Filter-operating arrangement for a photographic printing apparatus

Claim 1

A FILTER-OPERATING ARRANGEMENT FOR A PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTING APPARATUS INCORPORATING SETS OF COLOR FILTER ELEMENTS OF VARYING DENSITY FOR EACH COLOR COMPONENT WHICH ARE MOVABLY MOUNTED FOR SELECTIVE INSERTION INTO THE PATH OF THE PRINTING LIGHT, SAID ARRANGEMENT COMPRISING RESILIENT MEANS REACTING UPON SAID FILTER ELEMENTS IN A DIRECTION TO INSERT THEM INTO SAID PATH OF THE RAYS OF PRINTING LIGHT, RELEASABLE LOCKING MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO ENGAGE SAID FILTER ELEMENTS FOR PREVENTING THE MOVEMENT OF SAID FILTER ELEMENTS INTO SAID PATH OF THE PRINTING LIGHT AND MAINTAINING THEM DISPOSED OUTSIDE OF IT, SAID RELEASABLE LOCKING MEANS BEING ARRANGED FOR SELECTIVELY CONTROLLING THE RELEASE OF PREDETERMINED COMBINATIONS OF SAID FILTER COMPONENTS OF EACH SET, COMBINED ENERGIZING MEANS CONNECTED TO ALL OF THE RESILIENT MEANS OF EACH SET OF FILTER COMPONENTS FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY TENSIONING THEM TO THEREBY REACT UPON SAID COMPONENTS IN A DIRECTION OF INSERTION INTO SAID PATH OF THE PRINTING LIGHT DURING A PREDETERMINED PORTION OF THE CYCLE OF OPERATION OF SAID PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTING APPARATUS AND MANUALLY-ACTUABLE MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID RELEASABLE LOCKING MEANS FOR SELECTIVELY DISENGAGING SAID RELEABLE LOCKING MEANS FROM SAID FILTER ELEMENTS TO CONTROL THEIR RELEASE IN SAID DESIRED DETERMINED COMBINATIONS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE DESIRED COMBINED FILTER DENSITY INSERTED INTO THE PATH OF SAID PRINTING LIGHT INTO SAID PATH OF THE PRINTING LIGHT.