Motion picture projector with automatic rewind

Claim 1

In an automatic film rewinding mechanism in a motion picture projector comprising a claw member adapted to be brought into engagement with the film perforations for feeding the film intermittently, a film gate plate positioned adjacent said claw member, a film gate formed on said film gate plate, a pressure plate urging the film against said film gate plate, at least one wheel adapted to be rotated at a constant speed for feeding the film, and a supply reel carrying the wound film whose terminal end is fixed thereto, the combination comprising: a film feeding member pivotably arranged at a position above said film gate plate; a first spring fixed to said film feeding member for pressing the film on the wheel through said film feeding member and transmitting the rotation of said wheel to said film, said film feeding member being spaced away from said wheel by the film tensioned between said supply reel and said claw member upon completion of projection, since the terminal end of said film is fixed to said supply reel; a first member pivotably arranged at a position below said film gate plate; a second spring fixed to said first member for urging said first member in one rotational direction; a blocking means for blocking said first member against said second spring during projection; means engaged with said film feeding member and capable of relieving, as a result of the movement of the film feeding member in becoming spaced away from said wheel, said blocking means from said first member to allow the rotation of this latter member then positioned for projection; a second member having an end portion to be coupled to saiD film feeding member and said first member, respectively, and to be movable vertically, so that, when this second member is shifted in its position as a result of the rotation of said first member from the position for projection, said second member retains said film feeding member in a position apart from said wheel; a third member being connected with said pressure plate having engaging parts to be engaged with said second member, and being engageable with said claw member for causing said claw member to retreat from the film face and also for causing the pressure plate to move away from the film face; a driving motor for rotating said wheel; circuit means for connecting the driving motor to a source of electrical power; a first switch connected between said power source and said driving motor and adapted to be positioned in a contacting state during projection and adapted to be positioned in a noncontacting state by virtue of the movement of said film feeding member parting away from said wheel; and a second switch connected in parallel with said first switch and adapted to be positioned to be in the non-connecting state during projection, and adapted to be rendered to the connecting state by virtue of the movement of said first member rotating from its position for projection for rewinding the film.