US2123624A - Motion picture apparatus - Google Patents

Description

July 12, 1938. F. CONRAD ET AL MOTION PICTURE APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed May 14, 1930 July 12, 1938. I F, CONRAD AL 2,123,624

MOTION PICTURE APPARATUS Original Filed May 14, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 July 12, 1938. F. CONRAD ET AL MOTION PICTURE APPARATUS Original Filed May 14, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 I II Patented July 12, 1938 2,123,624 -MOTION PICTURE APPARATUS Frank Conrad, Wilkinsburg, Pa., Christian Aalborg, Springfield, Mass., and Orville B. French, Prospect Park, Pa., assignors to Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Company, a corporation of Pennsylvania Original application May 14, 1930, Serial No.

452,252, new Patent 2,032,116, dated February 25, 1936. Divided and this application Novem- 7 her 16, 1935, Serial No. 50,110

. 2 Claims.

Our invention relates to acousto-cinematographic apparatus and has particular relation to domestic equipment, the present application being a division of our copending application,

5 vSerial No. 452,252, filed May 14, 1930, which on February 25,, 1936, matured into Patent No. 2,032,116.

In apparatus of this type, constructed according to the teachings of the prior art with which we are familiar, the screen and loud-speaker constitute aseparate unit fromthe projector and its appurtenances. This arrangement of the equipment has the serious disadvantage that it necessitates the use of lead wires that extend from the machine on one side of the audience to the loud-speaker on the other side of the audience.

The state of affairs thus occasioned by the two-unit system is not only undesirable from an 2o aesthetic viewpoint but,'in-a.room darkened for suitable cabinet but also involves the construc-' tion of a machine that may be satisfactorily accommodated in a normally small cabinet. I It is, accordingly, an object of our invention to provide acousto-cinematographic equipment completely contained in a single-unit.

It is an ancillary object of our invention to provide acousto -cinematographic apparatus which, while constituting a complete single unit, 'may be used in a two-unit system.

An additional ancillary object of our invention is to provide an acousto-cinematographicmachine of small and compact structure that shall be smooth and silent in its operation.

' Still another object of our invention is to pro- 40 vide means for increasing the throw of a light beam from the projection lens of a cinematographic machine without materially increasing the distance from the lens to a screen, associated with said machine.

to manufacture.

v More specifically stated, it is an object of our 50 invention to provide simply operable accustocinematographic equipment whereirithe machine is disposed in a collapsible cabinet equipped with a removable translucent screen and with a plurality of reflectors that coact to decrease the 55 ratio of the geometeric distance between screen and projection objective to the optical distance between screen and objective.

According to our invention, we provide, for

acousto-cinematographic apparatus, a cabinet ,having a plurality of compartments. The ma- 5 chine and a plurality of mirrors are disposed in one compartment and a loud-speaker in a second compartment separated therefrom. Ad acent to the machine compartment and movable creased, and the dimensions of the cabinet remain unchanged.

We further provide a machine with a simple automatic threadingdevice and with an intermittent movement that operates smoothly and 20 has a high ratio of film-rest time to film-moving time.

The novel features that we consider characteristic of our invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The inven- 25 tion itself, however, both as to its organization and its method of operation, together with ad- 'ditional objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood from the following description of a specific embodiment, when read in connection 30 with the accompanying, drawings, in which rangement in the equipment;

Fig. 3"'is a view, in perspective, of the bracket whereon the screen is mounted;

Fig. 4 is a view, in perspective, showing the acousto-cinematographic machine that is used 40 with the equipment;

Fig. 5 is a view, in front elevation, showing the automatic threading arrangement and the intermittent movement of the machine;

Fig. 6 is a view, in longitudinal section, of the picture gate; I

Fig. 7 is a view, in longitudinal section, of the sound gate;

Fig. 8 is a view, in front elevation, of the springs that cause the gate shoes to exert a resilient pressure on the film;

Fig. 9 is a view, in front elevation, showing a novel feature of the threading arrangement;

Fig. 10 is a view, in perspective, showing the intermittent movement of the machine in detail;

Fig.11 is a view, in rear elevation, showing the power-transmission elements of the machine, and

Fig. 12 is a view, in section, taken along the line XIIXII of Fig. 11, and showing theknob whereby the power-transmission elements may be manually operated.

The apparatus shown in the drawing comprises a cabinet I equipped with an upper chamber 3, in which are mounted an acousto-cinematographic machine 5 and an amplifier (not shown), and with a lower chamber 1, in which a loud-speaker (not shown), electrically coupled to the amplifier, is supported.

The cabinet I is provided with an opening 9 in the side facing the picture-projection objective II, and an enclosure I3 which is open at the top I5 and at the bottom IT projects from the opening 9. The enclosure I3 is slidably supported within the upper chamber 3, and, when it occupies its innermost position, it forms a compartment within which the machine 5 is contained. The end wall I9 of the enclosureI3, in this position, closes the opening 9 in the cabinet and constitutes a section of the end wall 2| of the cabinet.

In addition to the amplifier and the machine I 5, a plurality of reflectors 23 and 25 are mounted in the upper stationary chamber 3. The smallest mirror 23 reflects the light from the projection objective II to the larger mirror 25, which, in turn, reflects it to a still larger mirror 21 mounted on the walls I9 and 29 of the movable enclosure I3. The latter reflects the light to a translucent screen 3| that forms the front wall of the movable enclosure I3 and is slidably removable therefrom.

By thus bending the projection light beam, a picture of normal size may be obtained in a cabi-v net that is only slightly larger than a radio cabinet. It is to be noted that, with the present prevalence of efficiency apartments; the dimensions of an entertainment device of the'nature herein discussed are a serious consideration.

It may, at times, be desirable to project a picture larger than the one that is available in the cabinet. We have, therefore, provided an opening 33, in the end wall I9 of the movable. enclosure I3, that is normallyclosed by an internally hinged door 35, constituting a section of the wall I9. When it is desired to project a large picture, the smallest mirror 23 is removed or turned to an inactive positionand the door 35 is opened. The light from the projection lens II is projected through the opening 33 and may be focused on a reflection screen disposed at any convenient distance from the cabinet.

The machine 5 comprises anupright bracket 31, cast in the form of a comparatively deep box, on the base of which are externally supported a plurality of film guides and film-advancing elements and within which are mounted a pluralityof power-transmission elements. The upright plate is fastened to a shallow base plate 39 by bolts 4| traversing a lower side 43 of the box 31 and screwed into a plurality of bosses 45 in the base 39. The conducting leads that bring up the necessary electrical power to the energy consuming elements of the machine are fastened within the base.

A feed reel 41 and a take-up reel 49 are keyed to spindles 5| and 53 'rotatably supported on brackets 55 and 57 fastened to bosses 59 and GI projecting from the upright box 37.

The end of a film-roll 63 wound on the feed reel 41 is thrust into a channel formed between Y end.

As the film 63 is propelled through the mouth of the passage, it bends under its own weight and advances into a pocket formed between a con- 8I, that is also curved upwardly at the end. The two sections 11 and 8| of the outer guide are separated and a free loop-reservoir 83 is thus formed between them above the inner guide 15.

Still reacting to the thrust of the sprocket wheel I3, the film 63 advances in the space provided between the aperture plate 85 and the shoes 8'! of a picture gate 89. It is then grasped by a plurality of intermittently actuated claws 9| and thrust against the inner surface of-the lower loop forming guide 93 that is movable relative to an inner stationary guide 95, as will be hereinalter described. 4

The film 63 is constrained by the guide 93 to reverse its motion and it is advanced upwardly from the end thereof into the opening provided between the shoes 91 and the aperture plate 99 of a sound gate IIJI. It is to be noted that, in a loop-reservoir formed of two vertical legs moving in substantially opposite directions, and a central horizontal portion, the impulses introduced by the intermittent claws are not transmited into the vertical leg most remote from the claws. This -featinuation of the inner guide 19 and a long guide ture is of considerable value in the present ma- .chine, since it eliminates the necessity of an insulating sprocket wheel between the intermittent claws and the picture gate.

After traversing the sound gate IOI, the film 63 advances between an inner guide I03 and the flanges I65 of a power-drven roller I01, and its perforations are thrust into the 'path of the unfor its formation.

The lower loop-forming guide 93 is supported I on a tongue II5 that is bent over from the lower end of an elongated flat plate I II. The plate I I1 is equipped with a plurality of slots I I9 and is supported on a plurality of studs I 2| that traverse the slots I I9 and are fastened to the upright casting 31 of the machine.

.A strip I23, fastened to the plate III above its center, supports, on its end, a double-end spring I25 that extends into a. plurality of slots I21 milled in the outer margin of the guides 99 and I29 of the sound gate IIII. The ends I30 of the spring coact with notches |3I in the upper edges of the slots I21 to lock the plate III that supports the -loop former 93 in its uppermost position. The

notches |3I and the ends of the spring I25 that coact therewith are so related to each other that, by the exertion of a small vertical force on the plate II'I the ends I36 of the spring are removed from the notches I3I and the loop-forming guide 93 settles to its lowermost position under the action of gravity.

It is interesting to note that the inner guides 19, 95, I29 and I93 may be made in one piece by bending a single metallic strip substantially into a U-shaped configuration.

The shoes 91 and 91, in both the picture gate 99 and the sound gate I9I are compressed against the film by a plurality of buttons I33, bent into the ends of a. plurality of fingers I35 of forkshaped 'flat springs I31. The springs I31 are flanged at their lower ends and are bent over to form flanged tongues I39, whereby they are fastened to the inner guides 95 and I29 adjacent to the gates.

- the buttons I33 to exert a pressure on the film 63 in the gates. Whenthe loop-forming guide 93 is in its uppermost position, the screws I45 are not in contact with the springs I31, and the channels in the picture gate 89 and the sound gate I 9i,

being no longer obstructed by the shoes 91, permit the passage of the leading end of the film that is being threaded into the machine.

The intermittent movement comprises a plurality of horizontal shafts I49 and I5I the axes of which determine substantially a. vertical plane. The shafts I49 and I 5I are rotatably supported in bosses (not shown) projecting from the upright casting 31 and the end of the upper shaft I49, which rotates at twice the angular velocity of the lower shaft, is borne up by a bracket I53 fastened to a boss I55 projecting inwardly from the surface of the casting 31.

A counterbalanced crank I51 is mounted on the end of the upper shaft I49 that projects through the casting 31 and is rotatable therewith, while a shutter I 59 and a cam I6I are similarly supported on the lower shaft I5I.

Pivotally supported on a pin I53 projecting from the crank I51, is a short arm I85, and rigidly fastened to the arm I55 is a long lever I31. A plurality of claws 9| project substantially at right angles from one lower surface of the lever I91, while a yoke I 99, fastened to the remaining lower surface of the lever, engages the cam I9I- supthat it is within the scope of our invention to provide for ;;the rotation of the crank at a greater angular speed than twice the speed of the cam if .such a procedure is found to be desirable.

Furthermore, we may add that the counterbalanced crank I51 tends to equalize the load that is sustained by the prime mover and, consequently, tends to eliminate vibrations of the system that are ordinarily introduced by irregularities in the motion thereof.

I11 situated in a chamber I19 in a lower end of the bracket. It transmits the necessary power to drive the crank shaft I49 and the cam shaft II through a plurality of gears I9I, I93, I95 and I91,

properly dimensioned for the purpose.

Milled integral with the shaft, at its upper end,

is a worm I99 that coacts with a gear wheel I9I to drive a horizontal shaft I 93 on one end of which the sprocket wheel 13, is mounted. 0n the remaining end of the shaft, a large gear wheel I95 is supported to coact with a small gear wheel I 91, adjacent to it, to drive the shaft I99 on which the power-driven roller I91 is mounted. The pulleys 29I and 292, through which the take-up reel 41 -and the rewind are driven, are mounted on the remaining end of the shaft I99.

The main shaft "I may be manually rotated by a knob 293 of longitudinal C-section. The knob 293 is-fastened to a stud 295 traversing the upright casting 21 and from the lower end of which there projects a key 291 adapted to engage a slot 299m the upper end of the main shaft I1 I. A compression spring 2, interposed between the internal face of the cavity 2I3 in the knob 293 and the surface of the casting 31, normally holds the stud 295 out of engagement with the shaft "I. On the other hand, the stud is prevented from being entirely ejected from the casting by the end of a set screw 2I5 that engages a shoulder 2I1 produced by an attenuation 2I9 in the stud 295.

The film in the picture and sound apertures is illuminated from a single source 22I. Direct light from the filament of the source 22I is pro- 'jected through a lens 223 mounted in the upright bracket 31 and is deflected to the picture aperture by a spherical reflector 225. The refiector 225 and the lens 223 form an efflcient condensing system.

To illuminate the sound aperture, light from the filament is gathered by a spherical mirror 221 and reflected, through a lens 229in the plate 31, to a second spherical mirror 229 that brings it to a focus near the aperture. The two curved reflectors 221 and 229, together with lens 229, in this case, also form an efllcient condensing system. I

The sound track illuminated in the aperture is magnified by an objective 23I and imaged on a slit 233 behind which a photocell (not shown) is situated.

Althoughwe have shown' and described certain specific embodiments of our invention, we are fully aware that many modifications thereof are possible. Our invention, therefore, is not to be restricted except insofar asis necessitated by the prior art and by the spirit of the appended claims.

We claim as our invention:--

1. In film-handling apparatus, a plurality of film gates, each of said gates including means for exerting a force of compression on the film within said gates, means for supporting said gates at substantially the same elevation in such manner that the film transmitted therethrqugh moves with its surface in substantially parallel planes, a U-shaped strip mounted between said plates, a U-shaped plate, means for supporting said U-shaped plate in a plurality of positions. at

varying distances from said U-shaped strip,

means for sliding said U-shaped plates from one I of said positions to another of said positions, and

means, supported on said U-shaped plate and cooperating with said means for exerting a force 'ofcompression on said film strip, for releasing said force when said U-shaped plate is in a position nearest to said U -shaped strip and for impressing said force when said'U-shaped plate is in a position displaced at least a predeterminedsaid U-shaped plate in a plurality of positions at" varying distances from said U-shaped strip,

means for sliding said U-shaped plates from one of said positions to another of said positions, means, supported on said U-shaped plate and cooperating with said means for exerting a force of compression on said film-strip, for releasing said force when said 'U -shaped plate is in a position nearest to said U-shaped strip and for impressing said forcewhen said U-shaped plate' is in a position displaced at least a predetermined locking said U-shaped plate in the position nearest to said U-shaped'strip to permit the automatic threading of a film strip between said plate and strip, and means for supporting said U-shaped plate in a position further displaced from said U-shaped strip to permit the formation of a loop reservoir in the film strip between said plate and strip.

FRANK CONRAD.

CHRISTIAN AALBORG. ORWLLE B. FRENCH.

distance from said U-shaped strip, means for 10

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