AUTOMATIC SEQUENCE CAMERA AND SYSTEM

• US 3,563,148 A
• Filed: 06/04/1968
• Issued: 02/16/1971
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/1968
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lefrebure Corporation Cedar Rapids Iowa
• Original Assignee: James J. Newman
• Inventors: Newman, James J.
• Application Number:
  US04/734,274
• Time in Patent Office: 987 Days
• US Class Current: 396/397
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 19/04 Roll-film cameras

Abstract

A remote controlled, sequence camera system for security purposes in banks and similar institutions, each camera featuring a self-contained power supply using a rechargeable battery, an extreme wide-angle lens with fixed focus and great depth of field, and a unique film drive system and circuitry incorporating unperforated roll film. One or more such cameras are connected into a single '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'digital readout panel'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' employing film counters, camera test circuits and a relay circuit which activates all cameras. The relay circuit may be connected into standard bank alarm systems and be activated in turn from one or more remote locations. Once activated, each camera continues to operate until shut off or until its film supply is exhausted. A trickle charger connected into the readout panel maintains the battery in each camera.

Claims

1. A sequence camera comprising:

housing means including a photographic lens and shutter;

a first electric motor operatively associated with said shutter effective upon activation to provide a plurality of successive activations of said shutter;

film transport means including a second electric motor adapted to receive a wound roll of photographic film and effective upon activation of said second motor to unwind the film and pass the unwound portion thereof in a path past said lens in a plurality of successive predetermined transport movements, said film transport means providing a predetermined interval of rest for the unwound film portion between successive ones of said transport movements during each of said shutter activations effective to record a plurality of successive images upon the unwound film portion upon successive activations of said shutter during the respective successive intervals of rest of said transport means; and

sequential operating means associated with said electric motors and said transport means effective when said camera is connected to a source of electrical energy to cause a plurality of repeated sequential operations of said camera, each of said sequential operations serially including activation of said first motor and said shutter during one of said film rest intervals, activation of said second motor to cause one of said transport movements, deactivation of said first motor, and deactivation of said second motor, said sequential operating means including first switch means in series with said first motor, said switch means being effective in its circuit closed position to activate said first motor to begin and maintain said sequential operation of said camera and in its circuit open position to deactivate said first motor and halt said sequential operation;

second switch means operated by said first motor effective to activate said second motor to begin one of said transport movements after said first motor has activated said shutter during one of said rest intervals;

third switch means operatively associated with said second motor effective, when said first switch means is in its circuit closed position, to deactivate said second motor and to activate said first motor at the end of said transport movement and the beginning of the successive one of said rest intervals; and

brake means for braking said second motor upon deactivation thereof.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said housing means comprises a camera housing carrying said lens and shutter and having said first motor disposed therein;

and a film magazine housing removably attached to said camera housing, said film transport means being disposed in said film magazine housing, a portion of said sequential operating means being disposed within said camera housing and a portion thereof in said film magazine housing, and releasable connections between said portions whereby said film magazine housing may be removed as a unit from said camera housing.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein said film transport means includes a cylindrical metering roller, one face of the unwound film portion being engageable with the periphery of said roller to cause rotation thereof during each of said transport movements, rotation of said metering roller activating a portion of said sequential operating means effective to determine the duration of operation of said second motor.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein said electrical energy source is disposed within said camera housing and comprises a rechargeable battery.

5. The device of claim 3 wherein said film transport means includes a film takeup roll, said roll comprising a rotatable sleeve driven by said second motor, said sleeve enveloping said motor and being disposed coaxially with the shaft thereof.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein said second switch means includes:

a first pair of contacts in parallel with said first switch means and in series with said source and first motor, said first pair of contacts being in circuit open position upon deactivation of said first motor and in circuit closed position after activation of said first motor;

a second pair of contacts in parallel with said second motor, said second pair of contacts being in circuit closed position while said second motor is deactivated and in circuit open position while said first motor is activated after said shutter activation, said second pair of contacts constituting a portion of said brake means; and

a third pair of contacts in series with said source and second motor, said third pair of contacts being in circuit open position while said first motor is deactivated and in circuit closed position while said first motor is activated after said shutter activation.

7. The device of claim 6 wherein said third switch means includes:

a first pair of contacts in series with said source, said first switch means and said first motor, said first pair of contacts being in ciRcuit closed position while said second motor is deactivated and in circuit open position while said second motor is activated;

a second pair of contacts in parallel with said third pair of contacts of said second switch means and in series with said second motor, said second pair of contacts being in circuit open position while s aid second motor is deactivated and in circuit closed position while said second motor is activated; and

a third pair of contacts in parallel with said second motor and in series with said second pair of contacts of said second switch means and constituting the remaining portion of said brake means, said third pair of contacts being in circuit closed position while said second motor is deactivated and in circuit open position while said second motor is activated after said shutter activation.

8. The device of claim 3 wherein said camera housing is provided with front and rear walls, said lens being of the extreme wide-angle type and mounted upon said front wall with its axis extending therethrough and through said read wall thereof;

wherein said film magazine housing is provided with a front wall removably mounted to the rear wall of said camera housing, the axis of said lens also extending through the front wall of said film magazine housing; and

wherein a film plate is disposed between a portion of said film path and said lens, said film plate having an aperture therein symmetrically disposed about and lying in a plane normal to the axis of said lens, said film path portion being disposed in a plane parallel to said aperture plane.

9. The device of claim 8 wherein said film-metering roller is disposed adjacent one end of said film plate aperture and a film idler roller is disposed adjacent the other end of said film aperture, said idler roller having a periphery engageable with one face of the unwound film portion, said film path portion lying between said metering and idler rollers, the direction of said film passage being from said metering to said idler roller.

10. The device of claim 9 wherein film switch means are disposed in series with both said first and second motors and said source, said film switch means being located adjacent said idler roller effective to cause the unwound film portion when engaged with said roller to maintain said switch means in its circuit closed position and when disengaged with said roller to maintain said switch means in its circuit open position and thereby deactivate both said first and second motors.

11. The device of claim 7 wherein said first switch means is disposed remote from said camera and includes relay means, said relay means having an activating circuit in series with and powered by said source effective when activated to maintain said first switch means in its closed position.

12. The device of claim 11 including a control housing containing said relay and fourth switch means remotely disposed from said camera and control housings in series with said relay-activating circuit effective in its closed position to activate said relay, said relay including a pair of contacts in series with said activating circuit and in parallel with said fourth switch means effective to maintain activation of said relay when said fourth switch means is in its open position.

13. The device of claim 12 wherein said control housing includes:

fifth switch means in series with said relay-activating circuit and normally in closed circuit position, said fifth switch means being effective in its circuit open position to deactivate said relay-activating circuit when said fourth switch means is in its open position and thereby halt said sequential operation of said camera; and

sixth switch means in parallel with said first switch means and normally in open circuit position, said sixth switch means being effective while in its circuit close position to activate said first motor and said sequential operation of said camera.

14. The device of claim 13 wherein said control housing includes film counter and film counteR lamp circuits in parallel with each other and in series with said source, said film counter and film counter lamp circuits including a fourth pair of contacts in said third switch means in series with said source and said circuits, said pair of contacts being in circuit open position while said second motor is deactivated and in circuit closed position while said second motor is activated.