METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ENCODING AND TREATING STRIPS OF PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINT

• US 3,811,768 A
• Filed: 08/21/1972
• Issued: 05/21/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hans-Peter Huber, Wolfgang Zahn
• Original Assignee: Hans-Peter Huber, Wolfgang Zahn
• Inventors: Zahn, Wolfgang, Huber, Hans-Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Braun, Fred L.
• Application Number:
  US05/282,035
• Time in Patent Office: 638 Days
• Field of Search: 95/89R 83/203,205,301,365,367,371,408,923 352/56,92,236 355/28,29,40,41
• US Class Current: 355/29
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/245 Optical means
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2217/243 Optical devices
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 2217/246 Details of the markings
• CPC Class Codes: G03C 1/765 characterised by the shape of the base, e.g. arrangement of perforations, jags
• CPC Class Codes: G03D 13/00 Processing apparatus or accessories therefor, not covered by groups G11B3/00 - G11B11/00
• CPC Class Codes: G03D 15/046 Automatic cutting
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/4448 Controlled by mechanical means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/533 With photo-electric work-sensing means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/543 Sensing means responsive to work indicium or irregularity
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/6491 And transverse cutter station

Abstract

A strip consisting of a row of photographic prints and a marginal portion which extends along one side of the row of prints is transported lengthwise past a photoelectric scanning device which produces signals in response to detection of successive indicia encoded on the marginal portion at predetermined distances from successive boundaries between neighboring prints. The signals are used to arrest the strip at intervals, always in such position that a boundary between a pair of neighboring prints is located in the range of a movable knife which separates the prints from each other. A perforating or cutting unit is mounted ahead of the scanning device or between the movable knife and the scanning device to perforate or completely separate the marginal portion from the row of prints. If the marginal portion is to be completely separated from the row of prints ahead of the scanning device, the separated sections of the marginal portion are guided toward and past the scanning device in unchanged spatial relationship relative to the row of prints. The indicia are exposed on the marginal portion during the making of prints, and the strip is thereupon developed prior to scanning, severing and separation of the marginal portion.

Claims

1. A method of treating a strip having a row of exposed photographic prints and an elongated marginal portion adjacent to said row of prints, comprising the steps of encoding on said marginal portion discrete indicia at predetermined distances from successive boundaries between neighboring prints of said row of prints;

at least partially separating said marginal portion from the remainder of said strip; and

thereupon scanning said marginal portion for the presence of said indicia and utilizing the thus detected indicia as an aid in positioning the respective boundaries with reference to a predetermined severing location.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising the step of developing said strip prior to said scanning and separating steps.

3. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein said separating step comprises completely separating successive increments of said marginal portion and maintaining the completely separated increments of said marginal portion in unchanged spatial relationship relative to the remainder of said strip during scanning of indicia on the separated increments.

4. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein said encoding step further comprises applying to said marginal portion an additional indicium denoting the last print of said row of prints.

5. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein said encoding step further comprises applying to said marginal portion additional information representing the date of the making of said prints.

6. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein said encoding step further comprises applying to said marginal portion additional indicia representing the serial numbers of prints of said row of prints.

7. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein said encoding step further comprises applying to said marginal portion additional indicia representing the correction valueS during the exposure of said prints.

8. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein said encoding step further comprises applying to said marginal portion at least one additional indicium, all of said indicia being exposed onto said marginal portion and the color of said first mentioned indicia being different from the color of said additional indicium.

9. A method of treating a strip having a row of exposed photographic prints and an elongated marginal portion adjacent to said row of prints, comprising the steps of encoding on said marginal portion discrete indicia at predetermined distances from successive boundaries between neighboring prints of said row of prints;

scanning said marginal portion for the presence of said indicia and utilizing the thus detected indicia as an aid in positioning the respective boundaries with reference to a predetermined severing location; and

at least partially separating said marginal portion from the remainder of said strip, including providing the strip with a line of perforations intermediate said marginal portion and said row of prints.

10. A method of treating a strip having a row of exposed photographic prints and an elongated marginal portion adjacent to said row of prints and consisting at least in part of photosensitive material, comprising the steps of encoding on said marginal portion discrete indicia at predetermined distances from successive boundaries between neighboring prints of said row of prints, including exposing said indicia onto said marginal portion simultaneously with the exposure of said prints;

developing said prints and said indicia;

scanning said marginal portion for the presence of developed indicia and utilizing the thus detected developed indicia as an aid in positioning the respective boundaries with reference to a predetermined severing location; and

at least partially separating said marginal portion with developed indicia from the remainder of said strip.

11. A method as defined in claim 10, wherein the scanning of successive indicia precedes the separation of corresponding sections of said marginal portion, and further comprising the steps of transporting the strip lengthwise through a predetermined distance following the detection of an indicium and severing the strip across successive boundaries between neighboring prints at said location during the periods of dwell following successive transports through said predetermined distances.

12. A method as defined in claim 10, further comprising the step of stamping successive prints out of said strip upon detection of successive indicia.

13. A method of treating a strip having a row of exposed photographic prints and an elongated marginal portion adjacent to said row of prints, comprising the steps of encoding on said marginal portion discrete first indicia at predetermined distances from successive boundaries between neighboring prints of said row of prints and applying to said marginal portion additional indicia, the distance between said first indicia and said row of prints being different from the distance between said row of prints and said additional indicia;

scanning said marginal portion for the presence of said first indicia and utilizing the thus detected first indicia as an aid in positioning the respective boundaries with reference to a predetermined severing location; and

at least partially separating said marginal portion from the remainder of said strip.

14. Apparatus for treating strips of the type including a row of photographic prints and an elongated marginal portion adjacent to said row of prints and having discrete indicia located at predetermined distances from successive boundaries between neighboring prints of said row, comprising advancing means for transporting strips lengthwise along a predetermined path;

scanning means adjacent to said path and having means for generating signals in response to detection of successive indicia on the marginal portion of the strip in said path;

severing means adjacent to said path downstrEam of said scanning means;

means for arresting said advancing means in response to said signals so as to place the boundaries between successive prints of the strip in said path into the range of said severing means; and

means for at least partially separating the marginal portion from the remaining portion of a strip in said path upstream of said severing means.

15. Apparatus as defined in claim 14, wherein said separating means comprises means for providing the strip in said path with a row of perforations.

16. Apparatus as defined in claim 15, wherein said separating means is adjacent to said path upstream of said scanning means.

17. Apparatus as defined in claim 14, wherein said separating means comprising knife means for completely separating said marginal portion from the strip in said path.

18. Apparatus as defined in claim 17, wherein said separating means is adjacent to said path upstream of said scanning means and further comprising guide means for guiding the severed marginal portion in said path in unchanged spatial relationship relative to the remaining portion of the strip.

19. Apparatus as defined in claim 14, wherein said separating means is adjacent to said path between said scanning means and said severing means.

20. Apparatus as defined in claim 19, wherein said arresting means comprises gauge means for measuring the length of the strip moving along said path and for initiating the operation of said severing means with a predetermined delay following the generation of one of said signals.

21. Apparatus as defined in claim 14, wherein said scanning means comprises photoelectric signal generating means.