An Improvement relating to Optical Illusions. Constituting Stage Pictures or Tableaux.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Apr., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Jan., 1896-Accepted, 22nd Feb., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improvement relating to Optical Illusions. Constituting Stage
Pictures or Tableaux.
I, OSWALD STOLL, of The Empire Theatre, Cardiff, Theatre Proprietor, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows -
This invention relates to that class of optical illusions or stage pictures or
tableaux in which the images of real objects, hidden from the view of spectators
to whom the exhibition is being made, appear as in front of the spectators through
the medium of rays of light from a lime-light or other lantern or other flame or
light directed on to the real objects and refracted or deflected to a sheet of glass
set obliquely.
This invention consists in the introduction, into such pictures or tableaux, of
water-projecting appliances placed behind the obliquely set sheet of glass.so that
the image of a real object thrown, as aforesaid, into view of spectators in front, is
seen as in the water.
Thus, such an object as a fountain, or a representation thereof in wood or other
suitable material, may be made to appear as a real fountain discharging sprays of
water as if in reality.
The form and construction of the water-projecting appliance may vary.
According to one arrangement it consists of a series of concentric rings of pipes
grouped around a central nozzle and each controlled by a separate cock and lever
actuated by an operator concealed from the view of spectators. The water is
projected vertically to different heights from the different rings and descends in
sprays or dome-like sheets.
The appliance may be designed to discharge jets at various places or points and,
by actuation of the levers controlling the jets and by directing the rays of light
accordingly, various effects may be obtained such as the apparent issue of water
from or the flow of water into vases held by persons or counterfeits of persons
projected from the objects to which the rays of light are directed.
Dated this 23rd day of April 1895.
NICHOLAS WATTS,
Bristol, Chartered Patent Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION..
An Improvement relating to Optical Illusions Constituting Stage
Pictures or Tableaux.
I, OSWALD STOLL, of The Empire Theatre, Cardiff, Theatre Proprietor, 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:
This invention relates to that class of optical illusions or stage pictures or
tableaux in which the images of real objects, hidden from the view of spectators
to whom the exhibition is being made, appear as in front of the spectators through

page_text: the medium of rays of light from a lime-light or other lantern or other flame or
light directed on to the real objects and refracted or deflected to a sheet of glass
set obliquely.
The invention consists in the introduction, into such pictures or tableaux, of
water-projecting appliances placed behind the obliquely set sheet of glass so that
the image of a real object thrown, as aforesaid, into view of spectators in front, is
seen as in the water.
Thus, such an object as a fountain, or a representation thereof in wood or other
suitable material, may be made to appear as a real fountain discharging sprays of
water as if in reality.
The form and construction of the water-projecting appliance may vary.
According to one arrangement, it consists of a series of concentric rings of pipes
each controlled by a separate cock and lever actuated by an operator concealed from
the view of the spectators. The water is projected vertically to different heights
from the different rings and descends in sprays or dome-like sheets. The appliance
may be designed to discharge jets at various places or points and, by actuation of the
levers controlling the jets and by directing the rays of light accordingly, various
effects may be obtained, such as the apparent issue of water from or the flow of
water into vases held by persons or counterfeits of persons projected from the
objects to which the rays of light are directed.
Referring to the accompanying sheet of illustrative drawings, Fig. 1 represents
in plan one form of water-spraying appliance designed for use in carrying this
invention into effect. It consists of a series of concentric rings a of perforated
piping, each separately connected by branch water pipes a¹ to a main pipe b.
Cocks c with handles c' control the communication between the main b and the
rings a. At Fig. 2 the appliance is shown in side elevation. The rings a are,
when in use, preferably placed in a trough such as d within which the greater part
of the water ejected by the rings is collected and from which the water is conducted
away by a waste pipe.
The height to which the water is shot from each ring is under control by the
cocks C and it will be readily understood that, with a series of rings such as are
shown in the drawing, the water ejected from each ring may be made to rise to a
different height so as to produce a series of spray cataracts of different heights,
variable at will.
As is well understood, if a light, as of a sufficiently powerful lamp, be directed
to an object placed in proper relation to and at a suitable distance from an
obliquely set sheet of glass, an image of the said object appears at a determined
point in the glass.
In carrying this invention into effect, the water-spraying rings a are placed
behind the glass and in the line of the said determined point and the water
turned on at the cocks c to supply the rings a.
The trough d is preferably screened from view, and this may be conveniently
done by a border at the bottom of the sheet of glass.
Assuming the object to which the rays of light from the lamp are directed to be
a dancing female (in practice screened from view by scenery, or otherwise) her
image appears at the glass, and the illusion produced to spectators directly in front
of the image, or within a given range, is that of the said female dancing in the
water spray, as represented at Fig. 3 of the drawings.
In the bottom of the trough d may be fitted glass windows such as d¹ for
illumination, from below, of the water and the image by lime-light or other
light.
If the object be a fountain, or an imitation thereof in suitable material, of a
fountain, the image thereof will appear and produce the illusion of a fountain in
play. Similarly, with other objects, and the water-projecting appliance may vary
Bo as to cause the water to be directed to appropriate parts of the image.according
to the subject represented, as, for instance, the water may appear as if discharged
from a dolphin's mouth, or out of or into a vase, cup, or other vessel.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
In optical illusions in which the images of real objects are, through the medium
of rays of light directed from a lamp or other illuminating source on to such
objects, produced at sheet of glass or other suitable transparent medium set
obliquely and in proper relation to the said objects; the use of controllable water-
spraying or water-projecting appliances placed behind the said glass or other
suitable transparent medium and in such relation thereto and to the point at which
the images appear as to produce the illusion of the object being in the water, or
discharging or receiving water, substantially as hereinbefore described with
reference to the accompanying sheet of drawings.
Dated this 20th day of January 1896.
NICHOLAS WATTS,
Bristol, Chartered Patent Agent.