Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
l312 ~2~6~
COMPACT FOLDING CAMER~ CONSTRUCTION
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
_
This invention relates to photographic appara-
tus and, more particularly, it concerns a compact folding
camera construction especially suited for the exposure
and processing of two component film systems to provide a
photograph directly available for viewing.
Commonly assigned U.S. Patents No. ~,630,912
and 4,630,915 disclose developments by which the two-
CQmpOnent film system disclosed in U.S. Patent No.
3,907,563 is incorporated in a cassette system which sub
stantially solves the problems associated with handling,
packaging and storage of the film both prior to and after
it has been loaded into a camera for sequential exposure
and processing of successive film frames. In the two-
component film system of U.S. Patent No. 3,907,563, an
image receiving film component, which is not sensitive to
actinic light, is impregnated with an alkaline, liquid
processing agent. The negative film component includes a
web-like support coated by a polymeric acid layer, a
timing layer, a dvs developer layer and a silver halide
layer. After exposure of the silver halide layer on the
negative component, the two sheets are brought together
in face-to-face contact as a laminate with the several
active aoating layers sandwiched between the supporting
substrates of the respective components. The processing
agent operates to transfer the latent image formed by
- ,
.
,
362~
exposure of the silver halide layer of the ne~ati.ve to
the image-receiving layer directly behind the transparent
support of the receiver or posi.tive sheet component. The
acid layer in the original negative sheet neutrali~es the
alkaline processing fluid but under the control oE the
timing interlayer situated between the acid layer and the
remaining layers of the composite laminate.
The two component system of the aforementioned
patent is less expensive and, in many ways, superior to
present commercially available instant film systems which
rely on a combination of complex film unit assemblages
and require precision in processing apparatus to achieve
the correct spread of processing fluid, usually supplied
in a rupturable pod forming part of the film unit,
15 . throughout the area of the final photograph. The major
problems presented to a viable commercial system using
the two component film system of U.S. Patent No.
3,907,563, lie in the need for keeping separate the
positive and negative film components until after
exposure and in the need for hermetically sealin~ the
liquid impregnated positive comp.onent to assure retention
and availability of the li~uid processing agent until it
is needed for processing the film system after exposure.
These problems have been addressed and essentially
circumvented by U.S. Patents No. 4,630,912 and No.
4,~30,915.
SUMMAR~ OF T~IE PRESENT INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, an
extremely compact Eolding camera is provided which is
particularly though not exclusively, adapted for expo-
sure, processing and viewing of photographs from the
cassette-packaged, two-component film system of the type
aforementioned.
The camera body is configured to envelope a
film cassette having a pair of cylinder-like housin~s
--2--
~. ' '
'
projecting upwardly at the ends of a central platform
section defining the exposure plane. First and second
nested housings are pivotally mounted from the rear edge
of the camera body and support major camera operating
components for movement between a folded position, lying
generally between the cylinder-like cassette housings,
and an erect operating position in which the components
are elevated above the body. Single lens reflex viewing
and exposure modes are accommodated by the combination of
a double-sided, independently pivotal mirror and a pair
of mirrors carried respectively by the camera body and
the second housing. The independently pivotal mirror is
movable from a position overlying the film plane,
upwardly to an inclined position in which light passing
from an objective lens carried by the first housing is
reflected to the film plane.
In the context of its applicability to the
two-component film system in which separately contained
positive and negative film components supplied in the
cassette housings are exposed and processed, the camera
includes a pair oE processing rollers r through which the
two film components are passed after exposure, and a
cutter to sever each discrete photograph from the film
component. The camera back is hinged as a door for
supporting the processing roller and cutter and, in
addition, provides a chamber into which the processed
photographs are fed for storage which may permit direct
viewing from the camera back with or without removal of
the photograph from the storage chamber.
A principal object o the present invention,
therefore, is to provide an extremely compact folding
camera adapted for use with cassette-contained film
systems A further object of the present invention is to
provide such a camera which is adaptable to single lens
reflex operation and to the -rocessilg of two-component
.
'' ' : ,
~2~8~
63356-1679
instant film systems. A still further object of the
invention is to provide an instant camera system in which
photographs processed by the camera may be viewed
directly with or without removal of the photograph from
the camera.
The invention may be summarized, according to
one aspect, as a folding camera for exposing photographic
film supplied in a cassette having a pair of
cylinder-like housings at opposite ends of a central
platform section, said camera comprisiny:
a body for defining a light-tight chamber to
receive the cassette with said cylinder-like housings
disposed near opposite ends of the body;
a first pivotal hou~ing movable between a
folded position overlying said central platform section
between said cylinder-like housings and an erect position
projecting upwardly from ~aid body; and
a second pivotal housing lying within said
first pivotal housing and movable between a folded
position between said cylinder-like housing and an erect
position projecting upwardly from said first pivotal
housing.
According to another aspect, the invention
provides a folding camera comprising;
, .,
~ 4-
,
63356-1679
a camera body configured for receiving
photog~aphic film for pre~qentation for exposure at a
given focal plane within said body;
a first housing ~ection carrying an objective
lens at one end thereof;
a second housing section carrying a flash unit
at one end thereof; and
said first and second housing sections being
mounted on said body for pivotal movement thereto and
each other at the ends opposite their said one end~
between an inoperative folded position wherein said
second section is nested in said first section and said
first section is nested in said body in overlying
relation to said focal plane and an operative erect
position wherein said one end of said first housing
projects upwardly from said body and said one end of said
second housing section projects upwardly from said first
section.
According to yet another aspect, the invention
provides a folding single lens reflex camera comprising:
a body configured for receiving photographic
film for presentation for exposure at a given focal plane
within said body;
a housing ~ection carrying an objective len~ at
-4a~
~2~
63356-1679
one end, said housing section being mounted on said body
for movement between an inoperative folded position,
wherein said objective len3 is located within said body,
and an operative, erect position wherein at least sald
one end of said housing ~ection and said objective lens
is positioned upwardly above said body; and
a reflex through-the-lens viewing system
including a viewing path extending through said objective
lens and reflected by a plurality of mirrors to a viewing
eyepiece, one of said mirrors being mounted in said body
in spaced relation to said focal plane so as to form a
recess in said body between said one mirror and said
focal plane, and said objective lens is positioned within
said recess when said housing is in its folded
condition.
According to a further aspect, the invention
provides a compact single lans reflex camera comprising a
camera body including means for receiving photographic
film for presentation at a given focal plane for expo~ure
to a photographic ~cene;
a lense mounted in said camera body for
directing scene liyht to the interior of the body along a
given path traversing and 3paced above said focal plane;
a first mirror mounted in said body in inclined
~4b-
'- ' , ' ' ' ,
.
6~3
633S6~1679
relation to said given path so as to direct scene light
rays from said given path toward said ~ocal plane;
a 3econd mirror comprising a do~ble sided
mirror mounted in said body for movement between a
viewing position overlying said focal plane, wherein the
one side of said double sided mirror facing away from
said focal plane redirects light back to said fir~t
mirror, and an exposure position overlying said first
mirror, wherein the other side of said double sided
mirror directs scene light from said given path to said
focal plane, said one side of said double sided mirror
being configured for reflecting scene light received from
said first mirror rearwardly to again impinge on said
first mirror for a second reflection therefrom along an
inclined path extending both forwardly and downwardly at
an angle to said given path of said len~;
an opening provided in the rear of said camera
body for viewing along a viewing path spaced between
said given path of said lens and said second mirror when
~0 said s~cond mirror is in its ~aid viewing position; and
a third mirror mounted in said camera body in
intercepting relation to said inclined path for
redirecting the second reflection from said first mirror
-4c-
~2~62~
63356-1679
across the camera focal plane toward said opening whereby
said viewing configuration provide~ a compact camera
arrangement having a folded viewing path generally
confined to the exposure chamber of the camera.
Other objects and further scope of
applicabili~y of the pre~ent invention will become
apparent from the detailed description to follow taken in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like
parts are designated by like reference numerals.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the camera of
the present invention in it~ folded condition;
Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the camera in
its erect or operative condition;
Fig. 3 i8 a plan view of the camera in its
folded configuration with internal components illustrated
in phantom lines;
Fig. 4 is a cro~s-section on line 4-4 of Fig.
3;
Fig. 5 is an enlarged cro~s-section on line 5-5
of Fig~ 3;
Fig. 6 i~ a cros~-~ection similar ~o Fig. 5 but
illustrating the camera in it~ erect condition;
-4d-
.
63356-1679
Fig~ 7 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-section
showing component~ illustrated in Fig. 4 but at a larger
scale; and
Fig. 8 i9 a fragmentary bottom view of the
camera.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
In Figs. 1 - 3 of the drawings, a pxeferred
embodiment of a camera 10 is shown to include a camera
body 12 having an exterior configuration approximating a
rectangular parallelepiped. The body 12 includes a front
wall 14, a pair of end walls 16, a rear wall 18, a
bottom
4e-
.
.
wall or door 19 (Fig. 4) and a top wall 20. The top wall
20/ as shown most clearly in Figs. 1 - 3, is defined by a
pair of end panel sections 22 and 24 extending betw~een
and joining with the front, back and end walls 14, 18 and
16, respectively. The panel sections 22 and 24 join at
their inboard edges with elevated rail-like formations 26
and 28, respectively. The formations 26 and 28, in turn,
define a generally rectangular opening having side edges
30 and 32 ~Fig. 3) extending from the front wall 14 to
the rear wall 18. The opening between the edges 30 and
32 is closed by nested pivotal housings designated
generally by the reference numerals 34 and 36. The
housing 34 includes a top wall 38 joined through a pair
of side arms 40 and by a pivot pin 42 (Figs. 5 and 6)
with the rear wall 18 of the camera body 12. The housing
36 also includes a top wall 44 nested between the side
arms 40 and the rear edge of the top wall 38 of the
housing 34. The housing 36 is also connected to the rear
wall 18 by the pivot pin 42.
In Figs. 1 - 3 of the drawings, the organiza-
tion of external camera operating components may be seen
in their relationship to the camera body 12 and the
housings 34 and 36. Specifically, an actuating button 46
(Fig. 1) is presented to the rear of the top wall panel
section 22 whereas a viewing eyepiece 48 (Fig. 3) is pre-
sented from the rear wall 18. All other externally
presented components are supported by the respective
pivotal housings 34 and 36. Specifically~ as shown in
Fig. 2, the housing 34 carries a rigidly connected lens
board 50 for supporting an objective lens 52, a photocell
window 54 and other exposure~ control components, such as
an internally mounted shutter and shutter actuating
assembly (not shown).
The housing 36 carries a pivotal photoflash
unit 56 having a front face 58 from which a flash lamp 60
--5--
.
-~ , ' " ~ . .
. ~
.
, ' : '; '
. , .
312~
63356-1619
and associated ranging w.indow 62 are presentecl. As will he seen
from the clescription -~o follow~ the unit 56 pivots from the
position shown in Fig. 2, forwardly ancl downwardly, Eor movement
of the housing 36 to its folded condi-tion.
An unclerstanc1ing of the interior design and construction
o~ the ca~era lo may be had by reference to Figs. 3 - 6 o~ the
drawings. In this respec~, the body 12 in the illus~rated
embodiment is adapted -to receive a film cassette of a type
described in U.S. Patents No. 4,630,912 and No. 4,630,9l5. A
casset~e o~ thls type is shown in Fig. 4 and designated generally
by the reference numeral 64. The cassette 64 includes a pair of
cylinder-like housings 66 and 68 projecting upwardly at opposite
ends of a central plat~orm section having a planar deck 70 along
which a negative film is passed in a f~lm plane from a coil 72
packaged in the housing 68. A positive film component is supplied
from a coil 74 in the other cassette housing 66 which is equipped
with a stopper 16 for sealing purposes, all as fully described in
the cited U.S. Patents.
To accommodate the shape of the cassette 6~, the body 12
includes an interior liner 78 of a configuration to complement the
shape of the cassette 64. The liner cooperates with the door l9 to
provide a light-tight enclosure for the cassette 64. The door 19
is in the nature of a hinged back pivotally connected to one
sidewall 16 by a hinge 80 and secured by a latch (not shown) to
the opposite si.dewall 16. The hinged back or door supports a pair
of processing rollers 82, a cutoff mechanism 84, a slidable film
pusher 86 and a photograph storage receptacle deiined in part by
the bottom wall or door 19 and an inner wall 88 which opens at its
ou~er end in a slot 90 for removal of finished photographs.
~.~c 6
. , .
'
.
Additional structural Eeatures oE the ~oor 19 will be
described in more detail below.
As may be seen in Figs. 3 - 6, the pivotal
camera housings 34 and 36, together with ~he op~rative
components supported by these housings, lie in the space
between the cassette housings 66, 68 and the correspond-
ing portions of the liner 78. Each of the camera
housings, moreover, is of inverted U-shaped configuration
as a result of sector-shaped sidewalls g2 depending from
the top wall 38 and the side arms 40 of the housing 3~
and of similarly shaped side walls 94 depending from the
top wall 44 of the housing 36. The bottom edges of the
respective side walls 92 and 94 are provided with out-
wardly projecting flanges or lips 96 and 98 which
function to provide light sealing in the erect position
and stops to limit opening movement of the respective
housings 34 and 36. Additionally, the housing 34 carries
inward directed lips or tabs 97 at its lowermost edge to
engage the lip 98 of the rear housing 36 as the latter
moves to its closed position.
As above indicated, the forwardly disposed or
outer housing 34 supports the lens board 50 and the
objective lens 52. The lens board 50 is fi~ed directly
to the top wall 38 and between the side walls 92 of the
housing 34. The housiny 34, and thus the lens board 50
and lens 52, is moved between a folded position illus-
trated in Fig. 5, in which the top wall 38 rests along
the top of the front wall 14, and an erect position,
illustrated in Fig. 6, in which the outwardly projecting
lips 96 engage under the Eormations 26 and 28 as well as
under a flange 100 at the top oE the front wall 14.
The inner and rearwardly disposed housing 36
pivotally supports the photoflash unit 56 from the side
walls 94 of the housing 36 for movement about an axis 102
intersecting the side walls 94 of the housing 36. As a
result of this pivotal mounting, the unit S~ is
positionable pivotally with respect to the housing 36
between a folded condition as shown in Fig. 5 and an
erect position as shown in Fig. 6. Additionally, it will
be noted that the unit 56, in the folded posi-tion, lies
between the top wall 44 of the housing 36 and a trape-
zoidal mirror 104 supported for movement directly with
the housing 36 about the pivot pin 42. Finally, a pair
of storage cells or batteries 106 are carried by the
housing 36 between the top wall 44 and the mirror 104 and
rearwardly of the folded photoflash unit 56.
To enable single lens reflex operation of the
camera 10, a double-sided mirror 108, the upper side 107
being a Fresnel mirror and the underside 109 being a
plane mirror, is independently pivoted Erom an axis 110
between a viewing position, in which -the mirror 108 over-
lies a frame of negative film lying on the cassette deck
70, and an exposure position, depicted by phantom lines
in Fig. 6 and in which the mirror 108 is elevated to an
inclined attitude above the cassette deck 70. The view-
ing position of the mirror 108 is established by a pair
of ledges 112 secured directly to the liner 78. As a
further incident to viewing, a concave aspheric mirror
114, which in a first approximation is a portion of an
ellipsoidal mirror, is fixed behind the front wall 1~
and optically aligned with an eye lens 116 positioned
forwardly o~ the external eyepiece 48.
The optical paths, Eor viewing, with the mirror
108 in its lower position, and for exposure, with the
mirror 108 elevated to the upper inclined position shown
in Fig. 6, may now be understood. With the mirror 108
in its lower position, image light is transmitted from
the scene along a path 140 traversing and spaced above
the focal plane represented by the cassette decl~ 70 (the
principal ray being illustrated as a dashed line) to the
' ~ ~
inclined, fixed mirror 10~ and reElected therefrom along
a path 142 at approximately 90 to the Fresnel mirror
provided by the surface 107 of the double sided mirror
108. The Fresnel mirror, in turn, reflects the image
5 light rearwardly along a path 1~ at a small angle to the
incoming path 142 to again impinge upon the viewing
mirror 104. The reimaging on the ixed mirror 104
redirects the image rays forwardly and downwardly along a
path 146 directed between the lens 52 and the leading end
10 147 of the mirror 108. The downwardly reflected rays
travelling along path 146 are, in turn, reflected by the
concave mirror 114 along a path 148 which traverses the
mirror 108 and the camera focal plane to the eye piece
48. In the illustrated arrangement, the rays reflected
15 from the mirror 114 along the path 148 are at a slight
angle to the camera focal plane. This is corrected by a
wedge-shaped eye lens 116 so that the image appears to
the viewer to be parallel to the image path 140.
The Fresnel-type surface or Fresnel mirror
20 formed on surface 107 of the double-sided mirror 108 is
similar to that described in U.S. Patent No. 3,73S,685
with the surface rotated approximately 180 to provide a
rearward reflection of the image as shown, for example,
in U.S. Patent No. 3,760,70~.
2S In the present arrangement in the viewing mode,
the image initially re1ected Erom the fixed mirror 10~
is reflected rom the Fresnel surface 107 to orm a con-
jugate image of the exit pupil of the taking lens 52
formed along the path 1a~6 at a point Ealling within the
30 exposure volume as deEined by the extreme rays (not
shown).
As illustrated herein, the concave mirror is
positioned forwardl~ of the film p.lane or cassette deck
70 to provide a recess for displacement of the lens 52
35 into the camera base when the camera is folded. However,
_g_
8~
it should be understood that the mirror position may also
be located closer to the leading edge of the film plane,
while retaining the compact viewing path coniguration,
in camera configurations not requiring such recess.
For the exposure operation, the double sided
mirror 128 is driven upwardly to the position shown in
dotted lines in Fig. 6 50 that the incoming light from
the scene, the principal ray being shown by dctted lines
and designated as 151, is reflected from a planar mirror
107 provided on the underside of the double mirror 108 to
the film unit presented at the focal plane.
Any suitable means for pivoting the double
sided mirror 108 between its viewing position overlying
the focal plane and its inclined position overlying the
inclined mirror 104 are suitable. In this reyard, the
mirror opçration as presented in U.S. Patent No.
3,685,416 may be suitable for this purpose.
Since the eyepiece 48 opens within the camera
body in communication with the exposure chamber, it can
produce light leakage to the film when the mirror 108 is
raised to its inclined position. This light leakage is
controlled in the present arrangement by a light blocking
arrangement utilizing a light shield or blade 150 which
is fixed to and extends between the mirror supports, only
one of which is shown and designated as 152. The light
blade 150 extending between the pair of supports provides
an opaque shield located in position to adequately block
any light which may enter the opening in eyepiece 48 when
the mirror is moved to its erect position. To ensure
adequate light blocking, the blade 150 extends within
a channel provided by a pair of fixed blade members 154
and 156 so as to provide a light labyrinth with the blade
member 150.
As can be seen in Fig. 6, the blade 150 is
designed so that it will not interfere with or block
--10--
~2~3~36~
viewing rays travelin~ from the mirror 114 to the eye-
piece 48 in the viewing mode, but will be carried with
the double sided mirror 108 upwardly in front of the eye
lens 116 to adequately block the light rays during the
exposure mode. In this regard, while the blade 150 does
not extend above the surface 109 of the double sided
mirror 108, the mirror when raised will also provide
blocking of rays entering through the eyepiece 48 so
that, in conjunction with the shield 115, light is ade-
quately precluded from reaching the focal plane when themirror is in its erect position. The mirror must be
rapidly moved between its film covering position and its
inclined position to limit light rays from entering
during intermediate positions of the mirror. Con-
sequently, the blade 150, in conjunction with the channelforming blades 15~ and 156 provide means for blocking the
transmission of light through the eyepiece to the film
plane when the mirror 108 is in its exposure position
and, more particularly, such means responsive to actua-
tion of the mirror 108 to displace it towards its expo-
sure position.
Other arrangements ~or precluding light rays
can be provided by a multiblade shutter (not shown)
mounted in alignment with the eyepiece ~8, e.g., between
it and the lens 116. The shutter would be arranged so
that it would be in an open position during the viewing
mode o the camera and driven to a closed light blocking
position as the camera is converted from the viewiny mode
to the exposure mode. That is, the shutter could consist
of a pair of mutually coupled blades pivotable between an
open and closed position and coupled to either the mirror
itsel~ or the driving means of the mirror ~or pivotable
closure of the shutter just prior to or at the initiation
of mirror movement toward its exposure position.
~Z~86~3
For viewing with the mirror 108 in its lower
position, image light reflected from a scene to be photo-
graphed passes along the paths indicated by the dashed line
in Fig. 6. Thus, after passing the objective lens 52, the
5 image light is reflected from the erected mirror 104 sup-
ported by the housing 36, downwardly to the upper surface
of the mirror 108, slightly rearwardly, back to the mirror
104, then forwardly to the concave mirror 114, and rear-
wardly through t~e eye lens 116. When the reflex mirror
10 108 is moved upwardly during performance of an exposure
cycle, light passing from the scene takes the path of the
dotted line in Fig. 6, through the lens 52 to the bottom
surface of the reflex mirror 108 and down to the negative
film supported on top of the cassette deck 70.
The door 19 supports the processing rollers 82,
cutoff knife 84, pusher 86 and the lnner wall 88 defining a
finished photograph receptacle which can provide either
light shielded storage, i.e., a darkened imbibition
chamber, or a photograph viewing chamber. Extending along
20 the inner surface o the door 19 under the wall 88 are a
pair oE rails 118 having inclined ramp surfaces 120 facing
in the direction of feed from the processing rollers 82.
The rails 118 are spaced to be positioned along the side
margins oE the photographs passing from the processing
25 rollers as may be seen in Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings,
for example. Also, a pair of photograph hold down springs
122 are disposed between the rails 118 and the wall 88. It
will be noted further that the rails 118 are of the length
such that the ramps 120 do not extend for the Eull length
30 of a photograph positioned on the rails by the springs 122.
Although the cutting mechanism may take a variety
of difEerent specific forms, in the disclosed embodiment
the cutting mechanism is in the nature of an inclined anvil
124 and a pivotal shear blade 126. Thus, as the laminate
35 of positive and negative film units passes the processing
86~
rollers 82r it is fed downwardly agalnst the door, through
the cutting mechanism 8~, up along the ramps 120 onto the
rails 118 and undar any previous photograph existing in
the chamber between the wall 88 and the door l9. When the
cutting mechanism 84 is actuated, the rear end of the
photograph will lie under the anvil 124. It will be noted
in Fig. 7 that the pusher 86 underlies the anvil 124 and
is carried by a slide 128 having an actuating knob or but-
ton 130 projecting to the exterior of the door l9. Thus,
after the film has been severed by the cutting mechanism
84, the pusher 86 may be operated manually to advance the
completed photograph completely onto the rails 118. Auto-
matic advancement of the pusher may also be provided.
Thereafter, the photograph may be removed from the camera
for viewing or it may be left in place. In this latter
respect, where light shielded imbibition is unnecessary,
the door 19 is provided with a transparent window 132
through which the last-taken photograph may be viewed
directly without its removal from the camera.
In use, the cassette 64 is first loaded into
the camera 10 through the hinge back or door 19 and the
leading ends of the respective negative and positive film
units 72 and 74 engaged in the nip between the processing
rollers 82. In this respect, the film components may
include a common leader which is advanced through one
exposure cycle as a "dark slide" and removed from the
camera.
To erect the camera for use, a latch mechanism
(not shown) is released so that the two housings 34 ancl 36
will be biased by springs (not shown) at the hinge pin 42,
upwardly to the position shown in E'ig. 6. In the case of
the rear housing 36, the flash unit 56 will pivot upwardly
to the position shown in Fig. 6 as the housing 36 reaches
its final erect position. In the erected condition of the
camera, an image to be photographed may be viewed through
-13-
~2~ ii2~
the eyepiece 48, and the actuating button 46 depressed to
initiate an exposure cycle. During the exposure cycle,
the mirror 108 raises to the phantom line position shown
in ~'ig. 6, the shuttter is actuated and the negative film
unit overlying the deck 70 of the cassette will be
exposed. Thereafter, the processing rollers 82 are
actuated to feed the positive and negative film units into
face-to-face contact with each other for processing,
through the cutting mechanism 84, and onto the ramps 88 in
the chamber between the door 19 and the wall 88. The
pusher is then manually actuated to position the photo-
graph where it may be viewed through the window 132.
A releaseable, spring biased latch mechanism
(not shown) having a release arm (not shown) extending
through the rear wall 18 of the camera body is emplo~ved
to engage and latch the rear housing 36 in its ~olded
position. For example, the latch may be configured to
engage the lip 48 of the housing 36 when the latter is
in the folded configuration. The ilousing 36, in turn,
through the tabs 47, engages and holds closed th0 forward
housing 34. To insure that the Elash unit 56 remains in
its folded position during and upon closure, a pair of
curved ridge rails (not shown) are provided along the
interior surfaces of the side walls 42 of the housing
34 for engagement with the flash unit.
To return the camera components to the folded
condition illustrated in Figs. 1 and 5, for example, the
photoflash unit 56 is first Eolded about its pivot 102.
The rear housing 36 will then fold within the front
housing 34 and then both the rear housing and the front
housing will be folded down to the camera body 12.
Thus it will be appreciated that as a result
of the present invention, an extremely compact and
efficient folding camera is provided particularly for
-14-
exposing, processing and viewing photographs origin~ting
in a two-component film system of the type described.
-l5-
.
.
. , - .
- -
.: ' ' . . " ' :
