US1210960A - Apparatus for lighting the screens used with cinematographs and the like. - Google Patents

Description

L.'McCORMlCK. HE SCREENS USED WITH CINEMATOGRAPHS AND vT-l-IE LIKE. v APPLICATION HLED OCT. 30. 1915. 1 210 960. v Patented Jan. 2,1917. 8 9 2 SHEETSSHEET l.

APPARATUS FOR LIGHTING T I I 'L. Mc-CORMICK. APPARATUS FOR LIGHTING THESCRE ENS USED WITH 'CINEMATOGRAPHS AND THE [IKE APPLICATION- mzn 0CT-30 l915. Patented 2,1917

A 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LANGDON McCORMICK, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

APPARATUS FOR LIGHTING THE SCREENS USED WITH CINEMATOGRAPHS AND THE LIKE.

Original application filed April 10, 1914,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LANGDON MCCORMICK, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at 139 West Forty-seventh street, New York city, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Lighting the Screens Used with Cinematographs and the like, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for lighting the screens used with cmematographs and the like.

This application is a divisional application of m pending application Serial No.

831,015, fi ed April 10, 1914.

It is well known that when a series of pictures are shown on the screen it frequently happens that lights for exam le, the moon,

fire, lamps on approaching vehicles, rockets, flashes from fire arms, and other moving or stationary lights, are represented by the actual pictures and have been lackin in life.

My invention consists in provi ing lights behind the screen which register with the ictures of lights on the screen, the said ights, at the back of the screen being visible.

through the screen from the front thereof.

The primary object of this divisional application is to provide means for carrying out the above noted objects which consists in placing movable lam s back of a screen, the lamps being move to correspond, or they are manipulated so that they appear to 85 be moving simultaneously with a moving picture thrown on the front of a screen.

Other objects and advantages of the present improvement will be set forth in the following specification and drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a screen, lamps, and cinematograph arran ed to carry out the present improvement. ig. 2 is a front elevation of the framework for the lamps and showing the means for arranging 46 and operating the said lamps. Fig. 3 is a detached, enlarged, perspective view of one of the lamps and the ides therefor. Fig. 4 is a vertical sectiona view through one of the lights.

Referrin now to the drawin in which 15m ref in detail,

erence numera s designate similar parts throughout the several figures, and in particular to Fig.1, the reference Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 2, 1917.

Serial No. 831,015. Divided and this application filed October 30, 1915. Serial No. 58,896.

numeral 1 represents a cinematograph apparatus of the usual type which is usually positioned at the back of the theater. In front of the apparatus 1 (and usually on the stage of the theater) is a framework 2 of rectangular shape, and in front of the framework is a translucent screen 1. The

sides of the framework are provided withv openings 8 arranged directly opposite each other. The openings 8 are adapted to receive the reduced ends 9 of rectangularly shaped soft metal bars 10 which form guides for lamp casings 11. The upper and lower surfaces of the lamp casings 11 are grooved at 12 to fit on the adjacent surfaces of the guides. Members 13 fit within'the grooves 12 and are provided with spring contacts to insure electric connection between the guides and said members 13. Current is supplied to each of the guides 10 through connections with the electric supply as will be hereinafter explained. An electric lamp 16 is carried within each lamp casing and receives current through the contact members 13 as will be readily understood. Openings 17 are provided in the front face and ends of the lamp casings through which the light may shine and their openings may be closed by shutters 18.

Meansfor moving the lights along the guides 10 is provided which consists of a pulley 19 mounted within a grooved block 20 arranged between the guides 10 and adjacent one of the sides of the framework. A

line 21 having one end connected to the lamp casing passes over the pulle 19 and thence is fastened to a drum 22 w ich is revolved by a motor 23; As the line 21 is drawn onto the drum 22 the light casing 11 is slid between the guides 10.

In the top and bottom of the framework are openings 24 to.receive the ends of guides or tracks 25, similar to the guides 10. A lamp 26 is also'held between the guides 25 which is drawn up and down by means of. a line 27 passing over a pulley 28, and thence to a drum 29, which is rotated by a motor30.

When the representation of light appears in a moving picture thrown on the screen,"

described the lamp box is moved on its track to correspond with the position of the representation of light in the pictures.

Wires 43 connect the lamps with a source of electricity, the current being controlled by switches 44, conventionally illustrated in the drawings.

In operation, if a picture is thrown on the screen, one of the switches 44 is closed to light one of the lamps, and one of the motors is started, with the result that the lighted lamp will be moved on the track to follow the position of the representation of light in the picture. The light from the bulb l6 shines through the translucent screen and to the moving picture to illuminate the representation of the light in the picture.

As has been heretofore stated any variety of lights may be used to indicate the head light of a locomotive, lights on a boat, train, sky rocket, fire, etc., several of these forms being here illustrated. The bars 10 being of soft material, may be bent as shown in Fig. 2 so as to follow the representation of lights in the picture.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is g 1. A cinematograph apparatus comprising a projecting apparatus, a translucent screen, and a movable lamp behind the said "screen for the purpose described.

. 2. A cinematograph apparatus comprising a projecting apparatus, a translucent screen, a movable lamp behind the said screen, and means for moving the lamp to correspond with the picture produced on the screen.

3. A cinematograph apparatus comprising a projecting apparatus, a translucent screen, a lamp positioned to direct light to a particular point on the screen, and means for moving the lamp to correspond with the picture produced on the screen to show actual light on a part of said picture.

4. A cinematograph apparatus comprising a projecting apparatus, atranslucent screen, a movable lamp behind the screen, and an adjustable track for the said lamp.

5. A cinematograph apparatus comprising a projecting apparatus, a translucent screen, a lamp behind the screen, an adjustable track for the lamp, and means for moving the lamp to correspond to the pictures produced on the screen.

6. A cinematograph apparatus comprising a projecting apparatus, a translucent screen, a series of lamps behind the screen, tracks on which the lamps travel, means for moving the lamps on the tracks to correspond with the pictures produced on the screen, and means for controlling the lighting of the lamps.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

LANGDON MOCORMICK.

Witnesses GEO. REED, MORELL BmTwmsTLE.

Images