US2241124A - Printing method for color photography - Google Patents

Description

May 6,' 1941. o. c. GILMORE 2,241,124

' PRINTING METHOD FOR COLOR PHOTOGRAPHY Original Filed lay 25, 1939 '7 Sheets-Sheet 1 lllllln "mm-mum 'T Willi-I11 gullllfllllllwMMIIIIIIIHHI JIM ip W 0110 6: 6170mm dfim/ M y 1941- o. c. GILMORE 2,241,124

PRINTING METHOD FOR COLOR PHOTOGRAPHY Original Filed lay 25, 1939 '7 Shee'ts-Shoet 2 y 6 9 o. c. GILMORE 2,241,124

PRINTING METHOD FOR COLOR PHOTOGRAPHY Original Filed lay 25, 1939 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 Qvwwwtov PRINTING METHOD FOR COLOR PHOTOGRAPHY Original Filed May 25, 1939 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 m m W J4 A 31W W flllo a fizlmare y 1941- 4 o. c. GILMORE I 2,241,124

rnnmue METHOD'FOR COLOR rno'ronanm Original Filed lay 25, 1939 '1 Sheets-Sheet 5 o. c. GILMORE 2,241,124

PRINTING METHOD FOR COLOR PHOTOGRAPHY Original Filed lay 25, 1939 '1 Sheets-Sheet s A! a 97 a? .93 9 J I I I 2 I J/d' I 1/ w6 1941- 0.0 GILMORE 2,241,124

PRINTING METHOD FOR coLpR PHOTOGRAPHY ori inal Filed Kay .25, 1939 v Sheets-Sheet 7 4 zwaaavay 000 *wi 3Q 0170 6' fizlmore -States patent to Shaw No.

' this difficult feat.

mama Mayifi, 194i PRINTING METHOD FOR COLOR PHOTOGRAPHY Otto O.

Y Cosmocolor Original this Gilmore. Van Nllyl, Cali! alslgnor'to rporation, Jersey City, NHL, a corporation of Delaware application May 2 5, 1939, Serial No.

Divided and application Decembfl' I, 1939, Serhl No. 308,079

This invention relates to the art of color photography and more especially to a projection printing .device and method whereby fullrsise prints may be made from films which carry two smaller images in each frame arranged in side by side relation with the images turned on their sides.

The patented art reveals many examples of projection printing devices that would theoretically perform the necessary operation of taking the small images from one film and printing them in accurate registry and in an enlarged state on another film. Some patents such as the British patent to 'Croad No. 343,892 and the United 1,592,908, dated July 20, 1926, disclose mechanically complicated devices for turning the film over so that an image may be projected on first one side and then the other, while other patents such as the United States patent to Pilny et al. No. 1,802,530, dated April 28, 1931, show optically complex devices for directing light through devious paths so as to simultaneously record upon both sides of the film being printed.

In attempting to use any of the devices of the prior art, however, great difliculty is experienced in actually getting the images into accurate registry and the whole success of the various processes depends upon the accomplishment of In the mechanical devices adjustment is dific'ult to maintain as parts wear and quickly become sufficiently loosened to throw the images out,of registry. In optical devices such as shown by Pliny et a1., a large proportion of the light is lost in. the numerous prisms that must be used to reflect the light through such devious paths. Consequently, it is practical ly impossible to balance the prism system accurately enough to get the images into exact registry and with the light intensities properly proportioned.

As a result of these difilculties, and after repeated attempts to overcome them, it has been found that they can be overcome and the smaller images from a two-image film can be projected into full size on another film or plurality of films in such a way as tomake the projected images register very accurately and very regularly, in a all during the projection.v printing operation. Using this device the two films are then passed across their respective apertures while the necessary printing light is passed therethrough. The aperturesare so arranged that on first passage of the films across them only one of the two images on each frame of the film to be printed is projected and printed on the receiving film. The films are then repassed across the apertures in reverse positions so that the other image of each pair or. the film being printed is projected onto the other emulsion on the receiving film.

In a modified form of the invention, the images may be received on two separate films and the final film prepared therefrom by contact printing. Thus the process can be applied either to practically fool-proof .manner and with a verysimple and economical device as the devices heretofore pr An essential feature of this new device is a compared with fixed lens system including apertures at the projecting and receiving film and a lens or lenses between them. which systemis not changed at directly printing on a double emulsion film or to the printing of intermediate prints from which the final print may be made by contact printing.

In order to make a practical device that will accommodate the present day films which have a sound track along one side it has been necessary to providemeans for adjusting the relative positions of the films as they pass their respective apertures so as to compensate for the presence of the sound track. This has been done and a number of other features which add greatly to the convenience and simplicity of operation thereof have also been incorporated in the preferred devicefor the practice of this invention.

The novel features that are considered characteristic of the present invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The

invention itself, however, both as to its organization and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, is best understood from the following description of specific embodiments thereof, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a complete projection printing apparatus arranged according to the present invention;

Figure 2 is a side view in elevation of a complete projection printing apparatus;

Figure 3 is a view in cross section through the apparatus taken on line 3- -3 of Figure 2, showing the negative projection head in elevation, por tions thereof being broken away to show the interior of the chamber;

Figure 4 is a plan view of the negative film chamber, the cover thereof being removed to show the interior;

Flgureo isaviewincrosssectiontakenonline 5-6 of Figure 3, showing portions of the interior of the negative chamber and the mechanism for moving and operating this chamber;

Figure 6 is a view in cross section taken on line -6 of Figure 5; v

Figure 7 is a view in cross section taken on line 'I'I of Figure 5;. I

Figure 8 is a view in cross section of the apparatus taken on line 88 of Figure 2, showing the positive film camera and driving mechanism in elevation;

Figure 9 is a view in cross section taken on line 9-9 of Figure 2, showing the adjusting mechanism for the positive film camera;

Figure 10 is a view in cross section taken on line III-I0 of Figure 9;

Figure 11 is a view in cross section taken on line II-II of Figure 10;

Figure 12 is a diagrammatic view in perspective illustrating one phase of the process of the invention; and

Figure 13 is a diagrammatic view in perspective illustrating the second phase of the process of the invention.

In order to more readily understand the essence of the invention, reference will be had to Figures 12 and 13, wherein it may be seen that the negative film N has images recorded in pairs thereon. Each pair of images on this negative film N occupies the area normally covered by a single exposure frame, the images lying in side by side relation and turned through 90 so as to lie on their sides. Such a negative film may be produced according to the process and apparatus disclosed in Reissue Patent No. 20,678 dated Mar. 29, 1938, and United States Patent No. 2,137,570 dated Nov. 22, 1938, issued to the present inventor. Each of the images I comprises components which are complementary in color to the other images 2 of each pair. For instance, the images I may comprise the blue-green components, whereas the images 2 may comprise orange-red components. In printing positive images, the negative film N may be passed through a projection apparatus including a lamp 3, reflector 4, exposure aperture 5, and objective 6, is all positioned upon a fixed optical axis A. It will be noticed that in Figure 12 the negative film N is positioned, so that the blue images I are passed through the optical axis A for projection, whereas in Figure 13 the negative film N is shifted laterally with respect to itself, so that been printed as positive images 8 upon the emulsion I of the positive film P, the films are then 6 and the orange-red emulsion 9 on the other the red images 2 intersect the optical axis A for projection.

The chief object of the present invention, specifically, is the printing of the pairs of nega tive images I and 2 in registration upon opposite sides of a double emulsion positive film P. As the negative images I and 2 are arranged longitudinally of the negative film N, and the positive images are arranged laterally of the positive film P in the normal position, the two films are arranged to travel through paths which lie at right angles to each other so as to accomplish the turning of the images in a simple manner and without the necessity of complicated mechanical or optical equipment.

In order to simplify the printing operation, the process is divided into two phases. Accordingly, in the first phase, the light beam projected along the optical axis A by the lamp 3 and reflector 4 passes through a blue image I and through the projection aperture 5 to the objective 6, whereupon the image is focused upon a blue-green emulsion I on one side of the positive film P. When all of the blue component images I have side of the positive film P is presented for this printing operation.

During the second phase of the process the negative film N is not only turned around but it is also shifted laterally so as to present the orange-red component images 2 in the optical axis A, so that these images may be projected by the light beam produced by the lamp 3 and reflector 4, and be focused by the objective 6 upon the fresh emulsion 9 of the positive film P. It is to be noted that the negative film N is turned around and not just turned over. That is, the sound track III is always positioned along the same edge of the film N, the lower edge in the present illustration, and the images I and 2 are always in the same vertical position but reversed in their lateral direction.

As it is necessary to leave one portion I I of the positive film unafiected so that a sound track may be printed thereon, it is likewise necessary to shift the positive film P laterally between the phases of the process so as to leave this area II free and to record the images in exact register. Consequently, whereas the sound track area II appears on the right side of the face of the positive film P during the first phase of the process, as shown in Figure 12, this sound track area I I appears on the left side of the face of the film P, when said film P is turned around for the second phase of the process.

In addition to turning the films over to present the opposite sides of each film toward the lens, it is also necessary to reverse the direction in which the films are transported. For instance, during the first phase of the operation, when the negative images I are being printed upon the ing operation. The negative film N is then run through the printer in the opposite direction to that which it travelled during the first phase, as indicated by the arrow 0, whereas the positive mm P is advanced in the same direction as during the first phase, as indicated by the arrow 17.

In order to accomplish the hereinbefore described process in a foolproof manner, mechanical means has been provided that will accurately position films and print the images in registry. Referring specifically to Figures 1 and 2, there is shown a projection printing apparatus comprising a base I5, a lamp-house, at one end of said base, a negative film magazine II, the objective 6, and a positive film camera I8 located near the opposite end of said base I5. A motor I9 is mounted on the end of the base I5 opposite the lamp-house I6, which motor l9 drives a shaft 20, for operating the film advancing mechanism. A blower 2| ismounted on one side of the lampall mounted upon the optical manner.

house ii to cool the lamp 3 therein, which is preferably a 1000-watt prefocused lamp. A

housing 22 in communication with the lamphouse 16 may contain a condenser comprising conventional piano-convex condensing lenses mounted on each side of a standard water cell.

The housing 22 and a filter holder 23 maybe positioned between the lamp-house l6 and the negative film magazine I1, the filter holder 23 containing a movable color filter 24. The filter holder 23 may be mounted upon the end of the condenser housing 22 and may be connected with the negative film magazine II by a bellows 25. The objective 6 is preferably a four inch copying lens having an I 4.5 opening and a flexible lens tube 26 may connect the objective 8 with the positive film magazine IS. The projection system comprises the lamp-house l6, condenser holder 22, filter holder 23, objective 6, axis A which is fixed with respect to the apparatus, these parts along with the supports for the film magazines all being fixed in their respective positions upon the base 15.

As best shown in Figure 4, at the start of the process the negative film N is wound upon a reel 33 positioned in one end of the negative film magazine I! and is passed through a path indicated by the letter F. In this first phase of the process during which the blue-green component images are printed, the film N is taken off the front of the film roll on the reel 33, passed the first phase of the process is provided with a pair of registering pins, as best shown in Figure I2. These registering pins comprise a large pin 40 and a small pin 4|. The large pin 40 is of substantially the same size and configuration as the film perforations 42, whereas the small pin 4| is reduced in its lateral dimension so as to accommodate any slight changes in the dimensions of the film such as shrinkage or expansion. This arrangement of registering pins is wellknown in the art and is commonly used in standard makes of motion picture apparatus.

In the present process, however, a modified form of shuttle is required during the second phase due to the fact that the films are turned around. It will be seen in Figure 12 that the re istering pins 43 and 4| are adapted to mesh with the opposed perforations 42 which are located adjacent the left edges of the images I and 2, the large pin residing in the lower perforations beside the film track area l0. In contrast, it will be seen in Figure 13 that the registering pins 40' and 4| are adapted. to cooperate with the perforations 42 which are adjacent the right edges of the inverted images I and 2, the large pin 40 still being located at the lower side of the shuttle 33. In this manner, the images are exactly registered so that they will be properly superimposed upon projection.

correspondingly different shuttles are also used in connection with the positive films P in over idler rollers 3|, past a sprocket 32, and to a shuttle 33. This shuttle 33 may be of a standard well-known type and is located right at the exposure aperture 5 in the magazine l1. After passing through the shuttle 33, the film N is then advanced by a sprocket 34 and over idler rollers 33 to be wound upon a take-up reel 36. As the film N is wound upon the supply reel 30 with the emulsion toward the inside, the emulsion will be away from the objective 3 as it is advanced through the shuttle 33 past the exposure aperture 5.

The film N is wound upon this take-up reel 38 in the opposite direction than that in which it was removed from the supply reel 33. That is, whereas the film N wound upon the supply reel 30 has the emulsion toward the inner side, the film N is wound upon the take-up reel 36 with the emulsion toward the outside of the roll. When the first phase is completed, that is, all of the blue-green images are printed upon the positive film P, the negative film N is then passed straight back to the supply reel 33 over a path R and rewound upon said reel with the emulsion toward the outside. Upon being rewound, the film supply-reel 30 and the take-up reel 36 are interchanged, and the film N passed back through the advancing means through a path F. In this manner the emulsion side of the negative film N is presented images are still maintained in the same upright position, that is, the sound track I. upon the negative film N is positioned along the lower edge of the film N during both phases. In order to compensate for light changes from scene to scene in the negative film N conventional light change switches 31 are provided with film contacting rollers 33 adapted to cooperate with notches in the edge of the film N in the usual It should be noted at this point that different shuttles are used during the two phases of the process. The shuttle 33 which is used during the positive film magazines l3. In the first phase of the process a large pin 43 is located so as to engage the perforations on the right-hand side of the film P adjacent the sound track II, and a small pin 44 is located on the left-hand side thereof. These pins 43 and 44 are arranged to cooperate with film perforations 45 adjacent the bottom edges of the image frames 3. During the second phase a different shuttle is used, however, on which the pins are reversed in their positions. The large pin 43 is located on the lefthand side and the small pin 44' on the righthand side.

The pins 43' and 44' are likewise adapted to cooperate with the film perforations 45 which are located adjacent the lower edges of the image frames 3. It will be noted that although the pins are reversed in their positions between the two phases, due to the fact that the positive film P is turned over, the large pins 4 3 and 43' are both positioned adjacent the sound track area II. It will be understood from the above description that the positive images will be in exact register. The large pins in all instances are adjacent the sound track areas, and the pins are located in line with the same edges of thefilms in order that the superposed positive images may be in exact register. For convenience of construction and operation the negative film magazin I1 is arranged in a horizontal position and adapted to be shifted vertically, and the positive film magazine I! is arranged in a vertical position and adapted to be shifted laterally in a horizontal line. The vertical shift of the negative film magazine ll amounts to exactly .420 of an inch which represents the center distance between the two negative images I and 2 of each pair. The lateral horizontal shift of the positive film magazine l8 amounts to exactly .110 of an inch which represents the width of the standard sound track. The center of these shitting movements which controls the register of the horizontal lines on the negative image and the vertical lines on the positive print represents the fixed optical axis A of the entire optical system. a

The mechanism for accomplishing the vertical shift of the negative film magazine I? may best be seen in Figures 3 and 5. The negative-magazine ll is mounted upon a movable upright support 59 which is provided with vertical extensions having. slideways M. The slideways 5| have a sliding tongue-and-groove engagement 52 with an extending tongue 53 carried by a stationary support 51 which is fixed on the base IS. A vertical movement is accomplished by a cam action between the stationary support 54 and the movable support which is operated by a lever 55 mounted upon a shaft 55. As best shown in Figure 3 the lever 55 may be swung from a lefthand position, shown in full lines, to a righthand position, shown in broken lines.

This lever may be locked in either position by resilient hoot-is 5? and 51', and the limits of the movement of the lever may be accurately controlled by means of adjustable abutments in the form of bolts 55 and 59 which are threaded into the lever at a right-angle tangent to its axis of rotation. The lcolt 58 may be threaded into or out of its seat within the arm 55 so as to co- 1 operate with a suitable abutment such as a head of a bolt which may also be employed for fixing the support 5 to the base it. Similarly, the bolt may be threaded into or out of its socket within the lever 55 to cooperate with an M abutment such bolt 6! on the opposite side of the support The lever is fixed to the shaft 55 which may be secured in alignment with shaft 66 by of a coupling mounted in a sleeve ti which is carried by the support 30, and is pivotally secured within sleeve 3: oy means oi a screw which co-- operates with. a circumferential slot 89. This shaft t6 carries an eccentrically located shaft it] on its inner end opposite the shaft 56. The eccentric pivotally supports a link ll,

The shaft '36 is said shaft extending through a bearing I2 in the lower of said link H. A similar bearing it is located in the support and of the 1m]; n and is adapted to receive a pin "it carried by the movable magazine support 50. Accordingly, as the lever 55 is swung, between its limits, the shafts 38 and 68 will be pivoted, whereupon the eccentric shaft is wili swung through its eccentric path, and thereby raise or lower the link ll which in turn raises or lowers the movable support 59 and negative magazine H, by means of the hearing it and pin '14.

The shifting of the apparatus may be accurately registered by mechanical means so that the operator may always be assured of predetermined adiustmenis without having to resort to diflicult computations. A meter 80 of well-known type may be mounted on the fixed support 54. This meter should be one which can be read to 4 of an inch. This meter is preferably provided with a plunger Bl which may be reciprosated to operate the indicating hand of the meter with respect to the meter dial. An abutment such as screw 82, threaded into a seat 83 carried by the movable support :50, may be arranged to cooperate with the plunger 9 I.

In order that the meter 80 may accurately indicate the adjustment of the mechanism, the

screw 59, carried by the lever 55, must first be adjusted so that the center of the orange red component images 2 and the exposure aperture 5 exactly coincides with the optical axis A. When this adjustment is made certain the screw 82 may then be adjusted so that the indicating hand of the meter lies exactly at zero on the meter dial. In shifting the apparatus the lever 55 may then be swung until the meter indicates a movement of exactly .420 of an inch, whereupon the screw '58, carried by the lever 55, may then be adjusted to prevent further movement. The horizontal lateral shift of the positive film magazine l8 may be simultaneously effected by means of the lever 55. A best seen in Figure 2, the shaft 56, upon which the lever 55 is fixed, extends parallelly of the base i5 to the supporting structure of the positive iilm magasine l8. As best shown in Figures 9 and 19, the positive film magazine i8 may be mounted upon a movahie support 90 which may be mounted by means of a slidewag 39, upon a stationary support 9| fixed to the base it. A shaft 82 may he pivotally mounted within the stationarysupportil and operatively connected to the shaft in axial relation by means of a coupling M15. The shaft S2 carries an eccentric 93 which is seated within a follower 32. The follower 1M rides within an opening 85 in the movable support 80, which opening permits the follower 35 free vertical movement which will be caused by the rotation of the eccentric tit. The vertical walls of the opening 95,. however, engage the vertical surfaces of the follower 9G so that any horizontal movement of the follower 8 3 will immediately effect the shifting of the movable support til.

The horizontal shifting of the movable support 98 may be acciuately ljusted in a manner similar to that employed with respect to the negative film magazine it. As shown in movable support 93 nay be liiiiiu, late al d in its movement by means of ahutmeiits screws and and. accuratelygauged to movements by of the meter 98. The meter may he identical with the meter 3d both of which should be capable of registering movements of 601 of an inch. The meter 98 may-be operated by a reciprocal plunger Elli which may extend through a washer Hi) to engage an abutment such as a screw Ml, having threaded engagement with the movable support all). The movable support it maybe adjusted so that the vertical centers of the image frames tend 9 of the positive film P coincide with the optical axis A.

The screw 97, which is threaded through a portion of the fixed support 9!, may be adjusted to abut the adjacent surface 403 of the movable support 90. When this position has been, fixed, the screw Ml may then be adjusted to actuate the plunger 99 until the indicating hand of the meter 98 exactly coincides with zero on the meter dial. When the adjustment of the meter has been completed, th magazine It! and movable support 99 may then be shifted on the stationary support 9i until the meter reads exactly .110 oi an inch. The screw 6, which is likewise carried by a portion of the stationary support 91, may then be adjusted to abut the surface M2 of the movable support 90, and thereby limit the movement ofthe support to exactly the width of the standard sound track.

After these adjustments are horizontally made, the apparatus is then ready for operation. lire lever 55 may then be swung to the position shown drivin in full lines in Figure 2, whereupon meters and 00 will register exactly .420 and .110 respectively and the centers of the blue-green negative images I and .the positive image frames 0 will exactly coincide with the optical axis A. After the completion of the first phase of the process the films may be rewound and reversed as heretofore described for the second phase of the process. The lever 55 may then be swung to its opposite extremity, as shown by dotted lines in Figure 3, and locked into position by the resilient hook 51. The movable supports of the magazines will thereby be adjusted so that the meters 20 and 22 will read exactly zero. .In these positions the negative magazine I'l will be raised so that the centers of the negative images 2 will coincide with the optical axis A, and the positive magazine I2 will be shifted laterally so that the centers of the image frames 2' will exactly coincide with said optical axis A.

As the movement of the negative film magazine I1 is considerably greater than the movement of the positive film magazine I0; various methods of compensation may be employed. For instance, the cam actions may the cams may be controlled by gear mechanism, or other means may be used. In order to simplify the adjusting mechanism however, it is preferred to limit the movements by means of adjustable abutments, 'as heretofore described and to pensate for the movement through the coupling I which may best-be seen in Figure 11. The shaft 50 must necessarily travel through a greatem angle than required of the shaft 22. Accordingly, the coupling I05'may be mm to the shaft 22 by means of a pin I00, but may be resiliently connected to the shaft 50.

The coupling I05 is provided with arms I01 extending angularly therefrom and having seats I00 therein to receive plungers I02. The plungers I02 are secured to :the opposite ends of a curled spring I I0. The shaft 50 is provided with a pin I I I which extends between the arms I01 of the coupling I05 and is aligned with the plungers I02. As the shaft 50 is rotated by the lever 55 the pin I I I will be moved from one extremity to the other and engage the plungers I00. Due to the strength of the spring I I0, the coupling will follow the shaft 50and thereby rotate the shaft 22 and the cam. 22 which will effect the shifting of the movable support 20. When the support 20 is moved through its limit, the spring IIO will absorb the further movement of the pin III and the shaft 50, thereby compensating for the difference in movement required by the two magazines and permitting the adjustment by the same mechanism.

As a single source of power is used for operating the film driving mechanism in the film magazines, it is also necessary to provide compensating means within :the driving mechanism to accommodate the movement of the magazines. The motor I2 is preferably a synchronous motor to insure a uniform drive of the shaft 20. This shaft 20 extends parallelly to the base I5, past the positive film magazine I2 to the negative film magazine I1. At a point adjacent the positive film magazine I2, asprocket H5 is fixed to the shaft 20 by a pin IIO. This sprocket I I5 engages a chain III. which in turn engages a sprocket I I0 fixed to the magazine drive shaft I I2. 1

As the magazine I2 may be of a standard type including reel chambers I20, an exposure and mechanism chamber I2I, a focusing microscope I22, and a shutter housing I22, the debe computed, the actions of tails of the internal mechanism are not shown. The driving chain III has suiiicient slack therein to permit lateral movements of the magazine drive shaft II2 without further compensation. The chain drive I I1 is provided with a protective housing I24 which may be mounted'upon the shit-table housing 00 by a screw I25. The housing is adapted to accommodate the movements of the magazine by means of enlarged openings I20 around the hubs oi' the sprockets I I5 and III.

The end of the drive shaft 20 is mounted in a bearing I20 carried by the fixed support 54 for the negative magazine I1. A beveled gear I2I is pinned on the extremity of the shaft 20 adjacent the bearing I20 and a collar I22 is pinned to the shaft 20 adjacent the opposite end of the bearing I20, dampening washers I22 being located between the ends of the bearing I20 and the gear I2I and the collar I22 to prevent play in the shaft 20 and absorb vibration. The beveled gear I2I meshes with two opposed beveled gears I24 and I25 which are mounted in ball races I20, supported by a housing I21 carried by the stationary support 54. The beveled gears I24 and I25 are axially aligned upon a vertical axis, are in the form of sleeves, and have sleeve gears I22 and I22 fixed therein respectively. The sleeve gears I22 and I22 are adapted to receive a vertical drive shaft I40 centrally thereof, and are provided with longitudinally extending gear segments adapted to mesh with segments I4I carried by said shaft I40.

The shaft I40 is located in a sleeve I42 by means of a pin I42, and fixed therein by a key I44. The'sleeve I42 is carried by means of a movable support 50 and is provided with pulleys 'I40. The pulleys I40 frictionally engage belts I" for driving pulleys I48 connected to the shafts within the magazine I'I upon which the film reels ,20 and 20 are mounted. A gear I50 is likewise mounted :on a sleeve I42, and fixed by means of a key I5I. The gear I50 meshes with a gear train I52 which drives the shafts upon-which the film sprockets 22 and 24 are mounted. A beveled gear I54 is also secured to the sleeve I42 by the key I5I which meshes with a beveled gear I55 mounted upon a shaft I50 which is adapted to operate the film advancing mechanism I51 and shuttle 22. The film advancing mechanism may be conventional in type and is not shown in detail. A gear sounddampener I50 may be located between the gear train I52 and the beveled gear I54.

When the negative film magazine I1 is elevated and arranged to project the orange-red component images 2, the movable support 50 carries with it the sleeve I42 and vertical drive shaft I40, in which event the gear segments .I4I carried by the shaft I40 engage the segments of the gear I22 and will be driven in one direction. When the mechanism is lowered so as to project the blue-green component images I, the gear segments I of the shaft I40 are dropped down into engagement with the segments of the gear in which the registration of the images is accurately accomplished by mechanical movements of the film magazines with respect to the optical axis. The movements of the film magazines are governed by gauges so that the operator can consistently make prints day after day from the original negative without making visual or photo-- graphic adjustments. The operator may entirely depend upon the mechanics of the apparatus, gauges, and stop-blocks for proper accuracy. The pairs of sub-standard negative images may occupy the space of a single frame of a standard picture, each individual image being .405 of an inch by .557 of an inch. By means of this apparatus the sub-standard frames are enlarged 1.558 times to fill the standard camera aperture which is .631 of an inch by .868, of an inch. Upon projection, this image is shown through an aperture which is .600 of an inch by .825 of an inch. It has been found, by actual practice that the results of the hereinbefore described method and apparatus are dependable and show controlled register within the close limits of. .0001 of an inch.

The hereinbefore described printer is in commercial operation making direct prints in color from under standard studio conditions. The method of printing is as follows: The operator places a supply reel 30, on which is wound a 1000 foot roll of negative film N, in the negative film magazine IT. The negative film N is threaded through the path F which is the position for printing the orange red component images 2 which,,for sub tractive printing lie next to the sound track. The shuttle 33 which carries the aperture for the orange red component images 2 is locked in the mechanism. The shift lever 55 is thrown to the sub-standard negatives photographed right, away from the operator, which elevates the negative film magazine H and engages the drive mechanism so that the film is advanced from the operator's side to the other side of the apparatus. This position is indicatedon the gauge 80 as zero.

Double coated or duplitized positive film P is then threaded in the positive film magazine l8 which is shifted through its limits to an indicated zero on the gauge 98. The negative and positive mechanisms are, at all times, in synchronous relationship to each other so that when an image is being projected from the negative N, which is positioned by registration pins 40' and 4| in the shuttle 33, it is being recorded on the positive film P, which is positioned by the registration pins 43 and 44, thus insuring accurate register. The negative starting image is indicated by a punch mark and a like mark is placed on the start of the positive film P, and the emulsion of the double coated film P which is being exposed. These operations being carried out, the motor I9 is started and the print is made, image by image, from the' red components of the original negative N.

After the red components are recorded, the negative film N is rewound on the reel 30 which isinterchanged with the take up reel 36 and threaded through the path F and a different shuttle 33 which carries theaperture plate for the green image and the registration pins 40 and ii, so that the same perforations engage the registration pins 40 and 4| exactly as when the film was originally exposed. The shift lever is drawn toward the operator, as shown in Figure 3, which draws the negative film maga zine ll downward, the operator being careful that this distance of .420 of an inch is accurately shown on the gauge 80. .The movement of the lever 55 shifts the gears so that the negative film N will move in an opposite direction. The emulsion is now away from the objective 6 and the green image, which is the one farthest away from the sound track It), is in the exact optical axis A. The positive film P is rewound with the emulsion reversed, so that when the operator places it in the magazine l8, the unexposed side of the double coated film P is toward the objective 6 and in the proper position to receive the enlarged green images.

The negative film N and positive film P are placed in synchronization by means of the original punch marks. The positive film magazine i8 has been shifted horizontally toward the operator exactly .110 of an inch as shown on the gauge 98, whereupon the center of the exposure aperture in the positive film magazine I8 is located on the optical axis. The shuttle of the magazine l8 has been changed so that the registration pins 43 and 44 are in opposed positions so that the same perforations 45 in the positive film P rests upon the same registration pin. The operator now starts the motor I9 and all of the green images I of the original negative N are projected and printed on the opposite side of the double coated film P from the red image which were printed during the first operation. After complete exposure the double coated film P is ready for processing in any laboratory equipped for color work. After the printing of the film P, the images and emulsions thereof may be toned, dyed or otherwise provided with color so that the finished film may be projected in the usual manner by the use of standard equipment. It will be understood that separate films may be exposed, in place of the double coated film P, and these separate films may be used for making prints by contact. The operation is exactly the same in every respect.

Although certain specific embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, many modifications thereof are possible according to the specific need of each case. The invention, therefore, is not to be restricted except insofar as is necessitated by the prior art and by the spirit of the appended claims.-

This is a division of application Serial No. 275,752 filed May 25, 1939, by the present applicant. v

I claim:

1. The method of optically printing a film which comprises providing a first film having two black and white image per frame, each representing a different color value and arranged in contiguous parallel relationship transversely of the film, projecting successive images of a single color value from said film onto one side of a second, double emulsion film, each to occupy an entire frame thereof, thereafter turning both films so that images of the contiguous series then occupy the position of those previously projected but are individually reversed with respect thereto, reversing the travel of said first film, separately and successively projecting the reversed images of the contiguous series upon the opposite side of the double emulsion film over the same optical path as those previously projected, thereby to produce registering images of different color value on said second film.

2. The method of optically printing a film which comprises providing a first film having two images per frame, each of different color value 90.to record them and arranged on their sides in parallel relationship transversely of the film, projecting successive images of a single color value and turning the same 90 to record them as a series of upright pictures on said second film, thereafter turning both films so that images of the contiguous series occupy the position or those previously projected but are individually reversed with respect thereto, and separately and successively projecting the reversed images of the contiguous series over the same optical path as those previously projected and turning the same as a series of upright pictures on the opposite side or the double emulsion film in registry with the images previously projected.

3. The method optically printing motion picture films which comprises passing a first film having component images transversely arran ed in pairs past an exposure aperture so that one image or each pair coincides therewith. passing a second double emulsion film in line with said exposure aperture and at right angles to said first film, printing each of said images upon one emulsion of said double emulsion film, turning both of said films to present their opposite sides to each other, and printing the other image of each pair upon the unexposed emulsion of said double emulsion film and in' register with the printed image of the first printed component of each pair of images.

4. The method of optically printing motion picture films which comprises passing a first film having component images transversely arranged in pairs past an exposure aperture so that one image of each pair coincides therewith, passing a second double emulsion film in line with said exposure aperture and at right angles to said first film, printing each of said images upon one emulsion of said double emulsion film, turning both of said films to present their opposite sides to each other, shifting said films laterally to register the other image oi each pair with the printed image of the first printed component of each pair of images, and printing the other image or each pair upon the unexposed emulsion of said double emulsion film.

5.-The method of optically printing motion picture films which comprises passing a first film having component images transversely arranged in pairs past an exposure aperture so that one image of each pair coincides therewith, passing a second double emulsion film in line with said exposure aperture and at right angles to said first film, printing each of said images upon one emulsion of said double emulsion film, turning both of said films to present their opposite sides to each other, shifting said films laterally to register the other image of each pair with the printed image of the first printed component or each pair of images, reversing the travel 0! said films, and printing the other image of each pair upon the ,uncxposed emulsion 0! said double emulsion film.

O'I'IO C. GILMORE.

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