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 #:
000394
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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785,287 extra thickness, and this is apt to cateh upon the edges of individual springs arranged to hold it in place. With my improved cushionspring, however, such portion of the film 5 glides easily between the strip 15 and the guide-roller and passes on downward, gently pushing the strip back as it goes, and no interruption of the progress of the film can occur, although the film will be firmly held in io place on both sides 'as desired. It will be understood that the invention is not restricted in scope to the detailed construction described, which is merely selected because it is believed to exemplify the best 15 embodiment of the invention. Changes in the details may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. Having thus described the invention, what I believe to be new, and desire to secure by 20 Letters Patent, is — ■ 1. In a kinetoscope, means adapted to hold the film in its passage across the light-aperture, comprising a friction-plate havingan aperture to register with said light-aperture and 25 provided at Opposite sides of said aperture with a pair of relatively movable verticallyplaced strips and with a plurality of springs arranged at different places in the length of each of said strips and pressing the same 30 against said film, said strips engaging the ] edges of the film throughout their length and exerting a continuous pressure thereon. 2. Tn a kinetoscope, means adapted to hold the film in its passage across the light-aper 35 ture, consisting of a pair of continuous vertieally-placed strips arranged at opposite sides of said aperture and engaging the edges of the film throughout their length, so as to exert a continuous pressure thereon, guiding means 40 for $aid strips comprising posts arranged at right angles to said strips and connected therewith, and coiled springs mounted on said posts and engaged with said strips. 3. The combination with the frame of a ki45 netoscope, of the friction-plate provided with an aperture to register with the light-apei ture of said frame, casings carried by said plate, spring-pressed posts in said casings and a pair of continuous strips each arranged at on£ side of said aperture and attached to a pair of said 50 posts, said strips exerting a continuous pressure against the edges of the film at opposite sides of said aperture. 4. The combination with the frame of a kinetoscope, having a light-aperture, and means 55 for feeding the film across the same comprising a sprocket to engage the film, of the friction-plate provided with an aperture to register with that of the frame, casings carried by said plate, spring-pressed posts in said cas 60 ings, and a pair of continuous strips each arranged at one side of said aperture and extending above and below the same and attached to a pair of sard posts, said strips exerting a continuous pressure against the edges of the 65 film at opposite sides of said aperture and each having a bent and slotted end portion contiguous to said sprockets. 5. The combination with the frame of a kinetoscope, having a light-aperture, and means 7° for feeding the film across the same, comprising a sprocket to engage the film, of a plate provided with an aperture to register with that of the frame, casings carried by said plate and having open outer ends, a post extending 75 from each of said casings, a pair of continuous strips each arranged at one side of said aperture and attached to a pair of said posts, a coiled spring mounted on each rjost and engaging said strip, and an adjustable head. for 80 each post mounted in the open outer end of each casing and engaging the spring therein, substantially as described. Witness my hand this 31st day of March, 1904, at the city of New York, in the county 85 and State of New York ALBERT E. SMITH. Witnesses: ESTELLE M. TlTUS, William R. Batrd.