Improvements in Kinetoscopic Projecting Apparatus.
Year: 1896

page_text: This Print is in accordance with the Original Specification as it stands after
Amendment (under Section 11 of the Patents, &c., Act, 1883), as required by
the decision of the Comptroller General of the 23rd day of December 1896.
Date of Application, 30th June, 1896-Accepted, 22nd Aug.. 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION (AMENDED).
Improvements in Kinetoscopic Projecting Apparatus.
I, GEORGE RICHARDS, of Suffolk House, Laurence Pountney Hill, London, in
the County of Middlesex, 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:-
My invention relates to a machine for enlarging and projecting small pictures
on to a screen. The machine is used to enlarge that class of pictures taken on
what are known as films, on which a large number of small pictures are taken
consecutively of an object generally while in motion. As a rule about 450 of
these pictures are taken of an object, thus forming a picture in its complete shape:
The object of my invention is particularly to obtain extreme accuracy of register
and movement of the film so that the pictures projected on the screen and enlarged
generally about one hundred times, will not present the unsteadiness which is now
usual in this class of machine. It further relates to the movement of the films
by improved mechanical methods. It also relates to means of dealing or moving
or handling the films to advance and stop them at stated periods of time, in such
manner that there are no strains brought to bear on the films to elongate them or
distort them or destroy them or in any way to cause the wear and tear of the films
which is now common in these machines. In order to assist in the care of the film
and to reduce the wear and tear of it my invention relates to an improved form of
spool for carrying and protecting the film both before being shown and after it has
passed through the machine. The film or a number of films are wound on to a
spool having side plates of sufficient diameter to suit twelve films each fifty feet
long. The side plates of the spool are loose to revolve independently from the
spool. When the spool is placed in position on the machine, the side plates are
held from rotating, by which means the film has only to revolve the light spool.
My invention also relates to the arrangement of the frictional device for moving
the spool to carry the film so as to combine the motions of unwinding and winding
of the films as they pass through the machine.
My invention also relates to the general combination and arrangement of the
parts to obtain the desired results-register, accuracy, and stability-in this class of
machine.
In the accompanying drawings:-
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the complete machine, and
Fig. 2 a front elevation thereof.
Fig. 3 is a side view and Fig. 4 an end view of the worm which serves to advance
the film at given periods of time.
Fig. 5 is a sectional view showing the construction of the spool on which 'the film'
is wound, and also the friction device for driving same.

page_text: The film or ribbon of pictures a is wound upon the spool 6 and placed upon the
-shaft of the machine and after passing in front of the lens V which projects the
pictures thereon,on to a suitable sereen such film is re-wound on to spool & mounted
on the shaft c'. In its passage from one spool to the other the film passes over
two wheels or rollers, provided with.a.series of pins, 2, 2, on their peripheries
which engage with corresponding holes or perforations in the edges of the ribbon
of pictures. These wheels e. are mounted respectively upon the shafts g, h,
which are rotated by pinions i,j, actuated by a driving gear k common to both.
The wheel is driven by a worm wheel actuated by the worm m which is of
special construction, being what is known as a "drunken worm." As shown in
Figs. 3 and 4 the thread n of this worm is in the form of an annular ring at the
points o and p, but at the portion r such thread is at an angle sufficient to give the
required pitch to the worm. The result of the rotation of this worm is that during
a given part of its rotation (as may be desired) the worm wheel l'will'be moved
a tooth. The principal and peculiar advantage of the application of this worm m
to this machine is that it produces the required movement of the worm wheel / at
any required rate of speed and then retards and finally locks the worm wheel and
consequently the teeth. of the train of gearing k, l, i, j, in such a manner as to
produce the required degree of accuracy and register which is essential, to
produce a good picture on the screen. The worm m is keyed on the shaft o' which
is driven by the operator generally by hand, but which may be actuated by clock-
work mechanism if desired. This shaft a supported in the bearings s, ni its outer
end carries a shutter t, which is arranged to obstruct or cover the lens V during a
part of the rotation of such shutter ccrresponding with the period of movement of
the film carrying the pictures produced by the train of gearing in the manner
previously described. The shaft o'drives all the rotating mechanism for advancing
the film and revolving the shutter for closing the lens in such manner that their
relative movements are positive.
The winding and unwinding of the films is accomplished by means of the worm x
on shaft o' and worm wheel y on shaft c. The worm wheel y receives a continuous
motion during the time that shaft o' is being rotated, so as to keep the proper
tension on the film or ribbon of pictures a, at the points p', p².
As the film is being wound on to the spool & the diameter gradually increases
and in order to maintain a constant tension on the film at p2 it is consequently
necessary to provide a slipping motion in the means for driving such spool. This
can be effected by causing the wheel y to drive such spool through a small
friction wheel or disc as shown at a against which it is forced by the action of
a spring instead of driving same directly. The spindle c of spool b from which
the film is to be unwound is connected with spindle c' of spool 61 by means of the
band wheel con spindle c' and band wheel d' on spindle e through a suitable
band, in such a manner that the relative movement of one spool corresponds with
that of the other, so as to keep the film in uniform tension.
The construction of the spools band & is shown separately in Fig. 5 as well as
in the general view in Fig. 2. The two sides s', s of the spools are made to be
loose on the tube t, so that when the spool is put on the spindle e ore and
clamped thereto by the thumb. wheel w', such sides can be held from rotating
by the locking pins a, a. Only the centre part of the spool will consequently
rotate and as this is very light the momentum will be very slight, which is a point
of considerable importance in enabling a correct register of the successive pictures
to be attained on the screen, when consideration is given to the great rapidity.
with which the movements occur.
The spindle g carrying the pin wheel or roller e is mounted in an arm which
is pivotted coincident with the centre of the gear wheel k, and such arm can be
turned round its centre by means of the screw m¹ and then locked by the lock
nut n. The object of this movement is to adjust the pin wheels e.and f so that
they correspond accurately with the register or distance of the pin holes in the
edges of the film. The mounting of this bracket or arm r¹ on the centre of the

page_text: wheel k is so that no backlash or movement can occur in the gear teeth when it is.
moved, and is of importance in ensuring the accurate register and movement of
the pictures.
The lens V carried by the frames f¹, f, and the projecting part f³ of the
machine is of ordinary construction such as is used in magic lanterns. The plate h¹
which is placed in contact with the film has an aperture equal to the size of the
picture on the film. The light for illuminating the picture is placed at the back
of the machine and is of ordinary construction, and may be either an electric,.
oxyhydrogen or other suitable light, of any desired construction.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I would have it understood
that I am aware of the Specification of Letters Patent granted to Messrs. Rigg
and Kumberg No. 6731 A.D. 1896 in which a mechanism is described for giving
rapid intermittent motion to the picture film, viz.-A worm wheel and worm with
angular teeth en a small portion of the circumference and I therefore make no
claim to such mechanism per se but I declare that what I claim is :-
In machines for enlarging and projecting small pictures on to a screen:-
1. The employment of two wheels or rollers over which passes a film bearing a
series of pictures and between which rollers the film is brought opposite a lens,
such wheels or rollers being driven by a gear wheel common to both, substan-
tially as and for the purpose specified.
2. Mounting one of the wheels or rollers referred to in the preceding claim upon
an adjustable arm pivotted on the centre of the wheel by means of which both
wheels or rollers are driven, substantially as specified.
3. The combination with the arrangement set forth in Claim 1 of a "drunken
worm" for actuating the gear wheel which drives the two wheels or rollers over
which the film passes, substantially as specified.
4. The employment of a friction device for driving the spool on which the film.
carrying the pictures is rewound, substantially as specified.
5. Making the body of the spools separate from the sides and mounting the
latter on the body so that the body can turn independently of the sides, in com-
bination with means for locking such sides when the spools are mounted on their
spindles, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
6. The improved machine constructed substantially as herein described and as
shown in the accompanying drawings, and operating substantially in the manner-
herein specified.
D
تيمم
7
ALLISON BROS.,
Agents for the Applicant.