US 6,252,652 B1 · High speed package printer

Abstract

In a high speed package printer that produces photographs of varying size from film negatives, different cropping apertures are used with different lenses for different prints. In order to provide a large combination of different cropping apertures with different lenses the lenses and cropping apertures are separately selected for each print. The high speed package printer includes a light source, a diffusion plate, a plurality of cropping apertures on an aperture member which can be moved to select which aperture will block light from the diffusion plate. The light from the cropping aperture then passes through a negative for projection by a lens onto photographic paper for printing pictures. Separate means for moving the aperture member and for selecting which lens will receive light from a negative after it is provide a selection of all combinations of lenses and cropping apertures such that the photographs produced can have different sizes and shapes.

Claims9

Dependent claims

An apparatus for selectively cropping light for passing through a photographic negative in a photographic printer and for selecting a lens to focus the light on photographic paper, comprising:

a light source, for producing light, a diffuser for diffusing the light from the light source, a means for moving one of a plurality of negative cropping apertures over the light from the diffuser for cropping the light before it reaches the photographic negative and a means for selecting one or more lenses for focusing the light from the photographic negatives on photographic paper such that different combinations of light cropping apertures and lenses can be selected,
said means for moving one of a plurality of negative cropping apertures including a cropping member having said plurality of cropping apertures formed therein and translation means cooperatively operable with said cropping member for selectively translating said cropping member between said diffuser and said photographic negative to selectively position one of said plurality of cropping apertures within said light passing from said diffuser and said photographic negative.

A system for selectively forming light passing from a photographic light source to a photographic negative and then through a specified lens in a photographic printer, comprising:

(a) cropping means having a plurality of apertures formed therein, said cropping means being slidably disposed between said photographic light source and said photographic negative;
and
(b) translation means coupled to said cropping means for selectively translating said cropping means within said light passing from said photographic light source to said photographic negative,
(c) translation means coupled to one or more lenses for selectively translating said one or more lens to focus the cropped light onto photographic paper in the photographic printer,
whereby said translation means selectively positions one of said plurality of apertures of said cropping means within said light passing from said photographic light source to said photographic negative, and said one or more lenses focuses the light from said photographic negative to produce a photograph having a predetermined border configuration.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

High speed package printer

Life of this patent

High speed package printer

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims9