Agfa-gevaert Ag

Agfa-gevaert Ag - Fototechnik

Agfa Geavert

Agfa-gevaret Aktiengesellschaft

Agfa-gevaert Ag-phototechnik

Agfa-gevaert Aktiengellschaft

Gerhard Benker

Wilhelm Nitsch

Helmut Treiber

Bernd Payrhammer

Erich Nagel

Volker Weinert

Bernhard Lorenz

Reinhard Nicko

Ulrich Klueter

Manfred Schlechte

Reimund Munch

Reimund Muench

Ulrich Kluter

Peter Lermann

Wolfgang Zahn

Gunther Schnall

Wilfried Hehn

Hans-Georg Schindler

Leonhard Huber

Manfred Fursich

Hans-Jurgen Rauh

Hans-Joachim Vedder

Ekkehard Gross

Josef Gruber

Arnfried Kiermeier

Helmut Neudecker

Nagel Erich

Rainer Deutsch

Magos Vasilios

Klaus-P Hartmann

Apparatus is disclosed for acquiring video signals with high resolution in the optical path of a photographic printing device for point-by-point color video signal generation by means of a video image sensor which receives the original negative image. For generation of the video signals, a sufficiently high-resolution black and white video sensor ( ) is used. The three color separations are delivered separately to the video sensor by means of a plurality of color filters ( ) which are present for printer illumination control and are brought consecutively into their active setting.

Photographic printing apparatus with means for generation of video signals

A photographic copier has a station which serves as a scanning station and a copying station. The station includes a support for an image to be scanned and copied, and a single light source for scanning and copying. A light-diffusing member is disposed between the light source and the support, and the light-diffusing member has a first condition for copying and a second condition for scanning. Light undergoes a high degree of diffusion in the first condition and a lower degree of, or substantially no, diffusion in the second condition.

Photograph copier using a diffusing means to enable scanning with a hard

A system for processing photographic material has a series of processing vessels containing different water-based processing baths. A reference vessel is mounted on one of the processing vessels and serves to compensate for the evaporation of water from the processing vessels. To this end, the reference vessel accommodates a body of water as well as a float switch having an upper contact and a lower contact. The reference vessel and processing vessels are open at the top and a feeding arrangement is provided to admit water into the respective vessels through their open tops. The feeding arrangement includes one or more pumps connected to a control unit which is further connected to the float switch. When evaporation causes the water in the reference vessel to fall to the level of the lower contact of the float switch, the control unit activates the pump or pumps to replace the water lost from each of the vessels by evaporation.

Compensating for evaporation from a photographic processing vessel

A method and apparatus for producing prints of different formats from negatives in the form of strips. The negative images are printed in one reproduction scale on one section of a strip of stock during a first pass of the strip through the printing mechanism, the printing mechanism is readjusted, and the negative images are then printed in another, different scale on a subsequent section of the strip of stock during another pass of the strip through the printing mechanism.

Method and apparatus for printing photographs of different formats

A method of and printer for printing photographs on light-sensitive paper of a particular format from transparent masters on a roll of film by means of a projector. Both the film and a strip of the paper are advanced through a printing point. The paper is displaced across the direction the film travels in with the center of the prescribed paper format at a distance from the optical axis of the projector. The projector can be adjusted to project the image of the master larger or smaller than the paper format.

Method of printing photographs and apparatus for carrying out the method

An apparatus for developing films confined in cartridges has a lightproof housing which accommodates a developing bath. Two chambers are located in the housing upstream of the developing bath, and each has a holder for a film cartridge. Transporting rollers are associated with each chamber and serve to withdraw films from cartridges and convey the films toward the developing bath along respective paths. These paths merge into a third path which extends through the developing bath. A first film cartridge is placed in a first one of the chambers, and the chamber is closed with a cover to seal the chamber from light. A control unit locks the cover and activates the transporting rollers for the first chamber so that the film in the first cartridge is unwound and conveyed into the developing bath. Meanwhile, a second film cartridge is placed in the second chamber which is likewise closed with a cover. A sensor signals the control unit when the withdrawal of film from the first cartridge has been completed. The control unit then unlocks the cover and stops the transporting rollers for the first chamber while locking the cover and starting the transporting rollers for the second chamber. The film from the second cartridge is thereupon conveyed into the developing bath closely behind the film from the first cartridge.

Method of and apparatus for removing exposed film from cartridges

A cassette for storage of a roll of convoluted web of photosensitive material which is to be fed to the copying station of a copying machine has a device for unwinding the web from the roll, rollers which advance selected lengths of the web into the copying station, and a mechanism which loosens or relaxes the web between the roll and the rollers so that the rollers need not overcome the inertia of the roll in order to advance selected lengths of the web from the housing of the cassette into the copying station. This can be achieved by driving the unwinding device and the rollers at different speeds so that the web forms a loop in the housing of the cassette between the outermost convolution of the roll and an outlet of the housing or by otherwise loosening the web between the roll and the outlet.

Cassette for supplying webs of photosensitive material to copying

Relatively short sections of photographic roll films (such sections can consist of a single film frame or of two or another small number of film frames) are provided with elongated strip-shaped extensions for convenient transport through a copying machine. Extensions are severed from the leader of a roll of convoluted flexible material having a width matching the desired length of an extension, and one end of a freshly severed extension is caused to overlap one end of a film section so that the extent of overlap is not more than the width of a frame line between two neighboring frames of a roll film. One side of each extension is fully coated with a layer of hotmelt, and the extension is sealed to the respective film section by a narrow elongated heating element which is moved against the overlapping ends of the film section and the properly oriented extension. The roll can be subdivided into wider or narrower extensions, depending upon the width of film sections which are to be connected with extensions.

Method of and apparatus for applying flexible extensions to sections of

Strips of coherent, exposed and developed film frames are advanced past, and discrete frames are placed onto, a window at a monitoring station where successive increments of the film frames are monitored by a device having photocells forming at least one row which extends transversely of the path of advancement of strips. The monitoring device is at a standstill during advancement of strips but is transported past a discrete frame at the monitoring station. Such monitoring device can ascertain the density of film frames, and its photocells generate signals which are used to image the frames onto photographic paper.

Method of and apparatus for ascertaining the characteristics of shorter

A strip of exposed and developed film has a series of exposures and corresponding exposure identification numbers. The strip is conveyed through a scanning station on its way to a printing station. The exposures and identification numbers are scanned in the scanning station to produce output signals indicative of density changes. The signals are processed to generate groups of data which are combined into a data set. Each group includes the position of a respective exposure on the strip, the identification number for the exposure and the position of the identification number on the strip. Film transport is carried out in such a manner that scanning of the strip and processing of the resulting signals are completed before arrival of the strip at the printing station. A control unit uses the data set to position the exposures in the printing station and to print the exposures. The control unit also uses the data set to mark a copy of an exposure with the identification number of the exposure.

Copying method and copier for film

Apparatus for copying the images of selected frames on sections of exposed and developed roll films or of diapositives has a set of advancing rolls or a reciprocable pusher to move a film section or a diapositive from a discrete first portion of a first path into a second portion which terminates at the copying station, and thereupon from a first portion of a second path (such first portion is common to the second portion of the first path) into a discrete portion of the second path. A switching device is located at the junction of the first and second portions of the first path to prevent copied film sections or diapositives from reentering the first portion of the first path on their way away from the copying station. This renders it possible to introduce a fresh film section or a fresh diapositive into the first portion of the first path while a film section or a diapositive is located at the copying station or is on the way toward the discharge end of the second path.

Apparatus for reproducing the images on sections of exposed and

Apparatus for advancing roll films in a copying machine on a table which is located above the floor at a level less than the length of a film. The apparatus has a film channel and advancing rolls which can engage one end portion of a film to advance the film past a monitoring device preparatory to copying and/or past a copier subsequent to monitoring. The other end portion of the film is frictionally or clampingly held in a recess or on a supporting surface adjacent the inlet of the film channel so that the median portion of the film forms a loop which does not reach the floor beneath the table. A wiping device with two brushes can be installed adjacent the recess to wipe both sides of the film while the film advances into the channel so that the size of its looped portion is reduced.

Apparatus for manipulating roll films in copying machines

A copying apparatus has a receiving station, an exposure unit, a developing unit, an inspection station and a pricing unit with a memory. A master to be reproduced arrives at the receiving station together with an order for the reproduction thereof. The order has a coded order number which is read by a scanner at the receiving station and entered in the memory to establish a data set. The exposure unit is inoperative upon arrival of the master at the receiving station and is activated only upon entry of the order number. The master is then drawn into the exposure unit where copy material is exposed to light which has illuminated the master. The copy material is developed in the developing unit and the resulting copies are delivered to the inspection station where they are inspected for quality. The number of copies made is entered in the memory and incorporated in the data set with the order number. If, upon inspection, a copy is found to be unsatisfactory, the data set is adjusted by reading an appropriate code with a scanner. This code may be marked on the back of the copy or may be selected from a set of codes which represent respective price adjustments. Once the data set has been corrected, the pricing unit calculates and prints the final price of the order.

Method of and arrangement for monitoring photographic copying apparatus

A band of exposed and developed photographic film is transported longitudinally along a predetermined path. The film carries a series of images and each of the images has a pair of edges which are spaced longitudinally of the band and extend transversely of the latter. Transverse, strip-shaped segments of the band are photoelectrically scanned to detect abrupt density changes associated with the edges of the images. In addition, the band is sensed at a predetermined location of its path in order to ascertain the length of the band travelling by the predetermined location. The density and length data are sent to a microprocessor which uses the data to assign a position coordinate to each detected edge and its corresponding image. The position coordinates represent the positions of the images longitudinally of the band. The position coordinates are employed by the microprocessor in conjunction with other data such as the length of the band and the number of images to determine the locations at which the band is to be cut so that none of the resulting strips is to long or too short, or has to many or too few images. The microprocessor controls a marking device which marks the locations or a cutting device which severs the band at these locations.

Method of and apparatus for cutting developed film

An exposed and developed photographic filmstrip having a series of image areas is conveyed along a path and is photoelectrically scanned at a first location of the path to detect regions characterized by marked density jumps. A signal is generated in response to detection of each such characteristic region and a first distance measuring device disposed near the first location assigns a first distance reading to each characteristic region upon detection thereof. The first distance readings are representative of the positions of the characteristic regions longitudinally of the filmstrip. Each signal is stored together with the respective first distance reading. The stored signals and first distance readings are used to calculate the positions of the image areas longitudinally of the filmstrip, and the calculated positions are likewise stored. From the first location, the filmstrip travels to a second location of the path where a notch is punched in the filmstrip adjacent to each image area. Immediately upstream of the second location, the filmstrip is photoelectrically scanned for a second time to again detect the characteristic regions.

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Pullach, Germany

Gerhard Benker