Fixtures for breaking open film cartridges

摘要

1,149,992. Breaking open cartridges. EASTMAN KODAK CO. Oct.26, 1967 [Nov.3, 1966], No.48759/67. Heading G2A. The invention provides a fixture for breaking open a plastic film cartridge of the expendable type, and extracting the spool of exposed film therefrom. In the form shown, the fixture comprises a vertically mounted support 35, having a vertical guideway 36 down which the cartridge 10 is slid. It is guided by a pair of members 38, passing between spacer plates 37 which are cut back at 39 to facilitate insertion. Two pivotable support members 42, turning on pins 41, are secured on the spacer plates. These support members have projections 44, 45 and when they are positioned as in Fig.1, the fixture is ready to receive a cartridge. The cartridge passes between the projections 44, which are drawn back clear of the cartridge and engages the projections 45. The members 42 are thus pivoted round so that the projections 44 engage in the hollow core 24 of the take-up spool 16, Fig.2 (not shown) and form a pivot on which the cartridge can turn. It is now in the upright position of Fig. 3 (not shown), and the operator then forces it in a clockwise direction, through the position shown in Fig. 5, until it is horizontal. During this movement, a projection 31 moulded at the take-up end of the cartridge engages against the sharp edge 55 of a fixed breaker member 56. This ruptures the chamber containing the take-up spool. If the cartridge has been made in two separate halves, sealed together along a central join 13, completion of the turning movement will rip the cartridge apart along the sealing line 13. The end of the film can now be grasped and unwound from the spool 16. The entire operation may conveniently be carried out in the dark.