Improvements in Machinery or Apparatus for Punching the Holes in Photographic Films for Kinematographs and the like.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 7th July, 1898
Complete Specification Left, 8th May, 1899-Accepted, 10th June, 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery or Apparatus for Punching the Holes in
Photographic Films for Kinematographs and the like.
We, ARTHUR SAMUEL NEWMAN and NEWMAN AND GUARDIA, LIMITED, both
of 92, Shaftesbury Avenue, London, Manufacturers of Scientific Apparatus, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
It is well known that the holes made at the edges of kinematograph films, for
the purpose of feeding the same along step by step, require to be made at exactly
equal distances apart lengthwise of the film, that is to say that every unit of
length of the film shall contain exactly the same number of holes at whatever
part of the length it may be measured. So far as we are aware the film-punching
apparatuses heretofore in use do not give such accurate results as to exact
equality of distance apart, or pitch, of the holes as is desirable, and the object of
our present invention is to provide apparatus which shall be more accurate in
its action than any heretofore known.
.
For this purpose we employ arrangements of the following character:-
The punches for making the holes at each side of the strip of film are mounted
in a crosshead adapted to slide up and down in suitable guides, and actuated by
connecting rods operated by eccentrics on a shaft rotating below the bed of the
machine, which bed carries the punch bolsters or dies. This part of the apparatus
is not novel as it is well known in connection with various kinds of punching
machinery; but the parts we are now about to describe form the novel features
of the invention. These parts relate more especially to the means of feeding
forward the film to the exact distance required after each punching operation
and of retaining it in that position while the next pair of holes is being punched.
Connected to the crosshead carrying the punches is a guide pin which is placed
parallel to and immediately in front of one of the punches. This guide pin is
adjustable so that it can be secured nearer to or further from the punch as may be
desired according to the required distance apart, or pitch of the holes.
guide pin is tapered at its lower end so that when the film has been fed forward
by means to be hereinafter described, it can easily enter one of the last pair of
holes punched, and move the film either forward or backward, by the action
of its tapered end, into the exact position for the punching of the next pair of
holes. It will be understood that the lower end of this guide pin stands a little
lower than the punches so that as the crosshead descends the guide pin enters one
of the previously made pair of holes, and thereby accurately adjusts the film into
position, before the punches reach the film.
The feeding devices are arranged as follows:-
The
Below the bed of the machine is a pair of vertical guides, and in these guides
a oross head which is free to rock to a certain extent in slide blocks or other
suitable devices working in the aforesaid guides. This crosshead is connected
to an eccentric rod operated by an eccentric on the driving shaft which actuates

page_text: the punches. It has also two upwardly projecting pins or rods the upper ends
of which are tapered and adapted to take, from below, into the pair of holes
which occupy the position next but one to the punch. It will be understood
that the upper ends of the aforesaid pins or rods on the lower crosshead have
imparted to them a compound motion such that they describe a kind of oval
figure the upper part of which is described while the ends of the pins or rods
are moving forwards and are in engagement with the pair of holes in the film
and the lower part of which is described while the ends of the pins or rods are
moving backwards and are out of engagement with the holes in the film.
It will be seen that this feed motion moves the film forward a distance more
or less closely approximating only to the exact distance required, and that the
exact distance is secured by the guide pin connected to the punch crosshead
which guide pin enters the pair of holes just before the feed pins or rods leave
the pair of holes in which they have been acting.
It will be obvious that instead of the rocking feed crosshead being guided by
means of slide guides it may be guided by a suitable arrangement of links and
levers forming a kind of parallel motion.
The film may also be drawn forward by means of a roller operated by any
suitable arrangement of friction gear in order to relieve the above described feed
pins or rods wholly or partly of the strain of feeding forward. The film may be
kept at the proper degree of tension by means of a weighted roller on one end
of a lever, the other end of which is adapted to apply a brake to the winding-on
roller if and when desired.
The film may be guided by suitable guides one of which is fixed so as to keep
one of the edges of the film in a straight line while being fed forward, and the
other of which guides is adjustable by spring pressure so as to keep the film
constantly pressed towards the fixed guide. These guides are preferably placed
behind the punches, that is to say at that side of the punches from which the
film is fed towards the latter.
Improvements in Machinery or Apparatus for Punching the Holes in
Photographic Films for Kinematographs and the like.
We, ARTHUR SAMUEL NEWMAN and NEWMAN AND GUARDIA, LIMITED, both
of 92, Shaftesbury Avenue, London, Manufacturers of Scientific Apparatus, 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 follow-
ing statement; -
It is well known that the holes made at the edges of kinematograph films, for
the purpose of feeding the same along step by step, require to be made at exactly
equal distances apart lengthwise of the film, that is to say that every unit of
length of the film shall contain exactly the same number of holes at whatever
part of the length it may be measured. So far as we are aware the film-punching
apparatuses heretofore in use do not give such accurate resulis, as to exact
equality of distance apart, or pitch of the holes, as is desfiable, and the object of

page_text: our present invention is to provide apparatus which shall be more accurate in
its action than any heretofore known.
And in order that our said invention may be fully understood we will now
proceed to describe the same with the aid of the accompanying four sheets of
drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a film-punching apparatus
constructed in accordance with our invention. Figure 2 is an end elevation of
same looking from right to left in Figure 1. Figure 3 is a sectional plan of
same taken on the line X-X of Figure 1, Figure is a partial sectional eleva-
tion taken on the line Y-Y of Figure 3, and Figure 5 illustrates a piece of the
punched film.
1 represents the base of the machine, 2 side frames bolted to the base 1. 3
the bed or table of the machine mounted on the side frames 2. 4 are guides
mounted on the bed or table 3, one at each side thereof. 5 is a cross-head adapted
to slide up and down in the guides 4, and actuated by connecting rods 6 operated
by eccentrics 7 on a shaft 8 rotating in bearings 9 below the bed 3. This bed 3
supports an adjustable plate 3* which carries the punch bolsters or dies 10. These
parts of the apparatus are not novel as they are well known in connection with
various kinds of punching machinery; but the parts we are now about to describe
comprise the novel features of the invention. These parts relate more especially
to the means of feeding forward the film to the exact distance required after
each punching operation and of retaining it in that position while the next pair
of holes is being punched.
Connected to the crosshead 5 is a register guide-pin 11 which is placed parallel
to and immediately in front of one of the punches 12. This guide-pin 11 is
adjustable vertically on the crosshead by means of screw-clamps 13, and hori
zontally by means of the sliding plate 1] and adjusting nut 11b working on a
screw 11 fixed to the table 3, so that it can be secured nearer to or further from
the punch 12 as may be desired according to the required distance apart or pitch
of the holes. The guide-pin 11 is tapered at its lower end so that when the
film 14 has been fed forward, by means to be hereinafter described, it can easily
enter one of the last pair of holes punched, and move the film either forward or
backward, by the action of its tapered end, into the exact position for the punch-
ing of the next pair of holes. It will be understood that as the cross-head 5
descends, the guide-pin 11 enters one of the previously made holes, and thereby
accurately adjusts the film into position, before the punches reach the film.
The feeding devices are arranged as follows:-
Below the bed 3 of the machine is secured a pair of vertical guides 15, and
in these guides works a cross-head 16 which is free to rock to a certain extent
on axial pins 17 or other suitable devices working up and down in the aforesaid
guides 15. This cross-head 16 is connected to an eccentric rod 18 operated by
an eccentric 19 on the driving-shaft 8 which actuates the punches in the manner
hereinafter described. The cross-head 16 has also two upwardly projecting pins
or rods 20, the upper ends of which are tapered and adapted to take, from below,
into the pair of holes which occupy the position for the time being next but one
to the punches 12. It will be understood that the upper ends of the aforesaid
pins or rods 20 on the lower cross-head 16 have imparted to them by the circular
motion of the eccentric 19 and the up and down and oscillating motion of the
cross-head 16 a compound motion such that they describe a kind of oval figure
or path the upper part of which is described while the ends of the pins or rods
are moving forwards and are in engagement with the pair of holes in the film 14,
and the lower part of which is described while the ends of the pins or rods are
moving backwards and are out of engagement with the holes in the film.
It will be seen that this feed motion moves the film 14 forward a distance
more or less closely approximating only to the exact distance required; and that
the panc distance is secured by the guide-pin 11 connected to the cross-head 5,
which guidespin enters the pair of holes just before the feed pins or rods 20 leave

page_text: the pair of holes in which they have been acting, and just before the punches 12
effect the punching of a pair of holes in the film.
It will be obvious that instead of the rocking feed-cross-head being guided
by means of slide-guides 15 it may be guided by a suitable arrangement of links
and levers forming a kind of parallel motion.
The punches 12 may be secured to the cross-head 5 so that they rise and fall
with it throughout the whole of its stroke; but they may be arranged as shown
in the drawings, that is to say with their upper ends adapted to slide up and
down in guide holes in a cross-head 21 fixed by pillars 21 to the plate 33, and
their lower ends adapted to slide up and down in holes in guide plates 22 fixed
to the plate 3* of the machine. Each punch 12 is provided with an adjustable
collar 23 and a spring 24 the constant tendency of which latter is to keep the
punch elevated by forcing the collar 23 up against the underside of the fixed
cross-head 21. 25 are screws screwed into the underside of the cross-head 5 and
locked in any desired position by means of lock nuts 26. The undersides of the
heads 27 of these screws come in contact with the upper ends of the punches 12
as the cross-head 5 approaches its lowest position, and impart to the said punches
sufficient movement to carry their lower ends through the film 14 the springs 24
raising the punches as the cross-head rises, until the collars 23 come against the
cross-head 21. This method of arranging and actuating the punches is prefer-
able to mounting them directly upon the cross-head 5 because it avoids the
necessity of long guides for the punches which would be necessary if the latter
were caused to move through the same length of stroke as the cross-head 5.
Besides being drawn forward by the pins or rods 20, which may be regarded
as positive feeding gear the film may also be drawn forward by means of a
roller 28 mounted loosely on a spindle 29 fixed to a bracket 30 secured to the
frame of the machine. This roller may be operated by means of a friction disc 31
connected to it by means of a sleeve 31*, such friction disc being rotated by a
friction pulley 32 turning loosely on the spindle 29, and pressed against the
disc 31 by a spring 33, the said pulley 32 being turned when the machine is
in motion by means of a band or cord 34 receiving motion from the shaft 8. It
will be understood that when the guide-pin 11 and punches 12 are acting upon
the film 14 the pulley 32 will slip against the face of the disc 30 and will allow
the roller 28 to remain stationary: but when the said guide-pin and punches are
not acting upon the film, and the feed pins or rods 20 are in engagement with
the film for the purpose of feeding the same forward, the pulley 32 will cause
the disc 31 and roller 28 to rotate in order to relieve the said feed pins or rods 20
wholly or partly of the strain of feeding forward. The film 14 may be kept at
the proper degree of tension by means of a roller 35 on the end of one arm of a
lever 36 the fulcrum 37 of which turns in bearings in a bracket 38 fixed to the
frame of the machine, the other arm 39 of the lever being provided with a brake sur-
face adapted to bear as shewn against the milled edge of brake-wheel 40 also loosely
mounted on the spindle 29 but bearing on the side of the disc 31 so as to drive
same by friction. Under normal circumstances the weight of the arm 39 keeps
the lever 36 to the right of the fulcrum 37 in Figure 1, thereby holding the
brake surface on the arm 39 free of the brake-wheel 40; but if the roller 28
winds up the film 14 too quickly. so as to put undue tension thereon, the said
tension acts to press the roller 35 to the left in Figure 1 thereby pressing the
brake surface on the arm 39 against the edge of the brake-wheel 40 so as to
retard the winding of the film on to the roller 28 until the tension is reduced to
the proper degree, when the weight of the armı 39 is again allowed to act so as
to move the lever 36 to the right in Figure 1 and to withdraw the brake surface
on the arm 39 from the brake-wheel 40.
The film may be guided laterally by suitable guides as for example by means
of a flanged roller 41, made in halves as shewn and mounted loosely on a
spindle 41 one half 42 of this roller is so set by the lock nuts 42 as to remain

page_text: in a constant position in order to keep one of the edges of the film in a straight
line while being fed forward, and the other half roller 43, is free to slide longi-
tudinally on the spindle and to be pressed by a spring 44 against the other edge
of the film so as to be self-adjusting in order to keep the film constantly pressed
towards the fixed guide flange 42. These guides are preferably placed behind
the punches, that is to say, at that side of the punches from which the film is
fed towards the latter.
In Figure 1 the direction of motion of the film through the machine is indicated
by arrows.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said in-
vention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is;
First. In machinery or apparatus for punching the holes in photographic films
for kinematographs and the like, mechanism for moving the photographic film
along step by step, which consists of a cross-head provided with pins or rods
adapted to take into feeding holes previously punched in the film, the said cross-
head having a reciprocating motion imparted to it by means of a crank or eccen-
tric, and an oscillating motion on its own axis by the same crank or eccentric,
whereby the ends of the said pins or rods are caused to describe a kind of oval-
path, and to effect the forward movement of the film by their engagement there-
with while describing one part of the said oval-path and are out of engagement
with the said film, and do not act upon it while describing the remainder of the
said oval-path, substantially as described.
Second. In machinery or apparatus for punching the holes in photographic
films for kinematographs and the like, the employment of a tapered guide-pin
placed parallel to and immediately in front of one of the punches, and operated
so as to enter one of the previously punched holes and to accurately adjust the
film in position ready for punching the next pair of holes, just before the feed
pins or rods leave the film, and just before the punches descend to punch the
said next pair of holes whereby all the pairs of holes are punched at exactly
equal distances apart, substantially as described.
Third. In machinery or apparatus for punching the holes in photographic films
for kinematographs and the like, a guiding device for the film comprising a
constantly positioned guide surface for one edge of the film and a spring urged
self-adjusting guide surface for the other edge in combination with a tapered
register guide pin substantially as described.
11
1000