US1608133A - Safety device for moving-picture booths - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 23 1926.

G. A. MEARS SAFETYDEVICE FOR MOVING PICTURE BCOTHS F'iled' June 11, 1926 2 Shee ts-Sheet 1 cinema Nov. 23 ,1926.

G. A. MEARS SAFETY DEVICE FOR MOVING PICTURE ESOOTHEE June 11 1926 Filed Patented Nov. 23, 1926 PATENT ()FFICE.

GEORGE A. MEARS, OF NEWBEBBY, PENNSYLVANIA.

SAFETY DEVICE FOR MOVING-PICTURE BOOTHS.

Application filed June 11, 1926, Serial No. 115,309.

This invention relates to a safety device designed primarily for installation in pic ture projecting booths, one of the objects being to provide a means whereby should a film become ignited in a projecting machine or on the rewinder, mechanism will be released to automatically close the shutters of the port holes, to cut off the current to the projecting machines, to automatically start an exhaust fan, and to release a supply of fire extinguishing fluid so that it will be directed into the machine or machines where the fire is located.

A further object is to provide apparatus of this character which can be installed readily and, when installed, will in no way interfere with the operator in the performance of his usual duties.

A further object is to provide a means under the control of the operator whereby, in an emergency, he can release the various parts of the apparatus so as to operate in the same manner as though a tire had occurred.

YVith the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in. the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention;

In the accompanying drawings, the preferred form of the invention has been shown.

In said drawings,

Figure l is a plan View of the complete apparatus, the booths in which it is located being shown in. section.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the apparatus, the booth being shown in section.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the lZUtCil] mechanism.

Figure 4 is a bottom plan view thereof. Figure 5 is an end elevation.

Figure 6 is a section on line 6-6, Figure 3, the latch lever being removed.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of one of the inflammable anchors used in connection. with the apparatus.

Figure 8 is a perspective view showing an arrangement of an inflammable anchor in connection with the rewinding mechanism.

Figure 9 is a section through the box containing a switch for controlling the current to the projecting machine.

ployed. Within the booth and back of,

some of these port holes are located projectmg machines C and at any suitable point within the booth is a switch boX D containing a switch for controlling the light in the house and the flow of current to the projecting machines. Another switch bOXE is located in the booth and contains a switch for controlling the flow of current to a suitably located eXhaust fan which, when operated, will withdraw fumes from the booth. Film rewinding mechanism is located in the booth as shown at F. The apparatus constituting the present invention is located entirely within the booth and the principal part thereof comprises a latch of novel construction which has been shown in detail in Figures 3 to 6' inclusive. This latch includes an attaching plate 1 adapted to be secured to the ceiling of the booth or to any other elevated structure. Depending from one end v portion of the attaching plate is a tongue 2 provided, near its lower end, with a transverse slot A finger 4; is extended downwardly from the attaching plate between the tongue 2 and the adjacent end of the plate and is extended outwardly away from the tongue for engagement by one end of a supporting wire 5 which is stretched along the booth near the ceiling and can be attached to one wall thereof as shown particularly in Figures 1 and 2'. A slide 6 is mounted on the tongue and has side ears 7 which engage the side edges of the tongue.

Slots 8 are formed in the slide and receive holding screws 9 projecting from the tongue. Thus the slide can be moved upwardly and downwardly upon the tongue and will be properly guided by the screws 9 and the side ears or lugs 7. A slot 10 is formed transversely within the slide and is adapted normally to register with a portion of the slot 3.

A ledge is extended from the upper edge of the slide 6 and is contacted by one end of a cam lever 12 pivotally connected to the tongue 2 as shown at. 13. A cord 14 is attached to the upper arm of this lever and is extended transversely across the booth A andattached to one of the walls therellU 'is located in each projector of, this cord, which can be known as an emergency cord being located where it can be easily reached and pulled by the oc cupant of the booth.

A bail is normally mounted on the finger 4; and is extended upwardly from the sides of an elongated loop 16 one end portion of which is contracted so as to be insertable freely into the slots 10 and 3. The other end of the loop is enlarged as indicated at 17 and is supported below the finger 1 under normal conditions. A bracket 18 extends downwardly from the attaching strip 1 and pivotally mounted therein is a latch lever 19 having a'short arm 20 from which depends a short nose 21. To the other or long arm of the latch lever is connected a weight 22 or, if preferred, this weight can be made integral with the lever. An eye 23 is supported by the attaching strip 1 close to the weighted end of the latch lever and is designed to support a release cord 2% one end of which is attached to the lever 19 so as to normally support the lever with nose 21 projecting into the loop 16.

Attached to each projecting machine C at a pointclose to the iilm therein is a plate 25 provided with an aperture 26. A strip 27 of celluloid or other highly ini' "unable material is looped about the apertured portion of this plate. To each end of the ii llammabie strip 27 is secured a reinforcing plate 28 havingan opening 29 therein. One end of a cord 30 is extended through and sea cured within the apertures 29 at the two ends of the strip This cord 30 is extended upwardly troin the strip 27 through a guide 31 suspended from the ceiling oi the booth and is then extended loosely through a guide ring 32 and a stationary guide 33. One of these inflammable an- Ehoring devices in the form oi a strip 27 and the two ends of the cord 30 are attachec to the respective anchoring strips 27. The releasing cord 21 is Xtendeu through a guise 34 and is then looped through th ring 32 so as to support it. From this ring 32 the release cord 2% is extended through guide 35 and through another ring located above and 00 adjacent to the rewinding mechanism F. An elongated bracket 37 is secured close to and above the rewinding mechanism and has apertures 38 in the ends thereof. Below each of these apertures is an angular e2;- tension 39 likewise formed with aperture 40 arranged close to the reels or" the rewinding mechanism. An inflammable strip of celluloid or the like indicated at ll and which constitutes an anchor is looped about the apertured portion 40 of each e2;- tension 39 and, like the anchor 27, has reinforcing plates 12 upon the end portions thereof provided with apertures 43. One end of the releasing cord at is attached to lease the cord attached thereto.

w ll be permitted to release latch lever 19 with the result tiat weight 22 will drop.

This action will take place should either of the anchor strips 27 become ignited by a burning film in either projector or should either oi the anchor strips 1 become ignited by the film being rewound at F.

A shutter 38 is adapted to close each of the port holes B, these shutters being slidably mounted and being normally suspended above the port holes by cords 39 extending upwardly through guides 40 and thence along the ceiling to the enlarged portion 17 of loop 16 to which the cords are attached.

Nozzles 4-1 are located where they will direct ets oifluid upon the films in the projectors and these nozzles are all in communication with a pipe 42 designed to supply them "1th a fire extinguishing fluid, a valve 43 normally closesthe pipe 1-2 but has a weight 14C for operating it when released, thereby to open the valve. This weight is normally supported by a cord 45 extended through a guide 16 and attached to the loop 17.

The switch box l) contains a movable switch member 47 provided with a weight 48. This switch member is normally .in closed position and thus permits current to fiow to the projecting machines. A cord 49 is attached to the weighted end of the member 50 and thence along the ceiling of the booth to the loop enlargement 17. VVithin the switch box E is located a movable switch member 51 to whi h is connected a weight 52 This switch member is normally in open position and a core 53 extends from the weighted end thereof through a suitable guide 5% to the enlar ed end 17 of the loop 16. i

It will be apparent that when he parts are all positioned as shown and described the apparatus in the booth can be operated in the usual manner without interfering in any way with the movements of the operator. If, however, a film should become ignited in either of the projecting machines or at the rewinder F, one of the anchors 27 or 41 would likewise become ignited and thus re- As before explained should the cord 30 be released at either end or should the cord 3st be released the weighted end of lever 19 willpromptly tall becausethe cords will tend to straighten out and thereby relieve the Weighted end of 17 and extends upwardly through a guide lever 19 from its support. As soon as this lever is actuated under its weight 22 the nose 21 will be lifted out of the loop 16 and as there is a constant pull upon this loop through the different cords attached to it, said loop, when released, will promptly slide along finger 15 and onto the wire 5. Thus all of the shutters will close by gravity, the weighted member 47 in the switch box D will drop and break the circuit to the projecting machine and the weighted member 51 will drop and close the circuit to an exhaust fan, not shown, whereby fumes generated in the booth can be withdrawn. Cord 45 will also be released with the result that weight 44 will drop and valve 43 will open. Consequently jets of fire extinguishing fluid will be directed into the projecting machines or at any other points Where nozzles may be located in the booth.

If desired either of the switch members 17 and 51, when actuated by its weight, can be utilized for turning on the lights in the house.

In the event of an emergency not caused by the ignition of a film or in the event of failure of the ignited film to release the mechanism, the operator in the booth, by pulling on the cord 14, can actuate the cam lever 12. Thus the lever will press against ledge 11 and thrust the slide 6 downwardly with the result that the loop 16 will be pressed off of the nose 21 and the various cords thus be actuated as heretofore explained to permit closing of the shutters, etc.

A main switch can be located in the booth A at the boXE whereby the current can be controlled by the operator whenever desired.

lVhat is claimed is:

1. The combination with a support, a member suspended therefrom and mounted for sliding movement relative thereto, gravity operated elements, and supporting con nections between said elements and the suspended member, of a gravity operated lever, and means for holding said lever out of normal position and in engagement with the supported slidable member, said means including a highly combustible portion.

2. The combination with a weighted lever and cooperating means for holding the lever against movement under the action of its weight, said means including highly combustible portions, of a support, a member mounted to slide thereon and normally restrained by the lever, a gravity operated member, and a supporting connection between said member and the member engaged by the lever.

3. The combination with a latch lever having a weight at one end, of cooperating flexible means for holding the weighted end pf the lever normally elevated, said holding means including a plurality of highly combustible anchors, a slidably supported member normally restrained by the supported latch lever, a plurality of gravity operated members, and flexible supporting connections between said members and the restrained slidable member.

4. The combination with a latch lever having a weight at one end, of cooperating flexible means for holding the weighted end of the lever normally elevated, said holding means including a plurality of highly combustible anchors, a slidably supported member normally restrained by the supported latch lever, a plurality of gravity operated members, flexible supporting connections between said members and the restrained slidable member, and means under the control of an operator for disengaging said slidable member from the lever.

5. The combination with an enclosure having port holes and gravity operated shutters for closing the same, of a latch lever having a weighted end, flexible means for normally supporting the weighted end, said means including hi hly inflammable anchors and holdingdevices engaged by the anchors, a loop, means for supporting the loop for sliding movement, said loop being normally engaged and restrained by the lever, and flexible supporting connections between the shutters and the loop.

6. The combination with an enclosure and a film holding means therein, of a highly inflammable looped strip constituting an anchor, means for engaging the anchor at a point adjacent the held film, a weighted latch lever, a flexible connection between the weighted end of said lever and the anchor for holding the weighted end normally elevated, a gravity operated safety device, and means normally restrained by the latch lever for releasing thesafety device when the lever is actuated by its weight.

7. In apparatus of the class described an attaching plate, a tongue depending there from having a slot, a supporting finger, a loop normally extended through the slot, a bail projecting therefrom in sliding engagement with the finger, a lever having a weighted arm, said lever being supported by the attaching plate, means on the lever for engaging the loop to hold it against sliding movement, means including a highly inflammable portion, for holding the lever against movement by its weight, and a safe ty device connected to the loop, said lever, when actuated by its weight constituting means for releasing the loop to permit actuation of the safety device.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signature.

GEORGE A. MEARS.

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