Moving Picture News (Jan-Jun 1913)

20 THE MOVING PICTURE NEWS MI ATT-P ATENTS D EPAR T M E N T Recent Inventions, Letters Patent, Trade-Marks, Designs, Copyrights, Etc., Relating to the Art, Digested and Reported Exclusively for the Moving Picture News by Geo. Wm. Miatt, Patent Lawyer and Expert, Temple Court, cor. of Nassau and Beekman Streets, New York City Article 1, Section 8, of the Constitution of the United States provides that Congress has power to promote the progress of science and useful arts by securing for limited times to inventors the exclusive right to their respective discoveries. Obviously this provision was intended to stimulate invention, to the end that better results and ways of accomplishment might be discovered and devised, and to encourage the investment of time and money in the development of inventions, on the theory that the public would mainly benefit thereby, — the inventor only incidentally. The monopoly granted the latter does not run forever, — only for seventeen years. Nothing that existed before is monopolized by the inventor; the public may utilize everything known before the invention as freely as if the invention had never been conceived and perfected. The patentees' monopoly consists exclusively in the right, for a limited period, to enjoin others from making, using or selling only the identical thing which the inventor has produced and reduced to practical, usable form, subserving a useful purpose, beneficial, to the community. But the use of the patented article is not compulsory. The public got along without it prior to the invention thereof, and can continue to do so if it wishes until the end of the patent term, when the invention will be public property, free to all. The Government contracts with the inventor to give him the exclusive control of his invention for a limited period in consideration of his perfecting and revealing the invention and thereafter dedicating it to the public forever. This contract the proposed Oldfield Bill seeks to nullify by its compulsory license clause which would enable a wealthy and unscrupulous competitor to destroy the limited monopoly which is the main incentive to the inventor. The question is, will you allow your representatives in Washington to stand for such absurd and dangerous legislation. The Societe Anonyme des Celluloses Planchon, of Lyon, France, has applied for registration of the Trade-mark "PLAVIK" for photographic goods, machines and materials generally, including Kinematographic films and apparatus, claiming use since October, 1911. The accompanying illustration is a longitudinal sectional elevation of photographing and developing apparatus patented to Geo. C. Beidler, of Oklahoma City. Oklahoma, No. 1,057,397. This invention relates to apparatus designed primarily for reproducing writings, drawings, pictures, or the like, novel means being provided to convey the sensitized film through receptacles containing suitable developing and fixing fluids. A denotes a casing containing a compartment B, for a roll W , of sensitized paper which is projected between the rollers b. to travel over the top of said compartment and between rollers D, into the compartment E. There is an exposure chamber F, and a camera G, for taking the picture, there being an angularly disposed mirror H, for reflecting the image onto the sensitized film. The compartment E is provided with pans /, / and // to contain the liquids required in fixing and developing the exposed films. To draw the film through the several compartments, mechanism is provided consisting of a shaft K, having toothed wheels L, which mesh with a rack M, suitably guided and alternately recipro cated through the rotation of the shaft K, in opposite directions. The said rack carries clips N2, which clamp the edges of the film Y, and as the rack is moved outwardly, the film is carried through the several tanks. The clips are automatically released and set through contact with trips within the casing in the path of travel. The lever N comes in contact with pin n, when the rack has reached the limit of its forward movement, and the parts will remain in this relation until the rack has traveled nearly the limit of its outward movement when the upper end of the lever will strike a pin, thus releasing the clip to permit the discharge of the paper into the receptacle Ji. After the paper is cut by the knife O, it is desirable to move the next succeeding film portion a short distance beyond the knife in order that it may be in the path of travel of the clips. To effect this initial movement of the film, a lever R is pivoted in the casing the lever carrying a pawl S, which projects into engagement with a ratchet wheel T, on the roller D. A pin U, on the rack, contacts with the lower end of the lever R, as the rack is reciprocated and the said lever is thereby oscillated to move the pawl and cause the rotation of the said roller D. An amendment to sections 51 and 1472 of the Charter of Greater New York, which has not heretofore specifically named motion picture shows, has been introduced at Albany by Assemblyman Cuvillier in the form of a bill to include "any kinetoscope or moving picture performance" in the list of entertainments to be licensed. "Common shows" is the somewhat ambiguous title under which they are licensed at the present time, and unjustly so, for while popular they are not commonplace, being clearly differentiated from other forms of entertainment, and distinguished for excellence and quality as compared with the other miscellaneous shows of questionable merit included under that plebeian title. This tardy recognition is nevertheless welcome as another sure indication of the irresistible force and vitality inherent in this comparatively new Art, — the light of which can no longer be hidden under the bushel of professionel jealousy. Cinematography is no longer a fad or craze, but now an established and indispensable institution, as much so as the Telephone or The Moving Picture News. The camera illustrated below is of a type wherein the sensitized material is fed in a continuous strip across the focal plane, and the previously exposed portion simultaneously fed into a receptacle for developing or storage purposes and severed simultaneously with the disposal of a fresh portion of the strip in the focal plane. The front is connected to the main casing by the e% g p usual bellows 5, and „(_— „_i the casing is movable on the bed in guides 6, for focusing as usual. The casing consists of a body portion 7 in rear of which is a movable back 8 which with the body at 9 forms an exposure chamber 10. The lower portion of the body is extended rearwardly, as at 11, to form a storage chamber 12 having a lining 13 to accommodate a pan 14 into which are received the negatives after the exposure for development or storage. The roll holder 19 contains a reel 20 upon which sensitized material 21 is coiled.