USRE17626E

USRE17626E - A corpora

Info

Publication number: USRE17626E
Authority: US
Publication date: 1930-03-18

Description

March 18, 1930. 35 VAULT Re. 17,626

MOTION PICTURE APPARATUS Original Filed Au 8, 1918 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 3 sheetssheet 2 Jade/2M R. P. DE VA ULT MOTION PICTURE APPARATUS Original Filed Aug. s, 1918 March 18, 1930.

March 18, 1930.- R, P, DE VAULT Re. 17,626 MOTION PICTURE APPARATUS Original Filed Aug. 8, 1918 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 MillIIIHIIIIHIIIIIIIIIllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll Reissuecl Mar. 18, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RALPH P. DE VAULT, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO

ACME MOTION PICTURE PROJECTOR COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORA- TION OF ILLINOIS Original No. 1;347,326, dated July 20, 1920, Serial No filed July 18, 1922.

- mittently moving film class it is customary to cutoff the light during the, movement of the film and this interruption of the light is the cause of the objectionable flicker. To reduce the flicker it is customary to provide the shutter with other interrupting portions causing further interruptions of the light while the film is at rest and while this reduces the pronouncedflicker it also reduces the illumination on the screen, the average machine allowing about fifty percent of the light minus the density of the film to reach the screen.

The main objects of this invention are: I

First, to provide in a motion picture apparatus an improved film driving means whereby the time of changing pictures is reduced, reducing the period of darkness so that it ispractically imperceptible and therefore'itis not necessary to introduce other periods of darkness or interruptions."

4o inent of my invention is clearly illustrated in Second, to provide an improved motion picture apparatus utilizing a large percentage of the illumination.

Third, to provide in a motion picture apparatus an improved filmdriving means having these advantages which is very economical and durable in structure. I

Further objects, and objects relating to structural details, will definitely appear from the detailed description to follow.

I accomplish the objects of my invention by the devices and means described in the following specification. The invention is clearly defined and pointed out in the claims.

A structure which is a preferred embodithe accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification, in which:

Figure I is a detail view mainly in vertical section on a line corresponding to line 11 of- Figs. II, III and V.

Fig. II is a detail side. elevation, parts being shown in dotted lines to better illustrat the manipulation thereof.

Fig. III is a detail view looking from .the

responding to line 77 films of well-known type.

MOTION-PICTURE APPARATUS 248,851, filed August 8, 1918. Application for reissue Serial No. 575,826.

Fig. VI is a detail view similar to that of v Fig. V with parts removed. A

Fig. VII is a detail section on a line corof Fig. VIII showing details of the feed and guide roller supports.

. Fig. VIII is a'detail section on a line corresponding to line 88 of Fig. VII.

- Fig. IX is a side view of one of the star gear wheels.

Fig. X is an enlarged detail section on a line corresponding to line 10-10 of Fig. I through one of the film sprockets andone of the feed rollers.

Fig. XI is a perspective-view of the Geneva, stop movement driving member.

Fig. XII is a perspective view of the film aperture gate. 1

Fig. XIII is a vertical section on a line corresponding to line 1313 of Fig. XII.

In the drawing similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views, and the sectional views are taken looking in the direction of the little arrows at the ends of the section lines.

Referring to the drawing, 1 represents the frame of a moving picture machine, 2'the gear box or housing mounted thereon and 3 the lens boxor casing. Details of the shutter are not illustrated as they form no part of I provide a air of film sprockets 5 and 6,

the sprocket 5 ing disposed above and the sprocket 6 being disposed below the aperture gate or framing device 4. These sprockets have teeth 7 to engage perforations, in the The spindles 8 for the'film sprockets are carried bythe b'earings 9 mounted on the gear box 2. The

- sprockets and 6 are so disposed that their coact with the film peripheries are non-tangential to the plane of the gate whereby to cause a relatively large portion ofthe film to wrap or engage the sprockets.

I provide film pressure rollers 10 which nprovided with the annular flanges 10' on -The rollers 10 are mounted so as thereof. These rollers are mounted on swinging arms 11 pivoted at 12.

Guide rollers 13 are also mounted on these swinging arms to vents fluttering of ing 26 at the inner side 1 .by the cap plate 28.

engage the film as it passes from the sprocket 5 and to the sprocket 6 guiding it to the aperture gate, as shown in Fig. IV, and also holding the film to the film sprockets so that there is substantial peripheral contact of the film with, the sprockets insuring the simultaneous engagement of several of the pins of each roller with the iilm apertures. The printing device or gate is provided with a plates under which the film passes. This plate is spaced from the gate so as to allow a free movement of the film without any braking or gripping action thereon and prethe film. Between the guide rollers the film is free from braking friction, it being a rather common expedient to prevent overthrow of the film by braking friction at this point. 7

Springs 14 hold the rollers 10 yieldingly downward, adjustable stops 15 being provided for the rollers. Ilhe film sprockets are preferably made up of a spool 16 of hard rubber fitted upon the spindle and secured thereon by the screw 17 a barrel 18 of aluminum having film engaging teeth, and a facing or covering 19 of suitable fabric. The pressure rollers 10 are similarly constructed having peripheral grooves 20 therein to accom-. modate the teeth of the sprockets. This construction is of advantage in that the rollers are light and at the same strong for the purpose.

The spindles are provided with driven Geneva gears or star wheels 21 having radial slots 22 therein having outwardly diverging surfaces 23 at the entrance thereof. The driving member 24 of the Geneva movement is mounted on the shaft 25 carried by the bearof the housing and by a bridge 27 at the outer side of the housing, the outer side of the housing being closed A balance wheel 29 is secured to this driving shaft 25.

The shaft of the driving member is pro- .vided with a beveled gear 30.with which a gear 31 on the shaft 32 meshes. This shaft 32 is provided with a pinion 33 meshing with the large gear 34 on the power shaft 35, crank or other means being provided for driving the shaft 35.

The Geneva movement 24: is disposed besprockets, and are each time sufliciently provements in an tween the star gears 21 and is provided with slots thereof with which the locking cams 38 coact. The cams have recesses 39 opposite the pins permitting the turning of the star wheels. It Will be observed that the driving pins 36-3 6 have a plurality of periods of movement, in one of which these elements are out of engagement with the driven members, that is, the star wheels 21, as shown in Figure 'V, another perlod in which said pins are in non-driving engagement with the driven members, as seen in dotted lines in Figure V, and yet another period in which the pins are in driving engagement with the driven members, or star wheels. One of these three positions, the second mentioned, namely, the

non-driving engagement, is attained by the divergent sides of the radial slots 22. The diverging surfaces 23 of the slots permit the pins to enter well into the slots before coming into operative engagement with the star wheels, that is, they pass well toward the axes thereof as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. V. This shortens the period of actuation of the star wheels so that the time of shifting or actuation of the film is materially reduced. The time of actuation in the structure illustrated is about one-twelfth of the" time of complete rotation of the driving member. I thus reduce the period of operation to such an extent that the period of darkness or interruption is such as to be unobjectionable and therefore it is not necessary to provide for or introduce other periods of darkness or interruption while the film is at rest. This greatly increases the efliciency of the light and I have succeeded in utilizing about ninety per cent, which result is greatly in excess of What has been heretofore accomplished.

I am able to eliminate the friction usually provided to check the film where a single sprocket feed is provided and thus relieve the film of the strains of the extra speed in the intermittent feed. I accomplish these objects in a very simple and eifective manner and secure the increased speed without increasing the speed of the driving member.

I have illustrated and described my im embodiment which I have found very satisfactory and practical. I have not attempted to illustrate or describe certain modifications or adaptations which I contemplate as I believethe disclosure made i will enable those skilled in the art to which my invention relates to embody or adapt the same as may be desired Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a motion picture apparatus of the class comprising an intermittently driven film and an aperture gate, the combination friction between said film sprockets, spin-' of a pair of film sprockets disposed one at each side of the gate, feed rollers disposed at the outer sides of the film sprockets to hold dles for said film sprockets, star wheels on said spindles provided with slots having outwardly diverging surfaces at the entrance 5. thereof and concave locking surfaces between the slots, and a driving wheel disposed between said star wheels and provided with a pair of oppositely disposed and oppositely projecting pins coacting with said star wheel slots and with recessed cylindrical locking cams on the sides thereof, arranged so that the pins travel over the diverging surfaces of the slotsvwhil'e the locking cams are in looking engagement with the star wheels.

2. In a motion picture apparatus of the class comp-rising an intermittently driven film and an aperture gate, the combination of a pair of film sprockets disposed one at each side of the gate, spindles for said film sprockets, star wheels on said spindles provided with slots having outwardly diverging surfaces at theentrance thereofand concave locking surfaces between the slots, and a driving wheel disposed betweensaid star wheels and provided with a pair of oppositely disposed and oppositely projecting pins coacting with said star wheel slots and with recessed cylindrical locking cams on the sides thereof arranged so that the pins travel over the diverging surfaces of the slots while the locking cams are in looking engagement with the star wheels.

3. In a structure of the class described, the combination of a pair of film sprockets, driven star Wheels therefor provided with slots having outwardly diverging surfaces at the entrance thereof and concave locking surfaces between the slots, and a driving wheel disposed between said star wheels and provided with a pair of oppositely disposed and oppositely projecting pins coacting with said star wheel slots and with'recessed cylin-. drical locking cams on the sides thereof arranged so that the pins travel over the diverging surfaces of the slots While the locking cams are in locking engagement with the star wheels.

4. In a structure of the class described, the combination of a film sprocket, a driven wheel therefor provided with slots having outwardly diverging surfaces at the entrance thereof and concave locking surfaces between the slots, and a driving wheel provided with a pin coacting with said driven wheel slots and with a locking cam arranged so that the pin travels over the diverging surfaces of the slots while the locking ,cam is in locking engagement with the driven wheel.

5. In a structureof the class described, in combination, film advancing means and means for operating said advancing means com rising a driven member and driving.

mem er, said driving member having a plurality of perlods of movement in one of WlllCll it is out of engagement with said driven member, in a second of which it is in nondrivlng engagement with said drlven member and in the third of which it is in driving engagement with. said driven member, and means for locking said driven member against movement while the driving member is in said second period of movement.

6. In a structure of the class described, in combination, film advancing means. and means for operating said advancing means comprising a driven member and driving member, said driving member having a plurality of periods of movement in one of which it is out of engagement with said driven member, in a second of which it is in nondriving engagement with saiddriven member and in the third of which it is in driving engagement with said driven member, and means for locking said driven member against movement while the driving member is in said first and second periods of movement.

7 In a structure of the class described, in combination, film advancing means and means for operating said advancing means comprising a driven member and driving member, said driving member having a plurality of periods of movement in one of which it is out of engagement with said driven member, in a second of which it is in non-driving engagement with said driven member and in the third of which it is in driving engagement with said driven member, the parts being so constructed and arranged that the driven member is locked against movement while the driving member is in one of said periods of movement. I

- 8. In a device of the character described,

in combinatioma film advancing means, and

means for giving said film advancing means a step-by-step movement, comprising a driven -member having a slot and a driving element its initial movement through the slot is in non-driving engagement therewith and in its continued movement is in driving engagement therewith.

10. In a device of the character described, in combination, a film advancing means, and means for giving said film advancing means a step-by-step movement, comprising a driven member having a slot and a driving element and means for moving said element into the slot, the parts being so arranged and constructed that the driving element in its initial movement through the slot is in non driving engagement therewith and the driven member is locked against movement.

11. In a device of the character described, in combination, an aperturegate, film advancing means at each end of the gate, a plurality of driven members for operating said advancing means, and a single driving member having a plurality of driving elements complemental to and adapted to engage only one each of said driven members,

a means for rotating said driving elements,

a complete revolution to cause the same to operate to give-each of the driven members a simultaneous single increment of movement during a portion only of a complete revolution of the driving member.

12. Ina device of the character described, in combination, an aperture gate, film advancing means on each end of the gate and means for operating said advancing means comprising a driving member having a pin-V rality of driving elements, each of which is complemental to and operates in such alignment as to operate only one of the film advancing means and to be non-efiective on any of the others.

13. In a device of the character described, in combination, an aperture gate, film advancing means on each end of the gate, a driven member for each advancing means, a driving member for bothof said advanc ing means, said driven members-being complemental to and coacting each with a differentdriving portion of the driving member and non co-acting with any of said driving portions.

14. In a structure of the class described, in combination, of a film sprocket, a driven member therefor provided with a slot having a widened mouth, a driving member having a, driving element coacting with said slot, and locking means, all arranged so that the driven member is locked against movement as the driving element is moving through the widened mouth of the slot.

15. In a device of the character described and including in combination an aperture gate, a film advancing means on each side of the gate and means for operating said film means, said sprockets being disposed substantially above and below said aperture gate, with the perimeter of the one disposed below the gate extending a-substantial distance to the back of the aperture gate and means for causing thefilm to be held against the gate.

16. In a and including in combination an aperture gate, film feeding means to each side of said gate, above and below the same, a driven member for each advancing means, a driving member for both of said advancing members, said driven members coacting with a different portion of the driving member, of a film sprocket associated with each of said driven members, the sprocket below the aperture gate being disposed with its perimeter substantially a distance to the rear of said aperture gate and means for causing said film to curve for a substantial distance wherebya plurality of teeth will engage the RALPH PULLIAM DE VAULT.

device of the character described advancing means comprlsing'a driving memher having a plurality of driving elements,

each of which operates only one of the film advancing means, of a film sprocket asso,

ciated with each of said film advancing