Visualizer
First Claim
1. A visualizer apparatus comprising:
- a housing;
means defining a film gate in the housing;
means for illuminating one side of the film gate;
a plurality of spools in the housing beyond the film gate;
a plurality of film strips in the housing and superimposed on each other with the film gate to form a composite illustration when properly aligned, each film strip being connected to a different spool so that when any spool is rotated in the proper direction the film strip connected to it will wind around the spool;
a rotatable drive element associated with each spool in the housing and normally being disengaged from its spool so that it will rotate independently of its spool;
an electric motor in the housing;
means coupling the electric motor with the drive elements for all of the spools so that when the electric motor is energized all the drive elements will rotate;
clutch means associated with each spool for coupling the spool with its respective drive element when the clutch means is actuated; and
separate switch means associated with each clutch means for electrically connecting the motor with a source of electrical energy when the clutch means associated with the switch means is actuated, whereby when a specific clutch means is actuated, the electric motor will be energized, causing all the drive elements to rotate, and the spool associated with the actuated clutch means will rotate so that its film strip will wind around it.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A visualizer apparatus for composing composite illustrations has a housing with a viewing tunnel and a lamp house therein and a film gate between the tunnel and lamp house. A plurality of film strips having illustrations thereon pass through the film gate where they are superimposed on each other to form a composite illustration which is visible through the tunnel. Beyond both ends of the film gate, these film strips are wound around spools which are also within the housing. Each spool has a spool pulley which normally rotates freely relative to it, and all of the spool pulleys are connected to an electric drive motor by a series of belts. The spools are individually engageable with their spool pulleys so that the film strips may be advanced one at a time in either direction to vary the composite illustration formed in the gate. The lamp house and viewing tunnel slide out of the housing, as does a lamp assembly which is in the lamp house.
-
Citations
26 Claims
-
1. A visualizer apparatus comprising:
- a housing;
means defining a film gate in the housing;
means for illuminating one side of the film gate;
a plurality of spools in the housing beyond the film gate;
a plurality of film strips in the housing and superimposed on each other with the film gate to form a composite illustration when properly aligned, each film strip being connected to a different spool so that when any spool is rotated in the proper direction the film strip connected to it will wind around the spool;
a rotatable drive element associated with each spool in the housing and normally being disengaged from its spool so that it will rotate independently of its spool;
an electric motor in the housing;
means coupling the electric motor with the drive elements for all of the spools so that when the electric motor is energized all the drive elements will rotate;
clutch means associated with each spool for coupling the spool with its respective drive element when the clutch means is actuated; and
separate switch means associated with each clutch means for electrically connecting the motor with a source of electrical energy when the clutch means associated with the switch means is actuated, whereby when a specific clutch means is actuated, the electric motor will be energized, causing all the drive elements to rotate, and the spool associated with the actuated clutch means will rotate so that its film strip will wind around it. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
- a housing;
-
15. A visualizer apparatus comprising a housing having a front wall, a back wall and sidewalls, at least one of the sidewalls being initially removed from the front and back walls so as to expose the interior of the housing, the front wall having an opening, the side of which is closed by said one sidewall;
- a viewing tunnel located within the housing and extending inwardly from the front wall, the viewing tunnel being removable from the housing when said one sidewall is removed;
a viewing window frame received in the opening in the front wall and having a lens therein which closes the front of the viewing tunnel, the frame further having grooves along its edges to accommodate the front wall therein, whereby the viewing window frame will slide out of the front wall when the said one sidewall is removed;
a lamp house in the housing adjacent to the back wall thereof and having a light transmitting plate located directly beyond the end of the viewing tunnel and a source of light positioned behind the plate to illuminate the plate, the lamp house being removable from the housing when said one sidewall is removed;
a transparent pressure shoe carried by the viewing tunnel and located opposite the end plate of the lamp house, whereby a gate is formed between the shoe and plate the shoe being movable toward and away from the plate;
springs on the shoe and bearing against the tunnel for urging the shoe toward the plate;
a plurality of film strips within the housing and having illustrations thereon, the film strips being extended through the gate where they are superimposed so that the illustrations on the individual film strips form a composite illustration which is visible through the viewing tunnel; and
means for moving the film strips individually and independently through the gate. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
- a viewing tunnel located within the housing and extending inwardly from the front wall, the viewing tunnel being removable from the housing when said one sidewall is removed;
-
18. A visualizer apparatus comprising:
- a housing;
means defining a film gate in the housing;
a plurality of first spools in the housing beyond one end of the film gate;
a plurality of second spools in the housing beyond the other end of the film gate;
a plurality of film strips within the housing and superimposed on each other within the film gate to form a composite illustration when properly aligned;
one end of each film strip being connected to a different first spool and the other end of each film strip being connected to a different second spool, whereby when the first or second spool for a specific film strip is rotated in the proper direction, the first strip will wind around the spool and in so doing will move through the gate, changing the composite illustration, each spool having a pulley spindle extended axially in one direction from it, each spool further having a friction surface located opposite to the friction surface for the spool on which it is located;
means for urging the friction surfaces of the spools and drive pulleys apart;
an electric motor in the housing;
belts connecting the electric motor with the spool pulleys such that when the motor is energized all of the spool pulleys will rotate; and
a switch located beyond the pulley spindle of each spool and operated by the pulley spindle such that it will close a circuit between a source of electrical energy and the motor when the spool is moved axially to bring its friction surface against the friction surface of its spool pulley. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
- a housing;
Specification