processing channel within the tank, and wherein a plurality of liquid distribution openings to the processing channel direct the processing liquid against the emulsion side of a film section in the processing channel. According to the invention, the tank has respective integral portions shaped to define a first vertical side of the guide slot for the timing belt and to define a first vertical side of the processing channel for the filmstrip.

Abstract: A photographic film processing rack is adapted to be immersed in a processing liquid tank. The processing rack includes four identical rack panels which combine to form two oppositely spaced pairs of mating vertical rack panels, each pair defining between its mating panels a vertical belt path and at least one vertical film process channel. An endless timing belt extends over a drive sprocket at the top of the processing rack, over an idler sprocket at the bottom of the processing rack, and along the vertical belt paths defined by the respective opposite pairs of mating rack panels. The timing belt has inner teeth for positive engagement with the sprockets and outer teeth for positive engagement with a flexible film leader card to which at least one exposed filmstrip is secured.

Abstract: A photographic film processor includes an upstanding processing rack which is immersed in a processing liquid tank. The rack has oppositely spaced pairs of mating vertical rack panels, each pair defining a vertical belt path and at least one vertical film process channel. An endless timing belt extends over a drive sprocket at the top of the processing rack, over an idler sprocket at the bottom of the rack, and along the vertical belt paths defined by the respective opposite pairs of vertical rack panels. The timing belt has inner teeth for engagement with the sprockets and outer teeth for engagement with a flexible film leader card to which at least one exposed filmstrip is secured. Rotation of the drive sprocket advances the timing belt continuously along the vertical belt paths to pull the exposed filmstrip along the vertical film process channels.