Eastman-kodak Company

William J Greene

Randall R Maysick

John G Weigand

Robert J Matoushek

Dennis F Tianello

Harry A Gorman

Robert J Blackman

Robert M Westcott

Steven L Moore

William T Matthias

John A Romansky

Newton C Landis

A sheet feeding device (2) for separating an outermost sheet (4) from a stack (6). The sheet feeding device (2) comprises a stack support means (8) positioned in a first portion (10) of a housing (12), and a feed module (14) detachably mounted to a second portion (16) of the housing (12) and adapted to be positioned in contact with the stack (6). The feed module (14) includes an urging means (18) mounted on the feed module (14) by an infeed shaft (20) and a feed means (22) mounted on the feed module (14) by a feed roller shaft (24). A separation means (26) is detachably and pivotally mounted to the second portion (16) of the housing (12) by a support means (28). The separation means (26) is positioned adjacent to the feed means (22) so as to define a nip therebetween. A drive means (32) for driving the feed module (14) is mounted to the second portion of the housing (12). A clutch means (90) attached to the drive means (32) transmits an intermittent drive force to the feed module (14). A method for feeding an outermost sheet from a stack through a sheet feeding device is also described.

Sheet feeding device

An apparatus for cutting and desplicing a roll of spliced films, being transported through the apparatus, to form filmstrip leading and trailing ends and re-shaping each end to their desired configurations having, a splice cutter located along the film path for forming two filmstrip ends with residual splices thereon, punch and die assemblies located adjacent to the splice cutter for re-shaping the ends of the filmstrip and removing the residual splice, moveable alignment guides located adjacent to each punch and die assembly, for aligning the film prior to cutting and re-shaping operations, a plurality of flexible guides located along the film path for guiding the spliced and despliced films along the film path, and an aperture located below the splice cutter, underneath the film path, for disposing of the removed residual splices, is described. A method for cutting and re-shaping the ends of a filmstrip using the apparatus is also described.

Splice cutting and film re-shaping apparatus

A film strip with a damaged end portion is repaired by using jig means for severing the strip at a fixed distance from a pre-existing locating hole to remove the damaged end portion and then attaching a pre-formed replacement end member in the same location by reference to the same locating hole. The replacement end member has the same edge configuration and hole features as the original film end portion and overlaps the severed film end to permit it to be adhesively bonded thereto.

Method and apparatus for repairing damaged film end

An apparatus for transporting and/or decurling a strip of photosensitive material. The apparatus includes a plurality of rollers and a drum. A belt is wrapped about the plurality of rollers and are positioned such that the belt forms a receiving pocket for holding and retaining the drum and for rotating the drum about its axis. At least one of the plurality of rollers being connected to a drive mechanism so as to move the belt about the rollers so as to cause the drum to rotate about its axis of rotation. The belt is in direct contact with the outer surface of the drum for a predetermined distance about the circumference of the drum forming a first film path. The first film path has an entrance for receiving film and an exit for allowing film to leave the film path. A heater may be provided which is associated with the heating drum for heating the drum to a predetermined temperature.

Apparatus for decurling a strip of photosensitive material

A method and apparatus for transporting and/or decurling a strip of photosensitive material. The apparatus includes a plurality of rollers and a drum. A belt is wrapped about the plurality of rollers and are positioned such that the belt forms a receiving pocket for holding and retaining the drum and for rotating the drum about its axis. At least one of the plurality of rollers being connected to a drive mechanism so as to move the belt about the rollers so as to cause the drum to rotate about its axis of rotation. The belt is in direct contact with the outer surface of the drum for a predetermined distance about the circumference of the drum forming a first film path. The first film path has an entrance for receiving film and an exit for allowing film to leave the film path. A heater may be provided which is associated with the heating drum for heating the drum to a predetermined temperature.

Process for decurling a strip of photosensitive material

Apparatus and methods are provided for separating photographic film strips, adhered to a splice, by restricting movement of the splice and then pulling the film strips longitudinally in opposite directions. According to one feature, the splice adhesive is heated until it softens, preferably with a hot shoe applied against the splice under pressure. According to other features a space is left between the ends of the film strips when they are spliced together, and the splice is engaged from both sides while the film strips are pulled apart. Still more specifically, according to another aspect of the invention, a carrier or splice pick-up web is provided for removing the splices from the area and for holding the removed splices in a manner particularly convenient for disposal.

Apparatus and method for separating spliced strips of photographic film

A photographic filmstrip is initially coiled about a spool inside a cartridge with a trailing film end portion secured to the spool and a leading film end portion being free. The filmstrip is advanced, leading film end portion first, from the supply cartridge into a host container such that the filmstrip is reverse coiled in the host container to reduce any longitudinal curl in the filmstrip resulting from the filmstrip being wound on the spool. The trailing film end portion is released from the spool. The film in the host container can be heated to further reduce the longitudinal curl in the filmstrip.

Method and apparatus for preparing a photographic filmstrip for

Film unwinding apparatus is to be used with a film spool having a hook that extends substantially in a film winding direction of rotation of the spool and through a hole in a trailing end portion of a filmstrip to engage the trailing end portion to prevent it from being pulled off the spool. The unwinding apparatus is adapted to pull the filmstrip off the film spool in a way that makes the spool rotate with the filmstrip in a film unwinding direction. A weighted body is connected to the film spool to be rotated by the spool in the film unwinding direction as the filmstrip is pulled off the spool. This allows the weighted body to provide a momentum to rotate the film spool relative to the trailing end portion in the film unwinding direction when the filmstrip except for the trailing end portion has been pulled off the spool, to back the hook out of the hole to allow the trailing end portion to be pulled off the spool without ripping the filmstrip.

Growing community of inventors

Webster, NY, United States of America

William J Greene