In the District Court of the United States, for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, the United States of America, petitioner, vs. Motion Picture Patents Company, et al., defendants (1914)

Record Details:

Title:
In the District Court of the United States, for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, the United States of America, petitioner, vs. Motion Picture Patents Company, et al., defendants
Date:
1914
Publisher:
New York, Appeal Printing Co.
Volume:
In the District Court of the United States, for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, the United States of America, petitioner, vs. Motion Picture Patents Company, et al., defendants : record volume 6
Leaf #:
000361
Language:
English
Collection:
Early Cinema and Government & Law
Format:
Periodicals
Contributor:
The Museum of Modern Art Library, New York
Sponsor:
Media History Digital Library
Coordinator:
Media History Digital Library
Description:
These seven volumes contain the testimonies and supporting documents from the U.S. District Court's antitrust lawsuit against the Motion Picture Patents Company (MPPC). Formed in 1908, the MPPC (sometimes referred to asœ"the Edison Trust" or just "the Trust") sought to control the American film industry through pooling patents and demanding that producers and exhibitors acquire licenses to those patents. Independent producers and exhibitors, who refused to license the patents, argued that the MPPC was an unlawful monopoly. In 1912 and 1913, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania heard testimonies from both MPPC members, such as Siegmund Lubin, and "Independents" who later became Hollywood moguls, such as William Fox. Ultimately, in 1915, the case reached the U.S. Supreme Court, which found the MPPC in violation of the Sherman Antitrust Act and spelled the end for the already weakening MPPC. -- Eric Hoyt, 2012
Date Added:
September 21, 2023
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673,329 by the Geneva gear 16j, is adapted to pull the film downward and to bring each of its sections in succession opposite the aperture 12b in the stationary diapbragm 12*. It some5 times happens that the film, being composed of stiff celluloid, springs backward in its passage from, the feed-roll 2 to the guide-sprocket 20*. It is then apt to strike against the adjusting-pinion 9a. In order to avoid the in io jury which might result from such action, I have provided a shield over the pinion, consisting of two elastic pieces of metal 22 and 22*, which, beinsr placed between the film and the pinion, effectually prevents any contact 15 between them. The manner of operating this apparatus in making an exhibition is as follows: The film is first adjusted upon the sprockets of the guide 20* and drum 17* by means of the holes 20 in the side of the film, so that one of the sections of the film coincides with the aperture 12b in the diaphragm 12*. The actuatinggear being then set into operation, an intermittent rotary motion is communicated to the 25 lower sprocket-drum 17* and the film is drawn downward, so that each successive section is brought in front of the aperftire 12b in the diaphragm 12* and permitted to rest there for an instant, the revolving shutter 19* shutting 30 off the light which otherwise would pass through the aperture 12b. The rapid projection of the pictures upon the successive sections of the film causes the illusion of the representation of a moving scene upon the 35 screen. Now if during the course of the exhibition it happens that the film should buckle and spring away from the sprocket-guide 20* when it is drawn forward again by the motion of the sprocket-drum 17* it misses one of 40 the sprockets in the guide 20* and then the sections of the film will no longer coincide or register with the aperture 12b in the diaphragm 12*. It will be remembered, however, that the diaphragm 12* is fixed. If, therefore, 45 the handle 10, which actuates the pinion 9*, be. moved so as to bring the sections of the film as they are moved forward again in coincidence with the aperture 12b in the diaphragm 12*, the mischief has been remedied 50 and the picture no longer appears to be out of registry. It will be observed also that as the actuating mechanism of the film is all mounted upon the movable frame 4 no cessation of the forward motion of the film needs 55 to take place while the adjustment referred to is being made, a result which prior to my invention had not been accomplished. What I claim as new is — 1. In a kinetoscope, the combination with a 60 fixed apertured diaphragm, of a frame adapt ed to carry the picture-film, actuating mechanism for the film, such mechanism being carried by said frame, and means for adjusting the position of the frame, the film and the actuating mechanism with respect to the dia 65 phragm. 2. In a kinetoscope, the combination with a fixed apertured diaphragm, of a frame adapted to carry the picture-film and its actuating mechanism, and means for adjusting the po 70 sition of the frame with respect to the diaphragm, consisting of a rack secured to the frame, a fixed pinion adapted to mesh with the rack and means for rotating the pinion. 3. The combination in a kinetoscope of a 75 movable frame adapted to carry a picturefilm and its propelling mechanism and provided with a rack, with a fixed diaphragm having a light-aperture and a support for said diaphragm, guides adapted to control the di 80 rection of motion of the frame and a pinion adapted to actuate the rack and frame. 4. In a kinetoscope, the combination with a fixed diaphragm provided with an aperture adapted to admit of the passage of the light, 85 and film-actuating mechanism, of means for adjusting the position of a picture-carrying film with respect to the aperture, consisting of a movable frame upon which are mounted the film and its said' actuating mechanism, 90 said frame bei"ng designed to move the film with relation to the diaphragm, guides adapted to control the direction of the movement of said frame and means for producing said movement. 95 5. In a kinetoscope, a frame adapted to carry the film, propelling mechanism for the film also carried by said frame, a frame adapted to carry the diaphragm and its light-aperture and means for adjusting the relative po 100 sitions of the two frames and holding them in position after adjustment, the film and the light-aperture being moved one in relation to the other in the frame adjustment. G. In a kinetoscope, a frame adapted to 105 carry the film and its propelling mechanism, a frame adapted to carry the diaphragm and its lightaperture and means for adjusting the relative positions of the two frames and holding them in position after adjustment, no consisting of a rack secured to one frame and a pinion secured to the other and having an operating-handle. Witness my hand this 13tb day of March, 1900, in the presence of two subscribing wit 115 nesses. ALBERT E. SMITH. Witnesses: J. Stuart Blackton, Wm. T. Rock.