Abstract: Method and apparatus for inspecting a surface having a photosensitive layer on a wide film web from which lateral margins are slit away, by detecting defects of the photosensitive layer of the surfaces of the lateral margins. The intensity of a line of light which is projected onto a lateral margin of the web is modulated by the surface of the lateral margin and received by reflection by a line sensor for producing an analog video signal which in turn is converted into two binary signals of high and low output levels. From the combination of the two binary signals, the presence of a defect is detected, because the intensity of the modulated reflected light will vary from a value characteristic of the absence of a defect.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for loading film into film cartridges having an improved throughput rate. Caps, spools and shell plates are supplied simultaneously with the winding of film. Film is wound onto spools while the spools are held. Shell plates are held with a shell plate chuck in such a manner that the shell plate is half open. Spools on which film has been wound are inserted into corresponding half-open shell plates, after which the shell plates are shaped as required. Caps are then fitted onto both open ends of the shell plate.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring the thickness of a roll winding on or unwinding from a core during winding or unwinding of a web, comprises a first detector having a beam projector and a beam receiver which are arranged along the core at opposite ends of the roll for detecting a predetermined thickness of the roll with a rough accuracy. A second detector having a beam projector and a linear array sensor is provided, for detecting the roll thickness with high accuracy. When the first detector detects a predetermined thickness of the roll, the second detector, which is supported on an arm carrying a positioning roller, is placed in operative position by pressing the positioning roller against the core and detects the thickness of the roll according to the position on the linear array sensor of the beam reflected from the surface of the roll.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for loading film into film cartridges having an improved throughput rate. Caps, spools and shell plates are supplied simultaneously with the winding of film. Film is wound onto spools while the spools are held. Shell plates are held with a shell plate chuck in such a manner that the shell plate is half open. Spools on which film has been wound are inserted into corresponding half-open shell plates, after which the shell plates are shaped as required. Caps are then fitted onto both open ends of the shell plate.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for continuously producing photographic film, comprises perforating film strip, applying characters to the perforated film strip as latent images, and cutting it into sized film strips. The photographic film strip withdrawn from a roll of film is perforated along its longitudinal margins and then provided with characters as latent images such as frame numbers, symbols and the like. After the provision of characters, the photographic film strip is cut into sized film strips which are thereafter wound into containers. The film moves continuously lengthwise from the time it is withdrawn from the supply roll, to the time it is rewound in the containers as sized film strips. In this way, the cost of equipment and labor is reduced.

Abstract: A side printing apparatus includes a plurality of light emitting members arranged in a line perpendicular to the forward direction of a film so as to provide several kinds of dot patterns which are exposed on the film as latent images of characters, symbols and so on. A detector for detecting the film position is provided to produce position signals which operate to cause a control to drive selectively the light emitting members to emit light in accordance with the position signals. The light rays from the light emitting members are focussed on the film as light spots.

Abstract: A side printing apparatus for providing latent images of information marks, such as manufacturer's name, date information, film size, frame numbers and the like at the longitudinal sides adjacent each picture frame of a photosensitive product, is adapted to scan the surface of the photosensitive product moving with continuous motion with a deflecting device which deflects a beam of laser light in a direction perpendicular to the direction of the continuous motion of the photosensitive product. Before the deflection, the beam of laser light is modulated according to the pattern of marks by which the latent image is required to be provided on the photosensitive material.

Abstract: A side printing apparatus for providing on a continuously moving film latent images of characters, numerals, symbols and the like which are later photographically developed. The light image forming arrangement is deenergized so as to prevent the provision of such light images at least during the movement of the film in a reverse direction for preventing double exposure of the film. The deenergization of the light image forming arrangement is caused by a direction discriminator for discriminating the movement of the film in the forward and reverse directions in conformity with two series of pulse signals with a phase difference of 90.degree. therebetween from a rotary encoder rotating in synchronism with the movement of the film.

Abstract: A printing apparatus for printing a colored mark in a colored dot pattern on a colored light sensitive material which is moving. A plurality of picture element display sections are aligned in a row perpendicular to the direction of movement of the colored light sensitive material, each of the plurality of picture element display sections emitting a single colored dot, and selectively emitting light to form a dot pattern. Each of the picture element display sections comprises a plurality of sources of lights of different colors, and a plurality of light guides for transmitting the respective colored lights. The outlet ends of the plurality of light guides are regularly arranged so that the light guides transmitting different colored lights are adjacent to each other, thereby mixing the different colors of lights. By changing the intensity of the light sources, a colored dot having the desired color and intensity is produced.

Abstract: A side printing apparatus for providing latent images of characters, numerals, symbols and the like on a photographic film moving in continuous motion includes a film sensitivity responsive means for generating several kinds of pulse having different pulse lengths which are predetermined in accordance with sensitivity of film. The pulse operates to cause a light image forming device to be energized for a time defined corresponding to the pulse length thereof so as to provide a latent image of character, numeral, symbol or the like on a photographic film.

Abstract: A side printing apparatus for photographically exposing marks onto a strip of continuously moving photosensitive material as a latent image that includes a multielement luminous display unit with a plurality of light emitting elements arranged at regular intervals. The image of the displayed mark on the multielement luminous display unit is focused on the lengthwise moving photosensitive material through a reduction lens system. The light emitting elements are selectively driven to display different marks according to various types of photosensitive materials.

Abstract: A web butt-joining system having a feeding section with rolls for feeding a pair of new and old webs, a cutting and joining section having cutting drums and joining drums, and a drive control section. The latter is composed of a driving DC motor commonly coupled to the cutting drums and joining drums. A calculation control circuit drives the DC motor and drive control section is operated to cut said new and old webs fed from said feeding section and piled one on another with said cutting drums and to butt-join the ends of said webs thus cut with bonding tapes provided on said joining drums.

Abstract: A running web cutting device in which a vertically movable cutter is driven by a crank mechanism. A reciprocating stand holding an upper cutting edge and lower cutting edge is provided in such a manner to be moved in the direction of advancement of a web by a reciprocating guide. The upper and lower cutting edges are driven through the same crank shaft coupled to a cutter driving motor. A value J (J=J Wo/To where J is the conversion inertial moment of a driving motor including a load, Wo is the rated speed thereof, and To is the rated torque thereof) of said cutter driving motor is represented by J.sub.C while a value J of a web feeding motor driving a web feeding drum is represented by J.sub.F. The cutter driving motor and the web feeding motor are chosen so that J.sub.C smaller than J.sub.F.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for cutting a web into a specified length in which an upper cutting edge and a lower cutting edge are provided respectively above and below the web run at a constant speed. The web is cut into the specified length by moving said upper cutting edge vertically while said upper and lower cutting edges are swung in the web movement direction. The swinging and vertical movements of said cutting edges are accomplished by rotation of an eccentric crank shaft driven by a DC motor. A rotation angle of the eccentric crank shaft and a movement length of said web are outputs provided in the form of pulses, respectively, in order to coincide a movement speed of the web with a swinging speed of the cutting edges in cutting said web.

Abstract: In a web cutting apparatus comprising a first cutting blade and a second cutting blade in face-to-face relationship above and below the two surfaces of a continuously moving web, the parallel travelling speed of the first and second cutting blades are made identical with the travelling speed of the web at the time when the web is cut by the joint action of the first and second cutting blades.

Abstract: An apparatus for cutting a continuously horizontally moving web into desired lengths comprises a first slider crank mechanism 21 for horizontally reciprocating a first slider 71 mounting relatively reciprocable cutting edges 81, 82 disposed below and above the web, a second slider crank mechanism 22 for vertically reciprocating the upper cutting edge 82 via a second slider 72 to sever the web, and a third slider crank mechanism 23 for horizontally reciprocating a third slider 73 mounting a torque balancing weight 83. All three mechanisms are driven by a common rotary shaft 13, and the angles between the crank arms of the mechanisms and the magnitude of the balancing weight are selected such that the shaft torque is substantially constant over the cutting region whereat the first slider moves at a substantially constant speed approximately equal to that of the travelling web.