Improvements in Apparatus for Photographing and Exhibiting Cycloramic Views.
Year: 1894

page_text: Improvements in Apparatus for Photographing and Exhibiting
Cycloramic Views.
THOMAS WALTER BARBER, of 165 Queen Victoria Street London in the
County of Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:
1
My invention has for its object the preparation of views by photography, taken
from central or elevated points extending all round the point of view, and the exhibi-
tion of the same by lantern on a circular screen so as to reproduce the effect as seen
from the original point of view.
For this purpose I construct a revolving camera with a lens of the ordinary
construction, and either throw the picture on a cylindrical sheet of gelatine or glass
by revolving the lens and body round it at a uniform speed by hand gear or by
clockwork or I take the picture in 6 or more equal segments on Hat plates,
separately exposed by revolving the lens and camera body without gear or clock-
work to face each segment of the view.
;
The screen may be of paper plaster or cloth and is by preference cylindrical but
curved vertically inwards to the radius of the lantern
The lantern pivoted centrally and constructed with 6 or more sets of lenses,
arranged radially, each of which projects one section of the photograph on the
screen the light being in the centie. Each set of lenses is provided with adjust-
ments for focussing and for joining the abutting edges of the pictures with as little
break as possible
By another method I revolve the lenses at very high velocity from a dynamo
or engine around the cylindrical photograph, in this way producing a continuous
picture without joints or segments on the screen
The pictures may be revolved slowly by revolving the lantern and photograph
or the photograph only so as to bring every part into view of the spectators.
Dated this 27th day of November 1894.
THOMAS WALTER BARBER
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Photographing and Exhibiting
Cycloramic Views.
1. THOMAS WALTER BARBER, of 165 Queen Victoria Street in the City of
London 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 the preparation of views by photography, taken
from central or elevated points, and extending all round the point of view, and

page_text: the exhibition of the same by lantern on a circular or segmental screen, so as to
reproduce the effect as seen from the original point of view.
According to my invention 1 construct a revolving camera with a lens of the
ordinary construction, and either throw the picture upon a cylindrical sheet or film
of sensitised gelatine or glass, prepared in any of the ordinary methods; or I take
the picture in six or more equal segments, on flat plates or films. From the plates
thus obtained lantern transparencies are copied and colored, and exhibited upon the
exterior of a cylindrical screen by a central lantern; or upon a segmental screen in
an analogous manner.
And in order that my said invention may be particularly described and ascer-
tained, reference is hereby made to the accompanying drawings, in which similar
figures of reference indicate corresponding parts.
In the first arrangement, in photographing the scene, I use a revolving lens of
the ordinary construction, fitted as shown in elevation in Fig. 1, and in plan in
Fig. 2, both partly in section; in which 12 is the revolving body of the camera;
13 is the fixed body; 14 is the lens; 15 is a cylindrical sheet of sensitised gelatine
or glass, prepared by any ordinary method; 16 is a pivot; 17 is a bevel wheel and
circular rack, by which the lens and revolving body are revolved during exposure;
and 18 is the tripod stand. In this arrangement the camera body 13, the film 15,
and the segmental dark slide 19 do not revolve. The dark slide 19 can be lifted
off, from the body 13, and the films are inserted and replaced in the usual manner
in a dark room. To obtain a steady and rapid revolving motion, I revolve the
lens by the bevel wheel and circular rack 17, and a spring 20, released by a
catch 21, which releases the fly 22. 23 is a small shutter covering the light slot,
admitting the light to the film. This shutter is closed again on the completion of
one entire revolution Another method of carrying out my invention consists in
using a camera of any ordinary "magazine make, capable of automatically
exposing from 6 to 12 plates or films without refilling, (but any ordinary dark slide
camera can also be used), as illustrated by Figs. 3 and 4, Fig. 3 being an elevation
and Fig 4 a plan 24 is a horizontal dise fitted to a central pivot 16, upon the
top of the tripod 18, and having as many circumferential notches 25 as there are
segments in the picture, the holes being accurately spaced A spring pawl 26 18
fitted to the camera to engage with the notches 25, and ensure the correct position
of each segmental view exposed in succession.
Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation and Fig. 6 a plan of a screen, which may be an
entire circle, or a segment only may be used, as from a to a. The surface of the
screen 27 may consist of paper, plaster, or cloth, and is, by preference circular, but
curved vertically inwards to the radius of the centre occupied by the lantern 28,
a; shown
The upper part may be spherical or elliptical, and clouds, moon,
stars, &c. may be exhibited on the upper part above the level of the line b b.
The electric lantern by which the pictures are projected on the screen is pivoted
centrally at 28, and constructed, as shown in Figs 7 and 8, of a drum form 29,
mounted on a pedestal 30, and capable of being rotated, when requned, by means
of the worm gear 31. Six or more sets of leuses (8 being shown in the drawing,
Fig 8) illuminated by a central electric are light 32 Each set of lenses consists of a
double combination front lens 33, of the ordinary portrait achromatic type, suitably
corrected for lantern projection, and a condenser 34; a rectangular diaphragm or
mat 35, (as shown in detail in Fig. 9) and a double slide holder 39.
The following adjustments are necessary to obtain satisfactory results: -The
distance of the condenser 34 from the light 32, is adjusted by sliding the tube 37,
which is then fixed by the thumb screws 38 The focus of the front lens 33 is then
adjusted to the slide 39, by sliding the lens tube in or out, so as to correctly focus
the picture on the screen. the lens tube is then fixed by the thumb screw 40 The
rectangular diaphragm 35 (Fig 7) is then adjusted at both sides by micrometer
screws 42, (as shown in detail in Fig 9, which is an enlarged section at o) so that
the vertical meeting edges or joints 43, when thrown on the screen, exactly
coincide, and any spherical aberration is compensated for by filing the edges at 43.

page_text: and the method of driving the lenses by means of an electric motor, substantially
as herein before described and illustrated by Figs 10 and 11 of the drawings.
Dated 13th August 1805
GEO. DOWNING,
8 Quality Court, London, WC, Agent,

page_text: These adjustments, when made, should not be altered. The segmental slides are
then placed in the slide holders at 39, so as to require no focussing, by having
their film sides towards the condenser against fixed brass strips Each carrier
has an upper and lower receptacle at 39 and 39', so that, while one set is being
exhibited on the screen, another set may be exchanged The carriers slide
vertically, and may be shifted singly by hand, or by rack work, or simultaneously
by the circular rack and pinion gear 44 and handle 45
To exhibit cylindrical films prepared by the first mentioned process, a different
construction is adopted, Fig 10 being an elevation, partly in section, and Fig. 11
a plan of the arrangement The lantern 29 is circulan in plan, and the film is
placed in a ring canier 36 in the lantern body. Three or more sets of lenses 33,
Similar to those above described, but without diaphragm or slide carrier, are fixed
firmly to a horizontally revolving disc wheel 46, which has a long vertical bearing
on the hollow central fixed steel shaft 47, and is driven by an electric motor
armature 48, fixed below it, at a very high velocity Great steadiness is necessary
in the central shaft and foundation, and the picture thrown on the screen is
continuous, without segmental joints. The circular films are changed by lifting
them out above the lantern and inserting others.
By the use of a single central are light, every part of the picture is equally
illuminated which could not possibly be done with separate lights to each set of
lenses Any form of are lamp can be used provided it is arranged so as to adjust
the carbons to one point, as they burn away.
The spectators are accommodated on seat and promenades ranged round the
lantern 28, as shown in Figs 5 and 6, in steps or tiers, so that every person, sitting
or standing, may have an unobstructed view.
The lantern may be made double or triple, for exhibiting dissolving, moonlight,
sunrise, and other moving effects, by constructing it with two or three tiers of
lenses and slide carriers, one above the other, each tier being illuminated by a
separate central are light, and provided with its own adjusting, slide changing, and
rotating movements, as herein before described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is.
1 The improvements in apparatus for photographing and exhibiting cycloramic
views, substantially as described
2. In apparatus for the purposes aforesaid, the combination of the dark box 19
and lens 14 in one, removable from the camera; spring 20; circular rack and
pinion gear 17, and fly regulator 22, severally operating substantially as herein
betore described and illustrated by Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings.
3. In magazine cameras of any ordinary construction, the application and use of
the horizontal dise 24, and centre pin 16, having its circumference equally spaced,
as at 25, by means of notches, to receive a spring pawl 26, substantially as and
for the purposes herein before described and illustrated by Figs. 3 and 4 of the
drawings.
4. In apparatus for the purposes aforesaid, the application and use of a circular
or segmental screen 27 in combination with either of the lanterns herein referred
to, substantially as herein before described and illustrated by Figs 5 and 6 of the
drawings
5 In apparatus for the purposes aforesaid, the combination of a single central
are light, with any number of sets of projecting lenses all fixed to one lantern
body 29 of the usual construction with double slide holders and rack and pinion
gear for operating them together, and the method of adjustment of the diaphragm,
substantially as and for the purposes herein before described and illustrated by
Figs 7, 8 and 9 of the drawing>
In apparatus for the purposes aforesaid, the application and use of a revolving
lantern, with a fixed central shaft, and are light, a circular film carrier and hood,