US3863370A

US3863370A - Film trim bin

Info

Publication number: US3863370A
Application number: US367977A
Authority: US
Inventors: Norval F Smith
Original assignee: COMMUNICATORS Inc
Current assignee: COMMUNICATORS Inc
Priority date: 1973-06-07
Filing date: 1973-06-07
Publication date: 1975-02-04
Anticipated expiration: 1992-02-04

Abstract

A film trim bin having an upright center support column and a rotary film bin rotatable on the column having an annular arrangement of spring clamps each useful for hanging a plurality of film strips, an annular illuminated window below the spring clamps for facilitating viewing the film strips through an adjustable magnifying glass mounted outwardly of the annular window and a multiple bag container for containing the lower ends of the film strips.

Description

United States Patent 119i Smith I 3,863,370 'Feb.'4, 1975 FILM TRIM BIN Norval F. Smith, Pomfret Center, Conn.

Inventor:

Assignee: The Communicators, Inc., Pomfret Center, Conn.

Filed: June 7, 1973 Appl. No.: 367,977

U.S. Cl. 40 /-106.l, 40/70 A [51] Int. Cl. ..,G09f 13/10' Field of Search 40/63 A, 64 A, 70A, 77, 40/l06.1,124,125 H, 130 R, 131 R, 132A; 232/432, 43.3; 248/DIG. 7; 312/211;

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1/1905 Phillips et al. 40/124 X 4/1953 Grimsley 248/129 8/1965 Schleisner-Meyer 40/106.1

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,072,838 9/1954 France 40/l06.l

138,619 3/1930 Switzerland..... 1,439,255 4/1965 France 411/77 Primary ExaminerRobert W. Michell Assistant Examiner-Nance Y. Hum

Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Prutzman, Hayes, Kalb & Chilton 57 ABSTRACT A film trim bin having an upright center support column and a rotary film bin rotatable onthe column having an annular arrangement of spring clamps each useful for hanging a plurality of film strips, an annular illuminated window below the spring clamps for facilitating viewing the film strips through an adjustable magnifying glass mounted outwardly of the annular window and a multiple bag container for containing the lower ends of the film strips.

11 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures FILM TRIM B1N BRlEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to film editing apparatus and more particularly to a new and improved film trim bin for facilitating storing and assembling film H strips or trims to form a desired film sequence.

It is a primary aim of the present invention to provide a new and improved film trim-bin which substantially simplifies the storage, identification and assembling of film strips in the production ofa desired film sequence.

It is another aim of the present invention to provide a new and improved film trim bin having greater capacity and flexibility in storing film stripsor trims.

It is another aim of the present invention to provide a new and improved film trim bin which greatly simplifies the search and identification of the stored film strips and which thereby greatly facilitates organization and assembly of the film strips in a desired order.

It is a further aim of the present invention to provide a new and improved film trim bin for hanging film trims which simplifies hanging and removing the film trims without film damage and which provides ready access to each and every film trim hung in the trim bin. It is another aim of the present invention to provide a new and improved film trim bin of the type described which is adjustable for greatest comfort of the trim bin operator and which can be used by one or more operators and with the operators either in a'sitting or standing position as desired.

It is a further aim of the present invention to provide a new and improved film trim bin of the type described having a compact and economical design and which occupies a minimum amount of floor space.

Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out more in detail hereinafter.

A better understanding of the invention will be obtained from the following detailed description and the accompany drawing of an illustrative application of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWlNG ln the Drawing: FIG. 1 is an isometric view ofa film t rim bin incorporating an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged elevation section view, partly broken away and partly in section, of the film trim bin; FIG. 3 is an enlarged partial elevation section view, partly broken away and partly in section, showing a film trim clamp of the film trim bin; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged partial elevation section view, partly broken away and partly in section, of an upstanding center column of the film trim bin.

DESCRlPTlON OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT spectively. The lower tube 21 extends upwardly from the base 14 and the upper tube 20 is mounted to be vertically adjustable within the lower tube 21 to permit adjustment of the height of the trim bin for maximum operator comfort and such that one or more operators can use the trim bin while either in a standing or sitting position. The upper tube 20 is adapted to be raised or lowered to the desired position and then locked in position by a suitable lock assembly 24 shown having an inner split locking collar 26 and an outer knurled nut 27 threaded onto the upper end of the lower tube 2]. The collar 26 and nut 27 have cooperating tapered surfaces for wedging the collar against the upper tube 20 and thereby clamp the tube in position. A collar 28 is mounted on the lower end of the upper tube 20 to assist in guidingthe upper tube 20 within the lower tube 21 and to provide an upper limit stop for the tube 20.

A rotary film bin 30 is' mounted on the upper tube 20 to be manually angularly indexed or shifted about the vertical axis of the center column 12. The rotary film bin 30 comprises a center support sleeve or bearing 32 rotatably mounted on the tube 20 and vertically supported thereon by a thrust bearing collar 34 fixed to the tube 20. The thrust bearing collar 34 also provides a lower limit stop for the height adjustment of the tube 20. A multiple segment container subassembly 38 is mounted on the lower end of the support sleeve 32 and an upper carousel subassembly 40 is mounted on the upper end of the support sleeve 32. The film container subassembly 38 comprises a coaxial wheel-like support frame 41 with a center hub 42 fixed to the'sleeve 32,

an outer ring 44 and three equiangularly spaced radial spokes 46 extending between the hub 42 and ring 44 and dividing the container into three separate segments for receiving and supporting three separate cloth container bags 50. The container bags 50 are preferably made of a soft and pliant material and are mounted to depend from thethree frame openings by rolling the upper edges of the bags over the spokes 46 and ring 44 and connecting them to suitable pins 52 on the support frame for which purpose properly spaced grommets 54 are provided around the upper edge of each bag.

The upper carousel subassembly 40 comprises a circular base plate 'having a hub 62 fixed to the sleeve 32, a lower plastic ring 64 secured around the perimeter of the circular base plate 60, an upper coaxial plastic ring 66 and an intermediate generally cylindrical and preferably translucent plexiglas window 68. The circular edges of the window 68 are affixed within opposed annular slots in the

coaxial rings

64, 66 to provide an integral annular assembly. A circular nonrotatable cover plate 70 has a hub 72 mounted on the upper end of the tube 20, and a pair of electrical lamp sockets 74 are'mounted to depend from the cover plate 70 for mounting suitable lamps 76 within the carousel subassembly 40 for illuminating the annular window 68. An On-Off light switch 78 is mounted on the cover plate 70 and electric power is supplied to the lamps 76 via the switch 78 by a suitable electric power cord 80 (FIG. 4) which extends upwardly-through the center column 12. The base plate 60 of the carousel 40 has a plurality of angularly spaced apertures 82 for use in installing and replacing the lamps 76 and to provide for downward illumination from the lamps 76 into the bags 50 for facilitating inspecting the contents of the bags 50. Also, the upper ring 66 of the carousel 40 has a lower inner annular lip 86 underlying the peripheral spring clamps spring clamp). The spring clamps 100 ring 66 are spaced sufficiently to permit air to flow upwardly by convection through the lower base plate openings 82 and between the cover plate 70 and upper ring 66 for internal cooling of the carousel 40.

A magnifying glass 90 is mounted by a suitable gooseneck 92 and ball joint 94 on the upper end of the column 12 such that the magnifying glass can be manually positioned as desired generally radially outwardly of the window 68 and the film trims hung on the rotary film bin can be readily viewed and indentified by looking at the film trims through the magnifying glass 90 and using-the window 68 as an illuminated background for the film trims. The gooseneck 92 is preferably suitably mounted on the upper end of the column 12 such that the magnifying glass 90 may be easily positioned at any angular-position around the column 12.

An annular arrangement of a plurality of film trim spring clamps or hangers 100 (of which there are thirty-two in the shown embodiment 32) are equiangularly spaced around'the upper ring 66 of the carousel 40. As best seen in FIG. 3, each film trim spring clamp 100 comprises an elongated multiple coil spring (with approximately 28 coils in the shown embodiment) having'engaging coils such that a film trim 102 may be readily inserted between adjacent coils to-clamp the film trim in place. The inner end of each spring clamp 100 is suitably secured within a conforming radial opening 103 in the upper ring 66 such that each elongated spring clamp extends generally radially outwa'rdly from the ring 66.'A numeral identification cap or button 104 is threaded into the outer end of each spring clamp 100 and the buttons 104 are numbered in sequence to facilitate identification of the film trims and storing the film trims in the desired sequence. The 100 are designed so that the spring coil clamping forces permit a number of overlapping film trims to be supported along each side of the spring clamp and to the underside of the spring clamp as desired and yet to permit each film trim to be individually attached and removed without releasing the remaining film trims supported on the same clamp. Each spring clamp 100 is therefore useful for hanging a number of film trims and in the desired sequence by following an established system (e.g. outer film trims to precede inner film trims, and film trims on theleft side of a spring clamp to precede those on the right side of the are also capable of holding films of different sizes and are preferably made ofa suitable nonmagnetic material to be used for attaching magnetic sound tracks strips along with film trims without affecting the magnetic recording.

In the preferred manner of use, the film trim bin is employedwith a suitable film editing machine and V such that as each separate film strip or trim is severed from the raw movie film being edited (which is usually a a workingprint), the film strip or trim is then hung on the film trim bin 10 with the lead end of the film trim attached to a desired clamp spring 100 for placing the film trims in the desired order for subsequent assembly.

The lower ends of the film trims over approximately 4 feet long are held within the bag 50 below the supporting clamp 100. The film strips are thereby mounted on the rotary film bin and preferably such that the film trims are mounted in the sequence-in which they are to be subsequently used when assembling the film strips to 1 rinth light seal. However, the cover plate 70 and upper produce a desired film sequence. Also, the film bags 50 provide for segregating the film trims as desired and to minimize knotting, etc., and are preferably differently colored to assist in any such film segregation.

Of course, the operator may not know when initially severing-and hanging a film trim the exact relative position of the film trim in the desired movie sequence. However, with the present invention, the film trims can be easily searched and each film trim can be readily identified by looking through the magnifying glass 90 and replaced on the rotary film bin to provide the desired organization. Also, as previously explained, a number of the film trims may be supported from a single spring clamp to provide greater flexibility in mounting the film trims in the desired order. Thus, with only 32 spring clamps as shown, a substantially greater number of film trims may be readily hung in the bin in the desired sequence.

During the assembling process, it may only be necessary to remove the film trims from the rotary film bin in the same sequence they are mounted on the bin. Also, the film trims may be readily identified before assembling merely by viewing the individual film trims through the magnifying glass and using the carousel window 68 as an illuminated background for viewing the film trims.

A rewinding mechanism may be mounted on the carousel cover 70 as shown in FIG. 1 to permit winding the film trims in the selected order onto a reel (not shown), or alternatively other equipment (not shown) may be used for that purpose, it being seen that the film trim bin 10 has primary utility in facilitating organizing the film trims in the desired order, identifying the film trims and assembling the film trims in' a desiredorder for producing a desired film sequence.

As well be apparent to persons skilled in the art, various modifications, adaptations and variations of the foregoing specific disclosure can be made without departing from the teachings of the present invention.

I claim:

l. A film trim bin for mounting film trims thereon comprising a rotary film bin and a rotary film bin support for rotatably mounting the rotary film bin about a generally upright axis, the rotary film bin comprising annular hanger means for hanging a plurality of film trims angularly spaced about the axis of the rotary film bin and with the film trims depending therefrom and whereby the rotary film bin may be rotated for mounting and removing the film trims in a desired sequence, the rotary film bin further comprising annular container means below the hanger means and means connecting the container means to the hanger means for rotation therewith for containing the lower ends of the depending film trims and for rotating them with the annular hanger means to accommodate the mounting and removal of the film trims.

2. A film trim bin according to claim '1 wherein the film trim hanger means comprises 'a plurality of coil spring clamps angularly spaced about the axis of the rotary film bin.

3. A film trim bin according to claim 2 wherein each coil spring clamp has a plurality of engaging coils for clamping a plurality of film trims therebetween.

4. A film trim bin according to claim 1 wherein the for facilitating viewing the film trims hanging on the rotary film bin.

5. A film trim bin according to claim 4 wherein the film trim bin comprises a magnifying glass mountedon the rotary film bin support and positioned radially outwardly of the background lighting means and annular hanger means for viewing the film trims hanging on the rotary film bin.

6. A film trim bin according to claim 1 wherein the container means comprises a plurality of annularly arranged separate container segments for segregating the film trims hanging on the rotary film bin.

7. The film trim bin according to claim 6 wherein the container means comprises a support frame having an annular ring and a-plurality of radial spokes defining a plurality of separate openings, and a container bag in each opening supported by and depending from the outer ring and spokes.

8. A film trim bin for mounting film trims thereon comprising a rotary film bin, a rotary film bin support for rotatably mounting the rotary film bin for rotation about a generally upright axis, the rotary film bin comprising generally annular illuminating window means, annular film trim hanger means above the generally annular illuminating window means for hanging a plurality of film trims angularly spaced about the rotary film bin axis and in front of the generally annular illuminating window means to be viewed with the window means providing an illuminated background, the rotary film bin further comprising annular container means below the hanger means and means connecting the container means to the hanger means for rotation therewith for containing the lower ends of the depending film trims and for rotating them with the annular hanger means to accommodate the mounting and removal of the film trims.

9. A film trim bin according to claim 8 wherein the generally annular illuminating window means comprises a generally annular translucent window and lamp means mounted within the generally annular window for illuminating the window for facilitating viewing the film trims.

10. A film trim bin according to claim 8 wherein the rotary film bin support comprises an upright center column supporting the rotary film bin coaxially thereon.

11. A filmtrim bin according to claim 10 further comprising a magnifying glass and a magnifying glass support mounted on the upper end of the center column and supporting the magnifying glass generally radially outwardly of the annular window means to facilitate viewing the film trims hanging in front of the illuminated window means.

Claims

1. A film trim bin for mounting film trims thereon comprising a rotary film bin and a rotary film bin support for rotatably mounting the rotary film bin about a generally upright axis, the rotary film bin comprising annular hanger means for hanging a plurality of film trims angularly spaced about the axis of the rotary film bin and with the film trims depending therefrom and whereby the rotary film bin may be rotated for mounting and removing the film trims in a desired sequence, the rotary film bin further comprising annular container means below the hanger means and means connecting the container means to the hanger means for rotation therewith for containing the lower ends of the depending film trims and for rotating them with the annular hanger means to accommodate the mounting and removal of the film trims.

2. A film trim bin according to claim 1 wherein the film trim hanger means comprises a plurality of coil spring clamps angularly spaced about the axis of the rotary film bin.

4. A film trim bin according to claim 1 wherein the film trim bin comprises background lighting means adjacent to, below and within the annular hanger means for facilitating viewing the film trims hanging on the rotary film bin.

5. A film trim bin according to claim 4 wherein the film trim bin comprises a magnifying glass mounted on the rotary film bin support and positioned radially outwardly of the background lighting means and annular hanger means for viewing the film trims hanging on the rotary film bin.

7. The film trim bin according to claim 6 wherein the container means comprises a support frame having an annular ring and a plurality of radial spokes defining a plurality of separate openings, and a container bag in each opening supported by and depending from the outer ring and spokes.

11. A film trim bin according to claim 10 further comprising a magnifying glass and a magnifying glass support mounted on the upper end of the center column and supporting the magnifying glass generally radially outwardly of the annular window means to facilitate viewing the film trims hanging in front of the illuminated window means.