Camera having an independently focused retractable objective lens

Claim 1

A camera including a camera housing and an objective lens having an image axis: means for manually setting the focal range of said camera; means for mounting said objective lens for movement substantially parallel to said image axis, between an extended exposure position and retracted storage position; means for variably limiting axial movement of said mounting means in said extended position; means, responsive to said range setting means, for varying said limiting means; and means for releasably locking said mounting means in said storage position, said locking means comprising at least one locking lever pivotally mounted at one end with an arresting pawl on the other end and a plunger pin mounted on said mounting means such that in said storage position said pawl releasably engages said plunger pin preventing extention of said mounting means, said locking means further including means for releasing said plunger pin from engagement with said pawl, said releasing means comprising a release element internal to said camera housing, and connected to said locking means; and a manually actuated knob, external to said housing, for operating said release lever removing said locking means pawl from engagement with said plunger pin, said camera further comprising an objective lens cover, pivotally mounted on said mounting means for movement between an open position and a closed position, said cover including an arresting projection, wherein said locking means comprises two locking levers disposed in diametrically opposing positions with respect to said mounting means, said one end of each of said levers pivotally mounted on a common pivoting axle and said arresting pawl of one of said locking levers releasably engages said plunger pin and said arresting pawl of the other of said locking levers releasably engages said arresting projection only when said cover is in said closed position and said mounting means is in said storage position.