Improvements in Instruments of the Class wherein So-called Living Pictures are Presented to the Eye.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Sept., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 24th June, 1899-Accepted, 2nd Sept., 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Instruments of the Class wherein So-called Living
Pictures are Presented to the Eye.
We, THOMAS ANSBORO, of 4, Playfair Street, Glasgow, Gentleman, and JoHN
FAIRIE, of 82, West Nile Street, Glasgow, Chartered Accountant, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to instruments of the zoetrope, mutascope, and kinetiscope
class wherein so called living pictures are presented to the eye and it has for
its object to improve the construction of such instruments.
In the instruments of the aforesaid class a number of pictures representing
the different attitudes successively assumed by an object in performing any act
from its beginning to its close is rapidly presented to the eye with the result
that the persistence of vision produces an apparently living picture.
In our invention the pictures to be presented to the eye are arranged in the
form of an endless band each picture being jointed to its neighbour in the band
by means of a flexible joint. By means of a revolving plate which receives inter-
mittent motion from an eccentrically arranged disc or wheel provided with means
such as a pin or arm for actuating the plate each picture is presented before an
eye-hole in the case of the instrument for a brief interval of time and is then
suddenly turned over and its place taken by the next succeeding picture in the
band. As the pictures in the band fall down from the plate aforesaid they fold
up automatically within a guide way which is preferably of a U shape with a
central division or partition. To facilitate the folding up of the pictures and
also to facilitate their passage in the folded state round the bottom of the U
guide the latter is made, on the side down which the folded pictures pass, with a
cycloidal curve.
The revolving plate and the disc or wheel are so arranged relatively with each
other that, as the disc revolves, its projecting pin or arm alternately engages
itself with and releases itself from suitable projections or equivalent, provided
for the purpose, on the plate, so as to impart to the latter the intermittent
motion. The wheel or disc can be kept continuously in motion by means of
suitable mechanism operated by the turning of a handle or by clockwork.
The pictures can be viewed through a single opening provided with a magni-
fying arrangement; or, when the series of pictures in the band are in duplicate,
they can be viewed stereoscopically through two openings one for each eye.
Provision is made for illuminating the pictures by electricity or otherwise as
desired; also for setting the apparatus in action by means of a suitable handle
or such like; and, also, for a suitable arrangement whereby, after dropping a coin
into a slot provided for the same, the apparatus is put into a state of prepared-
ness for being set in motion.
The apparatus as a whole is enclosed in a suitable casing.

page_text: "
Improvements in Instruments of the Class wherein So-called Living
Pictures are Presented to the Eye.
We, THOMAS ANSBORO, formerly of 4, Playfair Street, Glasgow, now of 277,
Swanston Street, Bridgeton, Glasgow, Gentleman, and JOHN FAIRIE, of 82, West
Nile Street, Glasgow, Chartered Accountant, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement; -
This invention relates to instruments of the mutascope, and kinetiscope class
wherein so-called living pictures are presented to the eye and it has for its object
to improve the construction of such instruments.
In the instruments of the aforesaid class a number of pictures taken in series
and representing the different attitudes successively assumed by an object in per-
forming any act from its beginning to its close is rapidly presented to the eye
with the result that the persistence of vision produces an apparently living
picture.
The drawings annexed illustrate two modifications of my invention.
One modification is shown at Figs. 1 to 3.
Fig. 1 is a vertical section taken on the line X-X Fig. 2; Fig. 2 a trans-
verse vertical section taken on the line Y-Y of Fig. 3; and Fig. 3 is a vertical
section taken at the opposite side of the instrument from that at Fig. 1.
The other modification is shown at Figs. 4 and 5; Fig. 4 being a sectional
elevation and Fig. 5 a side view of the mechanism taken on the line Z, Z, Fig. 4.
Figs. 6 and 7 are views explaining the action of the mechanism.
On the drawings the same reference letters wherever repeated indicate the same
or similar parts.
In my invention the series of pictures a to be presented to the eye are arranged
in the form of an endless band a' each picture being jointed to its neighbour in
the band by means of a flexible joint b. The flexible joints are coated alter-
nately, on opposite sides, (that is to say the one joint is coated on the one side
of the band and the next joint on the other side) with an elastic substance, such
as india-rubber, so as to give the band a tendency to fold automatically in a V.
fashion as shown at Fig. 3. By means of a revolving plate c which receives
intermittent motion from an eccentrically arranged wheel a provided with means,
such as a pin e, for actuating the plate each picture is presented before an eye-
holen in the case g of the instrument for a brief interval of time and is then
suddenly turned over and its place taken by the next succeeding picture in the
band. As the pictures in the band fall down from the plate c aforesaid they fold
up automatically (see dotted lines at i Fig. 3) within a guide casing or chamber
which is preferably of a U shape with a central division or partition h¹.
The revolving plate c has its axle c', to which it is rigidly secured, carried by
the brackets m and, as will be clearly seen from Fig. 1, the said axle c¹ is out
of the centre of the wheel d; the result of this is that, as the wheel revolves, its
projecting pin e alternately engages itself with and releases itself from the pro-
jections, provided for the purpose, on the plate, and which are equidistant
from the centre of its axle so as to impart to the plate the intermittent motion.
The wheel can be kept continuously in motion by means of suitable mechanisni
such as the gear wheel k operated by the turning of a handle or by clockwork.
The pictures can be viewed through a single opening provided with a magni-
fying lens o; or, when the series of pictures in the band are in duplicate, they
can be viewed.stereoscopically through two openings one for each eye.
p is a strengthening cross board to which the casing can be secured at its

page_text: upper end.
2 is a cover with an opening at the centre through which the
pictures can be seen as they are presented by the plate c. 9 is an opening at
the upper end of the instrument and which is provided with a hinged lid q
capable of being raised to the proper angle (see dotted lines Fig. 3) in order to
serve as a reflector for throwing light upon the pictures.
For the purpose of keeping the pictures in place as they are revolved the plate
is provided at each end with metallic discs c
In the arrangement Figs. and 5 the plate &, mounted rigidly on its axle c¹,
has its projections j,, provided with escapement pieces r, r, each of which is
slotted and is capable of being adjusted in position upon the projections by means
of the screws. The mechanism for revolving the plate consists of a driving
pulleys on the axle and from which passes a cord to the small pulley on
the spindle st. Made in one with the pulley is a toothed wheel so which gears
with a toothed wheels, on spindles, made one with an elliptical wheel s
which latter gears with the elliptical wheels turning upon the spindles. The
pin e inserted in. the elliptical wheel is capable of engaging once in each revo-
lution with one of the escapement pieces r, r¹. As will be seen the axle c¹ of
the plate e is journalled at the one side in the head of the fixed spindle s
and eccentrically of the wheel 38. As is clearly shown at Figs. 6 and 7, owing to
this eccentric arrangement the pin e will be caused, once in each revolution of the
wheel, to engage one of the escapements (see Fig. 7), with the result that the
plate will be turned over (that is moved through half a revolution), and then
release itself from the escapement and pass round free of the other escapement
(see Figs. 4 and 6).
As the movement of the pin e, in its path, is faster or slower according as the
longer or shorter radius of the wheel is in line (through the gearing of the
wheels) with the shorter or longer radius of the wheel & the pin and these vari-
able movements are so arranged that the former will be engaged with the plate c
during its maximum movement and released therefrom when its movement is at
a minimum thereby ensuring that each picture, as it is moved forward, in suc-
cession, by the plate, shall remain at rest for a much longer time than is taken to
effect the change from one picture to another.
In order that the friction on the flexible joints, due to the movement of the
band, may be reduced to a minimum, the band, in its path of movement, rubs
merely against two wire rails, t,t; arranged around the interior of the chamber h
(as shown at Fig. 3) at a distance apart corresponding to that between the two
deep indents u, u, Fig. 4, on each edge of the picture plate c.
The middle par-
tition h¹ of the chamber h is similarly furnished, and both its wires t,, are pro-
longed at the top into the indents on the edge of the plate, so that the plate, in
revolving, passes by them like a comb, without actually touching, and so pre-
vents any possibility of the band being caught during its movement between the
upper part of the partition and the edge of the plate.
To facilitate the movement of the band from front to rear, at the bottom of
the chamber, the latter is there formed with a curve that may be either circular
or cycloidal.
1}
w, w, are bent springs attached to the disc 3 of the picture plate and which
bear against the fixed disc » so as to act as brakes.
Provision may be made for illuminating the pictures by electricity or otherwise
as desired; and, also, for a suitable arrangement whereby after dropping a coin
into a slot provided for the same, the apparatus is put into a state of pre-
paredness for being set in motion.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we consider novel and desire to claim is :-
1. An instrument for presenting so-called living pictures to the eye in which
an endless band of pictures flexibly jointed together so as to fold up automati-

page_text: cally is put into rapid intermittent motion by means of a plate which is allowed
to remain stationary, for a moment, at intervals of time and is thereafter caused
to quickly perform a partial revolution about a horizontal axis by means of
suitable mechanism, substantially as hereinbefore set forth.
2. The mechanism for intermittently moving the band of pictures consisting
of a revoluble plate provided with lateral projections, having or not suitable
escapement pieces, and mounted eccentrically to its driving wheel which latter is
provided with an actuating pin or its equivalent, substantially as hereinbefore
Bet forth.
3. In combination, an endless band of pictures jointed together so that they
will readily fold themselves up, a revoluble plate (or its equivalent) for actuating
the band, mechanism for causing the plate to turn quickly through a partial
revolution at intervals of time, and a guideway for the pictures having a central
partition and a curved lower end, all substantially as hereinbefore described with
reference to the drawings annexed.
4. The general arrangement and combination of parts of the apparatus, sub-
stantially as hereinbefore described and shown under one modification at Figs. 1
to 3 of the drawings annexed and under another modification at Figs. 4 and 5 of
the drawings annexed.
Dated this 9 day of Tuna 1800
H. D. FITZPATRICK,
100, Wellington Street, Glasgow, Agent.