AN IMPROVED Graphoscope
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Luck, of Peckham; in the County of
Surrey, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED Graphoscope.”
Sealed the 9th April 1874, and dated the 22nd October 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Luck at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
22nd October 1873.
"
I, WILLIAM Luck, of Peckham, in the County of Surrey, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED GRAPHOSCOPE,'
to be as follows:-
.
My Invention of improvements in the manufacture of graphoscopes
consists in so constructing and arranging the various parts as that the
sliding fret or picture holder may be easily and accurately brought to a
focus and held rigidly in that position. Also that the rising top may
be more firmly fixed while in use, and that the vertical rods carrying the
lens may be erected and secured in a more simple manner than is tho
case with graphoscopes at present made.
To accomplish the above improvements I attach to the under side of
the sliding fret or picture holder a nut made of brass or other suitable
material, which is free to slide longitudinally in a central groove cut in
the rising top; this nut carries with it the sliding fret. Revolving and

page_text: working in this nut, but being held from sliding longitudinally by
bearings, is a screw actuated by a small handle at the front of the
graphoscope. On turning this screw the nut and the sliding fret are
moved forwards or backwards to any required position and firmly held
in position by the screw.
To prevent friction and to guide the sliding fret parallel to the screw
I attach to the upper side of the rising top two rails or beads (one on
either side of the central groove), and to the under side of the sliding
fret I arrange two small wheels or rollers, one over each rail, the
wheels being fixed to the sliding fret guide and carry it along the
rails when the screw is turned. This sliding fret is hinged so as to fall
down on the top when not in use, and is fixed open by a spring or catch
instead of by india-rubber bands as at present in use. I also attach
to this sliding fret extra pieces of fretwork hinged at the side so as to
open and fold as a screen to receive a greater number of pictures or
wider pictures.
1 To more firmly fix the rising top when open I attach to the under
side, by means of small brackets, an ornamental fretwork support having
at its lower end two feet sliding over and held by two racks to retain it
in any required position.
To secure the vertical rods in position when using the single lens I
discard the present arrangement of one or two metal catches which have
to be thrown across the front of the rods, and use instead a sliding plinth
free to move up or down the rods, and having on the under side two
dowels or pins. This plinth folds under the top with the rods, and when
wanted to fix up the rods it is drawn down on the two rods until the
dowels fit into holes for their reception in the front of the grapho-
scope. This securely fixes up the rods and forms an ornament to the
apparatus.
.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of October, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the.
thirty-seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said William Luck, Her special
license that I, the said William Luck, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Luck, 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 "AN IMPROVED
GRAPHOSCOPE," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William
Luck, 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 William Luck, 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:-
My Invention of improvements in the manufacture of graphoscopes
consists in so constructing and arranging the various parts that the
sliding fret or picture holder may be easily and accurately brought to a
focus and held rigidly in that position. Also that the rising top may-
be more firmly fixed while in use, and that the vertical rods carrying the
lens may be, when erected, secured in a more simple manner than is the
case with ordinary graphoscopes.
To accomplish the above mentioned improvements I attach to the
under side of the sliding fret or picture holder a nut made of brass or
other suitable material which is free to slide longitudinally in a central
groove cut in the rising top; this nut when moved carries with it the
sliding fret. A long quick threaded screw is fixed to the rising top by
bearings at either end. This screw revolves in the above nut and (being
prevented from moving longitudinally by its bearings) when turned
causes the nut and sliding fret to move along the top, either backwards or

page_text: forwards. At the front end of the screw is a square for receiving a loose
handle to be used in turning the screw. This handle may, if desired, be
fixed to the screw; by these means the sliding fret or picture holder may.
be easily brought to a proper focus and then firmly held in position by
the screw.
To prevent friction and to guide the sliding fret parallel to the screw.
I attach to the upper slide of the rising top two rails or beads (one on
either side of the central groove) and to the under side of the sliding
fret I fix two wheels or rollers, one over each rail. The wheels or rollers
carry and guide the sliding fret along the rails when the screw is turned.
A piece of leather or cloth may be used instead of rollers if desired.
The sliding fret is hinged so as to fold down on the top when not in use
and is fixed open by a spring or catch at the back instead of by an
india-rubber band at the side. I also attach to this sliding fret extra
side pieces of fretwork so as to open and fold as a screen to receive a
greater number of pictures or wider pictures.
In order to more firmly fix the rising top when open I attach to tho
under side, by means of small brackets, an ornamental fretwork support
having at its lower end two feet sliding over and held by two racks to
retain it in any required position.
To secure the vertical rods in position when using the single lens I
discard the present arrangement of one or two metal catches which have
to be thrown across the front of the rods and use instead a sliding plinth
free to move up or down the rods, and having on the under side two
dowels or pins. This plinth folds under the top with the rods and when
wanted to fix up the rods it is drawn down till the dowels fit into holes
for their reception in the front of the graphoscope. This sccurely fixes.
the rods and forms an ornament to the graphoscope. Or the holes
may be in the plinth and the pins projecting from the front of the
graphoscope.
And in order that my Invention may be better understood and more
readily carried into effect, I will now proceed to describe the Drawing
hereunto annexed, which is a perspective view of the graphoscope when
partially opened.
A is the lower part of the graphoscope; B is the rising top carrying the
sliding fret screw and lenses; O is the sliding fret having fixed to its under
side the screw D; E is the central groove in which the nut slides; F, F,
are bearings carrying the ends of the screw and preventing it from sliding

page_text: longitudinally; G is a quick threaded screw working in the nut D; H
is a small handle for actuating the screw G; K, K, are the beads or
rails for guiding the sliding fret; L, L, position of the rollers or pieces of
leather or cloth to prevent friction while the sliding fret is being moved;
M is the support with two feet sliding over or into the racks N, N;
O, O, are the vertical rods carrying the single lens and also the plinth P
for fixing the rods in position as shewn. This plinth is also shewn by
dotted lines in a position for folding under the rising top; R, R, are the
small holes in the plinth dropping over two pins in the front of the
graphoscope.
Having now fully described and ascertained the nature of my In-
vention and how the same is to be carried into effect, I would have it
understood that what I claim and desire to secure by the herein-before
in part recited Letters Patent is,―
Firstly. The use of a screw for moving forwards or backwards the
sliding frot and the beads or rails for guiding it, as herein-before described
and illustrated by the accompanying Drawing.
Secondly. The use of two feet to the inner support and double racks
for fixing the rising top in position, as herein-before described and illus-
trated by the accompanying Drawing.
And, Thirdly. The use of the plinth with dowels or holes for fixing in
position the vertical rods, as herein-before described and illustrated by
the accompanying Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Luck, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of April, in the year of
Witness,
CHARLES BARLOW,
Patent Agent,
23, Southampton Buildings,
W
WILLIAM LUCK. (L.S.)