US1433191A - Method for handling a flexible strip - Google Patents

Description

J..A.'DE VILBISS.. METHOD Foa HANDLING A FLEXIBLE sIIIIP.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 2, 1919.

Patented Oct. 24, 1922.

m1111011 c A Patented @et 24, l.

aan iai Uitlllhd@ TTES .FTENT JOHN A. DE VILBISS, OF ST. LOUIS, MSSOURI, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO DE VILBSS ENDLESS FILM MACHINE COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF MISSOURI.

.METHOD FOR HANDLING A FLEXIBLE STRIP.

Application filed June 2,

To @EZ ywhom t may 00m-ern.'

Be itlrnown that l, Jol-IN A. DE ViLBiss, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvementin Methods Al'or Handling a Flexible Strip, ot' which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to malre and use the same.

This invention. relates to devices of the character that areused for storing a flat record strip of flexible material that is adapted to be vfed from a source of supply,

coiled to bring itinto a reduced space and held ready for uncoiling and reuse at will.` One object of lmy invention is to provide a method of handling `a strip of flexible material which makes it possible t-o :teed a relatively long, continuous, flat strip off of and onto a rotatable support-ing device on which the major portion of the strip is wound to form a source of supply.

Another object is to provide a method of handling a strip of iiexiblef material which makes it possibile to draw a strip from a` source ot supply consisting of numerous coils or loops of the strip Without gradually diminishing the diameter or circumference of the source of supply, thereby enabling a strip to be ted intermittently a denite distance at each step by means ot a feeding mechanism that acts directly on the device that supports the major portion of the strip constituting `the source of supply.

Another object is to provide a device for supporting a Flexible strip which is so constructed that a flat flexible strip can be wound onto same edgewise and maintainedI in operative position with ythe coils or loops oit' the strip extending parallel to each other and disposed at right angles or substantially so to the surface ot' the device on which the strip is wound.

And still another object 'is' to provide an eilicient apparatus for handling a liat, continuous band or flexible strip of relatively great length that is adapted to be i'ed con tinuousl'y or intermittently. @ther objects and desirable features of my invention will be hereinafter pointed out. y f c My method, broadly stated, consists in winding al dat strip of flexible material edgewise onto a rotatable supporting device land maintaining the coils or loops of the 1919. Serial UNO. 301,235.

stripin parallel relation to each other in a position at right angles or substantially so to the portion of the device on which the stripis Wound. My method can be used successfully for handling strips oi' various kinds otA material and the supporting device that carries the major portion of the strip constituting the source oit supply can be formed in numerous ways without departing from the spiritl oi' my invention. 'l have herein illustrated my method used for handling a tia-t strip consist-ing of a. film such as is used in moving picture machines, but this is onlyvone of numerous purposes for which my method can be successfully used. Moreover, while l haver herein illustrated my method used for handling a continuous strip in the form of an endless band that is fed off of and onto a supporting device simultaneously, it is immaterial, so far as my broad idea is concerned, whether the strip has two ends or is in the form of an endless band. The apparatus herein illustrated for practicing my method is designed lfor use in moving picture projecting machines for handling a continuous film or picture strip, but the general construction and principle of operation of said apparatus is applicable to devices for supporting various other kinds ot flat lexible strips.

Figure l of the drawings is a side elevationalview of an apparatus constructed in accordance with my invention for handling a relatively long, continuous strip or endless band that is adapted to be fed to or througl a mechanism which acts on the strip oi' with which the strip co-operates. y

Figure 2 is a vertical cross sectional view of' a portion of the strip carrier, taken on the line 2 2 of Figure l. y

Figure 3, is an enlarged horizontal sectional view, taken on the line 3*-3 of Figure l., illustrating the construction of the spreading device that is combined with the strip guide at the lower side of the strip carrier.

Figure 4 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view of the strip guide, taken on the line 4 4 of Figure l; and

Figure 5 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view, taken on the line 5-5 oiC Figure l, illustrating the guiding` device at the upper side of the strip carrier over which the strip passes as it is unwinding from said carrier.

Referring to the drawings which illus Zontally disposed shaft l and provided with ticing my method, A designates aflat strip of flexible material in the form of' an endless band, and B designates a rotatable supporting device or carrier onto which said strip isv wound. instead of windingthe strip A onto the device B flatwise so as to form a number of superimposed coils or loops, as is now the universal method of winding a flat flexible strip onto a supporting device, l wind the strip A onto the device B edgewise so as to form numerous coils or loops that are arranged parallel to each other and which are disposed at right angles or substantially so to trie vportion oi the deviceA B onto which the stripy is wound. rl'he particular construction of the strip `carrier B is immaterial, but it is-essential that said carrier be of sufficient diameter to permit thestrip to be wound onto same edgewise without disrupt-v ing the'sti'ipor stretching it'out of shape.

.In using my method for handling a strip consisting et a iilm such as is usedin moving picture machinesg l have lfound that the film can be successfully wound edgewise on to` a rotatable carrier or ,supporting device provided with a rim portion live or sixvfeet in diameter.

The strip carrier B herein illustrated consists of a wheel rotatably mounted on a horia flatrim'portion 2. rlhe strip A is wound edgewise onto said rim portion 2 so to form numerous parallel coils or loops that are vdisposed at right angles or substantially so to the rim portion 2, and mea-ns is provided for confining the coils of the strip in operative position on said rim portion. The means herein illustrated for this purpose consists oit a side flange on one edge of said rim portion and a ring shaped member 4tsurrounding said rim portion and arranged in parallel relation tothe side iiange 3, 'said ring shaped member a being mounted in such a manner that it can be adjusted laterally towards and away from the side flange 3, so as tov adapt the strips of different lengths. To wind the strip A onto the ca rier B the ring shaped member l is first arranged in close proxim ity t0 the side flange B and the end of the strip is then inserted edgewise between the flange 3 and the member Ll and temporarily attached to said member l in any preferred manner. rlfhe strip carrierlis then revolved so as to wind the' strip edgewise onto the rim portion 2 of the carrier betweenthe two parts 3 and a that hold the coils or loops of the strip in parallel relation and at right angles to the rim portion 2. During the operation of winding the strip onto the carrierv the ring shaped member d is moved laterally away from the side flange 3 so as to increase the space that receives the portion of the strip constituting the source of carrier B to supply. -Any suitable means can be used for moving the ring `shaped member 4e towards and away from the side flange 3, such, 'forexample, as screws 5 adjustably mounted in a flange i3? or in' bearings on the rim portion'Q'ot the carrier and connected at their inner -ends to the ring shaped member et in such a manner that when said screws are turned in one direction the member a will be movedtowards the side flange 3, and when said screws are turned in the opposite direction, said member 4t will be moved away from the side flange 3.

By arranging the' strip on the carrier B in this manner lam able to confine a strip of' relatively great length in a compact space and can feed or draw thestrip from the carrier without gradually .diminishing the diameter or circumference ofthe source ot supply. lhis feature of being able to draw a strip from a source of supply without graduallyr diminishing the ,diameter ror circum-c erenceofthe source of supply makes it possible to feed the strip intermittently a definite distanceat each step by means of a feeding mechanism that acts directly on the reel, carrier or device that supports the source of supply from which the strip. `is drawn, `a

thing that is not `possible when a strip is wound flatwise onto' a reel or rotatable supporting device, due to the fact that the diam-v roller 6, then through the projecting apparat t-us of a moving picture machine, designated as an' entirety by the-reference character C, and thence rearwardly from a guide roller 6L to the strip carrier B. The strip is'acted upon by a feedingmechanism 7, and the guide rollers and over which the strip passes are so disposed that t-he strip A will be presented in a flatcondition to the projecting apparatus through which the strip passes. ln the appara-tus herein illustrated a stationary guiding device D is arranged in proXimit-yto the stripucarrier B so as to twist thestrip fromv4 a horizontal into a vertical position as it is being rewound onto the carrier, it being understood "that the ends of the strip are connected together after the strip has been wou-nd onto the carrier and the strip thereafter detached trom the member Llso as to 'form a continuous band or belt that leads from the upper side of the strip carrierfto or through the means that -llO actsv onthe strip or with which the strip cooperates, and thence back to the lower side i of said carrier.v The guiding device D consists of a stationary, guideway designed in such a manner that it will cause the strip to twist gradually from a horizontal into a vertical position in traveling through same, and tension rollers y8 combined with said guideway in such a manner that the strip travels between said tension rollers just before the strip passes onto the rim portion 2 of the strip carrier B, said tension rollers operating to keep the strip taut. The :tront end portion of the guideway D is flared, as shown in Figure 4, but the rear end portion 9 of said guidevvay is of substantially channel shape in cross section-and of approx* limatelyv the same dimensions as the cross section of the strip, as shown in Figure 2. The channel shaped portion of the guiding device D extends under the rim portion 2 of the strip carrier and is arranged in sutliciently close proximity to the side flange 3 on said rim portion to insure the strip A being fed edgewise onto the rim portion of the carrier and flat against the inner side of the side liange 3 on the carrier. ln orde-r to spread the strip away from the side flange 3, and thus form a space. for the portion of the strip that is being rewound onto the carrier B, I have provided the stationary guiding device D with a spreading member 10 having a sharp front end which is disposed in suthciently close proximity to the inner side of the llange 3 on the carrier B to force the strip laterally away from said ange, as shown in Figure 3, and thus provide a space for the portion of the strip that passes from the channel shaped part 9 ot' the guiding device D onto the strip carrier. The rim portion 2 of the carrier onto which the strip is wound edgewise. is preferably of greatest diameter adjacent. the side flange 3 or is tapered slight-ly or made slightly cone shaped, as shown in Figure 2, so as to cause the co-ils or loops of the strip constituting the source of supply to creep or work laterally towards the ring shaped member 4 on the carrier as the strip is fed ofi of and onto the carrier. I also prefer to arrange a stationary sharp edged guiding device ll at the upper side of the carrier B in close proximity to the inner side of the member l so as to force the strip away from said member t as the strip is unwinding from the carrier.

An apparatus of the general construction and principle of operation above described can be used for handling various kinds of strips, either a strip having two ends or a continuo-us strip. It is particularly adapted for use in a moving picture projecting machine, however, owing to the fact that it enables an endless film or picture strip of relatively great length to be confined in a small space and run thro-ugh the machine @all time after time by'simply .continuing the film` feeding mechanism in operation.

Having thus described my invention, what l claim as new and desire to secure by Let ters Patent, is :3.

l. The method of storing a iat record strip or iilm of flexible material having normally parallel edges of substantially equal lengtli,which consists in winding the same upon a rotatable support with its flat faces at asubstantial angle tothe axis of winding and forming it into coils in a series extending Vin the direction o' the axis of windv` ing and in condition to be unwound for reuse.

2. T he method of receiying, storing, and returning for reuse a liatrrecord strip or film of flexible material having normally parallel edges of substantially equal length which consists in winding the strip onto a rotatable supporting member, and forming it into a helix with its coils in a series extending` in the ldirection of the axis of winding, with the coils parallel to each other and disposed substantially at right angles to the portion of the device onto which the strip is wound, and paying off the coils by unwinding from the end of the helix opposite to that at which they are wound on;

3. The method of storing record strips of thin flexible material having normally parallel edges of substantially equal length,

which consists in winding the strip edge wise upon a rotatable support, and forming it into a helix whose coils extend in series in the direction of the axis of winding, and confining said coils in the direction of said axis with freedom of unwinding from said support.

et. The method of storing and paying out tor reuse av record strip of thin flexible material having normally parallel edges of substantially equal length, which consists in windingthe strip edgewise about an axis of rotation, forming it into coils extending in series in the direction of the axis of winding, and, after developing a helix of such coils, continuing the winding on at one end and simultaneous winding oliF1 at the' other end of such helix.

5. rlhe method of storing a at flexible record strip having normally parallel edges of substantially equal length, characterized by feeding the strip to and winding it edgewise onto a rotatable device between confining portions on said device that maintain the strip against tipping and `in a position substantially at right angles to the portion ot the device on which the strip is wound.

6. The method of receiving, storing, and paying out a ilat transversely flexible strip of record nlm having normally parallel edges of substantially equal length, characterized by winding the strip edgewise into coils upon a rrotatable device so as to form ail source of supplymaintaining the coils against l tipping upon; said rotatable device and simultaneously feeding the strip off ot said device; the coils of the strip being caused to 1j ove gradually in the directionoil the axis olI rotation of said device from the pointo't Winding on tothe pointoi feeding off. y

v7. hernethod of receiving, storing, and pavingv off a flatV flexible strip of record film in vthe forni of an endless helt or continuous handhaving normally parallel edges of substantially equal length, characterized by conining the main body of film in the 'forni of a helix of coils Wound edgevvise in a series extending in the direction of the axis of the helix,y and simultaneo-uslyv feeding the film off of and ontosaid helix at opposite ends thereof. Y

8. The method of handling7 lin the form of a vcontinuous hand, a flat flexible strip having lsides substantially parallel and of equal length, characterized by Winding the major portion ol'said strip on a rotatable supporting device in such a manner that the coils of the strip are arranged parallel to each other and at an angle to the axis of rotation of said device, and feeding the strip olf of said device; to or through a means that acts on the strip or with which the strip cooperates and then back to said supporting device. v

`7' JOHN A. DE viLBiss.

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