Editing machine

A film editing machine, said machine comprising:

• (a) a rotatably driven shaft;
• (b) a film sprocket disposed coaxially about said shaft to movably support the film;
• (c) a cylindrical prism, said prism also being coaxially mounted on said shaft, and spaced axially from said film sprocket;
• said prism further having a hollow core and a plurality of facets on its internal surface, each of said facets being disposed in a plane perpendicular to a radius from the axis of the prism cylinder which radii are spaced equidistantly from each other about said axis and lie in a common plane, said sprocket and said prism being axially interconnected on said shaft to rotate together as an assembly, said shaft being rotatable within and relative to said assembly;
• (d) clutch means to engage said sprocket and prism assembly with said shaft for rotation with the latter;
• (e) a light source, said light source being disposed to direct a light beam in a first path extending toward the projected axis of the prism;
• (f) Optical means first to divert said first light path to a second path parallel to said shaft and extending within the hollow core of the prism and then to redivert said second light path to a third light path parallel to the first light path and passing radially outwardly of said cylindrical prism through at least one facet of the latter;
• (g) Corrector lens means, said lens means being disposed closely outside, but spaced from the outer cylindrical surface of said prism, and in said third light path;
• and,
• (h) Means to support said motor driven shaft and said sprocket and prism assembly thereon, said clutch means, said light source, said optical means, and said corrector lens means.

A film editing machine, said machine comprising

• (a) A rotatably driven shaft;
• (b) A film sprocket disposed coaxially about said shaft;
• (c) A cylindrical prism, said prism also being coaxially mounted on said shaft, said prism having annular means on one of its ends to support one edge of a film, and said annular means of said prism being spaced axially from said sprocket by such portion of the width of the film as to enable said film to be movably supported between said sprocket and said annular means;
• said prism further having a hollow core and a plurality of facets on its internal surface, each of said facets being in a plane perpendicular to a radius from the axis of the prism cylinder which radii are spaced equidistantly from each other about said axis and lie in a common plane, said sprocket and said prism being axially interconnected on said shaft to rotate together as an assembly, said shaft being rotatable within and relative to said assembly;
• (d) Clutch means to engage said sprocket and prism assembly with said shaft for rotation with the latter;
• (e) A light source, said light source being disposed to direct a light beam in a first path extending toward the projected axis of the prism in the spacing between said sprocket and said annular means;
• (f) Optical means first to divert said first light path to a second path parallel to said shaft and extending within the hollow core of the prism and then to redivert said second light path to a third light path parallel to the first light path and passing radially outwardly of said cylindrical prism through at least one facet of the latter;
• (g) First corrector lens means, said lens means being disposed closely outside, but spaced from the outer cylindrical surface of said prism, and in said third light path;
• (h) Second lens means, said second lens means being disposed in said third light path after its passage through said corrector lens means, for projection upon a screen for viewing;
• and
• (i) Screen means to receive for visual display said light beam upon its projection by said second lens means;
• and
• (j) Means to support said motor driven shaft and said sprocket and prism assembly thereon, said clutch means, said light source, said optical means, and said first and second lens means.

A film editing machine, said machine comprising

• (a) A rotatably driven shaft;
• (b) A film sprocket disposed coaxially about said shaft, said film sprocket carrying one edge of a film;
• (c) A cylindrical prism, said prism also being coaxially mounted on said shaft;
• said prism being spaced axially from said sprocket, and means adjacent one end of said prism to support the other edge of the film not carried by the film sprocket, said means being spaced axially from said sprocket by such portion of the width of the film as to enable said film to be movably supported between said sprocket and said means;
• said prism further having a hollow core and a plurality of facets on its internal surface, each of said facets being disposed in a plane perpendicular to a radius from the axis of the prism cylinder which radii are spaced equidistantly from each other about said axis and lie in a common plane, said sprocket and said prism being axially interconnected on said shaft to rotate together as an assembly with said shaft;
• (d) A light source, said light source being disposed to direct a light beam in a first path extending toward the projected axis of the prism in the spacing between said sprocket and said annular means;
• (e) Optical means first to divert said first light path to a second path parallel to said shaft and extending within the hollow core of the prism and then to redivert said second light path to a third light path parallel to the first light path and passing radially outwardly of said cylindrical prism through at least one facet of the latter;
• (f) First corrector lens means, said lens means being disposed closely outside, but spaced from the outer cylindrical surface of said prism, and in said third light path;
• and
• (g) Means to support said motor driven shaft and said sprocket and prism assembly thereon, said light source, said optical means, and said first and second lens means.

A film editing machine, said machine comprising

• (a) A rotatably driven shaft;
• (b) A first film sprocket disposed coaxially about said shaft;
• (c) A cylindrical prism, and prism also being coaxially mounted on said shaft, said prism having annular means on one of its ends to support an edge of a film, and said annular means of said prism being spaced axially from said first sprocket by such portion of the width of the film as to enable said film to be movably supported between said first sprocket and said annular means;
• said prism further having a hollow core and a plurality of facets on its internal surface, each of said facets being disposed in a plane perpendicular to a radius from the axis of the prism cylinder which radii are spaced equidistantly from each other about said axis and lie in a common plane, said first sprocket and said prism being axially interconnected on said shaft to rotate together as an assembly, said shaft being rotatable within and relative to said assembly;
• (d) First clutch means to engage said first sprocket and prism assembly, with said shaft for rotation with the latter;
• (e) A light source, said light source being disposed to direct a light beam in a first path extending toward the projected axis of the prism in the spacing between said first sprocket and said annular means;
• (f) Optical means first to divert said first light path to a second path parallel to said shaft and extending within the hollow core of the prism and then to redivert said second light path to a third light path parallel to the first light path and passing radially outwardly of said cylindrical prism through at least one facet of the latter;
• (g) First corrector lens means, said lens means being disposed closely outside, but spaced from the outer cylindrical surface of said prism, and in said third light path;
• (h) Second lens means, said second lens means being disposed in said third light path after its passage through said corrector lens means, for projection upon a screen for viewing;
• (i) Screen means to receive for visual display said light beam upon its projection by said second lens means;
• (j) Means to support said motor driven shaft and said sprocket and prism assembly thereon, said clutch means, said light source, said optical means, and said first and second lens means;
• (k) A second film sprocket and an arcuate film guide spaced axially from the second sprocket by such distance as to support the film between the second sprocket and said film guide, said second sprocket being mounted coaxially about said drive shaft and rotatable relative thereto;
• (l) Second clutch means to engage said second sprocket with said shaft for rotation with the latter;
• (m) Magnetic head reading means, said reading means being disposed adjacent said film guide means to read the film as it passes over said second sprocket and film guide means;
• (n) Electronic means to detect and amplify sound frequencies in the form of magnetic variations carried by said magnetic film and read by said reading means;
• and,
• (o) Audio means to enable said sound frequencies so detected and amplified to be heard by a human ear.

In a film editing machine of the type having a vertical drive shaft extending upwardly from a central location near the rear of a table top and having two or more sprocket wheels spaced along the vertical drive shaft at predetermined elevations above the table top for engaging films to convey them along arcuate paths concentric with the axis of the vertical drive shaft, the improvement comprising:

• a feed plate and a take-up plate associated with each of said films, located at the predetermined elevation of the sprocket wheel with which they are associated so that each film moves horizontally, said feed plates mounted in a stacked arrangement for rotation about a common feed plate vertical axis at one side of the table top and said take-up plates mounted in a stacked arrangement for rotation about a common take-up vertical axis at the other side of the table to leave the central portion of the table top unobstructed while permitting convenient access from the front of the table top to the feed plates, the take-up plates and the sprocket wheels;
• and,
• arms each associated with a different one of said feed plates and said take-up plates and to which said feed plates and take-up plates are mounted for rotation, the arms associated with said feed plates being mounted to pivot about a first common pivotal axis to swing selected ones of said feed plates forwardly and centrally from their normal positions on said common feed plate axis to facilitate loading and unloading of the feed plates, the arms associated with said take-up plates being mounted to pivot about a second common pivotal axis to swing selected ones of said take-up plates forwardly and centrally from their normal positions on said common take-up plate axis to facilitate loading and unloading of the take-up plates.

A film editing machine to enable an operator selectively to drive two or more films and selectively to maintain a synchronized relationship among the driven films, comprising:

• a central drive shaft mounted for rotation about a central axis;
• two or more sprocket wheels spaced along said central drive shaft and each engaging one of the films to convey it along an arcuate path concentric with the central axis;
• clutching means associated with each of said sprocket wheels for individually selectively engaging and disengaging each of said sprocket wheels with said central drive shaft;
• and,
• a feed plate and a take-up plate associated with each of said films, located at the predetermined elevation of the sprocket wheel with which they are associated so that each film moves horizontally, said feed plates mounted in a stacked arrangement for rotation about a common feed plate vertical axis at one side of the table top and said take-up plates mounted in a stacked arrangement for rotation about a common take-up plate vertical axis at the other side of the table to leave the central portion of the table top unobstructed while permitting convenient access from the front of the table top to the feed plates, the take-up plates and the sprocket wheels;
• arms each associated with a different one of said feed plates and said take-up plates and to which said feed plates and take-up plates are mounted for rotation, the arms associated with said feed plates being mounted to pivot about a first common pivotal axis to swing selected ones of said feed plates forwardly and centrally from their normal positions on said common feed plate axis to facilitate loading and unloading of the feed plates, the arms associated with said take-up plates being mounted to pivot about a second common pivotal axis to swing selected ones of said take-up plates forwardly and centrally from their normal positions on said common take-up plate axis to facilitate loading and unloading of the take-up plates.

A film editing machine to enable an operator selectively to drive two or more films at least one of which is a picture film, and selectively to maintain a synchronized relationship among the driven films, comprising:

• a central drive shaft mounted for rotation about a central axis;
• two or more sprocket wheels spaced along said central drive shaft and each engaging one of the films to convey it along an arcuate plate concentric with the central axis;
• clutching means associated with each of said sprocket wheels for individually selectively engaging and disengaging each of said sprocket wheels with said central drive shaft;
• a feed plate and a take-up plate associated with each of said films, located at the predetermined elevation of the sprocket wheel with which they are associated so that each film moves horizontally, said feed plates mounted in a stacked arrangement for rotation about a common feed plate vertical axis at one side of of the table top and said take-up plates mounted in a stacked arrangement for rotation about a common take-up plate vertical axis at the other side of the table to leave the central portion of the table top unobstructed while permitting convenient access from the front of the table top to the feed plates, the take-up plates and the sprocket wheels;
• arms each associated with a different one of said feed plates and said take-up plates and to which said feed plates and take-up plates are mounted for rotation, the arms associated with said feed plates being mounted to pivot about a first common pivotal axis to swing selected ones of said feed plates forwardly and centrally from their normal positions on said common feed plate axis to facilitate loading and unloading of the feed plates, the arms associated with said take-up plates being mounted to pivot about a second common pivotal axis to swing selected ones of said take-up plates forwardly and centrally from their normal positions on said common take-up plate axis to facilitate loading and unloading of the take-up plates;
• optical rectifying means connected to said central drive shaft for rotation therewith, and deviating the light through an angle sufficient at each instant to compensate for the angular deviation of the light caused by movement of the picture film, said optical rectifying means further including:
• a hollow cylindrical prism of optically transmissive material, connected to said central driveshaft for rotation with it about the central axis, spaced from said sprocket wheel which engages the picture film, having an external surface of circular cross section concentric with the central axis and having an internal surface whose cross section is a regular polygon with its center on the central axis, said driveshaft extending through the hollow portion of said hollow cylindrical prism and beyond it upwardly and downwardly along the central axis;
• a stationary plano-concave cylindrical lens positioned with its concave surface adjacent to but spaced from the external surface of said hollow cylindrical prism, said concave surface being concentric with the central axis;
• and,
• stationary reflecting means to direct light from the portion of the picture film in said arcuate path radially outwardly through said hollow cylindrical prism and said stationary plano-concave cylindrical lens.

A film editing machine to enable an operator selectively to drive two or more films at least one of which is a picture film, and selectively to maintain a synchronized relationship among the driven films, comprising:

• a central drive shaft mounted for rotation about a central axis;
• two or more sprocket wheels spaced along said central driveshaft and each engaging one of the films to convey it along an arcuate path concentric with the central axis;
• clutching means associated with each of said sprocket wheels for individually selectively engaging and disengaging each of said sprocket wheels with said central driveshaft;
• a feed plate and a take-up plate associated with each of said films, located at the predetermined elevation of the sprocket wheel with which they are associated so that each film moves horizontally, said feed plates and take-up plates mounted for rotation about vertical axes, the axes of said feed plates being spaced between the rear and the front of the table top on one side of it and the axes of said take-up plates being spaced between the rear and the front of the table top on the opposite side of it to provide a terraced arrangement of said feed plates and said take-up plates, to leave the central portion of the table top unobstructed while permitting convenient access from the front of the table to the feed plates, the take-up plates and the sprocket wheels;
• optical rectifying means attached to said central driveshaft for rotation therewith, and deviating the light through an angle sufficient at each instant to compensate for the angular deviation of the light caused by movement of the picture film, said optical rectifying means further including:
• a hollow cylindrical prism of optically transmissive material, connected to said central driveshaft for rotation with it about the central axis, spaced from said sprocket wheel which engages the picture film, having an external surface of circular cross section concentric with the central axis and having an internal surface whose cross section is a regular polygon with its center on the central axis, said driveshaft extending through the hollow portion of said hollow cylindrical prism and beyond it upwardly and downwardly along the central axis;
• a stationary plano-concave cylindrical lens positioned with its concave surface adjacent to but spaced from the external surface of said hollow cylindrical prism, said concave surface being concentric with the central axis;
• and
• stationary reflecting means to direct light from the portion of the picture film in said arcuate path radially outwardly through said hollow cylindrical prism and said stationary plano-concave cylindrical lens.