Improvements in Cinematographs.
Year: 1896

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPFCIFICATION.
Improvements in Cinematographs.
I, ALFRED WRENCH, of 50, Gray's Inn Road, in the County of London, Wholesale
Optician, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in cinematographs for projecting what are
known as animated pictures on to screens, and the principal object of my invention
is to provide improved mechanism for feeding the ribbon film through the machine.
According to my invention I provide what I term an intermittent disc," that is
to say, a toothed disc on the spindle on which is mounted the toothed barrel or
cylinder which feeds the ribbon film. This toothed disc is actuated by means of a
spring pawl mounted on a crank disc or the like which revolves loosely on the feed
barrel spindle. This crank disc is driven backwards and forwards through a part
of a revolution by a connecting rod attached to a second crank disc actuated from
the main driving spindle of the machine so that the barrel spindle is caused to move
intermittently by means of the pawl. A second spring pawl is advantageously
provided for locking the "intermittent disc" when the first pawl is moving back,
that is to say, whilst each picture is being projected on to the screen and a pin or
the like is provided on the crank disc to disengage the said second spring pawl at
the required instant.
I also provide what I term a "feeder" for the ribbon film instead of the upper
toothed barrel usually employed. My feeder consists of a plate mounted on a pivoted
spindle which is provided with a spring so that the feeder keeps the ribbon film
taut in front of the lens but yields when the feed barrel pulls on the said ribbon.
The plate is provided with a spring plate or back to keep the ribbon film in position"
on the same.
A drum is also advantageously provided on which the ribbon film can be wound
after it has passed through the machine and a plate is furnished to guide the said
ribbon film from the toothed feed barrel on to the said drum.
A curved spring plate is provided for holding the ribbou film against the feed
barrel, the said plate being pivoted in such a manner that it can be pulled back so
as to allow the ribbon to be removed when desired.
Dated this 12th day of August 1896.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in Cinematographs.
I, ALFRED WRENCH, of 50, Gray's Inn Road, in the County of London, Wholesale
Optician, 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:-
This invention chiefly relates to improvements in cinematographs for projecting
what are known as animated pictures on to screens and the principal object of my
invention is to provide improved mechanism for feeding the ribbon film through the
machiue, my improvements however are also applicable to cameras for taking
cinematographic pictures.
According to my invention I provide what I term an "intermittent disc," that is
to say, a toothed disc on the spindle on which is mounted the toothed barrel or
cylinder which feeds the ribbon film. This toothed disc is actuated by means of a
spring pawl mounted on a crank disc or the like which revolves loosely on the feed
barrel spindle. This crank disc is driven backwards and forwards through a part
of a revolution by a connecting rod attached to a second crank disc actuated from
the main driving spindle of the machino so that the barrel spindle is caused to movo
intermittently by incans of the pawl. A second spring pawl is advantageously
provided for locking the "intermittent dise" when the first pawl is moving back,
that is to say whilst each picture is being projected on to the screen and a pin or
the like is provided on the crank dise to disengage the said second spring pawl at
the required instant.
I also provide what I terin a "feeder" for the ribbon film instead of the upper
toothed barrel usually employed. My feedor consists of a plato pivoted on a spindle
which is provided with a spring so that the feeder keeps the ribbon filin taut in front
of the lens but yields when the feed barrel pulls ou the said ribbon. Tho plate
is provided with a spring plate or back to keep the ribbon film in position on
the same.
A drum is also advantageously provided on which the ribbon film cau be wound
after it has passed through the machine and a plate is furnished to ensure that
tho said ribbon film is removed from the toothed feed barrel as it passes on to the
said drum.
A curved spring plate holds the ribbon film against the feed barrel the said plate
being pivoted in such a manner that it can be pulled back so as to allow the ribbon
to be removed when desired.
To euable iny invention to be fully understood I will describe the same by
reference to the accompanying drawings, in which :-
Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation of apparatus constructed according to my
invention; and,
Figure 2 is a plan view of the same partly in section.
Figure 3 is an end elevation partly in section; and,
Figure 4 is a side elevation some parts being removed.
Figure 5 is a sectional side elevation illustrating a modification of my invention;
and,
Figure 6 is an end elevation of the same.
Similar letters of reference illustrate corresponding parts in the several figures.
a is one wall of the frame of the apparatus and b is a screen or partition on the
aid frame having in it an opening or aperture e past which the ribbon film is moved
and of the size adapted to that of the pictures to be exhibited.

page_text: d is the lens or projector and e is the shutter which serves to cut off the light
during the movement of the ribbon film the said shutter having two blados or
plates e, el which as shewn form segments of the surface of a cylinder and which as
the shutter is rotated are alternately brought opposite to the opening c.
f is the ribbon film, g is the roller from which the same is drawn and his the
roller upon which it is wound, the roller being rotated under the pull of the film
whilst the roller & is positivoly rotated as hereinafter described.
i is the feed wheel having at or near its two ends the peripheral teeth j, j which
engage with holes formed in the edges of the ribbon film to feed the same forward
as the said feed wheel is rotated. This feed wheel is mounted on a shaft k which
projects through the wall a of the frame and has fixed on its outer end the ratchet
whool which constitutes the intermittont disc hereinbefore referred to. Intermittent
motion is imparted to the shaft k through the medium of the crank disc m carrying
a spring pawl ma engaging with the teeth of tho said ratchet wheel &, the said crank
disc being loosely mounted on the shaft k and operated from the second crank disc n
through the medium of the rod n which connects the two crank discs together, the
diameter of the disc a being considerably less than that of the disc m so that the
complete rotation of the former only produces an oscillation of the latter. Tho
crank disc a has gear tooth upon its periphery and engages with a goar whool o
fixed upon a driving shaft o' which carries the shutter e and which receives its
motion from any suitable source, through the medium of say a belt running upon
a pulley o
The relative diameters of the wheels n and o, as shewn in Figuro 4, are as 1 to 2
so that oach revolution of the driving shaft o' (during which two obscurations by the
shutter take place) causos two oscillatory movements of the disc m and consequently
two forward movements of the feed wheel i it being understood that the shutter is
arranged in such relation to the other parts that during the time that the ribbon
filin is boing moved the shutter cuts off the light, and that each movement of the
feed wheel corresponds with the length of one picture.
2 is tho spring pawl which performs the double function of preventing the
backward movement of the intermittent disc whilst the disc m with its pawl is
moving backwards and the forward movement of the said intermittent disc under
the momentum of the connected parts. This pawl p engages with a ratchet wheel pl
fixed upon the shaft k and having a number of teeth corresponding with that of the
ratchet wheel; the free end of the said pawl is provided with a tooth 7 which
engages with the notches g' formed in the wheel p. It will be readily understood
by reference to Figure 4 of the drawings how this tooth prevents the rotation
of the wheel in one direction whilst the pawl prevents the movement in the reverse
direction.
The said pawl p is moved to disengage the tooth q from the notch of the ratchet
wheel with which it is in engagement by the impingement of a pin on the disc m
against the pawl during the backward movement of the disc ma in the direction of the
arrow Figure 4 so that during the next forward movement the pawl will again act
to arrest the feed wheel at the desired point. The tooth q upon the pawl prevents
the backward movement of the feed wheel or barrel i during the backward movement
of the disc m owing to the friction of the pawl me when sliding back over the teeth
of the ratchet wheel L.
As hereinbefore stated the drum h, on to which the ribbon film is wound after
passing the opening c is positively driven. As shewn in the drawing this motion
of the winding drum h is effected through the medium of a belt r running on a
pulley on the end of the shaft o' and on another pulley on the shaft a of the
said drum A. As during the winding ou of the film the diameter of the winding
surface will gradually increase I provide for allowing the said drum h to vary its
speed as required by communicating the motion of the shaft & thereto through the
modium of a spring disc which bears against the side of the said drum with
sufficient friction to cause the rotation of the said drum when required whilst at the
same time permitting the movement of the said drum independently of the shafts.
8

page_text: In order to maintain the tension of the film I provide a similar friction arrangement
in connection with the shaft of the dram g as shown at 1, Figures 2 and 4.
vindicates what I term the "feeder" which feeder is a plate pivotally mounted
upon a spindle v¹ and acted upon by a spring v2 which tends to move the plate in a
direction to maintain the ribbon film taut in front of the opening c. This feeder is
faced on its upper side with velvet or other material which will not injure the film
when passing over it and has arranged in conjunction with it a back plate also
faced with velvet and acted upon by a spring arranged under the end of a pivoted
arm v' carrying the said plate
w is a "presser" hinged at w' and serving to hold the ribbon film in close contact
with the surface in which the opening e is formed the said presser having formed in
it an opening t" of the same size as the pictures to be exhibited. This presser w
has attached to it a rod w the upper end of which is screw-threaded and projects
above the framing and carries a nut w engaging with a bracket w by means of
which nut the said presser may be adjusted vertically in order to bring the
opening in exact coincidence with the pictures on the ribbon film.
As this rod t is not quite in alignment with the axis of the hinge w the
bracket is provided with a curved slot (with which a groove on the nut w
engages) to permit of the circular movement of the said rod when the presser is
tarned upon its hingo to enable the film to be removed.
is a spring which bears upon the face of the said presser w to hold it in contact
with the ribbon film, an opening w being formed in the said presser for allowing it
to be turned back over the spring. to, to are guide pieces between which the presser
normally lies and which serve to guide the film f.
z Figure is the curved spring plate which bears upon the ribbon film to ensure
the engagement of the teeth j, j of the feed roller with the holes in the edges of the
said ribbon film, the face of the said spring plate being covered with velvet or other
material which does not injure the film. To the said plate is attached a pivoted
ring projecting through a slot in the partition b, the said ring serving for pulling
the said plate out of contact with the band and, when turned through an angle
of 90°, holding it in its backward position.
y is the plate which ensures that the band shall be disengaged from the pins j, j
and so be prevented from being carried round with the feed wheel i.
The apparatus hereinbefore described is especially intended for uso in combination
with a lantern for projecting pictures on to a screen, it is also applicable, however,
in connection with a photographic camera for taking cinematographic pictures.
In this case instead of employing a shatter of the kind shewn in Figures 1 and 2
it is necessary to employ a tightly fitting shutter which will obscure the light, such
for instance as that shewn in Figures 5 and 6, which consists of a plate z having an
opening formed therein and rotating over the surface of the partition b in which
is the opening e through which the light enters the camera.
As with this arrangement only one exposure takes place at ench revolution of the
shaft o' (to which the shutter is connected by bevel wheels z2, 23) it is necessary that
the crank disc m should make only one oscillation at each rotation of the said shaft
instend of two. Instead therefore of driving the said crank disc through the
medium of gear wheels, as shown in Figure 4, I advantageously drive it by means
of an eccentric and rod a as shown in Figure 5.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a cinematograph the combination with the drums from one of which the
ribbon film is unwound and on to the other of which it is re-wound the latter of which
is positively driven, of a feed wheel engaging with the said band and operated to
move the band forward intermittently by means of ratchet mechanism, a spring tension
device (v), the presser (w), the curved plate (a) and the stripping plate (y), all
substantially as described.

page_text: 2. In a cinematograph the combination with a feed wheel engaging with the
film band of a ratchet wheel operated by a pawl carried by an oscillating crank
disc, substantially as described.
3. The combination with a camera for taking cinematographic pictures, of
apparatus constructed, substantially as herein before described.
D 1007
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.