Film cutting apparatus for removing and separating a film strip from a cartridge

Abstract

Film cutting apparatus for removing and separating a film strip from a cartridge, one end of the film strip being secured to a spool within the cartridge, includes a carrier for receiving the film cartridge and moveable between a first position and a second position; a spring connected to the carrier for biasing the carrier toward the first position; a film drive for receiving a leading end of the film strip and pulling the film strip from the cartridge and then pulling the carrier away from the first position when the film strip is fully extracted from the cartridge; a sensor for sensing the movement of the carrier away from the first position and producing a signal in response thereto; and a knife mechanism mounted on the carrier for movement with the carrier and responsive to the signal for separating the film strip from the cartridge while the carrier is moving.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.