US1174208A - Motion-picture machine. - Google Patents

Description

P. J. WALSH.

Patented Mar. 7, 1916.

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MOTION PICTURE MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-4,1915.

Patented Mar. 7,1916.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PATRICK J. WALSH, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

MOTION-PICTURE MACHINE.

Application filed August 4, 1915.

T0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PATRICK J. WALSH, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of Bronx and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Motion- Picture lvlachines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to motion-picture machines, and more particularly to portable apparatus, designed especially for homes, schools and small auditoriums where the present large commercial machines would be too expensive, or there are no facilities for operating the larger machines.

The object of the present invention is to provide a machine of this character which can be so cheaply manufactured that the sale-price might be within the means of the ordinary household, and which will nevertheless project pictures from standard-sized films in a good clear manner.

Another object of the invention is to provide a motion-picture machine in which ordinary magic-lantern slides can be used in the usual way.

Some of the many applications of the machine of this invention will be apparent from a full understanding thereof, but as shown in one of the forms illustrated in the accompanying drawing, to which reference will be presently made, the device is especially suitable for advertising purposes.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 illustrates one form which the machine may assume, the parts being considerably reduced for convenience; Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the center of the machine; Fig. 3 is a front view of the apparatus. the hinged front-plates being shown in their open positions by the dotted lines; Fig-,4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, but showing the machine as especially adapted for advertis ing and similar purposes; Fig. 4: is a plan view of the filmguide (and Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the framing-plate.

As illustrated in the drawings. the machine comprises a lamp-box 1. having a suitable base 2 and a tightly-fitting cover 3. Upon the base 2 is secured a lamp-socket 4, having terminals 5 through which the incandescent lamp 6 receives current from a suitable source. The current may be supplied from an ordinary lamp-socket and brought into the lamp-box 1 by an insulated conductor I, or'it may be supplied from dry Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented D131. 7, 1916.

Serial No. 43,558.

cells or other storage batteries when there 13 no supply of electricity from another source. The rear of the lamp-box 1 is pro vided with a parabolic reflector 8, the latter having a threaded stud passing through an aperture in the lamp-box. The reflector is held against'the inside of the wall by a knurled nut which engages the threads of the stud.

Secured to the forward part of the base 2, at a distance from the lamp-box 1, is a vertical frame 9, U-shaped in horizontal section along its lower portion, for strength and stability, and a lens-tube 10 connects the lamp-box land the frame 9 along the focal axis of the reflector 8, suitable apertures 11 and 12 in the lamp-box and frame, respectively, being provided to accommodate the tube. In the lens-tube 10, at its innermost end, there is a removable convex lens 18.

In the right-hand angle of the Ushaped frame 9 there is rigidly secured a vertical, tubular post 11, within which is slidably mounted a fllm-reelcarrying rod 15, said reel being indicated by the numeral 16 in the drawings. and the film by the numeral 17. The upper end' of the rod 15 is bent to form a bearing for the reel 16, and the outer end of the bend may be slightly upset to retain the reel in position.

A door or plate 18, positioned adjacent and in front of the frame 9, has one of its ends 19 bent around the tubular post 14 to form a hinge. so that the same may be swung open into the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, to enable the operator to insert the end of the film 17 between this hingedplate and the frame 9. the latter preferably having a vertical depression to accommodate the film, and the hinged-plate having a corresponding offset portion to maintain the film in proper position in such depression during its travel. The door 18. which has a circular opening registering with the opening 1'2 of the frame 9, has a forwardly-extcnding offset portion 19', which forms a guideway for the ordinary magic-lantern slides. and extending still further forward from this offset 19 there is a fixed tubular lens-carrier 20. The carrier 20 removably supports the outer sleeve 21 of an ordinary two-part telescoping magic-lantern lens. the inner member thereof being indicated at 22 in the drawings. Each of these telescoping lens-tubes carries a convex lens 23, Ql, such proper focus of the light andpictl res being secured by adjustment of the member 22 within the member 21, or the member 21 within the-carrier 20, or both. The plate or door 18 may be secured in its closed position by a suitable spring-latch 25 which engages a latch-plate 26 struck from the side or wing of the U-shaped frame 9.

Journaled inthe sides of the frame 9 there is a cross-shaft 27, carrying at one end a crank-arm 28 and a handle 29 whereby the shaft can be rotated. A circular rack 30 is secured to the shaft 27 and rotates therewith when the handle 29 is turned, this rack engaginga small pinion 31 secured on a second cross-shaft 32. The opposite end of the shaft 32 carries a small flywheel 33, and the shaft is journaled in the sides 0 the U-shaped frame 9.

A third cross-shaft 34 has its journals in l the sides of the frame 9, and carriesa sprocket-drum 35, the. latter projecting through an opening in the depressed'frontplate of the frame 9 to'engage the usual perforations in the film. Intermittent rotation is imparted to the sprocket-drum 35 by means of the well-known Geneva-movement, the end of the shaft 34 nearer the flywheel 33 having a four-point star-wheel 36 moved through a quarter ofa revolution upon each complete turn of the shaft 32 by means of a pin 37 secured at the point of a heart-shaped plate 38, which plate is fixed on shaft 32. i

Hinged -to the tubular post 14, like the door 18 and below the same, there is a plate 39, carrying in its lower portion a transversely-extending idle roll 40 journaled in said plate. This I door or plate may be opened like the door or plate 18 to insert the film, andwhen closed, in which position it is maintained by a suitable spring-latch 41, serves .to maintain the film in proper position and alinement in the depression in the frame 9. h

A suitable framing-plate 42, shown in front view in Fig. 5, is preferably inserted in the depression of the frame-9, the film passing over the outside thereof and between it and the hinged-plate 18. Ihe upper end of the framing-plate is bent back upon itself to form a convenient lifting-bead along its top edge, and a hanging-flange 43 arranged to fit snugly over thevtop edge of the frame 9, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. When the apparatus is to be used as a magiclantern, the framing-plate 42 is removed.

When the motion-picture machine is to be used foradvertising or analogous purposes, the parts are arranged as shown in Fig. 4. An endless film 17, the pictures of which are tobe shown repeatedly, is used, the portion of the film already exhibited being guided through a suitable removable springwire or other guide 44, and thus maintained away from the front of the lens 24. By using a relatively long reel-supporting rod- 15, and securing it in a predetermined position by means of the set-screw 45, films several feet in length may be shown over and over again, the shaft 27 and the circular rack 30 being preferably operated by a suitable motor, not shown.

The operation of the machine should be apparent fromtthe drawings in connection with the foregoing description, but may be briefly given here.

WVhen the machine is to be used as a magic-lantern, the arrangement is as shown in Fig. 2, and pictures Will be projected onto a screen in the ordinary manner from a magic lantern slide passed I transversely through the open-ended passage of the offset 19'. In using the apparatus as a motionpicture machine, reel-supporting rod 15 is slid into the tubular post 14, and secured in position by the set-screw 45'. The front hinged- plates 18 and 39 are opened, and the end-of the film 17, which, as before stated, is ofstandard .size, is inserted in the depression of the frame 9, over the framing-plate 42, and the apertures along the edge thereof placed over the two sets of teeth of the Sprocket-drum 35. In case an endless film is to be used, as shownin Fig. 4, any portion of the same may be inserted in the frame, and the loose returning portion is inserted in the guide 44, to prevent its interfering with the projection of the pictures by getting .in front of the lens-tube 22. Upon rotation of the handle 29, as will be readily understood, the star-wheel 36 and therefore the sprocket-drum 35 will be intermittentlymoved through a distance corresponding to the height of .on e picture or exposure 'of the film, with a very quick motion, the idle-roll 40 of the hinged-plate 39, which is of course closed, serving to maintain the used portion of the film smooth as it passes over the sprocketedrum 35. Proper focus may be obtained by shifting the lens-tube 22 within its counterpart 2l.'

If desired, a secondreel-supportmay be provided to take up the film as used.

It has been found in using this machine, that with a good reflector and a properly chosen metallic-filament lamp, good clear pictures may be obtained, and this with minimum of flickering, although no shutter, such as is necessary in the ordinary motion picture machine, is required. By placing the lens 13 between the source of light and the film, as illustrated, all danger of the films catching,fire is eliminated, the rays of light transmitted through the tube 10 onto the film being substantially parallel.

I claim 1. In a motion-picture machine, a lamp, a film-carrying frame, a lens-housing between said lamp and said frame, a lens in said housing, a plate hinged over the front of said frame, and a pair of relatively adjustable lenses carried by said hinged-plate.

2. In a motion-picture machine, a lampbox, a film-carrying frame, a lens-tube connecting said lamp-box and said frame, a lens in said tube, a plate hinged over the front of said frame, and a pair of telescoping lenstubes mounted in said hinged-plate.

3. In a motion-picture machine, a lampbox, a film-carrying frame. a lens-tube con necting said lamp-box and said frame, a lens in said tube, a plate hinged over the front of said frame, a tubular offset portion on the front of said hingedplate, and a pair of telescoping lens-tubes, one of the members t iereof being adjustably mounted in said tubular offset portion.

4. In a combined motion-picture machine and magic-lantern, a lamp-box, a film-carrying frame, a lens-tube connecting said lampbox and said frame, a lens in said tube, a hinged-plate over the front of said frame. an open-sided offset portion on the front of said hinged-plate providing a passageway for magic-lantern slides, a tubular extension on said offset portion, and a pair of telescoping lens-tubes. one of the members thereof being adjustably mounted in said tubular extension.

5. In a combined motion-picture machine and niagicdantern, a lamp-box, a film carrying frame having a vertical depression in its front face, a lens-tube connecting said lampbox and said frame, a lens in said tube, a framing-plate in said depression but removable for exhibiting magic-lantern slides, a hinged-plate over the front of said frame, an opensided offset portion on the front of said hinged-plate providing a passageway for magiclantern slides, a tubular extension on said offset portion, and a pair of telescoping lens-tubes, one of the anembers thereof being adjustablv mounted in said tubular extension.

(3. In a motion-picture machine, a lampbox, a film-carrying frame approximately U-shaped in horizontal section, a lenstube connecting said lampbox and said frame, a lens in said tube, a plate hinged over the front of said frame, a pair of telescoping lens-tubes adjustably mounted in said hinged-plate, a cross-shaft journaled in the sides of the U-shaped frame, a sprocketdrum on said shaft projecting through an opening in the front of said frame to engage the film, a second hingedplate on the frame adjacent the front of said sprocket-drum, an idle-roll in said hinged-plate, and means for imparting a quick intermittent movement to said sprocket-drum.

7. In a motion-picture machine, a lampbox, a film-carrying frame approximately Ushaped in horizontal section, a lens-tube connecting said lamp-box and said frame, a tubular post in one of the angles of said U-shaped frame, a rod adjustably secured in said post, a reel carried loosely on said rod, an endless film carried by said reel, a filmguide removably secured'to one side of said frame, a plate over the face of said frame hinged about said tubular post, and telescoping lens-tubes mounted in said hinged-plate.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

PATRICK J. IVALSH.

I'Vitnesses:

MARY C. MULLEN, J. HARRY BEAN.

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