US1775300A - Signal switch - Google Patents

Description

SIGNAL SWITCH 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 24, 1925 Sept. 9, 1930. H. M. WHITAKEF: 1,775,300

SIGNAL SWITCH Filed July 24, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII oll 7d I II'IIIIIIIII IIITIIII'IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIITIIIIIII auoemtoz 61mm u Patented Sept. 9, 1930 UNITED STATES HUBER! M. WHITAKER, OF ENFIELD, NORTH CAROLINA SIGNAL swrrcH Application filed July 24, 1925.

This invention aims to provide novel means whereby the operator of a motion picture machine may be advised when the roll is nearly run oil the machine.

It is within the province of the disclosure to improve generally and to enhance the utility of devices of that type to which the invention Figure 1 is a vertical section showing a de-- vice constructed in accordance with the invention, parts being in elevation; Figure 2 is a View similar to Figure 1 but showing a slight modification.

In Figure 1, the numeral 1 marks the film magazine of a motion picture machine, the shaft 2 being supported for rotation within the magazine 1 and carrying the film roll 3. A fulcrum block 4 is located inside the magazine 1, and an angle bracket 5 is located outside the magazine, a securing element 6 passing through the wall of the magazine, and connecting both the block 4 and the bracket 5 to the magazine. A lever 7 is mounted at 8 for swinging movement on the fulcrum block 4 and carries a wheel 10 or other anti-friction device adapted to travel on the film roll 3. A switch arm 11 is pivoted .at 9 to the lever 7 intermediate the ends of the lever, the switch arm extending outwardly through an opening 12 in the magazine 1. A foot piece 14 of insulatingmaterial is attached by securing devices 15 to the outer end of the switch arm 11 and carries a contact terminal 16 adapted to slide along an insulating block 18 and to engage with a terminal 17 Serial No. 45,910.

ceiving the clamping device 19, and permitting a shifting of the block 18 and the contact terminal 17 with respectto the contact terminal 16;

Any suitable means may be provided for holding the contact terminal 16 yieldably on the block 18 for engagement with the terminal 17. If desired, a plunger v23 may be loosely mounted in the bracket 5, the plunger being provided at its inner end with a head 24 bearing on the switch arm 11, a compression spring 25 surrounding a portion of the plunger, one end of the spring bearing on the head 24, and the other end of the spring bearing on the bracket 5. Inward movement of the plunger 23 is limited by a wing nut 26 threaded on the plunger and bearing against a curved washer 27 mounted to rock on the bracket 5.

The electric mains are denoted by the nu- 7 meral 28 and are connected with the terminals 16 and 17 respectively, by conductors 29'and 30. A signal 31 is interposed in one of the conductors, in the conductor 30, in the present instance. The signal 31 may be a lamp or other kind of a signal, either visible or audible.

As the film is run off the reel, the lever 7 swings downwardly, the wheel 10 traveling on the film roll 3, the arm 11 being carried downwardly, and the contact 16 coming into electrical engagement with the contact 17. When the contacts 16 and 17 are in engage ment, the signal circuit is closed, and the signal 31 is operated, thereby admonishing the operator that the film roll is almost run off. As soon as the contact terminal 16 moves downwardly out of engagement with the contact terminal 17, the signal circuit is opened and the signal 31 no longer operates, the operator being then advised that the machine needs immediate attention.

In Figure 2 of the drawings, parts hereinbefore described have been designated by numerals previously used, with the suflix a. In Figure 2, the magazine 1 is of rectangular form, Whereas the magazine 1 of Figure 1 is of cylindrical outline. The modifications in Figure 2 are few and simple. The

lever 7 is shown curved in Figure. 1. and

straight in Figure 2, the angle bracket 5 is changed slightly from the showing of the angle bracket 5, and the same observation holds true with respect to the angle bracket 20. The operation of the device depicted in Figure 2 does not differ from the operation of the form shown in Figure 1.

WVhat is claimed is In a device of the class described, a magazine having an opening, a fulcrum block located inside the magazine, an angle bracket located outside the magazine, a securing element passing through the wall of the magav zine and engaging the fulcrum block and one leg of the angle bracket to bind the angle bracket and the fulcrum block on the wall of the'magazine, a lever within the magazine, one end of the lever being pivoted to the fulcrum block, and the other end of the lever having means for riding on a roll of film within the casing, switch mechanism comprising an arm pivoted to the intermediate portion of the lever and extended out of the magazine through the opening, a plunger slidably mounted in the other leg of the angle bracket and having a head which bears against the arm, and a compression spring surrounding the plunger, one end of the spring exerting a thrust against the head, and the opposite end of the spring exerting a thrust against said other leg of the angle bracket.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature.

HUBERT M. \VHITAKER.

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