US1434805A - Moving-picture machine - Google Patents

Description

D. A.'BODIKER movmc mcruns MACHINE. APPLICATION men PRJM, 1920.

- Pgtefited Nov. 7,1922

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

MOVING PICTURE MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED APR.24, I920.

Patented M. 7, 1922.:

- 2 SHEETSSH-EET 2. g 49 .97

l ps.

Patented Nov. 7, 1922..

UNITED stares;

DALLAS A. BODIKEB, OF DAYTCN, OHIO.

MOVING-PICTURE TEACHINE,

Application filed April 24, 1920. Serial No. 376,203.

To all whom it may cancer-m,

Be it known that I, DALLAS-A. Bonrknn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dayton, in the county of Montgomery and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements'in MovingPicture Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to new and useful improvement in motion picture machines, and more particularly to an intermittent operating device for actuating the film of such a machine.

One object of the invention is to provide an intermittent operating mechanism which will be simple in its construction and operation, and which will be inexpensive to produce.

A further object of the invention is to provide such a device which can be easily adjusted to take up wear and thus prevent all lost motion. r

A further object of. the invention is to provide a device of this kind with which the driving member may be adjusted for the purpose of Framing the picture.

Other objects of the invention will appear as the device is described in detail.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a side elevation of. a motion picture machine embodying my invention, with the cover plate removed; Fig. 2 is a partial sectional view of the machine showing the intermittent mechanism in rear elevation; Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a plan view of the intermittent drive; Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the in termittent drive; Fig. 6 is a front elevation of the intermittent drive; Fig. 7' is a development of, a portion of the driving member; and Fig. 8 is a side elevation of a modified form of the intermittent. drive.

Throughoutthe specification and draw"- ings similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 represents a base from which upwardly extends a division plate 2- and a front plate -3-- joined by a wall -l which, together with a flange -5'- form an inclosure for the lens and part of the film feeding mechanism. Also extending from the division plate 2- are upper and lower circular magazine flanges 9- and 10- adapted to receive the well known reels, not

shown, which are mounted on spindles -l3 and 1 i--. The above described portions, of the machine constitutes the lions mg, or casing which may be'provided with a pocket 17 adapted to receive an electric mot-or (not shown) which may be used to drive the machine, but which forms no part of the present invention.

The reels --11- and 12- receive the film -18, Fig. 7, which is unwound from the upper reel 11- and wound on the lower reel -12--. After passing from the reel -1l the film passes under an upper continuously rotating'sprocket '20- and is then looped as at -21 and passed in front of a depressed plate 2'-- having an aperture --23 the same size as the picture on the film tobe projected. The film then passes over an intermittent sprocket -24, is then looped as at 25, and passed over a continuously rotating sprocket -26- and into the magazine --10- where it is wound on the reel 12. As is 'well known, the film 18 is looped as at -21- and -25- to permit that portion of the filmbeing projected to be fed intermittently, while the re maining portions are unwound and wound.

continuously. The film -18. is held in enga-gement with the sprockets 20 '24:- and j26'- by rollers 28- 29+ and 30-- mounted on springinfiuencec'l frames -31 and 32 and -33 pivoted at 34. 35-' and -36 respectively. The film 18 is held against the apcrture plate --22- by springs 37 mounted on a gate 38 pivoted at 34 and held in position by a. latch -39-. When the latch 39 is'released the gate may he swung back on its pivot to permit of the insertion or withdrawal. of the film. The gate carries theroll'er -29-. which is disengaged from its sprocket 24 when the gate is swung back. At the same time, the roller -/8' disengaged from its sprocket by a projection 4EO, carried by the gate and is adapted to engage the frame vThe frame 38' of the lower sprocket 26- is elevated individually. The depressed or apertured plate 22- engages the film at with the picture, thereby preventing the emulsion becoming mutilated.

The lower sprocket -26 is mounted on a main drive shaft -etljournaled in the plates-2- and --3- and is provided with a hand crank, not shown, by which the machine may be manually operated. The end of the shaft --&1, opposite the crank, is provided with two chain sprockets l3 and i4 mounted on the side of the division plate opposite the sprocket 26. The sprocket -4A-- drives the takeup spindle --l l-- for the lower reel -12 through a chain 45 a sprocket -46 and any well known form of slip mechanism --..47 as is used in moving picture machines. The sprocket -43- drives the upper film sprocket --20- through a chain --4S-, and a chain sprocket -49 mount ed on a shaft 97, journaled in the plate 2-, and upon which the upper film sprocket 20--- is mounted. It is to be understood that the film sprockets are provided with teeth adapted to register with suitable perforations in the film in a well known manner.

To drive the sprocket 24 intermittently in either direction, the same is mounted on a shaft -51 journaled in the plates 2- and 8. On the side of the plate 2-- opposite the sprocket 24-, the shaft -51-- is provided with a notched disc --52-- which may be flanged as in the present instance. The said disc is, in fact, an intermittent gear. The disc or gear is provided with notches or recesses -53-, in-the flange thereof, there being as many recesses as there are intermittent movements given to the film sprocket -24- during one complete revolution of the said film sprocket. The recesses -53-- are adapted to receive, and the gear -52- is adapted to be intermittently rotated, by a helical cam 54: mounted on a shaft -55. The said cam -54- is pro vided with a continuation -56- adapted to hold the notched disc or gear 52 and sprocket 2et at rest when the cam 54 is out of engagement with the said gear. In one construction, the cam 54.-and a continuation -56 are a part of a cylinder -57 while in the construction shown in Fig. 14: the continuation is a mutilated disc 95- on a hub -63- and the cam is an offset therefrom. The length of the cam. in proportion to its diameter of revolution, determines the time consumed in shifting and the amount of exposure of the film. In the drawings the parts are proportional for a cam of approximately one sixth of the diameter of revolution, but it is to be understood that this proportion may be increased or diminished as desired. The shaft -55 upon which the cam -5-l is mounted is slidingly mounted in bearings 58-- and -59-- and is provided with a gear -60- in mesh with a gggr -61- on a shaft 62- 1ourna1ed in I firings 59-- and 64.-.

The shaft 62 is provided with a spiral pinion 65 in mesh with a spiral gear -9(" mounted on the main drive shaft 41 and from which the cam is driven. The intermittent sprocket 24- rotates at the same speed as the sprockets -20 and -26- but its angular speed is greater. The present construction makes eight intermittent movements, and feeds eight pictures for each revolution of the film sprockets, but it is to be understood that this ratio may be varied by changing the dimensions and proportions of the parts. To frame the film and to place successive pictures directly opposite the aperture 23-, the sprocket -24 is adapted to be moved, independently of the sprockets 20- and =2(i by shifting the cam -5l. and continuation 56 which rocks the sprocket 24. This movement is accomplished by a lever -66 pivoted at -67 and the lower end of which lies between the cylinder 57 and gear 69 and is provided with-pins 50- which enter an annular recess in, the hub -63. The lever -66 extends out of the housing to a position where it may be conveniently manipulated by hand.

While I have shown and described one embodiment of my invention I wish it to be understood that I do not desire to be limited to the details of the invention as various modifications may occur to a person skilled in the art.

Mounted in front of the film and in optical alignment with the aperture 23 is a projecting lens 84.-- which throws the picture on a screen (not shown). The

rays of light projected by the lens pass out of the housing through an opening 85- in the flange 5. The lens -84: is supported on a slide 86 mounted in guides 87-- on the division wall +2. The said lens 84. may be shifted along the optical axis, to focus the picture, by a screw 88- connected to the slide by a lever -89-. The screw 88 is provided with a head -90 on the outside of the casing. Mounted in front of the lens --84' is the shutter shown in detail in Fig. 12. In the present instance the said shutter is combined with the balance wheel and consists of a weighted rim -91- joined to a hub 92- by narrow spokes 93. The said shutter and balance wheel are mounted on the shaft t32 and rotate once for each intermittent movement of the sprocket -2 1-. Mounted between two of the spokes '-93 is a perforated screen -94.. The mechanism is so timed that the screen passes before the lens '84:- and the projected light is intercepted during the time the picture is being changed and the sprocket -24.-- is receiving its intermittent movement. The screen -94.- does not,

however, intercept all of the light, which expedient reduces fiicker on the picture screen and eliminates eye strain.

The machine in the present instance is adapted to utilize the special film shown in Fig. 13. The film itself is, however, of the conventional width and is provided with the standard perforations. The ordinary unexposed and undeveloped. film, commercially available, may, therefore, be utilized. In the present instance, the same space for a single picture on a standard film is used for four pictures which permits the film length, for the same subject, to be reduced to one fourth, with a consequent saving in weight and a gain in portability. As will be seen from Fig. 18, the pictures are disposed on the film in two parallel rows, permitting the reels 11-- and 12 to be reversed without necessitating rewinding the film, the two rows of pictures being headed in opposite directions. Therefore, after the film has been run through once for one row of pictures, it is only necessary to transpose the upper and lower reels to exhibit the other row. As the center of the pictures is to the side of the center of the film, the optical axis is placed ofi the center of the film sprockets and the aperture plate, as will be seen from the position of the aperture -23 in Fig. 6.

Having described my invention, 1 claim:

1. In a picture projecting machine, an

intermittent feeding device comprising a disk having a circumferential flange extending at anangle to the plane thereof and provided with a series of notches spaced about the edge thereof, a driving member rotatable about an axis transverse to the axis of said disk and comprising a circumferential rib adapted to enter the notches in said disk and having at one end thereof a spirally offset portion to impart move ment to said disk, and means for imparting axial movement to said driving member to adjust said disk for framing the picture.

2. film feeding device for a motion picture machine comprising an intermittent sprocket, a disk connected with said sprocket and rotatable about the axis thereof, said disk having an annular flange extending substantially parallel with the axis thereof and provided with notches spaced about the edge thereof, a shaft extending transversely to the axis of said disk, adriving member mounted on said shaft and comprising a spiral rib adapted to enter the notches of said disk and having one end portion thereof spirally arranged to impart movement to said disk, means for rotating said shaft, and an actuating device for imparting axial movement to said driving member.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

DALLAS A. BODIKER.

Images