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)

744,251 film-propelling mechanism, the surrounding parts, and the shutter to which I have above referred. This shutter is rotated at such a rate of speed and is so timed that it intercepts 5 the light just as the film is moved from one position of rest to another. The means for rotating it consists cf a pinion actuated by suitable gearing, which in turn is actuated from the handle of the machine. This mech ic anism is quite fily described in the patent above referred to, and such description need not be repeated here. In the drawings, 19a is the shutter adapted by its rotation to intermittently cut off the 15 light from the film as it is moved from one position of rest to another, and 19 is the actuating-pinion. This shutter is preferably made in the form of a sector of a circle and of light flexible metal. Mounted upon the 20 same shaft as the shutter 19a is the second shutter 29a, rotated by the pinion 29. This pinion 29 moves any desired number of times faster. than the pinion ]9. Consequently the shutter 29a rotates that much faster and ?5 passes the larger number of times past the light-aperture of the machine and intercepts the light that much oftener. Successive sections of the film are designated 1, 2, and 3. It will be understood that 33 each of these sections displays a picture. Iu Figs. 3, 4, 5, and G the shutter 19* is shown in the several successive positions which it would assume if it were revolving in the same direction as the hands of a watch. Now while J5 it has been moving from the position shown in Fig. 3 to that shown in Fig. 6 and the film has been stationary the shutter 29 will have rotated several times, depending upon the relation of the actuatinggears 19 sad 29, and \o will have been, for instance, during this time in the positions shown in the several figures with respect to. that of the shutter 19a. In Fig, 7 is shown the position of the shutter 19a just as the film is being moved down IS ward to a new position, this shutter intercepting the light while the motion is taking place and the section 2 is moving from the position it occupied to the position which section 1 has occupied. In the meantime the 50 shutter 29a continues to rotate, whether it actualty intercepts the light at that particular moment being immaterial. The shutter 29a may of course be placed at any other point in the path of the light 55 from the source of illumination to the screen on which the picture is projected. I have found it convenient, however, to place it in close proximity to the shutter 19a and to actuate .t from the same mechanism. Of course the rotation of the shutter 29a is actually con 6o tinuous; but its interception of the light is intermittent, because it only passes the beam of light during a portion of its revolution. Other means than a revolving shutter may be employed to carry out the principles of 65 my invention ; but I regard any such means as an equivalent if it has the functional effect of rapidly (as compared with the movement of the film) and intermittently intercepting the light passing through the film, 70 and thus reducing the flicker upon the screen. Having described mj7 invention, what I claim as new is — 1. In a moving-picture machine an intermittently-moving shutter adapted to screen 75 the film while it is being moved from one position to another, and means interposed between the source of light and the screen adapted to intermittently intercept the light consisting of a shutter moving much more So rapidly than the first-named shutter. 2. In a moving-pictnre machine, a shutter adapted to screen the film while it is being moved from one position to another, a second shutter adapted to intermittently intercept 85 the light while the film is at rest, a shaft common to both of said shutters and actuating mechanism for said shutters operating to drive the second shutter at a higher rate o£ speed than the first-mentioned shutter. 90 3. In a moving-picture machine, two relatively movable shutters and mechanism for operating said shutters at different speeds, for the purpose set forth. 4. In a moving-picture machine, a plurality 95 of relatively movable lightintercepting means and means for operating the same at different speeds, for the purpose specified. 5. In a moving-picture machine, two relatively movable shutters, each the sector of a roc circle and one larger than the other, and mechanism for actuating *he same, said mechanism operating to move one of the same much more rapidly than the other. Witness my hand this. 3d day of March, 105 1903, at the city of New York, in the county and State of New York. ALBERT E. SMITH. Witnesses: Herman Meyer, Ernest II. Koise.