US2473729A - Color facsimile apparatus - Google Patents

Description

June 2.1, 1949. M SALZ 2,473,729

COLOR FACS IMILE APPARATUS A TTORNE.)l

Patented June 21, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT AOFFICE COLOR FACSIMILE APPARATUS Max Salz, New York, N. Y.

Application July 31, 1945, Serial No. 608,078

`6 Claims.

My invention relates .to the production of photographic pictures and, lmore particularly, to that part of this production in which a picture projected by the .lens vof `a :camera is used for the production of .a permanent picture or facsimile of .the projected picture .on .a sheet, plate .or .any other `suitable picture carrier.

In -ccnventional photography, .the 4rays `or light spots Aof the projected picture control chemical processes in a chemically lprepared :layer of picture carrier. Objectsof my invention are to dispense with such a chemical control and with corresponding .chemical :prepara-tion of .such a layer, 4and to use an .electric control instead.

iOther objects are to Aproduce the permanent picture or facsimile by sprinkling a surface of the picture `carrier rwith minute `particles of a finely dispersible :substance having a color dif- `ferent from .the color .of this surface, to distribute these particles or to vary their .density .correspending to the projected picture, to control this sprinkling, this distribution or rthis density .electrically, vand to derive this .electric control from photo-electric effects or :the light spots :of the projected picture.

Further yobjects. are to produce a picture or facsimile Ion a Acarrier Iby coloring particles, to produce a permanent picture or facsimile which 'is immediately visible after 'the picture .is taken without any subsequent development, and to make it possible to inspect fand to supervise the picture or facsimile vduring the process of taking the picture.

Still other objects are to provide `for different .colors of the picture, or facsimile to produce a ypicture -or facsimile showing colors corresponding tothe natural colors of the .projected picture, and to produce all colors .of the permanent picture or facsimile by one exposure.

Still further objects are to `obtain Vthe objects stated before by simple and 'reliable means, by means which are easily operated :and `.which can be used in connection with a camera or projector of conventional structure, and to provide -for use ofan ordinary camera optionally or alternatingly `vfor'theparticular objectso'fthe invention or for the objects of conventional photography.

Still other objects and advantages will appear from the `following.description of an Yexemplifrying embodiment of my invention, from the appended claims, `and from the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 shows a cross-section of a camera provided with a .device 'according vto my invention, .said cross-.section being taken :along the ybroken 2 line l-l and seen Afrom .the lower side in Fig. A2.v

Fig. 2 .showsa crosssection taken along the :line 2-2 and .seen from -the .upper side .in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 shows a back view vrof the .same camera, seen from "the left side in Fig. 1, the removable back wall being taken off..

Fig. 4 shows a cross-section of a part of `the inventive `device shown .in Figs. 1, 2 .and 3, this cross-section being taken along the 'line A1 4 and seen from the lower sidein Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 shows a cross-.section of amovable part of the .inventive device, this cross-section being taken along the line `5---5 and seen from the ylower side in Fig. 2. v

Fig. -6 shows a cross-section of a par-t which may be exchanged'with a part shown in Figs. 1, 2 and y3 and .may be used additionally Vfor the objects of my invention, lthis cross-section being positioned corresponding to Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 shows a schematic diagram of a circuit which may be -used in the .inventive device.

Figs. 4 and .5 :are represented on a considerably larger scale than Figs. 1, 2, 3 and .6.

Referring to the drawings, numeral I indicates an objective sor lens system Yadapted to project pictures. The objective l Vmay have any suitable structUre, may be provided with adjusting and closing devices vin any fknown manner, and may be connected vin any suitable manner with-a camera housing `2 which .has an open back side.

When the picture is being taken, the back side of the housing 2 is closed by a casing 3 aiixed, preferably detachably, `to the housing 2 and having -a front vopening .coinciding with the back opening of the housing `2. A picture carrier 4 is positioned in the casing .3 and across its front opening. Preferably, `this carrier is formed by a sheet of paper or of any other vsuitable material which may be flexible, may extendfrom an upper roller 5 rotatably supported by the .casing 3 to a similar lower roller 6 andimayhave a length providing for a plurality of pictures. Each time when a picture has been taken, one of theirollers 5 and 6, for .example .the roller 6, lis turned by means of a handle or crank 'l positioned outside of the casing 3 and connected `to 'the roller 6 by .a shaft .8 passing through a -bore of this casing. Thereby, `a fresh part of the carrier lis unwound from the roller 5 and brought into position for taking another picture, and the part carrying the taken `picture is wound around the roller 6.

' Two other rollers 19 and I0 are also rotatably supported in the ycasing 3, are vconnected to each other by chains vor Vbelts illy and can be rotated by means of ahandleor crank l2 4positioned outside the casing 3 and connected to one of the rollers, for example to the lower roller Iii, by a shaft I3. One of these rollers, for example the upper roller 9, is aiixed to a shaft I4 which can be rotated in one direction, for example in that direction that is anti-clockwise in Fig. 1, by suitable motoric means, for example by a clock work or spring motor I5 of common and well known structure which comprises a stationary part afxed to the casing 3. The roller 9 my comprise two parts positioned symmetrically with respect to the motor I5 and connected by the shaft I4 which may pass through the casing of this motor and forms a rotary part thereof.

The rollers 5 and 9 and the motor I5 may be confined in a chamber I6 partitioned off the space of the casing 3 by a wall I1 provided with openings for the passage of the carrier Sheet 4' and the chains II. The rollers S and Ill may be confined in a similar chamber I8 partitioned off by a wall I9 provided with similar openings. The back wall of the casing 3 may be formed by a removable cover 20 which may have dove-tailed upper and lower edges slidably engaging dovetailed slots of the casing 3. A wall 54 may extend from the front opening of the casing 3 about as far as to the sheet 4.

When, by means of the crank I2, the roller Il) is turned in that direction which is clockwise in Figs. 1 and 4, this rotation is transmitted by the chains I I to the roller 9 and the shaft I4 whereby the spring motor I5 is' wound up. A toothed wheel 2I aixed to the roller ID or its shaft I3 and engaged by a detent 22 prevents reverse movement of the rollers IU and 9 and unwinding of the motor I5 as long as the detent 22 is in the shown position. The detent 22 is secured in this position by a at spring 23 aflixed to the detent 22 and engaging e, projection 24 of the casing 3 or its partitioning wall I9. The detent 22 is affixed to a shaft 25 passing turnably through a bore of the casing 3. The outer end of the shaft 25 is aiiixed to a handle 26.

By turning the handle 2G, the detent 22 can be turned in clockwise direction in Fig. 4 into a position where the spring 23 contacts the projection 24 from the other side and where the detent 22 is disengaged from the toothed wheel 2I. Thereby, the motor I5 is released for operation, and this motor drives the chains I I so that they go up at the front side which is on the right side of the rollers 9 and I0 in Fig. 1.

A movable member or car 21 is affixed to the chains II and is in the shown position near the partitioning wall I9 when the motor I5 has been wound up completely. When the chains II are driven by the motor I5, they raise the car 21 gradually until the car comes to rest near the wall 54 or is stopped by this wall in the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. When the motor is wound up again in the manner described before, the car 21 returns to the lower position shown in full lines.

Details of the car 21 are best to be seen from Fig. 5. The car comprises a container 28 positioned near the back side of the sheet 4 and a number of photo- electric cells 29, 30 and 3| positioned near the iront side of this sheet. The container 28 and the cells 29, 39, 3I are connected by lateral parts 32 passing at both small sides of the sheet 4 whereby the car 21 has a narrow slot 33 left for the passage of the sheet 4. A battery or electric current source 34 may be aiixed to the back side of the container 23. The lateral parts 32 mayhave grooves slidably engaging vertical rails or ledges 53 formed by projections of the walls of the casing 3.

Preferably, the photo-electric cells are arranged in rows perpendicular to the moving direction or" the car 21. Each row may be exposed only to a selected species of light through a colored layer 35 of glass or any other suitable transparent material applied to the iront of the cells. For example, the cells 29 of the lowerrnost row may receive the yellow part of the projected rays, the median row 30 the blue part, and the uppermost row 3l the red part. Preferably, the cells of each row are placed close beside each other, and a great number of cells of minute size are used, this size being shown considerably exaggerated in the drawings for the sake of clearer representation. One of the electrodes of each cell is connected to a pole 36 positioned so near the carrier 4 that the voltage resulting from the radiation received by the cell influences the adjacent spot of the carrier.

Preferably the container 23 has several separated inner chambers, for example three charlibers 31, 38 and 39, which are closed by covers 49 and are filled with a nely dispersible substance having a color different from the color of the back surface of the carrier 4, and being adapted to color this surface more or less according to the density of particles deposited on this surface. For example, the substance 4I contained in the chamber 31 is yellow, the substance 42 in the chamber 38 blue, and the substance 43 in the chamber 39 red. In certain cases, the substance may be white or black or of any other color diierent from the color of the surface of the carrier.

The container 28 has a number of outlets or ne openings 44, each belonging to one of the chambers 31, 38 and 39 and positioned in close vicinity of the back surface of the sheet 4 and, preferably, at the lowest point of the respective chamber. The outlets are adapted to release particles of the coloring substance in the direction toward the carrier 4 and are juxtaposed to the poles 36. Preferably, the pole 36 of a cell receiving light of a certain color is in juxtaposition to an outlet 44' releasing particles of the same color.

The dispersible substances 4I, 42 and 43 may be liquids or powders or mixtures of both. Preierably, these substances are dry powders consisting of very small particles. The width of the outlets 44 is very small whereby the particles are frictionally retained in the container when they are not elicited or extracted. But the outlets 44 are sufficiently wide to release particles when they are attracted by an electric charge or voltage created on the neighboring spot of the sheet 4 by the influence of the charge or voltage of the corresponding pole 36.

The released particles strike the adjacent surface of the carrier 4 and stick to the struck spot, coloring the same and, thus, producing a picture. In order to make the particles stick better, this surface may be covered by an adhesive, for example, by a dry adhesive of that kind which is used for letter envelopes or gummed tape. After the picture has been taken, the position of the particles or the picture formed by them may be secured still more permanently, if necessari, in any suitable and known manner, for example, by covering the picture with a transparent layer of shellac.

Any type of photo-electric cells or devices creating a voltage corresponding to the intensity oi received light may be used. Minute cells of this kind are lwell known, lfor example, from their use in iconoscopes and similar scanning devices for television. Seme .of known V`photo-electric cells require a voltage source Afor operation. .If such cells are used, the voltage may be `supplied by the battery `34.

As diagrammatically shown in Fig. '7, this bat,- tery may be connected `by a wire :to a pole 46 connected to one -of the electrodes of a `photoelectric cell, for example, .of `a cell 429, and by a wire I471 to the corresponding outlet 44 whereby a voltage exists between the particle contacting this outlet :and the corresponding pole 36 or the correspondingspot of the sheet 4, respectively, as soon and as long v'as light received by the cell 2S causes a flight of electrons from one electrode of the .c'ell to the Aother or a reduction of the resistance 'of the cell. This voltage causes the particle te leave the outlet yand to ,hit the sheet 4, thereby conveying its electric Acharge and making free a corresponding vcharge on the other side of the sheet 4 for -transfer -to the pole 36. This process may be regarded as a temporary closing of the circuit,

Whatever type of photo-electric cells are used, the quantity of particles released from the outlet 44 corresponds to the duration and intensity of radiation received bythe cell. If necessary, the

voltage created .by the cell may be amplified in common and well known manner.

Before a picture is taken, the camera 2 is so positioned and the objective l so adjusted that the object of the picture is projected and focussed on that plane which the photo-electric cells pass when thecar 21 moves. The correct position and adjustment canbe checked by removing the cover 20 and inspecting the projected picture if the sheet 4 is sufficiently transparent to make this picture visible from the 'back side of the sheet. Or, the correctness of the projection may be checked after the casing 3 has been temporarily replaced by aframe 48 adapted to be affixed to the housing 2.

The frame 48 has Aopen front and back sides and contains a transparent pane 49 of that kind which is usually used for checking the adjustment of photographic cameras. When the frame 48 is aflixed to the Ahousing 2, the pane 49 'has a position accurately corresponding to the position of that plane which the .photo-electric cells or their light responsible parts pass when the car 21 moves.

The housing 2 may be supported in the adf justed position by any suitable means. For example, thehousing! may have a foot 5B adapted to be affixed to the top of a stand or support of usual structure. After the adjustment, the frame 4.8 is replaced by thecasing 3.

Preferably, all sides of the `cells 29, .30 and`3l, except the front side covered by the transparent layers 35, -areopaque whereby light can enter the cells from the front side only. In the lowerrnost and uppermost position ofthe vcar 21, the cells may be completely shut off from light rays by -ledges 5| and 52 extending from the walls i9 Vand 2| respectively and covering, in these positions, the front of the cells.

The described device operates as follows:

The ltalking of the picture starts when the motor l5'whi'ch has been 'wound up in the manner described at any lprevious time is released by turning the handle 26 of the detent 22. In contredis- -tinction from conventional chemical photography, the taking of the picture does not start when the lens system I isopened. The lens system may remain open and the sheet .4 may be exposed to the projected rays permanently or from some time before to some time after the process of taking 5 the picture.

The motor drives the rcar 21 sliding up along the guiding ledges 53 whereby the poles 36 pass over the front side and the outlets 44 over the back side of the sheet 4 until all spots of the vexposed. part of this sheet have been passed by a cell of each row or kind. Whenever a cell receives projectedlight, the voltage created thereby inthe cell causes the release of one or more coloring particles to the back surface of the sheet. The final result is that this surface is sprinkled with particles and .Carries a picture consisting of three overlapping pictures `of the three cardinal colors and thereby showing a mixture rof colors corresponding to the colors of the projected picture.

If the projected picture is sufficiently bright, the motor and the .car may move rapidly. If such rapid movement does not produce a sufficiently colored picture, the movement may be adjusted in anysuitable and well known manner to a slower pace, or the process of taking the picture maybe repeated as often as required. Removal of the back wall 2ll .allows inspection vof .the produced picture in order to determine whether the-coloring is satisfactory.

If the picture carrier 4 has a black surface or a surface .of darker color than the substances 4l, 42 and 43, light or bright spots cf the produced picture correspond to similar spots of the projected picture, and the produced picture 'is positive. If, however, `the carrier 4 is white or of lighter color than the coloring substances, a negative picture is obtained. Such negative picture can be used to produce a positive picture, for example, by photographing the negative picture again in the same manner and by the saine device.

The same .device can be used, whenever desired, for conventional chemical photography, simply vby inserting a photographic nlm instead of the carrier 4. In this case, the car 21 and the mechanism driving the ,same is not used. If the sheet i` has a photographic or chemically lightreacting layer, chemically and electrically produced or 'controlled pictures overlapping and completing each other Ymay be taken at the same time.

I desire it understood that my invention is not conned to the particular embodiment shown and described, the same being merely illustrative, and

I55 that the invention may be carried out in other ways without departing Afrom the spirit of my invention as it is obvious that the particular embodiment shown and described is only one of the many that Imay be employed to carry out my ine 60 vention.

'Having described the nature of my invention, 'what I claim 'and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

i l. ln ya device for producing permanent facsimiles of projected pictures, a picture carrier having a color receiving surface, a container hav- `ing a narrow outlet positioned close to said sur- -face, ya finely dispersible substance conned in said container, e-Xtendingclose to said outlet and '70 consisting of coloring particles adapted to be lrr-ieved through saidfoutlet, a photo-electric cell having a pole with a voltage depending on the `intensity of llight received by said cell, said pole "being positioned so near to said outlet that said 'T5 voltage liniiuences these of said vparticles which are nearest to said outlet whereby said voltage exerts a moving force on said latter particles, and means to move said container and said cell parallel to said surface with said outlet and said pole remaining in the same position relatively to each other, and an optical system projecting an image on a plane in which said cell moves.

2. In a device for producing permanent facsimiles of projected pictures, a sheet-shaped picture carrier, a container having a narrow outlet positioned close to one side of said carrier, a finely dispersible substance confined in said container, extending close to said outlet and consisting of coloring particles adapted to be moved through said outlet, a photo-electric cell having a pole with a Voltage depending on the intensity of light received by said cell, said pole being positioned at the other side of said carrier and juxtapositioned to said outlet, the distances between said pole, said carrier and said outlet being so small that said voltage influences those of said particles which are nearest to said outlet whereby said voltage exerts an attraction on said latter particles, and means to move said container and said cell parallel to the sides of said carrier with said outlet and said pole remaining juxtapositioned, and an optical system projecting an image on a plane in which said cell moves.

3. In a device for producing permanent facsimiles of projected pictures, a picture carrier having a color receiving surface, a container having narrow outlets arranged in a row close to and across said surface, a iinely dispersible subtance conned in said container, extending close to said outlets and consisting of coloring particles adapted to be moved through said outlets, a row of photo-electric cells, each having a pole with a voltage depending on the intensity of light received by the respective cell, each of said poles being positioned so near to one of said outlets that the voltage of the pole influences those of said particles which are nearest to said latter outlet whereby said voltage exerts a moving force on said latter particles, and means to move said container and said cells in a direction parallel to said surface and crossing the direction of said row of outlets with said outlets and said poles remaining in the same positions relatively to each other, and an optical system projecting an image on the plane in which said cells move.

4. In a device for producing permanent facsimiles of projected pictures, a sheet-shaped picture carrier, a carriage having a slot passed by said carrier, a container carried by said carriage and having narrow outlets arranged in a row close to and acoss one side of said carrier, a nely dispersible substance conned in said container, extending close to said outlets and consisting of coloring particles adapted to be moved through said outlets, a row of photo-electric cells, each having a pole with a voltage depending on the intensity of light received by the respective cell, said cells being carried by said carriage and being positioned at the other side of said carrier, each of said poles being positioned close to said other carrier side and juxtapositioned to one of said outlets, the distances between each pole, said carrier and the juxtapositioned outlet being so small that the voltage of said pole influences those of said particles which are nearest to said latter outlet whereby said voltage exerts an attraction on said latter particles, and means to move` said carriage with said cells in a direction parallel to the sides of said carrier and crossing the direction of said row of outlets, and an optical system projecting an image on the plane in which said cells move.

5. In a device for producing permanent facsimiles of projected pictures, a sheet-shaped picture carrier, a container having a plurality of chambers with narrow outlets positioned close to one side of said carrier, finely dispersible substances coniined in said chambers, extending close to said outlets and consisting of coloring particles adapted to be moved through said outlets, the particles contained in one of said chambers coloring differently from the particles contained in another chamber, a plurality of photo-electric cells comprising diierent kinds of cells, each kind responding to light of another color, each cell having a pole with a voltage depending on the intensity of light activating the cell, each oi said poles being positioned at the other side of said carrier and juxtapositioned to one of said outlets, the distances between each pole, said carrier and the juxtapositioned outlet `being so small that the voltage of the pole influences those of said particles which are nearest to said latter outlet whereby said voltage exerts an attraction on said latter particles, and means to move said container and said cells parallel to the sides of said carrier with said outlets and said poles remaining juxtapositioned, and an optical system projecting an image on the plane in which said cells move.

6. In a device for producing permanent facsimiles of projected pictures, a sheet-shaped picture carrier, a carriage having a slot passed by said carrier, a container carried by said carriage and having a plurality of chambers each having outlets arranged in a row close to and across one side of said carrier, nely dispersible substances conned in said chambers, extending close to said outlets and consisting of coloring particles adapted to be moved through said outlets, the particles contained in one of said charnbers coloring differently from the particles contained in another chamber, a plurality of photoelectric cells carried by said carriage and comprising rows of different cells, each row responding to light of another color, each cell having a pole with a voltage depending on the intensity of light activating the cell, said poles being positioned at the other side of said carrier and juxtapositioned to said outlets, the distances between each pole, said carrier and the juxtapositioned outlet being so small that the voltage of the pole influences those particles which are nearest to said latter outlet whereby said voltage exerts an attraction on said latter particles, and means to move said carriage with said cells in a direction parallel to the sides of said carrier and crossing the direction of said rows of outlets, and an optical system projecting an image on the plane in which said cells move.

MAX SALZ.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,709,926 Weaver Apr. 23, 1929 1,817,098 Ranger Aug. 4, 1931 2,924,051 Middebraad Dec. l0, i935 2,278,940 Murphy Apr. 7, 1942

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