Motion-pictures projection device

Claim 2

In a motion-picture sound projector, the combination of a light source, an objective spaced axially forwardly thereof, and an intermediately disposed axially aligned film gate therebetween which includes a stationary film aligning channel member and a resiliently backed apertured pressure plate, an intermittent film drive means associated with the channel member for effecting intermittent movement of a film past the film gate, a sound-head and rotatable film drive means for engaging and effecting continuous movement of said film past the sound-head, said soundhead and rotatable film drive means being disposed with the film gate and the intermittent film drive means at a common level in the projector, said sound-head and rotatable film drive means each having an associated pressure member for engaging the side of film opposite its engagement by the sound-head and rotatable drive means, actuating means which simultaneously displace said apertured pressure plate and pressure memberS to an open position with respect to the film aligning channel member, sound head and rotatable film drive means to accommodate location of the cartridge film therebetween, and a film containing cartridge having an outer film guiding channel, said cartridge being insertable into the projector with its channel located at said level when the actuating means has displaced said apertured pressure plate and pressure members to their open positions, the walls of said channel of the film containing cartridge having a first cut out which receives the stationary channel member, associated intermittent film drive and apertured pressure plate of said film gate, and additional cutouts spaced therefrom to receive said sound-head, rotatable film drive means and their associated pressure members when the cartridge is properly positioned within the projector with its film guiding channel at said level, the walls of the film guiding channel member between said cut-outs serving to automatically locate the cartridge film in position between the respective film aligning channel members, sound-head, film drive means and associated apertured pressure plate and pressure members when in their said open positions, and said actuating means being thereafter operable to simultaneously close the apertured pressure plate and pressure members to engage the film opposite its engagement by the respective film aligning channel member, sound head and rotatable drive means to ready the projector for projection of the cartridge film.

Claim 3

The combination of claim 1 wherein the film containing cartridge includes a central opening about which the film guiding channel extends in a generally U-shape, said central opening serving to receive the light source when the cartridge is properly positioned in the projector.

Claim 4

The combination of claim 1 wherein the cartridge includes a driven-reel onto which the film is wound and the projector includes a displaceable tangent action roller which flexibly engages said driven wheel when the cartridge is properly positioned in the projector.

Claim 5

In a motion picture sound projector, the combination of a light source, an objective spaced axially forwardly thereof, and an intermediately disposed axially aligned film gate therebetween which includes a stationary film aligning channel member and a resiliently backed apertured pressure plate, an intermittent film drive means associated with the channel member for effecting intermittent movement of a film past the film gate, a sound-head and an associated continuously rotating film drive means for effecting continuous movement of said film past the sound-head, said sound-head and associated film drive means being spaced from the film gate and the intermittent film drive means and disposed therewith at a common level in the projector, said sound-head and continuously rotating film drive means each having an associated pressure member by which the film may be positioned in operative relation therewith, actuating means operatively connected to said apertured pressure plate and pressure members to simultaneously displace the same to an open position with respect to the film aligning channel member, sound-head and film drive means to accommodate location and removal of the film from therebetween, and means operated by said actuating means which halt the intermittent drive means when the apertured pressure plate is displaced to its open position, and a film containing cartridge having an outer film guiding channel, said cartridge being insertable into the projector with its channel located at said level when the actuating means has displaced said apertured pressure plate and pressure members to their open positions, the walls of said channel of the film containing cartridge having cut-outs which are spaced to receive said film gate, sound-head, intermittent and continuously rotating film drive means and associated pressure members when the cartridge is properly positioned within the projector with its film guiding channel at said level, the walls of thE film guiding channel member between said cut-outs serving to automatically locate the cartridge film in position between the respective film aligning channel members, sound-head, film drive means and associated apertured pressure plate and pressure members when in their said open positions, and said actuating means being thereafter operable to simultaneously close the apertured pressure plate and pressure members to the respective film aligning channel member, sound-head and continuous drive means and restart the intermittent drive means to initiate film and sound projection once the cartridge has been properly located in the projector.

Claim 6

In a motion picture sound projector, the combination of a light source, an objective spaced axially forwardly thereof, and an intermediately disposed axially aligned film gate therebetween which includes a stationary film aligning channel member and a resiliently backed apertured pressure plate, an intermittent film drive means associated with the channel member for effecting intermittent movement of a film past the film gate, a sound-head and an associated continuously rotating film drive means for effecting continuous movement of said film past the sound-head, said sound-head and associated film drive means being spaced from the film gate and the intermittent film drive means and disposed therewith at a common level in the projector, said sound-head and continuously rotating film drive means each having an associated pressure member by which the film may be positioned in operative relation therewith, actuating means operatively connected to said apertured pressure plate and pressure members to simultaneously displace the same to an open position with respect to the film aligning channel member, sound-head and film drive means to accommodate location and removal of the film from therebetween, and means operated by said actuating means which halt the intermittent drive means when the apertured pressure plate is displaced to its open position, and a film containing cartridge having an outer film guiding channel, said cartridge being insertable into the projector with its channel located at said level when the actuating means has displaced said apertured pressure plate and pressure members to their open positions, the walls of said channel of the film containing cartridge having cut-outs which are spaced to receive said film gate, sound-head, intermittent and continuously rotating film drive means and associated pressure members when the cartridge is properly positioned within the projector with its film guiding channel at said level, the walls of thE film guiding channel member between said cut-outs serving to automatically locate the cartridge film in position between the respective film aligning channel members, sound-head, film drive means and associated apertured pressure plate and pressure members when in their said open positions, and said actuating means being thereafter operable to simultaneously close the apertured pressure plate and pressure members to the respective film aligning channel member, sound-head and continuous drive means and restart the intermittent drive means to initiate film and sound projection once the cartridge has been properly located in the projector.

Claim 7

In a motion-picture sound projector, the combination of a light source, an objective spaced axially forwardly thereof and an intermediately disposed axially aligned film gate which includes a stationary film aligning channel member, an intermittent film drive means associated with said channel member and a displaceable apertured pressure plate for resiliently holding film in said channel member and positioned for driving engagement by the intermittent film drive means, a film containing cartridge having an outer film guiding channel which is located between the light source and objective when the cartridge is properly positioned in the projector, the cartridge including a driven reel onto which the film is wound and the projector including a displaceable tangent action roller which flexibly engages said driven wheel when the cartridge is properly positioned in the projector, said film guiding channel of the cartridge having a cut-out portion which receives the stationary channel member, associated intermittent film drive means and apertured pressure plate of the film gate, and means for displacing said apertured pressure plate from the stationary channel member of the film gate so as to facilitate the location of the film in said channel member of the film gate as the cartridge is positioned in the projector and its film guiding channel aligned between the light source and objective, the combination further including actuating means which simultaneously displace said roller with the apertured pressure plate to facilitate insertion and removal of the cartridge from the projector, said actuating means serving also to declutch the intermittent film drive means when said roller and apertured pressure plate are displaced.

Claim 8

In a motion-picture sound projector, the combination of a light source, an objective spaced axially forwardly thereof and an intermediately disposed axially aligned film gate which includes a stationary film aligning channel member, an intermittent film drive means associated with said channel member and a displaceable apertured pressure plate for resiliently holding film in said channel member and positioned for driving engagement by the intermittent film drive means, a film containing cartridge having an outer film guiding channel which is located between the light source and objective when the cartridge is properly positioned in the projector, the cartridge including a driven reel onto which the film is wound and the projector including a displaceable tangent action roller which flexibly engages said driven wheel when the cartridge is properly positioned in the projector, said film guiding channel of the cartridge having a cut-out portion which receives the stationary channel member, associated intermittent film drive means and apertured pressure plate of the film gate, and means for displacing said apertured pressure plate from the stationary channel member of the film gate so as to facilitate the location of the film in said channel member of the film gate as the cartridge is positioned in the projector and its film guiding channel aligned between the light source and objective, the combination further including actuating means which simultaneously displace said roller with the apertured pressure plate to facilitate insertion and removal of the cartridge from the projector, said actuating means serving also to declutch the intermittent film drive means when said roller and apertured pressure plate are displaced.

Claim 9

In a motion-picture sound projector, the combination of a light source, an objective spaced axially forwardly thereof and an intermediately disposed axially aligned film gate which includes a stationary film aligning channel member, an intermittent film-drive means associated with said channel member and a displaceable apertured pressure plate for resiliently holding film in said channel member and positioned for driving engagement by the intermittent film-drive means, a film containing cartridge wherein the film is supported by the cartridge in closed-loop form and is carried by one reel with a single cheek, the strip of film escaping from the reel on the opposite side being guided between two V-branches of a rigid bent wire, one branch of which is applied against the contiguous spirals of film carried by the reel, said cartridge having an outer film guiding channel which is located between the light source and objective when the cartridge is properly positioned in the projector, said film guiding channel of the cartridge having a cut-out portion which receives the stationary channel member, associated intermittent film drive means and apertured pressure plate of the film gate, and means for displacing said apertured pressure plate from the stationary channel member of the film gate so as to facilitate the location of film in said channel member of the film gate as the cartridge is positioned in the projector and its film guiding channel aligned between the light source and objective.

Claim 10

In a motion-picture sound projector, the combination of a light source, an objective spaced axially forwardly thereof and an intermediately disposed axially aligned film gate which includes a stationary film aligning channel member, an intermittent film-drive means associated with said channel member and a displaceable apertured pressure plate for resiliently holding film in said channel member and positioned for driving engagement by the intermittent film-drive means, a film containing cartridge wherein the film is supported by the cartridge in closed-loop form and is carried by one reel with a single cheek, the strip of film escaping from the reel on the opposite side being guided between two V-branches of a rigid bent wire, one branch of which is applied against the contiguous spirals of film carried by the reel, said cartridge having an outer film guiding channel which is located between the light source and objective when the cartridge is properly positioned in the projector, said film guiding channel of the cartridge having a cut-out portion which receives the stationary channel member, associated intermittent film drive means and apertured pressure plate of the film gate, and means for displacing said apertured pressure plate from the stationary channel member of the film gate so as to facilitate the location of film in said channel member of the film gate as the cartridge is positioned in the projector and its film guiding channel aligned between the light source and objective.

Claim 11

In a motion-picture sound projector, a light source and an objective axially spaced forwardly thereof, a motor, a rotatable shutter operatively dRiven by said motor to intermittently interrupt the projection of light from said source by said objective, a film projection gate having an aperture in the path of the light from said source to the objective, and intermittent film drive means operatively connected to said shutter motor for sequentially locating and holding each frame of the film in alignment with the aperture of said film gate in timed sequence with the operation of the shutter, a sound head spaced from the apertured film gate, a rotatable capstan for continuously moving the film exiting from the film gate past the sound-head, the film exiting from the film-gate forming a slack loop therebetween and said sound-head, a follower sensing the size of said slack loop, a larger-diametered drive wheel mounted concentric with said capstan so that the capstan rotates therewith, a first truncated pulley having a cylindrical portion concentric therewith and in driving relation to said larger-diametered drive wheel to rotate the capstan, a second truncated pulley oppositely arranged to said first truncated pulley, said second truncated pulley being drivingly connected to the motor which operates said shutter and intermittent film-drive means so as to be continuously rotated therewith, a connection belt between said truncated pulleys by which the second truncated pulley rotates the first truncated pulley, means for changing the position of said connection belt axially of the two pulleys so as to vary the speed at which the second pulley rotates the first pulley, said means being responsive to movement of the follower as it senses a change in the size of the slack loop of film between the film gate and sound-head to thereby regulate the speed at which the continuous drive means moves the film past the sound-head and to maintain the film slack loop to a substantially constant size, and the diameter and weight of said drive wheel being so related to the capstan and the first truncated pulley as to dampen speed rotation variations of the capstan in response to sudden changes in speed of the first truncated pulley.

Claim 12

In a motion-picture sound projector, a light source and an objective axially spaced forwardly thereof, a motor, a rotatable shutter operatively dRiven by said motor to intermittently interrupt the projection of light from said source by said objective, a film projection gate having an aperture in the path of the light from said source to the objective, and intermittent film drive means operatively connected to said shutter motor for sequentially locating and holding each frame of the film in alignment with the aperture of said film gate in timed sequence with the operation of the shutter, a sound head spaced from the apertured film gate, a rotatable capstan for continuously moving the film exiting from the film gate past the sound-head, the film exiting from the film-gate forming a slack loop therebetween and said sound-head, a follower sensing the size of said slack loop, a larger-diametered drive wheel mounted concentric with said capstan so that the capstan rotates therewith, a first truncated pulley having a cylindrical portion concentric therewith and in driving relation to said larger-diametered drive wheel to rotate the capstan, a second truncated pulley oppositely arranged to said first truncated pulley, said second truncated pulley being drivingly connected to the motor which operates said shutter and intermittent film-drive means so as to be continuously rotated therewith, a connection belt between said truncated pulleys by which the second truncated pulley rotates the first truncated pulley, means for changing the position of said connection belt axially of the two pulleys so as to vary the speed at which the second pulley rotates the first pulley, said means being responsive to movement of the follower as it senses a change in the size of the slack loop of film between the film gate and sound-head to thereby regulate the speed at which the continuous drive means moves the film past the sound-head and to maintain the film slack loop to a substantially constant size, and the diameter and weight of said drive wheel being so related to the capstan and the first truncated pulley as to dampen speed rotation variations of the capstan in response to sudden changes in speed of the first truncated pulley.

Claim 13

The combination of claim 7 wherein the axes of the truncated pulleys are vertically disposed, the follower being pivotally mounted about a horizontal axis and connected by associated linkage to said connecting belt such that the weight of the belt forces the follower against one side of the film slack loop and the film slack loop acting on the follower in one direction of its change in size to resist said force exerted thereon by the weight of the belt.

Claim 14

The combination of claim 7 wherein the film gate includes a stationary channel member and a displaceable aperture pressure plate for resiliently holding film in the channel member and in position for driving engagement by the intermittent film-drive means, the film means being contained in a cartridge having an outer film guiding channel which is located between the light source and objective when the cartridge is properly positioned in the projector, said film guiding channel of the cartridge having a cut-out portion which receives the stationary aperture channel member, associated intermittent film drive means and apertured pressure plate of the film gate, actuating means which displace and hold said apertured pressure plate from the stationary channel member of the film gate in order to facilitate location of the film in said channel member of the film gate as the cartridge is positioned in the film guiding channel aligned between the light source and objective, said actuating means being operable to close the apertured pressure plate against the opposite side of the film once the cartridge is positioned in the projector.

Claim 15

The combination of claim 9 wherein said actuating means simultaneously declutch the intermittent film drive means and shutter from its driving motor when the apertured pressure plate is displaced.