Improvements in Apparatus for Taking Photographic Views in Rapid Succession, and for Presenting the same in like Manner.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Dec., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 18th Sept., 1899-Accepted, 16th Dec., 1899
Improvements in Apparatus for Taking Photographic Views in Rapid
Succession, and for Presenting the same in like Manner.
I, CHARLES RALEIGH, of 58, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to apparatus of the class now commonly known as
mutoscopes and comprises improved means for mounting and operating a series
of films intended to bear, or bearing, pictures adapted for use in mutoscopes;
such means being applicable for use either in the production of such pictures or
in their presentation with mutoscopic effects.
In mounting a series of films or pictures according to my improved method, I
employ a pair of closely coiled spiral wires. Each of the cards bearing the films
or pictures is punched towards its inner extremity with two holes, and the
several cards are inserted between the convolutions of the spiral coils the two
perforations respectively coinciding with the coils. A flexible cord which may
be formed of india-rubber or other elastic material, is then passed through each
coil and through the perforations in the cards: the cards having a slight amount
of freedom and being unable to escape from the spiral coils wherein they are
mounted. A series of cards mounted in this manner have the characteristics of
being carried by a flexible belt. The group may, however, be attached to a
band or belt of woven material or leather, either for convenience in working,
or with the object of affording additional strength or support.
Instead of employing spiral coils to separate and flexibly hold the picture
cards, a strip of thin metal or other material may be folded zig-zag and punched
so that a flexible cord may be passed through the perforations in the folded
strips and through the coincident holes in the cards.
The flexibly mounted group of pictures may be presented to view in any of
the modes commonly employed in mutoscopes where the picture cards are
rigidly mounted, but I prefer to present the cards and to operate the belt with
the aid of means of the following character:-Tpon a shaft mounted in a casing
is secured a drum, as also a spur-pinion. Below the said shaft is arranged a
second shaft whereon is keyed a larger spur-wheel, the latter engaging with
the spur-pinion before referred to. The spur-wheel has several teeth cut away:
and means, such as worm gear, are provided for imparting rotative motion to
the second shaft in one direction only. A flexible belt of suitable material
passes over the drum on the first shaft-the drum being somewhat wider than
the belt-and the two ends of the belt hang down one in front, the other in
the rear.
To the front end of the belt is or are attached one or more cords or
chains. which, after passing round stretching pulleys, are carried around the
rear of the drum and to one side of the belt and fastened to the drum. To the
:

page_text: rear end of the belt is attached a weight, spring or elastic device, arranged to
oppose the forward travel of the belt.
Upon the second shaft being slowly rotated, motion is, by means of the gear
wheels, imparted to the drum upon the first shaft, and the belt is caused to
travel forwards (the same being partly pulled by the cords attached to its front
end and partly driven by friction) until that portion of the spur-wheel whence
the teeth have been removed arrives opposite the spur-pinion. Hereupon the
drum becomes free to rotate backwards; and the belt, under the influence of
the weight or of the springs attached to its rear end, rapidly returns to its
original position.
It will be perceived that, under the conditions described, the driving gear is
capable of being worked in one direction only, and that, although the belt
carrying the series of pictures advances slowly, it retreats quickly upon the
completion of the exposition. If now a stop be presented to momentarily arrest
each card successively during its forward movement, all the conditions necessary
for the effective working of the mutoscope are fulfilled.
Instead of employing toothed wheels and leaving a gap in the toothed surface
of one, friction wheels may be employed, the friction failing at one point. Or
the belt may be operated by means of a revolving threaded rod whereon a split
nut is arranged to travel, the belt being attached to the nut and a catch serving to
tighten the nut upon the threaded rod or to free it therefrom as required.
Each end of a flexible belt may be attached to a separate drum, and the belt
wound forward from one drum to the other, means being provided for ensuring
a quick return movement.
The hereinbefore described mode of mounting mutoscopic picture cards is
equally applicable where it is desired to form the flexibly mounted group as
an endless band adapted to pass over one or more rollers: a reverse movement
being, under such circumstances, unnecessary.
The said mode of mounting picture cards and presenting same to view may,
moreover, he employed in mounting sensitized films or papers, prepared to receive
consecutive photographs in the form of negatives or positives, the sensitized
portion of each successive card taking the place of each successive picture.
Dated this 16th day of December 1898
Improvements in Apparatus for Taking Photographic Views in Rapid
Succession, and for Presenting the same in like Manner.
I, CHARLES RALEIGH, of 58, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Mechanical Engineer, 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 apparatus designed to present in rapid succession a
series of films, intended for the reception of pictures in equally rapid succession,
so as to impart to the subject portrayed the appearance of animation or movement.
In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a perspective view illustrating one
mode of mounting a series of films or pictures according to my invention;
Figs. 1, and 1° being respectively a face view of a film or picture card
detached, an elevation of a portion of the closely coiled wire film or card-holder,

page_text: and a plan of the series of films or picture cards shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 2 is a
perspective view illustrating another mode of mounting the picture cards;
Fig. 2 being an end view. Fig. 3 is a side elevation illustrating a method of
mounting and operating the belt of films or pictures, the side of the casing
being removed. Figs. 3, 3 and 3 are enlarged views of the drum around which
the belt of films or pictures travels and of the means for rotating the said drum.
Fig. 4 is a view taken at right angles to Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a side view corre
sponding with Fig. 3, but illustrating an alternative mode of operating the belt.
Figs. and are views respectively corresponding with Figs. 3 and 4, but
illustrating means for operating an endless belt of films or pictures; Fig. 8
representing a modified construction in which the belt is also of the endless
type.
2
In mounting a series of films or pictures according to my improved method, I
employ a pair of closely coiled spiral wires a a, Fig. 1. Each of the cards bearing
the films or pictures is punched towards its inner extremity with two holes, bb,
which may be eyeletted, and the several cards are inserted between the convolu-
tions of the spiral coils, the two perforations bb respectively coinciding with
the coils. A flexible cord c, which may be formed of india-rubber or other
elastic material but which may also be wire is then passed through each coil
and through the perforations in the cards; the cards having a slight amount of
freedom but being unable to escape from the spiral coils wherein they are
mounted. A series of cards mounted in this manner have the characteristics of
being carried by a flexible belt. Such a group may, however, be attached to a
band or belt of woven material or leather, either for convenience in working, or
with the object of affording additional strength or support but I find in practice
that a supplementary band is in no way essential, the card-belt constituted as
described being sufficiently strong and substantial to admit of its being driven
by frictional contact with a rubber covered roller. If, however, an auxiliary
belt be employed, the slipping thereof upon the drum may be prevented by
means of pegs, teeth or serrations on or in the surface of the drum: or the
auxiliary belt may carry a pitch-chain arranged to gear with a chain-wheel
situate at or about midway in the length of the drum.
Instead of employing spiral coils to separate and flexibly hold the films or
picture cards, a strip of thin metal or other material may be folded zig-zag,
as shown in Fig. 2, and punched at 4°. so that a flexible cord may be passed
through the perforations a°"° in the folded strips and through the coincident
holes in the cards.
The flexibly mounted group of pictures may be presented to view in any of the
modes commonly employed including those where the picture cards are rigidly
mounted but I prefer to present the cards and to operate the belt with the aid
of means of the following character: The belt A. is mounted upon a drum B
secured to a shaft C in a casing D, a spur-pinion E being also secured to the
shaft ( Below the shaft C is arranged a second shaft F. whereon is keyed a
spur-wheel G, the latter engaging with the spur-pinion E. The spur-wheel G
has several teeth cut away at g: and means, such as a worm f and worm-wheel f¹,
are provided for imparting rotative motion to the shaft F in one direction only:
the worm being operated by the handle f. The belt of flexibly mounted films
or picture cards, with or without a supporting band or belt, passes over the
drum B on the shaft (the drum being somewhat wider than the belt-and
the two ends of the belt hang down; one in the front, the other in the rear.
To the front or leading end of the belt is or are attached one or more cords or
chains dd, which, after passing under stretching pulleys e e, are led over the
drum B and are fastened thereto. To the rear or trailing end of the belt is
attached a weight or tension spring, arranged to oppose the forward travel of
the belt. In the example shown, a cord or chain is attached at one extremity
to the rear end of the belt, and, after passing about pulleys el e¹ and e, is fur-
nished at its opposite extremity with a weight ².

page_text: Upon the handle 2 being slowly rotated, motion is, by means of the worm-
gear and spur gearing G E, imparted to the drum B; and the belt A is
caused to travel forwards (the same being partly drawn by the cords d d, attached
to its front end, and partly driven by friction) until that portion g of the spur-
wheel G whence the teeth have been removed arrives opposite the spur-pinion E.
Hereupon the drum B becomes free to rotate backwards; and the belt, under
the influence of the weight or of the spring attached to its trailing end,
rapidly returns to its original position.
It will be perceived that, under the conditions described, the driving gear is
capable of being worked in one direction only; and that, although the belt
carrying the series of pictures advances slowly, it returns quickly upon the
completion of the exposition. If a stop H be presented to momentarily arrest
each card successively during its forward movement. all the conditions necessary
for the effective working of the apparatus are fulfilled. The pivoted arm H
may be arranged to lift during the return movement of the belt. I is an eye-
piece and lens for viewing the pictures.
Instead of employing toothed wheels and leaving a gap in the toothed surface
of one, friction wheels may be employed, the friction failing at one point in the
revolution. Or the belt A may be operated by means of a revolving threaded
rod K whereon a split-nut K' is arranged to travel (cide Fig. 5): the front end
of the belt being attached to the nut, while to the rear end of the belt is attached
a weight catches K2 K3 serving to tighten the nut upon the threaded rod
and to free it therefrom as required. Means for engaging a split-nut with a
revolving screw and disengaging the same therefrom are. well known in automatic
screw-cutting lathes.
Each end of a flexible picture belt of the kind above referred to (or of an
auxiliary carrying belt) may be attached to a separate drum, and the belt wound
forward from one drum to the other; any convenient means being provided
for ensuring a quick return movement.
The herein before described mode of mounting picture cards for use in animated
photography is equally applicable where it is desired to form the flexibly mounted
group as an endless band adapted to pass over one or more rollers; a reverse
movement being. under such circumstances, unnecessary. Such a construction
and mode of working are illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7 but apart from the belt
per se, are not put forward as presenting any novelty. The flexible belt A° of
pictures passes around drums B° B₁ respectively mounted upon shafts C° C¹.
Upon the shaft Co is mounted a worm-wheel C2, driven by means of the worm C³
and handle C. The shaft C₁ pertaining to the drum B₁ is mounted in slotted
brackets or supports L L and may be held in position by nuts 17. A stop Ho
is provided inside the casing 1) for momentarily arresting each picture successively
during the forward movement of the belt; an eye-piece and lens I affording
means for viewing the pictures.
According to the modified method of construction illustrated in Fig. 8, the
flexible belt A° is passed around drums respectively mounted upon the
shafts C, C the latter being respectively furnished with chain wheels and c.
The shaft C is driven by a worm C and worm-wheel C2 from the handle C':
motion being transmitted to the shaft Co by means of the pitch chain C. In
this instance, the presentation of the pictures for the purpose of being viewed
takes place independently of their passage about the axis of the shaft Co.
The said mode of mounting picture cards and presenting same to view may,
moreover, be employed in mounting sensitized films or papers prepared to
receive consecutive photographs in the form of negatives or positives, the
sensitized portion of each successive card taking the place of each successive
picture.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I wish it to be
understood that I am aware that picture cards in muioscopes and like apparatus

page_text: have been mounted on flexible bands which after an exposure of the picture
cards are brought back to their initial position by a spring, and I make no
general claim to such an arrangement; I am also aware that it has been pre-
viously proposed in mutoscopes to use an arbor having elastic picture cards
arranged radially thereon and means for holding the outer edges of the cards
rearwardly under tension during a portion of the revolution; but, I claim:-
1. In flexible bands carrying a succession of pictures normal to the surface
of the band, the use of closely wound spiral wires, between the convolutions of
which the pictures or their carriers are inserted, for spacing the pictures and
supporting them in an elastic and yielding manner normally to said band,
substantially as herein described.
2. The improved method of mounting films or pictures intended to be exposed
or presented in rapid succession, consisting in perforating the inner extremities
of the films or pictures, or the carriers or cards whereon the same are mounted,
inserting same between the convolutions of closely coiled spiral wires, so that
the perforations coincide with the spiral wire coils, and then passing a flexible
cord through the spiral coils and the perforations in the films or pictures, or
in their carriers, substantially as herein described.
3. The improved method of mounting films or pictures intended to be exposed
or presented in rapid succession, consisting in inserting same, or the carriers
or cards whereon they are mounted, between the folds of one or more strips of
thin metal or other suitable material folded in the manner shewn, and then
passing a flexible cord through perforations formed in the folded strip and m
the inner extremities of the films or pictures, or in their carriers, substantially
as herein described.
4. The improved means for presenting a series of films or pictures in rapid
succession, comprising a belt of flexibly mounted films or pictures maintained
in tension over a drum furnished with a spur- or friction-pinion which engages
with a spur or friction-wheel, these being constructed in such a manner that
the engagement fails at one point and thereby permits the return movement of
the belt after the films or pictures carried thereby have been exposed, sub-
stantially as herein described.
5. In apparatus for presenting a series of films or pictures in rapid succession,
a belt of flexibly-mounted films or pictures whereof one end is furnished with a
cord or chain, which, after passing around tension pullies, is secured to the
drum whereon the belt is mounted, whilst the other end of the belt is furnished
with a cord or chain, which, after passing about tension pullies, is attached to a
weight or spring which maintains the belt under tension during the exposure
of the films or pictures and effects its subsequent return, substantially as herein
described.
6. The improved means for presenting a series of films or pictures in rapid
succession, comprising a belt of flexibly-mounted films or pictures maintained
in tension over a drum and whereof one end is connected with a split-nut operated
by a revolving screw while the other end is loaded with a weight or tension
spring, substantially as herein described.
7. In apparatus for presenting a series of films or pictures in rapid succession.
an endless belt of flexibly-mounted films, pictures or picture carriers arranged
about a pair of drums capable of being operated rotatively substantially as
herein described; the picture exposed to view being one of those pertaining to a
portion of the belt extending between the drums, and its presentation being
effected independently of its passage about the axis of either of the drums
embraced by the belt.
Dated this 18th day of September 1800