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)

673,992 •ted to remain in the illuminated field for an interval of time exceeding the time required to effect the displacement of any ojie picture and the substitution of another therefor and 5 to automatically release the pressure exerted upon the film by the yielding member of the tension device I may employ a rotating disk, cam, or other rotating element II, Figs t, 2, and fe, having thereon, preferably, an eecen io trie stud or pin h, which may have a frictionroller It' jotirnaled thereon and adapted to impinge against the film and advance the same a predetermined distance at each revolution of said disk or cam. The disk may 15 be journaled in a suitable standard or framepiece, as/3, in such position that the stud or roller thereon ma}' press downwardly upon the film at a point between the tension device E' and drum E2, so as to cause the film to be zo moved or drawn. down ward the. required distance at each revolution of said disk or cam. A cam-surface h2 on the disk or cam H is adapted 'to engage the end of a screw A3, arranged in a pendent arm 7i4, which is secured 25 to or formed integrally with the member/2 of the tension device, in order to release the pressure on the film by said member prior to and while the film is being drawn downward by the roller h'. This roller is preferably 30 provided with a suitable covering and may have reduced ends, as shown in Fig. 8, so that it may engage the surface of the film between the perforations in order to prevent enlarging or otherwise distorting the perfora 35 lions. This arrangement permits the film to beconstantiy moved by the drums E E2, while a portion thereof is intermittently fed forward and positively held during the interval of exposure, so as to present the successive 40 pictures in the field of illumination, while maintaining sufficient tension thereon to prevent the film from sjipping or moving more than the required distance. In connection with one or both of the feed 45 drums E and E2>7 may employ a pressure device, such as shown at I in Figs. 2.and 7. This pressure device may consist of a spring having a portion thereof adapted to press the film yieldingly against the smooth face or 50 periphery of the drum, between the rows of teeth thereon, so as to hold' the film in place. A guide K may also be provided for either or both of the feed-drums, said guide being preferably supported upon a suitable stand 55 ard /,• and provided with depending arms or fingers /.', adapted to embrace theedges of the film, so as to aline the same and prevent the projections on the drum from enlargingor otherwise injuring the perforations iu the 6b film. The feed-drums E ami E2 s .on Id Jbe geared together, so as to run at a regulated speed and should revolve iu unison with eachotl er, each making a complete revolution in the 65 same instant of-timej and the disk or cam II should be so actuated and timed with respect to the rate of movement of the drums that the film may be advanced the same distance for every revolution. Though no mechanism is shown for this purpose it is obvious that 70 gearing, belts, chains, or any other suitable means may be employed and may be actuated by an electric or other suitable motor. The operation of the invention will be readily understood from the foregoing descrip 75 tion when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings,. the parts being in the position shown in Figs. I and 2. If the feeddrums are rotated at a proper speed, the film D will be moved in the direction indicated by 80 the arrows; but the pressure exerted by the tension device E will hold the film stationary with the exposed picture in the field of illumination for a predetermined time and until the disk IT lias rotated far enough to cause 85 its roller li to contact with the film for advancing the latter, so as to displace the exposed picture and bring another picture into the field of illumination, there bcingsuffieient slack in the film at the bend thereof above 90 said tension device to permit a rapid movement of a given length sufficient to displace any one of the pictures in the series and permit another fo be brought into position for exposure or reproduction. When the object 95 has been held iu the field of illumination the proper interval of time, the cam-surface h* of the cam or disk II will engage the setscrew h3 and throw the member/2 of the tension device outwardly on its pivot, so as to 100 relieve the pressu re exerted thereby upon thefilm, the member /' being adapted to oxert a constant but yielding pressure on the film to prevent the latter from slipping or beiug fed farther than is required to present the 105 successive pictures in proper position. When the pressure exerted on the film by the member/2 is, relieved, the roller h' on the disk H will simultaneously engage the film and move it downward a sufficient distance to displace 119 one object or picture and place the next succeeding object in proper position for exposure. When the tension device and film are released by the cam h2 and roller h', respectively, on the disk H, the roller will revolve n% the remaining portion of a complete revolution before again moving the film, while the released tension device instantly regains its hold upou aud holds that part of the film which is in the field of illumination station 120 ary until the roller again contacts with the film. During this interval of time the slack iu the film bet ween the tension device and the drum E2 will be gradually taken up by the last-meutioned drum, but not at such a 125 speed as to exert a tension sufiicient to move the film during the interval of exposure of the picture, and in the same instant of time, while the picture is being exhibited, the slack in the film between the tension device and 130 the dram E, which has been taken up by advancing the film, will be compensated by an additional amount of slack paid ou ~ by the drum E, thus provtfJig sufficient slacic ahead