US1412693A - Photoprinter - Google Patents

Description

w. E. LOCKHART.

PHOTOPRINTER.

APPLICATION FILED F EB. 7. {920. 1,412,693, Patented Apr. 11, 1922. 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3. 479- ATTORNEY WITNESS:

I MT/4M UNITED STATES,

' WILLIAM LOCKHART, 0F HOUSTON, TEXAS.

PHOTOPRINTER.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Apr, 11, 192 2;

, Application-filed February '7, 1920. Serial No. 357,066.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, VILLIAM E. Loo];- HART, a citizen of the United States, residing at Houston, in the county of Harris and State ofTeXas, have invented new and useful Improvements in Photoprinters, 1 of which the following a specification.

This invention relates to devices for the printing of photographs and has for its object the provision of a device including a lamp house provided with a window before which is mounted means for support ing a roll of films of individual films and a mask, the device further including a paper carrier provided with an operating lever and. having means for holding the sensitized paper, this paper carrier being nlovable to be disposed against the negative and the arrangement being such that a circuit closer will operate to energize an electric light within the lamp house when the paper carrier is in negative engaging posi tion.

An important object is the provision of a device of this character provided with novel means whereby the position of the negative may be adjusted within the window within the lamp house.

Another important object is the provision ofa device of this character in which is provided a mask adapted to partially cover the negative for making prints of different sizes, the position of the mask being also adjustable and the mask bein held in position by novel spring means. 7

Another object is the provision of a device of this character provided with novelly constructed means for holding the sensitized paper upon the paper carrier, the arrangement being such that the paper may be very quickly and easily released after printing so as to expedite the completion of the work.

A further object is the provision of a device of this character which is so constructed that the operator may without leaving his seat, print a larger number of pictures in a very thorough and expeditious manner, means being provided whereby access may be readily had to the interior of the lamp house when necessary, and means being provided for regulating the intensity of the light to suit various negatives. and various makes of print paper.

An additional object is the provision of a device of this character which will be comparatively simple and inexpensive in manufacture, very rapid and efficient 1n use,

durable in service, a great labor saver, and

a general improvement in theart.

With the above and other objects and advantages in view, the invention consists in the details of construction to be hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of the de vice in normal or inoperative position,

F1gure2 1s a longitudinal sectlonal view with the paper carrier disposed adjacent the Referring more particularly to the'draw ings, the numeral 10 designates thebase-of the device upon one end of which is mounted a casing 11 constituting the lamp house. Disposed within the lower portion of this casing is a testing lamp 12, the purpose of which will be hereinafter made apparent, and disposed within the upper portion of the house is an incandescent bulb 13. The upper forward portion of this house is in clined, as shown, and provided with a door 14. It will be seen that the door 1 1 provides means whereby access may be had to the interior of the casing or house for renewing the bulbs when burned out.

The front wall of the house is provided withan opening 16 within which is mounted an open frame 17 covered by a pane of glass 18. Associated with this frame 17 is a mask 19 formed as a sheet ofmetal having the desired size and shape of opening therein and slidably mounted in grooves 20 inthe sides of the frame. The negative from which the prints are to be made is placed between the mask 19 and glass 18 and it will be observed that printsmay be made either from uncut rolls of films, pack films, or from plates.

Slidably mounted upon the sides of the frame 17 are. plates 21 which have formed thereon hooks 22 for engaging the lower edge of a film being printed. These plates are provided with rack teeth 23 engaged by pinions 24 carried by a shaft 25 having an operating button or handle 26 by means of which the plate may be moved for ad justing the negatives. Rollers 27 are carried by the frame for guiding the films when they are in an uncut roll. I also provide a clamp 28 pressed into engagement with the mask by springs 29 so as to hold the mask and negatives firmly in contact with the glass of the frame.

Rising from the other end of the base 10 is an upright support 30 upon which is pivoted, as shown at 31, an operating lever 32. Hingedly mounted, as shown at 33, upon the base 10 between the lamp house 11 and sup port 30 is an arm 84 upon the upper end of which is hingedly mounted a plate carrying a spring-pressed padded bed 36 upon which is disposed the sensitized paper, the paper being held in position by a clamping frame 37. A link 38 is pivotally connected with the plate 35 and with the lever 32 so that when the outer end of the lever is depressed the plate 35 carrying the sensitized paper and also the arm 34 will both be swung to bring the sensitized paper into engagement with the mask. When the lever is depressed to move the sensitized paper into this position, it may be desirable to hold the parts against further movement and to this end I provide a catch 39 rising from the base 10 and engageable over the outer end of the lever 32. A coil spring 40 is interposed between the lamp house 11 and the arm 34 for holding the arm 34 and the parts carried thereby normally away from the lamp house. A second coil spring 41 has one end connected with the upright 30 and its other end connected with the plate for holding the bed and frame in position away from the negative.

Secured upon the front wall of the lamp house is a switch 42 positioned to be engaged by the arm 34 and this switch is connected with the wires 43 and 44 which lead to the incandescent lamp 13 so that when the sensitized paper is brought into contact with the mask the switch 42 will close the circuit for energizing the lamp 13. It is preferable that the lamp 12 be free from the action of the switch and be energized at all times so that the operator may inspect negatives by holding them before the opening 16. I further provide a suitable light regulating device such as a rheostat 45 mounted preferably upon the top of the lamp house.

From the foregoing description and a study of the drawings it will be apparent that I have thus provided a very easily operated and thoroughly efficient device for making photographic prints in an expeditious manner and with the maximum ease and comfort to the operator, as all the operations are quickly and easily carried out without any necessity for the operators leaving his seat. It is thus possible to produce a large quantity of prints of excellent quality in a very short length of time.

hile I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention it is of course to be understood that I reserve the right to make such changes in the form, construction, and arrangement of parts as will not depart from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the snbjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A device of the character described comprising a base, a lamp house on said base having an opening in one side, illumb nating means within the lamp house, a frame disposed within said opening, plates slidablv mounted at the sides of said opening and adapted to suppoit a negative, and means for adjusting said plates to vary the position of the negative, said means comprising pinions and rack teeth formed on the plates and engaging said pinions, said pinions being mounted upon a manually movable rod.

2. A device of the character described comprising a base, a lamp house thereon provided with an opening, incandescent lamps within said lamp house, means at said opening for holding a negative, a pivoted arm, a holder for sensitized paper carried by said arm, an actuating lever movable to bring sensitized paper carried bv the arm into engage-- ment with a negative disposed at the open ing, a stationary contact within the lamp house, and a spring pressed plunger located in the path of movement of said arm, sl idabl through a wall of said lamp house to close a circuit including said stationary contact, a source of current and one of said lamps when said lever is moved to bring the sensitized paper against the negative.

3. A device of the character described comprising a base, a lamp house supported on said base and having an opening in one side, illuminating means within the lamp house, a frame disposed within said opening and covered bv a pane of glass, a mask detachably mounted within said frame adjacent said glass, plates slidably mounted upon the sides of said frame and having outwardly extending hooks thereon, said glass and said mask serving as retaining means for a negative disposed therebetween with the negative f resting upon said hooks, means for moving said plates simultaneously whereby to adjust the negative vertically in combination with a movable member adapted to carry sensitized paper and movable whereby to bring the papers into contact with said mask.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

IVILLIAM E. LOCKHART.

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