US3737229A - Relief photograph conversion printing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

Photographic printing method and apparatus for converting abnormal, reversed or pseudoscopic three-dimensional photographic images to normal images concurrently with the printing thereof in desired size relation through interposition use of multielement lens overlays to effect selective optical inversion of component image elements and exposure of photosensitive film to such inverted relief data images.

Description

' United States Patent [191 Jones [54] RELIEF PHOTOGRAPH CONVERSION PRINTING APPARATUS [75] Inventorr Harry S. Jones, Monmouth Beach,

[73] Assignee: Chrom-Tronics, Inc., New York,

[22] Filed: June 27, I967 [21] Appl. No.2 649,312

52 u.s.c| ..;.sss/7s s1 Int.Cl. ..G03b27/02 581 Field of Search ..355/33,78;95/l8 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,905,716 Ives ..95/18 P 1 3,737,229 June 5,1973

2,562,077 7/1951 Winnek ..95/18 P 2,573,242 10/1951 Bonnet ..95/18 P 2,800,064 7/1957 St. Genies.. 355/84 X 3,301,154 1/1967 Stewart ..95/18 P Primary Examiner-John M. Horan Att0rneyRobertE. lsner, Peter J. Franco and Spencer T. Smith [57] ABSTRACT Photographic printing method and apparatus for converting abnormal, reversed or pseudoscopic three dimensional photographic images to normal images concurrently with the printing thereof in desired size relation through interposition use of multielement lens overlays to effect selective optical inversion of component image elements and exposure of photosensitive film to such inverted relief data images.

4 Claims, 14 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJUN 5 I975 FIG. I.

PRIOR ART SHEET 1 [IF 4 INVENTOR HARRY S. JONES BY ATTORNEY.

PAIENIE-UJu n 5 ms SHEET 2 OF 4 FIG. 3A.

106 1 04 pa /0b Hm I;

lld

INVENTOR RY S. JONES BY @JaL ATTORNEY.

g- In I C lie I PATENTEDJUN 5191s 3.737.229

- I SHEET 30F 4 4 INVENTOR HARRY S. JONES BYgfl zuh X AT TORNEY.

ii N I 2 g l I I I I I co PEN INVENTOR HARRY S JONES ATTORNEY.

PATENTEDJUN 5 I975 SHEET I 0F 4 have long been known and understood, the present day dearth of simple, commercially practical and inexpen- FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of the essentials of a simple photographic system employing the full lens aperture width of a large lens for relief photographic effects.

FIG. 1A is an axial view of a lens aperture configura- 7 tion suitable for use in the system of FIG. 1.

sive relief photographs and methods of obtaining the same cogently demonstrate the continued inability of the art to solve the problems involved.

The prior efforts in this field reveal both simple and complicated systems having various advantages and limitations and which are divisible into three general classes. The first of these involves the taking of two photographs of a subject using one or two camera lenses located at two different positions relative to the subject. Such photographs are usually referred to as a stereo pair.

The second class obtained the relief effect essentially by the taking, through a single lens, of a continuous series of photographs of the subject, as viewed from a continuous series of positions and recording the series through an array of very' small auxiliary lenses or apertures located very close to the photographic film plane so that an image of the single lens aperture is focused upon the film by each of such auxiliary lenses or apertures. The third broad class involves the use of a lens of very large diameter in association with a grating or lenticular system disposed intermediate the objective and the film plane. I

This invention may be briefly described as a method of converting abnormal relief or three-dimensional photographic images into normal or true threedimensional reproductions of the photographed subject and in its broad aspects includes an improved method of printing by which the abnormal images that are usually attendant the use of simplified apparatus of the third class referred to above are converted into true or normal relief photographic representations of the image subject when viewed with a single layer of lenticular elements disposed adjacent to the film plane.

As used herein, an abnormal relief or threedimensional image will be one in which,'as the viewe'rs head is moved to the right, the left side of the subject (i.e., relative to the viewers left hand) will be increasingly revealed in contradistinction to the normal appearance of any subject in which, as the viewers head is moved to the right, the right side of the subject (i.e., relative to the viewers right hand) "is increasingly revealed. v

The primary object of this invention isthe provision rating a large aperture camera lens 2 and an associated of an improved photographic printing method for the conversion of abnormal relief photographic imagesto normal three-dimensional representations of the image subject.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following portions of this specification and from the accompanying drawings which illustrate the principles of. this invention and the incorporation of such principles into a presently preferred embodiment thereof. v

Referring to the drawings:

FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of one relief image assembly that results from, the photographic technique incorporated in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of one means by which an abnormal relief image may be converted into a normal or true three-dimensional representation thereof in accordance with the principles of this invention.

FIG. 3A is a schematic representation of one means for the elimination of light scattering when using the abnormal to normal image conversion system of FIG. 3.

FIG. 4 is a schematic representation of an alternate means for the elimination of light scattering during the abnormal to normal image conversion operation.

FIG. 4A is a perspective illustration of one form of alignment mark'which may be applied to multiple lens arrays of the type used in the practice of this invention.

FIG. 4B is a schematic representation of a portion of a preferred alternate means for the elimination of light scattering during the abnormal to normal image conversion operation. f

FIG. 5 is a schematic representation of one means by which the special illumination needed for operation of the systems shown in FIGS. 4 and 4B may beproduced.

FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic representation of apparatus for effecting enlargement and/or reduction of images concurrently with the conversion of abnormal relief images in accordance with the principles of this invention.

FIG. 6A is a schematic fragmentary perspective represeritation of a lens overlay element and markings thereon.

FIG. 7 is-a schematic representation of a further construction for effecting abnormal to normal image conversion. a i e FIG. 8 is an enlargedfragmentary view of a portion of the enlargement and conversion system illustrated in FIG. 9; and

FIG. 9 is a schematic representation of a modified construction for effecting conversion and enlargement of three-dimensional photographic images.

Referring to the drawings and particularly to FIGS. 1 and 1A, the essentials of the simplified camera system of the third class referred to above for obtaining relief photographic effects include a lens assembly incorpoaperture plate 2d whose aperture 2a constitutes a horizontally-disposed rectangle of a width 2w that is normally. comparable wi'th the spacing between the human eyes. In FIG. '1; the actual glass lens elements have been omitted for-the purpose of simplicity and clarity. The lens 2 and aperture width 2w may be larger than that noted for exaggerative three-dimensional effects or smaller when a small subject is to be photographed. In order to obtain a three-dimensional photographic image of a subject all that is essentially required is to utilize the rectangular aperture 2a at the stop plane of camera lens 2 and to project the image of a subject 1 onto a perpendicularly oriented cylindrical lens overlay 3 of transparent glass or plastic having a large number of small cylindrical lens surfaces 3n on the upper surface thereof and having film 6 positioned adjacent the undersurface thereof. When the film 6 is exposed by means of any suitable shutter located in a plane 2s close to aperture 2a, a three-dimensional photographic image of a subject 1 may be taken. As will be apparent from the drawing, points and C on subject 1 located on the optical axis XX will be imaged on the film emulsion 4 on the axis XX at point C,. Similarly, points 0 and R will be imaged at point R, on the film emulsion 4 and points 0 and L will be imaged at point L, thereon.- It should be noted that image point R, corresponds to points 0 and R as seen by a right eye 2R and image point L, corresponds to points 0 and L as seen by a left eye 2L. A single eye 2C located between will see only points 0 and C. As is known to those skilled in this art, the purpose of any particular cylindrical lens element 3n of the cylindrical lens overlay-3 is to form an image of aperture 2a on the film emulsion 4. Preferably, the width of the aperture image formed by an individual cylindrical element 3n shall be the same as the width of each cylindrical lens element 3n, that is, equal to the distance between R, and L,.

Referring now to FIG. 2, when the film 6 of FIG. 1, after exposure as outlined above, is processed to transparency form, a cylindrical lens overlay 9 having cylindrical lens elements 9n of the same width as employed in the overlay 3 which was used during exposure must be placed closely adjacent to the film in order to produce an observable three-dimensional or relief effect. Such lens overlay 9 is placed over the transparency 6 (or a positive print of the same size) against the side opposite from emulsion side 4 with the lens axes thereof disposed parallel and coincident with those of lens overlay 3 employed during exposure. When provision is made for either front or back illumination of the im-- age, a normal top-side-up, right-side-right image of the photographed subject will be obtained if the photograph is turned as shown in FIG. 2 so that points L, and R, are the same points shown in FIG. 1. An opaque diffusing screen 7 is preferably employed to utilize light rays 8 for back illumination of transparency 6. However, the three-dimensional characteristics of this image will be abnormal, in that as the viewers head is moved to the right, the left side of the subjects image (relative to the viewers left hand) will be increasingly revealed, rather than the right side thereof. This is opposite from the normal image appearance of solid objects in which the right side thereof (relative to the viewers right hand) is increasingly revealed as the viewers head is moved to the right.

Even if the transparency 6 is turned about a vertical axis so that its emulsion side 4 is in contact with the lens overlay 9, the image will still exhibit abnormal threedimensional characteristics. When so located, the image will still be top-side up but the left and right portions thereof will be reversed. As a practical matter, in the use of a simplified camera apparatus of the type shown in FIG. 1, there exists no possible orientation of transparency 6 or positioning thereof relative to the necessary lens overlay 9 in which the viewed image will appear both right-side right, top-side-up and be possessed of normal three-dimensional characteristics,

even if one or more plane mirrors, or dove or Wallaston I after processing, yieldan abnormal transparency or negative, insofar as its relief characteristics are concerned. r

Referring now to FIG. 3, the emulsion side 4 of the film or tfa'nsparency 6 exposed as described above in conjunction with FIG. 1 is disposed in abutting interfacial relationship against the flat surface 10b of a transparent spacer element 10. Disposed in abutting interfacial relationship with the other surface 10a thereof are the cylindrical lens elements lln of a cylindrical lens overlay 11 made of transparent glass or plastic. The emulsion side 12 of a second film 14 is disposed in abutting interfacial relation with the optically flat undersurface 11b of the lens overlay ll. Illumination is effected by light rays 8 diffused by element 7 having flat surfaces 7a and 7b.

As will be apparent, as indicated by rays a and b which are disposed between points L, and L and rays c and d which are disposed between points R, and R the above described arrangement effects the inverse transfer of points R, and L, on film or transparency 6 to points R and L, on the second film 14. Essentially, the above issimilar to simple contact printing of trans parency 6 on film 14 to produce a corrected transparency 14 after processing thereof. However, due to the action of the included cylindrical lens overlay 11, the points R, and L, and all points in between will be properly printed in reverse order on film 14. As indicated by the drawing, the curvature of cylindrical lens surfaces lln of lens array 11, the refractiveindices of the material employed in lens array 11 and in the transparent spacer 10 and the thicknesses of elements 10 and 11 are selected so that each lens surface lln focuses an image of all points located on line R,L, on transparency 6 upon all points on line R L on film 14. Likewise, the thicknesses of the spacer element 10 and the cylindrical lens array 11 are selected so that the spacing between R, and L, on film 6 is the same. as that between R, and L, on film l4 and thereby corresponding to a magnification of unity by the lens formed by curved surface lln and flat surface 10a. When film 14 is exposed as described above and is processed it will appear in normal relief when a cylindrical lens array that is similar to the lens array 3 used to expose the original film 6 is placed with its flat side in contact with the emulsion side 12. The corrected relief image will also appear with normal top-side-up and right-side-right characteristics when the film is properly oriented.

As will now also be apparent, the emulsion sides of film 6 and/or film 14 may also be placed so that they do not face lens elements lln. If, when so disposed, the film thickness is such as to constitute a substantial fraction of the thickness of spacer 10 and lens array 11 it may be found necessary to utilizeadiffering curvature for lens element lln or differing thickness of elements 10 and 11 to insure sufficiently sharp focus of the line R2112. I v

The spacer element 10 and cylindrical lens array 11 shown in FIG. 3 may, if desired, be replaced by a pair of cylindrical lens overlays 10c and 11c as shown in FIG. 3A. As there illustrated, the lens overlays are preferably identical and have cylindrical lens elements l0n and 11in disposedin facing relation and with each other, each such lens element being'of approximately double the radius of each individual lens element lln of FIG. 3.

Since in actual use stray light tends to spread to adjacent elements of the over-all picture, low-reflective opaque barriers d and 11d may be included between each individual lens element to absorb such stray light as shown in FIG. 3A. Such light baffling surfaces 10d may also be included in both the spacer and lens elements l0 and 11 of the correcting system shown in FIG. 3 and preferably, these barriers should abut each other so that no light may pass between adjacent lens elements such as 10n and 11m and 10p and 11p in FIG. 3A.

I 6 focused upon line L R, with a magnification of unity. In order to align the three-dimensional or relief image data recorded on film 6 in relation to lens array When desired, an image of the original film 6 may be I used in lieu of the actual film as by projecting such image upon a ground-glass or equivalent type screen. Such a ground-glass surface should be placed with its ground surface in contact with surface 10b of the FIG. 3 and 3A systems. Each relief data strip R, L, in the image of film 6 must, of course, be axially aligned with such lens element as in the foregoing systems.

FIG. 4 illustrates the essentials of a somewhat more sophisticated form of multiple lens array which, in conjunction with an associated illumination system, will reverse-print an abnormal three-dimensional transparency or negative in substantially the same manner as that shown in FIGS. 3 and 3A and described above, but which effectively dispenses with any need for opaque light barriers between the individual lens elements. Es-

vided withlenticulations 15 n that are substantially identical with those of lenticulations l6n and which are disposed in contact with the emulsion side 4 of film 6. A third lens overlay 17 is placed with its flat undersurface 170 in contact with the uncoated surface 5 of film 6. All of the individual lenticulations on lens elements 15, 16 and 17 are disposed so that their optical axes coincide with a vertical line or plane, as indicated by line A-A.

By way of explanatory example, three dimensional data points from L, to R, on film 6 will be printed in reverse order from points L to R, on the emulsion surface 12 of the second film 14 as in the system heretofore described in connection with FIG. 3. However, due to the action of lenticulations 15n' and l7n the component rays a, b and c of a substantially parallel ray bundle generally designated 17b, are refracted and effectively confined to the lens elements disposed along axis A-A and, hence, are prevented from spreading to adjacent elements as would a theoretical ray such as shown by the dotted line cl. In such a system as thatdescribed it will now be apparent that if the total illumination used for'printing the entire photograph'provides parallel light within a suitable maximum, angle S-over the entire area, line L, R, will be reverse-printed along line L, R,. All other three-dimensional data points on film 6 under all other lens elements 17;: of lens array 17 will be similarly reverse-printed to form an exposure in normal relief on film 14 without loss of detail or fogging due to spreading of stray light between adjacent lens elements. The curvature of lens overlay elements 15n, l6n and 17n, the thickness of and the refractive indices of lens overlay elements 15, 16 and 17 must, of course, be chosen so that line L, R, will be 17 in a manner identical with its original relation to the camera lens overlay 3 as shown in FIG. 1, any suitable lines or marks, such as indicated at 3b in FIG. 4A may be provided on the flat undersurface 3a of lens overlay 3. A similar mark provided on the flat undersurface of lens overlay 17 (or on the lenticulations 20n of lens array 20 in FIG. 4B) could then be used for visual alignment purposes prior to printing as already described. Such markings used for alignment should, of course, be located close to the edge of the film in order not to degrade the appearance of the subject.

A modified construction of the printing arrangement illustrated in FIG. 4 is shown in FIG. 4B wherein lens overlays 16,15 and 17 are replaced by lens overlays 18,

19 and 20, respectively, in their relation to film 6 and to film 14. The curvature of individual lens elements 18n, 19n and 20n and of individual lens elements 19b and 20b may all be identical to simplify construction. Lens overlay elements 18, 19 and 20 may be of the same thickness and elements 19 and 20 may, therefore, be identical elements. The reverse-printing of line L, R, upon L R with unity magnification and all other relationships will also be the same. as in the system shown in FIG. 4. The facing lens surfaces 19b and 20b function jointly in a manner similar to single surface l5n in FIG. 4, while facing lens surfaces 18n and 19n function jointly in a manner similar to single surface 16n in FIG. 4. In this embodiment only illustrative rays 0 and d have been shown in order to' simplify the diagram. s

A modified unit may be constituted by replacing the lens overlay element 20 of the FIG. 48 construction by a diffusing plate of the type illustrated in FIG. 3. When so arranged and when the diffusing plate is properly illuminated, an abnormal film 6 will be correctly printed on the film 14 as a normal relief image with greatly reduced fogging due to the focussing action of lens elements 1% which reduces the stray light existing in the system of FIG. 3.

As mentioned earlier, use of the FIG. 4 and 4A system requires selective illumination. A simple and presently preferred means for providing the necessary illumination is set forth in FIG. 5. As there shown, a diffusing plate 30 constructed of ground or opal glass carried by'an opaque support 31 is conventionally illuminated by a tungsten or other suitable light source 32 via condensing lenses 33. A lens 38 having a stop plane 39 is located so that its object focal plane coincides with the plane of diffusing disc 30. Lens 38 will, therefore, act to collimate light rays from a point 0 on the diffusing plate 30 on the common optical axis X-X as a parallel ray bundle similar to ray bundle 17b of FIG. 4; the edges of which contain parallel'rays 0, and 0,.- Similarly, rays from a point P on diffusing plate 30 will be collimate'd as a parallel ray bundle, the'edges of which will contain parallel rays p, and p Similarly, rays from a point Q on diffusing plate 30 will generate a parallel ray bundle, the edges of which will contain parallel rays q, and q If the size of the ray bundle 0, o, is somewhat larger than the size of multiple lens overlay arrays 45, 46 and 47 and films 48 and 49 and if the angle S, as determined by the size of plate 30 and the focal length of lens 38 is equal to the angle S delineated in FIGS. 4 and 48, it will be clear that the described illumination sys- 4B. To utilize such an illumination system for correction of abnormal relief photographs, it is therefore only necessary to place the correcting stack, comprising film elements 48, and 49 and lens elements 45, 46 and 47 as close as possible to lens 38. In FIG. 5, the actual glass lens elements constituting lens 38 and the small lens elements of lens overlay arrays 45, 46 and 47 have been omitted for simplicity and clarity.

If diffusing plate 30 is of suitable size and shape, preferably circular or hexagonal, the system described above will be suitable for use with lens arrays having spherical lenticulations. For cylindrical lenticulations the diffusing plate 30 may be made rectangular, preferably with a ratio of length-to-width of at least twoto-one, in orderto retain the usually greater image resolution in the direction parallel with the axes of the cylindrical lenses. The long dimension of such a rectangular diffusing plate should, of course, be perpendicular to the direction of the axes of the cylindrical lens elements.

It should also be clear that, when desired and as disclosed in my copending application Se'r. No. 649,309

filed June 27, 1967, special lenticulated films may be used having a lens array disposed on the side thereof opposite from that which carries the emulsion layers. Such a special lenticulated film would, of course, require a special emulsion capable of exposure from the inside of the film base and would, for all practical purposes, combine a lens array of the type shown in FIG. 1 with the film emulsion. The reverse printing systems shown in FIGS. 3, 3A, 4 and 48 could be easily modified to accommodate such a lenticulated film.

As mentioned earlier, spherical lens overlays or arrays can be used in lieu of cylindrical lens overlays or arrays in a simplified camera construction of the type shown in FIG. 1 and in the conversion means shown in FIGS. 3, 3A, 4, 4B, 5, 7, 8 and 9.

The systems for converting photographs having abnormal relief to those having normal relief as described above in connection with FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 may be considered, for practical purposes, modified contact printing systems which yield corrected photographs having substantially unity magnification. However, in some cases it may be desirable to include an enlargement or a reduction operation in conjunction with the corrective conversion of the abnormal relief characteristics. One suitable means for accomplishing the same is shown in FIG. 6 which illustrates, by way of example, means for effecting image enlargement in conjunction with correction of abnormal relief. It will be clear to those skilled in the art that the illustrated printing system could readily be modified to effect size reduction or for printing with unity magnification.

In the relief correcting system shown in FIG. 6, each abnormal relief data strip L, R, is individually printed in reverse order while each reverse-printed strip L, R is accumulated in the same order from left-to-right or from right-to-left, as in the original photograph. For illustrative convenience, the film reels 50 and 51 may be considered as moving clockwise and counterclockwise, respectively, so that the original abnormal negative or transparency 52 and the corrected or normal enlarged print 53 are both moved downward, as indicated by arrows 54. The desired ratio of enlargement and of film displacement is precisely maintained by gears 55 and 8 56 having a respective tooth ratio equal to the enlargement desired. To simplify the diagram, the coupling of gears 55 and 56 to film reels 51 and 50 respectively, and the coupling of a film-advance knob 57 or other suitable means for film traverse to gear 56 and reel 50 are schematically shown by dotted lines. However, it will be clear that, for downward movement of film 52 and of film 53, knob 57, reels 50 and gear 56 must move in a clockwise direction while gear 55 and reels 51 must move in-a counterclockwise direction.

Each relief data strip L, R, on film 52 is printed in reverse order on film 53 as a strip L R, by a lens 58. To prevent exposure of film 53 while index lines 3b are aligned on screen 65, as hereinafter described, an opaque curtain shutter 72 is maintained in position to prevent light from entering aperture 71 in mask 62. When alignment is accomplished, exposure of each data strip is then effected by opening the shutter 72 for the proper period by a suitable element 73 arranged to control the speed of traverse of a sequence of openings 75 in shutter 72 which may, if desired, be carried upon rollers 74, as in the well-known cameras which utilize focal plane shutters. Film data strips L, R,-are illuminated by any suitable light source 60 via condensing lenses 61. Exposure of film 53 to an extent greater than one film data strip L, R, at any particular time is prevented by asuitable aperture 72 in mask 62. To insure tightness of film 52 and film 53, brakes 63 having friction linings 63a may be held in frictional contact with reels 50 and 51 by any suitable means. When desired in connection with lens 58 the assembly 64 containing film 53 may be simultaneously adjusted for focus through incorporation of a ground-glass focal monitoring screen 65'to allow visual supervision by an observer 66. Focussing is accomplished by an adjusting knob 67, reverse-turning pinions 68, and gear racks 69 separately attached to assembly 64 and to screen 65. Light for such monitoring is provided by a stationary flat 45 beam-splitter 70.

As an aid to the precise alignment of films 53 and the lens array used for final viewing, film 52 may be provided with edge marks 3b which represent the positions of each edge or cusp 3c of lens elements SW of the cylindrical lens array 3 used to expose the original abnormal photograph, as shown and already discussed in connection with FIG. 1. FIG. 6A, for example, shows one form of opaque location marks or lines 3b applied to the flat surface 3a of the lens overlay 3 used to obtain the original photograph. Such marks need by applied only near the edge of each cylindrical lens element 3n and under the cusp focused by each adjacent lens element. When the relief photograph is exposed, these marks will be transferred photographically to the film and will mark the positions of all-points L, R, across both edges of the film 52. When these marks are transferred in the system of FIG. 6 to film 53 in conjunction with reversed points L R the necessary at:- curate alignment of the lens array required for subsequent viewing of the corrected or normal photograph will be greatly simplified. During exposure of each corrected relief data strip L R, on film 53, the operator is greatly aided in obtaining proper and accurate adjacent positioning of each such subsequent adjacent data strip by adjusting knob 57 until the marks 3b coincide with marks at L and R on screen 65 which correspond to the images of lines 3b printed at points L and R, on film 53.

In order to effectively utilize the location marks 3b, which are essentially perpendicular projections of the cusp lines 3c as above described, an auxiliary collimating lens disposed closely adjacent to the multielement lens overlay 3 should be incorporated in the FIG. 1 type camera systems to insure that all points L, and R, are disposed perpendicularly beneath the cusps of the individual lens elements of the overlay 3 when the film 6, or its equivalent, is exposed in such simplified camera constructions. While a suitable collimating lens is not shown in FIG. 1, a suitable lens is disclosed in my copending application Ser. No. 649,308 filed June 27,v 1967.

In contradistinction with the above and if the locating lines 3b are not located as perpendicular projections of the cusp lens 30, but are located in position as projected on the undersurface 3a, as by the extension of lines passing between point P in the camera system illustrated in FIG. 1 and each cusp line 3c of the lens overlay 3, then a collimating lens will not be required adjacent thereto as suggested above. When the locating lines 3b are so disposed in such revised positions, extreme points L, and R, of each relief data stri'p will fall accurately upon the locating lines 3b and such lines may then be used, as previously described, in connection with the FIG. 6 embodiment, or for other related purposes.

Referring now to FIG. 7, there is disclosed a modified unit for reverse printing the abnormal image of a film 6 on a second film 14 that there produces a normal print in substantially the same manner as in the heretofore described corrective printing systems. More specifically, in the system shown in FIG. 7, an image of the film 6 is projected by an auxiliary'lens 28 upon a focal plane 23 which is substantially coincident with the lens elements 19b of a multielement overlay 19 incorporated in a lens system of the type heretofore disclosed and in conjunction with FIG. 48 made up of elements 18 and 19 surmounting the film 14. In the FIG. 7 embodiment, the overlayinglens element 20 of FIG. 4B is dispensed with. As shown, the film 6 bearing the. abnormal image is illuminated by a suitable, light source 32 through condensing lenses 33. In the described unit, and as schematically shown in FIGS. 4 and 7, the tangent of the ray angle S/2 must be substantially. the same as the ratio of the half width of the lens elements l8n, 19b and 19n to the thickness of the lens overlay elements l8 and 19. When desired, the normal print on the second film 14 may be selectively enlarged or reduced by conventional adjustments of the position of the auxiliary lens 28 and the film 6 relative to the film 14 which preferably may be considered as fixedly positioned. Concurrently therewith, of course, the width-0f the individual lens elements 18n, 19b and 19n must be adjustedto match the width of each relief data strip in the image plane 23.

In this embodiment lens 38a has the same purpose I and relationship relative to the aperture of lens 28 as by lens elements 19b. The image of film 6, therefore, 6

functions effectively as the actual film 6in the system of FIG. 4.

FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrate alternate constructions wherein the use of lens overlays, such as lens overlays 18 and 19, adjacent the second film 14 is dispensed with and in lieu thereof a corrective overlay disposed adjacent the abnormal film is employed.

Referring now to these figures, FIG. 8 illustrates the projection of the abnormal image on film 6 into a corrected image on a focal plane 25 in space at unity magnification by an auxiliary corrective multi-element lens overlay 24 having a plurality of lens elements 24n on the surface thereof. As shown in FIG. 9, this image plane 25 having its relief image data converted to-normal form close to elements 241: is then projected in preselected size relationship by an auxiliary lens 28a directly upon film 14 as a normal relief image. In this disclosed system, the auxiliary corrective lens overlay elements 24n are adjusted to be coaxial with each discrete data strip R, and L, so that points L, and R are located on lines perpendicular to the film 6. In order to obtain the related condition in which all extreme R, and L, data points are imaged coincident with the imaging of the cusps of the lens array 24 on film 14, a collimating lens 38 is included to allow the off-axis rays V and W to originate as parallel rays V, and W, upon emergence from the lens array 24. 1

As will be apparent to those skilled in this art, the heretofore described printing systems of FIGS. 6, 7 and 9 thus permit any desired reduction or enlargement of the image concurrently with the disposition of the corrected or normal image on the second film l4.

' As will now be apparent to those skilled in this art,

the above-described method of converting abnormal three-dimensional representations thereof not only peror transparencies but also makes utilization of the heretofore described simplified relief photographic apparatus a practical and utilizable reality.

As will also be apparent, the described printing conversion method is not only simple and inexpensive but is capable of providing the high degree of technical quality required for industrial three-dimensional photographs and for three-dimensional lithographed illustrations printed from three-dimensional transparencies.

Having thus described my'invention, I claim:

1. Apparatus for reproducing relief photographs constituted by a sheet of film having a plurality of elongated relief data strips each containing a continuous sequence of relief image data in reverse orientation thereon comprising illumination means disposed on one side of said photograph,

at least one multi-element lens overlay disposed in predetermined spaced relationship with the other side of said photograph with the individual lens elements thereof being disposed in respective longitudinal alignment with said relief data strips thereon said multielement lens overlay including optical barrier means disposed intermediate each lens element thereof, and

a photosensitive film disposed in static adjacent relation to said overlay and exposable to said inverted images of each such sequence of relief image data on each said data strip produced by the lens elements of said lens overlay to reproduce said relief image data in natural orientation 2. Apparatus forreproducing relief photographs constituted by a sheet of film having a plurality of elongated relief data strips each containing a continuous sequence of relief image data in reverse orientation thereon comprising illumination means disposed on one side of said photograph,

at least one multi-element lens overlay disposed in predetermined spaced relationship with the other side of said abnormal photograph with the individual lens elements thereof being disposed in respective longitudinal alignment with said relief data strips thereon,

a photosensitive film disposed in static adjacent relation to said overlay and exposable to said inverted image of each such sequence of relief image data on each said data strip produced by the lens elements of said lens overlay to reproduce said relief image data in normal orientation, and

a second multielement lens overlay disposed intermediate said first mentioned lens overlay and said photograph.

3. Apparatus for reproducing relief photograph constituted by a sheet of film having a plurality of elongate relief data strips each containing a continuous sequence of relief image data in reverse orientation thereon comprising illumination means disposed'on one side of said photograph including an auxiliary collimating lens disposed closely adjacent to said film and an extended area light source disposed remote from said collimating lens at its focal distance and at least one multi-element lens overlay disposed in predetermined spaced relationship with the other side of said photograph with the individual lens lements thereof being disposed in respective longitudinal alignment with said relief data strips thereon and a photosensitive film disposed in static predetermined spaced relation to said overlay and exposable to said inverted images of each such sequence of relief image data on each said data strip produced by the lens elements of said lens overlay to reproduce said relief image data in normal orientation.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 3 including a third multielement lens array disposed intermediate said auxiliary collimating lens and said abnormal film.

Claims (4)

1. Apparatus for reproducing relief photographs constituted by a sheet of film having a plurality of elongated relief data strips each containing a continuous sequence of relief image data in reverse orientation thereon comprising illumination means disposed on one side of said photograph, at least one multi-element lens overlay disposed in predetermined spaced relationship with the other side of said photograph with the individual lens elements thereof being disposed in respective longitudinal alignment with said relief data strips thereon said multielement lens overlay including optical barrier means disposed intermediate each lens element thereof, and a photosensitive film disposed in static adjacent relation to said overlay and exposable to said inverted images of each such sequence of relief image data on each said data strip produced by the lens elements of said lens overlay to reproduce said relief image data in natural orientation.

2. Apparatus for reproducing relief photographs constituted by a sheet of film having a plurality of elongated relief data strips each containing a continuous sequence of relief image data in reverse orientation thereon comprising illumination means disposed on one side of said photograph, at least one multi-element lens overlay disposed in predetermined spaced relationship with the other side of said abnormal photograph with the individual lens elements thereof being disposed in respective longitudinal alignment with said relief data strips thereon, a photosensitive film disposed in static adjacent relation to said overlay and exposable to said inverted image of each such sequence of relief image data on each said data strip produced by the lens elements of said lens overlay to reproduce said relief image data in normal orientation, and a second multielement lens overlay disposed intermediate said first mentioned lens overlay and said photograph.

3. Apparatus for reproducing relief photograph constituted by a sheet of film having a plurality of elongate relief data strips each containing a continuous sequence of relief image data in reverse orientation thereon comprising illumination means disposed on one side of said photograph including an auxiliary collimating lens disposed closely adjacent to said film and an extended area light source disposed remote from said collimating lens at its focal distance and at least one multi-element lens overlay disposed in predetermined spaced relationship with the other side of said photograph with the individual lens lements thereof being disposed in respective longitudinal alignment with said relief data strips thereon and a photosensitive film disposed in static predetermined spaced relation to said overlay and exposable to said inverted images of each such sequence of relief image data on each said data strip produced by the lens elements of said lens overlay to reproduce said relief image data in normal orientation.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 3 including a third multielement lens array disposed intermediate said auxiliary collimating lens and said abnormal film.

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