Patent GB-191403333-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in and relating to Motion Picture Machines.
Inventor: POWER NICHOLAS
IPC: G03B21/18
Filed: 1914-02-09
Granted: 1915-03-18
Abstract: 3333. Power, N. Feb. 9. Kinematograph apparatus.-In a projector, the film is in a protective casing throughout its passage from spool to spool, and the machine cannot be operated until all parts of the protective casing are properly closed ; a failure of any part of the feedmechanism causes the appropriate feeding-device to stop until the fault corrects itself or is corrected by the operator, and the film can be properly threaded through by thrusting its end into the machine and operating the feed-devices. The enclosing-casing of the projector is provided with latches 102<a>, 102<b>, and the film boxes A, L are provided with latches 105, 107 respectively, all latched by a bolt 102 carried on the hinged door 11 ; a cam on the bolt 102, when the bolt is given its full movement, puts a sliding clutch 6 on the main driving-shaft 5 into operative position, so that projection cannot be effected until all have been latched. To allow of projection when desired with the door open, a hand-lever 114 is provided on the side wall of the casing, by turning which the clutch 6 is engaged ; when the door is closing, it turns up the lever 114 and puts the clutch 6 out of action, putting it into action again when fully closed. Rotation of the upper continuous-feed sprocket 16 is arrested by an increase in the size of the upper loop, and the safety shutter 89, which is carried upon the door 11 and is held up by a centrifugal device driven from the sprocket 16, thereupon falls. A guide 15 causes the film, when thrust out of the box A, to be engaged by the upper sprocket 16, and guides 18, 19 direct it upwards to the inside of a pivoted curved plate 20, which directs it in the form of a loop to the aperture guide 23, which conducts it to the intermittent sprocket 24, thence it passes to the curved plate 42, which gives it the form of a loop and directs it to the lower continuous-feed sprocket 44, from which it passes down between plates 45, 49 to the magazine L. The film may thus be correctly threaded through the. machine by thrusting one end through the slot in the wall of the first film box and operating the feed-devices. The film passes between the guide 23 and a plate 21<a> provided with edge flanges 25, Fig. 19, to prevent lateral displacement. The guide 23 is held against the plate 21<a> by a spring catch 142 which hooks over an angle-piece 143. Spring - pressed runners 26 are mounted on the guide 23 ; the pressure of the springs may be relieved by turning down the cam-lever 27<b>, closure of the door 11 turning the lever 27<b> up again. The runners 26 are provided with cross-plates 29 immediately above and below the aperture to prevent the passage of the flames in either direction. The gate 23 is provided below the aperture with fixed edge tracks 28 having central grooves receiving the teeth of the intermittent sprocket 24, and two fingers 40 carried on the swinging bracket of the guide-roller 38 extend into the guide-tracks 28 to ensure the passage of the film around and under the sprocket 24. The housing 45 of the lower sprocket 44 is made of two telescopically connected parts, the upper part of which has sufficient sliding movement to permit the roller 46 carried thereby to be raised above the top of the sprocket 44 when desired. The spool in the receiving-box L is driven from the shaft of the lower sprocket 44 by means of a belt, the grip of which is controlled by the tension of the film. The rotation of the lower sprocket 44 and, consequently, also that of the receiving-spool are arrested by a decrease in the size of the lower loop ; means are also provided for temporarily arresting their rotation by hand. For film-centring, the intermittent feed-sprocket and mechanism are carried on a block 30 vertically adjustable from the hand-lever 150.