US2943553A

US2943553A - Printing apparatus

Info

Publication number: US2943553A
Application number: US369658A
Authority: US
Inventors: Harold I Drewett
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1953-07-22
Filing date: 1953-07-22
Publication date: 1960-07-05
Anticipated expiration: 1977-07-05

Description

July 5, 1960 H. l. DREWETT PRINTING APPARATUS #may Filed July 22, 1953 July 5, 1960 H. l. DREwl-:TT 2,943,553

PRINTING APPARATUS H. l. DREWETT PRINTING APPARATUS 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 y Harold I Dwezve,

y vney July 5, 1960 Filed July 22. 1953 July 5, 1960 H. l. DREwETT PRINTING APPARATUS 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed July 22, 1953 July 5, 1960 H. l. DREWETT 2,943,553

PRINTING APPARATUS Filed July 22, 1953 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Havozd zaiewe,

July 5, 1960 H. DREWETT PRINTING APPARATUS 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed July 22,' 1953 IzvezaoH: Haado I Baiewef, y

United States Patent O PRINTING APPARATUS Hamid I. Dreweff, R.F.D. z, warren, Maine Filed July zz, 1953, ser. Nu. 369,658

12 claims. (cl. 95-75) This invention relates to apparatus for use in simultaneously making on a sheet of printing paper a plurality of contact prints from strip, roll, and sheet film.

The objectives of the present invention may be most readily appreciated by considering that, particularly in the case of so-called miniatures, the photographer needs to have, for filing or display purposes, some convenient means by which prints are available for reference or for use in determining the relative merits of the several pictures of a fdrn as, for example, when selections for enlargements are to be made. An album on each of whose sheets all the pictures of at least one film are printed affords such convenience. By way of illustration, a sheet of photographic paper may have printed thereon all of the pictures of two 2O exposure 35 mm. lms, one 36 exposure 35 mm. iilm, twelve pictures from any 120 or 620, 21A x 21A reflex size, eight pictures of 21A x 3% size, or fifteen or more pictures of the full 127 size. 'I'he apparatus may also be adapted for use with other films of which aerial roll film is but one example.

This invention thus has, as a principal objective, the provision of apparatus to enable such contact prints to be made quickly, easily, and accurately while permitting the lm to be kept in the interconnected form in which it was developed to provide maximum convenience in storage. Another principal objective is the production of attractive prints each containing a plurality of pictures with each being surrounded by a white border, excluding unwanted perforated edges for example, thus to aiord maximum attractiveness in sheet form and enabling the individual pictures, if the sheet is cut, to be produced at substantial savings over those individually printed. Another objective is to combine with the advantages of simultaneously printing a plurality of pictures, means to enable the printing of those pictures to be individually timed as required to ensure best results.

Apparatus in accordance with the invention comprises a base having a supporting surface for the photographic paper and a lm holder comprising a first frame member dimensioned to receive a predetermined number of interconnected negatives, each of a certain width and length and to maintain that lm in a predetermined position relative to the sheet. The lm holder also includes means to mark the margins of the framed film and the space between each of its negatives and consisting of a transparent member which has portions to mark at least those spaces and a pressure member usually in the form of a second frame within and vertically movable relative to the first frame and in engagement with the margins of the transparent member. The apparatus also is provided with means to press the film and the sheet firmly and. evenly against said surface of the base.

The apparatus may be made to print a single row of pictures on a sheet dimensioned for the printing of a plurality of rows of pictures in which case, its position is shifted to establish successive rows with means being provided to enable its various positions to be accurately located to provide the desired spacing between the rows and with means also being provided to enable the remaining portion or portions of the sheet to be masked during the printing of the negatives exposed in the lm carrier. The film holder may, however, be constructed to enable a plurality of rows of pictures to be simultaneously printed.

The film holders are also preferably provided with removable masking elements which are adapted to be used when variations in the exposure time of one or more of the pictures being printed are indicated.

In the accompanying drawings, there are shown illustrative embodiments of the invention from which these and other of its objectives, novel features, and advantages will be readily apparent.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a top plan view of apparatus, in accordance with the invention, for use in contact printing successively rows of pictures from strip or roll film, with the unexposed paper being masked;

Fig. 2 is a similar view but with the position of the film holder changed on the base and showing the masking of exposed and unexposed paper and the masking of negatives requiring different exposure times;

Fig. 3 is a side view of the holder on an enlarged scale;

Figs. 4 and 5 are sections, on the scale of Fig. 3, taken respectively along the indicated lines 4-4 of Fig. 1 and 5 5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is an exploded view of the film holder with its parts shown in perspective;

Fig. 7 is a view, generally similar to Fig. 2, illustrating apparatus for use in printing lm of a larger size;

Fig. 8 is a top plan view, similar to Fig. 1, of an embodiment of the invention adapted for use in simultaneously printing a plurality of rows of pictures and is particularly adapted for use in the printing of cut film or film packs;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary section, on an increased scale, taken along the indicated lines 9-9 of Fig. 8;

Fig 10 is a section taken along the indicated lines 10- 10 of Fig. 8; and

Fig. 1l is an exploded view of the lm holder with the parts being shown in elevation.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 1-7, a base 15 is shown as having legs 1'6 and its upper face provided with a felt or other suitable coat 17 and with a flanged holder 18 disposed to receive the ends of the printing paper 19 thus to hold it in place `and to prevent its curling.

Adjacent each side of the felt coat 17 there are two series of

holes

20 and 21 with the corresponding holes of each series being transversely alined and with a greater distance, both transversely and longitudinally, separating the holes 21 than separates the holes 20.

At 22, in Figs. l-5, there is generally indicated a film holder for use, say, with 35 mm. film. As this is identical in construction to the film holder 23 of Fig. 7, the holder 23 will not be completely detailed, except as to illustrate means for printing larger film, say or 620 film.

The iilm holder Z2 includes a film carrier 24 in the form of a rectangular frame of suiiicient length to extend approximately from `side to side of the paper 19 and whose sides are preferably slotted along their inner edges as at (see Fig. 6) to slidably receive the edges of the strip of film 26 and along their outer edges as at 27 to receive the masking sheets 28. The ends of the carrier 24 carry depending pegs or pins 29 to enter the holes of the series 20.

The film holder 22 also includes means for masking the margins of the film 26 and the spaces between its negatives. These means comprise a transparent member 30 dimens-ioned to fit within the carrier 24 and including portions 31 (see iFig. 6) tornask those spaces. The member 30 may also be marginally masked as at 32. Such masking portions may be effectedV in, any suitable manner depending on the4 material, from which the member 30 is made but is shown, for convenience,y as being accomplishedl by tapes.

The masking means also include a pressure member- 33 incorporated in the film holder for vertical movement relative to thefilm carrier 24 in order that it may function to press the film firmly against the sheet 19. The member 33 is shown as being dimensioned to o'verlie a part of the lm carrier 24 and as having a rabbet 34 along its inner edges (see Figs. 4 and 6). The pressure member 33 includes a depending flange establishing a second frame 35 entrant of the first frame or film carrier 24. The

members

30 and 33 may be separable or comprise a unit but the second frame 35 is shown4 as being marginally rabbeted as at 36 to receive the margins ofthe member 30.

It will thus be apparent that the, pressure member 33 is movable in a vertical direction relativeto the film carrier 24 while cooperating therewith to prevent light from passing between the two frames. With reference to Figs. 4 and 6, it will be noted that the flanges on second frame 35 are tapered as at 37 to ensure proper light distribution and that the iianges on second frame 35 also function as means marginally masking the negatives, disposed in the areaway they define.

As illustrative of means for applying pressure to the

members

30, 33, there are shown U-shaped tension clamps 38v so curved that their closed ends may engage grooves 39 in end parts of the pressure member 33 (shown in Fig. 6) and their free ends be caught against the under surface of the base 15 thus to provide means for pressing the film 26 andthe paper 19 smoothly against the upper coated surface of thev base.

With the apparatus above described and with reference to Fig. 1, it will be noted that the film holder 22 is disposed transversely of the photographic paper sheet 19 adjacent one end thereof with its pins 29 entrant 0f the appropriate holes of the series 20. Film 26 is slidably supported by the grooves 25 of the film carrier 24 and is pressed against the paper 19 by means of the clamps 38 pressing the transparent member 30 and `its pressure applying member 33 downwardly as a unit. A masking sheet 28 is inserted in a groove 27 of the carrier 24 to mask the remainder of the sheet 19.

After the film in the film holder 22 has been exposed, the film holder is moved to the next pair of transversely alined pair of holes of the series 20 and the film 26 is advanced to bring a new group of negatives into the areaway defined by the second frame 35. The clamps 38 are put lin place and a masking sheet 28 is inserted in the other groove 27 to mask the exposed part of the sheet 19 as will be apparent from Fig. 2. This process is repeated until the sheet has all the pictures of at least one film printed thereon.

With reference toFig. 7, the film holder 23 is identical to the film holder 22 except for different dimensions as has already been noted. These differences are reiiected in the pins 40 of its film carrier 41 being so located as to be insertable in any one of the transversely alined holes of the series 21 and the masking

portions

42 and 43 of its masking means being located as dictated by the size of the negatives of the film 44.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 8-11, the film holder, generally indicated at 45, is shown as adapted for use with the base 15 and as comprising a rectangular film carrier or frame 46 of a size and shape to overlie the margins of the sheet 19. One opposite pair of frame sides is interconnected by a pair of parallel partitions 47 spaced equally from each other and from the other pair of frame sides which and the partitions 47 are provided with grooves 48 and 49 (see Fig. 1l). Proximate grooves which are disposed towards each other define passageways marginally supporting the film 50 while the outwardly disposed grooves on said frame sides receive the fianged holders 118-. thereby to connect it to the base 15.

The film holder-45 also includes masking means shown as consisting 0f transparent' members, 5.1 one for each film passageway, and these are shown as suitably masked as at 52 and 531 to provide the desired. framing of the prints, it being understood that the masking of the spaces between negatives is one of the essential functions of the members 51.

The pressure member, generally indicated at 54, is rectangular in form and includes sides 55 and partitions 56 located and dimensionsd to overlie the corresponding parts ofthe film carrier 46. The inner edges of the sides 55 and both edges of. the partitions 56 are formed with rabbets 57 and preferably all such parts include depending flanges 5S establishing second frames each engageable with the margins of a respective one of the several transparent members 51. In the case of the partition members 56, the fianges 58 establish a recess 59 receptive of the partitions 47 of the film carrier 46. 1t will be apparent that the construction of the film carrier 46 and the pressure member 53 block the passage of light between the frames. The fianges or second frames 58 are shown as rabbeted as at 60 to receive the transparent members 5.1 which may be secured thereto but obviously the members S1 may be made as an integral part of the pressure member 54. As in thev case of the

film holders

22 and 23, the transparentmembersl define areaways in which the film is exposed and the marginal masking of the film may be effected solely by the flange 5S or second frame.

In this embodiment ofk the invention, the clamping means, generally indicated `at 6i, are secured to the base 15. Suchclamping means may conveniently comprise a U-shaped' part 62 having its free ends connected to hinges 63 secured to the under surface of the base 15. A second U-shaped part, 64 has loops 65 in its free ends whose extremities encircle the closed end of the part 62. A third member 66 has its free ends entrant of theV loops 65 while its4 closed end' is engageable with the end portions ofthe pressureV plate 54 being provided' with a bearing 67 engageable therewith.

The embodiment shown in Figs. 8-ll is particularly well adapted' for use with cut film and film pack negatives. In practise, the film holder is locatedV on the base 15 with film in all ofthe passageways of its film carrier. With the clamping means 61 applied, the film is firmly pressed against the paper so that the entire sheet of photographic paper may. be printed at one time.

It will be appreciated that in any exposed film, there may be one or; more negativesl that are more or less under. or overex-posed and that correction' can be made during the printing thereof by appropriately var-.ying the exposure time.

In each embodiment, there are preferably two types of these elements. Thel first of' these is; represented bythe elements 68y of Figs. 2 and-,5 and the elements 69 of Figs. 8 and 9'. These differ one from the other only as to dimensions as occasioned by the various sizes ofk film. For example, each of the elements 69 has its base dimensioned to overlie any negative of the film 50 with its-ends 70 being upwardly inclined towards eachother withJ its Upper part having shoulders 71 eng-ageable with the rabbets 57 of the pressure member. In practise, an element, such as that shown at 72 in Fig. 6, is employed to mask the negatives at the end of the areaways. The element 72 has one end 73 upwardly inclined towards the other end thereof while its upper part has shoulders 74 projecting from the other sides thereof for engagement with the rabbets 57.

In practise and assuming that a negative is overexposed so that the printing time must be decreased for correction, as masking element is dropped in place at the end of the corrected exposure time thus enabling the printing of the remaining pictures to be continued as required by them.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the invention provides for the simultaneous printing of a plurality of pictures on a sheet of photographic paper on a basis that ensures the attractive framing and spacing of the pictures while making it possible to vary the exposure time of the negatives individually as may be required.

What I therefore claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In apparatus for use in simultaneously contact printing the negatives of a predetermined length o-f film on a sheet of photographic paper dimensioned to permit at least one row of prints of that length to be printed thereon, la base on whose upper surface the sheet rests and to which it is anchored, a film holder including a first frame member disposed on said sheet and anchored to said base in loose engagement with the edges of the film to define a slideway therefor and dimensioned to expose within it said length of film, and means to mask the margins of the framed film and the space between each of its negatives to provide a white frame for each of the pictures printed on said sheet, said means including a transparent film contacting member provided with portions effecting at least the masking of said spaces and a pressure member in engagement with the margins of said transparent member, said pressure member being in the form of a second frame within said first frame 4and vertically movable relative thereto and in light-tight relation therewith, and means to connect said pressure member to said base to press said film against said sheet.

2. In apparatus for use in simultaneous contact printing the negatives of a predetermined length of film on a sheet of photographic paper dimensioned to permit at least one row of prints of that length to be printed thereon, `a base on whose upper surface the sheet rests and to which it is anchored, a film holder including a first frame member disposed on said sheet and anchored to said base in loose engagement with the edges of the film to define a slideway therefor and dimensioned to expose within it said length of film, and means to mask the margins of the framed film and the space between each of its negatives to provide a white frame for each of the pictures printed on said sheet, said means including la transparent film contacting member provided with portions effecting at least the masking of said spaces and a pressure member in engagement with the margins of said transparent member, said pressure member being in the form of a second frame within said first frame and vertically movable relative thereto, said frames including complemental overlapping portions cooperating to block the passage `of light therebetween, and means to connect said pressure member to said base to effect the pressing of said film against said sheet.

3. In apparatus for use in simultaneously contact printing the negatives of a predetermined length of film on a sheet of photographic paper dimensioned to permit at least one row of prints of that length to be printed thereon, a base on whose upper surface the sheet rests and to which it is anchored, a film holder including a first frame member disposed on said sheet and anchored to said base and including oppositely disposed channels to slidably receive the edges of the film and dimensioned to expose within it said length of film, and means to mask the margins of the framed film and the space between each of its negatives to provide a white frame for each of the pictures printed on said sheet, said means including a transparent film contacting member, provided with portions effecting at least the masking of said spaces and a pressure member in engagement with the margins of said transparent member, said pressure member being in the form of a second frame within said first frame and vertically movable relative thereto and in light-tight relation therewith, and means to connect said pressure member to said base to effect the pressing of said film against said sheet.

4. In apparatus for use in simultaneously contact printing the negatives of a predetermined length of film on a sheet of photographic paper dimensioned to permit a plurality of rows of prints, each of that length to be printed simultaneously thereon, a base on whose upper surface the sheet rests and to which it is anchored, a film holder including a first frame member on said sheet and anchored to said base, said first frame member being sub-divided to provide `a plurality of areaways, one for each length of film to be printed and in which said film is marginally engaged, and means to mask the margins of the framed films and the space between each of their negatives to provide a White frame `for each of the pictures printed on said sheet, said means including transparent film contacting members, one for each areaway and provided with portions effecting at least the masking of said spaces, and a pressure member including a plurality of second frames one for each areaway in engagement with the margins of said transparent member, said pressure member being vertically movable relative to said first frame in light-tight relation therewith, and means to connect said pressure member to said base to press said film against said sheet.

5. In apparatus for use in simultaneously contact printing the negatives of a predetermined length of film on a sheet of photographic paper dimensioned to permit a plurality of rows `of prints, each of that length to be printed simultaneously thereon, a base on whose upper surface the sheet rests, and including a pair of flanges disposed towards each other and located to engage with opposite margins of said sheet, a film holder including a first frame member on said sheet and sub-divided to provide a plurality of areaways, one for each length of film to be printed land in which said film is marginally engaged, one pair of frame sides having grooves located to receive said flanges, and means to mask the margins of the framed films and the space between eachl of their negatives to provide ya white frame for each of the pictures printed on said sheet, said means including transparent film contacting members, one for each areaway and provided with portions effecting at least the masking of said spaces and a pressure member including a plurality of second frames one for each areaway in engagement with the margins of said transparent member, said pressure member being vertically movable relative to said first frame -and in light-tight relation therewith, and means to connect said pressure member to said base to press said film against said sheet.

6. In apparatus for use in simultaneously contact printing the negatives of a predetermined length of film on a sheet of photographic paper dimensioned to permit a plurality of ro'ws of prints, each of that length to be printed simultaneously thereon, a base on whose upper surface the sheet rests and to which it is anchored, a film holder including a first frame member on said sheet and anchored to said base, said first frame member being subdivided to provide a plurality of areaways, one for each length of film to be printed, corresponding walls of the frame having grooves on opposite sides of each areaway to receive the edges of the film, and in which said film is marginally engaged, and means to mask the margins of the framed films and the space between each of their negatives to provide a white frame for each of the pictures printed on said sheet, said means including transparent film contacting members, one for each areaway and provided with portions effecting at least the masking of said spaces, and a pressure member including a plurality of second frames one for each areaway in engagement with vthe margins of said transparent member, said pressure member being vertically movable relative to said first frame in light-tight relation therewith, and means to connect said pressure member to said base to press said film against said sheet.

7. In apparatus for use in simultaneously contact printing the negatives of a predetermined length o'f film on a sheet of photographic paper dimensioned to permit a plurality of rows of prints, each of that length to be printed simultaneously thereon, a base on whose upper surface the sheet rests and to which it is anchored, a film holder including a first frame member on said sheet and anchored to said base, said first frame member being subdivided to provide a plurality of areaways, one for each length of film to be printed and in which said film is marginally engaged, said frame member having a rabbet marginally of each areaway, and means to mask the margins of the framed films and the space between each of their negatives to provide a white frame for each of the pictures printed on said sheet, said means including transparent film contacting members, one for each areaway and provided with portions effecting at least the masking of said spaces, and a pressure member including a plurality of second frames one for each areaway in engagement with the margins of said transparent member, said pressure member being vertically movable relative to said first frame, and including shoulders cooperating with the rabbets of the first frame to block the passage of light therebetween, and means to connect said pressure member to said base to press said film against said sheet.

8. In apparatus fo'r use in simultaneously contact printing the negatives of a predetermined length of film on a sheet of photographic paper dimensioned to permit rows of prints of that length to be printed successively thereon, said film being in either of two widths, a base on whose upper surface the sheet rests, a film holder for each Width of film and including a first frame member disposed on said sheet in engagement with the edges of the film and dimensioned to expose within it said length of film, each holder including a pair of depending pins, one for each of its ends, the pins of the holder of one size being spaced apart a distance greater than those of the holder of the other size, said base having two series of pin receiving holes, one for each holder, said series including holes on opposite edges with corresponding holes of each series being transversely alined and the holes of each serios on each side being spaced from each other the distance required by the width of the frame member for the desired spacing of the rows, and means to mask the margins of the framed film and the space between each of its negatives to provide a white frame for each of the pictures printed on said sheet, said means including a transparent film contacting member provided with portions effecting at least the masking of said spaces and a pressure member in engagement with the margins of said transparent member, said pressure member being in the form of a second frame within said first frame and vertically mov* able relative thereto, and means to connect said pressure member to' said base to press said film against said sheet.

9. In apparatus for use in simultaneously contact printing the negatives of a predetermined length of film on a sheet of photographic paper dimensioned to permit rows of prints of that length to be printed successively thereon, a base on whose upper surface the sheet rests, a film holder including a first frame member disposed o'n said sheet in engagement with the edges of the film and dimensioned to expose within it said length of film, the sides of said frame having grooves extending from end to end thereof to receive masking sheets to overlie ex.- posed portions of said photographic sheet, and means to mask the margins of the framed film and the space between each of its negatives to provide a white frame for each of the pictures printed on said sheet, said means in cluding a transparent film contacting member provided with portions effecting at least the masking of said spaces and a pressure member in engagement with the margins of said transparent member, said pressure member being in the form of a second frame within said first frame and vertically movable relative thereto, and means to connect said pressure member to said base to press said film against said sheet.

10. In apparatus for use in simultaneously contact printing the negatives of a predetermined length of film on a sheet of photographic paper dimensioned to permit rows of prints of that length to be printed thereon, a -base on whose upper surface the sheet rests, a film holder including a first frame member disposed on said sheet -in engagement with the edges of the film and dimensioned to expose within it said length of film, the inner edge of said frame having a marginal rabbet, and means to mask the margins of the framed film and the space `between each of its negatives to provide a white frame for each of the pictures printed on said sheet, said means including a transparent film contacting member provided with portions effecting at least the masking of said spaces and a pressure member including a second `frame entrant of said frame and in engagement with the margins of said transparent member, and a shouldered part cooperating with said rabbet to block the passage of light between said frames, said pressure member being in the form of a second frame within said first frame and vertically movable relative thereto, and means to connect said pressure member to said base to press said film against said sheet.

l1. In apparatus for use in simultaneously contact printing the negatives of a predetermined length of film on a sheet of photographic paper `dimensioned to permit a r'ow of prints of that length to be printed simultaneously thereon, a base on whose upper surface the sheet rests, a film holder including a first frame member on said sheet in which said film is marginally engaged, and means to mask the margins of the framed film and the space between each of its negatives to provide a white `frame for each of the pictures printed on said sheet, said means including a transparent film contacting member provided with portions effecting at least the masking of said spaces, and a pressure member including a second `frame in engagement with the margins of said transparent member, said pressure member being vertically movable relative to said first frame, means to connect said pressure member to said base to press said film against said sheet, and a masking element removably supported by said pressure member dimensioned and disposed to block the light from a subjacent negative.

12. In apparatus for use in simultaneously contact printing the negatives of a predetermined length of film on a sheet of photographic paper dimensioned to permit a row of prints of that length to be printed simultaneously thereon, a base on whose upper surface the sheet rests, a film holder including a first frame member on said sheet in which said film is marginally engaged, and means to mask the margins of the `framed film and the space between each of its negatives to provide a White frame for each of the pictures printed on said sheet, said means including a transparent film contacting member provided with portions effecting at least the masking of said spaces, and a pressure member including a second frame in engagement with the margins of said transparent member and marginal rabbets, said pressure member being vertically movable relative to said first frame, means to connect said pressure member to said base to press said film against said sheet, and a masking element removably supported by said pressure member dimensioned and disposed to block lthe light from a subjacent negative, said element including side flanges engageable with said rabbets and having its ends inclined upwardly towards each other.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 10 Wehrli Oct. 23, 1923 Kalmanovitch Jan. 19, 1926 Bornmann Jan. 12, 1932 Marks Nov. 24, 1936 Lewis Apr. 3, 1937 Kadel et al. May 13, 1941 Neu July 21, 1942 Grover Nov. 9, 1948 Kessler June 21, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain of 1913 Germany Nov. 20,