CA1039549A - Retractable camera with main body and viewfinder sections - Google Patents

Abstract

RETRACTABLE CAMERA
ABSTRACT OF DISCLOSURE

A preferably pocket-sized camera having an overall shape which is thin in its vertical dimension has its horizontal longitudinal dimension shortened by constructing the camera in two relatively horizontally telescoping sections. One of the camera sections is a main camera section including substantially all of the components of a still camera except for the viewfinder portion thereof. The other section of the camera has a housing which interfits with the housing of the main camera sections so in its retracted position the front and rear viewfinding lens elements thereof interleave with elements of the main camera housing. When the viewfinder section is in its extended position, the front and rear viewfinder lens elements are unobstructed. In the retracted position of the viewfinder section, a part thereof covers the objective lens and shutter release member in the main section of the camera, and wall elements of the main camera section cover over the viewfinder lens elements. The movable viewfinder carrying section is provided with means for cocking the shutter operating mechanism of the camera and removing a film perforation sensing finger as it is moved to its retracted posi-tion and means for effecting a film advancing operation when the viewfinder section is moved to its extended position.

Description

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BACKGROUND OE~ THE IN~NTION

Retractable cameras have been developed of the type comprising a camera housing having two sections, one of which ' carries the viewfinder lenses and is movable with relation to the other to an extended picture taking position and where the variousl ~;
lenses thereof are positioned to receive the external light xays, and to a retracted, non-picture taking position where the lenses ' are only in part shielded from dust and are in inoperative condi~
.. . ', tions. Exemplary of such a camera is the one disclosed in U.S.

Patent No. 3,864,705. U.S. Patent No. 3,153,~95 to Bretthauser ~t al and is another example of such a retractable camera. Thus, i . i ..
the retractable cameras heretofore made were so designed that in ! the retracted conditions thereof at least some of the lens or ~other light passing surfaces thereof were exposed to dust. While some camera constructions lncorporated a cover which enclosed all ¦llight passing portions thereof, these camera constructions were I! not of the type having retractable and extendable housing sectionsl ' i i l . . - ~ ., ¦~Thus, in U.S. Patent No. 3,495,223 to Bodlander, a cover is pro-vided for the light passing surfaces, but the cover has to be ~removed from one end of the camera and inserted upon another por-tion thereof, which makes the cover inconvenient to use. Also, ,: .

U.S. Patent No. 3,153,375 discloses a non-retractable camera which utilizes a reciprocating film winding member which also .. . .
acts as a cover on only one side o~ the camera housing for lens elements exposed only on that side. ~ i ~ - 2 -. .

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Retractable cameras generally are kept in their retracted, compact condition when not in use and the act of moving the camera sections together into this condition , is generally accomplished with much greater force and speed .. , .
, than the act of setting up the camera for use when the camera ,, . -~ :
; sections are separated. The act of moving the camera sec- ;~
tions together effects a one frame length film advancement ¦
~i so the camera is automatically in condition for operation ;iwhen the camera sections are subsequently separated. The I-type of camera disclosed in said U.S. Patent No. 3,864,705 ¦!is one which utilizes a film cartridge where film metering l to assure one frame advancement during each retraction o~
¦ the movable section of the housing is achieved by a film metering pawl which is urged toward the film and adapted successively to enter one frame spaced film frame perforations ~in the film, where it operates means for disab1ing the film ~:
~¦ ving mechanism. The film moving mechanism generall~ includes a drive gear on the camera body which meshes with a gear on th~ film ' ~' ! :
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.. ', ' I ' ., ,. , , . , .. . . .-~039~49 cartrldge. The film metering pawl 12 ~ubsequently wlthdrawn from a film perforatlon as30&iated with the expo ed Prame of the film and moved i~ a directlon opposlte to that in which the ~ilm is being advanced, to permit another fllm metering operation to occur. ~;
The retractlon of the movable cs~era section effects removal of ~he pawl from the film perforatlon so the pawl can engage an un-apertured portlon of the fll~ and effect the termination o~ a film windlng operation when the pawl enters a new perfora~ion. Under normal conditions of operation~ the film i9 advanced a~ a speed I0 where the pawl can respond quickly enough to enter the next fllm perforation moved opposite the same. However, in those instances where the u~sr1 for ~ome reason, e~erts unusual farce in pushing the movable section of the camera body to its retracted position~
the film metering pawl may not move fast enough to enter the per- ~
foration moved opposite the same, with the result that the ~llm ~ -overshoot~ its position where a film wind locking operatlon should take place. Depending upon the force e~erted by the user, ~he e~
tent of the overshoot can be as much as a frame and a half ant causes overlapping of adjacent frames which spoils the pictures in~
2Q volved and wa~te~ appreciable fllm. Apart from this ~hortcomin~, -retractable cameras of the type ~hown in Patent No. 3,8~4,704 utilize complex gear train and clutch mechanisms eO control fil~
advancement ~htch materially increa~e manufacturing cos~s.
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1~ SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
'.I , While various features of the present invention have a broader application, they have their most important use in a ~:` 1, ,~class of still cameras referred to as pocket cameras, which have a horizontally elongated vertically thin profile which enable - them readily to be placed in a shirt pocket or the like~ These j --cameras generally have a rear cover-forming wall which pivo-ts " down into a position which exposes an opening into the raar of .. . .
,~ the camera housing into which a film cartridge is insertable I''into the camera. The front wall of the housing has an opening ilor window in alignment with the objective lens of the camera.
!I Generally, a viewfinder is provided at one end margin o~ the ¦icamera, the viewfinder including front and rear lens elements.
The rear viewfinder lens element is generally visible through , an opening in the pivotally mounted rear wall of the housing. A
front lens element is generally mounted contiguous to the front ~wall of the camera housing.

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- I In accordance with one of the features of the invention, ¦the camera is made in two sections, one being a mai~ camera I! section including all of the operating elements of the camera jlexcept for the~viewfinder portion thereof. The viewfinder por-tion forms a separate section mounted on the end of the main camera section for horizontal sliding movement between a retract- I -ed inoperable position, where the end margin there if roughly in ali~nment with the corresponding end margin of the pivotally mounted rear wall of the camera, and an extended operative posi-tion. The viewfinder sections includes a housing which appears as~a - 3a - i ;

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general extension of the corresponding portions of the housing ;of the main camera section. In this retracted position of the ,viewfinder section, the front and rear viewfinder lens elements are behind or within portions of the main section of the camera which ac-t as dust covers therefor. The viewfinder section of the camera has a froni wall which acts as a dust cover for the ,objective lens in the main section of the camera housing when ,the viewfinder section is in its retracted position, so all llight transparent surfaces on both section of the camera I -iare protected from dust. Also, the viewfinder section then ~covers over the shutter release member generally exposed on the top wall of the housing of the main section of the ¦ ; -¦camera.

In accordance with another feature of the present invention, the viewflnder carrying section of the camera is ¦coupled to a unique mechanism which enables film advance to Itake place only when the viewfinder carrying section is moved 1 . - . . -, , I .,. ~ ~
¦ to its ex~ended, operative position. This is in sharp contrast to the operation of the retractable cameras of the prior art iwherein film advance occurs when the movable section is pushed I to its inoperative, retracted position. This feature of the , camera of this invention takes advantage of the tendency of the user of the camera to exert less force when the viewfinder , _ 4 -!
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~ 5 1 ,, ~03~S~9 , carrying section is moved to its extended, operative position ¦ than when the section is pushed to its retracted, inoperative position. This tendency is present because most people are I ;
` inherently more cautious in pulliny two permanently connected ,1 elements apart with great force for fear of breaking their ¦' connection. Thus, effective film advancement duriny movement of the viewfinaer carrying section is moved to its extended, operative position than when the section is pushed to its 1' retracted, inoperative posi-tion. This tendency is present ¦! because most people are inherently more cautious in pulling . !;
¦¦ two permanently connected elements apart with great force ¦¦-for fear o~ breaking their connection. Thus, effective ¦~ film advancement during movement of the viewfinder carrying ¦ section in its extended position reduces the possibility oP
overshoot occurring doring the film advancing stroke thereofO

~- In accordance with another feature of the invention, the viewfinder carrying section of the camera is provided with means for preferably removing a film sensing pawl *rom - the film metering aperture and cocking the shutter as the ¦ viewfinder carrying section is moved to its retracted, inoperative - I position. Film advance thus occurs during movement of the ! viewinder section when the film metering pawl has already been removed from its film perforation. While this result is , sometimes achieved in a completely different camera environment by so withdrawing the pawl when the shutter is operated, it is ' believed that such pawl removal is most simply achieved : when accomplished during advancement of the film winding member.

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~03~549 A uni~ue slip clu~ch and gea~-train for operating the film winding drive gear constitutes still another feature of the invention.
In one particular aspect the present invention provides in a retractable camera having a main section on which is mount-ed substantially all of the camera mechanism, including shutter ` operating mechanism which, when released from a cocked position when a picture is taken operates the camera shutter, and which includes a film cartridge receiving means for receiving a film cartridge including film with film metering perforations there- ~ .
in spaced one frame distance apart and film moving means for engaging the film to impart movement thereto, said main section of the camera having drive means to be coupled to said fi~lm mov-ing means in said cartridge, said main section of the camera fur-; ther including a film perforation sensing member movably urged toward the path of movement of the film metering perforations of said film, film advance terminating the movement of said drive means, s ~d camera further having a viewfinder carrying section mounted on the main camera section for movement between a re- :
; 20 tracted non-picture taking position and an extended picture taking position, the improvement comprising: film wind actuat-ing means on said viewfinder carrying section of the camera and film advancing mechanism in said main section of the camera responsive to movement of said film wind actuating means on . said viewfinder carrying section only when said viewfinder sec-: tion of the housing is moved to said extended picture taking position to operate said drive means to initiate a film winding ` operation, and shutter operating mechanism cocking and sensing member withdrawing means on said main section of the camera for cocking said shutter operating mechanism and removing said sen-sing member from a ilm metering perforation to enable the sensing member to engage the film at a point behind the latter . .

~ rw/~ - 6 -- 1039S~9 perforation before a subsequent movement of said viewfinder carrying section of the camera in-to said extended picture taking position, said film sensing member withdrawing means includes means being responsive only to the movement of said viewfinder ~ -carrying section toward said retracted non-picture taking position for effecting said sensing member withdrawing operation.
The above and other features and advantages of the in-vention will become apparent upon making reference to the speci-fication to follow when takèn in conjunction with the accompany- ;
ing drawings.
DESCRIPTION OF ~HE DR~WINGS
Fig. 1 is a top perspective view of an embodiment of the retractable camera of this invention showing the viewfinder ~ -carrying section thereof in its retracted position;
Fig. 2 is a view corresponding to the view of Fig. 1 showing the viewfinder carrying section in its extended, opera-:
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tive position;
Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view takensubstantially along line 3-3 of Fig. l;

2~ Fig. 4 is an en?arged fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along line 4-4 of Fig. l;
Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along line 5-5 of Fig. 3;

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~039549 . Fig. 6 is a rear view in elevation of the embodiment of i ~the camera shown in Fig. l;

Fig. 7 is a fragmen-tary view in perspective of sai~
embodiment of the camera as viewed from below with portions of the ,j , ~ ~
. Iihousing removed to show the relationship of the components of the camera mechanism when the shutter release is in an uncocked position; I .

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- ', Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary view corresponding to ~he view of Fig. 7; ~ :~

Fig. 9 is a view corresponding to the view of Fig. 7 i~
¦showing the shutter release mechanism in a cocked position;

~ig. lO is an enlarged exploded view of the components ¦ ~1 of the gear train and clutch assembly of said embodiment o the j ~ .
camera; ;:~:~

Fig. 11 is an enlarged plan view of components of the .
gear train and clutch assembly as viewed from above with the top . ~ :
cover plate removed; I ~
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Fig. 12 is an enlarged plan view of.components.of the .

~gear train and clutch assembly as viewea from beiow with certain ~Icomponents removed to show details of the hub of the clutch ~ ; :

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.`' ! - I , Fig. 13 is an enlarged sectional view through the gear train and clutch assembly, and;

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Flg. 14 l~ a view corre~pondlng to the view of Flg. 13 tsken at an angle of 90 thereto.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED
EMBOD_MENT OF T~E INVENTION
Refarring, now, more particularly to Fig~. I and 2, a~ ~ , there shown, the camera of the present invention comprises a maln ~`
camera section 2a and a viewfinder, carrying sectioD 2b. The main camera and viewfinder carrying sections 2a and 2b, respectively, include ~ub-as~embli~s 4 and 6 (see Fl~. 7), and associated ~ous-,'. 10 in8~ 8 and 10 which are secured by screws such as 11-11 to the as- ' :
~- ~ociated ~ub-a~semblies. The housing 8 for the main caMera ~ection .
.~ 2a comprlss~ relatlvely closely spaced top and bottom wall~ 88 and .
: 8b, a ~ront ~a~l 8c which extends between ths front margi~ of the , top and bottom walls 8a and 8b, and an end wall.8d extending be- '.
~ween the contlguou~ margins of the top, bottQm and front wall~ 8a, 8b a~d 8c. The top, bottom and front walls 8a, 8b and 8c extend : ' horizontally only a fractional part of the overall len~th of the '~ :
I ' - camera hou~ing. A flash cube socket 9 i9 èxposed through an open-ing in the top wall 8a. The hou3ing 8 o~ the maiD camera ~ection includes a rear cover-forming wall 8e closing of the rear oP the . . ~
camera, which raar wall ~orms a cover pivotally mounted for move~
- - ment between the vertical position shown in 30lid line~ ln Fig~
and 2 and the da~h llne posltion shown ln ~ig~ 1 to e~pbse e,n ,' "
ope~i~g ~ ~he . . .
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39S~9 rear of the camera to enable the inser-tion of a typical 110 camera film cartridge (not show~). The rear cover-forming wall 8e extends' for the full length of the camera, unlike the other walls of the ' ,.housing 8 of the main camera section 2a.

~. The housing 10 of the viewfinder section 2b includes a 'top wall lOa which is in generally the same plane as the top wall . ' .: !!
~;8a of the housing 8 of the main section 2a of the camera, a bottom ~,wall lob which is in approximately the same plane as the bottom wall 8b of the housing of the main section 2a of the camera, a ~front wall lOc which is approximately in the same plane as the . I
Ilfront wall 8c of the housing of the main section 2a of the camera Iand an end wall lOd which is secured by the screws 11-11 to the , Isub-assembly 6 of the viewfinder section. A recess 16 is formed in the front wall 8c of the housing 8 of the main section of the ¦camera which recess extends slightly into the upper and bottom ¦walls 8a and 8b thereof to form a laterally facing recessed edge : ' ¦16a and ~orwardly facing edges 16b and 16b' (see Fig. 2~ which ~' receive in conronting relationship corresponding ed~es 18a, 18b .:
and 18b' respectively of a projecting portion 10' o~ the housing 10 of the viewfinder section 2b, formed by the shortening of the ' top wall lOa of the housing 10 so that the housing sections inter-leave as shown in Fig. 1. The end wall lOd of the housing 10 ¦ ~-llof the viewfinder carrying section 2b is then in a position slightl~y ~within the outer margin of the pivotally mounted rear wall 8e o~ I
the housing 8 of the main section of the camera. ~ -~' .', . i ., . 1 , '. _ g _ j ., ` i'.

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. ¦' In the retracted position of the v.iewfinder carrying section 2b, the top wall lOa of the viewfinder carrying section housing covers a manually depressible shutter release button 13 ¦
'exposed on a downwardly depressed extension 8a' o~ the top wall 8a of the housing of the main seetion of the camera. The ro~t wall lOe of the housing 10 of the viewfinder section has a rseesse~
'cover-forming portion 14 whieh together with the adjacent portions¦
~,of the front wall lOc eovers a recess 17 in a preferably plastie ~, .
~molded part 24 of the sub-assembly 4. The recess 17 exposes an 'I'objeetive lens 19 also forming part of the sub-assembly 4. The ! front wall lOc of the viewfinder earrying section housing 10 thus ¦

: ¦laets as a dusteover for the objective lens 19.

: I LateraLly positioned adjacent the recessed eover-forming ,portion 14 of the front wall lOc of the housing 10 is a eut-out ~por~ion 15 forming a window which, when the viewfinder carrying ¦seetion is in its extenaed position, exposes a front viewfinder lens 21, and when it is in a retracted position, is in front of a eover plate 24 forming part of the plastie molded part 24. The ¦cover plate 24 acts as a dust eover for the front viewfinder lens ¦

¦j21 whieh passes behind the eover pla'ce 24 when the viewLinder earr~

~ing seetion is in its retracted position. Xn the retracted posi-!,tion of the viewfinder carrying seetion, the pivotally mounted ' :~

I I.rear wall 8e of the housing 8 of the main camera section covers ; .over and acts as a dust shield for a rear viewfinder lens element .23.

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~ s best shown in Figs 7 and 9 the main camera section ~sub-assemhly 4 includes apertured guide-forming members 25-25 in which is slidably disposed a slide rod 26 forming part of the ,, . :, - i,'viewfinder carr~ing section sub-assembly 6. The ends of the slide ; ~,rod 26 are anchored in any suitable way to an actuator plate 28 formed integrally with the sub-assembly i. The plate 28 has an I 'extension or rack 28a with teeth 29 for engaging the teeth 30a of a .. :
gear 30 mounted ~or rotation about a vertical axis on a pin 32 secured on an extension metal base of a plate. The plate 28 has spaced notches or recesses 28b and 28c formed therein for receiv- i ~ ing a V-shaped bend 36a in a detent spring 36. The bend 36~ enters ¦~the notches 28b and 28c when the viewfinder carrying section is ~¦in its retracted and extended positions, respectively~
, . . .j ~s shown, the actuator plate 28 is joined to a vertical !end wall 6a of the sub-assembly 6. The end wall 6a has threaded ¦apertures 38-38 which receive the screws 11-11 for anchoring the ¦viewfinder carrying section housing 10 to the sub-assembly 6. The wall 6a terminates at its forward end in a transversely e~tending front wall 6b in which the forward viewfinder lens 21 is mounted.
¦In the retracted position of the viewfinder carrying section, the 'front wall 6b moves behind the cover plate 24 forming part of the-i~main camera section sub-assembly 4. The rear end o~ the vertical ! wall 6a terminates in a lens holding portion 40 which holds the .
rear viewfinder lens 23. ~hen the viewfinder carrying sec~ion 2b ls , in its retracted position, the lens holding portion ~0 moves be-' - 11 - j ., ., ~

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,,hind a portion 42 (Fig. 4) of the rear cover-forming wall 8e o~
: ~ithe main camera section housing 8. In its retracted position, . ',the line holding portion of the viewfinder carrying section 2b .. .;of the camera blocks the passage of the film cartridge through the rear opening of the housing 8 of the main camera section.
,I.Therefore, to insert a film cartridge within the camera, it is necessary to move the viewfinder carrying section 2b into its ex- .
. tended position which moves the lens holding portion 40 laterally ¦
;to one side of the main camera section 2a to remove the obstruction to the passage of the film cartridge through the rear of the camera ~housing 8 after the rear housing wall 8e is pivoted into a horizon~.
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. Iltal position The rear wall 8e has a releasable latch (not shown) .~ iwhich is released by depxession of a lever 41 on the rear wall 8e ¦(see Fig. 6). As also shown in Fig. 6, ~he rear wall has a window . ~3 through which a number is visible on the film cartridge indicat~
iing the particular film frame which is in position for exposure.
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.. In the extended position of the viewfinder carrying Isection, the front and rear lenses 21 and 23 of the viewfinder : Icarrying section 2b are unobstructed so that the viewer can view the scene to be photographed. ~he view through these lens elements : !lis obstructed by the cover plate 24 and the rear housing wall 8e ¦~when the viewfinder carrying section is in its retracted position.

¦iAS previously indicated, in the retracted position of the view-~,flnder carrylng section all light passing surfaces on which dust ,.can accumulate are covered over by the various cover elements .. ;, .
- ~previously described, and the shutter release button 13 is covered , ~.so that an accidental exposure is not possible.

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! ReferrincJ now, in greater detail to E~igs. 7-14 of the , drawings, the teeth 30a of a gear 30 (Fig. 10) actuate a film ~, advancing gear train and clutch system of the camera mechanism - ', in response to the reciprocating movement ~f the viewfinder carry-: ~
~~ 1' ing section 2b by a user of the camera. As best illustrated in Figs. 10 to 14, the gear train and clutch system of the camera ~ -comprises a ratchet wheel 50 having a plurality of teeth 5Oa formed along its outer ed~e. Joined to the upper surface of the lwheel 50, at the center thereof, is an extension or shaft 52 'ihaving a base portion 52a to the outer end of which is joined a i~ I
reduced gear-retaining portion 52b. A base plate 54, having an ¦ opening 54a therethrough for receiving the base portion 52a of the shaft 5Z, is positioned on the upper surface of the racket wheel 50.
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¦ The plate 54 is adapted to support a clutch assembly which includes a drive disc or hub member 60. The member 60 has a centrally located opening 62 therethrough, and is formed on its lower surface to provide a seat 64 comprising an elongated, rectangularly shaped portion 64a, the ends 64a'-64a' of which terminate inwardly of the outer edge of the member 60, and have a ¦radius of curvature corresponding to that of the periphery of the member 60. The sides of the portion 64a each have a pair of ¦
spaced, laterally e~tending clutch spring seat forming portions 64b-64b for receiving clutch spri~gs 66-66. Diametrically opposed guide portions 70-70 are formed on the lower surface of the mem-". , . I

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1~39549 -14 .`.ber 60, inwardly of the outer edge of the member 60, and between, .,but in spaced relation to, the ends of the seat forming portions ! 64b-64b. The springs 66-66, as shown each have a central, in- ¦
..wardly bent por-tion 66a which is aclapted to be positioned between 'Ithe seat forrning portions 64b-64b, and outwardly extending end por tions 66b-66b, each OI which is provided with a tooth-shaped bend .66c-66c. .

. The lower surface of the me~er 60 provides a seat :Eor ~ :
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.a ring-shaped transmission gear 72. The gear 72 has external teeth 72a formed along a portion of its outer periphery, and is provided with a plurality of evenly spaced inner teeth 72b along ,its inner edge. The teeth 72a of the gear 72 engage with the ¦! teeth 30a of the gear 30, while the teeth 72b of the gear 72 en~
~Igage with the teeth-like bends 66c-66c in the clutch springs il66-66.

¦I The upper surface of the hu~ me~;ber 60 is formed with ¦1 a central recess 60a for receiving a sun gear 74 having an opening ¦¦7~a therethrough in which the reduced end portion 52b o the ex-tension 52 on the wheel 50 is secured. A second recess 6C03 is provided adjacent to the recess 60a for receiving a planetary gear 76. The recess 6(1b tangentially intersects the recess 60a to en-! able the teeth of the gear 76 to engage with the gear 74, and is ¦
i provided with a central, circular extension 6 Oc which is received ! in an opening 76a through the gear 76. 1 ;

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i A collar 78, having a bore 78a therethrough, xeceives ¦ithe base portion 52a of the extension 52 on the ratchet wheel 50. ¦
! The base of the collar 78 abuts the gear 74, and the outer wall , thereof is stepped to enable the inner end thereof to pass through l the opening 54a in the plate 54 and rest against ~he inner surface - ilof the ratchet wheel 50, and to enable a portion of the ou~er end thereof to pass throuyh the opening 62 in the hub member 60. The .stepped configuration of the outer wall of the collar 78 provides an inner shoulder 78b which abuts the plate 54, and an outer shoulder 78c which is in engagement with an annular, inwardly ex- i Ijtending lip 60d formed in the member 60 at the opening 62 there-: ¦through. I

¦ The member 60 is positioned within a ring-like film ~ ~ -. ¦winding gear 80 having outer teeth 80a and inner teeth 8~b. The outer teeth 80a are adapted to engage the teeth of a gear in a ~ :
film cartridge or cassette (not shown) whereby film winding ta~es ¦place~ The inner teeth 80b of the gear 80 engage with the teeth ofthe planetary gear 76. m e gear 80 is maintained in operati~e .
: relation with respect to the hu~ member 60 by a cover plate 8~
having countersunk bores 82a-82a therethrough for recei~ing screws . .-.
84-84 which are engaged in tapped bores 60e-60e formed in the hu~
¦ member 60.

¦ As best illustrated in Figs. 7,8 and 9 of the drawin~s, jthe actuator plate 28 has an e~tension 28d adapted to engage a ,shutter cocking transmission member 90 when the viewfinder carryin - 15 - .
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iO39S49 -16 section 2b is moved to its retracted pos.ition. The shutter cock~
~, ing transmission memJ~er 90 pivots on a pin 92, and is urged to its ~inormally uncocked position by a spriny 94 carried on the pin 92. ¦
The member 90, as shown, is comprised of three legs 90a, 90b and 90c which intersect with one another to impart a generally tri-angular configuration to the member 90. The leg 90a of the member ¦,9o is curved slightly outwardly and has a curved inner margin 90a' the function of which will become clear as the descrlption pro-ceeds. The leg 9~b intersects with the leg 90a and forms therewit~
lla generally V~shaped recess 96, the function of which will also ¦'become clear as the description proceeds. The leg 90c of the mem-~ber 90 carries a downwardly extending tah 90d which is engaged by Ithe extension 28d on the actuator plate 28. The tab 90d has a ¦¦notch at its outer end for receiving an arm of the spring 94. At ! the interseckion of the leg 90a with the leg 90c, the end ~ the ¦ileg 90a foxms a stop 98.

Positioned above and adjacent to the shutter cocking transmission member 90 is shutter release member 100. The member 100 is mounted for pivotal movement in relation to the transmissio~
~member 90 by a pin 10~, and has an extension lOOa against the lowe~
¦iedge of which the leg 90c o~ the member 90 abuts as the member 90 is moved by the extension 28d of the actuator member 2~i. The ¦Imember 100 also is provided with a stop-engaging tab lOob which engages the stop 98 of the member 90 when the latter is in a ~ully jcocked position.

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~:`' - . : : :.,. ',, ~ 17 - ~! A shutter blade 104, pivotally mounted on a pin 105, is positioned in operative relation to the transmission member 90.
' The blade 104 has a downwardly ex-tending projection 104a which is ~ ,Istruck by the leg 90c of the member 90, when the latter is re-- i'leased by depression o~ the shutter release button 13, causi~g " . . .
the shutter blade 104 to move in a direction to enable pictu~e-,'forming light rays to pass through the objective lens 19 to the - ~.! film. The blade 104 is returned to a closed position with relatio to the lens 19 by a spring 108 mounted on the pin 106.

As previously explained, the minimizing or prevention f overshoot is achieved with the camera of the present invention ~mainly by the fact that the film winding operation is carried out when the viewfinder carrying section of the housing onto . I
which actuator member 28 is attached is moved to its extended position, since the user is then more likely to use less force ~ :
and speed o movement of the viewfinder carrying section of the camera than when moving the same to its retracted position.
This feature also separates the shutter cocking and film windin~
operations, and simplifies the design of the camera operating and ¦ film winding mechanism now being described. -,1 .~
¦I Film indexing a distance of one frame is achieved by theone time movement of the viet~finder section of the camera to its I,extended position~ Film winding takes place during only a portion of this movement and film movement terminates when a film I ~.
sensing finger 110 having a sensing and arresting pawl 112 pro-- - 17 _ .

, -,, 1 - . . . . ;
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iO~549 -18 ~Ivided thereon enters one of the film metering perforations 140a 'Ispacrd one frame distance apar-t on the film 140. The film sensing . finger 110 has a tab llOa fox engacJing an extension 114a formea ,at one end of a stroXe lever 114. The lever 114 is mounted for rotation on the plate 54 by a pin 116, and is providea at its other end with a pawl 114b for engaging the teeth SOa of the ~'ratchet wheel 50. A pair of spaced, inwardly extending hooked, !spring retaining posts 114c-114c are provided on the lever 114 ;:
,'for receiving a compression spring 118 which acts to normally ,Imaintain the pawl 114b in engagement with the teeth 50a of the ratchet wheel 50. The finger 110 also has a spring retaining tab ¦llob which is positioned in a notch 12Oa formed in one side of a sensing lever 120. The lever 120 15 mounted for rotation on a pinl :
122 secur~d in an extension o~ the plate 54. The lever 120 has an~
¦inwardly extending hooked sensing pawl 12~b formed at the distal ¦
~ end thereof which is adapted to move along the camming edge 90a' ¦ of the leg 9Oa of the cocking transmission member 90. ~he lever ¦ `
¦ 120 also is provided with a spring retaining post 120c which ¦jreceives an end of a compression spring 124, the other end of.
! which is anchored to a post 54b formed on the plate 54. q'he post il20c also receives one end of a compression sprin~ 126, the other ¦lend of which is secured to the tab llUb of the sensing finger 110 . On the side of the extension of the plate 54 on which the ' lever 120 is positioned there is a connecting lever 130 having a .slot 13Oa formed in one end thereof through which extends the spring ,,'i i ''',, ' ~ `

~. .', -, ' ~ ~ . . - ' Il 10395~9 ~19 ~retaining tab llob of the Einger 110. The other end oE the lever !
~130 is slidably secured in a slot 132a formed in a film cartridge 'or cassette sensing lever 132. The lever 132 moves against the bias o~ a spring 134, one end of which is retained in a hooked I!post 132b formed onthe lever 132, and the other end of which abuts ¦
¦ia projection 4a ~ormed on the support frame.
' 11 ' .
Before a film cartridge or cassette is inserted into the camera, the pawl 112 on the film sensing finger 110 is in its extended or "out" pbsition due to the force exerted by the com-pression spring 124 upon the pivotal sensing lever 120. This ¦force is transmitted to the pawl 112 through contact with the ¦spring retaining tab llOb on the pivotal finger 110 by the inner~
¦¦most wall of the notch 120a in the lever 120. In addition, the ¦pawl 112 is maintained at its extreme left (as viewed in Fig. 7 ), or film perforation engaging position by the force exerted by the , compression spring 126 on the tab llOb. This same force moves the tab llOa away from the extension 114a o~ the stro~e lever 114~
As a result, the pawl 114b, by the action of the compression sprinc 118, is maintained in engagement with the teeth 50a of the ratchet wheel 50.

¦ As indica~ed, a film cartridge or cassette can only be ~loaded into the camera when the viewfinder carrying section 2b is iiin its fully extended position- After a cassette has been loaded ~, in~o the camera, the film 140 carried by the cassette presses ¦~ against the pawl 112, i~ the pawl is not opposite a film per~ora~ ¦
!l - I ~:
! l ~
, - 19 - !
I

I~ ~039~49 - I
l'tion 140a, and -forces the sensing finger 110 inward agains~ the ¦! force of the compression spring 120 which causes lever 120 carry-" ing the spring 124 to pivot slightly about pin 122. With the insertion of the film cassette into the main camera section 2a, I tho film winding gear 80 engages a gear (not shown) in the film ¦¦cassette. The pawl 114b of the stroke lever 114 wii1 movably engage with the teeth SOa of the ratchet wheel 50 to permit a film winding operation.
, . ! ~
. As ~ust indicated, the pawl 112 of the film sensing finger . l,does not, upon initial loading of the film cassette in the camera, ,' 1~ .
: ¦jgenerally fall into a perforation 140a in the film 140. As the viewfinder carrying section 2b of the camera is pushed to i.ts Iretracted position, the extension 28d on the actuator plate 28 .
. lengages the extension 90d on the transmission member 90, causing : ,the member 90 to pivot on the pin 92. When the stop 98 clears the tab lO~b on the shutter release arm 100, the tab lOOb moves . ¦down and engagas the stop 98, thereby preventing the member 90 ~ -¦from returning to its normally uncocked position. The member 90, ...~ ~.
. thus, is in a "cocked" position -. I As the transmission member 90 is moved.to its cocked :~
. ¦position, the hooked sensing pawl 120b of lever 120 follows the ~Iprofile o~ the curved camming edge 90a' of the leg 90a of the member 90. Nonmally, the beginning of the cocking stro~e of the - j.'section 2b will withdraw the film sensing pawl 112 from a per~ora-l : !,tion 14.0a of the film 140. As the member 90 is moved further ! ;:
!
!l , ', -- 20 -- ~ -. ,, I ,. .

03954~) -21 toward its cocked position, the pawl 12Ob and the film sensing finger tab llOb controlled thereby are further drawn by the edge 9Oa' in a direction away from the ~ilm 140. At this stage, the ,film sensing finger pawl 112 does not make contact with the film 140. Near the end of the cocking stroke, the lever 120 pivot~
'outwardly slightly on the pin 122 as the pawl 120b follows the !~ contour of the camming edge 90a' The pawl 120b thereupon rides I,on the outer sur~ace of the leg 90a and is disengaged from the :, edge 90a' and is pulled in the direction of the film 140 by the ' compression spring 124 which moves the film sensing finger 110 in the same direction, so the film sensing pawl 112 maXes contact ¦
Iwith that portion of the film 140 that has no peroration 140a~

¦1 At the sEme tLme that the 0xtension 28d of the plate 28 Iis moving the member 90 to its cocked position, the teeth 29 on !the rack 28a are rotating the gear 30 in a clockwise direction as ¦viewed in Fig. 8. Since the teetk 30a of the gear 30 are engaged with the teeth 72a of the transmission gear 72, the gear`72 moves in a counterclockwise direction. However, this rotation of the gear 72 does not rotate film winding gear 80 because it is held against counterclockwise rotation by a spring pawl 144 (Fig. 8~o ¦ Under normal conditions of cocking the member 90 and I¦film winding, the clutch hub 60 and gear 72 move together. The !¦ rotation of the clutch hub 60 is necessary to rotate film winding ., i,, . I
; j gear 80 because the gear 76 carried by the hub engages ~he internal , j teeth of the gear 80. However, rotation of gear 76 can only im~

.,, I
! -- 21 --,, ~

.... . .

1039S49 -2:2 art a rotating forc~ on gear 80 iE gear 74 meshing with gear 80 is held against rotation. This occurs only when ra-tchet wheel 50 to which gear 74 is secured is locked against clockwise rotation ,: !
by pawl ll~b. The clutch hub 60 will slip with regard to the ~gear 72 (that is, the teeth 66c-66c of the two clutch springs 66-66 ~ill slip along the internal teeth 72b of the gear 72) when the gear 80, being driven in a clockwise direction during a film wind-, ing operation has applied to it a substantial rotation restraining force caused by the unw.inding of all the film in the cassette.
,Moreover, when the viewfinder carrying section 2b is moved to a retracted position, the ratchet wheel 50 is free to move in the counterclockwise direction where it is driven by the rotatlon of ¦gear 76 rotating along the internal teeth of gear 80 held against Irotation by pawl 144. ¦

¦ To ensure full shutter cocking, film sensing pawl remova and a fu11 vne frame film winding operation to take place in a single reciprocation of the viewfinder carrying section, it is necessary to prevent outward movement of the viewfinder carrying section 2b until full completion of the cocking stroke. To this ¦end, a stop lever 150 is provided. The lever 150 is mounted for pivotal movement on a pin 152, and has a pawl 15Oa at one end ~thereof for engaging ratchet teeth 28e integralIy formed on the actuator plate 28. A sensing tab 150b is provided at the other - ¦'end of the lever 150 which is engaged by an extension 90e formed ,~on the leg 9ob of the transmission member 90. Release of the pawl "' ' ,: :

1~ ~
I ~0395~9 -29 J150a from the ratchet teeth 28e occurs when extension 90e on the Imember 90 engages the tab 15ob at the end of the cocking stroke of j 'the viewfinder carrying sec-tion 2b. ~, Film advance occurs in the camera of the present inventio i~hen the viewfinder carrying section 2b is moved from a ully re~
,tracted position to its extended position as shown in Fig. 2. As ,the section 2b is being moved to its extended position, the teeth 29 on the rack 28a rotate the gear 30 in a counterclockwise direction and the gear 72 in a clockwise direction. Since the 3 'pawl 114b of the stroke lever 114 is engaged with the teeth SOa !iof the ratchet wheel 50, clockwise rotation of the ratchet whee~
~annot occur. As a result, cloc~wise rotation of the gear 72, the mem~er 60 and the planetary gear 76 takes place. The gear 76 Ithen can drive the film winding gear 80 as it rotates around the ¦locked geaF 74 The film 140 is thus advanced to the next frame.

As the film 140 is advanced by the rotation of the gear 80, the pawl 112 on the film sensing finger 110 falls, due to the ¦force of the compression spring 124, into a film perforation 14Oa.
!~he pawl 112 moves with the film 140 as it is advanced by the gear 80. This movement of the pawl 112 is transmitted to the entire sensin~ finger 110, including the tab llOa. Movement of the tab llOa against the extension 114a of the lever 114 acts to disengage the pawl 114b from the teeth 5Oa of the ratchet wheel 50. As soon ,as this occurs, rotation of the ratchet wheel 50 can take place, and film advance ceases. With the pawl 114b in its disengaged .` ' I .
~ ' - 23 -I

.j ., ., ,, ' ` -24 3959L9 - 1, position, any further movement of the section 2b in either directi In ,would not cause further winding of film. By thus causing the pawl 112 to enter a perforation 140a in film 140 near the end of the ~film advancing stroke of the section 2b, ilm movement is retarded, and precisely and positively controlled in a manner such that no ,iovershoot occurs during winding.
. : ~, ', When the shutter release member 100 is depressed by down-:;
ward pressure exerted by the user on the shutter release button 13, the tab lOOb of the member 100 is moved inwardly, out of engagemen~
with the stop 98 of the member 90. rrhe member 90 thereupon is ¦urged by the spring 94 in a direction which will place it in an ¦ ~ -¦juncocked position. As the member 90 moves, it strikes the projec-¦¦tion 104a on the shutter blade 104, and exposure occurs. ~s soon 1 ~` !1 as the stop 9~ moves away from the tab lOOb, a coil spring (not shown) on the release member 100 urges the ta~ lOOb against the leg 90a of the transmission member 90. As a result, the entire member 90 pivots slightly outwardly on pin 92. ~he hooked sensingi pawl 12ob thereupon follows the contour of the inner camming edge ~19Oa' of the leg 90a until it reaches the generally ~-shaped recess jr96~ With the sensing pawl 12ob in this position, the pawl 11~ on , I,the film sensing finger 110 is in its extended condition, as shown~
in Fig. 9, due to the force exerted on the pivotal lever 120 b~ th compression spring 124.

; It should b2 understood that various modifications may , , be made in the preferred embodiment of the invention described without deviating rom the bro~der aspects of the invention.
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- 24 - ' : . i : ~ . .. .
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Claims (9)

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:

1. In a retractable camera having a main section on which is mounted substantially all of the camera mechanism, including shutter operating mechanism which, when released from a cocked position when a picture is taken operates the camera shutter, and which includes a film cartridge receiving means for receiving a film cartridge including film with film metering perforations therein spaced one frame distance apart and film moving means for engaging the film to impart movement thereto, said main section of the camera having drive means to be coupled to said film moving means in said cartridge, said main section of the camera further including a film perforation sensing member movably urged toward the path of movement of the film metering perforations of said film, film advance terminating the move-ment of said drive means, said camera further having a view-finder carrying section mounted on the main camera section for movement between a retracted non-picture taking position and an extended picture taking position, the improvement comprising:
film wind actuating means on said viewfinder carrying section of the camera and film advancing mechanism in said main section of the camera responsive to movement of said film wind actuating means on said viewfinder carrying section only when said viewfinder section of the housing is moved to said ex-tended picture taking position to operate said drive means to initiate a film winding operation, and shutter operating mechanism cocking and sensing member withdrawing means on said main sec-tion of the camera for cocking said shutter operating mechanism and removing said sensing member from a film metering perfora-tion to enable the sensing member to engage the film at a point behind the latter perforation before a susequent move-ment of said viewfinder carrying section of the camera into said extended picture taking position, said film sensing member withdrawing means includes means being responsive only to the movement of said viewfinder carrying section toward said re-tracted non-picture taking position for affecting said sensing member withdrawing operation.

2. The retractable camera of claim 1 wherein said shutter operating mechanism cocking means includes means responsive only to the movement of said viewfinder carrying section toward said retracted non-picture taking position for cocking said shutter operating mechanism.

3. The retractable camera of claim 1 wherein said view-finder carrying section of the camera includes ratchet teeth, said main section of the housing including ratchet pawl means en-gageable with said ratchet teeth and when engaged with said ratchet teeth prevents the viewfinder carrying section from being moved in the direction of said extended position but permits the viewfinder carrying section to be moved to said retracted position, and means for removing said ratchet pawl means from said ratchet teeth of said viewfinder carrying section of the camera when said shutter operating mechanism has been cocked by movement of said viewfinder carrying section to said retracted non-picture taking position, said ratchet pawl means remaining in said position where it is disengaged from said ratchet teeth until said shutter operating mechanism is uncocked.

4. The retractable camera of claim 3 wherein said view-finder carrying section of the camera includes a frame member having a portion forming said ratchet teeth, a portion forming a part of the shutter operating mechanism to cock the same when the viewfinder carrying section is moved from its extended to its retracted position, the main section of the camera including gear means engaged by said ratchet teeth on said frame member of the viewfinder carrying section, said film advancing mechanism in-cluding means responsive to the rotation of said gear means only in a direction in which it is rotated when said viewfinder toward said extended position.

5. The retractable camera of claim 1 wherein said shutter operating mechanism includes a cocking transmission member having a cam surface thereon, follower means riding laong said cam surface, said follower means being connected to said film per-foration sensing member so the film perforation sensing member is withdrawn from the film perforation so it engages a point on the film behind said perforation when the cocking transmission member is moved toward said cocked position.

6. The retractable camera of claim 1 wherein said view-finder carrying section is operative to display a view of the scene to be photographed when said viewfinder carrying section is in said extended position but is disabled from showing a view of the scene to be photographed when the viewfinder carrying section is in said retracted position.

7. The retractable camera of claim 1 wherein said film advancing mechanism includes a slip clutch mechanism coupled be-tween said film advancing mechanism and said drive means, said film advancing mechanism and slip clutch mechanism further com-prising first gear means responsive to movement of said film wind actuating means and movable in one direction and the other respectively by reciprocation of said viewfinder section in one direction and the other between said retracted and extended positions, said first gear means including teeth, slip clutch means coupled for movement with said first gear means and includ-ing resilient flexible means having projecting means engaging with said teeth, said projecting means being in non-slipping relation with the teeth as long as there is no end of film re-straining force on said drive means, and additional gear and con-trol means responsive to the position of said film perforation sensing member and the movement of said slip clutch means through said additional gear means to said drive means only when said first gear means is moved in a direction resulting from the move-ment of said viewfinding section in one of said directions and said sensing member has a position other than a given film wind terminating position within one of said film metering perforation.

8. The retractable camera of claim 7 wherein said first gear means and slip clutch means are mounted for rotation about a common axis of rotation with said first gear means, said first gear means has a central circular opening lined with said teeth, and said slip clutch means has a recess therein in which is rotatably mounted at least one of said additional gear means.

9. In a rectractable camera according to claim 7 wherein said film advancing and slip clutch mechanism further comprise first rotatable means rotated respectively in first and second directions when said viewfinder section is reciprocated in one direction and the other between said retracted and extended positions, slip clutch means normally rotatable with said first rotatable means and being slippable with respect thereto when an end of the film restraining force is applied thereto, planetary gear means rotatable in only a film winding direction and having internal teeth and a portion thereof constituting said drive means to be coupled to said film moving means on said cartridge, eccentrically mounted gear means pivoted upon and carried by said slip clutch means and engaging said internal teeth of said planetary gear means, centrally mounted gear means meshing with said eccentrically mounted gear means, said eccen-trically mounted gear means when said slip clutch means is rot-ated rotating in non-driving relationship to the internal teeth of said planetary gear means when said centrally mounted gear means is free to rotate and engaging said internal teeth in driving relationship therewith to effect a film winding operat-ing when said centrally mounted gear means is held against rot-ation, ratchet wheel means drivingly connected to said centrally mounted gear means, pawl means engageable with said ratchet wheel so that the ratchet wheel can freely rotate in a first direction and is held against rotation in the other direction by the pawl means, said pawl means normally being in engagement with said ratchet wheel so the latter cannot rotate in said one direction when the viewfinder section is moved in a direction to effect a film winding operation, and means responsive to said film perforation sensing member entering and assuming a given position with a film perforation for removing said pawl means from engagement with said ratchet wheel means.