US2968216A - Masking frame - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 17, 1961 v H. WESTENDORP 2,968,215

MASKING FRAME Filed sept. 1a, 1957 HANS WESTENDORP diff/g fla/Q4 A,

A TTORNEY United States Patent O MASKING FRAME Hans Westendorp, Opladen, Germany, assigner to Agfa aktiengesellschaf't, Leverkusen, Germany, a corporation of Germany Filed Sept. 18, 1957, Ser. No. 684,787 Claims priority, application Germany Sept. 29, 1956 8 Claims. (Cl. 88-24) This invention relates to a masking frame which is adapted to pivot about a horizontal axis on to a papersupporting plate fixed to a base plate, and has for its object automatically to align photographic paper of any tolerance in the frame and to provide it on all four sides with white margins of exactly the same width, whereby subsequent trimming of the prints is unnecessary.

This object is achieved according to the invention by equipping the frame with two separate angle masks which co-operate to form a four-sided mask, one angle mask being fixed and the other being resiliently fixed to the frame so as to be horizontally movable, and the rigidly fixed mask being adapted to co-operate with fixed stops, while the movable angle mask is constructed as a resilient movable angle stop for the paper. The movable angle mask can be constructed in the `form of two separate striplike masking pieces arranged at right-angles to one another, each masking piece being provided with a paper stop.

The masking of the margins on four sides is therefore effected by two separate angle masks, one of which is xed and the other movable, or by one fixed angle mask and two resiliently movable individual masking pieces, the resiliently movable angle mask or separate masking pieces adapting themselves to the outside dimensions of the sheet of paper. In one embodiment of the invention, the movable angle mask is provided with hinged strips, angle springs being supported .on the inside of the strips and of the angle mask. Provided on the base plate are projections which urge the hinged strips against the angle springs when the frame is swung into the closed position, so that the movable angle mask or the separate masking pieces are moved in a horizontal plane in a direction towards the fixed and therefore immovable stops on the paper-supporting plate. The movable angle mask is provided with setting bars which bring the paper sheet into engagement with the fixed angle stops.

One embodiment of the invention is showndiagrammatically and by way of example in the drawing, Fig. 1 being a cross-section through the cassette swivelled into the open position and Fig. 2 being a plan view of the cassette in the closed position.

In the figures, 1 represents a sheet of photographic paper, 2 a paper-supporting plate, 3 angle stops immovably arranged on the plate, 4 is a pivotable frame, 5 is an angle mask rigidly fixed thereon and 6 is an angle mask arranged so as to be movably ydisplaceable thereon. The two angle masks co-operate to form a four-sided mask which provides the paper sheet 1 on its four sides with white margins of exactly the same width. When the frame 4 is pivoted downwardly, the surface 6a of the movable angle mask not only brings the paper sheet 1 resting on the supporting plate 2 automatically into the correct angular position in relation to the angle mask 6 itself, but at the same time also urges the paper sheet against the fixed angle stops 3, against which the angle mask 5 rigidly fixed on the frame 4 also abuts, so that the sheet 1 is automatically aligned and al1 four sides of the sheet are masked with a margin of uniform width, for example 3 mm., by the angle masks 5 and 6.

The mechanical operation is as follows:

The paper 1 to be exposed is laid on the paper-supporting plate 2 and pushed against the stops 3 fixedly mounted on the plate 2. In this position, the outside edges of the paper which are opposite the angle stops 3 project about l to 2 mm. beyond the paper plate 2. The frame 4 carries the masks, and angle mask 5 being fixedly arranged on this frame and the resiliently displaceable angle mask 6 being suspended loosely on a support 7 which is displaceable in slots 8: this frame is then swung downwardly about a pivot shaft 21 on to a base plate 9. During this swinging movement of the frame 4, the sheet of paper 1, if it is not bearing exactly against the stops 3 but is at an angle to these stops, or if it has been subsequently displaced, is initially straightened by setting bars 10 of the mask 6 and moves towards the stops 3. In the meantime, the bars 12, which are rotatably fixed on the setting bars 10 of the mask 6 by means of a hinge 11, have reached projections 13 arranged on the base plate 9. These projections now force the bars 12 upwardly. The compression of the springs 14 caused thereby moves the angle mask 6 against the outside edges of the paper and finally shifts the-paper against the fixed angle stop 3. Due to the com-v pression of the springs 14, the paper is then in firm contact on all sides with the two arms of the angle mask 5 rigidly fixed on the frame 4 and of the angle mask 6 yieldably mounted on the frame 4. At the same time, the angle masks 5 and 6 mask the margins of the paper on all sides to a predetermined width, for example 3 mm., and cover these margins to a uniform extent.

In order that the displacement of the paper during the swinging movement of the mask-supporting frame 4 can take place without obstruction, it is necessary to arrange the fixed and the movable angle masks on the frame 4 in such a Way that when the masking frame is completely closed, a space of the order of the thickness of a sheet of photographic paper is left as clearance between the angle masks 5 and 6 and the surface of the supporting plate 2.

When the masking frame 4 is opened again after the paper has been exposed, this movement causes the bars 12 to be released by the projection 13 and retracted by the spring 14 into the initial position. At the same time, the springs 15 (Fig. 2) also return the resiliently mounted angle mask 6 to its initial position. A

The swinging movement -of the masking frame 4 can also be used for actuating a paper-ejecting mechanism. In the drawing, the band loop 16 rotatably mounted at one end on the frame 4 is moved, for example during the ,closing movement, to a position above a verticallyV projecting leaf-spring 17 only the base of'which is con'' nected by means of a screw 20 to the plate 2 and, on completion of this movement, the loop falls over the upper end of the leaf-spring 17. The loop 16 remains in this position. When the masking frame 4 is swung upwardly again after the exposure, the loop 16 bends the leaf-spring 17 back and, in a continuation of this movement, slips up over the free end of the leaf-spring. In this way, it releases the leaf-spring 17 and allows it to move quickly against the outside edge of the paper 1. By this means, the paper is quickly displaced from the supporting plate 2, while the loop 16 returns to its initial position, i.e. it again bears on the projection 18, over which it slides with the next closing movement until it drops through the opening 19 and over the leaf-spring 17.

I claim:

1. A masking device comprising means defining a paper supporting surface, a masking frame movable in and out of masking contact with a paper supported on said surface, paper guide means positioned for guiding abutment with two adjacent edges of a paper positioned on said paper supporting surface, said masking frame having two adjacent fixed masking sides positioned to overlap the edges of a paper abutting said guide means a predetermined distance when said masking frame is in masking engagement, the two other adjacent sides of said masking frame defining masking edges movable toward and away from the opposing masking sides, stop means connected to each of said masking edges at a predetermined distance from the inner terminal edge thereof for engagement with the edges of a paper maintained on said support surface when said frame is in masking engagement and means for resiliently forcing safd edges and stops toward the opposite sides of said frame when said mask is moved into masking engagement and when said stops are in position for engagement with the edges of a paper on said surface, whereby when said masking frame is moved to said masking engagement position with a piece of paper on said surface, said stop'means engage the edges of said paper forcing the same in abutment with said guide means automatically correctly positioning said paper and said masking frame with respect to each other.

2. A masking device comprising a paper supporting surface, a masking frame pivotally secured about a horizontal axis onto said supporting surface and capable of being pivoted from an open to a closed position with respect to said paper supporting surface, a fixed angle mask disposed on said masking frame and rigidly secured thereto, an adjustable angle mask disposed on said masking frame opposite said fixed angle mask, sad adjustable angle mask being capable of limited inward and outward resilient horizontal travel on said masking frame with respect to said opposite fixed angle mask whereby to form a four-sided self-adjusting mask, rigid paper stops for guiding abutment with two adjacent edges of paper positioned on said paper supporting surface, said stops being positioned along the sides upon which said fixed angle mask is seated and spaced from the inner edges of said fixed angle mask when said masking frame is in closed position, resilient paper stops positioned along said adjustable angle mask a fixed distance from the inner edges of said adjustable angle mask, said resilient stops being capable of inward and outward resilient movement in cooperation with said adjustable angle mask with respect to the opposite fixed angle mask when said masking frame is in closed position.

3. A masking device as in claim 2 wherein the adjustable angle mask is constructed of two separate masking strips, each said strip being provided therealong with a resilient paper stop, and outwardly biasing spring means.

4. A masking device as in claim 2 wherein the adjustable angle mask is provided thereunder with hinged strip means connected therealong, and spaced from said resilient stops, spring means therein acting against said hinged strip means and against said resilient stops, whereby inward movement of said hinged strip means forces said spring means against said stops and causes said stops to travel inwardly toward the opposite rigid paper stops.

5. A masking device as in claim 3, wherein upward projection means are secured on said paper supporting surface and in line with said hinged strip means, whereby said hinged strip means may be urged against said spring means by said upward projection means when said masking frame is in closed position, and said spring means may be forced against resilient stops to move said stops inwardly toward the oppositely facing rigid paper stops.

6. A masking device as in claim 2 wherein downwardly and outwardly extending setting bars are provided below said resilient stops and connected therealong whereby to contact the corresponding edges of a sheet of paper situated on said paper supporting surface and guide said sheet into abutment with the opposite rigid paper stops as the masking frame is placed in closed position over said paper supporting surface.

7. A masking device as in claim 2 wherein the fixed and adjustable angle masks are disposed on the masking frame through a plane which is spaced from said paper supporting surface when the masking frame is in closed position at least a distance corresponding to the thickness of a sheet of photographic paper.

8. A masking device as in clam 2 wherein a partially pivotable band loop is pivotally disposed on one side of the masking frame adjacent and parallel to the horizontal axis about which said frame pivots, and an upstanding leafspring is secured to the corresponding end of the paper supporting surface, said end being spaced a limited distance from the corresponding rigid stop, said band loop being capable of engaging said leaf-spring as said masking frame is moved to a partially opened position, and of disengaging said leaf-spring as said masking frame is further opened, whereby said leaf-spring may strike against one edge of a paper sheet located along the corresponding edge of said rigid stop and spaced from said paper supporting surface end, so as to eject said paper sheet.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,811,123 Glaser June 23, 1931 2,250,309 Lary July 22, 1941 2,651,244 Ferguson Sept. 8, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 555,232. Germany July 20, 1932 565,015 Germany Nov. 25, 1932 820,375 Germany Nov. 8, 1951

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