US2185806A - Color picture transmission system - Google Patents

Description

J. 2, ma.

w. e. H. FINCH COLOR PICTURE TRANSMISSION SYSTEM Filed April 28. 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet l v AMPLIFIER INVENTO 'ITORNEY.

1949- w. e. H. FINCH 2,185,06

COLOR PICTURE TRANSMISSION SYSTEM Filed April 28, 19s? 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 RECEIVER AMPLIFIER 57 Parm san. {1951c 15,- 1 i I anssscell I coma mc'runn 'ritlmsrnssion sirs'rmuwuu G. a. Final. sim an mm, Y. Application'april 28', 1937, Serial- No. 139,365

' ;1 4'(c1. PIS-5.2T,

This invention relates to electrical transmission of color pictures. A

The electrical transmission of pictures is of particular commercialimportance tonew's ser- 5 vices such as newspapers where picture transit time between offices of the organization is an important factor. Electrical picture transmission has heretofore been principally restricted to black and white pictures due to the relatively complex technique and mechanism required to obtain reasonably satisfactory colored facsimiles. Prior practise individually transmitted a plurality of primary color prints formed of the colored scene or picture by conventional color separation photography. The problems of synchronous reception and superposition of the primary 'color prints have rendered such procedure impractical.

In accordance with my'invention disclosed in my co-pending application Ser. No. 138,683; filed April 24,1937, the three primary color separation prints are placed in substantial parallel alignment for transmission by ordinary black-white facsimile apparatus. Although excellent color pictures are obtained by such method, it is necessary to first obtain the color separation prints by delicate color photography cameras, and then reduce the size of the picture so that the three prints will suitably fit in a parallel arrangement upon the transmitter drum.

In accordance with my present invention, the color picture to be transmitted is mounted upon the transmitter drum and scanned in somewhat the same manner as in ordinary black-white picture scanning. I provide color filters which are automatically and successively interposed between the scanning beam and the photo-electric cell in order to directly produce the electrical equivalent of the primary color separation prints. The color picture to be transmitted is placed di- 0 rectly upon the drum and the successive line-byline scanning thereof through light filters results in the required color separation prints at the receiver. The superposition of the primary color separation prints received and properly tinted,

5 reconstructs the original color picture in accurate detail and color.

The receiving system of my presentinvention comprises a triple electro-optical recording unit coacting with a drum of triple length. Synchron- 50 ous switching means is also provided to impress the respective color filtered signals from the transmitter in synchronism upon the plurality of scanners so that monochrome facsimiles corresponding to the primary color values will be as accurately composed. The respective rates of scanning at the transmitter and receiver is' proportional so that for each revolution of the drum, the transverse movement of thescanner with respect to therecord sheet is a predetermined fraction of the-width of the scanning lines. The re- '5 suits and effect of the progressive and overlapping scanning is that the color prints produce a facsimile in accurate alignment, with substantial absence of color streaks as will be hereinafter describedin detail. 10

With my present invention, newspaper services are enabled to readily transmit any kind of color picture or drawing such as the colored comic sections, colored advertisements and colored copy for newspapers, magazines and the like. The 15 electrical transmission of the colored pictures are performed directly from the color picture, without intermediate color photography processes. The received pictures are the actual primary color separation prints to be used for producing .the 20 printing plates for the color printing operations as will be hereinafter described.

It is accordingly an object of my present invention to provide a novel method of scanning a color picture to produce primary color separa- 25 tion prints for composing a color facsimile of the picture. i

Another object of my present invention is to provide a novel method of electrically transmitting a color picture.

A further object of my present invention is to provide a novel apparatus for electrically trans mitting and receiving a color picture.

These and further objects of my present invention will become apparent in the following de- 35 scription taken in connection with the drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a preferred embodiment for the color facsimile transmitter of my present invention. 4

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along 2-2 of Figure 1 illustrating the mechanical drive for the color filter at the transmitter.

Figure 3 is an elevational View of my novel color picture scanner and corresponds to a view along 3--3 of Figure 2. p v

Figure 4 is a plan view of a preferred embodiment for a telepicture receiver for translating the transmitted color picture signals.

Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the color facsimilereceiver of Figure 4.

Figure 6 illustrates how the primary color separation prints of my present invention are com; bined to form a facsimile of the transmitted color picture. j

A color-photograph, picture, drawing, record or the like may be resolved into three individual monochrome prints coresponding to the three primary colors, red, blue and yellow. However, my invention is not limited to these colors but more or less than such primary prints may be employed as will be evident to those skilled in the photographic art. The color scheme may be photographed by conventional color photography methods. A photograph of still-life may be made by taking three successive photographs of the scene using correspondingly proper light filters to produce the colored picture thereof. For action scenes, a single-exposure camera employing reflecting minors is used to simultaneously snap the three primary colored prints. The color filter used for each individual primary color print absorbs all the color components of the light except light of the color to be printed. Thus, for example, in producing the negative photograph corresponding to the red shades oi the picture, a green filter is used; for the blue shades, an orange filter; and for the yellow shades, a violet filter.

In accordance with my present invention, the actual color picture, photograph or drawing is directly mounted in the telepicture transmitter for generating the primary color picture signals necessary to compose the color facsimile. My invention is particularly applicable to the transmission of colored paintings, drawings and the like since the use of color photograph apparatus to produce a color reproduction thereof at the transmitter is rendered unnecessary. Thus, newspapers can directly transmit colored comic sections, colored advertisements, paintings, etc. by directly inserting the originals in my novel color telepicture transmitter as will be evident in the description following. When the primary color separation prints are available for a color photograph to be transmitted, the method disclosed in my co-pending application Ser. No. 138,683 above referred to may be used. The presentinvention is particularly adapted where the original color record is available.

The color record or picture In is mounted upon the transmitter drum ll of the transmitter shown in Figure 1. Sheet clamps l2 grip opposite edges of the sheet Hi to hold it in position on the drum. Drum I l is rotatably supported between the tail stock l3 and the shaft l4. Drum H is removable to facilitate mounting and demounting of the picture 10. Drum II is rotated at a predetermined speed by means of the electrical motor 15 mechanically coupled thereto by reduction gearing enclosed within housing l6. Motor [5 is preferably of the synchronous type connected to a constant frequency alternating current source by lead I1, preferably a commercial sixty-cycle system. Drum ll of the preferred embodiment is rotated at one-hundred olutions per minute.

The electro-optical scanning mechanism is cated in the carriage H! which is moved parallel to the axis of rotatable drum ll. Scanner carriage I8 is driven at a predetermined rate by means of the feed screw mechanically coupled to the motor l5 by reduction gearing located at 2| and 23 interconnected by rod-22. Feed screw 20 is coupled to a worm lock located beneath extensionplate 24 and operated into engagement and disengagement with the feed screw 20 by cam lever 25. Scanner carriage i8 is accurately guided in its transverse movement by tracks a-a. The system a mounted upon a heavy cast-iron base 21 to minimize vibrational effects.

The mechanical arrangement of the transmitter apparatus described to this point is similar to that disclosed in my Patent No. 2,047,863 which issued on July 14, 1936, entitled Telecommunications system", and also disclosed in my copending application Ser. No. 84,426, filed June 10, 1936, entitled Telepicture scanning systems". As disclosed in these cases, the 'electro-optical scanner l8 comprises an intense source of light schematically shown at 28 which is focused by a lens system 29 to a beam 30 to produce a spot of light upon the record sheet "I. Light is refracted from the sheet l0 along path 3| to the lens system 32 which focuses the refracted light upon a photoelectric cell contained within the carriage I8 as schematically shown at 33. As drum H rotates, carriage l8 moves transversely thereto at a predetermined speed to the right, scanning the record sheet l0 along a helical path indicated by the scanning lines 34.

The photoelectric cell 33 accordingly receives light varying in intensity in accordance with the elemental shading and coloring of the portions of the picture being scanned. The anode of photoelectric cell 33 is connected to a suitable high voltage and generates electrical currents varying in accordance with the light impinging thereon as is well known in the electrical art. The cell 33 is shown schematically connected by the electrical cable 35 to the amplifier unit 36. The operating voltages and potentials for the photoelectric cell 33 and source of light 28 are introduced through the cable 35 as will be evident to those skilled in the art and as described in my Patent No. 2,047,863. Electronic amplification of the signals generated at the photoelectric cell 33 may be performed within the carriage [8 to facilitate faithful reproduction of the signal variation in the cell by amplifier 36. The picture signals are amplified at 36 and relayed to a remote receiving station across a transmission channel 31.

The picture signals fall in the audio range and may be translated by modulating a radio frequency carrier wave or by modulating an audio frequency carrier for transmission across a telephone line as described in my patent above referred to.

In accordance with my present invention, the color picture ID is scanned with overlapping scanning lines and the scanning beam is successively passed through individual filters to resolve the colored scanning variations into individual sets of color records. The scanning beam 30 is focused to a spot .01 inch wide in order to trace a scanning path across the picture .01 inch in width. I prefer to employ three primary-color prints to compose the color facsimile at the receiving station. The scanner carriage I8 is moved one-third of an inch per minute. Since the drum II is rotated at one hundred revolutions per minute, the scanning lines 34 will ovef lap as will now be evident. If the carriage 18 were operated at one inch per minute, the scanning lines 34 would form a contiguous helical path without overlapping and uniformly traversing the sheet III as is ordinarily performed in black-white picture scanning. However, the scanning of the colored picture is suchas to cause overlapping of the successive scanning paths formed at each revolution of the drum.

The refracted beam or light 3| is shown passing through a color filter disk 41! before being focused upon the photoelectric cell 33. As illustrated in Figure 3, the filter disk 40 contains three sections 4|, 42 and 43, of individual .color filters. These filters are either designed to individually pass through or transmit a primary color component of the colored light beam 3| and absorb the other components, or to individually absorb a primary color and transmit the remaining components. The former design employs red, blue and yellow filters, and produces signals corresponding to photographic positives of the primary color separation prints; for the latter design, green, orange and violet filters are used to produce signals corresponding to photographic negatives of the primary color separation prints. The light filter disk 40 may alternatively be interposed in the constant light beam to carry out the principle of my invention.

Thus, when the refracted beam 3| is passed through a green filter, all the .red color components of the picture H! are absorbed thereby,

- and any remaining color components pass through to variably affect the cell 33. The light passing through the filter varies inversely in accordance with the degree of a particular primary color in the elemental portion of the picture being scanned. Variations in the intensity of the red light absorbed by the green colored filter causes corresponding current variations to be transmitted as picture signals. Similarly, an orange filter will absorb the blue picture shading and a violet filter will absorb the yellow picture components. The color record l0 being transmitted is accordingly automatically resolved into three monochrome color separation signal groups for translation at the receiver unit. These signal groups correspond to photographic negatives of the primary colors blue, red and yellow. The receiver may be designed to produce either positives" or negatives from the signal as will now be evident to those skilled in the art.

I The color filter disk is rotated in synchronism with the rotation of drum II and at onethird the speed thereof. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, disk 40 is mechanically coupled to the gearing system contained within housing l6 and which drives drum The preferred method for synchronously driving color filter disk 40 utilizes a flexible shaft 44 connected between the stationary gear box 45 mounted on the base 21 and the movable gear box 46 mounted on the scanner carriage l8. Gear box 45 is connected to gearing at I6 by rods 41 and 48 coupled at right angles by gearing box 49. The color filter disk 40 is connected to gear box 46 by rod 50 and gear box 5|. The gear boxes 45, 46, 49 and 5| may contain bevelled gears for translating the drive ninety mechanical degrees.

The tortional cable or flexible shaft 44 permits continuous mechanical engagement of the disk 40 and the drum even though the carriage I8 supporting the disk 40 is moved a considerable distance during the scanning operation. The gear box 45 is preferably centrally located with respect to the position of drum so that the flexible shaft 44 will be moved through a minimum displacement and distortion. The color filter disk 40 is accordingly directly mechanically coupled with drum and rotates in phase synchronism therewith at one-third the speed thereof. This arrangement causes each of the color filters 4|, 42 or 43 to move past refracted beam 3| in a manner such that for each revolution of drum I, an individual filter obstructs or remains in the path of the beam 3|. Thus while the drum rotates once, one filter, for example the green filter, will remain interposed across beam 3| so that only, the red shading components of the picture are impinged upon photo-electric cell 33.

The scanning beam 30 being .01 of an inch wide, causes picture signals to be produced 'h;

amplifier 36 as though a red monochrome of the.

color picture "I were being scanned during the particular revolution described. During the next revolution of the drum II, the next adjacent color filter automatically intercepts the beam 3| due to. the revolution of filter disk 40 in synchronism therewith and, at one-third the rate of drum II. This second color filter may, for example, be the orange filter so that the blue shading of the color picture Ill varies the light which impinges upon the photo-electric cell 33. However, the scannercarriage l8 has only moved one three-hundredths of an inch during the pre-' vious revolution since the'carriage is geared'to this rate, 'Accordingly, the. second scanning line being described will overlap the first line by two-thirds of the previous scanned line since the scanning lines are .01 of an inch wide due to the width of beam 30, and the advance of the scanner was only one-third this amount. Continuing,-with the third revolution of drum H, the third or violet filter will be automatically moved into the path of the beam 3| and the scanning line upon picture Ill will overlap onethird of the first scanning line and two-thirds ofthe second scanning line as will now be evident, to transmit the yellow monochrome primary color negative" values of picture N.

For each three revolutions of drum H, the scanner carriage |8 moves a distance equal to the width of a scanning line, namely .01 of an inch. Thus,. during the fourth revolution of drum II, .the light beam 30 will not overlap the first scanning beam but will be contiguous therewith as though the picture were being scanned in the ordinary manner for black and white picture transmission. The green or, first mentioned'filter will be again interposed at the reflected beam- 3| and the red components of the color picture ID will be translated into picture signals. Continuing, the fifth rotation of drum brings the orange filter into view and the scanning operation is contiguous with the second scanning line formed during which the orange scanner was also used to form the blue pic-. ture signals. Similarly, the sixth operation is similar to the third described scanning operation and. the violet filter comes into operation to translate the yellow components of the picture into electrical signals.

It will accordingly be evident that the principle of-my present invention depends upon successive overlapping scanningfor the plurality of primary colors for the color picture. Although I prefer to use three colors, two or four or more colors may instead be employed to recompose the color .picture. Where three color pictures are used, the scanning is such that every third scanning line across the picture will be contiguv ous and, in effect, continuously scan the picture. Furthermore, each successive line between the thre scanning operations overlap and are used is preferably of the same diameter as the transmitter drum I I and three times as long. Receiver drum 55 is rotated in synchronism with the trans- .chronism with transmitterdrum ll.

mitter drum by means of motor 56 through reduction gearing enclosed within housing 51. Synchronizing apparatus responsive to transmitted cyclic synchronizing signals isused to maintain the rotation of drum 55 in phase syn- Since the present invention is not concerned with the synchronizing system, it is not illustrated but reference is made to my Patent No. 2,047,863 for a preferred synchronizing system. Drum 55 is removably supported between tail stock 58 and the shaft 59, and is rotated at one hundred revolutions per minute.

A photo-sensitive film 60 is mounted upon receiver drum 55 by sheet clamping mechanism 6|. A plurality of smooth surfaced rollers 62-are rotatably mounted on a common shaft 63 supported in brackets 64 parallel tothe axis of drum 55. The rollers 62 are moved against the surface of drum 55 to assist in mounting the long ,sensitive sheet 60 smoothly upon drum 55. My preferred sheet mounting mechanism forms the basis of my Patent No. 2,049,169, patented July 28, 1936, to which reference is made: for further details thereof.

The electro-optical scanner carriage 65 mounted to move parallel to the axis of drum 55 contains an individual translating unit 661 61 and 68 for each of the primary color separation signals transmitted. The scanner carriage 65 is motivated by a feed screw 10 connected through gear box 1i driven bythe gearing within housing 51. The feed screw 10 is attached to the carriage 65 by a worm lock located beneath the extension plate 12 attached tocarriage 65 and operated by cam lever 13. Carriage 65 is accurately guided in tracks 14-14 to maintain a predetermined orientation with respect to the rotatable drum 55. The receiver apparatus is mounted upon a cast-iron base 15 to minimize any vibrational characteristics of the mechanism.

The translating members 66, 61-and '68 focus a beam of light 16, 11 and 18 respectively upon three separate portions of the sensitive sheet 60.

The beams 16 to 18 may be produced by a light valve which is magnetically controlled to transmit light varying in accordance with the intensity of the received picture signals or may be generated by a crater or neon lamp with intensity varying in accordance with the picture signal intensity. Such light generating means are well known in the electrical art. An electro-optical translating system employing a constant intensity light source which is formed into a beam of intensity varying in accordance with the telepicture signals forms the basis of my co-pending application Ser. No. 94,730 filed August 7, 1936, entitled Telepicture recording systems. The method of employing a neon or crater lamp for producing the recording beams 16 to 18 is disclosed in my Patent No. 2,047,863 hereinabove referred to.

In accordance with my present invention, the individual recording means 16, 11 and 18 are alternately connected to the telepicture receiver 80 in synchronism with the generation of the individual color separation scanning operations of the transmitter. The transmitted signals across channel 31 from the amplifier 38 of Figure 1 are received, amplified and detected 'at' receiver 80.

third inch per minute.

The output of receiver 80 is connected to the electro-optical carriage 65 and alternately connected by cable 8| to the scanner mechanisms 88, 81 and 68 in a manner to be described in connection with Figure 5. The synchronous switching of the output of receiver 80 to the translating units 86 to 88 is performed by switching means enclosed within housing 82 and connected thereto by fiexible electrical cable 88.

Theindividual recording beams 16 to 18 are made one one-hundredth of an inch wide to scan the sensitive film by contiguous sets of scanning lines 86, 81 and 88. The drum 55 rotates at one hundred revolutions per minute in synchronism with the transmitter drum H. The receiver scanner 65 is moved parallel to the drum 55 at a rate of three hundred lines per inch or one- The overlapping successive scanning operations described in connection with the transmitter of Figure 1 are synchronously segregated across the long record sheet 60 to form the individual monochrome color separation prints R, B and Y corresponding to the primary colors red, blue and yellow respectively. The principle of my invention depends upon the overlapping scanning at the receiver to effectively scan the colored picture ill to be transmitted by three sets of overlapping scanning operations and synchronously separating these signals at the receiver to form three independent color separation prints. Every third rotation of drum 55 corresponds to a particular color originally filtered at the transmitter and placed adjacent the corresponding previous line scanned of the scanning groups 86, 81 and 88 on sheet 60. For each,

third revolution of drum 55, scanner carriage 65 will be advanced one one-hundredth of an inch corresponding to the width of the scanning beams 18, 11 and 18 so that the successive switching of these beams upon the record sheet will cause a continuous spiral to be scanned for the individual R, B and Y prints as will now be evident. The intensity of the reproducing beams 16 to 18 varies in accordance with the primary color component of the elemental portion of the picture being scanned as filtered through the individual color screen or filter of filter disk 40 as hereinabove described in connection with Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a schematic diagram illustrating a preferred method for synchronously switching the independent translating mechanisms 66, 61 and 68 upon the light sensitive record sheet 60. I have schematically indicated a neon lamp for the individual translating mechanisms although any other conventional light valve'may instead be used. One terminal 90 of receiver 80 is connected to a common terminal of each of the recording units 66 to 68 by connection lead 9|. The other terminal 82 of receiver 80 is successively connected to the other terminals of the translating mechanisms 66 to 68 through synchronous switching mechanism 82.

The synchronous switching mechanism 82 comprises 120 cam 93 which successively closes each of three cam switches 94, 95 and 96 disposed 120 mechanical degrees about cam 93.

' Cam 93 is directly driven by shaft 91 coupled to the member 59 which drives drum 55, and through the gearing 98-98. Gears 98-98 are designed to reduce the speed of cam 93 by 3 to 1 so that the cam 93 rotates once for every three revolutions of the receiver drum 95. After each revolution of drum 55, one of the cam switches is opened and the next successive cam switch is closed to correspondingly switch the picture translatin nal of each of the cam switches 9| to 96 is" "connected to a corresponding terminal on the output of receiver recording units 66 to 68. The other terminal of these cam switches is connected-to the common connection lead I connected to the terminal 92 of receiver 80.-

The operation of the receiversystem of my present invention is such that each of the color separation prints R, B and Y are built up *line ,by line, which lines are successively transmitted and recorded. Theiine sensitive film 60 is ordinary monochrome light sensitive film such as a silver salt film which is sensitive to the varying light intensities from the recorder units 66 to 68. The monochrome color separation prints corresponding to the primary colors in the original 'color picture ID are recorded on film 60 which is developed in the conventional manner.

for black-white pictures. The R, B and Y prints are preferably made as positives upon the trans lucent or transparent film. fill so that tinting and superpositioning thereof will directly form a color facsimile of the transmitted color picture l0. v 1

The tinting of coloring of the individual R, B and Y prints to red, blue or yellow is performed by first bleaching the film in a manner well known in the art and then dyeing them with an aniline dye or toning them with metallic salt solutions which combine with the silver retained in the print as well known in the photographic art. Toning the film brings out the high lights in the final picture in a better manner than the dyeing process does. The tinted monochrome color separation prints R, B and Y are accurately superimposed one upon the other and made integral with a suitable transparent cement or paste.

Figure 6 illustrates how the tinted prints R, B and Y are superimposed upon an opaque white backing sheet lfll. This illustration corresponds to Figure 6 of my co-pending appli-- cation Ser. No. 138,683 filed April 24, 1937. The scanning lines are drawn in Figure 6 to illustrate animportant advantage of my present invention. Thescanning lines 88 upon the Y print correspond to the original scanning lines of .01 inch width. The scanning lines 88a as viewed beneath the B print show how corresponding lines 88 of the Y print overlap and are displaced relative to those of the B print. Similarly the scanning lines are viewed through the top or R print contains the three sets of scanning lines all overlapped due to the particular system of scanning hereinabove described. In the preferred example, the width of the individual scanning lines is .01 of an inch and their overlapping is one-third or two-thirds of the width of the scanning lines.

In accordance with my present invention, the plurality of color separation prints are produced with corresponding portions of the picture perfectly parallel and successively scanned with overlapping of adjacent color separation scanning lines. The overlapping of the scanning lines as viewed through the superposition of the prints at 88b of Figure 6 evens out or tones the final image so as to effectively dissolve or cause any possible outline of the individual scanning lines which may be apparent in an individual print to disappear in the final color print. This result is an important advantage in commercial telepicture operation since Slight inaccuracies which may creep into an ordinary blackwhite picture without being objectionable, will cause color streaks and color distortions when three color separation prints, transmitted and receivedin a diflerent manner are superimposed.

The parallel orientation or the respective scanning lines and their overlapping minimizes such distortions since successive scanning lines of any one color print are not successively received but are recorded every third revolution of the drum. Similarly, phasing inaccuracies described in the Y same application will not distort the respective color prints of the present invention since corresponding portions of the picture are succes sively scanned and result in reproductions which may be accurately superpositioned.

In accordance with my present invention; col

oredphotographs, pictures, drawings, and paintings of anycharacter may be economically transmitted to remote points. Such transmission is particularly important to newspaper and magazine chains where rapid and accurate transmission between points is paramount. Such transmission may be carried out with the skill and precaution ordinarily required with black-white picture transmission. Colored pictures and drawings for comic sections, special feature sections, or advertisements may thus be economically transmitted without special precautions to avoid inherent commercial picture distortions. The colored pictures are transmitted without requiring the intermediate color separation prints such as produced by color photography processes. By suitably choosing the color filter of the filter disk at the transmitter or by suitably biasing or electrically connecting the transmitter and/or receiver circuits, the receiver can directly produce "positives corresponding to the primary color separation prints for the color picture transmitted. In a similar-manner, negatives of these picturesmay be produced at the receiver. It is feasible to directly engrave the primary color separation prints upon the metallic plate for use with the conventional color printing process. The receiver translating unit corresponding to Figures 4 and 5 may be at the same location as the transmitter and be used to' translate the picture signals generated directly from the color photograph l0 into the primary color separation .prints necessary for color photoengraving and thus avoid the requirement for intermediate color photography. Modifications of my present invention will be evident 'to those skilled in the art and accordingly I do not intend to be limited except as set forth in the following claims.

I claim: I

1. The method of transmitting a colored picture which comprises the steps of scanning the picture by line by line scanning operations, causing successive lines to overlap, filtering out different colors of the light beam on successive overlapping lines to produce light intensities varying in accordance with predetermined color components of elemental portions of the picture, scanning for a separate color for each full suc-' cessive scanning line, generating electrical signals in accordance with thevarying light intensiin synchronism with sive lines to overlap, filtering out different colors of the light beam on successive lines to produce light intensities varying in accordance with primary color components of elemental portions of the picture, scanning for a separate color for each full successive scanning line, generating electrical signals in accordance with the varying light intensities of each of the color components, transmitting the electrical signals to a receiving station, translating the electrical signals, and successively scanning record sheets corresponding to each of the primary color components with substantially contiguous scannings to produce individual monochrome primary color separation prints.

3. The method of transmitting a colored picture which comprises the steps of scanning the picture by line by line scanning operations, causing successive lines to overlap, filtering out different portions of the light beam on successive lines to produce light intensities varying in accordance with primary color components of elemental portions of the picture, scanning for a separate color for each full successive scanning line, generating electrical signals in accordance with the varying light intensities, transmitting the electrical signals to a receiving station, synchronously segregating the signals for successive line scannings corresponding to thediflerently filtered beams, translating the segregated signals into respectlvesubstantially contiguously scanned individual monochrome primary color separation prints, and superimposing the prints to produce a color facsimile of the transmitted picture.

4. A facsimile transmitter comprising means for electro-optically scanning a color picture line by line, means for causing successive scanning lines to overlap; andmeans in synchronism with the line by line scanning operations for difierently filtering the scanning light beam on successive lines of scanning and for scanning for a separate color for each full scanning line, and means for successively producing electrical signals varying in accordance with individual color components of the picture.

5; A facsimile transmitter comprising means for electro-optically scanning a color picture;

and means for differently filtering the scanning light beam on successive lines of scanning and for scanning for a separate color for each full scanning line, and means for successively producing electrical signals varying in accordance with individual color components of the picture including a plurality of color screens, and means for successively moving a diiferent one of said screens into the path of said scanning light beam at the completion of each line of scanning.

6. A facsimile transmitter comprising means for electro-optically. scanning a color picture with successively line by line scanning operations; means for causing successive scanning lines to overlap and means for difierently filtering the scanning light beam on successive lines of scanning and for scanning for a separate color for each full scanning line, and means for successively producing electrical signals varying in accordance with individual color components of the picture including a plurality of color screens, and means for successively moving a different one of said screens into the path of said scanning light beam each line of scanning.

'7. A facsimile transmitter comprising a rotatable drum, means for driving said drum, and a transversely movable scanner carriage for electro-optically scanning a color picture mounted the sheet whereby on said drum; means for differently filtering the scanning light beam on successive lines of scanning and for scanning for a separate color for each full scanning line,and means for successively producing electrical signals varying in accordance with individual color components of the picture including a plurality of color screens mounted onsaid scanner carriag and means operable from said drum driving means for successively color components of the picture; and means for translating said electrical signals comprising means for carrying a record sheet, a plurality of recording units and means for synchronously switching said signals at the completion of each line of scanning successively line by line to said recording units to group the recorded lines of scanning on corresponding sections of the sheet to produce individual contiguous line scanned facsimiles.

A facsimile transmitter comprising means for electro-optically scanning a color picture with successively overlapping line by line scanning operations; means for filtering the scanning light beam and for scanning fora separate color for each full scanning line, and means for successively producing electrical signals varying in accordance with individual color components of the picture; and means for translating said electrical signals comprising means for carrying a record sheet, a plurality of recording units, and means for switching said signals at the completion of each line of scanning successively line by line to said recording units in synchronism with said scanning operation including a switch individual to each of said units, and means for selectively operating each switch to group the recorded lines of scanning on corresponding sections of the sheet whereby an individual contiguous line scanned facsimile coresponding to said individual color components is produced.

10. A facsimile transmitter comprising means for electro-optically scanning a color picture line by line with successively overlapping line by line scanning operations; means for filtering the scanning light beam and for scanning for a separate color for each full scanning line, and means for successively producing electrical signals varying in accordance with individual color components of the picture; and means for translating said electrical signals comprising a rotatable drum for carrying a record sheet, a plurality of recording units spaced along and cooperative with said record sheet, and means for switching said signals at the completion of each line of scanning successively line by line to said recording units in synchronism with said line by line scanning operation including a switch individual to each of said units, and means for selectively operating each switch, and mechanism mechanically connected to said drum for motivating said switch operating means to group the recorded lines of scanning on corresponding sections of an individual contiguous line scanned facsimile corresponding to said individual color components is produced.

the path of said scan- A facsimile transmitter comprising means 11. A method of transmitting a multichrome picture comprising the steps of light beam line by line scanning of said picture, causing successive lines to overlap, selecting .a predetermined color component of the light beam for each scanning line, and of alternate color components for successive lines in accordance with the number of colors to be transmitted, generating electrical signals in accordance with the varying light intensities of each of the color components selected as it is successively selected and translating such signals to produce individual color separation Prints.

12. In a telepicture system comprising a transmitting means for scanning a multichrome pic- 7 ture line by line, means for filtering diflerent colors in successive scanning lines, and for transmitting impulses of varying intensity as to each color component, a receiving means for forming color separation prints comprising a plurality of recording units and switching means for operating the recording unit as to each color in synchronism with the impulses for said color.

13. In a telepicture system comprising a transmitting means for scanning a multichrome picture line by line, means for filtering diflerent colors in successive scanning lines, and ior transmitting impulses of varying intensity as to each color component, a receiving means for forming color separation prints comprising a plurality or recording units, and switching means for operating the recording unit as to each color in synchronism with the impulses, for said color, said 6 switching means comprising a cam rotating in synchronism with the color filtering means of the transmitter, said cam comprising a member rotatable therewith and successively closing appropriate switches in synchronism with appro- 1o priate impulses as to each color.- I

14. The method of transmitting a multichrome picture comprising: line by line scanning of said picture; the causing of successive lines to overlap; the scanning for a specific color on each 15 specific scanning line; the scanning for a different color on the preceding overlapping scanning line and the succeeding overlapping scanning line; producing light intensities varying in accordance with the intensity of the specific color 20 present in the elemental portions of the picture scanned on each specific line; generating electrical signals in accordance with the varying light intensities; and translating the electrical signals to produce individual color separation 25 prints.

WILLIAM G. H. FINCH.

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