Aleograph Co. v. Western Electric Co.

68 F.2d 853, 21 U.S.P.Q. (BNA) 88, 1934 U.S. App. LEXIS 5001
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Second Circuit
DecidedJanuary 15, 1934
DocketNo. 138
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 68 F.2d 853 (Aleograph Co. v. Western Electric Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Aleograph Co. v. Western Electric Co., 68 F.2d 853, 21 U.S.P.Q. (BNA) 88, 1934 U.S. App. LEXIS 5001 (2d Cir. 1934).

Opinion

MANTON, Circuit Judge.

This patent was considered in a suit by the appellant against a subsidiary corporation, the appellee in the ease of Aleograph Company v. Electrical Research Products Inc., 55 F.(2d) 106 (C. C. A. 5), where all the claims now sued on, except claim 15, were held not to have been infringed by the machine built in like form and structure to the machino charged herewith -with infringement. It is claimed that the evidence hero has been much amplified and is against a' different party defendant and therefore requires consideration of the present argument as to infringement. The machine is manufactured by the appellee and distributed by the Electrical B,eseareh Products, Ine.

Patent No. 1,4:94,514 was issued May 20; 1924, on an application filed October 1, 1921, and claims 3, 3, 15; 19; and 20 are in suit. The specifications of the patent provide for the means of producing as well as reproducing talking motion pictures. But the claims in suit relate to reproduction and particularly that type in which a separate phonograph is employed. The sound is on a separate phonograph and not on the film with the pictures. The so-called “sound on film” system is the type in which the sound is a photographic record and is located on the same film with the pictures. Appellee’s machine may be used for “sound on film” production with the aid of a disc device.

It was not new, when the application was filed in October, 3921, to record and reproduce sound in synchronism with motion pictures, as was pointed out by the patent office when the application was first considered, and the features which were, ultimately allowed as patented to appellant, at least in the claims sued on, were specific means for re-establishing synchronism at any point throughout the length of the picture film, if the film breaks with means for automatic and instantaneous cutting off the transmission and reproduction of sound when the film breaks. Claims 1, 3, and 15 do not cover the original placing of a picture film and phonograph record in synchronism at the beginning of the two records. The resynehronizing feature is referred to in the patent. There it is pointed out that the invention provides means to enable the projection of a picture to be continued in synchronism with the corresponding or accompanying sound after breakage of the film has occurred, and provision is made to [854]*854re-establish synchronism between the sound record and the picture film at any point in the length of the film. An automatic switch feature is described as providing a means for immediately interrupting or suppressing sound should breakage of the film occur during this projection.

The machines of both parties have in common (a) a projector, (b) a phonograph, and (c) a mechanical driving connection between the projector and the phonograph. These three elements were well known to the prior art and are described in prior patents. When the patentee claimed these broadly in old combinations (original claim 3), they were required to cancel them upon rejection. They may not now be claimed by an interpretation of the allowed claims commensurate in scope with the canceled claims. Esnault-Pelterie v. Chance Vought Corp., 66 F.(2d) 474 (C. C. A. 2); Enison-Freeman Co. v. Levy, 55 F.(2d) 1057 (C. C. A. 2); Deitel v. Unique Specialty Corp., 54 F.(2d) 359 (C. C. A. 2); Knowles v. 138 West 42nd St. Corp., 43 F.(2d) 929 (C. C. A. 2).

The means of the patent for re-establishing synchronism between the projector and phonograph includes a tooth clutch interposed in the mechanical driving connection. This clutch enables the operator to disconnect the projector and phonograph. When closed, there is a positive mechanical driving connection and, when open, either the projector or phonograph may be operated by hand independently and without operating the other of these two devices. The patent’s phonograph record support is a cylindrical mandrel — not a turntable — and connected with the mandrel, so as to revolve therewith, is a revolution counter, a part of the resynchronizing means. This counter is actuated once for each revolution of the record mandrel. It registered the number of mandrel revolutions. The specifications of the patent say that the projector will project 16 pictures or one foot of film for each revolution of the mandrel. The clutch has 16 teeth, one for each of the 16 pictures in each foot of film. The record mandrel is divided into 16 divisions or sectors which are marked on the mandrel. The marks correspond with the 10 picture marks on each foot of film. Should the film break and the synchronism be lost, the sound will be stopped instantaneously by the automatic operation of the film switeh. The operator can stop the machine by cutting off power, then rethread the film at a convenient point beyond the break. He will look at the two film indices, first the footage index and then the individual picture index, noting the number of feed and also the number of the individual picture opposite the projector gate which corresponds to the camera lens. With this information, he may disconnect the clutch and move the phonograph mandrel until the revolution counter indicates the proper number of revolutions. The mandrel is then further rotated until the corresponding individual picture index mark is opposite the reproducer needle. Then, closing the dutch, synchronism is reestablished.

The appellee’s machine, elaimed to infringe, is a part of its “sound on disc” reproducing system. The picture films and phonograph record used in theaters are prepared from the original film and phonograph record respectively. There is a projector of the standard type used in projecting silent pictures. It is connected to a motor by means of shafts and a gear box. A reproducing turntable, which supports and rotates a disc is connected to the motor through gears, a mechanical filter and a shaft. These shafts, connecting gears and filter, form a positive unbreakable connection with the projector and turntable. The projector and turntable can only be moved together. Ho clutch or other disconnecting element is located anywhere in this direct mechanical drive. An electrical reproducer converts the sound waves stored in the form of physical undulations on the surface of the record, -back into electrical waves. The waves are enormously amplified by vacuum tube amplifiers, similar to those used in recording, from which they are conveyed by wire to a loud speaker behind a screen on the stage. A picture at the beginning of the film bears the word “Start,” and similarly the beginning of the groove on the disc record is indicated by an arrow. Each of these marks corresponds to a similar mark made on the original picture and sound records when recorded. By placing the word “Start” on the film opposite the lens in the projector and the needle of the producer opposite the arrow on the disc record, the picture and sound record are in a position to start in synchronism. The projector and turntable are geared to run at the same speed as the recording camera and turntable, thus giving assurance of synchronism by the unbreakable mechanical driving connection and the motor. The motor is driven by a special control mechanism at the same speed used in recording. The sound record may be placed by the operator at any point on the turntable, that is, if the arrow in the first instance is not opposite the reproducer needle, the record is [855]*855slid around on the surface of the turntable until the arrow and needle register. A clamp or weight, whieh serves to hold the reeord against slippage on the flat surface of the turntable, is then put in place.

Kim breakage was a problem which has

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Mantz v. Kersting
29 F. Supp. 706 (S.D. California, 1939)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
68 F.2d 853, 21 U.S.P.Q. (BNA) 88, 1934 U.S. App. LEXIS 5001, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/aleograph-co-v-western-electric-co-ca2-1934.