Film cassette with pressure plate assembly latching system

摘要

A cassette for releasably holding a film unit and locating it at an exposure position therein. The cassette includes base and cover sections locatable in a closed position wherein a pressure plate assembly on the cover section is movable toward and away from the base section between a raised film release position and a lowered pressure applying position wherein the film is pressed between opposed bearing surfaces, one of which may be formed by an intensifying screen for x-ray applications, within the cassette to locate the film unit at the exposure position. A simply-constructed, low-cost pressure plate assembly latching system is provided including a pair of latch members having latch tabs thereon which are captured in corresponding detents on the pressure plate assembly to releasably hold the latch members in a cocked unlatching position. In response to movement of the pressure plate assembly to the lowered position, the tabs are released from the detents and the latch members move forwardly automatically to the latching position wherein the tabs engagingly overlie the exterior surface of the pressure plate assembly to hold it in the lowered position.