IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR READING OR BRINGING INTO SIGHT BILLS
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Eugène Michel Roch, of Paris, in the Empire of
France, and of 32, Essex Street, Strand, London, for the Invention
of "IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR READING OR BRINGING INTO SIGHT BILLS,
Sealed the 26th November 1855, and dated the 28th May 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Eugène Michel Roch
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
28th May 1855.
I, EUGÈNE MICHEL ROCH, of Paris, in the Empire of France, and of 32,
Essex Street, Strand, London, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR READING OR BRINGING INTO SIGHT BILLS,
ADVERTISEMENTS, PAPERS, MAPS, AND SIMILAR OBJECTS," to be as follows, viz. :-
This Invention relates to apparatus that are arranged in such manner that a
sheet of paper or fabric of any kind that is printed upon, or a series of sheets
attached one to another, may have their different parts brought into view suc-
cessively by means of a rotary or a horizontal and vertical reciprocating motion,
which may be continuous or intermittent, the object of said Invention being to
bring the different parts that it is desired should be read into a more con-
spicuous position for reading than the ordinary means will afford. This Inven-
tion has various applications, and when applied to street bills or placards it
consists mainly of two rollers placed horizontally, vertically, or in an inclined

page_text: position at a suitable distance in the shop window or any other conspicuous
place, the paper being moved by the rollers in the manner of an endless sheet
by means of a suitable clock-work. This mode of posting public bills may bo
applied to printed papers, lithographs, or illustrations of any kind which it is
desired to bring into public sight. Another way of applying this Invention is
intended for giving to the object exhibited an intermittent motion by hand, so
as to show and leave exposed to sight any part of the endless sheet it is desired
to examine more closely. This mode is chiefly applicable to maps, and the way
of actuating the endless sheet is the same as that used for self-acting blinds,
which are drawn up by spiral springs upon being released from the hold of a
click. The ends of the map may have tapes attached to them, so that the
maps need never be on the rollers, and other maps be seen through said tapes
when wound upon the same rollers. The same system may also be applied to
a desk for reading newspapers whilst bathing or otherwise, by having the desk
with the rollers mounted upon a swivelling pivot.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Eugène Michel Roch in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 28th November 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EUGÈNE
MICHEL ROCH, of Paris, in the Empire of France, and of 32, Essex Street,
Strand, London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-eighth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the eighteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Eugène Michel Roch, Her special licence that I, the said Eugène
Michel Roch, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said Eugene Michel Roch, 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 "IMPROVED
APPARATUS FOR READING OR BRINGING INTO SIGHT BILLS, ADVERTISEMENTS, PAPERS,
MAPS, AND SIMILAR OBJECTS," upon the condition (amongst others) that 1, the
said Eugène Michel Roch, by an instrument in writing under my hand and

page_text: seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Inven-
tion 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 Eugène Michel Roch, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
My Invention consists, first, in substituting what I term animated placards.
for the mode to this day applied of sticking placards and all manners of
advertisements on walls and boards along streets and public resorts.
Second, in animating the said placards, by giving them a continuous rotatory
up and down right and left motion.
Third, in making the placards translucent, by means of a gas light and
reflectors.
And, fourth, in having their different parts successively brought into sight.
These I effect by the following means:-The placards, advertisements, &*,
may be printed or painted upon any kind of fabric, or be merely stuck on
bands of suitable width. The cloth or bands forming an endless band, are
made to turn round two cylinders, the diameter, length, and distance of which
may vary, but which are made parallel to the front of the shop window.
Separate placards or advertisements may be sewn, sized, or secured by any
suitable means on wood or metal frames that are then hooked on the turning
bands. The motive power I use is a clock-work or turnspit, to the axle of
which a pulley is adapted, communicating with the pulley of the shaft that
bears the motive cylinder. This cylinder sets in motion the opposite one
(instead of which may be used plain rollers, serving as guides).
The speed or quickness of the rotatory motion may be regulated by means
of a fly or several fly wheels. The pulley is placed at the center or at one end
of the motive shaft, according to the number and peculiar arrangement of the
turning bands. By the same turnspit or clock-work, and the transmission
means from the main shaft and not directly from the clock-work to another or
all other shafts, many endless bands may be made to turn. The main shaft
contains the number of pulleys that are to be adapted to the machinery. In
this manner and by the same clock-work, not only the placards that are shown
within the front windows on the ground level may be set in motion, but all
such as were wished to be shown up the different stories of the house.
Portable frames with cylinders supported in the vertical or horizontal posi-
tion and the turnspit or clock-work may be adjusted on any part of the frame,

page_text: and also portable or fixed cases with glass windows may answer the same
purpose. Moreover, any front house is fit to receive the said frames or
portable apparatus, which may be usefully employed along public walks,
gardens, railways, &*. It must be well understood that this system of ani-
mated placards comprises pictures, engravings, maps, patterns of cloth, stuffs,
lithographies, and all manners of advertisements.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in
which the same is or may be carried into effect, I wish it to be understood
that what I claim as novel, and being secured to me by the herein-before in
parts recited Letters Patent, is,-
First, the idea of showing within the front of a shop window such placards
as were till now stuck and read on walls or boards along streets or public
resorts.
Second, the mode of animating the said placards, by means of a continuons
motion, and on a certain surface up and down and from right to left, according
to the direction, either vertical or horizontal, given to the motion, but ever
in a parallel line with the front of the house or wall on which they are read
or shown.
Third, the mode of lighting the said placards at night, by rendering them
translucent.
Fourth, the mode of successively bringing into sight a number of placards
shown on any surface.
Fifth, the process above described to bring my Invention into effect.
In witness whereof, I, the said Eugène Michel Roch, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this 26th day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.
T 7.5 DOCHT