Improvements in and relating to Apparatus used in Displaying Pictures upon Transparent Films.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd May, 1898
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Feb., 1899-Accepted, 18th Mar., 1899
Improvements in and relating to Apparatus used in Displaying
Pictures upon Transparent Films.
We, ERNEST FRANCIS MOY, Electrical Engineer, and GILBERT HOWARD
HARRISON, Draughtsman, both of 3, Greenland Place, Camden Town, in the
County of London, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:
Our invention relates to the apparatus used in displaying or projecting the
pictures photographed or otherwise placed on transparent films, and it has for
its object to avoid damage or danger arising from fire, to which the said films are
especially liable.
Ani-
The said transparent films are now in general use in producing or representing
the pictorial effect of-motion, by displaying a series of photographs taken in quick
succession on the said films, and the operation, is frequently referred to as
mated Photographs," Living Pictures," "Cinematograph," and the like. It
is also generally known that the said films are highly inflammable, and are often
set on fire by the optical means of projecting the pictures upon, a screen; the
heat rays, as well as the light rays, being focussed by the projecting lens, thus
making the films dangerously hot. The danger is increased in setting or arranging
the picture, and properly focussing it upon the screen, as a small portion of the
film is necessarily exposed for a short time to the heat rays. This is also the
case if the movement of the apparatus and therefore of the film-is stopped for
any reason, and as a rule, an alum bath is generally used to reduce the amount of
heat concentrated upon the film.
By our invention we provide means whereby the whole or part of the heat rays
are automatically screened or cut off from the film at any time on the stoppage
of the winding operation, however short the time may be; thus ensuring the
safety of the film from fire which would otherwise occur in cases of neglect or
want of knowledge of the operator. Our invention may be carried out in several
ways, as for example by forming a groove or slot in the boss of the main driving
wheel, or in a sleeve connected therewith, and driving the said wheel by a pin
secured to the main spindle. The pin slot is conveniently made on a helical
path, and it only extends for a small portion of its turn or pitch the hole in the
sleeve being cut through and squared down to the shaft, so that the pin drives
the wheel at one end of the slot. Immediately, however, the handle is released,
a spring upon the main spindle forces the pin to the opposite end of the slot,
and in doing so a pivoted lever is moved thereby which puts a screen over the
light orifice, thus shutting off the heat rays from the film. Any suitable screen
or means to wholly or partially cut off the heat rays may be provided, but we
find that a mica screen is best, as it cuts off the heat, (or sufficient of it to pre-
vent danger occurring to the film), while it transmits enough light to enable the
operator to make any necessary focal or other adjustment to the apparatus.
Another method of automatically interposing a screen between the light and

page_text: the film is by mounting an ordinary centrifugal governor on a suitable part of
the apparatus and driving it by the handle operating the film in its passage. As
soon as the machine is set in operation the governor balls fly out and are arranged
to withdraw a screen from the light aperture by any appropriate mechanism, but
on the stoppage of motion the balls return by gravity or by a spring and auto-
matically interpose a screen as before mentioned.
We may furthermore use a frictional brake carried round by the wheel to a
required extent against a spring; or employ a quick pitched screw in a similar
manner; or any other equivalent device to automatically interpose or remove a
suitable screen for the aforesaid purpose.
FAIRFAX & WETTER.
37 & 39, Essex Street, Strand, London,
Agents for the Applicants..
Improvements in and relating to Apparatus used in Displaying
Pictures upon Transparent Films.
We, ERNEST FRANCIS MOY, Electrical Engineer, and GILBERT HOWARD
HARRISON, Draughtsman, both of 3, Greenland Place, Camden Town, in the
County of London, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:―
Our invention relates to the apparatus used in displaying or projecting the
pictures photographed or otherwise placed on transparent films, and it has for
its object to avoid danger or damage arising from fire, to which the said films are
especially liable.
66
The said transparent films are now in general use in producing or representing
the pictorial effect of motion, by displaying a series of photographs taken in quick
succession on the said films, and the operation is frequently referred to as
Ani-
mated Photographs,' Living Pictures," "Cinematograph," and the like. It
is also generally known that the said films are highly inflammable, and are often
set on fire by the optical means of projecting the pictures upon, a screen; the
heat rays as well as the light rays, being focussed by the projecting lens, thus
making the films dangerously hot. The danger is increased in setting or arranging
the picture, and properly focussing it upon the screen, as a small portion of the
film is necessarily exposed for a short time to the heat rays. This is also the
case if the movement of the apparatus-and therefore of the film-is stopped for
any reason, and as a rule, an alum bath is generally used to reduce the amount of
heat concentrated upon the film.
By our invention we provide means whereby the whole or part of the heat rays
are automatically screened or cut off from the film at any time on the stoppage
of the winding operation, however short the time may be; thus ensuring the
safety of the film from fire which would otherwise occur in cases of neglect or
want of knowledge of the operator.
In the further description of this invention reference is made to the accom- 4
panying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is an elevation of one form of the apparatus;
Fig. 2 is an elevation, and Fig. 3 a plan, of another form of the apparatus; Fig. 4
is an elevation, and Fig. 5 a plan, of a third form of the apparatus in which a
centrifugal governor is employed; Figs. 6 and 7 are also elevations in a further
modification of the apparatus as used with a centrifugal governor, and Fig. 85
is a plan thereof.

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55
It will be seen that our invention may be carried out in several ways, the first
ample being by means of an inclined or helical groove or slot a in the boss
the handle or main driving wheel, as indicated in Fig. 1, and driving the
id wheel, or the spindle or shaft c (as shown in the drawing) by a pin d secured
the said spindle, and engaging with the slot, so that the pin acts on the spindle
When the handle is turned to drive the spindle c slowly,
the end of the slot.
e shutter e remains in the position shown by the continuous line on the drawing,
us covering the oblong aperture (indicated by dotted lines) through which
he light passes to the film, but when the handle is revolved quickly the inertia
ends to press the shaft endways against the action of the spring f, carrying with
t the sleeve g and lever h, thus raising the attached shutter e to the position
ndicated by the broken line, and leaving the light opening free during the time
he film is passing rapidly through the machine by which it is operated.
mediately the speed of the shaft is reduced to a speed at which the heat action
on the film becomes dangerous, the spring f asserts its pressure, drawing the shaft
endways to the position shown in Fig. 1, and the shutter is automatically closed
It will thus be seen that if the
to cut off the heat and light rays from the film.
Im-
handle is released at any time, the spring f in forcing the shaft endways also
forces the pin d to the opposite end of the slot from the driving end, and in
doing so moves the lever h pivotally attached to the shutter e and with it the
shutter as aforesaid.
Any suitable screen or means to wholly or partially cut off the heat rays may
be provided, but we find that a mica screen is best, as it cuts off sufficient heat
to prevent injury to the film, while transmitting enough light to enable the
operator to adjust or manipulate the apparatus.
A modification of the above is shown in Figs. 2 and 3, in which the driving
wheel assumes the form of a frictional brake or wheel, driving a disc b¹ by
friction but the latter is prevented from complete turning by the spring f', while
a connecting rod g¹ communicates motion to the lever h, attached as before to
the shutter e. The spring f forces the friction wheels band together, and on the
driving wheel b being driven sufficiently fast, the spring f¹ is stretched, and the
shutter e is raised to the position indicated by dotted lines, allowing the light to
pass to the film, but on slackening speed or stopping the driving wheel b, the
spring f returns the shutter to the normal point shown by the continuous line,
thus shutting off heat from the film.
Another method of automatically interposing a screen between the light and the
film is by mounting an ordinary horizontal centrifugal governor i on the shaft c
as in Figs. 4 and 5 which is driven by the handle (not shown) used for operating
As soon as the machine is set in
the film in its passage through the machine.
operation, the governor balls fly out, moving the sleeve g along the shaft and
raising the screen e by the intervention of the attached lever h to the position
indicated by the dotted lines. On the stoppage or slackening of the motion the
balls return by the action of the spring f and the screen is again automatically
interposed between the light and the film, as before mentioned.
A further modification of the centrifugal governor method in Figs. 6, 7 and 8,
in which the coiled spring f in the former figures becomes the spring arms f to
which the governor balls i are attached, with a sleeve g, moveable along the shaft c,
as before. A pivoted rod g¹, however, is caused to work the lever h and a double
slotted disc, and thus to control a double shutter e, e, to close the light aperture
as in Fig. 6, or to open it as in Fig. 7, the manner of working being clearly
indicated in the figures.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:-
1. The herein described improvements in apparatus used in displaying upon a
screen pictures photographed upon a transparent film, consisting of the auto-

page_text: matic withdrawal of a screen interposed between the source of light and the film
while the film is in motion through the apparatus, and the automatic interposi-
tion of the said screen to cut off the light and heat rays from the film, when the
latter has ceased or is about to cease moving through the apparatus, substantially
as and for the purpose specified.
2. In apparatus for displaying pictures photographed upon a film, the com-
bination of means for actuating the film before a source of light, with a screen
placed between the said light and the film, and means for automatically removing
the said screen from the said position on putting the film in motion, and for
again automatically interposing the screen between the light and the film when
the motion of the film has stopped, or is about to stop, substantially as and for
the purpose herein specified and shown by the drawings.
3. In apparatus for displaying pictures photographed upon a film, the combina-
tion of a pivoted screen having an arm or lever attached thereto, a shaft or a
sleeve on a shaft moving endways and adapted to move the said arm or lever, a
means of driving the said shaft, and a spring, the whole arranged and operating
to automatically cause a to and fro motion of the said screen when the said shaft
is starting or stopping for the purpose hereinbefore described and as shown by the
drawings.
4. In apparatus for displaying pictures photographed upon a film, the com-
bination of a shaft adapted to actuate the film, a centrifugal governor mounted
thereon, a pivoted screen and attached lever or arm, a sleeve movable along the
said shaft by the motion of the governor and engaging with the said lever or
arm, the whole arranged and operating to automatically interpose or withdraw the
said screen in or from a position between a source of light and the film, sub-
stantially as and for the purpose herein before described and shown in the
drawings.
5. In apparatus for displaying pictures photographed upon a film, the herein
described means for automatically cutting off the light and heat rays from the
film whenever it is stopped, substantially as and for the purpose specified and
shown by the drawings.
Dat
T
T1
1000
FAIRFAX & WETTER.
37 & 39, Essex Street, Strand, London,
Agents for the Applicants.