US2237730A - Photographic printing easel - Google Patents

Description

April 8, 1941. Q FAsslN 2.237.730

PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTING EASEL Filed Feb. 2.7, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet l 52 so l1 l 53 SN? /sl /32 s Q 65 54/ 29= i=--3o `4 4 I L58 l 45 58 -55 Q aE-M --sl '6/ Q 65 s s S8 es #A JA 56 INV NTOR FIGS April 8, 1941. Q FAsSlN 2.237.730

PHo'roGRAPHIc PRINTING BASEL Filed Feb. 27, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Y V 7 m t F|G.7 28 27 hr4 n I IIA-fill FIG. IO

@VENTOR LLA/)YM AMW l Patented pr. 8. 1941 UNITEDv STATES PATENT OFFIE PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTING BASEL Gustave Fassin, Irondequoit, N. Y., assigner to International Industries, Inc.,

Ann Arbor,

9 Claims.

The present invention relates to photography and more particularly to an easel for photographic printing or enlarging.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a new and improved easel for positioning and holding a photo-sensitive sheet. Another object is to provide a photographic printing easel on which the photo-sensitive sheet may be accurately located and masked. A further object is to provide a. photographic printing easel with a self-contained optical system for focussing.' These and other objects and advantages reside in certain novel features of construction,

arrangement and combination of parts as will hereinafter be more fully set forth and out in the appended claims,

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a photographic printing easel embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a section taken on line 2-2 of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a. bottom view of my easel.

Fig. 4 is a section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a section taken on line 5 5 of Fig, 3.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged plan view of one positioning member.

Fig. 7 is a section taken on line 'l-l of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged plan view of the other positioning member.

Fig. 9 is an end view thereof.

Fig. l() is a plan view of the focussing sheet.

A preferred embodiment of my invention is illustrated in the drawings wherein l5 designates a substantially rectangular base having a at metal plate i6 suitably secured thereto by screws ll for receiving a photo-sensitive sheet such as a sheet of projection printing paper. Two brackets I8 and I9 are suitably secured on the bottom of the plate i6, within the base l5 as, for example, by welding or soldering. These brackets i8 and I9 are preferably positioned one on each side of the center of the plate i6 adjacent one wall of the base l5. Within the base i5, is a long, U-shaped track having two legs and 2i with their free ends bent outwardly at 22 and 23 and pivotally mounted in the brackets I8y and i9 respectively. A carriage 24 is provided with two parallel grooves 25 and 26 for receiving the parallel legs 20 and 2| of the track. A resilient plate 21 is suitably secured on the carriage 24 by screws 28 and bears frictionally against the legs 20 and 2l to retain the carriage 24 in any selected position on the track.

The carriage 24 is formed with two upstanding lugs 29 and 30 which extend above the surface of the plate I6 through two parallel slots 3l and pointed 32 respectively, as shown in Fig, 2. A leaf spring 33 is suitably secured at one end to the bottom of the plate i6 by welding, soldering or the like, and lts free end engages under the closed end 34 of the track. The lugs 29 and 35 are thus resillently urged upward through the slots 3l and 32.

A second pair of brackets 35 and 36 are suitably on the bottom of the plate i5 at one side of the U-shaped track. A second track 3l, having legs 3B and 39 bent inwardly at 4i) and 4i and pivotally mounted in the brackets 35 and 36 respectively, extends from a point near the leg 2i to Ward the side wall of the base i5. This track 3l is substantially perpendicular to the legs 2i) and 2i and is preferably located beneath the transverse center of the plate i6. A carriage 42 is provided with a groove 43 for receiving the track 3l and a resilient plate 44 is secured on the carriage 42 to frictionally engage the track 3l. An upstanding lug 45 extends upward beyond the surface of the plate l5 through a slot 4l, as shown in Fig. 2. A rod 48 is secured across the legs 33 and 3S and a leaf spring 49, secured at one end to the plate I6 engages under the cross rod 48 and urges the lug 45 upward through the slot 4l.

Two blocks 50 and 5l are secured on the outside of one of the sides of the base i5 and pivotally receive the inturned ends 52 and 53 of a frame. This frame consists of two side arms 54 and 55 and a cross arm 55 and extends around the base l5 outside of the limits of the plate I6. A pair of parallel, in-dependently movable, masking plates 58 and 59 are adjustably mounted on the arm 55 and extend across the plate i6, while a second pair of masking plates 60 and 6|, adjustably mounted on the arm 56, extend across the plate I8 perpendicularly to the plates 58 and 59. The mechanism for attaching these masking plates to the arms is the same for each plate and only one such mechanism will be described. As shown in Fig. 4, the masking plate 58 is suitably xed to a block 62 which has a groove 53 in its bottom surface for receiving the side arm 55. A screw 64, having an enlarged head 55, projects through a hole 56 in the plate 5B and block 62 and is threaded into a block 6l. This block 51 has a groove 68 in its upper face to receive the side arm 55. Upon tightening the screw 54, the two blocks 52 and 6l are drawn together and the side arm 55 is clamped in the grooves 63 and 68, thus locking the masking plate 58 on the side arm 55.

1n the operation of the locating mechanism of my new easel, the lugs 29 and 3@ and the lug 35 are moved longitudinally of their respective slots until they are in the desired position to locate the edges of the paper or other photo-sensitive sheet. The masking strips 5B, 5%, E@ and @l are then set to mask the paper to the desired extent and are locked against movement on the frame. A sheet of paper is then placed on the plate I6 so that its edges engage the three lugs 29, 30 and d5 and the frame carrying the masking strips is pivoted down against the plate l. The lugs 29, 30 and 65 yield under the pressure of the masking strips 58 and 6I so that the masking strips press the paper fiat against the plate It. In this way, the operator is always insured of a controllable and uniform border on his enlargements. Of course scales can be provided on the plate i6 for setting the lugs and strips.

To insure proper seating of the frame, two blocks 69, having tapered tops, are attached one on each side of the base I5. When the frame is brought down to press the paper against the plate i6, the side arms 563 and 55 engage the tapered tops of the blocks 69 and the frame and masking plates are thus automatically centered.

The plate I6 is formed with a central aperture l and a window of glass or other transparent material ll is xed in this aperture l0 so that its top surface is flush with the top surface of the plate it. A rectangular tube l2 is attached to the plate IG -by a bracket 13. This tube is within the base l and extends from beneath the aperture 'lll to a hole Tl in' one side of the base l5. The tube 'l2 is preferably positioned along the center of the plate I8 between the legs of the U-shaped track. The tube 'l2 has an opening l5 directly beneath the aperture 'i8 and a reiiector 'i6 suitably secured in the tube l2, directs light entering from this opening l5 along the axis of the tube l2. An objective lens 'H is suitably fixed in the tube 12 adjacent the reflector 76.

A right angle sleeve i8 is suitably fastened in the open end of the tube 72 outside of the base l5 and a field lens 79 is fixed in the sleeve 'I8 within the tube 72. A reflector 8B attached to the sleeve 78 directs light from the field lens 'i9 upward to an eye lens 8l. This eye lens 8l is secured in a cap 82 which is threaded into the topof the sleeve 18. The cross arm 56 of the frame is bent at 83 to prevent interference between the frame and the sleeve 18.

In order t0 insure focus of the image in the plane of the sensitized surface of the printing paper, a sheet 84 of transparent material such as glass or lm base, having the same thickness as the printing paper, is placed on the plate I6 over the aperture 1|. 'I'his sheet 8d has a mark, such as the grid 85, ruled on its upper surface. The microscope carried by the tube i2 forms an enlarged image of the grid 85 and, when the image to be printed lies in the plane of this grid, it is in exact focus at Ithe plane of the sensitized layer 4of the printing paper. 'Ihe microscope is preferably of sufficient power to resolve the image of the grain of the film to be enlarged and hence focus is obtained with a high degree of accuracy.

My new veasel can of course be used with any projection enlarger and the positioning mechanism is of great advantage even in the making of contact prints. In projection printing, the projector is focussed using the focussing sheet and the microscope before any paper is placed on the plate I6. After the projector is focussed, the sheet 84 is removed and the printing paper -s substituted. This printing paper is then suitably positioned and masked as set forth above. From the foregoing, it will be apparent that I am able to attain the objects of my invention and provide a photographic printing easel which insures proper focus of the projected image and proper positioning and masking of the photosensitive sheet. Various modifications can of course be made without departing from the spirit of my invention or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A printing easel comprising a hollow base having a ilat top surface for receiving a photosensitive sheet, said surface having twomutually perpendicular slots therethrough, a track pivotally mounted within said base adjacent and parallel to each slot, a lug slidably mounted on each track and projecting upward through each slot to engage the edges of-said sheet and peek tion same on said surface, means for resiliently urging each lug upward, a frame pivotally mounted on said base along one edge of said surface and extending around said surface, and a plurality of masking plates movably mounted on said frame for pressing the edges of said sheet at against said surface and pressing said lugs down to the plane of said surface.

2. A printing easel comprising a hollow base having a at surface for receiving a photo-sensitive sheet, said surface having a pair of spaced, parallel slots therethrough, a U-shaped track pivotally secured at it free ends within said base and extending parallel and adjacent to said slots, a carriage slidably mounted on said track, two upstanding lugs on said carriage, one in alinement with each slot, means for resiliently urging said lugs upward through said slots for engaging the edge of a photo-sensitive sheet to position said sheet on said surface, said surface having a third slot therethrough substantially perpendicular to said pair of slots, a second track pivotally secured within said base and having a portion ex tending parallel and adjacent to said third slot, a second carriage slidably mounted on said portion, a third upstanding lug on said second carriage in alinement with said third slot, means for resiliently urging said third lug upward y through said third slot for engaging the edge of said photo-sensitive sheet to position said sheet on said surface, a frame pivotally mounted on said base along one edge of said surface, said frame having an arm parallel to said pair of slots and a second arm parallel to said third slot, and a pair of parallel masking plates adjustably mounted on each arm to overlie the edges of a photo-sensitive sheet positioned by said lugs.

3. A printing easel comprising a hollow base having a ilat surface for receiving a photo-sensitive sheet, said surface having a central aperture therethrough, a microscope mounted within said base and extending parallel to said surface from said aperture to an observation point outside the connes of said base, means mounted within said base for directing light entering through said aperture along the optical axis of said microscope, a plurality of stops yieldably extending upward from said surface for engaging the edges of a photo-sensitive sheet to position said sheet on said surface over said aperture, and a plurality of masking strips adiustably carried by said base for engaging the face of said sheet and pressing said sheet again said surface.

4. A printing easel comprising a hollow base having a fiat surface for receiving a photo-sensiaasmeo 'tive sheet, said surface having a central aperture therethrough, a focussing target carried by said surface above said aperture, light deiiecting means secured within said base beneath said aperture for deecting light from said aperture substantially parallel to said surface, a microscope objective mounted within said base in alinement with said light deflecting means for forming an image of said target, means carried by said base 'and extending beyond the confines of said base in alinement with said objective for observing said image, said surface having a slot extending therethrough substantially parallel to the axis of said objective, a track pivotally mounted within said base adjacent and parallel to said slot, a lug slidably mounted on said track, said lug having a portion adapted to project upward through said slot to engage one edge of a photo-sensitive sheet and position said sheet on said surface, said surface having a second slot therethrough substantially perpendicular to the first named slot, a second track pivotally mounted within said base adjacent and parallel to the second slot, a second lug slidably mounted on said second track, said second lug having a portion adapted to extend upward through said second slot to engage the edge of said photo-sensitive sheet and position said sheet on said surface, and a plurality of masking plates adjustably carried by said base-above said surface to overlie the edges of said sheet.

5. A printing easel comprising a hollow base having a flat surface for receiving a photo-sensitive sheet, said surface having an aperture therethrough, a transparent plate fixed in said aperture with its top surface substantially flush with said flat surface, means for supporting a focussing mark over said plate and above the plane of said surface by an amount equal to the thickness of a photo-sensitive sheet, light deflecting means within said base for directing light from said aperture substantially parallel to said flat surface, an objective lens mounted within said base in alinement with said light defiecting means for forming an image of a focussing mark carried by said supporting means, said base having an aperture therethrough facing said lens and light deilecting means, and an eyepiece carried by said base in alinement with said last named aperture for receivingsaid image.

6. A printing easel comprising a hollow base having a flat surface for receiving a. photo-sensitive sheet, said surface having an aperture therethrough, a. transparent focussing sheet removably carried by said surface above said aperture, said focussing sheet having substantially the thickness of the photo-sensitive sheet, a. mark on the top surface of said focussing sheet, light deilecting means mounted within said'basev beneath said aperture for receiving light from said mark and directing it substantially parallel to said flat surface, an objective lens mounted in said base in alinement with said light deflecting qu w means for forming an image of said mark, an opening in said base in alinenient with said objective lens, a reflector carried by said base in alinement with said opening for directing the image forming rays from said lens upward past said nat surface, and an ocular carried by said base for observing said image.

7. A printing easel comprising a supporting wall having an opening therethrough, a flat plate carried by said wall for receiving a photo-sensitive sheet, said plate having an aperture therethrough, a focussing mark carried by said plate above said aperture, a tube secured on the bottom of said plate beneath said aperture and projecting through the opening in said wall, said tube having an aperture in alinement with the aperture in said plate, a reflector mounted in said tube beneath said apertures for directing light from said apertures along said tube, an objective lens mounted in said tube for forming an image of said mark, and an ocular carried by said plate in alinement with said opening for observing the image formed by said objective lens.

8. A photographic printing easel comprising a hollow base having a nat surface for receiving a photosensitive sheet, said surface having a central aperture therethrough, a microscope mounted within said base and extending from said aperture and parallel to said flat surface to an observation point beyond the confines of said base, means mounted within said base for directing light entering said aperture to said microscope, a pair of brackets mounted within said base, one on each side of said microscope, a U-shaped track pivotally mounted in said brackets and extending parallel to said microscope and said fiat surface to a point beyond said aperture, said surface having a pair of slots therethrough parallel to said track, a carriage slidably mount ed on said track, a pair of lugs on said carriage projecting upward through said slots above said surface to engage the edge of a photosensitive sheet, means for resiliently urging said carriage upward toward said surface, a frame pivotally at one edge of said base and extending around said base, and a plurality of masking strips adjustably mounted on said frame for engaging a photosensitive sheet and pressing it against said ilat surface.

9. A printing easel comprising a fiat plate for receiving a photo-sensitive sheet, said plate havlng an aperture therethrough, means secured to said plate for holding said plate in spaced relation to a support, a focusing mark carried by said plate above said aperture, means secured to said plate beneath said aperture for directing light passing through said aperture beneath and parallel to said plate, an objective lens positioned in the path of the light from said aperture and an ocular carried by said plate adjacent the edge thereof and in alignment with said objective for observing the image formed by said objective.

GUSTAVE FASSIN.

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