APPARATUS FOR EXHIBITING STEREOSCOPIC PICTURES
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Newton, of the Office for Patents,.
66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for the
Invention of "APPARATUS FOR EXHIBITING STEREOSCOPIC PICTURES."
communication from abroad by J. Stuart Perry, of Newport, in the State-
CA
Sealed the 8th September 1859, and dated the 25th June 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Newton.
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 25th June 1859.
1, WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane,.
in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "APPARATUS FOR EXHIBITING STEREOSCOPIC PICTUres,"
to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to an apparatus for exhibiting stereoscopic pictures,.
in which the pictures are conveyed automatically from the interior of the box
or case to the place where they are to be inspected, and returned to the box
again after they have been inspected or exhibited, or in other words, the
apparatus contains the pictures within it, and brings them to the outside to be
exhibited, and then returns them again. The Invention consists in mechanical
means which is employed to perform the several necessary movements to
effect the desired object as will be hereafter explained. The apparatus consists
of a box or case which may be made of any suitable material; upon the top of
this box or case (though it may be at either of the sides if so preferred) is a
frame into which the picture may be brought when it is to be inspected. On
each side of this frame may be arranged two other frames for containing

page_text: lenses properly mounted in an inner frame that can be moved in or out of the
stationary frame by a thumbscrew for the purpose of changing the focus to
suit the eye of the person examining the pictures. By this arrangement of
frame and lenses two persons may examine pictures at the same time, the
pictures being placed or clamped, or glued in pairs so as to face both ways or
towards both lenses. A crank is connected to the protruding end of a shaft
that operates the interior mechanism. Within the outer case or box is the
picture holder, which may be cylindrical in form, and divided by proper par-
titions into a series of compartments or divisions. The picture holder is
hung upon an axle or shaft upon which it can turn and revolves, with a
stationary barrier which may have closed heads and a rin, or they may be
made in skeleton form, their object being to hold the pictures to their proper
places, and prevent them from dropping out. When the pictures are moved
horizontally, and exposed at the side of the box instead of vertically, the
barrier may be differently made, as there would be no tendency for them to
drop out of their compartments. On the crank shaft is an arm which has a
wrist pin in its end that works in a horizontal slot made in the lifting or
carrying frame that transfers the pictures in succession from the interior of the
box to the frame where they are inspected, and then back again to the com-
partment from whence they were taken. The pictures rest in their respective
compartments loosely, but are prevented from falling out as the picture holder
revolves by a circular belt or barrier; the ends of the pictures project beyond
the ends of their compartments far enough to be caught by projecting pieces
on the rising frame, and as the frame rises by the action of the crank with
the wrist pin and slot, it carries up the picture through a slot in the circular
belt into the fixed frame on the top of the apparatus where it can be inspected
through the lenses. By continuing the rotation of the crank shaft, the frame
descends, and carries down the picture through the same opening that it was
brought up through, and just as the picture is rested in its compartment, a
tooth on the lower crank shaft takes in between two of the cogs or teeth of
a wheel on the axle of the rotating picture holder, and gives the wheel a slight
rotation just sufficient to remove the picture just exhibited, and returned far
enough out of the way to allow the frame to bring up the next one. A spring
or friction brake is forced against the wheel or its teeth for the purpose of
holding the picture holder in the position in which the tooth leaves it, it being
understood that whilst the picture is being carried out to be exhibited, as well
as when being returned to its compartment, the picture holder is at rest, and
that it is only moved far enough to bring each picture opposite the opening
through which it is to be protruded in regular succession. It is immaterial

page_text: however, whether each compartment has a picture in it or not, as their absence
in nowise disarranges the mechanism. The fixed picture frame is made in
sections that may slide together, or one may be hinged to the other, and
secured by any ordinary fastening. This is for the purpose of taking out,
changing, and introducing the pictures.
. When transparent pictures are to be exhibited, they are introduced singly,
not back to back, and only one set of lenses is used. A glass case or other
cover is placed so as to properly close the frame in which the pictures are
exhibited, and the set of lenses on the face side of the picture, and excluding
the light on that side. This case should be removeable, for with the pictures
on paper it is not needed. The picture holder need not necessarily be a
rotating one, as it may move on ways, but any moveable picture holder with
divisions for holding the pictures out of which, or nearly out of which the
pictures are successively removed, and to which they are again returned, and
for which purpose there is an alternate motion and state of rest or partial
cessation of motion of the framework of the picture holder.
I would deem as an evasion of the present Invention whether the pictures
be projected out horizontally or vertically, keeping the pictures in a box and
mechanically displaying them outside and returning them again is a leading
element in the present Invention.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Edward Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 23rd December 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of June, 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 William Edward Newton, Her special license that I, the
said William Edward Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said William Edward Newton, my executors, adminis-
trators, 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 King-

page_text: dom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man,
an Invention for "APPARATUS FOR EXHIBITING STEREOSCOPIC PICTURES," being
a communication from abroad by Stuart Perry, of Newport, in the State of
New York, United States of America, upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said William Edward Newton, by an instrument in writing
under my hand and seal, 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 Edward Newton, 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, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures inarked thereon (that is to say):
This Invention of apparatus for exhibiting stereoscopic pictures relates to a
novel form of apparatus in which the pictures are conveyed automatically from
the interior of the box or case to the place where they are to be inspected, and
are returned to the box again after they have been inspected or exhibited, or
in other words, the apparatus contains the pictures within it, and brings them
to the outside to be exhibited, and then returns them again automatically.
The Invention consists in the mechanical means which are employed to perform
the several necessary movements to effect the desired object, as will be here-
after explained.
In the accompanying Drawing, Fig. 1 represents a perspective view of the
exterior of the box or case which contains the pictures, and the mechanism
for moving them to and from the place where they are exhibited. Fig. 2
represents an elevation of the interior mechanism, the box or case being
removed; Fig. 3 represents a section through the picture holder, and the
frame over it, and Fig. 4 represents a portion of the frame or mechanism by
which the pictures are taken to the place where they are to be inspected, and
again returned to the picture holder or interior of the box. Similar letters of
reference in each of the several Figures denote the same parts.
A represents a box or case, which may be made of any suitable material.
Upon the top of this box or case (though it may be at either of the sides, if so
preferred) is a frame B, into which the picture may be brought when it is to
be inspected. This frame may be made ornamental, as the whole thing may
cònstitute a handsome parlor ornament or piece of furniture. On each side of
the frame B may be arranged two frames C, C, for containing lenses properly

page_text: mounted in an inner frame C¹ that can be moved in or out of the stationary
frame C by a thumb-screw D, for the purpose of changing the focus to suit the
eye of the person examining the pictures. By this arrangement of frame and
lenses, two persons may examine pictures at the same time, the pictures
being placed, or clamped, or glued in pairs, so as to face both ways, or towards
both lenses. A crank E is connected to the protruding end of a shaft a that
operates the interior mechanism, and is arranged in any convenient position
for the operator or user of the apparatus to catch or turn. Within this outer
case or box A, is the picture holder F, which may be cylindrical in form and
divided by proper partitions 6, into a series of compartments. or. divisions c.
The picture holder is hung upon an axle or shaft d upon which it can turn;
and it revolves with a stationary barrier which may have closed heads e, and a
rim f, or they may be made in a skeleton form, their object being to hold the
pictures to their proper places and prevent them from dropping out. When the
pictures are moved horizontally and exposed at the side of the box instead of
vertically, as shewn at the top, the barrier may then be differently, made, as
there would be no tendency for them to drop out of their compartments.. On
the crank shaft a, to which the crank E is connected, is an arm G, which has
a wrist pin i in its end that works in a horizontal slot n made in the lifting or
carrying frame H, that transfers the pictures in succession from the interior
of the box to the frame B, where they are inspected, after which they are
transferred back again to the compartment from whence they were taken.
The frame H is seen in perspective. in Fig. 4. The pictures O rest in their
respective compartments c loosely, but are prevented from.falling out as the
picture holder revolves, by the belt or barrier f; the ends of the pictures pro-
ject beyond the ends of their compartments far enough to be caught by the
portions r, r, of the frame H, and as the said frame rises by the action of the
crank G, with the wrist pin i and slot n, it carries up the picture through a slot
in the barrier f, and into the box or case A into the fixed frame Bon the top of
the apparatus, where it can be inspected through the lenses in the frame C¹.
By continuing the rotation of the crank shaft the frame descends and carries
down the picture through the same opening that it was brought up: through,
and just as the picture is rested in its compartment, a tooths on the shaft a,
takes in between two of the cogs or teeth of the wheel I, and gives this wheel
a slight rotation just sufficient to remove the picture just exhibited, and returned
far enough out of the way to allow the frame to bring up the next one. . The
wheel I is fast on the shaft d that carries the picture holder, so that moving
the shaft moves the picture holder also. A spring or friction brake.t is forced
against the wheel I or its teeth for the purpose of retaining the picture holder

page_text: in the position in which the tooth s leaves it, it being understood that whilst
the picture is being carried out to be exhibited as well as when being returned
to its compartment, the picture holder is at rest, and it is only moved far
enough to bring each picture opposite the opening through which it is to be
protruded in regular succession. It is immaterial, however, whether each
compartment has a picture in it or not, as their absence in no wise disarranges
the mechanism. The fixed frame B is made in sections that may slide
together, or one may be hinged to the other, and secured by any ordinary
fastening. This is for the purpose of taking out, changing, and introducing
the pictures. By sliding up one half of the frame B, and taking it away from
the other part, and turning the crank E the pictures are brought up and can
be lifted off their supports r and others put in their place, and by continuing
to turn the crank the new picture is brought down to the compartment from
which the one removed came, and so on; the pictures can be changed at
pleasure, as they are united or made fast to nothing, being entirely loose, and
each independent of the other. J is a guide or block fastened to the frame H,
and moving in the ways K to keep the frame in position. The mechanism is
exceedingly simple, and the whole apparatus neat and ornamental. Among
its many advantages over the apparatus for a similar purpose, may be mentioned
the following:-That the pictures are kept in a tight box where they cannot
be handled or soiled. There are no doors or lids to open or close. The lids are
all brought into the same position, and consequently, when the foci are set
properly, there is no shifting or turning of the picture necessary; it is always
in the right place, and the light is always sufficient.
When transparent pictures are to be exhibited they are introduced singly,
not back to back, and only one set of lenses is used. A glass case or other
cover is placed so as to properly close the frame in which the pictures are
exhibited, and the set of lenses on the face side of the picture, and excluding
the light on that side. This case should be removable, for with the pictures on
paper it is not needed. By transparent pictures, I mean those on glass. The
picture holder need not necessarily be a rotating one, as it may move on ways,
but any moveable picture holder with divisions for holding the pictures, out of
which, or nearly out of which the pictures are successively removed for
exhibition, and to which they are again returned, and for which purpose there
is an alternate motion and state of rest or partial cessation of motion of the
framework of the picture holder. I would deem as an evasion of the present
Invention, whether the pictures be projected out horizontally or vertically.
Keeping the pictures in a box, and mechanically displaying them outside, and
returning them again is a leading element in the present Invention.

page_text: Having thus fully described the nature of the Invention that has been com-
municated to me by my foreign correspondent, what I claim is, a movable
framework for holding a series of stereoscopic pictures, from which the pictures
are brought to be inspected, and then returned to it again by a mechanism
operated by the user.
I also claim bringing each individual picture or pair of pictures in succession
to the same point or place before it is projected from its compartment to be
exhibited.
I also claim in combination with a movable picture holder, a reciprocating
carrying frame that catches each picture or pair of pictures in succession, and
carries them to the place where they are to be inspected, and returns them to
their compartment again, as described.
I also claim in combination with a box or case, containing within it a series
of pictures and a mechanism for projecting them from the said case, a frame-
work on the outside of the said box or case for receiving the said pictures,.
as described.
I also claim the slots in the picture holder barrier f, and in the box or case,
so that the picture from its compartment in the picture holder may be projected
through both slots or openings to the outside of the box, as described.
I also claim the friction break t or its equivalent, for holding the picture
holder, and preventing it from turning until turned by the crank, as described.
I also claim making the frame B in sections, or with an opening for the
purpose of introducing the pictures through the frame into the compartments
of the picture holder, as well as removing them therefrom, as described.
I also claim the clamps as applied to single or double pictures, for the
purpose of strengthening them, preventing their warping or bending, and thus
facilitating their passage through the slot, which they must pass through to the
place where they are exhibited, as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Newton, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of December, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFatt,
66, Chancery Lane.
W. E. NEWTON. (L.S.)