AN IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF STEREOSCOPE
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Shears, of East Place, Kennington Road,
in the County of Surrey, Stereoscope Manufacturer, for the Invention
of "AN IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF STEREOSCOPE."
Sealed the 12th February 1856, and dated the 14th August 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Shears at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 14th August
1855.
I, GEORGE SHEARS, of East Place, Kennington Road, in the County of
Surrey, Stereoscope Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "AN IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF STEREOSCOPE" to be as follows:-
The object of this Invention is to construct stereoscopes which will admit of
in
being packed away in a shallow box when not in use. For this purpose,
place of the rigid inclined sides which support the cross piece that carries the
lenses, I make each side of two pieces and connect them together by a butt
hinge. I also attach to the inner face of these pieces a vulcanized india-rubber
or other spring, in such a manner, that when the stereoscope is opened it will
retain the parts in position, but will yield to pressure and allow the parts to
fold the one over the other.

page_text: The cross piece which carries the lenses I joint by hinges to the folding
sides, and these sides I hinge to the sides or bottom of the stereoscope box; I
further connect the side pieces together when it' is required by cloth or other
flexible material, which will shade all unnecessary light from the picture under
inspection.
For the purpose of exhibiting transparent pictures, I form the bottom of the
stereoscope box-of-glass,-or-I-provide merely...a hollow frame, and I cover it
with an opaque door, which may be removed or folded back when the light is
required to be introduced to the back of the picture. The lid of the box will
assist in forming, with the flexible material before mentioned, a dark chamber
for the reception of the transparent picture.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Shears in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 14th
February 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM' THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
SHEARS, of East Place, Kennington Road, in the County of Surrey, Stereo-
scope Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the nineteenth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
George Shears, Her special license that I, the said George Shears, my execu-
tors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said George Shears,
my executors, administrators; and assigns, should at any time agree with, and
no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein
expressed; should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland; the Channel Islands, and Isle
of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF STEREOSCOPE," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said George Shears, by an instru-
ment in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was
to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within' 'six calendar months next, and immediately after the date of the
said Letters Patent.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George Shears, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner, the same is to be per=
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained' in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-
My Invention of "An Improved Construction of Stereoscope" has for its
object to construct these instruments in such a manner as will admit, of their
being folded up and packed away in a shallow box when not in use. For this
purpose, in place of the rigid inclined body which in ordinary stereoscopes
supports the cross piece that carries the lenses; I make each of the sides of the
instrument of two pieces, and connect these pieces together by a butt hinge,
so that the sides may be folded up. I also attach to the inner face, of..these
pieces a vulcanized india-rubber spring, in such a manner, that when the
stereoscope is opened these springs will retain the parts in position, but will;
yield to pressure, and allow the parts to fold the one over the other when it is
required to close the instrument. The cross piece at top. which carries, the
lenses is jointed by hinges to the folding sides, and. these sides are hinged to
the side or bottom of the stereoscope box. I further connect the side pieces
together when it is required by cloth or other flexible material, which will
shade all unnecessary light from the picture. under. inspection. For the pur-
pose of exhibiting transparent pictures; the bottom. of the stereoscope box may
be formed of glass, or this bottom may be made to consist merely of a hollow
frame and covered with an opaque door, which may be removed or folded back
when the light is required to be introduced to the back of the picture. The
lid of the box will assist in forming with the flexible,material before mentioned
a dark chamber for the reception of the transparent picture.
In order that my improved construction of stereoscope may be clearly
understood, I have shewn in the accompanying Drawing various views of
the same.
ni
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one of my improved instruments, extended
ready for use; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the instrument, in; the
same state; Fig. 3 is a transverse section;. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section,
shewing the instrument partially closed; and Fig. 5. is a plan view of the
stereoscope folded up in its case, the lid of the latter, however, being left open,
in order that the position of the several parts of the instrument may be more
clearly seen.
1
T
a, a, is the bottom or lower part of the case or box to which the instrument
is adapted. If thought desirable the under; side of this case may have an open-

page_text: ing made therein, so that transparent glass slides may be examined in the
stereoscope, and this opening may be provided with a moveable door or shutter
for closing the same.. b, b, is the lid or cover of the case, to which it is attached
by a leather hinge or joint; c, c, are rigid ends, which are jointed at bottom to
the case, and are each divided into two parts, jointed together by a hinge.d
and a vulcanized india-rubber spring e. The rigid ends c are also jointed at
top to the horizontal bar or piece f, which carries the lenses g, g, and is pro-
vided with a flat leather piece h, whereby the eye piece f is pulled up, and the
instrument extended and opened, as shewn at Figs. 1, 2, and 3. The two
rigid ends c, c, of the instrument are connected together by flexible sides i, i,
made of some suitable fabric, and one of these sides is open at the bottom, as
seen at 1, 1, in Figs. 2 and 3, for the purpose of admitting light to the surface
of the picture, which is to be placed on the bottom of the lower part of the case,
as in ordinary stereoscopes.
:
The most convenient form for the india-rubber spring e is a piece of vul-
canized india-rubber tubing of suitable length and diameter, through which
are passed two bars or pins connected with the two halves of the rigid ends c, c.
As the springs are always kept in tension, they will have a tendency (from the
way in which they are adapted to the instrument) to maintain the rigid ends
in an erect position, as shewn in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, when once the latter are
raised up into that position, and the springs will also from the same cause keep
the rigid ends down in the folded position shewn in Fig. 5, when they are
folded down in the box or case.
It will be seen, on referring to Figs. 2 & 3, that an opening is cut away at
the junction of the two halves of the rigid ends c, c, in order to admit the india-.
rubber spring therein, so as to allow the several parts to lay down close on each
other, and to cause the spring to hold the parts down in contact when they are
folded down.
In order to cause the several parts with the outer case to occupy as small a
space as possible, a hollow place is made in the lid b, b, for the purpose of
receiving or closing over the eye piece f and lenses g, g, when the several parts
are folded down, and the lid 6 placed thereon, as shewn by dots in Fig. 3.
The two parts a and b are held together (when closed) by hooks and eyes, as
shewn at j,j, in Fig. 1, or any other suitable fastening may be employed.
Having now described my Invention of "An Improved Construction of
Stereoscope," and the means of carrying the same into effect, I claim, in con-
clusion, the general arrangement and construction of parts herein shewn and
described, or any mere modification thereof, in which the instrument is adapted

page_text: to a case or box, as shewn, and the several parts of stereoscopes may be folded
down into the said case or box, for the convenience of portability and packing.
I claim particularly the rigid ends c, c, the parts thereof being connected
together by hinges, as shewn, and maintained either in an open or closed posi-
tion by means of vulcanized india-rubber springs, as shewn and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Shears, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, the Eleventh day of February, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
G. SHEARS. (L.S.)