Improved Apparatus for Displaying Animated or Zoetropic Pictures.
Year: 1899

page_text: Complete Onaris
Date of Application, 11th May, 1899
13
1000
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Apparatus for Displaying Animated or Zoetropic Pictures.
EDWARD CADETT, 379, Strand, London, Secretary of Public Company, ANDREW
GILLIGAN MACCULLOCH, 25, Gt. James Street, Bedford Row, London, Engineer,"
and HERBERT DICKINSON, 2, Camden Gardens, London, W., Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
-
We fix the series of photographs or pictures upon a slide, working on or
between suitable guides, which permit of the slide moving freely forwards and
backwards in a similar manner to a drawer. We enclose this device
in a box or case having an aperture through which the pictures
may be readily viewed. We provide a screw, rack or other suit-
able mechanism operated by a handle outside the box for the purpose of
causing the slide to advance. When the slide has advanced to a sufficient extent
to have displayed the series of pictures it carries, it disengages from the mech-
anism and by means of a weight is taken back to its initial position. This
apparatus is coin-actuated, the coin for which it is made to work passing through
a slot outside the box down a guide inside the box to a position in front of the
pictures to be displayed upon the slide, where it is temporarily held by a hinged
arm which bars its progress allowing about half the surface of the coin to be
in front of and overlapping the pictures: As the pictures are advanced they
press against the flat of the coin and are bent back, and as the slide continues
to advance the pictures are released one by one from the edge of the coin in
rapid succession whereby the well known effect of animated or zoetropic pictures
is obtained. The arm which serves to keep the coin in its position until the pic-
tures by their pressure hold the coin, is moved by the advancing slide so as
not to interupt the view of the pictures, and at the end of the display allows
the coin to fall into a receptacle provided for storing the coins. The action of
the slide resuming its normal' position also brings this arm in position again.
Dated this 11th day of May 1809
EDWD. CADETT,
A. G. MACCULLOCH,
HERBERT DICKINSON.
Improved Apparatus for Displaying Animated or Zoetropic Pictures.
We, EDWARD CADETT, Secretary of Public Company, 379, Strand, London,
ANDREW GILLIGAN MACCULLOCH, Engineer, of 25, Gt. James Street, Bedford Row,
London, and HERBERT DICKINSON, Engineer, of 2, Camden Gardens, London, W.,
[Price 8d.]

page_text: 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 improved apparatus for displaying animated or zoe-
tropic pictures, the object being to provide simple mechanism for this purpose,
one of the essential features of this invention being to utilize a coin as the stop
which bears against the top edges of the pictures as they are advanced, and
allows them to pass only one at a time in rapid succession, a further feature
of this invention being the insertion between each picture, of a strip of suitable
material as hereinafter more fully described, for facilitating the turning move-
ment of the said pictures.
In order that this invention may be fully understood, we will now proceed to
describe same with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the essential parts of the apparatus in their normal
positions with a coin just inserted.
Fig. being a similar view showing the parts of the mechanism in the posi-
tions they assume when in operation.
Figs. 3&4 are details hereinafter referred to.
According to this invention, we insert a series of photographs or pictures a
between clamping edges carried by a slide c. working preferably on a frame
between suitable guides, which allows of the slide moving freely forwards and
backwards. Beneath the slide c a screw d is arranged designed to be operated
by a handle such as c; for causing the slide to advance. Above the slide ca
coin shoot f is arranged down which the coin o̟ passes and where it is tempor-
arily held by the lip gl of a hinged arm g² in such a position as to extend slightly
lower than the top edges of the pictures.
.
As the pictures are advanced by revolving the screw d, they press against
the flat edge of the coin as shown (Fig. 2) and are bent back and released by
the coin, one by one in rapid succession, thereby producing the well known
effect of animated or zoetropic pictures.
The arm serving to temporarily retain the coin g in place until the pictures
have sufficiently advanced to support it by their pressure, is raised into the
position shown at Fig. 2 preferably by means of the front edge of an upwardly
extending frame carried by the slide e, pressing against the right angled
end of the pivotal pin to which the arm 2 is secured and while the machine
is in operation the said arm is retained in the raised position by the aforesaid
extremity resting or bearing on the top of the frame h.
As shown more clearly in Fig. 3, engagement between the slide and the
screw is made by means of a bifurcated downwardly extending plate which
passes over the screw and rests upon it, while it is kept in engagement with the
said screw by means of a pin ji taking beneath the guiding edge. The guid-
ing edge is of a length corresponding to the distance the slide e is required
to travel, and upon
the slide C reaching the end of its forward
travel, the guiding pin which has then reached the forward extremity of the
guiding edge, is then forced up by the action of the springs which raise
the plate out of contact with the screw d and allow the slide c to be brought
back to its normal position by the action of a weight w contained within a well t,
the pin travelling back over the top surface of the guiding edge, and upon the
parts reaching their normal positions, it drops from the said guiding edge into
the position shown at Fig. 1 and is ready to be again advanced beneath the
said guiding edge. A pins taking between guides . prevents lateral movement
of the slide c (Fig. 3).
Between each of the pictures or photographs m and the next, a narrow strip n
of suitable material is arranged as shown at Fig. 4 for causing the pictures to
readily turn and pass one at a time from beneath the stop formed by the coin.
The whole of the mechanism is arranged within a suitable case furnished with

page_text: a conveniently arranged opening through which the pictures can be viewed, and
with an opening for the insertion of the coin, the operating handle e being
arranged outside the case.
After the slide has traversed the required distance, the coin g falls behind
the series of pictures on to a suitable curved or bent plate p which guides it to
the bottom of the case or to a suitable receptacle, p' being a plate for a similar
purpose in the event of the coin falling before the machine has been operated.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that
what we claim is:-
1. The improved apparatus for displaying animated or zoetropic pictures
consisting essentially in the combination of a slide such as c carrying a series
of pictures such as a and designed to be advanced by means of a screw such as d
or its equivalent; with a coin-shoot such as f furnished with an arm g² designed
to temporarily support the coin until the pictures have sufficiently advanced for
supporting the said coin, and beneath which they are caused to pass one at a
time in rapid succession as the slide c is further advanced so producing the
effect of animated or zoetropic pictures; substantially as herein described and
shown with reference to the accompanying drawings.
2/. In an apparatus for producing the effect of animated or zoetropic pictures
by the insertion of a coin, the utilization of the said coin as a stop from beneath
which the pictures are released one by one in rapid succession as they are
advanced substantially as herein described and shown with reference to the
accompanying drawings.
;
3. The combination with an advancing slide carrying a series of pictures or
photographs of a coin which passes down a coin-shoot and is so held by the
series of pictures as to form a stop from beneath which they are released one at
a time in rapid succession for producing the effect of animated or zoetropic
pictures; substantially as set forth.
4/. In the arrangement of a series of pictures mounted in parallel succession
for producing the effect of animated or zoetropic pictures, and for use in con-
nection with an apparatus such as above claimed, the insertion between each
picture or photograph of a narrow strip of suitable material, substantially as
herein described and shown with reference to Fig. 4 of the accompanying draw-
ings, and for the purposes specified.
OI Alaren
CASSELL & Co.,
22, Glasshouse Street, Regent Street, London, W.,
Agent for the Applicants.