Patent GB-693736-A (GB)
Title: Multi-lens camera structures for taking pictures
Inventor: WALLER FRED
IPC: G03B33/00
Filed: 1951-10-05
Abstract: 693,736. Multi-lens cameras for composite photographs. VITARAMA CORPORATION. Oct. 5, 1951, No. 23235/51. Class 98 (i). A multi-lens camera for exposing films for making composite photographs comprises a first and a second lens support for holding lenses that expose separate film areas, the supports holding the lenses in such positions that they form on the different film areas the images of different fields which match along adjacent edge zones of the film areas, a guide for each lens support along which the lens support is movable in the direction of the optical axis of the lens to focus the lens for objects at different distances from the camera, and a second and transverse guide for at least one of the lens supports along which that lens support is movable transversely of the optical axis of its lens, a focusing control, and motion transmitting connections operated by the focusing control for moving the transversely movable lens support along both guides simultaneously with the movement of that lens support along the first guides to maintain the match of the field image for all focuses. As shown in Fig. 4, an apparatus with three lenses 31, 34, 47 forms images on films 30, 33, 46 of an object extending along an arc 57. The lines 48, 49 represent adjacent edges of the fields of view of lenses 34, 47, and the arrangement is such that when the lenses are focused on the object, lines 48, 49 intersect on the arc 57. This ensures that there is no discontinuity between the photographs taken by lenses 34, 47, and it is shown that the discontinuity produced if objects nearer or further away from the lenses than the arc 57 is reduced if the lenses are close together. If the lenses are focused to a different distance, the adjacent boundaries of the fields can only intersect at an arc at the new distance if one of the lenses is displaced laterally as well as being moved along its optical axis for focusing. Similar considerations apply to lenses 31, 34. Preferably the centre lens 34 is moved axially only, while lenses 31, 47 are moved laterally also. Lenses 34, 47 are mounted in supports 60, 61, Figs. 6 and 8, and lens 31 is mounted on a similar support (not shown). Each support has a slide 63 movable perpendicular to the optical axis of the lens in a dovetail groove 64 in a block 65. Each block 65 is fixed to a slide 67 movable parallel to the official axis in a groove in a base 66 common to all three supports. A shaft 77 journalled in the base 66 carries an eccentric 71 at its upper end, which engages a slot 70 in the centre slide 67, so that when the shaft is turned by a handle 79, lens 34 is moved axially. Shaft 77 carries a gear-wheel 80 meshing with gears 82 on shafts carrying eccentrics 71 engaging the slides 67 of the other lens supports, so that all three lenses are focused simultaneously. Lateral movement may be given to lenses 47, 31 at the same time in various ways. In the simplest form the grooves 68 guiding lenses 47, 31 are slightly inclined to the optical axes of those lenses. In this case slides 63 are not required, but exact correction at all distances is not achieved. Slides 63 of the outer lens supports may be connected by pivoted links to pins fixed to the base 66, so that the lenses move laterally during focusing. Alternatively, gears 82 are geared to other shafts carrying discs with pins engaging slots in slides 63, or cams engaging pins extending from slides 63.