Dual film strip projector

Claim 1

A self-contained, automatic, dual film strip projector for projecting a plurality of images onto at least one screen, each of said images being projected from a corresponding frame of one of a pair of film strips which are operated in individually timed sequences independently of each other, comprising: (a) a housing; (b) light source means in the housing including a pair of lamps arranged side by side in spaced relation horizontally adjacent each other and casting parallel beams of light, each corresponding to a respective one of the pair of film strips; (c) a program module including: (1) a first cartridge element insertable in the housing containing a pair of reels arranged upright, parallel and in spaced relation horizontally adjacent each other, (2) the pair of film strips, including frames for forming visual images therefrom, respectively arranged on the reels and operatively disposed, each in front of a corresponding one of the pair of lamps, when the first cartridge element is positioned in the housing, (3) a second cartridge element insertable in the housing, and (4) a magnetic tape, including at least one track for recording control signals thereon, arranged in the second cartridge element; (d) means for directing light from the light source means through the film strips, out of the housing, and onto at least one screen, including a pair or mirrors arranged horizontally adjacent each other and in front of the corresponding lamps, said film strips being respectively interposed between the mirrors and the lamps when the first cartridge element is positioned in the housing, pivot means in the housing for pivoting the pair of mirrors in a manner permitting the unobstructed insertion or removal of the first cartridge element into or from the housing, and a lever arm connected to the pivot means and extending outside the housing for operating the pivot means; (e) a pair of film strip advancing means in the housing each engageable with a respective one of the film strips for advancing the film strip independently of the other; (f) means in the housing for driving the magnetic tape; and (g) means in the housing for sensing control signals recorded on the magnetic tape and operating the pair of film strip advancing means in response thereto, wherein each of the pair of mirrors is operatively disposed facing away from the other and at an angle of about 45° to incident light from the corresponding lamp, said mirrors thereby receiving the parallel beams of incident light passing through the pair of film strips and reflecting them horizontally in opposite directions and generally normal to the direction of incident light, said light directing means further including a pair of focusing lenses each movably arranged with respect to an axis coinciding with the path of reflected light for focusing light reflected from the corresponding mirror, and wherein said pivot means includes a shaft connected to the lever arm for axial rotational movement upon displacement of the lever arm, a first gear connected for rotation with the shaft, a second gear in mesh with the first gear, a first flange arm connecting one of the pair of mirrors with the first gear and a second flange arm connecting the other mirror with the second gear, said first and second flange arms pivoting the mirrors through an angle of about 45° toward each other to a position substantially adjacent and parallel each other when the lever arm is displaced to operate the pivot means, said pair of mirrors in the pivoted position being parallel to and accommodated in the space between the pair of reels of the first cartridge element, thereby permitting the unobstructed insertion or removal of the first cartridge element into or from the housing.