Ciba-geigy Corporation

Crown Photo Systems

Charles T Higgins

John M Haugen, Jr

David L Davis

Milan Bizic

Kalvin L Holler

A film cartridge holder is provided including an elongated, generally cylindrical body defining a partial cylindrical cavity opening laterally outwardly at one side of the body. The side of the body opposite the one side thereof includes a laterally tangentially outwardly projecting hollow projection terminating outwardly in a slot-type outlet slit and defining a recess opening inwardly into the cavity. At least substantially all of the internal surfaces of the holder include a coating of velvet-like material for light sealed engagement with the opposing outer surfaces of a generally cylindrical film cartridge seated in the cavity.

Film cartridge holder and adapter unit

An envelope feeder (20) for use in a photographic order-finishing station, including a base (22) to which a retaining plate (28) is mounted. A stack-holding tray (30) is biased toward the retaining plate to compress a stack (18) of envelopes placed therebetween for feeding. Suction heads (50) move arcuately to contact and grip the outermost envelope (36) on the stack by application of a partial vacuum, and the move back to peel and lift a portion of that envelope from the stack. A shuttle assembly (52) with a plurality of narrow shuttle fingers (108) is included for insertion between the partially lifted outermost envelope (36) and the underlying envelope (68) to split any adhesions formed between them and separate the outermost envelope from the stack. After insertion of the shuttle assembly, the suction heads release the envelope and latching tabs (114) mounted on the shuttle assembly rotate to project outwardly toward the retaining plate, engaging the outermost envelope so that it is removed from the stack as the shuttle assembly is retracted. The removed envelope is fed into an envelope receptacle (48) as it is removed from the stack.

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Kirkland, WA, United States of America

Charles T Higgins