Five-lens camera with moveable internal mask for single or quadruple images

• US 5,915,135 A
• Filed: 01/30/1998
• Issued: 06/22/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Achille Fiorentini
• Original Assignee: Achille Fiorentini
• Inventors: Fiorentini, Achille
• Primary Examiner(s): BLANKENSHIP, HOWARD BENNETT
• Application Number:
  US09/015,931
• Time in Patent Office: 508 Days
• Field of Search: 396/322, 396/323, 396/333, 396/334, 396/340
• US Class Current: 396/323
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 19/07 having more than one objective

Abstract

A camera for use with film preferably of the instantaneous development type which includes a central lens and four peripheral lenses spaced at the vertexes of an imaginary quadrilateral dividing a front of the camera. An external operating mechanism is provided to move an internal mask to a first position so as to define a frame for dividing film into four segments which are exposed through shutters associated with the four peripheral lenses or to lower the mask to a position wherein the central lens is used to expose the film.

Claims

1. In a camera for selectively exposing a frame of film contained therein to a single lens or to a plurality of lenses wherein the camera includes a body and a front portion, the improvement comprising,

a central lens mounted in the front portion of the camera and having a shutter,

a plurality of peripheral lenses mounted in generally equally outwardly spaced relationship from said central lens in the front portion of the camera and each peripheral lens having a shutter,

a selector means moveable relative to said central and peripheral lenses from a first position in which said selector means is adapted to block said peripheral lenses from exposing film contained within the camera to a second position wherein said selector means is adapted to block said central lens from exposing film contained within the camera,

means for selectively moving said selector means between said first and said second positions,

a mask mounted within said body and having a plurality of openings therein,

means for moving said mask from a first position in the body wherein said mask is spaced from film contained within the camera when said selector means is in said first position thereof to a second position within said body wherein said mask is spaced between said peripheral lenses and film contained within the camera with said plurality of openings forming separated film exposure areas for said plurality of peripheral lenses when said selector means is in said second position, and

means for operating said shutters of said central lens and said peripheral lenses.

2. The camera of claim 1 in which said means for selectively moving said selector means includes said mask having a portion engageable with said selector means when said mask is moved from said second position to said first position thereof.

3. The camera of claim 2 wherein said means for selectively moving said selector means further includes means for resiliently moving said selector means from said second position to said first position thereof when said mask is moved from said first position toward said second position thereof.

4. The camera of claim 3 wherein said selector means includes a slide plate having a central opening therein which is aligned with said central lens in said first position thereof and a plurality of outer openings which are aligned with said plurality of peripheral lenses in said second position thereof.

5. The camera of claim 4 including a pair of spaced guide flanges mounted to said body, said slide plate being guidingly received between said guide flanges.

6. The camera of claim 4 wherein said means for moving said mask includes a pivot shaft extending from said body of the camera, and means mounted to said pivot shaft for selectively pivoting said pivot shaft and said mask between said first and second positions thereof.

7. The camera of claim 6 wherein said mask includes vertical and horizontal screen members which divide said plurality of openings therein and which function to prevent halations from being formed on film exposed through said plurality of openings.

8. The camera of claim 6 including means for retaining said means mounted to said pivot shaft in a selected position to thereby retain said mask in said first or second position thereof.

9. The camera of claim 8 wherein said means mounted to said pivot shaft includes a knob having a pin extending therefrom, said knob being resiliently mounted to said pivot shaft so as to be moveable axially with respect thereto, and said pin being selectively seated in separate spaced openings in said body when said mask is in said first or second position thereof.

10. The camera of claim 6 including four peripheral lenses and said mask defining four openings therein.

11. In a camera for selectively exposing a frame of film contained therein to a single lens or to a plurality of lenses wherein the camera includes a body and a front portion, the improvement comprising,

a central lens mounted in the front portion of the camera and having a shutter,

a plurality of peripheral lenses mounted in generally equally outwardly spaced relationship from said central lens in front portion of the camera and each peripheral lens having a shutter,

a mask mounted within said body and having a plurality of openings therein,

means for moving said mask from a first position in the body wherein said mask is spaced from film contained within the camera to a second position within said body wherein said mask is spaced between said peripheral lenses and film contained within the camera with said plurality of openings forming separated film exposure areas for said plurality of peripheral lenses,

means operable in response to movement of said mask to permit exposure of film within the camera by way of said central lens when said mask is in said first position and to permit exposure of film within the camera by way of said plurality of peripheral lenses when said mask is in said second position, and

means for operating said shutters of said central lens and said peripheral lenses.

12. The camera of claim 11 wherein said means for moving said mask includes a pivot shaft extending from said body of the camera, and means mounted to said pivot shaft for selectively pivoting said pivot shaft and said mask between said first and second positions thereof.

13. The camera of claim 12 wherein said mask includes vertical and horizontal screen members which divide said plurality of openings therein and which function to prevent halations from being formed on film exposed through said plurality of openings.

14. The camera of claim 11 in which said means operable in response to movement of said mask includes a plate having a central opening therethrough which is aligned with said central lens when said mask is in said first position thereof and a plurality of outer openings therethrough which are aligned with said peripheral lenses when said mask is in said second position thereof.

15. The camera of claim 14 including four peripheral lenses and said mask defining four openings therein.

16. The camera of claim 11 including means for retaining said mask in said first and second positions thereof.

17. In a camera for selectively exposing a frame of film contained therein to a single lens or to a plurality of lenses wherein the camera includes a body and a front portion, the improvement comprising,

a central lens mounted in the front portion of the camera and having a shutter,

a plurality of peripheral lenses mounted in generally equally outwardly spaced relationship from said central lens in the front portion of the camera and each peripheral lens having a shutter,

a selector means moveable relative to said central and peripheral lenses from a first position in which said selector means is adapted to block said peripheral lenses from exposing film contained within the camera to a second position wherein said selector means is adapted to block said central lens from exposing film contained within the camera,

means for selectively moving said selector means between said first and said second positions, and

means for operating said shutters of said central lens and said peripheral lenses.