Paper advance and marking mechanisms for photographic printing apparatus

Claim 2

In an apparatus having means for forming images in a copy plane at varying magnifications, said copy plane including a reference center line, an improved transport mechanism for moving copy material in said plane, comprising: first positioning means operative to move the trailing edge of said area of material having an image formed thereon to said reference line; second positioning means operative to move said copy material into position centered on said reference line for forming of a second image; and control means for adjusting the first and second positioning means so as to regulate the movement of the copy material in accordance with the varying magnifications.

Claim 3

The invention according to claim 1, wherein said first and second positioning means move the copy material in a first direction, and additionally comprising: third positioning means operative to move said copy material in a second direction perpendicular to said first direction to thereby permit formation of a sequence of images on said copy material in said second direction.

Claim 4

The invention according to claim 2 additionally comprising means for sensing the boundaries of said copy material in said second direction.

Claim 5

The invention according to claim 1 additionally comprising means for marking said copy material when the trailing edge of said first area of material having an image formed thereon is positioned coincident with said reference line.

Claim 6

In photographic printing apparatus including a print plane adapted to have photographic paper moved thereover, a transparency holder, a light source adapted to be pRojected through said transparency to expose the photographic paper, and a lens system interposed between said transparency and said print plane and operative to focus the image of said transparency on said print plane at varying magnifications, the improvement comprising: means adapted to provide a supply of photographic printing paper; take-up means adapted to receive said photographic printing paper; means for threading said photographic print paper from said supply means over said print plane to said take-up means; first positioning means operative to position the edge of the print area to be exposed on the optical center line of said print plane; second positioning means operative to move said print paper so that the edge of said print material has moved to a position whereby the center of the print area to be exposed lies along said optical center line; means for exposing an image of said transparency on said print paper; and means for moving said print paper so that the bottom edge of said exposed print area is positioned at said optical center line of said print paper.

Claim 7

In photographic printing apparatus including a print plane adapted to have photographic paper moved thereover, a transparency holder, a light source adapted to be pRojected through said transparency to expose the photographic paper, and a lens system interposed between said transparency and said print plane and operative to focus the image of said transparency on said print plane at varying magnifications, the improvement comprising: means adapted to provide a supply of photographic printing paper; take-up means adapted to receive said photographic printing paper; means for threading said photographic print paper from said supply means over said print plane to said take-up means; first positioning means operative to position the edge of the print area to be exposed on the optical center line of said print plane; second positioning means operative to move said print paper so that the edge of said print material has moved to a position whereby the center of the print area to be exposed lies along said optical center line; means for exposing an image of said transparency on said print paper; and means for moving said print paper so that the bottom edge of said exposed print area is positioned at said optical center line of said print paper.

Claim 8

The invention according to claim 5 additionally comprising means for varying the size of said print area to be exposed and regulating the movement of said print paper in accordance with the varying of the size of said print area.

Claim 9

The invention according to claim 5 additionally comprising marking means operative to mark the back side of said print paper when the bottom edge of said paper area is positioned at the optical center line of said print paper.

Claim 10

In photographic printing apparatus including a print plane adapted to receive a photographic paper for printing, a transparency holder and a light source adapted to be directed through a film transparency in the holder for projection onto the print plane and lens apparatus interposed between said transparency holder and said print plane and operative to focus the image of said transparency on said print plane, a method for printing photographic film comprising the steps of: adjusting the amount of advancement for said print paper so as to be in accordance with the desired print size; positioning the top edge of the print area on the print paper to be exposed on a first optical center line in said print plane; positioning a first side edge of said print paper on a second optical center line, perpendicular to said first optical center line; advancing the top of said print paper until the center of said print area lies along said first optical center line; moving the the first side of said paper until the center of said print area lies along the second optical center line of said apparatus; exposing the transparency by projecting the light from said light source through said transparency and said lens apparatus onto the print paper; advancing the top of said print paper until the bottom of said print paper lies along said first optical center line; and re-adjusting the dimensions of said print paper advance mechanisms for subsequent prints to be made.

Claim 11

In photographic printing apparatus including a print plane adapted to receive a photographic paper for printing, a transparency holder and a light source adapted to be directed through a film transparency in the holder for projection onto the print plane and lens apparatus interposed between said transparency holder and said print plane and operative to focus the image of said transparency on said print plane, a method for printing photographic film comprising the steps of: adjusting the amount of advancement for said print paper so as to be in accordance with the desired print size; positioning the top edge of the print area on the print paper to be exposed on a first optical center line in said print plane; positioning a first side edge of said print paper on a second optical center line, perpendicular to said first optical center line; advancing the top of said print paper until the center of said print area lies along said first optical center line; moving the the first side of said paper until the center of said print area lies along the second optical center line of said apparatus; exposing the transparency by projecting the light from said light source through said transparency and said lens apparatus onto the print paper; advancing the top of said print paper until the bottom of said print paper lies along said first optical center line; and re-adjusting the dimensions of said print paper advance mechanisms for subsequent prints to be made.

Claim 12

In the method according to claim 8 after the step of exposing the photographic print, the additional steps comprising: moving the photographic paper in a lateral direction to position a second print area of said photographic paper in place for exposing; exposing said transparency through said lens system onto said second area of the photographic print paper; and repeating the above steps until the lateral dimension of the photographic paper has been fully utilized.

Claim 13

In the method according to claim 8, after the step of advancing the top of said print paper until the bottom of said print paper lies along said first optical center line, the additional step of marking the back side of print paper with a reference mark to facilitate subsequent cutting of the print paper.