Agfa-gevaert Ag

Rainer Turcke

Helmut Zangenfeind

Erich Nagel

Reinhard Nicko

Reinhart Wurfel

Heinz Ludemann

Josef Baader

Gunther Scholch

Reinhart Wurfe

Peter Funk

Karl-Heinz Sager

Gunter Jubile

Friedrich Meschenmoser

Uniting bands in the form of heat-sealable labels which bear encoded information are applied to exposed photographic films to join the films end-to-end. The encoded information is decoded by a reader before the labels are applied to the films to thus ensure that the hot sealing member which is used to apply labels cannot destroy or distort encoded information prior to decoding. Decoded information is used for the application of corresponding information to envelopes for exposed and developed films and for the prints of images of the respective film frames.

Apparatus for reading and processing encoded information of uniting

Envelopes which are about to receive developed photographic films and/or prints are advanced toward a stacking station in a predetermined orientation and each envelope is provided with one or more fold lines extending in the direction of advancement of envelopes. The fold lines serve to straighten the envelopes which are delivered in rolled, creased and/or otherwise deformed condition such as could interfere with predictable stacking of envelopes in a predetermined sequence which is necessary to ensure that each envelope receive a proper set of film frames and/or prints for shipment or delivery to the parties whose names and/or addresses appear on the envelopes. The fold lines straighten the originally deformed envelopes (which are in random distribution with non-deformed envelopes) for an interval of time which suffices to ensure proper stacking, even if the envelopes exhibit a pronounced tendency to reassume their deformed state. A properly stacked straightened (originally deformed) envelope is normally prevented from reassuming its deformed state by the weight of envelopes which are deposited above it.

Apparatus for straightening and stacking envelopes for photosensitive

A darkroom contains a first film unwinding unit which receives reels with convoluted undeveloped customer films from a device serving to remove reels from their cassettes. Each film which is being unwound from its reel is normally advanced in a first channel to a splicer which connects its leader to the trailing end of the preceding film to form a long web which is collected into a large roll prior to transfer into a developing machine. A second unwinding unit in the darkroom can receive reels with damaged films from the first unit or from another source of undeveloped films and has a receptacle for reels. A second channel extends from an outlet of the receptacle to a portion of the first channel ahead of the splicer. The two units can be reached by hands which must extend through contractible openings of two cuffs and thereupon through a contractible opening between several curtains of the darkroom. This enables an operator to transfer individual reels from the first unit into the receptacle of the second unit and to initiate the advancement of film into and through the second channel and severing of film in the second channel.

Apparatus for splicing together undeveloped customer films in a darkroom

A receptacle for packaging an order of photographs and negatives includes a base panel and a cover panel which define two pockets each of which has an openable and closable side. The base panel has a flap which extends beyond the openable and closable sides while the cover panel terminates at, and has an auxiliary tab adjacent to, the openable and closable sides. The flap is provided with a restraining tab which normally overlaps the auxiliary tab. The pockets have an open position in which the restraining tab is located between the auxiliary tab and the base panel, and a closed position in which the auxiliary tab is located between the restraining tab and the base panel. A device for closing the receptacle includes a slot designed to receive the region of the junction between the flap and the restraining tab, and a surface arranged to be contacted by the pockets. The slot and the surface have a relative orientation such that the flap is bent when the junction is received in the slot and the pockets contact the surface.

Arrangement for closing a receptacle for photographs and negatives

The device comprises a container defining an inlet opening, an input area in alignment with the inlet opening and a stacking area adjoining the input area. A feeding mechanism, such as two pairs of worm conveyors, a pair of frictional rollers, a conveyor belt, a vane shaft and the like, is arranged in the input area near the inlet opening to transfer a print at an accelerated speed from the inlet area into the stacking area.

Device for collecting and stacking photographic prints

Apparatus for classifying photographic prints which are severed from the leader of a downwardly moving web of exposed and developed photographic paper has side walls which define a downwardly extending channel whose upper end constitutes an inlet for descending prints and whose lower end has two or more discrete outlets. The channel contains one or more blade-like switching members which are movable between several positions to thereby establish paths for descent of sheets from the inlet into a selected outlet. The switching member or members are movable between such positions by electromagnets which are installed externally of the channel and each of which can attract or release one or more swtiching members. The channel can be mounted on a pivotable carrier which can move at least one outlet between two different positions for admission of prints which descend through such outlet into either of two discrete receptacles.

Growing community of inventors

Taufkirchen, Germany

Rainer Turcke