Agfa Gevaert Nv

Georges J Neujens

Emile F Stievenart

Hendrik S Plessers

Julianus J Hellemans

Leo Pa Van Bouwel

Daylight radiographic cassette unloader for rapid sequential unloading of cassettes. The device includes an intermediate storage magazine to which the films after removal from the cassettes are fed one by one at a high speed whereinafter they are individually dispensed towards a processing apparatus at a speed equal to that of the processing apparatus. The cassette-unloading time is substantially reduced, while the unloading capacity of the device is tripled compared with prior art machines. Operations may be automatic under the control of a microprocessor.

Device for unloading radiographic cassettes in daylight

An apparatus for positioning a radiographic film cassette at an operating station uses friction-coupled drive means to urge the cassette toward a front stop. Sensing means associated with the front stop then actuates a pusher which urges the cassette toward a side stop. The cassette cover is automatically opened when the cassette is correctly positioned against both stops.

Device for positioning radiographic cassettes

A film cassette unloading apparatus comprises a cassette positioning mechanism located in a light-tight housing. Within the housing is provided a platform onto which the cassette is placed bottom side up. An unlocking mechanism, adapted for the particular type of cassette unlocks same. Then, an opening mechanism engages the rim of the bottom part and lifts the bottom part in upward direction, thereby performing a partial rotation around the hinge-point of the cassette. By mounting the platform in inclined position, the film which is contained in the cassette, falls out of the latter by gravity.

Apparatus for unloading radiographic cassettes in daylight

A radiographic cassette comprises a bottom and a cover capable of being locked together. The cover has a part of its normally rigid structure replaced by a flexible foil which, when vacuum is aplied to the interior of the cassette, exerts a pressure upon the film/screen combination contained within the latter. In this way an intimate contact between the film and the screen is established and at the same time the distance between the film/screen combination and the object to be radiographed is reduced to a minimum due to the small thickness of the foil. The cassette may be used in the field of high-definition radiography especially for mammography.

Radiographic film cassette

A daylight cassette unloader comprises a mechanism for unlocking and opening a radiographic film cassette introduced therein, and mounted in inclined position so that after opening the film is permitted to slide out of the cassette. At the outlet of the unloader a supplementary mechanism is provided in order to align the film in such a way, that it is reproducibly fed to the inlet opening of a film processor. Preferably the latter mechanism comprises a pair of rollers which start rotating only after the impact of the film on one of the rollers.

Sheet squaring device

An apparatus for unloading radiographic cassettes under daylight conditions comprises an inclined tunnel-shaped body which may be mounted at the front side of a processing machine. Within the tunnel-shaped body an automatic unlocking mechanism is provided which unlocks and opens the cassette to be unloaded so that the film falls out of the opened cassette under the force of gravity and is presented at the entrance slot of the processing machine in order to undergo the required chemical treatment.

Growing community of inventors

Merksem, Belgium

Georges J Neujens