Apparatus for packaging and for using self-developing photographic film

A self-developing photographic film cassette comprising:

• a plurality of self-developing photographic film units each having an image area of given length intermediate a leading and trailing edge and arranged in sequential stacked relation from first forwardmost to last with respect to each other;
• leader means for at least interconnecting the trailing edge of each film unit to the leading edge of the immediately succeeding film unit in said stack;
• housing means for holding said stacked film units, said housing means having a forward generally planar wall member adjacent said forwardmost film unit with an exposure window therethrough of substantially the same length as said given length, said housing means additionally including wall means defining an elongated film discharge slot in generally parallel spaced apart relation with respect to the leading edge of the forwardmost of said film units, said wall means including a backward generally planar wall member spaced apart from said forward wall member in generally parallel relation thereto with said stack of film units being disposed between said forward and backward walls, said wall means additionally including peripheral side walls interconnecting said forward and backward walls with that one of said sidewalls most closely spaced from said leading edges of said film units defining said discharge slot, said discharge slot also being more closely spaced to said backward wall member than said forward wall member;
• removable light shield means for shielding the forwardmost of said film units from actinic radiation attempting to enter said cassette through its said exposure window;
• resilient means for yieldably urging said stacked film units toward said exposure window to move each successive film unit in order of first to last into the forwardmost position adjacent said exposure window upon the withdrawal of each preceding film unit through said discharge slot;
• and
• means for facilitating the withdrawal of said first forwardmost film unit from said discharge slot in said housing means, said wall means being configured to engage the leading edge of each successive film unit in the forwardmost position just as said image area of that film unit is pulled into registration with said exposure window by that portion of said leader means connected directly to the leading edge thereof, with further pulling of said respective leader portion increasing the tension thereof and causing the leading edge of the pulled film unit to assume deflecting engagement with said wall means to effect the advancement of the pulled film unit towards and through said discharge slot, each of said successive engagements between said wall means and a respective film unit, in order of second to last, serving to substantially increase the tension at that portion of the leader means being pulled so as to signify that the next succeeding film unit is in the forwardmost position with its image area in registration with said exposure window.