US2639957A - Control means for film reel storage cabinets - Google Patents

Description

y 5 l. GELLER CONTROL MEANS FOR FILM REEL STORAGE CABINETS Filed March 4 INVENTOR. Isaac Gel Zer Patented May 26, 1 953 CONTROL MEANS FOR FILM REEL STORAGE CABINETS Isaac Geller, Portland, Oreg. Application March 4, 1950, Serial No. 147,647

4 Claims.

This invention broadly considered relates to improvements in film storage cabinets and specifically to means associated with each bin or compartment of said cabinet to keep it partially open when the film is removed.

It is well known that motion picture film is highly inflammable and, when suddenly ignited in quantity, highly explosive. Other inflammable items are also used in projection booths in theatres. It is also known that open electric arcs are employed for providing the required intensity of light to the projector of the film. Because of the existence of the foregoing conditions in projection booths. extreme precautions must be taken to insure against fire, which is, of course, extremely dangerous in theatres. The fire codes of most communities and insurance underwriters have strict regulations for the handling and storage of motion picture film in projection rooms of theatres. These codes not only require the storage of film in a fireproof or fire resistant cabinet, but each reel of film not actually in process of projection must be kept in a fully inclosed compartment or bin which is essentially a separate asbestos lined unit in order to avoid the danger of all film stored in the cabinet being burned simultaneously and thereby producing the dangerous explosive situation referred to above.

Each bin or compartment must be constructed to insure that the interior of the bin will be inaccessible to fire at all times when the film is in storage but as they are now constructed the interior is always automatically sealed off whether a reel of film is in storage or not. Thus it is impossible for a projectionist to determine which of the compartments or bins have film in storage and which are emptly. As a result projectionists have often times opened the wrong bin and shown reels out of sequence producing undesirable conditions for the theatre patrons, the projectionist and the exhibitor. Some projectionists have attempted to avoid this possibility by attaching some signal device, such as a clothes pin, on the handle of the empty bin, but this is unsatisfactory since reliance must be made on ones memory to move the device from one bin to the other. This inherent objectionable feature in the present film storage cabinet is overcome by providing each bin of the cabinet with compressible means which hold the bin slightly ajar when a reel of film is removed but which offers no perceptible resistance to the sealing of the bin when the reel of film is placed therein for storage.

The principal object of my invention is to provide compressible means in association with each bin of a storage cabinet for reels of film whereby the bins will automatically remain partially open when the reels are removed therefrom and will automatically close when film is stored therein,

Another object of my invention is to provide a very simple and inexpensive control for each bin of a film storage cabinet by means of which the reel of film next in sequence for projection is instantaneously indicated.

Another object of the invention is to provide a control mechanism for indicating to the projectionist the reel of film next in sequence which can easily be installed in existingfilm cabinets without any alteration and at little cost.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will undoubtedly be revealed as the detailed description is unfolded in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. l is a perspective elevation of a whole film reel cabinet, with its supporting frame fragmentarily shown, and each bin of which embodies the principles of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional, side elevation, taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction indicated, of one of the bins or compartments of the cabinet showing the position of the bin control mechanism when a reel of film is in the bin;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary, sectional'front view, taken on line 33 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction indicated, of some of the structural characteristics of the bin position control latch;

Fig. 4 is a sectional, side elevation, taken on line 44 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction indicated,.of another of the bins in the cabinet showing the position of the bin control mechanism embodying the principles of my invention when the reel of film has been removed; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary, sectional, side view of a bin or compartment having a modified type of a bin control means for maintaining a bin slightly open when no film is stored therein.

The film reel cabinet shown in Fig. 1, and designated generally by reference character A, is composed of a plurality of bins or compartments, each designated generally by reference character B, since they all possess the same structural characteristics. Reel cabinet A is positioned on and secured to a supporting frame I in any desirable manner and neither the structural features of the supporting frame nor the position of the cabinet A is of controlling importance. A plurality of divider walls 2 partition the cabinet into separate compartments in which bins B are placed. Divider walls 2 are treated with fire resistant or fireproof materials, such as asbestos, so that in the event of a fire in one compartment, it will not spread into the other compartments. This in effect results in providing a separate fireproof inclosure for each bin B.

Bins B of cabinet A are structurally alike and therefore only one of them will be described to suffice for all. Each bin B has a front portion acting as a door 3 and a cradle or saddle 4 secured to the lower portion of door 3 and in which a reel of film 5 may be placed, as shown in Fig. 2,

since the overall dimensions of the cradle or saddle 4, except as to depth, is approximately equal to the dimensions of the film reel 5. Bins B have a common hinge formed by bar 8 passing through the lower portion of door 3 permitting the bins to move in an arc. It is, of course, understood that each bin may be provided with independent hinging means.

A recess I, of a depth approximating the thickness of door 3, is formed at the front peripheries of each compartment formed by the divider walls 2 and the common top 8 and bottom 9 of cabi net A. Thus the door when closed is flush with the walls of the cabinet and in addition, a better seal against fire is provided for each bin when reels of film are in storage.

While the arrangement between door 3 and cradle 4 is such that the bin will automatically swing shut by gravity whether or not a reel of film is in the cradle, nevertheless it is desirable that the bin shall swing open only far enough to permit the removal of the ,reel and no farther. This is accomplished by providing quadrant shaped cutouts H1 through each cradle 4 and placing a rod ll transversely of the bins and through such cutouts to allow each bin to move in an arc limited by the space needed to remove a standard type of film reel in commercial use. By these means positive closure of the bins is assured whether film is stored therein or not and possibility of fire penetration to the bins is remote.

However these is no way a projectionist is able to determine which bin has film stored therein and which is empty. In order to prevent an empty bin from fully closing and yet permit the same bin, when film is stored therein, to automatically close, a bin control rod is provided.

Thisconsists of a keeper-plate l2 which issecured to the under part of the top portion 3 of each bin in any desirable manner, as by screws I73. Keeper-plate [2 has a pair of guide ears l4 and [5 in coinciding spaced relation to each other in which a control rod I6 is .slidably disposed. .A spiral spring I! surrounds rod 16 and hasone of its ends 18 secured tothe rod and the other ofits ends is secured to the keeper-plate 12 in any well known manner as by screws .20 and 2i. A stop 22 is secured to rod to prevent its displacement from guide ear l5. spring H at .all times maintains rod I6 against the innerwall of door 3 adjacent to the POD thereof with sufficient pressure thereon .to resist and prevent the door from fully'closing .when no film is in storage in the bin (see Fig. .4), but still yieldingl-y resilient .to automatically allow the same door to close when a reel of film is stored in the bin (see Fig. 2).

By the foregoing means provided in each bin of a film reel cabinet, a projectionist can readily and definitely ascertain which reel of film is next in sequence for projection without in any way disregarding the safety and fire codes provided for the handling of film in theatre projection booths. He can readily see which bins are empty and thus merely reach for the adjacent closed bin for the film.

.In Figure 5 is shown -a modified form of :bin closure control consisting of a pin 23 extending from the interior .portion of base 8 and .a coil spring 24 under oompressioirheld by the pi-nand confined between the under side of cradle A and base 9.

From the foregoing ,it will thus be observed that there has been described .a ,devioe whioh at- Spiral 4 tains the objects of the invention and since details of construction may be modified without departing from the spirit of the invention, it is not intended to limit the invention except so far as set forth in the appended claims in which I claim:

1. In combination with a storage cabinet for reels of film, a plurality of bins, means for automatically controlling the position of each bin of said cabinet, said means comprising a keeper-plate secured to the interior of said cabinet, said plate having spaced depending ear extensions with coinciding slots therein, a rod slidably positioned in the slots of said cars, a spiral spring surrounding said rod and having one of its ends secured thereto and the other of said ends secured to said plate to normally but yieldingly press said rod against the front portions of each of said bins, and a stop secured to said rod to prevent its displacement from the slots, said spring being strong enough to prevent full closure of the bin when unloaded but weak enough to allow full closure thereof when loaded.

2, In combination with a film reel storage cabinet having a plurality of tiltable bins, a spring actuated horizontally movable control rod secured Within the interior of each bin adapted to at vall times yieldingly bear against the inside of the door of each of said bins, the tension of said spring being sufficient to resist and yielding- 1y revent full closure of .each of said doors upon the-removal of the contents from each of said bins, but allow Dull closure thereof when each of the bins is loaded wit 11 3. In combination, a plurality of tiltable film ins having a common hinging means therefor, a figgedkeeper-plate associated with each bin, a rodslidably Carried by each of said keeper-plates and a resilient means associated with each of saidkeeper-pIatBs and rods to at all times yieldinsl tbrustsa d s t ward the fro of h of said bins and maintain said bins in a partially opened position when empty, but to allow complete closing thereof when loaded with film.

l. In combination With a film reel storage cabincl having a plurality of bins a device for controlling the position of the bins of a film storage cabinet of the class described, comprising a plurality of identical keeper-plates secured to the underside of the cabinet in direct alignment With each bin thereof, a rod slidably positioned with respect to each of said keeper-plates, a spring associated with each of said rods and said keeper.- plates to yieldingly force each of said rods to contact the front of the respective bins and impart sufficient resistence thereto to prevent the closing thereof when empty but to automatically allow the closing of said bins otherwise.

ISAAC GELLER.

References Cited in the file .of this patent- UNITED ST E PAT NTS Number Name Date 1,302,397 McEwan Apr. 29, 1919 1,321,222 Maloc p Nov. 11, 1-919 1,677,439 Fulton July 17, 1928 2,219,170 Bailey Oct. 22, 1 940 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 3.3.772 Austria Jan. 15, 1,903 312,505 Great Britain May 30, 1,929 357,6 8 .Great ,Britain, Sept. .28, .1931 5.924683 Great Britain Sept. .25, 1947

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