Patent GB-453776-A (GB)
Title: A new or improved method of and means for producing scenic and like perspective or stereoscopic effects on a flat surface
IPC: G03B35/26
Filed: 1935-03-15
Abstract: 453,776. Display apparatus. THOMAS, E. MOY-, Cobden Buildings, Cort Street, Blackburn. March 15, 1935, Nos. 8010 and 31355. [Class 132 (i)] [See also Groups XVIII and XX] Scenes in perspective are produced on a flat screen by casting thereon shadows of shaped blanks or formers (whose profiles are to produce the main outlines of the scene) from two or more light sources and in modifying such shadows by also casting on to the screen penumbral shadows of varying intensity from one or more baffles or shields in the path of the same or other light sources. The lights are of various colours and adjustable in position and intensity and the formers and baffles are also adjustable, whereby moving scenes may be produced. Further scenic background effects may be produced by projecting moving images on to the translucent screen from the rear thereof, and models resting on a platform in front of the screen may form a foreground. The invention is applicable to stage backgrounds and display devices. Colour photographs of such colour scenes may be taken by any of the known processes without additional illumination and with or without colour filters. As shown, a demonstration cabinet comprises an opal glass screen 1 viewed through an aperture 11 surrounded by a facia 10, a row of electric lamps 2 of varying size, shape and colour secured to a fixed batten 14, a lower row of variously shaped, and coloured lamps 3 fixed to batten 14a slidable horizontally along a frame 15 vertically slidable in guides 16, formers 22 adjustably secured in clips 21 slidable on guides 20, laths or baffles 4 slidable horizontally in guides 17 and baffles 5 slidable horizontally on supports 18 movable vertically in guides 19. These elements are housed in a casing 6 to which a rear casing 7 is detachably secured. In use scenes are produced by the shadows of the formers 22 cast by the lamps 2, 3, on to the screen 1 suitably modified by penumbral shadows produced by the adjustable baffles 4, 5, the formers and baffles being varied according to the scenes to be produced. The baffles may be irregular in contour and the number of baffles and formers used may be varied. Further effects are produced by (1) a hinged board 23 adjustable to various positions on which objects may be positioned and illuminated by lamps 25 of varying sizes and colours in a shield 24 screening the light from screen 1, coloured screens being placed over the mouth of the shield 24, (2) background or sky-line effects are produced by a stencil 26 illuminated by lamps 27 and/or 28, letters, words or other openings cut in the stencil being illuminated by further lamps 29, (3) stationary sky effects are produced by shaded glass screens 30 in front of lamps 27, and moving sky effects by a rotating glass screen 31 driven by a motor 32, (4) further background effects may be produced by casting shadows of shaped translucent elements on to the rear of the screen, roundness in appearance being produced by shining light on to the front of the elements, (5) mist, smoke, snow, fire, &c. effects are produced by lamps 33 surrounded by revolving coloured shades 34, (6) a further screen is adjustably secured in front of the opal screen 1 having a light at its base shielded from the opal screen to produce further stereoscopic effects, and (7) the front or rear of the screen 1 may be illuminated over its whole surface by selectively coloured lamps. The various lamps or series of lamps and the motors for rotating the shades are wired in separate circuits each with a variable resistance and the several resistances and switches are arranged on a switch board, an indicator board being preferably provided adjacent thereto to denote the resistance settings. A loudspeaker 37 may be provided for reproducing audible matter relative to the depicted scenes and/or models on the board 23.