US1553903A

US1553903A - Apparatus for the treatment of cinematographic films

Info

Publication number: US1553903A
Application number: US711537A
Authority: US
Inventors: Lefebvre Georges Eugene
Original assignee: Pathe Cinema SA; Compagnie Generale des Etablissements Pathe Freres Phonographes et Cinematographes
Current assignee: Pathe Cinema SA; Compagnie Generale des Etablissements Pathe Freres Phonographes et Cinematographes
Priority date: 1924-05-07
Filing date: 1924-05-07
Publication date: 1925-09-15
Anticipated expiration: 1942-09-15

Description

APPARATUS FOR`THE TREATMENT OF CINEMATOGRAPHIC FILMS Filed May '7, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet l Fg?. Z

a/ 1, 5w 8 A! GEORGES EUGENE LEFEBVRE by his AT TORNEY.

Sept; 15, 1925.

G. E. LEFEBVRE APPARATUS FOR THE TREATMENT OF CINEMATOGRAPHIC FILMS Filed May '7, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 74 GEORGES EUGNE LEFEBVRE IWVENTOR mi by his ATTORNEY.

Patented Sept. l5, 1925,. y

UNITED STATES l 1,553,903 PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGES EUGENE LEFEBVRE, oF JoINvILLE-LE-FONT, FRANCE, AssIgNoE To FATEE CINEMA, ANcIENs ETABLISSEMENTS FATHE FRERES, oF PARIS, FRANCE.

I .APPARATUS FOR THE TREATMENT F CINEMATOGRAPHIC FILMS.

Application led May 7,

To all Iwhom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGES EUGENE LE- FEBVRE, citizen of the French Republic, residing at Joinville-le-Pont, Seine, 1n the French Republic, have invented new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for' the Treatment of Cinematographic Films, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention has for its obJect a device for the development of cinematographic films which comprises a main support formed of a rigid fra-me provided with guideways wherein movable cross-pleces having respectively an increasing width are adapted to slide, said cross pieces constituting frames having successively a greater length and a greater width, and upon whlch the film may be wound in successive turns spaced apart from one another.

The film carrying support thus formed may be disposed in a vessel of small capacity in which the film is subjected to the action of the necessary baths. yThe vessel is provided with a cover which also constitutes a separate vessel and is provided with -a drain plug, said cover being used for the operation'of Washing the film. To the cover are secured two lugs in which rods forming a support may be engaged, said rods supporting a horizontal spindle about which the film carrying support may be rotated during the operation of windingor unwinding the film.

The device according to the invention may be used with motion picture .films of all sizes as well as with photographic film bands, but its use is chiefly advantageous for small-sized film's handled by amateurs. This arrangement has numerous advantages, its construction is very simple, inexpensive, and its operation is very easy. Since a very great length of film may be wound in superposed turns, without any contact lbetween two turns of film the vesselv in which the support is disposed needs be only of small size, whence a very appreciable economy in outfit and baths is afforded. The various members are preferably made of nickel so as to avoid all corrosion by photographic baths.

ln the appended drawing which shows by way of example an embodiment of the invention: i.

Fig. l is a front View 0f the winding 1924. serial No'. 711,537.

support with al1 thev movable cross-pieces in place. In this figure the movable crosspieces and the film are only partly shown; some fragments only of the film are in place, so as to facilitate the explanation of the method of' winding.

Fig. 2 is a plan view corresponding to Fig. i.

Fig. 3 is a side view.

Fig. 4 is a cross section on A-A, Fig. 1; the film is sho-wn diagrammatically'in position.

Fig. 5 shows, with parts broken away, the support disposed in the vessel which is fitted with its cover during the operation of development.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing the cover of the vessel with its removable supports.

As shown in the drawing, the device on which the film is wound comprises a frame formed by two U-shaped memlbers 1 and 1a connected by cross-braces or

cross-pieces

3 and 3, preferably also of U-shape. These members constitute guideways Jfor the movable cross-pieces 47 4, 5, 5a. On the member l is mounted a frame 6 of rigid metallic wire, the width of said frame being about equal to that of the vessel in which the support is Ito beinserted. The member l also carries a frame 6a which is exactly like the zframe 6. The members l and la are each provided in their middle with an opening 2.

The

cross-pieces

4, 4, 5, 5 are made of a sheet of metal properly cut out and bent; the ends of each cross-piece are provided with lugs 7 adapted to slide in the guideways formed by the members l and la; the height of these lugs is such that when resting upon the lower cross-piece they will maintain the cross-pieces spaced apart from each other.

The

cross-pieces

4 and 4 areI interchangeable, their width being greater than that of the fixed cross-piecesI 3 'and 3. The cross-pieces 5 and 5a are also interchangeable, and their width is greater than that of' the cross-pieces 4, 4x1 but is less than that of the guiding

frames

6, 6.

All of the fixed and movalble cross-pieces are provided with equally spaced studs or projections 8 cut out of the sheet metal of the cross-pieces and turned up. Further, the cross-piece 3* carries a hook or claw 9 to which Ph@ @ed Q the 5.1m may be attached at the beginning of the winding operation whilst the two cross-pieces 5, 5a have each four projections 10 to one of Whiclr may be attached the other end of the film, according to the length of this latter.

The support may be inserted into a developing vessel 1l whose dimensions in height, length and widthv correspond to the like dimensions vof the support. This vessel 11 ma be covered by a cover 12 which may also be used as a washing vessel and is provided to this end with an adjustable drain plug 13.

The cover 12 carries, on one of its faces, lugs 14 in which one end of rigid rods 1.5 (Fig. 6) may be engaged, said rods cons tituting a support for the spindle 16 which extends through the holes 2 in the members l and 1a so as to uphold the film carrying support while at the same time allowing the rotation of the latter, thus greatly facilitating the operations of winding and unwinding of the film.

The operation of mounting or winding of the film on the support is performed in a dark room lighted by a non-actinic light. The four

movable cross-pieces

4, 4, 5, 5 are first removed by sliding them out of the guideways of the support. To the outer vessel 12, laid flatwise, are fixed the holders 15, and the support is placed on the spindle 16, as shown in Fig. 6.

The reel of exposed film contained in the cinematographic apparatus, or in a storage box, is then removed from the said apparatus or box, care being taken to maintain the outer turn in a well pressed position so as to prevent any unwinding of the film. The end of the film is attached to the support by inserting the claw or hook 9 of the crosspiece 3a into one of the perforations of the film, the sensitive face of the latter being preferably turned towards the exterior. The operator then holds the reel of film between the thumb and forefinger so that it may turn on these two digits, and gives a rotary motion to the support. The film is then wound as tightly as possible upon the support, care being taken to place each turn between two guide-studs 8 to prevent any contact between two adjacent turns of film.

When the support 1, la 3, 3a is entirely filled with film, i. e. when all the spaces between the studs 8 of the cross-piece 3a contain a part of the film, the operator inserts into the guideways the narrow movable cross-piece 4 upon which the film is then applied, and this will hold the said crosspiece in position; after giving half a turn to the support, the operator places the like cross-piece 4a in position, and continues to wind the film upon these

cross-pieces

4 and 4 in the same manner as upon the

crosspieces

3 and 3, taking care to hold the winding tight. 'T'

lit will be observed that, in order to obviate all crossing of the film on the support, it is quite essential, before putting the crosspiece 4 in position, to leave the last section of flic cross-piece 5 free of film and to wind the film on the first section-of the crosspiece 4; after the following half turn of the support, the film is not wound either on the first section of the cross-piece 4, ln this manner there is no apprehension that the film will be crossed, which would reduci` the distance between the layers of film and might cause the adhesion of the turns upon drying.

When the second layer has been wound on the cross-pieces 4, 4a, the two wide crosspieces 5 and 5l are inserted, and the film is wound upon the same with the same precautions as for the winding upon the

crosspieces

4, 4*.

When the film is entirely mounted upon the support, its end is fastened on the support by placing a perforation on one of the studs l() provided on the

cross-pieces

5 and 5*.

When the film has been thus properly wound upon the support, the latter is inserted into the vessel 11, in which the developer has already been placed and the cover 12 is put on the vessel 11 (Fig. 5) the room can now be illuminated with ordinary light while the development is being carried on. The succeeding operations are performed in the usual manner, and the necessary baths can be placed either in the vessel l1 or in the cover l2, the support being placed successively in the proper baths.

The film is dried upon the support, and when quite dry it can be removed from the support by winding it progressively in a bobbin.

Obviously various constructional modifications may be brought to the device above described without departiincr from thc scope of the invention. In particular, the number of movable cross-pieces may be as desired, provided these cross-pieces are successively of increasing width, the last cross-piece having a width which is less than that of the

metallic wire frames

6, 6".

Having now described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an apparatus for the treatment of picture films the combination with a rigid Jframe of guide-ways provided on said frame, and superimposed cross-pieces of various widths slidably engaging said guideways, the width of said cross pieces increasing from the inner cross-piece. to the outer cross-piece whereby said cross-pieces will constitute removable concentric frames of various lengths upon which the film may be wound in successive turns spaced apart from one another.

2. In an apparatus for the treatment of picture films the combination With two side members and cross-members connecting said side member so as to constitute a rigid frame, of guide-ways provided on said side members, superimposed cross-pieces of various Widths slidably engaging said guideways, the width of said cross-pieces increasing from the inner cross-piece to the outer cross-piece, whereby said cross-piecesI will constitute removable concentric frames of various lengths upon which the film may be Wound in successive turns spaced apart from one another, studs regularly spaced apart along the said cross-members and along the said cross-pieces for spacing the turns of film on one and the same removable frame, and hooks carried by said cross-members and by said cross-pieces for attaching the tWo ends of the film upon the frames.

3. In an apparatus for the treatment of picture films the combination, with two side members and crossmembers connecting said side members so as to constitute a rigid frame of U-shaped guide-ways provided o-n said side members, superimposed crosspieces made of bent sheet metal and having various widths, said cross-pieces slidably engaging said guideways, the width of said cross-pieces increasing from the inner crosspiece to the outer cross-piece, whereby sai-d cross-pieces Will constitute removable concentric frames of various lengths upon which the film may be Wound in successive turns spaced apart from one another, studs regularly spaced apart along A said crossmembers and along said cross-pieces for spacing the turns of film onto-ne and the same removable frame.

4. In an apparatus for the treatment of picture films the combination with a rigid frame, of guide-ways provided on said frame, superimposed cross-pieces of various widths slidably engaging said guide-Ways, the Width of said cross-pieces increasing from the i-nner cross-piece to the outer crosspiece, whereby said cross-pieces `will constitute removable concentric frames of various lengths upon which the film may be Wound in successive turns spaced apart from one another, and a vessel for the treat- -ing bath into which the said frame carrying the film wound upon the same may be inserted.

5. In an apparatus for the treatment of picture films the combination with a rigid frame, of guide-Ways carried by said Jframe, each guide-Way being provided in its middle with an orifice, superimposed cross-pieces of various Widths slidably engaging said guide-ways, the width of said cross-pieces increasing from the inner cross-piece to the outer cross-piece, whereby said cross-pieces will constitute removable concentric frames of various lengths upon Which the film may be wound in successive turns spaced apart from one another, and a spindle adapted to be inserted through said orifices of the guide-ways and transversally with respect to the frame.

6. In an apparatus for the treatment of picture films the combination with a rigid frame, of guide-Ways carried by said frame, each guide-Way being provided in its middle With an orifice, superimposed crosspieces of various widths slidably engaging said guide-ways, the width of said crosspieces increasing from the inner cross-piece to the outer cross-piece, whereby said crosspieces will constitute removable concentric frames of Various lengths upon which the film may be wound in successive turns spaced apart from one another, a spindle adapted to be inserted. through said orifices of the guide-ways and transversally with respect to the frame, a vessel for the treating bath and into which the said frame carrying the film wound upon the same may beinserted, and lugs carried by one face of the vessel and adapted to be engaged by the said spindle for supporting the same together with the frame.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

GEORGES EUGNE LEFEBVRE.