Improvements in the Production and Reproduction of Animated Photographs.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Aug., 1897-Accepted, 9th Oct.,
1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Production and Reproduction of Animated
Photographs.
I, WALTER JOHN HUBERT JONES, of 105, Vyse Street, Birmingham, in the
County of Warwick, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
My invention has for its object improvements in the production and reproduc-
tion of animated photographs by which I am enabled to greatly simplify their
construction and prevent the film from being torn or injured and from vibrating
as it travels before the object lens by the instantaneous action of the shutter and
feed, and the apparatus constructed according to my invention can be adapted for
use with an ordinary magic lantern.
In order that my invention may be more clearly understood and easily carried
into practical effect I have appended hereunto two double sized sheets of drawings
upon which I have illustrated two examples of my method of operating the film
and shutter of my excelograph.
Figure 1 is a front elevation of my excelographi.
Figure 2 is a similar view to Figure 1 showing a modification of invention.
my
In carrying my invention into practice I form the frame A and in this frame
I mount the timing wheel B which may be driven by hand or by other motive
power arranged on the platform C. This timing wheel may be driven at any
desired speed but I will describe it as making one revolution for each object
presented before the lens and this is accomplished by means of the projection
or cam formed on the periphery coming in contact with the end of the
stop 1 which is pivoted to the frame and this end of the stop is held against
The other
the periphery of the timing wheel by the spring or its equivalent b².
end of this stop rests upon the end e¹ of the shutter lever E which is pivotted
to the frame at e². The opposite end of this lever is attached to the shutter F
by the pin or bolt f¹ which works in the slot e³ and when the stop D releases the
end e the weight of the lever and the elastic band or spring or equivalent drop
the shutter, at the same time the lever strikes against or tilts the end of the
quadrant stop H which is pivotted to the frame, the other end 4² of this stop being
formed with an enlargement or catch which engages with the projection h³ formed
on the quadrant R which is pivotted to the frame and gears with the pinion I
mounted on one end of the roller J. When the end h¹ of this quadrant stop is
pressed downwards it lifts the other end out of contact with the projection h³
and releases the quadrant and this causes the lever end to rise assisted by the
action of the spring 5 or its equivalent, and the quadrant to lower, thereby
rotating the roller J which gears by means of the pinion ¹ with another roller
parallel with the roller J. These rollers are preferably covered with rubber and
the film on which the object is photographed passes between so that when they
are turned by the action of the quadrant they draw the film down and present the
next picture before the opening K. When the quadrant has reached the limit

page_text: or its stroke the shutter is replaced instantly by the action of the spring he whic
has reached the limit of its tension and thus causes the end of the lever Et
shoot upwards by overcoming the inertia of the spring and the weight of th
lever E and the weight of the shutter F and the friction of the stop D on th
end of the lever E. Or the instantaneous lifting of the shutter may be accom
plished by means of a tappet operated by the quadrant or by a link connected t
the end of the lever E and operated by the quadrant as it reaches the limit of it
stroke. The stop or projection & on the timing wheel is timed to come in contac
with the lever h thus forcing the quadrant back to its normal position, and th
end 3 of the quadrant stop engages with the projection h³. The elastic band
or spring or equivalent also assists to draw the quadrant back to its norma
position, the rollers J being prevented from revolving when the quadrant return
by the pawl' and ratchet L. The shutter and film work in grooves formed in the
slide a and to get the film (which may be carried on a reel fixed in a bracke
situated in any suitable position) in proper position it is fed down its groove in
the slide until it comes in contact with the rollers J which rollers are parted by
turning the lever m¹ fixed at one end of the spindle M, thereby operating two smal
snails or cams or eccentrics fixed near the other end of the spindle and between
the frame N which is pivotted at n¹ and carries one of the rollers J. The film
is then fed down between these rollers until it is in proper position before the
opening K and the lever m¹ released, when the rollers close upon and grip the
film. This opening K works in another set of grooves formed in the slide a and
should the film at any time get out of position I attach the rack to the bottom
end which gears with the pinion fixed on one end of the spindle ³, on the other
end of which I secure the lever or handle kt. It will thus be seen that by turning
this lever the opening can be adjusted to suit the position of the object without
the necessity of having to rearrange the film.
At Figure 2 I have shown a modification of my invention. In this case I dis-
pense with the shutter F, the lever E, and the stop D and their connections, and
arrange the stop H so that the end ¹ comes in contact with the eccentric or
projection on the timing wheel, the action of the remaining parts being the same
as hereinbefore described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
--
CLAIMS.
First: In the production and reproduction of animated photographs the
timing wheel such as B, the stop D, the lever E, the stop H, the quadrant R, the
rollers J, all operated in the manner and for the purpose substantially as herein-
before described and as shown upon the accompanying sheets of drawings.
Second-In the production and reproduction of animated photographs moving
the film or its equivalent by rollers such as J actuated by a quadrant or its
equivalent operated by a stop such as H and lever such as E by means of a
timing wheel or eccentric in the manner substantially as hereinbefore described
and as shown upon the accompanying sheets of drawings at Figure 1.
Third: In the production and reproduction of animated photographs moving
the film or its equivalent by rollers such as J actuated by a quadrant or its
equivalent operated by a stop such as H or its equivalent by means of a timing
wheel or eccentric in the manner and for the purpose substantially as herein-
before described and as shown upon the accompanying sheets of drawings at
Figure 2.
Fourth :—In the production and reproduction of animated photographs regu-
lating the opening to suit the object substantially as hereinbefore described and
as shown upon the accompanying sheets of drawings.
Fifth The improvements in the production and reproduction of animated

page_text: photographs substantially as hereinbefore described and as shown upon the
accompanying sheets of drawings.
Dated this 19th day of August 1897.
GEORGE
BARKER,
77, Colmore Row, Birmingham, Agent for Applicant..