IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR DISPLAYING OR EXHIBITING PHOTOGRAPHIC PICTURES OR OTHER OBJECTS
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederic Prince, of Patcham, in the County of Sussex,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR DISPLAYING OR
EXHIBITING PHOTOGRAPHIC PICTURES OR OTHER OBJECTS."
Sealed the 27th February 1877, and dated the 28th August 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederic Prince, at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 28th August 1876.
FREDERIC PRINCE, of Patcham, in the County of Sussex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR DISPLAYING OR EXHIBITING PHOTOGRAPHIC PICTURES OR OTHER
OBJECTS."
The object of this Invention is to display photographic pictures or other objects
one after the other by simply turning a frame over (preferably suspended on arms),
within which fiame the pictures or other objects to be exhibited are placed, and
this I propose to accomplish by the following means:—
I construct a frame glazed back and front, which may be of wood, metal, or other
suitable material, and of any ornamental design, and I preferably suspend it on two
arms fixed to a stand, and in such a manner that both ends of the frame are in
equilibrium. Passing across the inside of the frame in the middle is a spindle
dividing the frame into two divisions; the ends of such spindle are held in a slot
on both sides of the inside of the frame, and in such a manner that when the
frame is turned over towards the horizontal position the aforesaid spindle shall
fall down to the back or underneath part of the frame by its own weight.
On the spindle and near each end thereof I fix a piece formed thus I
or a double T piece (herein-after called a " carrier") made of metal or other suitable
material, the T ends of which are rounded off on one side, and on the other or
opposite side brought to a knife edge, but opposite at top and bottom, as shown.
The object of the said projecting T pieces is to hold within them a certain
number of mounts or holders for photographic pictures or other objects sought to
be exhibited (herein-after called "mounts"). These mounts I prefer to make or
fit with a metal frame or edges all round, or with a round edge of metal or other
hard material at top and bottom. The frame is now divided into two equal
divisions by the aforesaid spindle and carriers on same. There is sufficient extra
space in the divisions of the mounts to fall down free of the carrier. The T ends
[Price 6d.]

page_text: of the carriers are made to hold an equal number of mounts on each side, but in
one division I put an extra mount above the number necessary to fill the pro-
jecting Tends of the carriers, and the edge of this mount will thus stand slightly
above the rounded projecting T ends of the carriers.
On both sides of the mounts at each corner I fasten a piece of thin wood or
other suitable material for the purpose of preventing the pictures or objects carried
in or on the mounts from rubbing against or touching each other, and also for the
purpose of keeping the edges of the mounts apart to enable the T ends of the
carriers to more certainly take within them the edges of the proper number of
mounts, and also for the purpose of causing the edge of the extra mount to stand
slightly above the rounded T ends of the carriers.
The action of the aforesaid apparatus is as follows:-Supposing the frame to be
in a horizontal position, in each division there is the requisite number of mounts.
The division that will.come to the top on the frame being turned should contain
the extra mount before mentioned, and this when the frame is turned to a sufficient
angle will slide over the rounded ends of the T pieces of the carriers into the other
or lower division, and over the other mounts contained in that division. All the
other mounts in the top division will be held owing to their edges resting upon and
within the ends of the carriers. On the frame being again turned round so as to
bring the bottom division into which the extra mount slid from the top as afore-
said to the top, it will then be found that there is an extra mount in this division,
which will slide down to the bottom division on the frame being tuned to a sufficient
By this means all the mounts
angle, and so on at every revolution of the frame
that are within the frame will be exhibited in succession.
The spindle upon which are the carriors aforesaid works at each end in a slot as
aforesaid, and should always fall to the bottom or underneath side of the frame
when the frame turns round and passes the centre of gravity, thus preventing
any of the mounts from slipping down behind when the frame becomes per-
pendicular.
The successful working of this Invention depends upon there always being one
mount more in the top division than the T ends of the carriers can take hold of,
which consequently slides down when the frame is placed at the necessary angle,
and also upon the preventing of any mounts from sliding down behind.
The sliding or dropping action of the spindle and carriers can also be effected by
means of cams or eccentrics or other mechanical means, but I prefer to use the self-
acting motion above described.
The frame need not be suspended, but can be turned over in the hand by placing
handles on the side for that purpose.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
said Frederic Prince in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 28th February
1877.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
FREDERIC PRINCE, of Patcham, in the County of Sussex.
APPARATUS FOR DISPLAYING OR EXHIBITING PHOTOGRAPHIC PICTURES OR OTHER
OBJECTS."
The object of my Invention is to display or exhibit photographic pictures or
other objects in rotation by turning over a case or frame, within which the pictures
or other objects sought to be exhibited are placed.
And in order to explain my said Invention more fully I will now proceed to
describe the means by which it may be carried into practical effect, reference being
had to the illustrative Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the Figures and
letters of reference marked thereon.
Figure 1 represents a front view of an apparatus constructed according to my

page_text: the line A, B, at Figure 1.
Figures 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 are detached views, herein-after described and
referred to.
Figure 8 represents a view illustrating another mode of working the apparatus.
In each of the above Figures the same letters of reference are employed to denote
corresponding parts.
A represents a case or frame mounted on a stand B, having bearings at a. The
case A is glazed back and front so as to exhibit pictures or other objects on both.
sides, and may be made of wood, metal, or other suitable material, and of any.
desired ornamental design; C, C, are double T piecos or carriers mounted on a rod or
bar passing across the middle of the case or frame inside, and dividing it into two
divisions, D are cards or mounts to hold the pictures or other objects sought to be
exhibited. These cards or mounts are preferably made with a metallic edge for the
purpose of keeping them straight, and have extra thickness pieces g, g, on both
sides at each end, as shewn at Figure 5, in order to keep the said cards or mounts
asunder, and to enable the ends of the carriers C, C, to more readily enter under
the edge of the bottom mount, and between the edges of the two top mounts to
more certainly insure the falling of only one mount, and to prevent the rubbing of
the objects exhibited. The case A is made to open by means of hinges b, b, and
fasten by catches e, e, or ordinary lock; i, i, are handles to turn the case over
when suspended in the stand B; k, k, represent gliss at back and front of case A.
At Figure 3ª it will be seen that the glasses h, k, are divided into two, so that the
ends of the carriers C, C, may drop below the surface of the glass to enable the
apparatus to work more readily both ways. When it is intended that the apparatus
should be turned both ways it is necessary to make the carriers C, C, of the form
shewn at Figures 3" and 4.
If it is intended to work the apparatus one way only the carriers may at opposite
corners be brought to a knife edge in order that the knife edge may more readily
enter under the bottom mount, but I have found that this is SO necessary if the
ends of the carriers are made to fall slightly below the surface of the glass,
and this I effect by dividing the glasses as shewn at Figure 3a. m, m, are slots
in both sides of the inside of the frame for the ends of the rod f to work in.
Figure 6 shews a top view of the rod f and carriers C, C, attached thereto. The
carriers C, C, are made to hold or support the same number of mounts on both
sides, but in order to make the apparatus work there must be an uneven number of
mounts in the case A, that is to say, one more in one division of the case than in
the other, viz, one more mount than the number which the carriers are made to
hold. The rod with carriers C, C, should be arranged so that it will fall by
its own weight from front to back when the said case is turned over, and by so
doing to leave a space between the top of the carriers C, C, and the glass, so as to
allow the extra mount to slide or fall down from the top to the bottom division,
and over the mounts contained in that division. The case or frame A must be
made long enough inside to allow the mounts in the lower division to fall below
the T ends of the carriers C, C, and be disengaged from the same, as shewn at
Figure 3.
The action of an apparatus constructed as described is as follows:-Supposing
the case A to be in the position represented at Figure 2 the extra mount should be
in the lower division, but when the case A is turned over to a sufficient angle
(bringing the bottom division to the top) the rod f with the carriers C, C, together
with the mounts held therein, will fall by their own weight to the then underneath
part of the case A, thus making the necessary space for the extra mount to slide or
fall over the top of the carriers C, C, into the then lower lower division, and so on in
succession. On continuing to turn over the case A. a different mount will slide
down, thereby exhibiting the whole or any desired number of the objects contained
in the said case or frame.
Figure 8 shews another way of mounting my improved apparatus, and which

page_text: may be found more convenient for exhibiting large pictures. In this instance I
support the case or frame A on a stand, consisting of a foot H, to which is fixed or
hinged a stem I, in or around which a pin or socket on the frame A can turn.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention and the means by which
it may be carried into practical effect, I would remark in conclusion that I do not
intend to limit myself to the precise mechanism above described for allowing the
mounts contained in the case Å to be changed, as set forth, as the same result may
be obtained by other mechanical means; thus instead of the rod fand carriers C, C,
a fixed contre piece may be employed, having at each of the four corners one or more
hinged pawls; the sliding or dropping action may also be effected by cams or
eccentrics or other positive mechanical means, but I prefer to use the self-acting
motion above described; I declare that I claim constructing a case or frame for the
purpose of containing sets of photographic or other pictures or objects and carrier
mechanism, in such a manner that upon turning the case or frame over, the pictures
or objects successively slide or drop from one set to another for the purpose of
exhibiting the said pictures or other objects, as set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frederic Prince, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of February, in the year of our Lord, One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.