Abstract: A film handling system which permits industrial X-rays to be made on site comprises a film cassette having an area for a supply of film and an exposure area and the cassette after exposure of a film is placed in the throat of a processor. Upon placing the cassette in the throat of the processor a rack and pinion dispenses an exposed film from the cassette and upon removal of the cassette a film is moved from the storage area to the exposure area. The exposed film is processed in the processor.

Abstract: An improved photographic cassette is disclosed having a pressure plate adjacent a rear cover wall thereof provided with laterally extending tabs on opposite side edges thereof. The cassette further has a floating plate adjacent a front cover wall which is unsecured to the front cover wall at least at all portions thereof except the center portion. The floating plate has ears laterally extending from the side edges thereof in register with and spaced from the tabs. The cassette has push-bar mechanisms adapted when the push-bar mechanisms are moved to an extended position to enter the space between the ears and tabs and to engage the tabs and move the pressure plate toward the rear cover wall, and to override the ears for latching the floating plate to the front cover wall whereby the pressure and floating plates are spaced apart for allowing a sheet to freely move into or exit the cassette.

Abstract: X-ray film feeding magazine usable in a film handling automatic apparatus, comprising a tray (3) in which is defined a housing (26) to receive an x-ray film packet (F). The film housing is delimited by a front gauge (17) and at least a side gauge (28) which can be shifted between a stand-by position and a work position to reduce the housing dimensions to prearranged values. The shifting of said movable front and side gauges from the stand-by to the work position is controlled by means of contrast elements (15) which are associated with the front gauge and accessible from the outside to apply an external thrust to the front and side gauges.

Abstract: A film sheet presence indicating mechanism is disclosed for use in a photographic cassette, such as an x-ray cassette having one end wall with a slot therein through which a film sheet is moveable therethrough between screens along an inlet path to a loaded position adjacent an opposite end wall. The x-ray cassette has front and rear cover walls joined to the end walls in which the rear cover wall has an inner side facing an inner surface of the front cover. The film sheet presence indicating mechanism comprises a housing secured to the inner side of the rear cover adjacent the opposite end wall to define a cavity. The mechanism further comprises a film sheet presence indicator member that is mounted within the housing cavity for slidable movement between a normal first position indicating the absence of a film sheet in the x-ray cassette, and a second position indicating that a film sheet is loaded in the cassette.

Abstract: A sheet film package comprises a tray for storing a stack of sheet films and a flexible cover member peelably attached to the tray in covering relation to a film access opening in the tray for shielding the sheet films in the tray from extraneous light. By inserting the cover member into a cover member peeling passage defined in an image recording apparatus, the cover member is peeled off the tray to open the film access opening.

Abstract: An X-ray film cassette has on its top a triangular bar code field readable by a bar code reader of an automatic film sheet charging and discharging apparatus. The bar code field is in the form of an isosceles right triangle whose hypothenuse faces a reference corner and whose legs extend parallel to edges of the cassettes. The bars of the code extend parallel to the hypothenuse. An optical axis of the bar code reader, when the cassette is in its end position in the apparatus, intersects a vertex area formed by the legs of the triangle. This arrangement guarantees that its bar codes on cassettes of small format, even if misaligned in the feeding direction, are reliably read by the reader.

Abstract: A film supplying magazine which receives a pack of film sheets, covered with a light-tight sheathing and is insertable into a device which removes from said pack individual film sheets, comprises a box receiving a film pack, and a cover for closing the box. The sheathing has a winding flap while the magazine has an externally operated rotatable winding shaft to which the flap of the sheathing is connected so that the flap together with the sheathing is pulled off the pack and wound on the shaft when the latter is rotated. Velcro tapes are provided at the free end of the flap and at a portion of the winding shaft, which ensure an automatic connection between the flap and the shaft.

Abstract: An X-ray film holding apparatus includes front and rear plates through which X-rays transmit. The front and rear plates respectively have opposite surfaces. The front plate is flexible, and the opposite surface of the front plate has a partial spherical portion extending toward the rear plate. The spherical surface is curved along a first direction and a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The front plate is rectangular, and its three sides are supported by a holding frame. An elastic cushion member is adhered to the opposite surface of the rear plate. The cushion member has a surface opposite to the front plate. The opposite surface of the cushion member has a partial cylindrical surface extending toward the front plate. The cylindrical surface is curved along the first direction and parallel to the second direction. Intensifying screen sheets are respectively adhered to the opposite surfaces of the front plate and the cushion member.

Abstract: An improved photographic cassette in which the plate and screen adjacent the front cover on the tube side of the cassette is unsecured to the front cover; that is, free floating, thereby achieving more uniform sheet-to-plate contact throughout the entire area of the sheet. The cassette also has a pressure plate and means forming a part of the pressure relieving means for engaging and holding the floating plate against the front cover upon actuation of the cassette pressure relieving means. The floating plate engaging and holding means facilitates separation of the pressure and floating plates and unblocking of the cassette entry slot by the floating plate to allow a sheet to freely enter the slot.

Abstract: The disclosure involves an X-ray daylight cassette with shortened unloading times. The cassette, which has a film insertion slot on one side, contains two intensifying screens, one of which is affixed to the pressure plate so that the screen has edge zones that are not bonded to the pressure plate on the two long dimensions and optionally, on the short dimension opposite the film insertion slot.

Abstract: A sheet film package includes a tray for storing a stack of sheet films and a flexible cover member peelably attached to the tray in covering relation to a film access opening for shielding the sheet films in the tray from extraneous light. The cover member is folded back on itself at one end of the tray and has an end portion which extends over the other end of the tray and which will be exposed from a loading device when the sheet film package is loaded in the loading device. The sheet film package may have a cushioning member disposed in the tray and composed of hollow air bags of a flexible material for pressing and holding the sheet films in the package member. A film loading device for loading the sheet film package therein include a light-shielding member for preventing extraneous light from entering a loading slot. The loading slot is closed by a pivotally mounted cover with the end portion of the cover member being led out of the loading slot.

Abstract: A supply magazine for insertion in an arrangement for removing individual sheet films, for example X-ray sheet films, arranged in a stack in a light-tight wrapping, comprises a cover, a box which is at least partially open and is closable by the cover, and being formed for accommodating a stack located in a wrapping, a winding device provided with a winding shaft which is driven from outside and formed for suspending and winding a winding flap of the wrapping together with the latter after closing of the box, and an indicating device including a movable sensing member which abuts with spring biasing against the winding shaft in the region of the winding flap, an observation opening formed in a part of the box which supports the winding shaft and arranged so that the sensing member is visible through the observation window, and a light sealing provided between the winding shaft and the observation window.

Abstract: A weight is moveably positioned in the side opposite the side having a film entrance slot of a side opening x-ray cassette. When the plates holding the film are separated the weight acting under the influence of gravity aids in ejecting the film from the cassette.

Abstract: A release mechanism for a side opening x-ray cassette uses an air jet to release the x-ray film from sticking and facilitating its removal from the cassette.

Abstract: A cassette for removably housing a stimulable phosphor sheet for storing a radiation image therein comprises a lining member secured to the inner surface of a rear cover of the cassette. The lining member comprises a cushioning material layer and an embossed resin sheet or a slide material layer overlaid on the front surface of the cushioning material layer. At least a part of the peripheral portion of the lining member is cut away, and a cavity is formed at the cutaway portion so that the stimulable phosphor sheet readily separates from the rear cover when the rear cover is opened upwardly.

Abstract: A "Potter-box" (1) has a holder or Potter-spade (2) provided with dogging means (5, 6) for centering an X-ray film cassette, or some other X-ray radiation receiver, in the direction of an X-axis and a Y-axis. Movement of the holder between a cassette-change position and a film-exposure position and vice versa, is utilized to drive the dogging means (5, 6) directly via a link system, so as to center or decenter the cassette, thereby rendering the provision of separate operating means for effecting centering or decentering of the cassette unnecessary.

Abstract: A radiographic system for obtaining a visible radiation image by use of a stimulable phosphor sheet including a spot shot apparatus having a transport system for transporting the stimulable sheets from the supply magazine to the receiving magazine through a park and exposure station at which radiation is directed to the sheets. A plurality of the sheets are stacked in a supply magazine with the side of each sheet opposite the side having the phosphor layer facing upward. The sheets are sequentially transported to the exposure station for radiographic imaging, and then to a receiving magazine by a transport system. The receiving magazine includes a light-tight receiving magazine including one side having an access opening for receiving the exposed stimulable phosphor sheets. A removable shutter is insertable in the receiving magazine to block the access opening, and maintains the light-tight environment when the magazine is inserted in and removed from the housing structure defining a spot shot apparatus.

Abstract: A front plate of an X-ray film cassette comprising an intermediate layer made of carbon fiber reinforced plastic, and outer layers made of aromatic polyamide fiber reinforced plastic for covering both surfaces of the intermediate layer, wherein the intermediate layer and the outer layers are formed in an integrally laminated body.

Abstract: An X-ray sheet film cassette is assembled of a bottom wall, side walls and a cover hinged to an upper part of one side wall. The lower part of the one side wall adjoining the bottom wall is reduced in thickness to form an abutment for the sheet film. The inner surface of the cover is provided with a resilient pressing pad which during the closing of the cover urges the sheet film against the abutment and in the closed condition of the cassette presses the film against the bottom. In this manner, when taking X-ray pictures of a part of patient's body which forms an angle relative to another body part, the unexposed section of the first mentioned body part which is adjacent the other body part, is minimized and well defined in position relative to the other body part.

Abstract: A container for radiographic film cassettes particularly adapted for adhering to surfaces. In combination, a container comprises a substantially flatened container space therein for receiving and x-ray cassette, with one end of the container permanently closed, and the second end adaptable between opened and closed positions. The container would further comprise a plurality of suction cup members substantially located at each corner of the container for suctionally adhering to the surface to be x-rayed. There is further provided a pair of handle members extending along the top side of the container for manually gripping the handle members for removing the container from the surfaced x-rayed by overcoming the suction between the container and the surface.

Abstract: An X-ray film cassette holder 10 including a clamping mechanism for centering a film cassette C therein as the holder is inserted into an associated X-ray machine, and also including a position measuring device 184 for sensing the dimensions of the film cassette. The clamping mechanism has two positioning assemblies 34 and 36 that act to position the film cassette C in two orthogonal directions and an actuator mechanism 148 that links the positioning operation to the insertion movement, all mounted on a tray 12 that is adapted for insertion into the X-ray machine. The two positioning assemblies 34 and 36 include parallel clamps 44 and 46 and 52 and 54 attached to slides 102 and 106 and 122 and 136 of double slider-crank mechanism 86 and 88 so that the clamps move in opposite directions as the crank 92 and 110 rotate about a pivot 90 in the center of the tray 12.

Abstract: An arrangement for introduction of a film magazine into a film-processing device has a housing which defines an inlet slot through which the film magazine is inserted. The film magazine has a film stack carrier provided with at least one opening for removal of the film and a casing member which is movable with respect to the film stack carrier. In order to guarantee the light-tight shielding during the introduction of the film magazine, a shutter is provided along the inlet slot which is parallel movable within the interior of the housing and serves as support for the film stack carrier. The shutter has a circumferential edge which cooperates with a respective circumferential edge of the housing for providing a first light-tight shielding and a second light-tight shielding is provided through cooperation of the circumferential edge with a respective groove provided in the casing member.

Abstract: Photothermographic systems have not been useful in combination with X-ray purposes because of low speed, poor resolution and poor contrast. A particularly designed photothermographic element in combination with a rare-earth intensifying screen provides a high quality, fast, high resolution photothermographic radiographic system.

Abstract: A cassette of the type having opposing interior surfaces relatively movable toward and away from each other to prevent and permit, respectively, movement of a photographic sheet therebetween, and having at one end an opening through which the sheet can pass along an exit path, has at its opposite end a device engageable with a corner of the sheet remote from the opening and movable at an angle with the exit path to urge the sheet obliquely toward and against a side wall of the cassette, so as to induce buckling of the sheet and consequent separation thereof from the interior surfaces, thereby facilitating succeeding movement of the sheet along the exit path and out through the opening. The device is externally accessible for manual actuation, and the extent to which it can be moved without encountering sheet resistance indicates, visually and tactilely, whether or not a sheet is in the cassette.

Abstract: A film support defines an x-ray permeable path and indicia such as the letters L and R are carried by an indicia support and the indicia support is movably mounted to the film support and overlies the x-ray path. The indicia are opaque to x-rays and the indicia support is arranged to alternately locate one indicia in the x-ray path and the other indicia out of the x-ray path so that when film is placed in the film support and is exposed to x-rays and later is developed, the film will have the image of one of the indicia imposed thereon.

Abstract: An X-ray cassette holder (10, 10') includes a frame (12) on which an associated X-ray cassette C is to be centered by two pairs of opposed clamp members 52, 52' and 54, 54' slideably arranged on the frame (12) for movement toward and away from one another in first and second perpendicular directions of movement. At least one pair of opposed clamp members are resiliently connected to an actuator arrangement (18) which will cause the members to move toward one another and center an associated cassette C on the holder frame (12) as holder (10, 10') is being inserted into an associated X-ray machine.

Abstract: A radiographic cassette comprises a film-receiving plate and a film-keeping plate engageable with the film-receiving plate. The cassette is further provided with an external indicator which enables an operator to visually check whether or not the cassette has been loaded with a film.

Abstract: The invention relates to an input/output device for unexposed or latently exposed photographic sheet material for use in combination with photographic material evaluation devices. The invention comprises a flat light-tight cartridge having an opening, a film support displaceably arranged within said cartridge and externally operable, and a light-stop for said opening. The cartridge is insertable into a socket of the evaluation device so that the film can be shifted out of the cartridge and into the likewise light-tight evaluation device to be secured to holding means of a recording drum in said device. By sucking means within and respective rotation of said drum the film is evenly attached to the drum surface. By control of the input/output operation by means of a control unit an automatic handling of film material at normal light conditions is feasible.