US1116580A - Apparatus for unwinding motion-picture films. - Google Patents

Description

E. B. FEASTER.

APPARATUS FOR UNWINDING MOTION PICTURE FILMS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 29, 1913.

1, 1 1 ,5 Patented Nov. 10, 1914.

a SHEETS-SHEET 1.'

E. B. FEASTER.

APPARATUS FOR UNWINDING MOTION PICTURE FILMS.

Patented NOV. 10, 1914.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 29, 1913.

3 SEEETS-SHEET 2.

mim am B. B. FEASTER. APPARATUS FOR UNWINDING MOTION PICTURE FILMS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.29,1913. 1 16,5w

Patented Nov. 10, 1914.

3 SHBETSSHEET 3.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD B. FEASTEB, OF COLUMBUS, NEBRASKA, ASSIGNOZIK- TO BYRON CHANDLER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

APPARATUS FOR UNWINDING MOTION-PICTURE FILMS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 10, 1914.

Application filed January 29, 1913. Serial No. 744,970.

To all whom it mag concern:

Be it known that l[, 'EDWABD B. FEASTER, citizen of the United States, residing at Columbus, in the county of Platte and State of Nebraska, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Apparatus for Unwinding Motion-Picture Films, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description.

My invention relates to a device for feeding a film strip, such. as is commonly used in connection with motion-picture machines, from the film holder or carrier of the machine.

More specifically it relates to means for unwinding a coil of motion-picture film from its center outward, whereby said coil, after being taken up upon the receiving reel, is ready to be replaced upon the holder or carrier and can again be used in the machine without the customary re-winding of the coil. 1 am aware of the fact that the desirability of a device for accomplishing this purpose has long been appreciated and that numerous attempts have been made to satisfy the demand therefor. am aware, however, none of these attempts have been commercially successful. lln some cases the unwinding of the coil from the center has been attempted by pulling upon the innermost convolution of the coil, the film as it is uncoiled being bent laterally to escape the remaining convolutions. In such cases the strain upon the coil by reason of such pull is exerted in a broken line, that is, it is exerted upon the film while it is twisted, and hence there is a tendency to break or injure the film. Others have attempted to avoid this last mentioned didlculty by positively driving the coil holder or carrier in order to avoid the strain upon the twisted portion of the coil. This last mentioned method, however, requires an accurately regulated variable drive of the carrier, since, as the coil is unwound, the length of the innermost coil increases. So far as l am aware such attempts to unwind the coil from the center have been found to be impractical, and despite the inconvenience of rewinding each film before it is again used, none of the devices for rendering such rewincling unnecessary have, so far as I am aware, gone into commercial use.

My invention is designed to avoid the objectionable features of both of the above- ;So far as I mentioned types of apparatus, and this is effected by pulling upon the innermost convolution of the coil to unwind the same, the pulling strain being exertedonly upon that portion of the film which is in line with the coil which is being unwound. Hence that portion of the film which is twisted or distorted is absolutely free from any strain or pull, thus rendering it absolutely impossible for the device of my invention to accidentally break or tear the film.

My invention may be embodied in the motion-picture machine as originally constructed or it may be in the nature of an attachment which is capable of use in conjunction with the usual apparatus.

The several features of my invention may be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a side elevation of a motion picture machine having my invention embodied therein; Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the carrier and its associated parts, showing the manner in which the film coil is fed; Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4'l of Fig. 3; the film coil being shown in top plan; Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2; Fig. 6 is an inside elevation of one of the two separable members of the take-up or re ceiving reel; Fig. 7 is a diametrical section of said reel; and Fig. 8 is a View similar to Fig. 4 of a modified form of the device.

Similar letters of reference refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

In Fig. 1 of the drawings the ordinary type of projection apparatus is illustrated in a conventional form and it is to be understood that, except for those parts which relate particularly to my invention and are set forth in detail, the machine may otherwise be of the usual or any other suitable construction.

lhe means by which the film after it is unwound from the coil is passed through the projecting apparatus, and the projecting ap paratus itself may be of any suitable construction, such means forming not part of my present invention.

Referring to the drawings, the casin of the projecting apparatus is designate the reference numeral 1. The picture film 2 is fed through this casing in the usual manner and is taken up or wound upon the receiving reel 3, preferably a reel'such as is hereinafter described. In case the device of my invention is used as an attachment for the ordinary machine, the usual holding reel 4 may if desired be used in the first instance, the coil film being fed therefrom in the usual manner and wound upon the reel 3.

Heretofore it has been customary to rewind the coil from the receiving reel. In the case of my invention, however, the receiving reel is so constructed that the side members thereof are separable from each other in order that the coil as a whole may he slipped therefrom. A receiving reel of such construction is shown in Figs. 6 and 7 in which one of the side disks 5 is secured to and carried by a central hub 6 and the other side disk 7 is provided with an interiorly extending sleeve 8 adapted to fit about the hub 6. The two parts of the reel are held together by an axle 9 having thereon a strip 10 which presses against the disk 7, the end of the axle 9 being threaded to receive a re taining nut 11. By unthreading the nut 11 the reel may be removed from the axle 9, after which the two disks 5 and 7 may be separated, the coil of film remaining upon the disk 7 about the sleeve 8. The sleeve 8 is longitudinally slitted at some point in its circumference, as at 12, in order that, when said sleeve is removed from the hub 6, said sleeve will spring inward and loosen from the coil. Thereupon the coil can be readily slipped as a whole from the parts "7 and 8. The coil, as it is thus removed from the receiving reel, is placed upon the carrier 13. Said carrier preferably is freely rotatable and is also preferably disposed in a horizontal plane. Said carrier is supported, through ball bearings 14, upon a horizontally disposed shelf 15. The upper surface of the shelf 15 is provided with a central stationary disk 16 forming an axis of rotation for the carrier 13. The carrier 13 is thus preferably in the form of a flat ring which surrounds the stationary disk 16.

In order that the coil of film 2 may not slip from the carrier 13 upon the central disk 16, I provide the disk 16 at its circum ference with a guard railing. This guard railing preferably comprises a series of vertical, rotatable posts 17, supported between the disk 16 and a top ring 18. The diameter of said disk 16 is somewhat less than the diameter of the sleeve 8 of the receiving reel in order that the coil vmay readily slip over said railing.

Mounted above the disk 16 is a feed device for unwinding the .coil from its center. Said feed device is preferably in the form of a sprocket roller 19 and its opposed guard rollers 20, 20. The rollers 19, 20 may be of any suitable construction, such as, for example, those that are commonly used for feeding films of this character. My invention, so far as this feature is concerned,

jure the film, the best results are obtained by mounting the feed device in perpendicular relation to the disk 16, and near the cirumference thereof.

The feed device is positively driven, preferably in the manner hereinafter described,

and being located adjacent the inner convo-.

lution of the coil, the pull upon the coil is exerted in such manner that there is no tendency to tear. or injure the same. The strain upon the coil is further minimized by reason of the carrier 13 being freely rotatable, the slightest pull upon the inner convolution of the coil causing the carrier 13 to revolve and to thus freely unwind the coil as required by the feed device.

In actual practice I have found it desirable to locate the feed device upon that side of the disk 16 which is nearest to the ordinary feed sprocket 21 and its guard roller 22. In such a case the film 2, after it leaves the feed device 19, 20, is curved upward and, by gradually twisting, is turned from a vertical to a horizontal position, said film being in a vertical position as it leaves the feed device 19, 20 and in a horizontal position at the time it reaches the feed device 21, 22.

The film, after it leaves the feed device 19, 20, may be carried over one or more idlers, the function of which is merely to support that portion of the film which extends between the two feed devices. One of such idlers is shown as a roller 23 and its opposed guard roller 24, between which rollers the film passes. The rollers 23, 24 preferably contact with the film only at the edges thereof in order that the sensitive surface of the film may not be scratched or marred. Another supporting roller 25 may also be provided if desired. The angular relation at which the rollers 23, 2% and 25 are placed should be that which the film naturally assumes as it is carried from the first to the second of said feed devices, the object of said idler rollers being not to guide but merely to support said film.

The sprocket roller 21 is driven in the usual or in any suitable manner as, for example, through a series of gears 26, 27, 28, 29, 30 from the drive shaft 31 of the machine, such drive shaft being rotated in the usual manner by the hand crank 32. The shaft which carries the sprocket roller 21 is provided with a bevel gear 33. Meshing with this bevel gear 33 is a similar gear 34 carried upon one end of a shaft 35. The opposite end of the shaft 35 extends below the shelf 15 and is provided with a bevel 11,1 mean it t gear 36 which meshes with a similar gear 37 carried upon the lower end of a shaft 38. The lower end of the shaft 38 is journaled in a bracket 39 which is secured underneath the shelf 15. The shaft 38 extends through the shelf 15 and the central disk 16, the upper end of said shaft 38 having secured thereto the sprocket feed roller 19 hereinbefore described.

The gear connection just described between. the sprocketroller 19 and the sprocket roller 21 is such that both of said rollers are positively driven at the same rate of speed. It is thus evident that the film is fed through the feed device 21, 22 at the same rate that it is fed through the feed device 19, 20, and thus any pull or strain upon that portion of the film extending between the two feed devices is obviated. This provision of means for preventing any strain or pull upon the twisted portion of the film is one of the important features of my invention.

As hereinbefore described, the film 2 is fed through the projection apparatus 1 in the usual manner, and after it leaves said apparatus is wound about the receiving reel 3. The reel 3 may be driven in the usual or any other suitable manner, the drive in the case illustrated being through the medium of a belt 10.

In order that the inner end of the film may be readily threaded through the feed device 19, Q0, the shaft 38 is preferably pivoted at its lower end so as to permit of a slight lateral rocking motion of said shaft. With this end in view a slot 41 is provided in the shelf 15 and disk 16 and said shaft extends through said slot. El. slide-bar 4.2, for rocking the shaft 33, is secured upon the underside of the shelf 15 by means of screws 43, 13 which extends through slots 44, at in said slide-bar. Said slide-bar is normally held by the spring 45 in such position that the sprocket roller 19 is in its operative position. However, when it is required initially to insert the end of the film, the slidebar t2 may be pulled out for a slight distance against the tension of the spring 45, thus rocking the shaft 38 and feed roller 19 carried thereby. The feed roller 19 is thus drawn to one side and the film can be readily inserted between said feed roller 19 and the guard roller 20.

Tn Fig. 8 I have shown a modification designed to guard the film from contact with the guard railing of the central disk 16. In this modified form there are provided, in addition to the rollers 17, a series of opposed rollers 46. Placed about the rollers 17, and between said rollers and the opposed rollers 46 is an endless belt 47, which travels with the film coil 2 as the carrier 13 is rotated. The film 2 is thus held out of contact with the rollers 17, and, since it does not slide thereover, the possibility of said film being marred or scratched by engagement with the rollers is minimized.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that a coil of film, after being first wound upon the receiving reel, 3, can readily be slipped therefrom upon the table 13 and about the railing formed by the posts 17. The inner end of the film is then led through the feed device 19 and 20, which operation is facilitated by pulling upon the lever 42 u to draw the roller 19 to one side. The end of the film is then led over the idlers 23, 223 and through the feed devices 21, 22. the end of the film being inserted underneath the usual retaining clip 48 (see Fig. 6) of the receiving wheel. Thereupon, upon turning the crank 32, the film is freely unwound from its center or inner convolution. and after passing through the projecting apparatus is wound upon the receiving reel Uwing to the fact that the carrier 13 is freely rotatable, the slightest pull upon the inner convolution of the fihn will cause said table to rotate. thereby permitting the said film to be freely fed from the coil. it will also be noted that that portion of the coil which is twisted, that is, the portion between the two feed devices is prevented from being stretched or pulled upon. in actual practice l have found that the film never umps the sprocket roller 19, owing to the method in which it is fed thereto. If. for any reason, the film should jump the sprocket roller 21. and thereby tend to pull upon the portion of the film between the two teed devices. an inclined emergency roller 49 mounted upon the disk 16 catches said film and prevents it from being twisted or distorted. thereby preventing the accidental breaking}; of the film. in the normal operation of the device. however. the film does not come in. contact with the emergency roller 49. and such omen gency roller may be dispensed with if desired.

Having thus described my invention. what i claim is:

1. In a machine of the character described. the combination of a carrier for holding a coil of film. and eoil-unwindiug means eteerting a pull upon the innermost convolution of the coil in line with the film as it is unwound froin the coil.

2. In a machine of the character described. the combination of a freely rotatable carrier for holding a roil of film. and means for pulling upon the innermost convolution of the coil to unwind the same from the center. said means being located inward of the convolutions of the coil and the film extending in an unbroken line from the coil to said pulling means.

3. In a machine of the character descrihcwl. the combination of a rotatable carrier for holding a coil of film, and a positively driven sprocket located inward oi the convolutious of the coil, said film extending in an unlr-roken line from the coil to said sprocket and having openings for receiving the teeth of said sprocket.

4. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a carrier for supporting a coil of film, of a positively driven feed device adjacent the inner convolution of said coil for unwinding said coil from its center.

5. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a carrier for supporting a coil of film, of a positively driven feed device located adjacent the inner convolution of the coil and disposed in angular relation to the supporting surface of said carrier for unwinding said coil from its center.

6. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a freely rotatable carrier for supporting a coil of film, of a positively driven feed device for unwinding said coil from its center, said feed device being located inward of the convolutions of said coil when the coil is in position upon said carrier.

7. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a central stationary disk, of a carrier rotatable about said central disk as an axis, said carrier forming a support for a coil of film, and a positively driven fced device mounted upon said central disk for unwinding said coil of film from its center.

8. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a central stationary disk, of a carrier rotatable about said central disk as an axis, said carrier forming a support for a coil of film, an upstanding railing secured to said disk near the circumference thereof, and a positively driven feed device located within the circumference of said railing for unwinding said coil of film from its center.

3). In a. motion-picture machine, the combination with the drive shaft of said mahine, of a rotatable carrier for holding a chine, of a rotatable carrier for holding a coil of film, a feed sprocket located adjacent the axis of said carrier for unwinding said coil from its center, and means for drivjing said feed sprocket from said drive shaft:

11. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a carrier for holding a. coil of film, of a feed roller located adjacent the axis of said carrier for unwinding said coil from its center, a second feed roller arranged in angular relation to said first mentioned feed-roller, and means for driving said feed-rollers at the same rateof speed.

12. In a motion-picture machine, the com bination with the drive shaft of said machine, of a horizontally disposed rotatable carrier for holding a coil of film, a vertical feed-roller mounted adjacent the axis of said carriage for unwinding said coil from its center, a horizontal feed-roller arranged to receive the film-after it is fed from' said vertical feed roller, means whereby said horizontal feed roller is driven from said drive shaft, and gear connections between said feed rollers whereby said vertical feedroller is driven at the same rate of speed as said horizontal feed-roller.

13. In a motion-picture machine, the combination withthe drive shaft of said machine, a central stationary disk, 9. carrier rotatable about said central disk as an axis, said carrier forming a support for a coil of film, an upstanding railing secured to said disk near the circumference thereof, a vertical feed roller mounted upon said disk within said railing for unwinding said coil from its center, a horizontal feed roller arranged to receive the film after it is fed from said vertical feed roller, means whereby said horizontal feed roller is driven from said drive shaft, and ear connections between said feed-rollers w ereby said vertical feedroller is driven at the same rate of speed as said horizontal feedroller.

In witness whereof, I, hereunto subscribe my name this th day ofJanuary, A. D.,

EDWARD B. FEASTER. Witnesses:

MCGLELLAN YOUNG, GEORGE E. FOLK.

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