Film or paper cassette

A cassette for a roll of light sensitive web material and for opening with a tool to facilitate use of the cassette with automatic opening equipment, said cassette comprising:

• first and second pivotally connected cassette parts having open and closed positions, said parts having interfacing surfaces engaging each other in said closed position;
• light blocking means associated with said interfacing surfaces to render said cassette substantially light tight in said closed position of said cassette parts;
• releasible latch means for retaining said parts in engagement in said closed position;
• housing means enclosing said latch means to prevent inadvertent release of said latch means, said housing means having an opening permitting insertion of the tool to release said latch means;
• and
• frangible material attached to said housing for covering said opening, said material being engageable and rupturable by the tool to release said latch means.

A claim shell cassette for containing a roll of light sensitive web material and for opening with a tool to facilitate use of the cassette with automatic opening equipment, said cassette comprising:

• first and second cassette parts having open and closed positions, said parts having interfacing surfaces engaging each other in said closed position;
• light blocking means associated with said surface to render said cassette substantially light tight in said closed position of said cassette parts;
• hinge means at one end of said cassette for coupling said first and second cassette parts to permit pivotal movement of said parts to said open position;
• releasible latch means at the end of said cassette opposite from said one end for retaining said cassette parts in engagement in said closed position, said latch means including a pivotal latch member movable by the tool from a latched position to a released position;
• a housing enclosing said latch member and having an opening to permit insertion of the tool to engage said latch member;
• and
• frangible material covering said opening to be engaged and ruptured by the tool during insertion of the tool to engage said latch member.

A clam shell cassette for containing a roll of light sensitive web material and for opening with a tool to facilitate use of the cassette with automatic opening equipment, said cassette comprising:

• first and second cassette parts having open and closed positions, said parts having interfacing surfaces engaging each other in said closed position of said cassette parts;
• light blocking means associated with said surface to render said cassette substantially light tight in said closed portion of said cassette parts;
• hinge means at one end of said cassette for coupling said first and second cassette parts to permit pivotal movement of said parts to said open position;
• an abutment on the exterior surface of said first cassette part at the end of said cassette opposite from said hinge means;
• a latch member on the exterior surface of said second cassette part engageable with said abutment to latch said cassette parts together in said closed condition;
• said latch member being actuatable by the tool to disengage said abutment and release said cassette parts for movement to an open condition;
• a housing substantially totally enclosing said latch member and said abutment to prevent inadvertent activation of said latch member, said housing having an opening for insertion of the tool to actuate said latch member;
• and
• frangible material covering said opening to be engaged and ruptured by the tool during insertion of the tool to engage said latch member.