Improvements in connection with the Projection of Photographs of Animated Subjects.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Apr., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 21st Jan., 1897-Accepted, 13th Mar., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in connection with the Projection of Photographs of
Animated Subjects.
I, JACOB BONN, of No. 1, Holborn Place, London, E.C. Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invontion to be as follows:-
This invention relutes to improvements in connection with the mechanism used in.
the projection upon a screen of a series of photographic pictures. Such pictures
being fed into the machine upon a continuous film and representing phases as it were
of the same event, it is essential that they should pass along stondily yet each pause
for a certain interval of time; that is an intermittent feed must be given to them
whilst the main spindle or handle of tho machine has a continuous rotary motion.
To effect this I use two sprocket cylinders placed a convenient distance apart
over which the film passes, the punctures therein allowing the sprockets or teeth on
the cylinders to engage therewith. To drive these cylinders intermittently I affix
to each a spur wheel and between the two wheels arrange an axle with a third spur
wheel which engaging with the two aforesaid one drives both cylinders. in the same
direction. As the film travels from the one to the other it is caused to pass between
a small frame in which is an aperture the required size to suit the picture. The
whole of this frame by a suitable rack and pinion I can arrange to travel a small
distance, thereby admitting of adjustability and correct register with the pictures.
In front of this aperture but distinct from it I affix a shutter which is formed of
two arms mounted in a similar manner to a pair of scissors the ends of the blades
as it were holding each a half of a shutter and being normally closed by a spring,
the travel of a pin between tho handles towards the pivotting will then open the
said shutter.
This movement is made to synchronize with the picture changes cutting off the
picture whilst a change is taking place. Any convenient moving part of the
mechanism may be used to work this shutter.
It is plain now that if the centre axle containing the third spur wheel be given
an intermittent feed the film will be fed also intermittently and to effect this I use
at the end of the axle a spur wheel specially cut to intergear with a worm to which
I apply an intermittent rotation. This worm may be so fed by affixing thereto
a pawl which engages with a ratchet wheel the latter being given a suitable
forward and backward oscillation by the reciprocating action of a rack which gears
with a pinion wheel in the same axle as the ratchet wheel. If the rack be given a
definite action by attaching it to an eccentric or crank it is plain wo may keep up
a continuous rotation of the axle carrying the eccentric or crank yet only get an
intermittent feed throughout the system.
As at high speeds the worm may tend to travel too far and upset the "register"
of the film, I may do without the reciprocating rack but give to the worm a
continuous rotatory action yot make its effect upon the special spur wheel with
which it genrs intermittent. To do this I allow the worm to travel longitudinally
upon its spindle and give it a forward movement for a part of its stroke so that
instead of its rotating the spur wheel its effect is nil as it has travelled forward itself.
This keeps the picture still but in another instant it is not only feeding the worm
by reason of a stoppage of its own longitudinal motion but it causes a fast feed if it.
be made to travel back longitudinally to its starting point.

page_text: This traversing action of the worm is readily effected by attaching to it a boss
which rotates with it, this boss having a channel cut in its periphery into which a pin
on the framing projects so that the reciprocating movement it gives the worm at oue
time nullifies the feed the worn would otherwise produce, and at another accelerates
the rate of feeding.
Improvements in connection with the Projection of Photographs of
Animated Subjects.
1, JACOB BONN of 1 Holborn Place, London, E.C. Engineer, 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 relates to improvements in connection with the mechanism used in
the projection upon a screen of a series of photographic pictures. Such pictures
being fed into the machine upon a continuous film and representing phases as it were
of the same event, it is essential that they should pass along steadily yet each picture
should pause for a certain interval of time, that is, an intermittent feed must be
given to them whilst the main spindle or handle of the machine has a continuous
rotary motion.
In order that my invention may be the better understood I will now proceed to
describe it in relation to the accompanying drawing herennto annexed reference
being had to the letters and figures marked thereon.
The illustration represents a side elevation of one form of my apparatus.
To carry my invention into effect I mount two wheels or cylinders a convenient
distance apart which are adapted to carry the film. The lower wheel or cylinder A
is mounted upon a shaft C. The periphery of this wheel A being provided with
sproket teeth a adapted to engage with orifices provided along the edge or edges of
the film V upon which the series of pictures are mado.
The wheel or cylinder A is adapted to be intermittently rolated and as the film
travels from one wheel to the other it is caused to pass between a small frame S in
which is an aperture of the required size to suit the picture.
This frame is arranged to travel a small distance by means of a suitable rack and
pinion adjustment T, whereby the frame can be adjusted and made to correctly register
with the pictures as they stop in front of it.
Upon the axle UI fix a worm wheel B in to which a worm E is adapted to engage.
This worm E is carried by a shaft F which is mounted in bearings G so as to bo
capable of a certain amount of movement endwise in the direction of its axis. Upon
the shaft FI fit a driving pulley M and a boss or cam H which has a chunnel cut in
it obliquely to the plane of revolution, into which engages a roller J carried by a pin O
arranged on any convenient part of the frame of the machine.
The action of the boss or cam H is that if a continuous rotary movement is given to
the shaft F the worm and shaft first travel longitudinally by the inclined face of the
boss engaging with the frame through the roller J and consequently as the movement
due to the boss is made to be exactly equal to that of the screw thread E, the latter
does not movo the worm wheel B about its axis at all, but travels forward bodily
itself.
This keeps the picture still for a time, but on the stoppage of the longitudinal
movement of the shaft the screw begins to feed, and moves the worm wheel and
consequently the film, and such feed is further augmented in speed by the cam H
bringing the shaft back longitudinally to its first position. This boss H therefore

page_text: nullifies the food of the screw upon the worm wheel when the picture is stationary
and accelerates it when the pictures are being ohangod.
In order to ensure that the film shall be quite stationary during the projection of
the image, I arrange a locking device to lock the wheel A. This I effect by forming
projections upon the wheel A and arranging a hinge or spring finger L having a
slot to engage the projections b. This finger L is actuated and controlled by an
excentric or cam K mounted on the shaft F so that at the part of the stroke when the
wheel A must be locked, the excentric or cain K forces the slot of the fingor I, into.
engagement with the projection that happens to be opposite to it at the time.
Spring pressed rollers W are adapted to keep the filmi in contact with the periphery
of the wheel A.
I fit a shutter R so as to eclipse the projected image and this movement is made to
synchronize with the picture changes, cutting off the picture while a change of film
position is taking place. This is effected by mounting one or more arms to revolve
about the axlo Q and to be driven by the spur wheel P which gears with another
spur wheel N mounted on the axle F, the spur wheel N being made wide enough
to properly gear with P during the full range of longitudinal movement of the
sbaft F.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1st. In a machine for the projection of images of animated subjects, means for
intermittently feeding the film, consisting of a worm engaging with a worm wheel in
combination with a cam adapted to intermittently nullify and accelerate the action of
the worm on its worm whool, substantially as and for the purpose described.
2nd. In a machine for the projoction of images of animated subjects, in combination
a wheel adapted to engage the film, a worm wheel driving the said wheel, a shaft
adapted to be moved longitudinally and continuously rotated, a worm on said shaft,
engaging with said worm wheel, a cam or boss with face or faces angularly disposed
to the plane of rotation on said shaft and a fixed abutment or device adapted to.
engago the cam face or faces substantially as described, and for the purpose
specified.
8rd. In a machine for the projection of animated subjects as clained in Claim 2
the combination of the feeding mechanism with a locking mechanism operated by the
continuously rotated shaft adapted to lock the film carrying wheel substantially as
and for the purpose described.
4th. A machine for the projection of images of animated subjects, arranged and.
constructed substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing.
Dated this 21st day of January 1897.
FELL & JAMES,
1 Queen Victoria Street, London, E.C., Agents for the Applicant.