Improvements in or relating to Machines for Sighting Pictures Cinematographically.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Aug., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 16th June, 1900-Accepted, 16th Nov.,
1900
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Machines for Sighting Pictures
Cinematographically.
I, WILLIAM SPEIRS SIMPSON, of 49, Battersea Park Road, London, Civil
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:
This invention has for object, mounting pictures spirally on cards or flaps
on a drum, from which such flaps can fall by their own weight or by being
weighted, over the arc of a circle and rest upon each other in successive order
constituting the pause for sighting purposes. The pictures arranged on cards
or other material have each wire axle ends in metal bearings of the drum and
the drum be made to turn to bring the pictures round in succession and simul-
taneously travel end on, the distance for which the series of pictures are
arranged.
The drums are first prepared with the pictures on one or on both sides of
the flaps, and can be affixed or fitted on the shaft provided with a feather or key
and a spiral groove into which a catch of the drum can engage for moving the
drum end on while being rotated.
The first pictures of any series are easily recognizable and the drum can be
arranged on the shaft as desired, said shaft having the necessary gear from a
crank handle by which the rotation can be effected.
By the foregoing, it will be understood that I do not flirt or spring my pictures
from a stop, as at present in such machines, as in the mutoscope and in
similar machines showing what are termed animated pictures."
The cards or flaps of pictures according to my invention may be arranged for
being slid into the axle frame and for renewals the axles and their supports
are so made that the axles can be sprung into position by a slight bending of
the wires which are of steel.
The casing of the apparatus is made that ordinary or artificial light can be
concentrated upon the pictures the sighting of which is through powerful or
magnifying lenses single or double.
נד
L 1
10
1 1000
H. GARDNER;
Patent Agent, 166, Fleet Street, London,
Agent for the said William Speirs Simpson.
Improvements in or relating to Machines for Sighting Pictures
Cinematographically.
I, WILLIAM SPEIRS SIMPSON, of 49, Battersea Park Road, London, Civil
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
Price 8d.1

page_text: same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement:-
This invention has for object, mounting pictures on cards or flaps
on a drum, from which such flaps can fall by their own weight or by being
weighted over the arc of a circle and rest upon each other in successive order
constituting the pause for sighting purposes. The pictures arranged on cards
or other material have each wire axle ends in metal bearings of the drum and
the drum be made to turn to bring the pictures round in succession and simul-
taneously travel end on, the distance for which the series of pictures are
arranged.
The drums are first prepared with the pictures on one or on both sides of the
flaps, and may be affixed or fitted on a sleeve provided with a key or feather
and surrounding the shaft which has a spiral groove into which a catch of the
drum can engage for moving the drum end on while being rotated.
The first pictures of any series are easily recognisable and the drum can be
arranged on the sleeve and shaft as desired, said sleeve having the necessary
gear from a crank handle by which the rotation can be effected.
By the foregoing, it will be understood that I do not flirt or spring my pictures
from a stop as at present in such machines.
The cards or flaps of pictures according to my invention may be arranged for
being slid into the axle frame and for renewals the axles and their supports are so
made that the axles can be sprung into position by a slight bending of the wires
which are of steel.
The casing of the apparatus is made that ordinary or artificial light can be
concentrated upon the pictures, the sighting of which is through powerful or
magnifying lenses single or double.
At a convenient point for viewing the pictures opposite the eyepiece or lens,
the series of rigid flaps is separated by gathering themselves above and below
such selected point of observation. This may be simply effected by introducing
a rigid flat surface or metal, or platform, which shall render square a small
segment of the circle of the casing or covering of the drum inside both above
and below the said point of observation. The loosely hinged flaps when passing
these flat surfaces or platforms are collected in a manner adapted to viewing each
picture satisfactorily after it has passed clear of the upper platform and has
fallen upon the lower one or rather upon the assemblage of flaps already clustered
thereon.
The cards or flaps of pictures according to my invention are rigid and non-
resilient and may be arranged for being slid into the axle frame, and for renewals
the axles and their supports are so made that the axles can be sprung into
position by a slight bending of the wires which are of steel, or the wires may be
inserted in their sheath when the cards or flaps are being assembled on the drum.
The casing of the apparatus is made that ordinary or artificial light can be
concentrated upon the pictures, the sighting of which is through powerful or
magnifying or stereoscopic lenses, single or double.
My invention is shown on the annexed drawings.
Figure 1 side elevation of the machine with the casing end removed to show
how the flaps are crowded on the upper platform and fall by gravity therefrom
and are again grouped upon the lower platform in order that the top picture so
exposed may lie flat, or nearly so, to an observer instead of being flirted or
sprung from a clip or stop, as at present.
Figure 2 represents a partial inside elevation of the apparatus and showing
the pinion by which the drum is operated.
Figure 3 represents a few of the flaps on which pictures can be mounted for
exposure by the end on rotative motion.
According to Figure 2, the drum is upon a sleeve c, and one end has a stud
or pin Figure 4, engaging a screw thread on the fixed axle or shaft e, so that
while the sleeve and drum are rotating the drum is moved along endwise on

page_text: the sleeve, a feather f on the sleeve c engaging a corresponding shaped groove
on the drum for carrying the drum round, a pin d on the end of the drum
engaging the spiral groove of the axle c for moving the drum end on.
Figure 7 is a perspective elevation of such an apparatus in which my gravity
falling flaps are arranged, as before described, the inspection being through an
eyeglass by which the pictures are focussed.
I purpose placing pictures on both sides of the flaps, so that changes of subjects
may be self-contained in the one apparatus, such as by opening and throwing
back the top half of the casing and reversing the position of the drum, the
axle and sleeve of which are dropped into bearers of the lower half casing.
Figure 8 shows the sleeve detached.
can
It will be readily understood by reference to Figure 2 that if the series of
pictures constituting a single subject be arranged for the end on motion, they
as they follow one another by the rapidity of rotation gradually merge
into a continuous picture, so that the observer will see the lifelike actions of
any moving object (men or women, or of animals) clearly portrayed, each picture
during the pause being so impressed upon the retina that the change from one
picture to the next is unobservable.
Figure 9 is a front or sight hole elevation of an apparatus when only a few
pictures are required to illustrate the subject, in which case one revolution of
the drum will only be required.
Figure 10 side elevation with casing partly removed.
Figure 11 perspective elevation of the apparatus shown in Figure 9, the casing
being foldable for opening for renewal of pictures or reversion of drum.
Figure 12 side view of the casing with the top portion thrown up.
Figure 13 shows various methods of making up the flaps on which the pictures
can be mounted on one side only, or on both sides if the drum be reversible.
Figure 14 shows a skeleton drum and the appliances by which it can be
mounted and turned, and having one flap suspended by its wire supporting pin.
Figure 15 side view of skeleton drum, the dots representing the holes in
which the wires of the flaps are fitted loosely (hinge fashion).
Figure 16 face and side of drum partly in section, the end plates being pressed
or shaped to form rims in which wheel teeth are cut, said plates having the
holes pierced in them for the flap pins to be entered or sprung into.
I have shown at Figure 2 a single drum with a series of pictures on a single
flap, so that when the handle is turned, the pictures travel gradually from one
end of the casing to the other for the complete series, this is especially suitable
when a large number of pictures have to be shown to illustrate the subject, but
at Figures 9 and 10 I have shown the series of flaps in single order as they
are brought round when the handle is turned such as when only a small number
of pictures are required, the pause for the sight of the flaps in succession in all
cases being established by the exposed flap resting upon the top of a series of the
flaps in such a manner that the motion of withdrawal is slight, the retardation
or bunching being caused by the platform or slope upon which they momentarily
rest and down which they have to travel before their release to fall into the
circle for a further travel upwardly with the drum during its rotation.
The apparatus constructed as above set forth is of a portable character and is
chiefly intended to be known as the vivograph, for household amusement, the
pictures by photograph or by the collotype or equivalent printing or reproducing
process after cinematograph photography, being on the flaps.
A, lower half casing. B, upper half hinged jointed to fold over backwards.
C, sighthole gap or point of observation partly in each half cover. D, rest when
upper half is thrown over.
E, lens fixed over or movable along the gap. F, drum composed of a centre
bearing and two discs, each disc being correspondingly pierced, or drilled with
holes near its periphery for receiving the ends of wires G, G, from which the
picture-bearing flaps H, H, are hung loosely for free falling action, the holes

page_text: in the discs being so close as to admit of the thickness of the cards only or of
their overlap edge backing I, so that they just clear each other for that purpose.
J, pinion and handle by which the drum is turned. K, upper platform for
retarding the flaps, this platform is secured to the upper half casing, against
which the descending flaps lodge and become clustered in suspense
and temporarily held and from which they are dragged, almost
vertically downwards in succession to fall into a horizontal or
nearly horizontal position by their own weight or gravity, and be impercep-
tibly moved from their back or hinge joint connection with the drum as the
drum's circular motion continues, so as to constitute a pause sufficient for the
exposed picture to be received in the eye of the observer, the flaps falling in
succession upon one another, where they again cluster themselves by contact with
and upon the lower platform or slope L before their escape to take the actual
travel of the drum and to be again clustered upon the upper platform.
The rigid and non-resilient flaps may be of cardboard or the like, or of metal
or cardboard stiffened with metal and the pictures on them may be photographed,
printed, painted, or otherwise impressed and be plain or in colours."
The most effective way of mounting the picture-bearing flaps is upon a frame
or holder of soft metal whose serrated or tongued shaped edges are folded alter-
nately to both faces, so as to clamp the card firmly, the same metallic mounting
being formed into a sheath at the top, through which the wires may be inserted
to form the hinge of the flap.
Another way of building up the cards is by a foldover linen strip I or narrow
tape with the wire G in the fold secured over the top edge, as at Figure 3, and
placed singly or stereoscopically in pairs side by side, as at M Figure 13, or in
any other number side by side, as at Figure 3, metal or other foldover strips
can be affixed by rivets, by stabbing, or by other means, and in some cases
the axles of the flaps may be from stampings of the flaps, as at N Figure 13,
or the axles may be from corner connections only, as at P Figure 13, or by
side edge strips, as at Q Figure 183, which would prevent bending of the flaps
and ensure their flat condition for observation from the eye glasses or lenses,
whether the latter be fixtures to the casing, or for traversing over the gap con-
jointly with the revolution of the drum.
The end on traversing motion of the drum, whether it be reversible with
double set of pictures, or not, or of a traversing lens, will enable the pictures
on the flaps to be arranged somewhat like that shown by the arrows at Figure 3,
so that when the pictures of the series are exceedingly numerous, the drum
may be caused to make more than a single revolution for their exposure.
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. A vivograph or apparatus for sighting pictures cinematographically, con-
sisting of freely falling cards or flaps having pictures mounted between or from
discs, said flaps being clustered upon a platform or slope (or its equivalent) placed
on the inside of the upper half casing and above the point of observation, and
which after falling away in succession from the upper platform again gathered or
clustered upon the lower platform or slope or its equivalent in such a manner
that the top card of the lower bunch is exposed horizontally or nearly so for
viewing purposes through the gap of a dividable casing, the movement of the
exposed picture card is thus retarded and temporarily held notwithstanding the
continued circular rotative motion of the drum which draws the cards or flaps by
their tail ends to permit the front ends to fall free, as described.
2. A vivograph consisting of a drum, from the discs of which, cards or their
equivalents are freely suspended and have free falling action for horizontal re-
tardation upon the next lower one in succession as and for the purposes set forth
and substantially as represented.

page_text: 3. A vivograph or apparatus for exposing pictures of the kind referred to,
moving the pictures within the casing sideways while rotating round with the
carrying drum, or of moving the lens over the pictures during their motions,
each picture baving free falling action in succession and retarded when in a hori-
zontal position and resting upon the next lower one during the rotation of the
carrying drum, as described.
4. An apparatus in which during the rotation of a drum, picture cards, flaps, or
their equivalents loosely hinged joined thereto are carried round, and during
part of such travel bear against an obstruction which causes them to gather
upon one another and then to escape singly and fall freely as drawn away by
the continued travel of the drum on to and be supported by the last fallen flap,
each fallen flap being held horizontally or nearly so by resting upon a group of
previously fallen flaps substantially as shown.
5. In a
vivograph, the method of separating the loosely hinged picture-
bearing flaps for viewing purposes by bunching or clustering a number of the
flaps upon an upper and lower platform or slope (or its equivalent) placed inside
the casing of the apparatus, substantially as shown.
7111
171
1000
R. CORE GARDNER,
Patent Agent, 166, Fleet Street, London,
Agent for the said William Speirs Simpson.