Improvements in Apparatus for Taking, Copying, and Projecting Living Photographs.
Year: 1897

page_text: Improvements in Apparatus for Taking, Copying, and Projecting
Living Photographs.
I, JOHN HENRY SMITH, Ph. D. Photographic Chemist, of Wollishofen, Zurich,
Switzerland, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention for improvements in apparatus for taking, copying and projecting
living photographs has for its object to render the reproduction of the photographs
more life like in appearance by reducing the usual unsteadiness of the pictures; and
consists in replacing the ordinary shutter that determines the ingress or egress of the
light in taking and copying the negatives or projecting the positive images by a
continuously moving opaque body having a succession of equally spaced openings or
transparent sections and thus forming a continuous series of alternate shutters and
openings; and in causing the continuously moving opaque body to move the
sensitised or developed film (or double film in case of copying) through the space
corresponding to one image whilst the ingress or egress of light is prevented by the
shutter.
In one arrangement of apparatus the opaque body consists of a cylinder surround-
ing the apparatus (and enclosing in the case of a projecting apparatus the source of
light) and provided with a series of equally spaced openings. On either side of the
opaque body, between the openings, is an internally projecting peg that engages with
one of a series of perforations in the edges of the sensitised film or developed film (or
double film in case of copying) and feeds it forward through a space corresponding
to one picture at the required time; the exact amount of the feed being determined
by guide rollers that determine the places where the pins engage with and disengage
from the holes in the film.
In a modified arrangement the shutters and holes are formed in and towards the
outside edge of a disc.
In order to get rid of the flickering produced by the alternation of light and dark-
ness accompanying all existing forms of apparatus, and at the same time to produce
stereoscopic effects, two films are employed side by side and the drum or disc is pro-
vided with two sets of shutters and openings, alternating with one another the.
openings of one set being alongside of the shutters of the other. This arrangement of
employing two shutters working alternately is also applicable to existing shutters.
The length of the shutter is preferably equal to at least twice the length of one.
picture.
The principal advantages of this invention are that the shutter can be rotated by
hand without the intervention of gearing thus avoiding the consequent vibration and
noise and that the period of darkness may be diminished to nil, with the corresponding.
regularity and steadiness of the light.
Dated this 19th day of January 1897
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.

page_text: Improvements in Apparatus for Taking, Copying, and Projecting
Living Photographs.
I, JOHN HENRY SMITH, Ph. Dr. and Manufacturing Photographic Chemist, of
Wollishofen, Zurich, Switzerland, 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 for improvements in apparatus for taking, copying and projecting
living photographs has for its object to render the reproduction of the photographs
more life like in appearance by reducing the usual unsteadiness of the pictures; and
consists in replacing the ordinary shutter that determines the ingress or egress of the
light in taking and copying the negatives or projecting the positive images by a
continuously moving opaque body having a succession of equally spaced openings
or transparent sections and thus forming a continuous series of alternate shutters and
openings; and in causing the continuously moving opaque body to move the
sensitised or developed film (or double film in case of copying) through the space
corresponding to one image whilst the ingress or egress of light is prevented by the
shutter.
In one arrangement of apparatus the opaque body consists of a cylinder surrounding
the mechanism (and enclosing in the case of a projecting apparatus either the projecting
lens or the source of light) and provided with a series of equally spaced openings.
When the changing of the picture is effected directly by the motion of the opaque
body there is on either side of the opaque body, between the openings, an internally
projecting peg that engages with one of a series of perforations in the edges of the
sensitised film or developed film (or double film in case of copying) and feeds it
forwards through a space corresponding to one picture at the required time; the
exact amount of the feed being determined by guide rollers that determine the places
where the pins engage with and disengage from the holes in the film.
In a modification of the feed, the film is unwound and wound continuously and is
drawn past the camera opening at the required time as hereinafter described with
reference to the drawings.
In a modified arrangement the shutters and holes are formed in and towards the
outside edge of a disc.
In order to get rid of the flickering produced by the alternation of light and dark-
ness accompanying all existing forms of apparatus, and at the same time to produce
stereoscopic effects, two films are employed side by side and the drum or disc is
provided with two sets of shutters and openings, alternating with one another, the
opening of one set being alongside of the shutters of the other. This arrangement of
employing two shutters working alternately is also applicable to existing shutters.
The length of the shutter is preferably equal to at least twice the length of one
picture.
The principal advantages of this invention are that the shutter can be rotated by
hand without the intervention of gearing thus avoiding the consequent vibration and
noise and that the period of darkness may be diminished to nil, with the corresponding
regularity and steadiness of the light.
In the accompanying sheet of illustrative drawings:
Fig. 1 is a sectional side elevation of an apparatus constructed according to this
invention suitable for taking or projecting pictures and also for copying negatives.
Fig. 2 is a part side elevation, and Fig. 3 a part sectional front elevation to an
enlarged scale.
4

page_text: Fig. 4 is a part elevation of a drum for a modified apparatus in which two films
are used side by side and Fig 5 shows the apparatus arranged for projecting pictures
with the projecting lens placed within the apparatus.
The shutter cylinder B provided on its periphery with equi-distant openings B¹ is
rotatably mounted on a fixed stud or bearing carried by a bracket C passing vertically
to support the axis of the cylinder and radiating into two semi circles to form the
bearing for the whole of the remaining mechanism and secured to the camera or
casing A by the screws C¹. The casing A is provided with two opposite openings A¹ A²
Fig. 5 one or both of which can be closed at pleasure. Within the shutter cylinder
and in close proximity to it and exactly opposite one of the openings A¹ is a shield or
guide L having an opening b corresponding to the opening A hinged at the back to
the bearing C and locking into a spring L' fixed to the front of the case A.
Within the shutter cylinder B are four spindles E E¹ E2 E3 mounted in the
bracket C. The spindles E E¹ E2 E3 have on their ends friction wheels gearing with a
friction wheel x carried by the rotating shutter cylinder B and are adapted to receive
light tight bobbins D D1 D2 D3 containing film so that the film or band can be wound
from one roll to the other or vice versa. The bobbins are shown in the drawings with
the lids taken off. Between the bobbins D D1 are the guide rollers H J the con-
tinuously rotating sprocket wheels F G and the feed drawer 4 that feeds and guides
the film from roll to roll ensuring that it shall take the proper course between the
shield or guide L and the shutter cylinder opposite the opening and draw the film
exactly the length of one picture during the time the opening b it closed by the
shutter. The sprocket wheels F. G. take into corresponding holes in the edges of the
film to ensure the proper motion of the film and are mounted on the bracket C.
The spocket wheels F G are provided with toothed wheels 1, 2 gearing with a
toothed wheel 3 fixed to the rotating shutter B. The feed drawer 4 consists of a
peculiarly shaped revolving eccentric or lever mounted on the frame C. The feeder
has a toothed wheel 4 gearing into the toothed wheel 2. The object of the feed
drawer 4 is to draw sufficient additional film, i.e. the length of one picture off the
slack film lying between F and H whilst a solid part of the shutter cylinder is opposite
the opening A¹ to ensure that the film opposite the opening shall be stationary whilst
an opening in the shutter is opposite the opening A'. The action of the drawer 4 is
intermittent as will be clearly seen, it making one revolution whilst the shutter
cylinder moves through the space of one opening plus one opaque section of the
cylinder. The opening A¹ is fitted with a lens for taking the pictures.
When the apparatus is used for taking pictures, only the opening A' in the case is
required, the other opening A2 being closed. One set of film bobbins D D¹ only
is used. The sensitised film is wound off and exposed by rotating the handle Z at.
the desired speed and is developed by special machinery.
When required to project a picture, Fig. 5 both.openings A¹ and A² are employed
and the same set of the film bobbins. The source of light is placed opposite the
openings A¹ and the images are projected in the usual manner through the projecting
lens Y. Or the source of light may be in the centre of the apparatus and the image
projected to the front.
When required to copy pictures one set of bobbins D D' is used for the developed
film or negative to be copied and the other set D2 D3 for the sensitised positive film
which is inserted immediately behind the negative film. The opening A¹ only is
required with daylight or a source of artificial light opposite this opening.
The guide rollers H J are pivoted at h and i to the bearing C and when released by
the catches can be swung back so as to allow the film to be inserted conveniently.
When passing the film under sprocket wheel F and over that of G the tension springs f
and g are released and fastened again as soon as the film engages with the sprocket
wheels.
A second drawer may be placed between F and H in which case the apparatus may
be worked backwards. The friction wheels on the spindles E E¹ E2 E³ are composed
of two parts, an inner wheel and outer ring, and so fitted with a spring peg con-
necting the two parts that the spindles which are intended to wind up the film are

page_text: forced to rotate while the outer rings of the other friction wheels slide over the inner
wheels leaving their spindles stationary.
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 :-
1. In an apparatus for taking, copying and projecting living images, a shutter
cylinder having a succession of equally spaced openings or transparent sections and
enclosing the film or films and the actuating mechanism.
2. An apparatus for taking, copying and projecting living images consisting of a
shutter. cylinder having a succession of equally spaced openings or transparent sections,
two sets of film and guide rollers within the drum, and of actuating mechanism within
the drum.
3. In an apparatus for taking, copying and projecting living images, the mounting
of two films side by side with two corresponding sets of shutters and openings working
alternately.
4. In an apparatus for taking, copying and projecting living images, a constantly
rotating shutter cylinder having a succession of equally spaced openings or transparent
sections, constantly driven film rollers with their driving mechanism situated within
the drum, and a feed drawer drawing the film through one division whilst the light is
shut off.
5. The mechanism for feeding the films substantially as described.
6. The apparatus for taking, copying and projecting living images, substantially as
described with reference to the drawings.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.