The present invention relates to a method for storing and bringing-forward photographs filed in a photograph- filing system in which a large number of photographs shall be made accessible to a number of persons. The invention also relates to an arrangement for carrying out the method.

Various types of companies use photographs in large numbers, for the purpose of documenting their respective activities, for instance company accounts, brochures, advertising material and other types of documents, in which photographs or like recordings are used to illu- strate the company products and company activities.

Naturally, certain companies are to be found in which photographs form a large part of their natural acti¬ vities, for instance such companies as newspaper offices, photograph agencies, advertising agencies, and similar concerns.

One serious problem encountered in companies of this nature resides in the ability to register and file photographs in a simple and effective manner, so that any one person in the company concerned is able to view the photographs at will and to order copies of those photographs he or she requires in their work, without the assistance of back-up personnel. In the case of present day photographic storage systems, the accessibility requirement is often solved by simply borrowing the photographs concerned from, in the best of cases, some form of filing system, normally a cabinet filing system, and making copies of the borrowed photo¬ graphs in the format required for use, or converting t _h e photographs to the desired use-form in some other way. A serious risk with systems of this nature is that the

borrowed photograph is often an original, which may easily become lost during handling of the photograph, or remains absent from the filing system, or library, for a long period of time, during which period others may require access to the photograph. The photographs are also often spread between several different filing systems and information to the photograph content of said systems hard to find, and consequently it is neces¬ sary to employ assistants who are able to answer ques- tions as to the nature of the photographs available, the whereabouts of the photographs, and so on.

The main object of the present invention is to solve the aforesaid problems encountered with present day filing systems and to provide a method for storing and bringing-forward selected photographs in a photograph filing system, in which all the photographs present are readily accessible to all those concerned, without requiring the assistance of special personnel in order to look into the system. A further object is to provide a system with which the risk of losing original photo¬ graphs completely from the system is eliminated.

Another object is to provide a system in which very large numbers of photographs can be stored and brought forward to a viewing location in a simple and ready manner, by all those who wish to refer to or to order photographic material.

These and other objects of the invention are achieved by duplicating all photographs concerned, and by storing a reference photograph of each photograph in a reference file in a manner which will only allow the photographs to be exchanged in or removed from the reference file by authorized personnel, although in a manner which will

enable the photographs to be taken-out and examined in groups in accordance with a desired division, and by also storing corresponding photographs in one or more additional files from which copies can be obtained or taken.

In accordance with one advantageous further development of the invention, the reference photographs in the reference filing system have mutually the same format and are preferably such as to be readily viewed, e.g. by illuminating the photographs when said photographs are in the form positive transparencies (diapositives) .

The further systems will suitably include an original filing system in which the original photographs are filed, and one or more copy filing-systems which contain a number of copies which can be lent directly- to a user.

Further objects and advantages of the invention are achieved by the method and arrangement characterised in the depending claims.

The invention will now be described with reference to an exemplifying embodiment of an arrangement for carrying out the method and also with reference to the accompany¬ ing drawings. Figure 1 is a perspective view of the reference filing system, comprising a cassette section and a machine section ^* . Figure 2 illustrates an operating panel for use with the filing system shown in Figure 1. Figure 3 is an end view of a screen intended for accom¬ modating photographs stored in the reference filing system. Figure 4 is an enlarged view of a transfer mechanism which functions to transfer the screens from the cassette section to the machine section of the system. Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line

V-V in Figure 4 .

The reference filing system 10 illustrated in Figure 1 includes a cassette section 12 and a machine section 14 and has a light-box incorporated in a cabinet. The cassette section 12 is provided with a number of com¬ partments, for instance twenty compartments, and has a lockable door mounted on one side-wall thereof, i.e. the left-hand side-wall in Figure 1, through which access can be had to the compartment. Each compartment has arranged therein a screen or frame 16, Figure 3, which has mounted on the bottom surface thereof a slide strip 18 which enables the frame 16 to run smoothly on an underlying support surface, such as a rail 20 (Figure 4). The frame 16 includes three compartments 22 and each compartment 22 accommodates a number of dustproof cassettes, in the illustrated case seven cassettes, each of which houses twenty four (reference photographs) . These reference photographs will suitably comprise standard-size diapositives and thus, in the case of the described embodiment, each frame 16 will accommodate five hundred and four photographs and the system as a whole twenty times as many. The frames 16 are con¬ structed from profiled sections, e.g. U-shaped profiles, of such configuration that the closed cassettes contain¬ ing the diapositives can only be inserted from one side of the frame and such that the cassettes cannot be removed other than by unlocking the aforesaid door and removing the whole frame 16 from its compartment, through the door opening. As a result, the photographs can only be exchanged or removed from the reference system 10 by persons entrusted with a key to the compartment-access door.

In the view of the reference filing system shown in Figure 1, the frame 16 containing the cassettes 24 has been brought to a position in which the frame is located

, in front of a light-box 28 which, in a conventional 5 manner, comprises a plurality of light sources, such as fluorescent tubes (not shown), and a light-distributing screen, such as an opaque screen 26. The frame 16 are moved forwards to the position shown in Figures 1 and 5, to a position in front of the light-box 28, with the aid

10 of a chain 30 which extends over sprocket wheels 32, along the whole length of the machine section 14 and slightly into the cassette section 12, for the purpose of collecting a desired frame 16, as described in more detail herebelow.

15

The frame-advancing mechanism is illustrated in Figure 4, from which it can be seen that the chain 30 has mounted thereon a pin 34 which engages in a correspond¬ ingly configured hook 36 attached to the edge of one end

20 of each frame 16. The right side of Figure 4 shows a cassette 16a which has been advanced to the viewing location, whereas the left side of the Figure shows the frames 16b stored in their respective compartments in the cassette section 12 of the system, movement of these

25 cassettes to the viewing location being effected with the aid of the pin 34 on the chain 30. The chain 30, the pin 34 and the frame 16 whose hook 36 is in engagement with the pin 34 are driven by a motor 38 to which there is fitted a sprocket wheel over which the chain 30 runs.

30 The selection of the frame to be viewed is made possible by the fact that the entire frame-advancing mechanism is incorporated in a carriage 40 (see also Figure 5) which ^: extends along the whole length of the machine section 14 and into the cassette section 12, to an extent suffi-

35 cient to enable the pin 34 on the chain 30 to engage the

frame 16 to be advanced to the viewing location. As shown in Figure 5, the carriage 40, which may also carry the light-box 28, is mounted for movement in the trans¬ verse direction of the machine section 14 on four ball slides 42 which slide on slide parts 44 extending across the width of the machine section 14. The carriage 40 is driven by a motor 46 which has a pinion 48 in meshing engagement with a rack 50, such as to obtain precise movement of the carriage.

The advancement of the frames 16 is controlled by an operating panel 52 mounted on the reference filing system 16. In the case of the illustrated embodiment, the panel includes twenty operating buttons 54 cor- responding to the number of frames 16 located in the cassette section 12. Pressing of the appropriate button 54 will result in movement of the carriage 40, together with the light-box 28, to a position in which the pin 34 on the chain 30 engages in the recess located in the hook 36 belonging to the frame selected, as seen in the cross-direction of the machine section 24 and the refer¬ ence filing system 10. The carriage stops and the selec¬ ted frame 16 is advanced, in the longitudinal direction of the machine section 14, in front of the light-box 28 (Figure 5) until it is located in the position shown in Figure 1, in which all the photograph-cassettes 24 in the frame selected can be seen. Movement of the frame 16 from and to the compartments in the cassette section 12 is controlled suitably with the aid of limit switches operative to control movement of the chain 30. In addi¬ tion to the operating buttons 54, the control panel 52 also includes an on-off button and a signal lamp 58, which when illuminated signals that the system is in use.

It will be evident from the aforegoing that the inven¬ tive system provides a fully comprehensive system for the handling and use of different kinds of photographs within a company, in which many different target groups

- 5 have the need of many different photographs in several different contexts. The system embraces all aspects of

» photograph-handling procedures, from the time of enter¬ ing a photograph into the system library, the storage and use of the photograph, to the time when the photo-

10 graph is removed from the reference filing system and filed away in a historic filing system or some other storage facility. All photographs are accessible to all target groups in the company through the reference filing system 10, in which all photographs are shown in

15 product and/or group divisions in a unitary format, in the present case in diapositive format. The illustrated, exemplifying system 10 incorporates twenty times five hundred-four photographs, divided among twenty screens or frames 16, the photograph contents of which are pre-

20 sented to the vertically standing light-box 28. All frames 16 are controlled from the common operating panel 52 on which all product and/or function areas of the company concerned are presented in a discernible manner. Each screen or frame 16 contains a number of dustproof

25 photograph-cassettes which are locked in their respec¬ tive frames, so as to prevent the unauthorized removal of the cassettes and the photographs contained therein. The frames 16 in the cassette section 12 can only be removed from the system by unlocking a door or jalousie

30 provided on one short-side of the filing system 10, and passing cassettes or single photographs through the opening of said door or jalousie. In order to facilitate the work an extensible shelf (not shown ) may be arranged under the shorter side of the cassette section 12 in

35 order to support the frame 16 removed.

In addition to the reference filing system 10, the photograph filing system also includes an original-

photograph filing system in which the original photo¬ graphs are stored, and one or more copy filing systems (depending on the size of the company concerned) con¬ taining a number of the most popular photographs for immediate use. Thus, when a new photograph is taken, a number of duplicates are made from the original ex¬ posure, these duplicates being inserted into the refe¬ rence filing system, while other copies can be included in the copy filing system or systems. This will ensure that all photographs concerned are available in the reference filing system, while ensuring, at the same time, that there is no risk of a photograph disappearing completely from the system, since the photograph cannot be removed from the reference filing system.

- The system also includes the filing and listing of new photographs, incorporating the following steps: The photographs are taken in an appropriate original size and, subsequent to developing the film, a number of dia- duplicates, for instance from 5 to 15 duplicates, are made of the original photograph. All material from the photograph is transmitted to the information function, in which the photograph is registered with relevant category, serial number and other parameters applicable to the photograph concerned. One dia-duplicate is always inserted into the reference filing system, whereas other duplicates are inserted into the copy filing system and others into an appropriate original filing system.

When the reference filing system is approached and a button relevant to the category desired is pressed, by any person whomsoever, the screen or frame 16 concerned will be advanced to the light-box 28 and any new photo¬ graphs included in the system will be visible from the screen. The person concerned will decide which photo-

graphs are required and order the photograph in ques¬ tion, for instance on an order card. Registration of the photographs takes place in a computer system, in which all photographs are recorded and from which current lists of the photographs available can be obtained.

It will be understood that the illustrated and described embodiment merely represents one example of the manner in which the concept of the invention can be realized, and that changes and modifications can be made within the scope of the following claims. For instance, the capacity of the reference filing system can be changed, as can also the photograph-sizes used, in dependence on the requirements of the user. It is also conceivable to advance the photograph frames 16 manually, instead of mechanically, if considered appropriate. The important critereon is that a reference filing system is provided in which all photographs are preferably converted mutu¬ ally to the same format and stored in a cabinet in frames or screens 16 which are arranged and locked in the storage or cassette section 12, from which they can be moved, i.e. displaced linearly, to a position in front of a viewing device and illuminated with a light- screen or light-box.