An apparatus and method for processing bulk quantities of photo-sensitive film received in individual film cassettes is disclosed. The apparatus, which can be adapted for use with either roll-type film or disc cartridges, comprises a light-tight enclosure surrounding a film preparation device, a cassette opener for opening the film cassettes and a source of illumination designed to provide light for the apparatus operator during inspection of the cassettes. A control circuit actuated by the cassette opener is interconnected to both the source of illumination and a movable shutter in the light-tight enclosure. Upon actuation of the cassette opener, the control circuit extinguishes the source of illumination and moves the shutter to an open position to provide access to the film preparation device, all in a manner which ensures that the source of illumination has been extinguished before the cassette opening operation is completed and the shutter means reaches its open position. If desired, a safety interlock feature may be provided to prevent the source of illumination from being accidentally turned on while the shutter means is in its open position.

A data storage card has an aperture for receiving a photographic image. The aperture has an adhesive border which is protected by a disposable sheet having release characteristics. One edge of the sheet extends outwardly to form a flap overlying the card. By bending the card, for example, the flap can easily be separated from the card and a knife edge inserted to strip the sheet from the card.

An apparatus is disclosed for attaching a running web which is withdrawn from a first source of supply to the leader of a fresh web which is stored in a second source of supply through the use of double sticky back adhesive strips. The apparatus comprises a supply frame provided with a conveyor assembly to transport a roll of material along the supply frame and a splicing head assembly mounted to the roll frame. The splicing head assembly has a plurality of idle rollers, a vacuum member adapted to hold the leading end of the fresh web and a cutting and clamping mechanism moveably mounted to the frame of the splicing head assembly. The cutting and clamping mechanism is adapted to be pivoted by a pneumatic cylinder to clamp the trailing web end from the expiring roll to the fresh web under tension and sever the web from the expiring roll between the dispensing roll and the location where the webs are clamped. A spring biased web acceleration arm mounted to the supply frame engages the web of the fresh roll to provide a reservoir of slackened web from the fresh roll allowing the splice joint of the two webs to be pulled away with gradually increasing force thus preventing sudden acceleration force on the splice.

A daylight film processing apparatus for removing an end cap of a cassette containing an exposed film and capturing the spool and film pushed outwardly therefrom so that the film can be suitably trimmed and identified and spliced to the tail of a next-preceding film and wound therewith onto a reel in a light-tight container for transfer to subsequent film processing equipment.

A film developing apparatus includes a loading section for receiving a film holder, a developing section, a film transport device for transporting a film protruding from a film feed opening of the film holder to the developing section, and a film drawing device for drawing a leader of the film in the film holder mounted in the loading section, out through the film feed opening.