The Nickelodeon (Feb-Sep 1909)

78 THE NICKELODEON. Vol. II, No. 3. magazine is shown in Fig. 9. As a specimen of the three claims, claim 15 is given in full, as follows: 15. The combination with an endless fihn and means for operating the same so as to successively expose a portion thereof, of a casing or closure provided with a cover or lid and guiding-slots through which the film may pass, and two banks of spools or rollers aroimd which the iilm passes, each comprising two series or rows of rollers of varying diameters forming a series of pairs, the banks being opposed to each other and the rollers of one bank opposed to the spaces between the rollers of the opposite bank, so that the film may pass around the larger rollers of one bank to the smaller rollers of the otiicr bank successively, and then around the larger rollers of the latter bank to the smaller rollers of the first-mentioned Fig. 9. bank in a similar manner, whereby a great length of filiu, may be arraup-ed and protected in a very small space substantially as described. The seventeenth and last claim of this patent calls for a rubber covered sprocket drum, and reads as follows : 17. In a device of the character described, a drum comprising a body portion and a covering of soft rubber provided with projections adapted to engage apertures or perforations in a film and serve as an abutting or engaging surface therefor, substantially as described. With reference to the modern projecting machine, the principal feature in this patent for consideration is the inclusion of the Geneva movement in claims 1 to 9. Many projecting machines do not use the Geneva movement at all, and therefore have no relation whatever to this patent. The validity of claims 1 to 9 inclusive hinges upon the fact that tape-like films bearing moving pictures were known and used and were intermittently moved with periods of rest between before Mr. Armat filed his application. This leaves his improvement as the mere substitution of the Geneva movement for intermittent propulsion of the film in lieu of the previously existing types of intermittent movement. It is held as a rule that the substitution of an old eleiucnt in an old combination does not constitute a new combination in a patentable sense. Aside from the Geneva movement, the patent has little interest. The film magazine of the Armat type and the rubber covered roller are not used, and the very specific type of film gate tension may be neglected, since the claims upon it may be avoided easily if so desired. Patent No. 580,749 also was issued to Mr. Armat, under date of April 13, 1897. Figure 10 reproduces one of the drawings. Claims 1, 2 and 3 of this patent are directed toward the peculiar intermittent film moving device. The roller /; is carried by the disk or revolving face plate i? as a wrist pin is carried upon the face plate of an engine. The sprocket G moves at a uniform speed, and the eccentric movement of the wrist-pin roller pulls the film through the film gate at intervals. As this pull also pulls back upon the teeth of the sprocket G, the idler rollers H and H with friction fingers are ititerposed between the eccentric roller and the lower feed roller G. The claims of this patent are five in number, claims 1, 2 and 3 reading upon the intermittent movement, as stated, but being limited by the statement that the period of rest of the film must be greater than the period of motion. Claim 4 reads upon the two idler film rollers between the eccentric roller and the lower feed sprocket, while claim 5 covers a very specific type of guide finger for the sprockets. Projecting machines using the t3^pe of intermittent feed covered by this patent are rare. The claims are as follows : 1. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a film or strip, of a tension device, a rotating element adapted to cause the film to intermittently move through said tension device, a drum for taking up the film as it is intermittenth moved, together with a gear connection between said rotating element and the drum, said gear connection being so proportioned and timed that the interval of exposure of the film shall predominate the interval of motion, whereby simple and efficient mechanism may be provided for operating the film, substantially as described. 2. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a film or strip, of a tension device, a shaft provided with a rotatino element having an eccentrically-arranged roller thereon adapted to engage the film and intermittently move the same through said tension device, a shaft and a take-up drum secured to said shaft, a gear secured to the shaft of the rotating element, and a second gear of larger diameter secured to the take-up drum shaft and meshing directly with the gear on the rotating-element shaft, said gear being so proportioned and timed that the interval of exposure of the film shall predominate the interval of motion, whereby simple and efficient mechanism may be provided for operating the film, substantially as described. 3. In a device of the character described, the combination -tS) l\, ^^=--=^^--^ — -^ Fig. 10. with a film or strip, of a tension device, a feed-drum adapted to be continuously rotated and to provide slack in the film between said drum and the tension device, a take-up drum connected to the feed-drum so as to rotate in unison therewith, a rotating element interposed between the tension device and said take-up drum and adapted to intermittently move a portion of the film at each revolution, together with a direct gear connection between said rotating element and the take-up drum, said gear connection being so proportioned and timed that the interval of exposure of the film shall predominate the interval of motion, whereby simple and efficient mechanism may be provided for operating the film, sulistantially as described. 4. In ;ui apparatus of the cli.iractcr described, the combination