X-ray film package

Abstract

A package comprising a light-proof envelope or bag containing a plurality of X-ray film sheets stacked for co-operation with a dispensing machine and useful in a daylight handling system for daylight loading and unloading of cassettes. The film sheets are identical and may have a photographic emulsion layer on one or both surfaces. The adjacent films in the stack have their surfaces in contact. Each sheet has a cut-away portion along one edge thereof for coacting with a film selector cam. In the stack, the sheets are alternated so that the cut-away portions lie along a common stack edge and are arranged in two parallel rows. The cut-away portions in adjacent sheets are in different rows and in superposition. After the package is in a dispenser, the envelope or bag is stripped from the stack so that the sheets can be removed one at a time from the stack and passed into film holders or cassettes engaged with the dispensing machine.

I claim: 
     
       1. A film package for use in a daylight handling system, said package comprising a. a plurality of substantially identical photographically sensitive film sheets, each sheet having a .Iadd.single .Iaddend.cut-away portion of small area along an edge thereof,said sheets being stacked in alternating superposition .[..[.whereby the.]..]..Badd., said .Baddend.cut-away portions of alternate sheets .[..[.form.]..]. .Badd.forming .Baddend.discontinuous, .[.spaced apart,.]. parallel rows .Iadd..[..[.which are.]..]..Iaddend. .Badd.being spaced from the corners of the sheets in said stack and .Baddend..Iadd.spaced equidistant from opposite sides of a center line perpendicular to a common edge of said stack; .Iaddend.and   b. cover means opaque to actinic radiation surrounding said stack. .Badd..[.   
     
     
       2.  A package according to claim 1 wherein said rows are spaced apart along a common edge of said stack..]..Baddend. .Badd..[.3. A package according to claim 2 wherein said rows are spaced equidistant from opposite sides of a center line perpendicular to said common edge..]..Baddend. .Badd..[.4. A package according to claim 3 wherein said cut-away portions are 
     
     
        essentially semicircular..]..Baddend. 5. A package according to claim .Badd..[.3.]..Baddend. .Iadd.1 .Iaddend.wherein said cut-away portions .[..[.are.]..]. .Badd.being .Baddend.present in the leading and trailing edges of each sheet .[..[.thereby.]..]. providing discontinuous, spaced apart, parallel rows in the leading and trailing edges of said stack. 6. A package according to claim 1, wherein the cut-away areas are essentially semicircular in shape. 7. A package according to claim 1, wherein the cover means is a flexible plastic envelope. 8. A package according to claim 1, wherein the film sheets are rectangular; and wherein the cover is an envelope of flexible plastic material having a width equal to the width of the sheets and a length greater than the length of the film sheets. 9. A package according to claim 1, wherein the film sheets are rectangular; and wherein   the cover is an envelope of flexible plastic material having a width equal to the width of the sheets and in length extending beyond the length of the film sheets and adapted to be folded over the respective ends of the stack and taped to the face of the envelope. 10. A package according to claim 9, wherein one extended end of the envelope is tapered.