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Dec. 3, 1935, A. R. GUTHF I L M E D I T I N G A N D S P L I C I N G A P P A R A T U S

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2,022,934

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Patented Dec. 3, 1935

UNITED STATES

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PATENT OFFICE2,022,934FILM EDITING AND SPLICING APPARATUSArthur R. Guth, Woodside, N. Y., assignor ofone-half to Sidney K. Rosenstein, Brooklyn,N. Y.Application March 28, 1934. Serial No. 717,873

5 Claims. (Cl.154-42)This invention relates to improvements in filmediting and splicing apparatus.In editing motion picture films it is customaryand necessary to cut out a portion of the film,

6 such as a mutilated part thereof. and then tosplice the severed ends or to divide a film intoparts and to insert such other films at a divi-sion Ilne in the main film. Inall such cases acutting of the film and a splicing of the ends is10 necessary.The pictures on motion picture films at thepresent time are divided into frames. each ofwhich has a length equal to four sprocket holesor perforations, and it is one of the objects of16 this invention to provide a simple apparatuswhich may be employed to cut out mutilated sec-tions and in such cutting to automatically trimthe same so as to provide within the length of aframe for an overlapping and splicing of the20 ends.It is also one of the objects of this inventionto provide in a film spliclng apparatus a com-bined spliclng and shearing block having doubleside shearing edges spaced apart to provide a25 top splicing surface having two pairs of guidepins spaced to skip one pair of film perforationsand to engage two pairs on opposite sides of saidskipped pair, said double shearing edges co-operating with a pair of shearing knives adapted30 to cut between the engaged holes and adjacentholes on opposite sides thereof so as to enable amutilated portion to be cut out by cuts at prede-termined places which will trim the oppositeedges of the severed film at the proper place to35 provide within the length of a frame for a splic-ing overlap, and which will enable the sub-sequent perforation engagement, clamping andpreparation of the severed ends in scraping offthe emulsion and spltcing, and will also provide40 for a predetermined joint or overlapped portionand for the clamping by the same clamp elementof the cemented ends. Itwill be understood thatsubstantially all mutilations comprise creases,cuts or breaks which extend transversely of the45 filmand can be encompassed in an area compris-ing three-fourths of a frame and in all such caseswhich as aforesaid constitute substantially allsuch mutilations the entire mutilated portionmay be cut out of the film by a single simultane-50 ous operation of two knives located to cooperatewith opposite side edges of the cutting block.Another object of my invention is to provide ona cutting block between knives cooperating withthe spaced edges of the block a plurality of spaced55 pairs of perforation-engaging guide pins adapted

to engage pairs of sprocket perforations in. theedges of the film to enable severing and also toprovide for a splicing surface between such pairsof guide pins and to enable the guiding on saidblock into splicing position of the ends of a film 5to be spliced.Another object of my invention is to provide asingle shiftable clamping member adapted toclamp the filmends inposition and to provide astraight edge which will enable a preparation or 10scraping of emulsion and application of cement.to a part of the filmfrom the upper side thereof,and also the application of sufficient pressure tothe joint to. cause secure fastening of the endstogether. :i5Another object of my invention is to provide asingle clamping member having two pairs ofsockets adapted to clamp over a single pair ofpins in two positions and to function in one posi-tion as a guide for scraping the emulsion from 20one end of a splice and in a second position toclamp and apply the needed pressure to thejoined ends when the same have been overlappedon the shearing and splicing block.Still another object of my invention is to pro- 25vide a construction of shearing and splicing blockhaving knives cooperating with opposite sIdeedges thereof and adapted after cutting to ex-tend below the upper surface of said block so asto free said upper surface for facile accom- 30plishrnent of the preparing and splicing opera-tions.still another object of my invention is to sup-port on the top surface of said block a horizon-tally movable pivoted clamping lever having the 35combined functions of a guide lever for the scrap-ing tool and a clamping element for retainIngthe overlapped and cemented ends in contactduring the formation of the joint.Still another object of my invention is to sup- 40port an editing element comprising a mirrorhaving a magnifying concave reflecting surfacebeneath the splicing block in such posltlon thatthe movement over the splicing block of a filmwill enable a magnified image of the pictures on 45the film to be magnified and seen or viewed inthe mirror. The magnifying mirror also facili-tates the placing or positioning on the block ofthe filmportion to be cut out and spliced.With these and other objects in view. the in- ;;0vention comprises the combination of membersand arrangement of parts so combined as to co-act and cooperate with each other in the perform-ance of the functions and the accomplishment ofthe results herein contemplated, and comprises 55

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in one. of its adaptations, the species or preferredform illustrated in the accompanying drawing,in which:-Fig. 1is a view in plan of a splicing machine

6 embodying my invention;Fig. 2 is an end elevation partly broken away,of the machine shown in Fig. 1;Fig. 3is a section substantially on line 3-3 of

Fig. 1ooking in the direction of the arrows;lO Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1looking in the direction of the arrows;Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1

looking in the direction of the arrows;Fig. 6 is a view in plan of the splicing block16 showing a film end mounted thereon, in positionfor scraping, the clamping and guiding lever be-ing shown in dotted lines;Fig. 7 is a section through the chopping block

only substantially on the line 1-1 of Fig. 6 and20 showing the clamping lever in guiding position;

"Fig. 8 is an isometric view of the clampinglever showing the position of the pin engagingholes thereon;Fig ..s.Is a"view of a piece of film showing an

25 imperfection therein, and the line of cut there-through by my machine;Fig. 10 shows the ends of the film to be spliced

after cutting out the mutilated section illustratedin Fig. 9;30 Fig. 11 is a view in plan of the film ends afterjOining.

Ref'!rrlng now to the drawing, which illus-trates a. preferred embodiment of my invention,Iindicates a base member of the apparatus which

3S in the embodiment shown comprises a . castinghaving viewing openings la, Ib for a horizontallydisposed magnifying mirror 2 having a. concavereflecting surface. These. openings are of sub-stantialiy semi-circular configuration and are

,(0 separated by a diametric rail 3 over the mirror 2,011 which rail I preferably mount a splicing blockwhich in the preferred embodiment of my inven-tion comprises an oblong steel block 4 havingstraight shearing edges parallel to each other at,(5 opposite sides, These shearing edges are spacedapart a distance preferably comprising three-fourths of the length of a film frame and areadapted to cooperate with the lower edges ofknife members 5 pivotally mounted to swing ver-

50 tically and to provide a shearing contact betweensaid edges of the knife members and said parallelstraight edges. Thus, when the knives are raisedinto the uppermost position and a mutilated filmsection such as shown in Fig. 9 is properly post-

55 tioned on the splicing block a Single movementsimultaneously of the pair of knives will cut outof the film said "mutilated section. Such properposltlontng, however, will include a keying ofthe film perforations or sprocket holes with two60 pairs of guide pins G , G ' projecting from the uppersurface of said block as hereinafter described.Because of the width of the block each movementof the two knives will cut away a section equalto three quarters of a frame and will leave or pro-

65 vide in the frame a . section adapted to providean overlap for the joint to be made between theopposite ends to be spliced.The knives 5 are, In the embodiment shown

pivoted on a . horizontal pivot supported in the'1 0 block at one end thereof and said knives areadapted in their shearing vertical movement toextend completely below the upper surface of theblock so as to free said upper surface for fur-ther manipulation of the films in the operation

76 of spltclng,

2,022,93'1The next step comprises the positioning of one

end of the film with the emulsion side up on oneside of the splice block. The splice block is asaforesaid provided with two pairs of guide pins,G, 6' adapted to engage the perforations or holes 6in the said film, and the end of the film is keyedto one pair of guide pins. Also mounted so as tocontact with the upper surface of said block andpreferably pivoted to swing horizontally on avertical pivot supported in said block"is a com- 10bined guiding and clamping lever 1. This clamp-ing lever is normally swung to one side awayfrom the top of the block. When the film endto be splicedTs thus. supported at the left handside of the film splicing block and keyed to the 15pair of guide pins G' the clamping lever 1 is swungover the block to hold down said end as shown 11 1Fig. 6. This lever 1 is provided in its bottom sur-face with two pairs of sockets 8, 8' adapted tocooperate and engage in one position with the 20pair of pins G' to which the said film end hasbeen keyed. The lever 1 Is of such width thatwhen it is keyed with the .pms G', it will form astraight edge a short distance from the end ofthe film' to enable scraping off of the emulsion 2~by a suitable instrument. A strip at the end ofthe film is then wetted with water and scrapedto remove the emulsion. Thereafter, the scrapedstrip extending to the outer side of said' straightedge is provided with cement, The end-or the 30other film section is. then keyed to the pair ofguide pins 6 and when so keyed will have an eli'.dstrip extending over the opposite cement surfacedstrip, and this extension is pressed down" intooverlapping engagement v.-ith said cement sur- 35faced portion to form an overlapping joint.When these film ends are thus overlapped thelever 1 is raised to remove its pair of sockets 8from the guide pins 6' and swung over so as tocause the additional set of sockets 8' which are '0arranged in inclined relationship to each otherto be engaged with the said pins G'. In this po-sition, the lever 1will overlap the joint betweenthe overlapped ends and provide sufficient pres-sure thereon to enable a proper cemented Iotnt (11to be produced.In the preferred embodiment of my InventionI provide at one side of the block a guide ele-

ment 9 for the clamping element. This guidingelement 9 is provided with a rounded top surface soand is adapted to - guide the clamp lever intoinitial engagement with the guide pins G , andits side edge forms a guide for the side edge ofthe lever 1 to cause registration with the pinsupon lowering of the lever. ssIn the preferred embodiment of my inventionthe rail 3, on which the block 4 is mounted ishinged at lOin the frame member I, the op-posite end 10' of said rail being fastened to theframe in any suitable manner. The frame mem- 60ber I,has, in 'the preferred embodiment shown.mounted thereon two pairs of grooved guiderollers II, between which a film Is adapted tobe guided, and will when the splicing block isthrown back on the hinge enable a guIding of 65film over the concave mirror 2, in a positionsubstantially approximating the focal plane ofthe mirror. The rollers, therefore, may be uti-lized when the device is used as a film editirr;device only, and also when it is employed as a 70combined editing, shearing and splicing device.Having described my invention. Iclaim:-1. A film-splicing apparatus embodying in com-

bination a combined shearing and splicing blockhaving a horizontal top surface and double vertt- tIS

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cally-dlsposed shearing edges, a pair of pivoted.vertically-swinging shearing knives having edgescooperating with said double vertically-disposedshearing edges and adapted to swing below the5 said horizontal top surface, two pairs of per-foration-engaging guide pins arranged betweenthe said knives and spaced from each other onthe said top horizontal surface of said block, toengage pairs of film holes on opposite sides of10 another pair of film periorations, and clampingmeans cooperating with said guide pins for en-gaging and keying film ends to support the sameon said top surface of said combined splicing andshearing block. 015 2. Afilm-spllcing apparatus embodying in com-bination a combined shearing and splicing blockhaving a . horizontal top surface and double vertt-cally-dispOsed shearing edges, a. pair of pivotedvertically-swinging shearing knives having edges

20 cooperating with said double vertically-disposedshearing edges and adapted to swing below thesaid horizontal top surface, two pairs of per-foration-engaging guide pins arranged betweenthe said knives and spaced from each other on

24 the said top hortzontal surface of said block, toengage pairs of film holes on opposite sides of an-other pair of film perforations, and a clampinglever pivoted to swing horizontally on a. verticalpivot, having in its bottom surface sockets adapt-

30 ed to engage over guide pins projecting from theupper surface of said splicing and shearing blockto permit clamping of a. film end keyed on saidpins and supported by said block.3. A fllm-spllcing apparatus embodying incom-

U btnatlon a. combined shearing and splicing lockhaving a horizontal top surface and double verti-cally-disposed shearing edges, a. pair of pivotedvert1cally-sw1~g shearing knives hao"ing edgescooperating with said double vertically-disposed

(0 shearing edges and adapted to swing below thesaid horizontal top surface, two pairs of per-foration-engaging guide pins arranged between

tne SalQ KD.1Vt!~ H..llUspuceo, l.1.Ulll. CU,\;.ll UlIJ.U:a. vuthe said top horizontal surface of said block. toengage pairs of film holes on opposite sides ofanother pair of film perforations, and a. clamp-ing lever ptvote-t to swing horizontally on a ISvertical pivot, having in its bottom surface twopairs of sockets adapted in different positions toengage over guide pins projecting from the uppersurface of said splicing and shearing block topermit clamping of a film end keyed on said pins 10and supported by said block.4. A film editing and splicing apparatus em-

bodying in combination a frame-member pro-vided with a circular opening, a mirror having aconcave reflecting-surface mounted in said frame- 15member in posltlon to be Viewed through saidcircular opening and guiding means at oppositesides of said opening and adapted to guide a.motion-picture film diametrically over said mir-ror at substantially the focal plane thereof. 20whereby magnified images of pictures on the guid-ed film may be viewed in said concave mirror.5. A film editing and splicing apparatus em-

bodying, incombination. a frame-member pro-vided with It' circular opening, a mirror having a 24concave rerlecting' surface mounted in said frame-member in position to be viewed through saidcircular opening, guiding means mounted on saidframe member at opposite edges of said openingand adapted to gwde a motion picture film di- 30ametrically over said mirror at substantially thefocal plane thereof and a. combined shearing andsplicing block mounted in said frame membera.bove said refiecting surface at substantially rightangles to the path of said guided film said block Uhaving its upper surface substantially in the-focalplane of said mirror whereby said magnified im-ages of pictures of filins to be sheared and splicedmay be viewed inthe mirror on opposite sides ofsaid shearing and splicing block. (0

ARTHUR R. GOTH.

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CERTIF ICATE O P : CORRECT ION .Patent N o. 2,022,934. December 3, 1935.

ARTHUR R . G UTH .I t is hereb y certified tha t error appears in the printed specifica tion o f th eab ove num bered patent requiring correction A S follow s: PA 2'e 3, first colum n,line 35, claim 3, for "lock" read b lock; and tha t the sa id Letters Patent should

b e read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the recordo f the case in the Patent O ffice.S i2T Icd and sca led this 14th day of January, A . D . 1936.

(Seal)L e l l i e F r a z e r

A ctin~ C omm lssioner of Paten ts.

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CERTIF ICATE OF CORRECT ION .Patent No. 2,022,934. December 3, 1935.

ARTHUR R . G UTH .It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the

above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 3, first column,line 35, claim 3, for "Iock" read block; and that the said Letters Patent shouldbe read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the recordof the case in the Patent Office.

S i 2 ' D e d and scaled this 14th day o f January, A . D . 1 9 3 6 .

(Seal)Leal le Frazer

Actin, Ccmmlssloner of Patents.