GB2214648A

GB2214648A - An identity-portrait camera

Info

Publication number: GB2214648A
Application number: GB8801091A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Giovanni Aristide Caroselli
Original assignee: Photo Me International PLC
Current assignee: Photo Me International PLC
Priority date: 1988-01-19
Filing date: 1988-01-19
Publication date: 1989-09-06
Also published as: EP0325410A1; JPH01309035A; DE325410T1; ES2011203A4; GB8801091D0

Description

1 An identity-portrait camera 1 This invention relates to an

identity-portrait camera.

It is an object of the invention to provide an identity-portrait camera for taking a plurality of simultaneous identity-portrait photographs.

_2 '1 4 6 4 8 The invention provides an identity-portrait camera as claimed in each of claims 1, 2 and 3.

The invention will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:- Fig. 1 is a front elevation, partly broken away, of part of an identityportrait camera embodying the invention; and Fig. 2 is a sectioned side elevation of part of the identity-portrait camera of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, there is illustrated part of an identityportrait camera 10 for taking a plurality 2 of simultaneous identity-portrait photographs. The camera 10 comprises a housing 12 in which there are mounted four lenses 14a. b. c. and d, mounted in a horizontal row extending laterally of the front of the camera 10, so as to focus four images of the subject (not shown) via a mirror 16 onto reversal-type photographic paper 18. The lenses 14 face the front of the camera 10, with their axes horizontal and perpendicular to the front of the camera 10.

The mirror 16 is mounted on a support 20 in the housing 12 so as to reflect the images from the four lenses 14a-d through a right angle onto the reversal-type photographic paper 18, which is guided (by conventional means, not shown) so as to extend horizontally across the top of a chamber 22 defined by the housing 12. The mirror 16 inverts the four images in well-known manner for the reversal-type photographic paper 18, which is to be subsequently processed (by means not shown) in well-known manner to produce the four identity-portrait photographs in a row along the paper.

Each lens 14, as shown in Fig. 2, comprises a triplex lens element 24a towards the rear of the camera and a duplex lens element 24b towards the front of the camera 10. Between the lens elements 24a, 24b of each v Y "I 3 lens 14a, b, c, d is a respective iris 26a, b, c, d.

The four irises 26a, b, c, d are formed by pairs of apertures in two faceto-face elongate members 28a, 28b, which extend along the row of lenses 14a to 14d, between the triplex lens element 24a and duplex lens element 24b of each lens 14. More particularly, there are four apertures 36a in member 28a and four apertures 36b in member 28b, hence, four pairs of apertures 36a, 36b. Each aperture 36a partially overlaps a corresponding aperture 36b to a variable extent, in that the elongate members 28a, 28b are longitudinally slidable along the row of lenses 14a to 14d.

More particularly, the two longitudinally movable members 28a and 28b each have a toothed rack 30a, 30b respectively engaging a common toothed pinion 32 on opposite sides from each other, so that rotation of the pinion 32 moves the two members 28a, 28b in opposite directions along the row of lenses 14a to 14d.

The size of each iris 26a to 26d is equal to the sizes of the overlapping portions 34a, 34b of each pair of apertures 36a, 36b and is the same for all four irises 26a-26d in all positions of members 28a, 28b.

As shown in Fig. 1, the overlapping portions 34a, b 4 of each pair of apertures 36a, b each have an upper diagonal side 38a meeting a longer diagonal side 38b at a right angle. with the result that the mutually overlapping portions 34a, b define a square iris aperture 40. the size of which depends directly upon the degree of overlap of the apertures 36a. 36b in members 28a, 28b. Rotation of the toothed pinion 32 in one direction decreases the size of each iris aperture 40, whilst rotation of the pinion 32 in the opposite direction increases the size of each iris aperture-40.

For any given position of the pinion 32, and hence any given positional relationship of the member 28a, 28b, all four iris apertures 40 are the same size.

A common shutter member 42 forms a shutter for each lens 14a to 14d. The shutter member 42 is pivoted to two crank discs 44a, 44b at 46a and 46b respectively. The crank discs 44a, 44b themselves are pivotally mounted to the housing 12 at 47a, 47b respectively on parallel axes, and are interconnected by an arm 48 which is pivoted to the discs 44a, 44b at 48a, 48b, so that the shutter member 42 moves arcuately while remaining in the given orientation shown in Fig. 1. A connecting member 50 interconnects crank disc 44b and a solenoid 52, the connecting member 50 being connected at 50a to the disc 44b and at 50b to the armature 52a of solenoid 1 W 52. Hence, energisation for a timed period of the solenoid 52 opens the shutter for all four lenses 14a to 14d simultaneously for the same corresponding timed period, by rotating the crank discs 44a, 44b clockwise as seen in Fig. 1. de-energisation of the solenoid 52 allowing a return spring (not shown) in solenoid 52 to close the shutter again by pivoting the crank discs 44a, 44b counter clockwise again.

The camera 10 is adapted specifically for use in the well-known type of coin-operated, unattended photographic booth in which the subject wanting identity-portrait photographs sits in the booth and, when ready. inserts the required coinage to cause automatic operation of the camera in conjunction with automatic flash lamp means for illuminating the subject. Whereas known photographic booths of this type require the subject to remain for a sequence of photographs taken one after another. with a separate flash for each photograph. the camera 10 embodying the present invention is designed to take all four photographs simultaneously, with a single flash (from flash lamp means not shown). The solenoid 52 operates the shutter member 42 so as to expose all four photographs simultaneously.

It is well-known in automatic photograph booths that 6 the chemicals for processing the reversal-type paper age with use and require periodical replacement. The facility in the camera 10 for simultaneously adjusting all four iris apertures 40, by rotating the pinion 32, enables a mechanic quickly to adjust the camera to allow for aging of the chemicals or other factors such as different speeds of reversal-type photographic paper and/or flash brightness.

The camera 10 is provided with a generally conventional guillotine mechanism 54 for cutting off an exposed portion of the photographic paper 18. The guillotine mechanism 54 comprises a guillotine blade 56, a motordriven disc 58 and a microswitch 60. The blade 56 is pivoted at 56a to the housing 12 and is provided with a slot 56b in which there slides a connecting pin 58a which is secured to the periphery of the motordriven disc 58. The microswitch 60 has a detent 60a engagable in a peripheral notch 58b of the disc 58. When microswitch 60 is energised, following exposure of the photographic paper 18. and following subsequent forwardfeed of the photographic paper 18 to present a new. unexposed portion thereof in the chamber 22, the detent 60a disengages from the notch 58b and the disc 58 rotates to operate the guillotine blade 56, severing the photographic paper 18.

1 I- 7 Finally, the front of the camera 10 is provided with a filter-holder 62 which rests on two support pins 64 (only one being shown) attached to housing 12. The filter holder 62 can be provided with any required colour filter (not shown) to provide required colour-balance. The filter holder 62 has a handle 62a for purposes of removal and replacement.

h 8

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. An identity-portrait camera for taking a plurality of simultaneous identity-portrait photographs. comprising a corresponding number of lenses mounted in a row so as to focus images of the subject onto respective areas in a row of an image-forming surface. each lens comprising a plurality of lens elements and a respective iris between two of said elements. and means for simultaneous corresponding adjustment of all the irises. characterised in that each iris is formed by respective iris-defining portions of two longitudinally movable members each having a toothed rack engaging a common toothed pinion on the opposite side from the other, so that rotation of the pinion moves the two members in opposite directions so as to adjust all the irises.

2. An identity-portrait camera for taking a plurality of simultaneous identity-portrait photographs, comprising a corresponding number of lenses mounted in a row so as to focus images of the subject onto respective areas in a row of an image-forming surface. and a common shutter member forming a shutter for each lens and arranged to move in one direction to open the shutter and then the opposite direction to close the shutter, characterised in that the shutter member is pivoted to each of two cranks which are pivotable on parallel axes 1; I 9 so that the shutter member moves arcuately while remaining in a given orientation.

3. A camera as claimed in claim 2 wherein a shutter-operating solenoid is linked to one of the cranks.

Pubb.shed 1989 at The Patent Office, State House. 66'71 High Holborn, London WCIR4TP. Further copies maybe obtained from The Patent Office. Sales Branch, St Mary Cray, Orpington, Kent BR5 3RD. Printed by Multiplex techniques ltd, St Mary Cray, Kent, Con. 1187