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)

No. 785,237. Patented March 21, 1 905. United States Patent Office. ALBERT E. SMITH, OF BROOKLYN. NEW YORK. ASSIGNOR TO THE VITAGRAPH COMPANY OF AMERICA, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK. FILM-HOLDER FOR KINETOSCOPES. SPECIFICATION forming p<*.rt of Letters Patent No. 785,237, dated March 21, 1905. Original application filed April 24, 1903, Serial No. 153,354. Divided and this application filed April 2, 1904. Serial No, 201,277. To 'ill irJiori) it m ii ii concern: Be it known that I, Albert E. Smith, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State 5 of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Film -Holders for Kinetoscopes,of which the following is a specification. This invention, which by requirement of the io Patent Office was divided from my application for Letters Patent tiled April 24. 1903, Serial No. 153,354, consists in certain peculiarities in the construction of the means for holding the turn in its passage across the light 15 apertures, substantially as hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the subjoined claims. The particular object of the present invention is to provide a simple and practical means. 20 which will most efficiently hold the film in its passage across the light-aperture of the kinetoscope and will accommodate itself to irregularities in the film. This object is well accomplished by the construction shown in the 25 accompanying drawings, in which — Figure 1 is a central vertical section and partial side elevation of a machine embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the friction-plate when in position to 30 hold the film. Fig. 3 is a similar view of the other side of the plate. Fig. -I is a central vertical section and partial plan view of the cushion-spring and film. Fig. 5 is a miniature front elevation of the friction-plate and 35 its related parts. The same reference characters designate the same parts in the several figure.-. The general construction of the kinetoscope partially shown in the accompanving draw 4° ings resembles that disclosed in Letters Patent of the United States No. 673,320. granted to me April 30, 1901. For this reason and as the particular detail construction of kinetoscope is not essential to the present invention, 45 which relates to the film -holding plate or means for holding the film, a detail description of the parts is not deemed to he essential further thaD to state that 1 designates the film. , which has perforated edges, and is fed from I an upper supply-roll, (not shown,) passes un 50 der the upper sprocket-drum 3, above the guide-roll 4 and bends outward, .and thence passes downward in front of the guide-roll 5 and to the lower sprocket-drum 6. While taking this course the film 1 passes in front 55 of the light-aperture 2. It is in practice fed intermittently by the means shown in my application Serial No. 153,354, of which, as above stated, the present application is a division. 60 Hinged at 5 to swing upon bearings secured to the framework of the apparatus is a friction-plate 7, having an aperture 8, which registers with the general light-aperture 2 of the kinetoscope and provided on its outer side 65 with four projecting casings or pockets 9, which are arranged in two vertical pairs. Incased in said pockets are coiled springs 10, through which extend inwardly-projecting posts 11, which posts have threaded engage 70 ment with screws or heads 12 at their outer ends. Each pair of posts is connected with a flat steel film-holding strip 13, of which strips there are two employed, arranged one at each side of the light-aperture. Each of said strip-, 75 13 is bent outward at its top 14 and inward at its bottom 15. and its lower portion is formed with an elongated slot 16, arranged opposite the teeth of the lower sprocket wheel or drum 6 in order to accommodate said teeth, and 80 thereby prevent the same from pressing the strips out of engagement with the film. Said strips thus constitute cushionsprings, and they are of sufficient width to afford a smooth firm bearing-surface against the two vertical 85 sides of the film as it moves downward. They bear upon the. edges of the film where the sprocket-wheels are situated and do not bear upon any portion of it-; surface displaying the picture. They also follow the curve of 90 the film on its downward path and produce upon it a firm, uniform, and continuous pressure. This device is much more efficient than a number of small springs arranged along the 95 path of the film. It not infrequently happens that the film is broken and has to be mended. At the place where so mended there is an