IMPROVE- MENTS IN STEREOSCOPES
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Beck, of the Firm of Smith, Beck, and Beck,
of Coleman Street, in the City of London, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN STEREOSCOPES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Beck at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 16th
September 1859.
I, JOSEPH BECK, of the Firm of Smith, Beck, and Beck, of Coleman Street,
in the City of London, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN STEREOSCOPES," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in stereoscopes. In stereo-
scopes as heretofore constructed, difficulty is experienced in obtaining sufficient
light to see paper pictures to advantage, and in consequence of the light which
does fall on the picture coming entirely, or nearly so, from in front, the texture
of the paper is shewn in a disagreable manner. The object of this Invention
is to obviate these defects. For this purpose the stereoscope is left entirely
open in front and at the two sides, so that the body of the instrument consists
only of a back carrying at its upper edge a frame in which the lenses are
mounted, and at its lower edge a platform to receive the stereoscopic views.
The back of the instrument has a reflector of silvered glass fixed to it, so that
a stereoscopic view when in the instrument is illuminated naturally by light
falling on it from the front and each side, and light is also reflected on to it
from the back, thus sufficient light is obtained and light falls on the pictures

page_text: from all sides so that the texture of the paper will not be prominently seen.
It is preferred to employ a screen of ground glass in order to limit the sight
of each eye of the person, using the instrument to one only of the pictures. I
would remark that the use of a silvered glass reflector placed behind the picture
to throw light on it from behind the picture, being at the same time illuminated
by light falling directly on to it in front is an important feature of this Inven-
tion, but the admission of light at the sides is not essential.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Joseph Beck, in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 16th
March 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSEPH
BECK, of the Firm of Smith, Beck, and Beck, of Coleman Street, in the City
of London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-third year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Joseph Beck, Her special licence that I, the said Joseph Beck, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others, as I, the said Joseph
Beck, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN
STEREOSCOPES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Joseph
Beck, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under
my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Joseph Beck, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, that is to say :-
In stereoscopes as heretofore constructed, difficulty is experienced in obtaining

page_text: sufficient light to see paper pictures to advantage, and in consequence of the
light which does fall on the picture coming entirely or nearly so from in front,
the texture of the paper is shewn in a disagreeable manner. The object of
this Invention is to obviate these defects. For this purpose the stereoscope is
left entirely open in front and at the two sides, so that the body of the instru-
ment consists only of a back, carrying at its upper edge a frame in which the
lenses are mounted, and at its lower edge a platform to receive the stereoscopic
views. The back of the instrument has a reflector of silvered glass fixed to it,
so that a stereoscopic view when in the instrument is illuminated naturally by
light falling on it from the front, and each side, and light is also reflected on to
it from the back, thus sufficient light is obtained and light falls on the pictures
from all sides, so that the texture of the paper will not be prominently seen.
It is preferred to employ a screen of ground glass, in order to limit the sight of
each eye of the person using the instrument to one only of the pictures.
And in order that my said Invention may be most fully understood and
readily carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the Drawing hereunto

page_text: ground glass, in order that it may not cast a shadow on the picture. The
adjustment of the distance between the lenses and the picture is made by
turning the milled head j, the axis k of which is carried by the piece a, and
has teeth formed on it which gear with the racks 1, 1, on the piece b; m is a
handle by which the instrument is carried in the hand.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention and the manner of
performing the same, I would remark that the use of a silvered glass reflector
placed behind the picture to throw light on it from behind the picture, being
at the same time illuminated by light falling directly on to it in front is an
important feature of this Invention, but the admission of light at the sides is
not essential; it is however preferred.
The employment of a screen of ground glass in combination with a
stereoscope, open at the front and at the two sides, is also a part of my
Invention.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Beck, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Sixteenth day of March, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty.
JOSEPH BECK.
(L.8.)