Apparatus and method for repairing elongated flexible strips having damaged sprocket feed holes along the edge thereof

A method for repairing a substantial length of a motion picture film strip having a large number of damaged sprocket feed hole perforations located along the side edge portion of the film by applying to the damaged side edge portion an elongated flexible repair tape carrying preformed replacement feed hole perforations therein, said method comprising the steps of:

• aligning an initial portion of said elongated tape with an initial side edge portion of said film strip to be repaired;
• aligning one feed hole perforation in said initial portion of said tape with one feed hole perforation in said initial side edge portion of said film so that said perforations substantially coincide;
• bonding said initial portions together in said aligned condition;
• and sequentially aligning and bonding continuously the remaining feed hole perforations of said tape with the remaining feed hole perforation locations along said side edge portion of said film strip in a manner such that each feed hole perforation in said tape strip substantially coincides with the corresponding feed hole perforation location of said film strip.

An apparatus for applying an elongated strip of flexible repair tape having preformed replacement feed hole perforations therein to the side edge portion of a motion picture film strip of substantial length having damaged sprocket feed hole perforations located therealong, said apparatus comprising:

• a frame;
• a preliminary station mounted on said frame and including a first heated roller and a first pressure roller engaged with said heated roller and adapted to receive film from a supply reel and to apply heat and pressure thereto;
• a primary repair station mounted on said frame and adapted to receive film from said preliminary station, said repair station comprising a rotatable sprocket roller having a plurality of upstanding peripheral teeth disposed adjacent one end, each of said teeth having a cross-sectional shape similar to that of a sprocket feed hole perforation of said film and dimensioned to substantially fill the space defined by a replacement sprocket feed hole of said tape, and a rotatable second pressure roller normally engaging said sprocket roller, said second pressure roller having a plurality of peripheral apertures adapted to receive said teeth of said sprocket roller;
• means biasing said second pressure roller toward functional engagement with said sprocket roller;
• means for rotatably supporting a supply roll of repair tape on said frame;
• means coupled with said sprocket roller for rotating said sprocket roller;
• means for guiding and aligning film from said preliminary station onto said sprocket roller so that the longitudinal centerline of said film is perpendicular to the axis of said sprocket roller and said sprocket feed holes along said side edge portion of said film are aligned with said peripheral teeth of said sprocket roller;
• and a terminal station mounted on said frame and including a second heated roller and a third pressure roller engaged with said second heated roller and adapted to receive repaired film from said primary repair station.