An Improved Apparatus for Securing, or Exhibiting in Series, Records of Successive Phases of Movement.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 28th May, 1896
Complete Specification Left, 1st Mar., 1897-Accepted, 1st May, 1897
An Improved Apparatus for Securing, or Exhibiting in Series,
Records of Successive Phases of Movement.
I JOHN NEVIL MASKELYNE, Junior, of The Egyptian Hall, Piccadilly in the
County of Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to provide a simple and convenient apparatus by
which, what are known as "moving pictures" may be more satisfactorily produced
or exhibited.
There are many objections to the plans hitherto adopted for this purpose, and
the present apparatus is designed to overcome these objections.
The pictures, which are photographic, are taken on a continuous film, as usual,
and the film is mounted on a pair of drums to which continuous rotary motion is
given in any convenient manner, so that the movement of the film is continuous.
This film will be caused to pass in front of another drum, which is geared with
the film drunis, so as to move with them.
This drum consists, in effect, of a series of lenses, say, concave, which are fixed
edge to edge in a suitable frame provided with means by which rotary motion may
be communicated thereto.
Inside the drum are placed two stationary lenses, say, convex, one on each side
of the drum, in the line of the optical axis, the curvature of these lenses corre-
sponding to that of the lenses on the drum.
On the outside of the lens drum is the projecting lens or objective, while the
source of light and the condenser are behind the film.
The effect produced is as follows:-Each successive picture on the film, in
passing across the field of view, coincides with one of the lenses on the drum, and
the light passing through the film, will also pass through the corresponding lens on
the drum, the two fixed lenses and the movable lens on the other side of the
drum, then through the objective onto the screen.
When any particular picture is central with the optical axis, the faces of the
various lenses will be parallel, and act as a piece of plain glass, and the light suffers
no deviation from its course.
As the parts move, the refracting surfaces change position, and the deviation
thus introduced precisely compensates for the movement of the picture, and causes
its image to remain stationary upon the screen.
The above describes a projecting instrument, but obviously the converse may be
used as a recording instrument, that is to say, the apparatus which exhibits
pictures when used as a lantern will take pictures when used as a camera.
It will be obvious, also, to those familiar with optics, that modifications in the
above described apparatus are possible, and I, do not therefore confine myself to
the exact arrangement described, so long as the continuously moving film, and the
means for introducing the necessary amount of deviation which precisely compensates
for the movement of the picture, are retained.
DL ooh 1 SML 1900
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: An Improved Apparatus for Securing, or Exhibiting in Series,
Records of Successive Phases of Movement.
I, JOHN NEVIL MASKELYNE, Junior, of The Egyptian Hall, Piccadilly, in the
County of Middlesex, Gentleman, 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 :-
The object of this invention is to provide a simple and convenient apparatus by
which what are known as "moving pictures" may be more satisfactorily produced
or exhibited than heretofore.
There are many objectious to the plans hitherto adopted for this purpose, and
the present apparatus is designed to overcome these objections.
The pictures, which are photographic, are taken on a continuous film, as usual,
and the film is carried by a pair of drums, to which continuous rotary motion is
given in any convenient manner, so that the movement of the film is continuous, and
not intermittent, as heretofore.
This film is caused to pass in front of another drum, which is geared with the
film drums, so as to move with them.
This drum consists, in effect, of a series of lenses, say, concave, which are fixed
edge to edge in a suitable frame provided with means by which rotary motion may
be communicated thereto.
Inside the drum are placed two stationary lenses in the line of the optical axis,
the curvature of one or both of these lenses corresponding to that of the lenses on
the drum.
On the outside of the lens drum is the projecting lens or objective, while the
source of light and the condenser are behind the film.
The effect produced is as follows:-Each successive picture on the film, in
passing across the field of view, coincides with one of the lenses on the drum. The
light passes through the picture on the film, thence through the corresponding lens
nearest to it on the drum, the two fixed lenses, and the corresponding lens ou the
other side of the drum, and then through the objective, reproducing the picture ou
the screen.
When any particular picture is central with the optical axis, the faces of the
various lenses will be parallel, and act as a piece of plain glass or a simple lens, and
the light suffers no deviation from its course.
As the parts move, the refracting surfaces change position, and the deviation
thus introduced precisely compensates for the movement of the picture, and causes
its image to remain stationary upon the screen.
The above describes a projecting instrument, but obviously the converse may be
used as a recording instrument, that is to say, the apparatus which exhibits
pictures, when used as a lantern, may be employed to take pictures, when used as
a camera.
In the accompanying diawings 1 have shewn, at Fig. 1, in side elevation, partly
in section, the apparatus constituting the subject matter of this invention.
Fig. 2 is a plan view, partly in section.
Figs. 3 & 4 are detail views which will be more particularly referred to
bereafter.
A will represent the body of the apparatus, B the carbons of the electric arc
lamp, or, it may be, any other source of light, and C the condenser, of any
convenient form.

page_text: Attached to the body of the lantern is a bracket frame D, which carries the
parts constituting my invention.
EE are drums which carry the film F, and from the drum the film is drawn,
and is wound upon the drum É¹.
On its passage from the drum E to the drum E, the film passes round
rollers G G, and through a guide G. The roller G is a plain roller, and acts
merely as a guide roller, while the roller G' is provided at its opposite ends with
pins, which take into corresponding holes along both edges of the film, and serves
as a sprocket roller, to draw the film along. The guide G' is carried by a
laterally extending bracket G, secured to the bracket frame D, and in the centre
of the guide G is an opening of the size of the picture, the guide serving to keep
the film flat, and always in its proper position with respect to the lenses.,
The rollers G G' are provided with spring controlled pressing rollers H, which
are carried by arms H¹ pivotted to the frame D, and in addition there is mounted
on the axle of the roller G, an arm carrying a pair of yielding guide rollers J,
between which the film F passes. The amount of movement of this arm may be
regulated by the pin J¹ and notch on the hub of the arm.
K represents the objective, and between the objective and the film, the rotating
lens drum L is placed.
This drum consists of a frame suitably mounted, and carrying a series of concave
lenses L', which form, in fact, the periphery of the drum. In the drawing, twelve
of these lenses are shewn. This drum L is geared with the rollers G G', and is
driven through a band pulley L' in any convenient manner.
Inside the drum is placed a short length of tube M, which carries at each end
a convex lens, these lenses being stationary.
This lens tube is carried in the following manner :-One end of the drum L is
open, the diameter of the opening being sufficient to admit of the insertion and
withdrawal of the tube. To the bracket G is secured a plate M', which carries
a guide M' formed to fit in the opening of the drum. In the guide M³, is mounted a
rack N, which gears with a pinion N on the end of an axle mounted in the plate
and guide (see the side view, Fig. 3), and provided with a milled head. To the
rack, the lens tube is secured in any convenient manner. The length of the rack
will be such that sufficient movement can be given to the tube to bring it into
the position to be withdrawn through the opening in the side of the drum L
When the tube is in the proper position, the plate M' is unscrewed from the
bracket G, and the whole withdrawn, or vice versa.
The lenses may be secured to the drum in any convenient manner; for instance,
they may be clamped by one end to the frame, as shown, but the other ends may
be clamped to a ring, which will hold them together and steady them. This ring
may be arranged to encircle and work round the guide M2, which will preferably
be circular to support the ring.
When placing a new film in the apparatus, it is not always possible to get the
centre of the picture in the exact position relative to the lenses, and I find it
necessary, therefore, to provide means whereby the film may be moved, irrespective
of the lens drum and other parts.
The means which I employ are adapted to the sprocket roller G', and are shewn
at Fig. 4, which is a plan view, partly in section.
Attached to the frame D is a hollow stud axle P, on which the roller G' and its
spur wheel G are mounted. This axle is slotted near its end, and carries a collar
or nut R, which is secured to the axle and to a rod R' inside the axle, by a pin R³,
which passes through the slot. The other end of the rod R¹ is turned down to a
smaller diameter, and passes through a screw S, to which it is attached by a nut in
a recess of the screw-head in such a manner that the screw will turn independently
of the rod. As the screw is screwed in or out of its socket, so will the rod nove
with it, either in or out. The rod R' draws with it a sleeve T, which is attached
to the collar or nut R in any convenient manner, so that it will rotate. This sleeve
has an inclined slot T (see Fig. 4), in which works a key or feather or projection T¹

page_text: on the boss T of the spur wheel G. It will thus be seen, that as the sleeve T is
moved in or out by turning the screw S, it will be caused to rotate by reason of
the inclined slot T and key T. But this sleeve T has also a straight slot in which
works a key or feather Ts on the inside of the sprocket roller G, so that as the
sleeve is rotated, the roller G' will be rotated with it any distance required, and
independently of the spur wheel G*.
The roller G' is formed with an extension G, which serves as a distance piece,
to keep the roller and spur wheel the proper distance apart. At this end, the
roller G is supported by the sleeve, which in turn is supported by the boss of the
wheel G, while at its outer end the roller G' is supported on the stud axle P.
In the periphery of the roller G¹ there are grooves, as will be seen in Fig. 4.
These grooves are to receive stripping fingers U (see Fig. 1), which serve to strip
the film off the roller, and prevent it, from any cause, sticking thereto.
The effect produced by this apparatus will be readily understood from the
introduction, and further description will be unnecessary.
It will be obvious to those familiar with optics, that modifications in the above
described apparatus are possible, and I do not therefore confine myself to the exact
arrangement described, nor to the exact details of construction, so long as the
continuously moving film, and the means for introducing the necessary amount of
deviation which precisely compensates for the movement of the picture, are
retained.
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 :-
1. The apparatus for securing or for exhibiting, in series, records of successive
phases of movement, as herein shown and described.
2. In apparatus for producing the effect of what are termed "moving pictures,"
the combination of a continuously moving film, or series of pictures, with a dioptric
system forming, in effect, by the continuous movement of its refracting surfaces, a
succession of variable prisms, whose refractions serve to maintain a constant
optical relation between given fixed points outside the apparatus, and corresponding
points upon the moving film.
3. The construction of the lens drum as herein shewn and described.
4. The means for adjusting the position of the film independently of the driving
mechanism, as shewn and described.
Dated this 1st day of March 1897.
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.