METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR CUTTING DEVELOPED FILM

摘要

A band of exposed and developed photographic film is transported longitudinally along a predetermined path. The film carries a series of images and each of the images has a pair of edges which are spaced longitudinally of the band and extend transversely of the latter. Transverse, strip-shaped segments of the band are photoelectrically scanned to detect abrupt density changes associated with the edges of the images. In addition, the band is sensed at a predetermined location of its path in order to ascertain the length of the band travelling by the predetermined location. The density and length data are sent to a microprocessor which uses the data to assign a position coordinate to each detected edge and its corresponding image. The position coordinates represent the positions of the images longitudinally of the band. The position coordinates are employed by the microprocessor in conjunction with other data such as the length of the band and the number of images to determine the locations at which the band is to be cut so that none of the resulting strips is to long or too short, or has to many or too few images. The microprocessor controls a marking device which marks the locations or a cutting device which severs the band at these locations.