US1250351A - Synchronizing apparatus. - Google Patents

Description

s. c. PORTER. SYNCHRONIZING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV- 13, 914- m n y 1 n 0 a mm 3% NQ Lmmwfi L F n m m .o u v o I m mm 3 QM m R wm m N o @N 0 mm j D m O 1 O I o O NH? 2. 3 m o wm 3 a o g. M W a ww QN 0 w a H m 0 IE N .3- N\N\{ me. \Q 0 E f lm mm M W... b, f Q m Q .5 Q N H v m I. q x 7 v k 3 u a w a 4 5 3 W w= x H m 1 S. C. P-DBTER.

SYNCHRONIZINGAPPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED NOV-13,1914. 1,250,351, Patented Dec. 18,1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

$ Inventor:

3 w by Q %%/mm v STEPHEN (2.;PORTER, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

'sm eadmzme APPARATUS.

'a 'pnesaon filed November 13, 1914. Y "serial No: 871,913.

Toall wliom it may concern: 7

Be it known 'thatI, STEPHEN C. PORTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at borough of Brooklyminthe county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Synchronizing Apparatus, of which the followin'gis a specification.

Myinvention relates to synchronizing apparatus primarily for use between the sound record apparatus and the picture projecting machine in producing talking, moving pictures and my object of the production of a synchronizer which will normally be a part of the driving mechanism but which will permit the operatorto speed up or retard the picture film to bring-itinto perfect synchrony with the sound record. Another object is the production of a driving synchronizer which will operate the picture projector faster than the sound record machine.

Figure 1 is a top view of the synchronizer, Fig. 2 a sectional view on the line 22 of Fig. 1 and Fig. 3 a diagrammatic View of the talking picture apparatus in which the synchronizer is employed.

In Fig. 3 a is the driving motor for film and record, I) the sound record machine, the synchronizer and d the picture projecting machine. By this general arrangement the motor drives the sound record machine,

' this in turn drives one end of the synchronizer while the other end of the synchronizer drives the picture projector at a higher rate of speed than the sound record machine.

The sound record machine must be driven at a constant speed to hold the pitch steady and any variation between sight and sound must be taken up at the picture machine either by increasing or decreasing the speed of the film until synchrony is attained after which the drive should automatically become and remain synchronous.

To accomplish these results I have devised a special form of differential gearing with a control device therefor.

A bed plate 1 carries the main shaft bearings 2 and 3 in which shafts 4 and 5 run, being fitted into one another at 6 for independent rotation while supporting one another.

The gear 7 is solidly fastened to the end of shaft 5. The gears 8 and 9 are revolubly mounted on a block 10 which is rigidly Specification, of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec.

fastened to shaft 4 while'the gear "11 is loosely mounted 'on shaft-4 with the control gear 12'secured to'it. r i

When power is applied to. the end of the shaft line carrying the block 10 it will re-' volve causing gears 8 and 9 to roll or revolve on theirown axes'by reason of their engagement with gear 11 which is held sta: tionary. Gears 8 and 9 in their rotation bothabout the shaft and their own axes will cause gear 7' and shaft5 to revolve, but at double the speed of shaft 4. This is the standard or normal relation between the sound record machine and the projecting machine if record and film are'in'perfect synchrony. If, however, the film has been torn or patched and thesynchrony is imperfect in spots it is necessary to bring them quickly and easily into synchrony without distracting from the effect produced on the audience.

If control gear 12 is rotated in either direction, independently of shaft 4, it will turn gear 11 which in turn will increase or decrease the number of revolutions per minute of gears 8 and 9 on their own axes and in turn speed up or slow down gear 7 and shaft 5 as may be desired, the increase or decrease of speed of shaft 5 depending on the direction of rotation of gear 11.

In order that gear 12 may be quickly and easily rotated in either direction the following control mechanism is provided.

Bearings 13, 14, 15 and 16 carry the shaft sections 17, 18 and 19 which are fitted together at their meeting ends like shafts 4 and 5 but permitting independent rotation of each section.

Clutches 20 and 21 enable either shaft 17 or shaft 19 to be coupled to shaft 18 at will.

A gear 22 fixed to shaft 4 engages an idler 23 which in turn engages gear 24 on shaft 19.

A gear 25 fixed on shaft 18 engages control gear 12.

A gear 26 fixed on shaft 5 engages a gear 27 on shaft 17.

The operating handle 28 has pins 29 and 30 which engage slots 31 and 32 in links 33 and 34 which in turn rock arms 35 and 36 to open and close the clutches 20 and 21. Springs 37 and 38 serve to keep the clutches normally open with the handle in central position.

Assuming it is desired to speed up the picture machine the handle 28 is pushed to the right causing clutch 20 to engage and gear 12 to revolve on shaft 4 turning gears 8 and 9 faster than normally thus causing gear 7 and shaft 5 to run at an increased rate of speed, thereby speeding up thepicture film, until the film and record are in perfect synchrony. Releasing the handle 28 disengages clutch 20 and gears 8 and 9 cease revolving on their own axes at a higher rate of speed and shafts 4 and 5 thereafter rotate at their normal rates.

If it is desired to slow the film down handle :28 is pushed to the left closing clutch 21, whereupon gear 12 will revolve in the opposite direction turning gear 11 with it causing gears 8 and 9 to run more slowly which in turn reduces the speed of gear 7 and shaft 5.

The slightest movement of the handle 28 to the right or left is all that is required to bring record and film into perfect synchrony and when this has been done releasing the handle maintains it since picture and record are made at fixed rates of speed.

If desired a pin 39 on gear 12 may be used to strike a bell 40 on each revolution corresponding to a space of one picture on the film to assist the operator in attaining synchrony.

I claim A synchronizer comprising two shafts, a differential gearing connecting the two shafts, a change speed gear on each shaft, a three section change speed shaft parallel to the main shafts, a gear on one end of the change speed shaft directly engaging the change speed gear on the main shaft, 2. change speed gear on the other end of the change speed shaft, an intermediate gear between it and the other gear on the main shaft, a gear on the differential, a gear on the third speed change shaft section engaging the last named gear and means for coupling and uncoupling the change speed shaft sections whereby one element of the differential gear may be revolved in either direction to change the relative speeds of the main shafts.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

STEPHEN C. PORTER.

Vitnessesz RoBT. B. KILLconE, MAY M. LIPP.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Eatents, Washington, D. 0.

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