US3773414A

US3773414A - Slide loader

Info

Publication number: US3773414A
Application number: US00103979A
Authority: US
Inventors: T Kowalski
Original assignee: Honeywell Inc
Current assignee: Pentax Corp
Priority date: 1971-01-05
Filing date: 1971-01-05
Publication date: 1973-11-20
Anticipated expiration: 1990-11-20

Abstract

A slide loading apparatus wherein: 1. A casing is employed as a magazine to support a stack of slides that are to be successively fed by a slide changer into a display device, such as a slide projector, and wherein a shuttle is employed to apply a force to the second and the remaining slides in the stack of slides behind the second slide as a unit to push them away from the back surface of the leading slide so that the leading slide in the stack can be freely moved into the projector without slide interlock occurring between each leading slide, and its associated second slide; 2. A specially constructed support member is employed for conveniently mounting the tray in a fixed position on the side of the magazine casing between the inner ends of spaced apart protuberances that protrude from the side of the trough of the projector.

Description

United States Patent [1 1 Kowalski [451 Nov. 20, 1973 SLIDE LOADER Thomas Kowalskl, Denver, Colo.

Assignee: Honeywell, Inc., Minneapolis, Minn.

Filed: Jan. 5, 1971 Appl. No.: 103,979

Inventor:

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 4/1955 Lessman 353/104 10/1941 Darwin 353/104 3,423,863 l/1969 Heisler..... 353/104 3,238,653 3/1966 Wiklund 353/104 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 239,383 10/1911 Germany 353/106 Primary Examiner-Louis R. Prince h Assistant Examiner-Steven L. Stephan Stevenson ABSTRACT A slide loader having a U-shaped casing supporting a stack of slides therein, a spring biased shuttle plate moveable by a slide indexing mechanism along a side of the casing to a latched position with the casing, said shuttle plate being connected to a slide changer of a display device and operable to effect a release of the shuttle from said latched position to a position in which a force applied by the shuttle is effective to bias the second and remaining slides in the stack away from the leading slide as the latter is moved out of the easing into the display device, thereby allowing free passage of the leading slide from the casing to the display device.

10 Claims, 11 Drawing Figures PAIENTElluuvzo ms SHEET 10F 4 oow 32$ m2 INENTOR. THOMAS R. KOWALSKI BY W AGENT.

PAIENTEDnnvzo 191s SHEET E OF 4 FIG. 2

INVENTOR. THOMAS R. KOWALSKI AGENT.

PATENTED NEW 20 I973 SHEET 3 [IF 4 www INVENTOR. THOMAS R. KOWALSKI AGENT.

SLIDE LOADER It is an object of the present invention to provide a slide loading apparatus with a shuttle unit for engaging each slide as it is moved into the second slide position in a stack of slides so that the second slide and other remaining slides in the stack of slides can be moved away from the leading slide in the stack as the leading slide is moved past the second slide into an associated display device, such as a slide projector, to thereby avoid the marginal surfaces of each leading and second slide from being interlocked with one another.

It is another object of the present invention to pro- -vide a characteristically'shaped support member for These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become more clearly apparent when the following description is read in conjunction with the attached drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevation view of the stack loader support member in contact with the magazine support members mounted in the side wall of the trough of the projector and a front elevation view of the shuttle plate;

FIG. 2 is an elevation view through section 2-2 of FIG. 1 with the pressure plates removed to show the shuttle plate, the slotted wall in the first partition, the slide pushing arm passing therethrough and how the stack loader is supported against longitudinal movement on tray support buttons of the projector;

FIG. 3 is an elevation view through section 3-3 of FIG. 1 with the pressure plates removed to show the shuttle plate and the relationship of one of the two aforementioned resilient plates with the casing and second partition;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the stack type slide loading apparatus showing the shuttle plate in its unlatched pusher-arms of a slide changer commencing to push the 4 leading slide in the tray toward the gripping jaws of the slide changing mechanism;

"FIG. 7 shows the shuttle plate of the slide loading apparatus in an unlatched position for applying a force to the trailing front marginal portion of the next to leading slide in the stack to move the stack away from the leading-slide as the leading slide is simultaneously pushed by the pusher into partial engagement with agripping jaw of the slide changing mechanism;

FIG. 8 shows a view of the shuttle plate in a similar position to thatshown in FIG. 7, and after the pusher of the slide changing mechanism has pushed ,the leading=slide into 'a fully engaged position with the gripping jaw'and has returned toa position in the projector casing that is located outside the slide loading apparatus;

FIG. 9 shows the position of the slide and gripper after they have been moved to a preview position in the projector;

FIG. 10 shows the position of the previously mentioned slides and gripper of the slide changing member in their respective preview and projecting show positions and an arrow to indicate the direction the slides are moved during their return to the stack loader;

FIG. 11 shows the position that the first and second slides will be in as their after ends are jointly being kicked by a kicker plate, not shown, on their return stroke to the dummy and take-up sections of the magazine.

Referring now to FIGS. 1-4 there is shown a unique stacked type magazine 10 mounted in a trough 12 of a slide projector 14. A typical projector shown by way of illustration in these FIGS. l4 into which the magazine 10 can be mounted is provided with means for previewing a slide before it is moved into a projecting, or show, position.

A more detailed description of this preview type slide projector and the slide changing mechanism associated therewith can be had by referring to the Stephen Blecher et al U.S. Patent application, Ser. No. 759,608.

The stack type magazine or tray 10 is of a unitary U- shaped configuration and is comprised of two side portions l6, l8 and a base portion 20 extending therebetween. A portion that is integral with the U-shaped portion extends as is best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 in a horizontal plane outwardly'from a top and side portion 18.

A slotted out wall portion 24 is formed in the horizontal portion 22 that extends from one end of the plate portion 22 to its other end. Two

pressure plates

26, 28 having associated

finger gripping portions

30, 32, and associated slide engagIng

portions

34, 36 are each shown having an inverted tee shaped

base portion

38, 40 extending through the slotted wall 24 for sliding movement therealong.

Although not shown in detail it should be understood that a suitable coil spring 41 is employed that extends from a connection at the left end of the tee shaped base portion 38 shown in FIG. 4 below the horizontal plate 22 into engagement with a vertical bent down right end portion 42 of the plate 22 in order to force the pressure plate 26 against the stack of the slides 50.

In a similar manner another suitable coil spring 43 is employed that extends from the connection at the right end of the tee shaped base portion 40 shown in FIGS. 2-4 below the horizontal plate 22 into engagement with a vertical bent down left end portion 52 of the plate 22 in order to force the pressure plate 28 against the stack of slides 54.

A unitary support member 56 that is preferably made of a suitable tough plastic material is shown in FIGS. 1-3 having an upper portion which extends beyond the ends of the horizontal plate 22 and is slidably fitted in assembled relation therewith by means of a thin elongated slotted out apertured wall portion 58 that is slid over the entire elongated edge portion 60 of the horizontal plate 22.

FIGS. 2 and 4 show suitable vertically channelled out apertured .

wall portions

61, 62 formed at the opposite ends of the support member 56 for slidably fitting in assembled relationship over associated right and left end bent down

vertical portions

42, 52 of horizontal plate 22.

FIGS. 1-3 show the unitary support member 56 having

side portions

64, 66 that are adjacent the side portion 18 of the tray and

lower portions

68, 70 that extends under and in snug relationship with the base plate 20 of the tray 10.

FIG. 1 shows cylindrically shaped embossed

spacers

72, 74, 76, 78 formed on the inner surface of the

side portions

64, 66 of the support member 56 which extend to the outer surface of the side portion 18 of the tray 10. A suitable number of connections such as

screws

80, 82, 84, 86 are employed as shown in FIG.' 1 which extend through the vertical side plates 18 of the magazine and are threadedly engaged with the embossed spacers 72-78 to retain the

side portions

64, 66 of support member 56 in a fixed position on the U-shaped tray 10 after member 56 has been moved into its slidably assembled position with'the tray 10.

The right and left ends of the support member 56 have triangular

shaped recess portions

88, 90 for vertical sliding engagement with the

front face

92, 94 of associated

protuberances

96, 98 that are attached to and which protrude inwardly away from the inner wall of an outside of the trough 12 of the projector 14.

The

protuberances

96, 98 may for example be mounted on the side wall of trough 12 in a manner similar to that set forth in the Stephen Blecher Patent application Ser. No. 24,582.

Each of the

edges

100, 102 of support member 56 that protrudes upwardly from their associated recessed portion are brought into engagement with the vertical

inner end surfaces

104, 106 of the

protuberances

96, 98, as shown-in FIG. 1.

When the support 56 of tray 10 is engaged with the

protuberances

96, 98 in the manner shown in FIG. 1 it will be retained in a fixed position and no longitudinal movement of the tray can occur.

The stacked type magazine 10 has a pair of stationary spaced apart

partitions

108, 110, preferably made of a tough plastic material, which is in each case fixedly connected at their respective

upper portions

112, 114 by any suitable means such as

dowel connections

115, 116 as shown in FIG. 2. The partition 110 also has

side guides

117, 118 that protrude therefrom.

The bottom of these

partitions

108, 110 have protuberances for example 120, 121 that pass through apertures forming e.g. wall portion 122 in the bottom of the magazine 10 and which are firmly connected therewith.

The magazine tray 10 is thus divided into three sections. A first one of these sections 124 is located to the left of the partition 108 shown in FIG. 1 or the area in which the supply of slides 50 can be stacked between the pressure plate 26 and the left side of the first partition 108 as is best shown in FIG. 5.

A second section 126 is formed by the space between the

partition

108 and 110 which can be referred to as the dummy section. The third section 127 is located to the right of the partition 110 and provides, as shown in FIG. 1, a slide take-up area into which the slides 54 can be stacked after they have been previewed and projected as will hereinafter be described.

A first resilient plate 228 preferably made from a thin piece of steel is shown in FIGS. 2 and 4. The resilient plate 128 is retained in a fixed position at its inner end against three parts of a wall forming a slotted out wall portion for example 130 formed in the side 18 of the magazine 10 by means of the three

inner end portions

132, 134, 136 of the first partition 108.

A second resilient plate 138 is also retained in a fixed position at its inner end against wall portions for example 141, 142 formed in the side 18 of the magazine 10 by means of the

inner end portions

144, 146 of the second partition 110.

The side 18 of the magazine 10 has an embossed portion 148. A spring plate member 150 is retained on the side portion 148 by means of the rivet 152. The end of the spring plate member 150 is retained in a non rotatable position on embossed portion 148 by means of the bent portion 154 that protrudes into the apertured slotted wall portion 156 formed in the embossed portion 148.

The left end of member 150 has a bent portion 158 that extends through the side wall 18 and along the inner surfaces of the resilient plate 128 to apply a spring force to the inside surface of the plate 128 in order to retain plate 128 in snug engagement with the inner surface of the stationary partition 108.

The left end of the number 150 has a second bent portion 160 that extends through the side wall 18 and along the inner surface of the second resilient plate 138 to apply a spring force to the outside side surface of the plate 138 in order to retain the plate 138 in snug engagement with the inner surface of the stationary partition 110.

The side wall 18 of the magazine 10 is slotted at 162 adjacent and on either side of the slotted out

wall portions

164, 166 that are formed in the

partitions

108, 110 in order to accommodate the passage of a unitary pair of

pusher arms

168, 170 therethrough as is shown in FIGS. l-3.

Details of the

pusher arms

168, 170, FIGS. 2 and 3,

y and related spring bias slide gripping jaw unit 172 shown in FIGS. 5-11 which include a stationary centrally positioned member 174 and

gripping jaws

176, 178 associated with the opposite sides of the member 172 as well as the mechanism to move the pusher arms 168, and gripping jaw unit 172 are described in detail in the Blecher et al US. Patent application, Ser. No. 759,608.

OPERATION When the stacked type magazine 10 is mounted against longitudinal movement on one side of the trough as shown in FIG. 1 the base portion 20 of the magazine 10 that is adjacent the other free side of the magazine will rest on a raised support portion 180 of the trough 12 of the projector 14 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

A stack of slides 50 are placed in the first or slide supply section 124 between the spring biased pressure plate 26 and the partition 108 as shown in FIG. 4.

The

unitary pusher arms

168, 170 are moved by the previously mentioned slide changing mechanism through an apertured wall 182, formed in the inner wall of the side wall of the trough 14 of the projector, through the apertured wall portion 162 formed in the side wall 18 of the magazine 10 and thence into the inner most dashed line position shown for these

pusher arms

168, 170 in FIGS. 2 and 3.

As this movement of the

pusher arms

168, 170 takes place the first leading slide 184 at the right end of this stack of slides 50 will be moved by the pusher arm 168 from the supply section 124 in tray 10 past the outer ends 186', 187 of resilient plate 128, as shown in FIGS. 4-6. This resilient plate 128 in turn is biased into physical contact with the first leading slide 184 as shown in dash line form in FIG. 4 as the slide 184 is moved to a position between the left gripping jaw l76 arid the,

member 174.

The previously referred to slide changing mechanism will then cause the gripping jaw unit 172 to pull the slide 184 toward and into contact with

stops

188, 189 where the slide will be in a position to be previewed as shown in FIG. 9.

After previewing slide 184 in the preview position (FIG. 9) the slide changing mechanism moves the slide gripping jaw unit back to its initial FIG. 4 position and in the direction of the arrow 190 shown in FIG. 9. While this takes place the slide 184 will be kicked by a kicker arm of the slide changing mechanism, not shown, in the direction indicated by the arrow 190 as shown in FIG. 9 and thence into the dummy slot 126, or in other words, an inner section 192 formed between the partitions 108, 1 10 and on the right side of the resilient plate 128.

It should be noted that the bent ends 186, 187, of the resilient member 128 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4 will prevent the slide 184 from returning to its original position in the supply section 124 as is shown in more detail form in copending Stephen Blecher patent application Case No. 3703. A bent resilient slide retaining plate 193 is fixedly connected as shown in FIGS. 4-8 to the partition 108 to resiliently retain each slide in the magazine 10 after it is returned to the dummy section 126 in the aforementioned manner.

The pusher arms 168,170 are again advanced thru the

slots

164, 166 in the magazine 10 as shown in FIGS.

2 and 3 to simultaneously-move the first slide 184 in the dummy slot 192 along with the second slide .194, that is the supply stack of slides 50 out of the tray 10. As this movement takes place a biasing force will be applied by the

ends

186, 187, and 196 of the

resilient member

128, 138 to their associated slides 184; 194.

The slides 194; 184 are thus pushed by the pushing

arms

168, 170 in the aforementioned manner into gripping relationship between the opposite sides of member 174 and the associated left and right

gripping jaws

176, 178 of the slide gripping jaw unit 172.

The previously referred to slide changing mechanism will then cause the gripping jaw unit 172 to pull the

slides

184, 194 against separate pairs of

stops

189, 190, 198, 200 and into separate positions referred to in the drawing as the show position, or in other words, the projecting position, and a preview position shown in FIG. 10.

After the aforementioned simultaneous projection and previewing of the

slides

194, 184 have taken place the slide changing mechanism will move the slide gripping jaw unit 172 back to its initial FIG. 1 position and in the direction of the arrow shown in FIG. 10. While this takes place the

slide

184, 194 will be jointly kicked bya kicker arm of the slide changing mechanism, not shown, in the direction indicated by the arrow 202 as shown in FIG. 11.

FIG. 14, shows how the first kicked slide 184 is then directed by the bent end 196, bevelled edge 204, FIG. 3, and embossed portion 206 shown in FIG. 3 into the third or take-up section 127 of the stack type magazine 10.

The second kicked slide 194 of the supply stack of slides 50 will be returned to the dummy slot 192 because the leading ends 'l86, 187 of the resilient plate member 128 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4 will prevent the slide 184 from returning to its original position in the supply section 124.

After the

slides

184, 194 have been moved into there associated take-up and dummy sections 208; 126 of the stack type magazine 10 the pushing

arms

168, 170 are again moved into the slotted portions-164, 166 in the

partitions

108, 110 to simultaneously push the second slide 194 out of the dummy section 126 into the space between the gripping jaws 178 and the central portion 174 and the third slide 210 in the supply of slides into the space between the jaws 176 and the central portion 174.

Slides

210, 194 are then advanced by the slide moving mechanism to a preview and show position and then returned to associated take-up and dummy sections 208, 192 of the magazine 10 in the same manner as that previously described for the first and

second slides

184, 194. I i

It can be seen from the aforementioned description that this two partition three section magazine 10 provides a slide storage section 124 for a series of slides 50 from which slides can be sequentially moved into a preview position, a second or dummy section 126 into which slides can be stored after they have been previewed and before they have been moved by a slide changing mechanism to a showor projecting position and a third or take-up section 127 into which the slides returning from the last mentioned position can be stored.

A unique shuttle unit 212, to'be hereinafter described, is employed as shown in FIGS. l-8 to permit each leading slide for example 184 from becoming interlocked with the slide that is immediately adjacent this leading slide, for example, 194 while this leading slide is moved through and away from the supply section 124 of the magazine past the slide 194 toward the preview position in the projector 14.

' It should also be understood that although this shuttle unit 212 is being described herein for freely feeding slides one at a time along a tray and into a position for previewing any preview type projector it can be employed equally as well to freely feed slides along a tray and into a projecting position for projecting on an ex ternal screen in any display unit, such as a slide projector that does not contain a preview screen.

The shuttle unit 212 is in the fonn of a plate 214 that is of a substantially rectangular shaped configuration as is best shown in FIG. 1. This shuttle plate 214 has four spaced apart elongated

apertured wall portions

216, 218, 220, 222 that fit over associated dual cylindrical

shapedembossed guide portions

224, 226, 228, 230 that are integral with and which protrude from the sup- .port member 56. The purpose of the aforementioned embossed portions 224-230 is to provide a surface along which longitudinal slidable contact of the shuttle plate 214 can take place. I I

The shuttle plate 214 contains a pair of

apertured wall portions

232, 234 to reduce the weight of the plate 214. The shuttle plate 214 also has an apertured wall 236 in the left end portion as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 4 into which one end of a coil spring 238 is attached.

The other end of the coil spring is shown attached while in a slightly stretched position to a pin 340 that forms an integral part of the support member 56 which in turn is fixed against longitudinal movement between the

protuberances

96 and 98.

FIG. 1 shows a wall 242 forming a slot in the shuttle plate 214 and a slide pushing arm portion 244 having a bent inner end 246 that forms a surface portion of this slotted wall 242 which is bent so it can protrude through the side of the magazine 10 as shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 1 also shows another wall 248 that forms a slot in the upper portion of the shuttle plate 214 and a second slide pushing arm portion 250 having a bent inner end 252 that forms a surface portion of the slotted wall 248 that is bent so it also protrudes through the side of the magazine 10 as shown in FIG. 4.

The shuttle unit 212 has a pawl 254 made of a resilient spring material that is attached by means of

rivets

256, 258 to the shuttle plate 214. The other end of the pawl 254 has a bent part 260 that forms a portion which protrudes into the space between two

teeth

262, 264 of the indexing means such as the pinion 266 shown in FIG. 4.

When the pinion 266 is rotatably indexed one tooth length in a clockwise direction the protruding portion 260 of the pawl 254 and the shuttle plate 214 to which it is attached and the slide pushing

arm portions

244, 250 will be moved as a unit to the right along the embossed guide portion 220 226 from the position shown in FIG. 1 to a load position as shown in FIG. 5.

When the shuttle unit 212 has been moved into the position shown in FIG. 5 the slide pushing

arms portions

244, 250 will have been moved into the associated slotted

wall portion

268, 270 of the partition 108 as shown in FIG. 2. In this FIG. 5 position the leading slide 184 will be in face-to-face contact with the left side surface 272 of the partition 108 and in contact with a leading end surface portion 274 of this partition 108. As the slide moving mechanism in the projector 14 is activated to move the pusher arms I68, 170 through apertured walls, formed in the shuttle plate 214, through the side wall 18 of the magazine and from their position shown in FIG. 7 a forward end of the right pusher arm 170 will engage a bent portion 276 forming a lower end of a substantially .l-shaped latch member 278 to move it inward and along the recessed surface 280 of partition 110 in the direction of the arrow 282 as shown in FIG. 3. As this inward movement of the latch member 278 takes place its embossed portion 284 thereon will cause one end of a wire spring 286 to be moved to the right of its position as shown in FIG. 3.

Since the central portion of the spring 286 is wound about an embossed portion 288 and its other end is forced against the partition 1 10 under a sill portion 290 of the partition 110, energy will thus be stored in the spring as its forward end is moved to the right by the inward motion of the J-shaped member.

The partition 110 also has two slotted out members 292, 294 protruding therefrom to support the J-shaped member 278 for sliding movement thereon.

As the .l-shaped member 278 is moved inward by the movement of the pusher arm 170 its left end portion 296 will be moved out of locking engagement with the apertured wall portion 298 formed in the shuttle plate 214. The shuttle plate 214 will then be free to be moved to therelease or in other words unlatched position shown in FIGS. 4, 7 and 8 and by the stored energy in spring 238 shown in FIG. I.

As the shuttle plate 214 moves from its latched position shown in FIG. 6 to its release position in FIG. 7 the slide pushing

arm portion

244, 250 will be allowed to push the second slide 194 in the stack and all of the slides behind it in the stack 50 to the left and in a direction that is away from the rear surface of leading slide 184. It is therefore possible in the aforementioned man- 'ner to continue to move the leading slide 184, while keeping it out of interlocking contact with slide 194, from its position shown in FIG. 6 throughits FIG. 7 position and thence to a position as shown in FIG. 8 where it is fully engaged with the gripper 176 of the slide gripping unit 172 and where it is moved to a display position in the projector 14.

When the leading slide has been moved to a fully engaged position with the gripping jaws 176 as shown in FIG. 8 the pusher arms are moved outwardly of the side of the magazine 10 and the index pinion of the projector 14 is again activated to move the pawl 254 and the shuttle plate 214 to the right of of the position shown in FIG. 8.

During the aforementioned movement the latch engaging portion 2960f the J-shaped latch member 278 that is mounted in the stationary partition will be kept in contact with the back of the shuttle plate as the shuttle plate is moved to the right of the position shown in FIG. 7 and until the apertured portion 298 in the shuttle plate 278 is brought into alignment and into lock engagement with the J-shaped latch portion 296 by the force of spring 286.

When the leading slide 184 has been moved into a display position, for example, a preview position and it is returned to the dummy slot 126 as previously described the pusher arms of the slide 168, will again be moved forward. The right arm 170 will again engage embossed portion 284 and the latch 278 and the wire spring 284 will again be moved inward in the direction of the arrow 282 shown in FIG. 3. This will again cause the force of the

shuttle plate arms

244, 250 to be applied against the slide 210 to move this slide 210 and the slides behind it away from the new leading slide 194. This action will thus allow the slide 194 to be moved through the magazine toward the gripper jaws 172 without becoming interlocked with slide 210.

It can be seen from the aforementioned description that the shuttle plate disclosed herein therefore provides an apparatus that will enable each successive slide e.g. 184, 194, 210 in a stack of slides 50, as it becomes a lead slide, to be pushed freely past an immediately adjacent slide in the stack 50. A unique solution is therefore described that will prevent slide interlock from occurring when stack loaders are used to feed slides one at a time into display devices such as a projector used to project slides onto an external screen and/or projectors that are provided with a previewing facility.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A slide magazine in which a plurality of slides are stacked for use with a slide display device, said display device having a trough in which said magazine is removably supported, said display device also including a slide changing mechanism which feeds successive slides from said stack into the display device, said magazine comprising a casing for supporting said stack of slides and a member connected to the casing for movement along the casing as the leading slide of the stack is fed by the slide changing mechanism and into contact with the second slide of the stack to move the second slideand the remaining stack of slides away from the leading line thereby assuring a free unobstructed passage for-the leading slide past the second slide as it is fed by the slide changing mechanism.

2. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the display device is a slide projector, the member is connected for movement away from said stack of slides to a first position on said casing by an indexing means and said slide changer being operably connected with the member while it is moving said leading slide through said magazine towards a viewing position in said projector to effect movement of the member away from the last mentioned position into said first mentioned contact with said second slide.

3. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the movable member has a biasing means that extends between the member and said casing to apply a biasing force in one direction to retain said member in contact with said second slide, means for moving the member along said casing to a position that is distant from said slides and in a direction that is in direct opposition to the force supplied by said biasing means, means to retain the member in a latched position with said casing while in said last mentioned position, said slide changer being operable while it is employed to move the leading first slide of said stack of slides in said casing toward a slide display portion of said display device to release said retaining means from its latched position and to thereby allow the biasing means to effect movement of said member away from said last mentioned position into said first mentioned spring biased contact with said second slide.

4. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the display device is a slide projector, and wherein the member is provided with spaced apart arm portions to engage and move associated top and bottom trailing front marginal proportions of said second slide away from said leading slide while the leading slide is moved towards its said display position by said slide changer.

5. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the display device is a slide projector, the casing has at least one partitioning means therein, the magazine is adapted to be supported against longitudinal movement'on spaced apart protuberances extending from a side wall of the trough of the projector and wherein means are provided to shuttle said member between a first position that is out of contact with said second slide to a position where it is in spring biased contact with said second slide and wherein said member has portions that engage said second slide which protrude through an apertured wall portion formed in an outer side wall of the casing and into a slotted out apertured wall portion formed in said partitioning means after said member is shuttled into contact with said second slide.

6. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the display device is a slide projector, the casing has two side walls and two spaced apart partitions therein, said magazine being constructed for mounting in a fixed position in said trough of the projector, means are provided to shuttle said member between a first position that is out of contact with said second slide and a second position .where it is in contact with said second slide, said member having portions to engage said second slide, said slide engaging portions being operable to protrude through an apertured wall portion formed in an outer one of said side walls of the casing and into a slotted out apertured wall portion formed in a first one of said partitions When said member is in said first out of slide contact positions,'said second partition having a spring biased latching means mounted for movement in an apertured wall portion thereof, toward and away from said member, said latching means being positioned to engage a slotted wall portion in said member to retain the member in a latched position with said casing while said slideengaging portions of said member are retained in said first out of slide contact position, said latching means also having a detent extending therefrom, said slide changer being operable to move said detent and its associated latching means away from engagement with said member to effect movement of the member and its slide engaging portions into contact with said'second slide.

7. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein a latching means is employed to retain the member in nonmovable engagement with the casing before the member is moved toward said second slide, a biasing means is positioned between said member and said casing to apply a biasing force to said member in a direction toward said second slide while said latching means retains said member in nonmovable engagement with said casing, said slide changer being operably assowherein spring biased pressure plates are mounted in slides to be in angular contact with said partition and each of the remaining slides in said stack behind said leading slide to be disposed at slightly different angles with one another while the biasing force of said pressure plates is applied to the end slide of said stack of slides.

9. A slide loading apparatus comprising a casing for supporting a stack of slides that are adapted to be successively fed by a slide changer into a display device, a shuttle plate connected to the casing for movement along the easing into contact with a second slide that is immediately adjacent the leading slide in said stack to move said second slide and the remaining stack of slides away from said leading slide thereby assuring free unobstructed passage of the leading slide past the second slide as the leading slide is moved by the slide changer through said casing toward said display device, spring biased pressure plate is employed to retain the marginal flat surface of each of the slides in the stack in contact with one another, said casing having two side walls, said shuttle plate being slidably mounted foR reciprocal movement along one of the sides of said casing, a biasing means extending between said casing and said shuttle plate, a resilient detent mounted on said shuttle plate, an indexing member operably connected for rotatable movement adjacent said casing, said resilient detent being engagable with the surface of two adjacent teeth formed on said indexing member to thereby effect movement of said shuttle plate away from engagement with said second slide to a second position and against the bias of said biasing means when tle plate into biasing engagement with said second slide as it simultaneously moves said leading slide toward said display device.

10. A slide loading apparatus comprising a casing for supporting a stack of slides that are adapted to be successively fed by a slide changer into a display device, a shuttle plate connected to the casing for movement along the casing into contact with a second slide that is immediately adjacent .the leading slide in said stack to move said second slide and the remaining stack of slides away from said leading slide thereby assuring free unobstructed passage of the leading slide past the second slide as the leading slide is moved by the slide changer through said casing toward said display device, a biasing means extends between the casing and said shuttle plate to retain the latter in force applying contact with the second slide, the casing has two side walls and is fixedly positioned in the trough of said display device, the shuttle plate is slidably mounted for movement along one of said sides of the casing, a resilient pawl is fixed to and protrudes from said shuttle plate, a rotatable pinion is mounted on said display device juxtaposed said casing, the teeth of said rotatable pinion are sequentially brought into contact with said pawl to move the shuttle plate in a direction away from said second slide and against the force of said biasing means to a second position, a means for latching said shuttle plate to said casing in said last mentioned second position, and said slide changer having a first portion operably positioned to engage and unlatch said latching means to thereby allow the force of said biasing means to return said shuttle plate to its said force applying contact position with said second slide while said lead-v ing slide is moved through said casing toward said display position by another portion of said slide changer.

Claims

1. A slide magazine in which a plurality of slides are stacked for use with a slide display device, said display device havinG a trough in which said magazine is removably supported, said display device also including a slide changing mechanism which feeds successive slides from said stack into the display device, said magazine comprising a casing for supporting said stack of slides and a member connected to the casing for movement along the casing as the leading slide of the stack is fed by the slide changing mechanism and into contact with the second slide of the stack to move the second slide and the remaining stack of slides away from the leading line thereby assuring a free unobstructed passage for the leading slide past the second slide as it is fed by the slide changing mechanism.

5. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the display device is a slide projector, the casing has at least one partitioning means therein, the magazine is adapted to be supported against longitudinal movement on spaced apart protuberances extending from a side wall of the trough of the projector and wherein means are provided to shuttle said member between a first position that is out of contact with said second slide to a position where it is in spring biased contact with said second slide and wherein said member has portions that engage said second slide which protrude through an apertured wall portion formed in an outer side wall of the casing and into a slotted out apertured wall portion formed in said partitioning means after said member is shuttled into contact with said second slide.

6. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the display device is a slide projector, the casing has two side walls and two spaced apart partitions therein, said magazine being constructed for mounting in a fixed position in said trough of the projector, means are provided to shuttle said member between a first position that is out of contact with said second slide and a second position where it is in contact with said second slide, said member having portions to engage said second slide, said slide engaging portions being operable to protrude through an apertured wall portion formed in an outer one of said side walls of the casing and into a slotted out apertured wall portion formed in a first one of saId partitions When said member is in said first out of slide contact positions, said second partition having a spring biased latching means mounted for movement in an apertured wall portion thereof, toward and away from said member, said latching means being positioned to engage a slotted wall portion in said member to retain the member in a latched position with said casing while said slide engaging portions of said member are retained in said first out of slide contact position, said latching means also having a detent extending therefrom, said slide changer being operable to move said detent and its associated latching means away from engagement with said member to effect movement of the member and its slide engaging portions into contact with said second slide.

7. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein a latching means is employed to retain the member in nonmovable engagement with the casing before the member is moved toward said second slide, a biasing means is positioned between said member and said casing to apply a biasing force to said member in a direction toward said second slide while said latching means retains said member in nonmovable engagement with said casing, said slide changer being operably associated with said latching means to release said member from said latching engagement with said casing and to thereby allow stored energy in said biasing means to force the member into contact with said slide that is next to said leading slide in said stack while it simultaneously moves said leading slide past said second slide toward said display device.

8. The slide loading apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein spring biased pressure plates are mounted in said casing and at least one partitioning means is employed to separate said casing into slide retaining sections, said partitioning means being constructed to allow the margins of said leading slide of said stack of slides to be in angular contact with said partition and each of the remaining slides in said stack behind said leading slide to be disposed at slightly different angles with one another while the biasing force of said pressure plates is applied to the end slide of said stack of slides.

9. A slide loading apparatus comprising a casing for supporting a stack of slides that are adapted to be successively fed by a slide changer into a display device, a shuttle plate connected to the casing for movement along the casing into contact with a second slide that is immediately adjacent the leading slide in said stack to move said second slide and the remaining stack of slides away from said leading slide thereby assuring free unobstructed passage of the leading slide past the second slide as the leading slide is moved by the slide changer through said casing toward said display device, spring biased pressure plate is employed to retain the marginal flat surface of each of the slides in the stack in contact with one another, said casing having two side walls, said shuttle plate being slidably mounted foR reciprocal movement along one of the sides of said casing, a biasing means extending between said casing and said shuttle plate, a resilient detent mounted on said shuttle plate, an indexing member operably connected for rotatable movement adjacent said casing, said resilient detent being engagable with the surface of two adjacent teeth formed on said indexing member to thereby effect movement of said shuttle plate away from engagement with said second slide to a second position and against the bias of said biasing means when said indexing member is rotated in one direction and to be flexed outwardly of the teeth without transfer of movement to the shuttle plate when said indexing member is rotated in the opposite direction, a latch to retain said shuttle plate in said second position and said slide changer being operably connected to engage and release said latch of said shuttle plate from said second position and allow the biasing means to return the shuttle plate into biasing engagement with saId second slide as it simultaneously moves said leading slide toward said display device.

10. A slide loading apparatus comprising a casing for supporting a stack of slides that are adapted to be successively fed by a slide changer into a display device, a shuttle plate connected to the casing for movement along the casing into contact with a second slide that is immediately adjacent the leading slide in said stack to move said second slide and the remaining stack of slides away from said leading slide thereby assuring free unobstructed passage of the leading slide past the second slide as the leading slide is moved by the slide changer through said casing toward said display device, a biasing means extends between the casing and said shuttle plate to retain the latter in force applying contact with the second slide, the casing has two side walls and is fixedly positioned in the trough of said display device, the shuttle plate is slidably mounted for movement along one of said sides of the casing, a resilient pawl is fixed to and protrudes from said shuttle plate, a rotatable pinion is mounted on said display device juxtaposed said casing, the teeth of said rotatable pinion are sequentially brought into contact with said pawl to move the shuttle plate in a direction away from said second slide and against the force of said biasing means to a second position, a means for latching said shuttle plate to said casing in said last mentioned second position, and said slide changer having a first portion operably positioned to engage and unlatch said latching means to thereby allow the force of said biasing means to return said shuttle plate to its said force applying contact position with said second slide while said leading slide is moved through said casing toward said display position by another portion of said slide changer.