US1878215A - Self-threading motion picture apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 20, 1932. H. c. WELLMAN 1,878,215

SELF THREADING MOTION PICTURE APPARATUS Original Filed bee. 4', 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept. 20,1932. g, WELLMAN 1,878,215

SELF THREADING MOTQON PICTURE APPARATUS original iiled Dec. 4, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 PI E HowarcZGWZlmam ATTORNEYS.

IN V EN TOR.

driven dis a of apparatus Patented Sept. 20, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT? OFFICE HOWARD O. WELLHAN, OI ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASS IGNOR TO EASTMAN KODAK COM- PANY, OI ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION 01 NEW YORK SEm-TEBEADING MOTION IPICTUIRE APPARATUS Application filed December 4, 1926, Serial No. 78,121. -Re11ewed December 2, 1931.

This invention relates to motion picture apparatus and particularly to such apparatus in which there is provision for the automatic threading of the film. More speciallyrit relates to an im rovement applied to the type isclosed in United States Patent 0. 1,745,874, granted Feb. 4, 1930 to Adolph Stuber and Ernest E. Underwood.

In this type of self-threading apparatus, a tunnel-like channel is provided through the machine so that, when the end of the film 1s introduced into one end, it will be gulded automatically therethrough. The several portions of the tunnel comprise separable members, and the object of my invention is to supply crating means insuring that all of these wil be operated simultaneously. Other objects and advantages will appear in the following description wherein reference 1s made to the accompanying drawings, in which the same reference characters designate the same parts throughout.

Fig. 1 is a side view of aprojector embodyin my invention;

Tig. 2 is a side view of a portion thereof on a larger scal'e'showing certain operating connections in dotted lines andthe guide members closed; I

Fig. 3 is a similar, view with the guides open and the cover largely broken away;

4 Fig. 4 is a section on line-44of. Fig. 3;

Fig, 5 is a fragmentary section showing the guides in closed position.

The apparatus,'in the'form shown, comprises a solid standard or frame 1 havmga heavy base or support 2 and longitudinal wall 3. On'the rear are pivoted at 4 and 5 arms 6 and 7 supporting reels 8 and 9 respectively, there being for the latter a rewind mechanism 10. v

The partition carries a cylindrical casing 11 on one side about which the film F is looped, being propelled continuously from reel 9 and to reel 8 by spfocket12 and being advanced intermittently y claw 13 on arm 14 ivoted at the other end 15 to a 16 intergearin with disk 19 to which is pivoted at 20 a lin 21 which is also pivoted at 22 to arm 14. The front part of the casing 11 consists of a sheet metal 'arcuwhich is ate plate or member 18', the ends of which are supported on pins 23 and the rear por tion of which is a solid arcuate boxing 34. The casing has a cover 17 removably held in place by keyhole slots 36 engaging with ends of pins 23 which are shaped to form suitable buttons for this purpose. 1 The objective is carried bythe usual mount 25 supported on plate 26 pivoted on stud 33 and held in place by a latch pin 24.

A presser member 27 for the film has an arcuate surface 28 adapted to fit against the side of the casing 11 and form with it a guide for the film as it passes the projection windows at 29 and 30 in these members. At its upper end, this presser member has an inclined arm 31 with a slot 32 having slidable engagement with pin 33 carried by wall 3. The end 35 of a spring coiled around pin 33 contacts the presser member and presses it toward the casing. The lower end of the presser member 27 ,has an inclined end 38. When I refer to the gate, I mean that portion of,the members by which the film is held in position at and guided past the exposure window.

Near sprocket 12am two t'runnions 39 on which are pivoted two members 40 which are spring pressed toward the sprocket. Fixed guide members 42 extend between the flanges to the casing 11. Pivoted on the same trunnions are two symmetrically arran ed guide A 17 by means of stub shaft 57 and having an;

operatin handle 58 which when turned to the positlon marked open and closed on the cover 17 will move the members 43 and 44 to such positions with respect to the easing 11. The disk 56 carries an extension 52 which has a pimple and dimple engagement with the under side of cover17 at the limits of its movement, as indicated at 53 in Fig.2, and serves to yieldingly latch the parts in their two ositions. The cover 17 with the handle an dinks may thus be lifted from the casing 11 and the guides.

When the handle is turned to closed position, members 43 and 44 are moved toward the casing, their ends 49 and 50 engage the inclined ends 31 and 38 and force the presser member, against spring 35, to slide on pin 33 by reason of slot 32. The protuberances 61 assist in this camming action. The single handle therefore controls all three movable guide members 27, 43 and 44 in their movements in both directions.

When a perforated film is introduced between upper guides 40 and 42, it will be engaged by teeth of sprocket 12 and be guided into the open channel provided between member 43 and casing 11. It will automatically follow member 43 around and will pass beneath member 27 and thence under member 44 and out past sprocket 12 between lower guides40 and 42.

The casing 11 and guide members 43, 44

' and 27 are formed with ledges 65 at their edges which contact only the border of the film, the particular structure at the gate bein shown in section in Fig. 4.

It is to be understood that the above disclosure is by way of example and that I contemplate as included in my invention all such modifications and equivalents as properly fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure byLetters Patent is:

1. In a motion picture apparatus, a film gate, a sprocket for feeding film toward and from said gate, loop forming guides for directing film from the sprocket to the gate and from the gate to the sprocket, each of said guides being movable and having an operative position and an inoperative position for such purpose, and a unitary control for moving the guides simultaneously from inoperative to operative position. I

2. In a motion picture apparatus, a film gate com rising a fixed member and a movable mem r, movable film guides having extended guiding surfaces for directing the lead end of a propelled film to and from said gate, each guide having an operative position and an inoperative position for such purpose, and adapted in their movement from inoperative to operative position to move said movable gate member away from the fixed gate member to form a channel therebetween, links pivoted to said film guides and a common operating means to move said links and thus move the film guides simultaneously.

3. In a motion picture apparatus, a guide by which the lead end of a film may be introduced into the apparatus, a movable second guide to which the lead end of such a film so introduced will when propelled be automatically directed, a gate, the second guide having a position whereat it automatically directs the lead end of a propelled film to the gate and having a position whereat it is inoperative for such purpose, the gate comprising relatively movable members having one relation wherein they constitute an open guide, through which the lead end of a propelled film introduced from the first guide will be automatically threaded and having a second relation where they are inoperative or such purpose, a movable third guide having a position whereat it automatically directs the lead end of a propelled film from the gate to an exit guide and forms a loop of proper size therein and having a second ositlon wherein it is inoperative for such directing and loop-forming purposes, an exit guide adapted to direct the lead end of a propelled film from the third guide out of the machine, and a unitar control for operating said movable mem ers simultaneously from inoperative to operative positions.

4. In a motion picture apparatus, a film gate, a guide having an extended guiding surface for directing automatically'into and through the gate from one end thereof the I lead end of a film pro elled endwise toward the gate, a second gui e having an extended guiding surface for directing awa from said gate the lead end of a film propel ed endwise through and from the gate, the guides being movable and having positions at which they are respectively operative and inoperative for such purpose and a unitary control ositively connected to both guides to move 0th positively and simultaneously from inopera- I tive to operative position.

5. In a motion picture a paratus, a film gate having separable mem ers which when separated constitute a guide for threading the lead end of a film propelled endwise, movable guide members having extended guiding surfaces for directing to and from the gate the lead end of a film propelled endwise and for forming loops in such film above and below the gate and having positions where they are respectively operative and inoperative for such purposes, and a unitary control for moving all such movable members simultaneously from their said inoperative positions to the pfisitions where they are operative for the specified purposes.

6. In a motion picture apparatus, a film gate, means for propelling a film endwise to said gate, a guide in. the path of movement of a film so propelled and having an extended guiding surface for directing the lead end of such a propelled film into the gate, a second guide having an extended guiding surface in the path of movement of a film propelled endwise through the gate for directing it in a loop through the apparatus, the said guides being movable and each having an operative and an inoperative position for the purposes set forth and positive connections between the guides whereby both are positively and simultaneously moved from either position to the other.

7. In a motion picture apparatus, a film 5 gate, ides having extende guiding surfaces or directing to and from said gate the lead end of a film propelled endwise and for forming loops in such film above and below said gate, said guides being movable and havm ing operative and inoperative positions for such purposes and positive connections between the movable guides whereby both are simultaneously moved from either position to the other.

8. In a motion picture apparatus, a film gate, ides having extended guiding surfaces or directing to and from said gate the lead end of a film propelled endwise and for forming loops in such film above and below said gate, said guides being movable and hav ing operative and inoperative positions for such purposes and positive connections between the movable guides whereby both are simultaneously moved from. either position to the other and latch means for holding them in either position.

9. In a motion picture apparatus, a film gate, means for propelling a film endwise toward said gate, guides having extended guiding surfaces for directing to and from said gate the lead end of a film so propelled, said guides being movable and having operative and inoperative positions for such purposes and positive connections between said guides whereby both are positively and simultaneously moved from elther position to the other.

10. In a motion picture apparatus of the type adapted for endwise automatic threading of the film, a delivery sprocket, an exposure ate com rising a fixed member and a mova le meml er spring pressed against the fixed member, a fixed convex guide between the sprocket and the gate and a concave guide cooperating therewith to guide the lead end of a film propelled by the sprocket automatically into the gate and to form a loop in such film and movable between two positions at which it is respectively operative and inoperative for such purposes, and an operating handle for such movable concave guide remote therefrom and connected thereto whereby the concave guide may be moved between its operative and inoperative positions and means simultaneously operative to adjust the 1 gate for the automatic endwise threading'of the film therethrough as it is delivered thereto from the ide.

Signed at Roc ester, New York, this 30th 00 day of November, 1925.

HOWARD C. WELLMAN.

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