GB1571044A - Photographic camera - Google Patents

Description

(54) PHOTOGRAPHIC CAMERA (71) We, EASTMAN KODAK COM PANY, a Company organized under the Laws of the State of New Jersey, United States of America of 343 State Street, Rochester, New York 14650, United States of America do hereby declare the invention for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: The present invention relates generally to self-processing cameras. In the use of such a camera a film cartridge containing a plurality of film units is inserted into the camera.

After exposure of a film unit in the camera, the film unit is transported between the nip of a pair of pressure rollers to release processing solution stored with such film unit and to deposit the solution uniformly over the surface of the exposed area of the film unit To automate the processing of the exposed film unit, the camera may include a batterypowered motor that is used in combination with suitable gearing to drive the pressure rollers and to actuate a picker device to feed the film unit into the roller nip. In such a camera it is important that the pressure rollers rotate through a sufficient number of revolutions to ensure uniform processing of the film unit.

It is an object of the present invention to provide, in a self-processing camera, an improved means for controlling the drive to a pressure roller which means controls the number of revolutions of the pressure roller when effecting processing of an exposed film unit.

According to the present invention, there is provided a photographic camera for effecting exposure and processing of a self-processable film unit, the camera including a movable shutter release member for actuating the shutter, means for restoring the shutter release member to an initial position after movement of the member to actuate the shutter, a pair of opposed pressure members at least one of which is a roller for removing the exposed film unit from the camera, an electric motor, drive means coupling the motor to the roller for drivingly rotating the roller, and control means for controlling electric current to the motor, characterized in that the control means includes a star wheel and means for rotating the star wheel incrementally through a cycle, the rotating means being coupled with the drive means so that one complete cycle of the star wheel is associated with a desired number of revolutions of the roller, means cooperating with the star wheel for furnishing electric current to the motor when the star wheel is in an angular orientation other than its end-ofcycle orientation, and means for mechanically nudging the star wheel from its end-of-cycle orientation, the nudging means being cooperable with the shutter release member so as to nudge the star wheel from its end-ofcycle position during return of the shutter release member to its initial position.

As used herein the term "star wheel" refers to a rotatable member which includes a plurality of teeth or other projections located radially about the centre of rotation of the member and which teeth or projections are adapted to be struck sequentially by an element or elements associated with the drive of the camera's motor thereby to rotate the star wheel through a cycle.

The invention will be described further by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a representation, partially ia schematic form, depicting a right side elevational view of a first embodiment of a selfprocessing camera in accordance with the invention; Fig. 2 is a schematic representation of an electrical circuit shown in Fig. 1 showing additional details thereof; Fig. 3 represents an enlarged view of a portion of the camera shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 4 illustrates schematically a sectional view of a camera in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 5 is similar to Fig. 4 but illustrates a different operating condition; Fig. 6 is a view in elevation of a component of the camera in Figs. 4 and 5; Fig. 7 is a sectional view, to an enlarged scale, of a detail of the camera illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5; and Fig. 8 illustrates a sectional view of a gear mechanism included in the camera illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5.

Referring now to the drawings and in particular to Fig. 1, there is shown a self-processing camera 10 which includes a lens 11; an exposure control including a shutter 12; and first and second mirrors 13 and 15, respectively, for folding the ray path so that the required focal length can be accommodated in a compact camera and for directing the image onto a self-processing film unit such as the exposed film unit 17 stored with other similar film units in a cartridge 18 from where the film unit 17 has been fed. For the purpose of illustration only, the film unit 17 is shown in a partly fed position wherein other illustrated parts of the camera mechanism are shown in a position corresponding to that in which a film unit has been completely fed from the camera. The camera's shutter release member 16 is mechanically coupled to the shutter and upon depression of the member 16 the shutter 12 is opened to admit an appropriate amount of light to expose the film unit. After exposure of the film unit a picker device 19 is actuated to transport the film unit into the nip of a pair of driven pressure rollers 20, 21 which move the film unit from the camera and in so doing spread a layer of processing solution of uniform thickness across the image area of the film unit thereby to process the same. To drive the pressure rollers 20, 21 the camera includes a constant speed motor 23 and gears 24-33 which transmit drive from the motor to the pressure roller 20. The motor 23 receives its energy from a battery 35.

To control the duration and timing of the drive to the pressure roller 20, the camera 10 includes a star wheel 40 journalled upon a pin 40a secured to the frame of the camera.

The star wheel 40 comprises a first side 41 which includes a multiple number, in this instance five, of generally radially directed arms 42 which are raised from the otherwise planar surface of side 41. The opposite side 43 of the star wheel 40 (seee Fig. 2) includes upon the surface thereof a generally circular metallic plate 44 of diameter slightly less than that of the star wheel 40. The star wheel 40, but for the metallic plate 44, is made of a non-conducting plastics material. A notch 45 is formed in the periphery of the metallic plate 44 to expose the plastics surface of the side 43. A notch 46 is also formed along the cir cumferential edge 47 of the plastics portion of the star wheel 40. The notch 46 is of a depth at least equal to the difference in distance between the circumferential edge 47 of the plastics portion of the star wheel 40 and the circumference of the metallic plate to provide, in effect, an access to the metallic plate for an electrical contact 50 which is stationarily supported to ride along the star wheel edge 47 during rotation of the star wheel. In addition to the electrical contact 50, there are two other electrical contacts, 52 and 54, which are associated with the surface of the side 43 of the star wheel. Both of these latter contacts 52 and 54 lie generally parallel with the surface of the side 43 and have portions thereof that are spring biased to ride upon the surface as the star wheel 40 is rotated. These contacts 52 and 54 are offset from each other in the radial direction of the star wheel. The contact 52 is supported so that, in one angular position of the star wheel, the contact bears against the plastics surface where it is uncovered by the notch 45. In this orientation of the star wheel 40, the contact 52 will be electrically isolated from the other contact 54. At other angular orientations of the star wheel 40 the two contacts 52 and 54 are so located relative to each other and the star wheel that they ride along the surface of the metallic plate 44 and are therefore, in these other orientations, electrically coupled.

The initial position, which is also an end-ofcycle position, of the star wheel 40 is shown in Figs. 1 and 2. This position corresponds to the position of the various elements as they appear prior to depression of the shutter release member 16. A switch 56 couples the positive terminal of the battery 35 to the contact 52. The switch 56 is comprised of a stationary contact 56a and a movable contact 56b, coupled directly to the battery and responsive to the movement of a plate 60 to which the shutter release member 16 is secured. The switch 56 is closed when the shutter release member 16 is not in a depressed position. The stationary contact 56e is directly connected see A-A in Fig. 1) to the contact 52. The electrical contact 52 is seated in a niche 48 moulded in the plastic exposed by the notch 45 in the metal plate 44 and the contact 52 is, in this position, electrically isolated from the contact 54 which always is in contact with the metal plate 44. The function of the niche 48 is to cooperate with the spring like contact 52 when it is seated in the niche so as to provide some resistance against undesired rotation of the star wheel by minor forces such as might occur for example if the camera were jarred. The electrical contact 54 is directly coupled (note B-B Fig. 1) to one pole of the electric motor 23. The second pole of the electric motor 23 is directly coupled to the negative terminal of the battery 35. In the initial position, the electrical contact 50 resides in the notch 46 so as to contact an edge of the plate 44 and thereby cooperates with the plate 44 and the contact 54 to provide a short circuit (via SC in Fig. 1) across the poles of the motor 23. The purpose of this short circuit will be described later with reference to the operation of the camera.

As indicated previously, the shutter release member 16 is connected to a plate 60 which is located adjacent the front of the camera. A left portion of the plate (as viewed from the front of the camera) is bent through a right angle so as to provide a portion 60a of the plate 60 that is parallel with the camera's side and a portion 60b which is parallel with the front face of the camera. The plate portion 60b may include winged portions (not shown) which ride beneath overlapping rail portions formed in a slot in the frame to guide the plate for movement in the up and down directions only. A spring 65 between the frame of the camera and a lug formed in the plate biases the plate 60 upwardly.

The plate portion 60b includes a slot 63 which, when the plate is in its uppermost position, is located directly in front of a lug constituting a ledge 70. When viewed from the front of the camera the ledge 70 extends from the frame of the camera towards the left. Supported against the rear surface of the ledge 70 is a nose portion 81 of a hook member 80. The frontwardly facing nose portion 81 is located adjacent the upper end of the hook member 80 which has a rearwardly facing hook portion 92 located at its bottom end. As indicated by the shading lines 80f drawn on the hook member 80 there are two folds formed at about the one third and two thirds points of the length of the hook member 80 so that the hook portion 82 is closer to a viewer of Fig. 1 and the nose portion 81 is furthest from such viewer. One end of a spring 86 is located in a notch 84 formed in the rearwardly facing edge of the hook member 80. This spring 86 is wound about a pin 87 which pivotally couples the hook member 80 to the plate portion 60a. The spring 86 serves to bias the hook member 80 in the clock-wise direction (as seen in Figs. 1 and 3).

Depending from the plate 60 is a bifurcated member 83 whose legs are directed rearwardly to straddle the hook member 80.

A nudger 90, which may be an integrally moulded plastics member, includes three operative portions in addition to a centre portion which pivotally mounts the nudger upon the same axle as that to which gear 31 is mounted. Although mounted upon the same axle, the nudger 90 and the gear 31 are rotatable independently of each other. Extending frontwardly (of the camera) from the centre portion 91 of the nudger 90 is an arm 93. The arm 93 is offset to form a shoulder 92 and its extension from the shoulder 92 is located (to a viewer of Fig. 1) behind, the the shoulder 92. A spring 98 is attached at one end of the arm 93 and at the other end to the frame biases the nudger 90 in a clockwise direction (as seen in Figs. 1 and 3). A lug 64 formed on the frame serves as a stop and the arm 93 abuts against this lug 64 because of the bias of the spring 98. At the other side of the centre portion 91, a radial arm 94 extends rearwardly (relative to the camera front) from the nudger centre portion 91 and this arm 94 is sufficiently long to extend (when in the appropriate orientation of the nudger) beyond the radially outer portions of the star wheel arms 42 so as to be able to suike the side portion of such arms 42 while such arm 42 is directed generally forwardly of the camera.

As mentioned previously the gear 31 and the nudger 90 are supported for independent rotation about the same axle. The gear 31 (to a viewer of Fig. 1) is located in front of the nudger 90. A pin 31a is formed on the underside of the gear 31 near the periphery therof and this pin 31a is located relative to the star wheel 40 so as to be able to strike an arm 42 of the star wheel as the pin orbits while the gear is rotated.

The operation of the camera shown in Figs.

1 to 3 will now be described. To expose a film unit, the operator depresses the shutter release member 16. A finger 66 on plate 60 cooperates with a linkage (indicated by a broken line in Fig. 1) to actuate the shutter 12 and other exposure control devices when the shutter release member 16 is depressed.

Movement of the shutter release member downwardly also similarly moves the plate 60 and hook member 80. The ledge 70 is sufficiently long for the nose portion 81 to continue to abut against the ledge as the hook member 80 is moved through a portion of its downward travel. However, a point is reached where the nose portion 81 finally falls off the ledge 70 and the hook member is free to pivot clockwise under the influence of the spring 86. The pivotal movement permits the hook portion 82 to engage behind the shoulder 92 of the nudger 90 (see Fig. 3). It will be noted that because of the desire for compactness of the camera, the plate portion 60b is not very far from the nose portion 81 of the hook member. Therefore, were it not for the slot 63, the extent to which the hook member 80 would be able to pivot would be very limited. The slot 63 permits the nose portion 81 to pivot and seat within the slot and thereby permits the needed pivoting movement for the hook portion 82 to engage behind the nudger shoulder 92. It will also be noted from Fig.

3 that a flat extension 85 above the nose of 81 abuts against the rearward surface of the ledge 70 when the nose 81 is seated in the slot 63. This ensures that the hook member 80 will not be caught beneath the bottom edge of the ledge 70 which could occur if this extension 85 were not present. When the operator releases the depressed shutter release member 16, the spring 65, which was ener gized during the movement downward of the shutter release member, restores the shutter release member 16 and plate 60 to their upward position. Upward movement of the plate 60 forces the hook member 80 also to move upwardly. Because of the cooperation of the ledge 70 and the nose portion 81 the hook member is forced to also pivot as it is moved upwardly. Thus, the hook portion 82 simultaneously moves upwardly against the nudger shoulder 92 and pivots in counterclockwise direction off the nudger as the nudger itself pivots about its centre portion 91 in response to the upward movement of the hook member. Counterclockwise pivoting of the arm 94 of the nudger forces it against an arm 42 of the star wheel 40 and the star wheel is nudged into an angular orientation in which both electrical contacts 52 and 54 are in contact with the metal plate 44 of the star wheel.

In addition, the electrical contact 50 is moved out of the notch 46 so that it now rests against the non-conducting edge 47 of the star wheel.

In the position just described, an electrical circuit is now almost complete between the battery, the elecuical contacts 52 and 54 and the motor. With the complete return of the shutter release member 16 to its upwardmost position, the switch 56 is closed and the circuit between the battery and the motor completed. The furnishing of electrical current to the motor 23 drives the motor which in turn drives gears 24 to 33 and, in turn, the pressure roller 20. It can be seen therefore, that the motor 23 can only be energized after the exposure of the film unit has taken place. A picker 19 which is mechanically coupled to a single revolution clutch 99 delivers the film unit into the nip between pressure rollers 20 and 21. After one revolution of the gear 32, the clutch is disengaged by a clutch release finger 97 and at this time the picker unit is located back in its initial position. The clutch may be of the kind described in United States Patent Number 3,810,210 or may assume other forms. The gear 31 is so designed that when driven it will rotate approximately once for each revolution of the pressure roller 20. With each rotation of the gear 31, the pin 31a will strike against an arm 42 of the star wheel and the star wheel will thus be incrementally advanced by the pin through a cycle. The con figuration of the star wheel 40 shown in Fig.

1 is a particularly desirable one. In this configuration the arms 42 are formed so that the rear portion thereof which is to be struck by the pin 31e, is substantially radially directed.

This permits a maximum of contact time between the pin 31a and the arm 42 and thus the star wheel will be smoothly carried through an increment of a cycle rather than being jolted through such increment. After five rotations of the gear 31 in a time period determined by the speed of the motor, the contact 52 moves into the notch 45, opening the circuit between the battery and the motor. The opening of the circuit will stop the motor and cease the drive to the gearing; however, in certain circumstances, for example, where the inertia of the gear drive is relatively high, it is possible that the inertia of the gears will cause them to continue to rotate. To offset the effect of inertia, dynamic braking is used.

As will be recalled from the description above, the electrical contact 50, when seated in notch 46, provides a short circuit across the poles of the motor. It is known that the shorting of the leads across a coasting motor will in effect provide a braking that will immediately stop the motor and the gearing associated with the motor. To avoid providing a short circuit of the battery as well, the electrical contact 50 is located so as to make contact with plate 44 when seated in notch 46 slightly after electrical contact 52 has ceased contact with plate 44 by entering notch 45.

It will be appreciated therefore, in the embodiment described above, the pressure roller 20, which is coupled to the the gearing, and the pressure roller 21 are automatically rotated through a controlled number of turns in a desired time period to initiate uniform processing of a film unit. To permit cleaning of the pressure rollers and loading of a cartridge, the rollers and gear 33 may be mounted on an assembly which permits gear 33 to pivot out of engagement with the gear 32.

A second embodiment of a camera according to the present invention is illustrated in Figs. 4 to 8 and is described below.

The camera of this embodiment has a shutter release member 102 in the form of a push button mounted in a camera housing 101. This release member 102 has a projection 102a cooperating with a power storing means. The power storing means consists of an actuating lever 103 biased by the force of a spring 104 and mounted for rotation and wobbling movement about a pivot 125. The lever 103 rests against the projection 102a by means of a nose 103a having a predetermined shape and, via a bent-off portion 103b, is, at the same time, functionally connected with an actuating and timing disc formed by a star wheel 105. The star wheel 105 has on its surface 10Sf (Fig.

8) facing the camera housing a sawtooth-type recess 105a, behind a step 105b, in which the end portion 103b of the actuating lever 103 can be received. A recess 105d is arranged on the wheel surface 105f in a position displaced by about 90" from the recess lOSa, the recess 105d being arranged to receive a spring arm 106e of a switch contact 106 (Fig. 8) which is in the circuit of a motor 107. That surface of the star wheel 105 which faces the interior of the camera comprises five actuating arms 105c arranged in the form of a star.

In the vicinity of the star wheel 105, a coupling wheel 109 is mounted for rotation on a shaft 124 (see Fig. 8). It forms part of a gear mechanism 108 through which the motor 107 drives rollers 121 of a processing station of the camera.

The coupling wheel 109 carries an engagement pin 109b which cooperates with the actuating arms 105c of the star wheel 105.

The coupling wheel 109 is, moreover, provided with engagement teeth 109a arranged coaxially with but axially offset from its teeth which engage the teeth of the roller.

A cam disc 110 (see Figs. 6 and 8) is mounted for rotation on the shaft 124. This cam disc 110 is part of a claw drive and comprises an eccentric cam groove 110a. A lever 114 (Fig. 6) arranged approximately transversely to the cam disc 110 is mounted for rotation in one direction about a pivot and is, with its free end, connected to a picker member 116. The lever 114 comprises a sensing pin 115 extending into the cam groove 110a.

The cam disc 110 also carries a coupling pawl 11 which is pivotally mounted on the surface facing the coupling wheel 109. It is biased clockwise by a spring (not shown) and constitutes a releasable coupling connection between the coupling wheel 109 of the roller drive and the cam disc 110 of the picker drive.

For this purpose, it engages the coaxial engagement teeth 109a of the coupling wheel 109 by means of a tooth 111a pointing in the direction of the shaft 124.

Adisconnecting lever 113 pivotable under the influence of a spring into the path of the coupling pawl 111 comprises a locking tooth 113b pivotally mounted at 122 on the lever 113 and providing a stop surface for the free end of the coupling pawl 111. The disconnecting lever 113, moreover, includes a portion constituting an abutment 1 13a which cooperates with a cam portion 11 7b of a release lever 117. The latter is pivotally mounted and comprises two elongated lever arms 117 and 117c. It is biased by a spring 123 by which it is urged in a clockwise direction (as seen in Figs. 4 and 5), the end of the first lever arm 117a cooperating with an actuating arm 102b located on the shutter release member 102.

The end of the second lever arm 11 7c is connected with a shutter actuating lever 118.

The numeral 119 designates a film pack cartridge, and the numeral 120, film units.

The mechanism functions as follows: When the shutter release member 102 is pressed and thus moved from its initial position shown in Fig. 4 to its first position shown in Fig. 5, the actuating lever 103 is first caused by the projection 102a to pivot contrary to the force of the spring 104, its bent-off portion 103b being caught behind the step 105b of the recess provided on the star wheel 105. Simultaneous rotation of the star wheel 105 as caused by friction of the bent-off portion 103b is prevented by the spring arm 106a of the switch contact, which arm is received in the recess 105d of the star wheel and also serves as a rewind lock (Figs. 5 and 8).

Moreover, when the shutter release member 102 is depressed, the release lever 117 is rotated counterclockwise (as seen in Figs. 4 and 5) over a small distance via the actuating arm 102b, the exposure operation being there by triggered via the connection of the lever end 11 7c with the shutter-actuating lever 118 and the foremost of the film units accommodated in the film pack cartridge 119 being exposed.

As can be seen in particular from Fig. 5, when the release lever 117 carries out its rotational movement, the cam portion 11 7b on the lever portion 117a makes contact with the abutment 113a of the disconnecting lever 113. The disconnecting lever 113 is thereby pivoted and its locking tooth 113b is disengaged from the free end of the coupling pawl 111, the engagement tooth Illa of which now engages with the engagement teeth 109a of the coupling wheel 109. Thus a coupling connection is established via the coupling pawl 111 between the coupling wheel 109, of the gearing of the roller drive, and the cam disc 110 connected with the picker mechanism When subsequently the shutter release member 102 is released (a second operation of the shutter release member 102 being prevented by means not shown) the following functions are triggered: Owing to the power stored in the spring 104, the actuating lever 103 is pivoted to its initial position. Via the projection 102a, the actuating lever 103 causes resetting of the release member 102. During this operation, the release lever 117 biased by a spring into contact with the actuating arm 102b of the shutter release member 102 (see Fig. 5) also returns to its initial position as shown in Fig. 4. The cam portion 117b is disengaged from the abutment 113a of the disconnecting lever 113. This lever 113 pivots back so that its locking tooth 113b moves again into the path of the free end of the coupling pawl 111 when the latter is engaging the engagement teeth.

Due to the pivoting of the actuating lever 103 to its initial position, the star wheel 105 is also advanced over a small distance in an anticlockwise direction via the bent-off portion 103b resting against the step 105b of the recess 105a, said distance being enough to raise the spring arm 106a of the switch contact 106 in the motor circuit over the actuating surface 1OSe on the star wheel 105 for contact-making. The motor 107 starts running and via the gear drive mechanism, it drives the rollers 121, and via the coupling connection it drives the picker mechanism. After one revolution of the coupling wheel 109 and the cam disk 110, the coupling pawl 111 is again lifted out of engagement with the teeth 109 of the coupling wheel as a result of its running onto the locking tooth 113b of the dis connecting lever 113, and the picker drive is stopped. During this single revolution of the cam disk 110, the picker mechanism controlled by means of the cam groove 110a carries out a reciprocating movement and feeds the foremost film unit 120 of the film pack cartridge 119 to the rollers 121 of the processing station.

After the picker drive has been stopped, the motor 107 continues running and is only switched off after a certain interval during which the exposed film unit has been safely transported through the rollers 121 of the processing station and the exit slit 101a. This is brought about in the following manner: Each revolution of the coupling wheel 109 belonging to the roller drive causes the engagement pin 109b thereof to make contact with one of the five actuating ribs 105b of the star wheel 105 and said disk to turn by 1/5 of a revolution. Upon a total of five revolutions of the coupling wheel 109, the star wheel 105 has carried out one revolution and returned to its initial position (Fig. 4) in which the spring arm 106a of the switch contact 106 in the motor circuit is again received in the recess 105d interrupting the actuating surface 105b and stops the motor 107. As long as the star wheel 105 rotates, a double exposure lock (not shown) is operative.

The spring 104 engaging the actuating lever 103 may be so designed and arranged that it urges said lever in the direction of the arrow "B" (Fig. 7) towards the star wheel 105 and also keeps said lever in contact with the projection 102a of the push button 192 (Figs. 4 and 5). As a result of the afore-mentioned possibility of the actuating lever 103 mounted on the pivot 125 to carry out a wobbling movement; said lever is able, under the force of spring 104, to drop into the recess 1OSa in the star wheel 105 when pivoted by means of the shutter release member 102, and as shown in Fig. 7, to be disengaged again against the force of the spring 104 in the direction of the arrow "B", over the inclined position of the recess 105a upon rotation of the star wheel

Claims (9)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. connecting lever 113, and the picker drive is stopped. During this single revolution of the cam disk 110, the picker mechanism controlled by means of the cam groove 110a carries out a reciprocating movement and feeds the foremost film unit 120 of the film pack cartridge 119 to the rollers 121 of the processing station. After the picker drive has been stopped, the motor 107 continues running and is only switched off after a certain interval during which the exposed film unit has been safely transported through the rollers 121 of the processing station and the exit slit 101a. This is brought about in the following manner: Each revolution of the coupling wheel 109 belonging to the roller drive causes the engagement pin 109b thereof to make contact with one of the five actuating ribs 105b of the star wheel 105 and said disk to turn by 1/5 of a revolution. Upon a total of five revolutions of the coupling wheel 109, the star wheel 105 has carried out one revolution and returned to its initial position (Fig. 4) in which the spring arm 106a of the switch contact 106 in the motor circuit is again received in the recess 105d interrupting the actuating surface 105b and stops the motor 107. As long as the star wheel 105 rotates, a double exposure lock (not shown) is operative. The spring 104 engaging the actuating lever 103 may be so designed and arranged that it urges said lever in the direction of the arrow "B" (Fig. 7) towards the star wheel 105 and also keeps said lever in contact with the projection 102a of the push button 192 (Figs. 4 and 5). As a result of the afore-mentioned possibility of the actuating lever 103 mounted on the pivot 125 to carry out a wobbling movement; said lever is able, under the force of spring 104, to drop into the recess 1OSa in the star wheel 105 when pivoted by means of the shutter release member 102, and as shown in Fig. 7, to be disengaged again against the force of the spring 104 in the direction of the arrow "B", over the inclined position of the recess 105a upon rotation of the star wheel 105. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:-

1. A photographic camera for effecting exposure and processing of a self-processable film unit, the camera including a movable shutter release member for actuating the shutter, means for restoring the shutter release member to an initial position after movement of the member to actuate the shutter, a pair of opposed pressure members at least one of which is a roller for removing the exposed film unit from the camera, an electric motor, drive means coupling the motor to the roller for drivingly rotating the roller, and control means for controlling electric current to the motor, characterised in that the control means includes a star wheel and means for rotating the star wheel incrementally through a cycle, the rotating means being coupled with the drive means so that one complete cycle of the star wheel is associated with a desired number of revolutions of the roller, means cooperating with the star wheel for furnishing electric current to the motor when the star wheel is in an angular orientation other than its end-ofcycle orientation, and means for mechanically nudging the star wheel from its end-of-cycle orientation, the nudging means being cooperable with the shutter release member so as to nudge the star wheel from its end-ofcycle position during return of the shutter release member to its initial position.

2. The camera according to Claim 1 characterized in that the star wheel includes two oppositely facing sides, one of said sides includes a plurality of generally radially directed arms and the other of said sides includes an electrically conductive portion and an elecrically non-conductive portion; and in that the means for furnishing electric current to the motor includes an electrical contact that is located so as to contact either the conductive or non-conductive portion, the portion contacted at any one particular moment being dependent upon the angular orientation of the star wheel.

3. A camera according to Claim 2, characterized in that the rotating means includes an eccentric pin so disposed as ta engage sequentially the radially directed arms on the star wheel.

4. A camera according to Claim I, 2 or 3 characterized in that the nudging means comprises a pivotally mounted nudger member which includes first and second arms, and in that there is provided means for engaging the second arm in response to the return movement of the shutter release member towards its initial position thereby to cause the first arm to engage the star wheel and nudge the star wheel from its end-of-cycle position.

5. A camera according to Claim 4, characterized in that the means for engaging the second arm of the nudger member is a second pivotable member and is coupled to the shutter release member.

6. A camera as claimed in Claim 5, characterized in that the control means includes a stationary ledge for limiting the freedom of the second pivotable member to pivot when the shutter release member is in its initial position; in that the second pivotable member comprises a hook member having a hook-like element formed proximate one end thereof and a nose portion formed proximate the opposite end thereof, the nose portion being urged againse the ledge when the shutter release member is in its initial position and adapted to leave the ledge at some time during movement of the shutter release member from its initial position, and in that there is provided spring means for biasing the hook member against the ledge when the shutter release

member is in its initial position and for biasing the hook member for engagement with the second arm of the nudger member when the hook member leaves the ledge.

7. A camera according to Claim 1, characterized in that the camera includes a claw having a cycle of movement in which it transports a film unit to the pressure members, means coupling the claw to the drive means and being disconnectable after completion of the cycle of movement of the claw, and wherein the nudging means includes a spring biased lever movable against the bias of the spring upon depression of the shutter release member, the spring serving to move the lever through its nudging stroke during return of the shutter release member.

8. A camera according to Claim 1 or 7 characterized in that the star wheel has a recess and a coaxial actuating surface for the spring arm of a switch contact in the motor circuit.

9. A photographic camera substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3 or Figs. 4 to 8 of the accompanying drawings.