Photographic color separation equipment

Abstract

An apparatus is disclosed for recording color separations on a photographic film band. The apparatus comprises a feed mechanism having a film transport member arranged to selectively bring portions of the unexposed film from a feed spool mounted in a housing into an operative position for exposure in a camera adapted to receive selective filters for color separation. The feed mechanism is arranged to unreel the unexposed film band under constant tension from the feed spool and to displace selected film portions in contact with a support surface whereby to selectively bring these film portions into their operative position for exposure in the camera and return them to said housing after exposure.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An apparatus for photographic recording from transparent colour film or a real subject, comprising: a camera including an optical system for image projection along an optical axis and first housing means having a cavity with a first opening adapted to receive selected portions of a photographic film band for exposure thereof perpendicular to said axis;   a feed mechanism which is mounted between a film feed spool and a film take-up spool in second housing means having a second opening arranged contiguous to said first opening and which comprises a film transport member arranged for displacement in a direction perpendicular to said optical axis between a position of rest and an operative position wherein said transport member is respectively placed in said second housing means and in said cavity of said first housing means, said transport member including a film support means having a bearing surface and said feed mechanism being arranged in such a manner that said film band is unreeled under constant tension from said feed spool while said selected film positions are maintained in contact with said support means during said displacement whereby said film portions are selectively brought into said operative position to allow exposure thereof in said cavity and are returned to said housing after exposure; and   a feed roller assembly arranged between said feed spool and said transport member and a receiving roller assembly arranged between said transport member and said take-up spool, each of said roller assemblies having a pair of toothed wheels arranged to respectively engage in perforations provided along both edges of said film band and means for connecting the toothed wheels of each said pairs in such a manner as to allow slight rotation thereof in opposite directions.   
     
     
       2. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said connecting means comprise a transverse bar penetrating with clearance in openings in the toothed wheels of each said pair and a first common spindle on which the wheels of each said pair are pivotally mounted. 
     
     
       3. An apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the means connecting the pair of toothed wheels of said feed roller assembly comprise a friction clutch rotatably connecting the toothed wheels of said pair via said common spindle thereof. 
     
     
       4. An apparatus according to claim 3 comprising a drive mechanism adapted to drive said common spindle at a slightly lower speed than the unreeling speed of said film band. 
     
     
       5. An apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said friction clutch is a spring wound around said common spindle and said transverse bar being pivotally mounted on the free end of said spring. 
     
     
       6. An apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said transport member comprises two parallel elements which are arranged for common displacement in and out of said housing perpendicular to the general feed direction of said film band and to said optical axis of the camera and which are joined together by a transverse roller for passage of said film band over said transverse roller. 
     
     
       7. An apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said parallel elements are toothed racks in mesh with toothed wheels mounted on a first drive spindle connected to said drive mechanism. 
     
     
       8. An apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said first drive spindle serves to simultaneously drive said toothed racks and said pair of toothed wheels of said feed roller assembly via said common spindle and said friction clutch. 
     
     
       9. An apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the pair of toothed wheels of said receiving roller assembly are driven by a second drive spindle connected to said drive mechanism. 
     
     
       10. An apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said drive mechanism is arranged to rotate said second spindle so as to wind said film band onto said take-up spool after said transport member has been displaced from the said operative position to the said position of rest. 
     
     
       11. An apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said feed spool is arranged for rotation so as to reel in the film during displacement of said transport member from the said operative position to the said position of rest. 
     
     
       12. An apparatus according to claim 1 comprising a film retaining member arranged to engage in the perforations of said film band before said receiving roller assembly. 
     
     
       13. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said transport member comprises support means having a bearing surface adapted to support said selected film portions during said displacement of the transport member. 
     
     
       14. An apparatus according to claim 13 wherein said transport member comprises a pressure place for pressing said film band against said bearing surface. 
     
     
       15. An apparatus according to claim 1 comprising an objective lens of said optical system and means for positioning filter disc means at the intersection of the light rays passing through said objective lens. 
     
     
       16. An apparatus according to claim 15 comprising a disc having diaphragm apertures, arranged adjacent to said filter disc means. .Iadd. 
     
     
       17.  In a photographic apparatus, a mechanism for feeding photographic film, comprising: a first film transport member; moving means for moving said film transport member in a first direction across an optical axis of the apparatus and for moving said film transport member in a second direction opposite to said first direction; said motions in said first and second directions of said film transport member being relative motions with respect to a first film transport means;   guide means supported by and movable with said film transport member and over which the film is passed;   the film being fed from a first side of said film transport member over said guide means to the opposite second side of said film transport member;   said first film transport means being located at said second side of said film transport member; and   retaining means for holding film that is in engagement with said first film transport means relatively stationary with respect to said first film transport means as said film transport member moves in said first and in said second directions whereby the film is moved past said guide means as said film transport member moves in said first and said second directions thereof, said film transport member being moved in said first direction before each exposure of a portion of said film and in said second direction after each exposure. .Iaddend. .Iadd.   
     
     
       18.  The mechanism for feeding photographic film of claim 17, wherein said guide means comprises a roller which is supported on said film transport member; said guide means roller having an axis and rolling around said axis with respect to said film transport member as film passes over said guide means roller while said film transport member moves. .Iaddend. .Iadd.19. The mechanism for feeding photographic film of claim 17, further comprising film advancing means for advancing the film past said first film transport means. .Iaddend. .Iadd.20. The mechanism for feeding photographic film of claim 17, further comprising second film transport means at said first side of said film transport member for transmitting film to said guide means. .Iaddend. .Iadd.21. The mechanism for feeding photographic film of claim 20, further comprising urging means for urging film passing over said guide means to be pressed toward said second side of said film transport member when said film transport member has moved in said first direction thereof. .Iaddend. .Iadd.22. The mechanism for feeding photographic film of claim 20, wherein said first film transport means is adapted to transport film away from said second film transport means and past said film transport member. .Iaddend. .Iadd.23. The mechanism for feeding photographic film of claim 22, further comprising means for driving said first film transport means to transport film away from said second film transport means after said film transport member has 
     
     
        moved in said second direction thereof. .Iaddend. .Iadd.24.  The mechanism for feeding photographic film of claim 22, further comprising means for supplying film to said second transport means. .Iaddend. .Iadd.25. The mechanism for feeding photographic film of claim 24, wherein said film supplying means is adapted for taking up film returned by said second transport means from said guide means. .Iaddend. .Iadd.26. The mechanism for feeding photographic film of claim 25, further comprising means for taking up film delivered from said film supplying means past said first film transport means. .Iaddend. .Iadd.27. The mechanism for feeding photographic film of claim 26, further comprising means for operating said film taking up means only after said film transport member has moved in said second direction thereof. .Iaddend. .Iadd.28. The mechanism for feeding photographic film of claim 20, wherein said second film transport means also transports film away from said guide means. .Iaddend. .Iadd.29. The mechanism for feeding photographic film of claim 20, further comprising coordinating means for coordinating transmission of film to said guide means by said second film transport means with motion of said film transport member in said first direction of movement of said film transport member, whereby film is delivered to said guide means at a speed similar to the speed of motion of said film transport member in said first direction. .Iaddend. .Iadd.30. The mechanism for feeding photographic film of claim 29, wherein said guide means comprises a roller which is supported on said film transport member; said guide means roller having an axis and rolling around said axis with respect to said film transport member as film passes over said guide means roller while said film transport member moves. .Iaddend. .Iadd.31. The mechanism for feeding photographic film of claim 29, wherein said second film transport means 
     
     
        also transports film away from said guide means. .Iaddend. .Iadd.32.  The mechanism for feeding photographic film of claim 31, wherein said coordinating means also coordinates transport of film, away from said guide means, by said second film transport means with motion of said film transport member in said second direction of movement thereof. .Iaddend. .Iadd.33. The mechanism for feeding photographic film of claim 32, wherein said coordinating means comprises said second transport means and said film transport member moving means being driven together to move together and drive means connected to both of said second transport means and said film transport member moving means for driving them together. .Iaddend. .Iadd.34. The mechanism for feeding photographic film of claim 33, wherein said second transport means comprises a wheel for being rotated and for engaging the film for transporting the film; said film transport member moving means comprises a pinion which is rotatable;   said coordinating means comprises a common shaft on which said transport means wheel and said pinion are carried for rotation by said common shaft;   said film transport member having a rack defined thereon in normal engagement with said pinion, whereby rotation of said common shaft and said pinion in one direction moves said film transport member in said one direction and also transports film to said guide means; and rotation of said common shaft and said pinion in the opposite direction moves said film transport member in said second direction and also transports film away from said guide means. .Iaddend. .Iadd.35. The mechanism for feeding photographic film of claim 34, wherein said guide means comprises a roller which is supported on said film transport member; said guide means roller having an axis and it rolls around its said axis with respect to said film transport member. .Iaddend. .Iadd.36. The mechanism for feeding photographic film of claim 34, wherein said second film transport means wheel is rotatably connected with said common shaft through a friction clutch, whereby film moved by said second transport means wheel will not be stressed even if said common shaft and said second film transport means wheel rotate at different rates. .Iaddend. .Iadd.37. The mechanism for feeding photographic film of claim 36, wherein said second film transport means wheel is larger in diameter than said pinion, thereby tensioning film between said second film transport means wheel and said guide means. .Iaddend. .Iadd.38. The mechanism for feeding photographic film of claim 36, wherein said first film transport means is adapted to transport film away from said second film transport means and past said film transport member;   means for driving said first film transport means to transport film away from said second film transport means after said upright means has moved in said second direction thereof;   said first film transport means comprises a respective wheel engageable with film for moving the film; said film transport member moving means being connected with said first film transport means wheel for moving same in coordination with movement by said second film transport means wheel. .Iaddend. .Iadd.39. The mechanism for feeding photographic film of claim 17, further comprising urging means for urging film passing over said guide means to be pressed toward said second side of said film transport member when said film transport member has moved in said first direction thereof. .Iaddend. .Iadd.40. The mechanism for feeding photographic film of claim 39, wherein said urging means comprises an element which is movable with respect to said film transport member and movable toward said second side thereof for pressing film toward said second side of said film transport member;   cam means placed for engaging said element and camming it to move toward said second side of said film transport member when said film transport   
     
     
        member has moved in said first direction thereof. .Iaddend. .Iadd.41.  The mechanism for feeding photographic film of claim 40, further comprising a pressure plate supported by said film transport member and placed so that said urging means urges film toward said pressure plate. .Iaddend. .Iadd.42. The mechanism for feeding photographic film of claim 41, wherein said retaining means comprises a retaining member positioned to engage said film between said guide means and said first film transport means and after the film has passed by said pressure plate, said retaining member retaining the film taut and in a position over said pressure plate. .Iaddend. .Iadd.43. An apparatus for photographic recording from transparent color film or a real subject, comprising: a camera including an optical system for image projection along an optical axis and first housing means having a cavity with a first opening adapted to receive selected portions of a photographic film band for exposure thereof prependicular to said axis;   a feed mechanism which is mounted between a film feed spool and a film take-up spool in second housing means having a second opening arranged contiguous to said first opening and which comprises a film transport member arranged for displacement in a direction perpendicular to said optical axis between a position of rest and an operative position wherein said transport member is respectively placed in said second housing means and in said cavity of said first housing means, said transport member including a film support means having a bearing surface, said feed mechanism being arranged in such a manner that said film band is unreeled under constant tension from said feed spool while said film is maintained in contact with said support means during said displacement of said transport member and such that said film portions are brought into said cavity as said transport member is moved into said operative position to allow exposure of said selected film portions in said cavity, said feed mechanism further being arranged such that said film portions are returned to said second housing after exposure as said transport member is moved into said rest position; and   a feed roller assembly arranged between said feed spool and said transport member and a receiving roller assembly arranged between said transport member and said take-up spool; said receiving roller taking up said film band only when said transport member is in said rest position. .Iaddend.