Improvements in Panoramic Cameras.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Dec., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 13th Jan., 1891-Accepted, 20th June, 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Panoramic Cameras.
I, WILHELM PINKERNELLE, of Hamburg, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
It is well known that in taking large photographic pictures of landscapes and
groups of objects, the parts of the picture near the border appear indistinct and
hazy or distorted. This invention has for object to obviate this drawback and enable
photographs of large size to be produced of uniform clearness and sharpness. This
object is attained by suitably lengthening the objective tube, and forming its inner
end with a slit of a form suitable for the view to be taken; and by causing this
tube with its lengthened portion, to turn about the optical centre of the lens in
front of the sensitive film which is so arranged as to be at a uniform distance from
the said centre and corresponding, or approximately so, to the focal length of the
lens or objective.
The accompanying drawings illustrate a camera according to this invention,
Fig. 1 being a vertical section partly in elevation; and
Fig. 2 a sectional plan, with the back portion shown drawn out.
Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the camera closed ready for transport ;
Figs. 45 and 6 are detail views, Figs. 4 and 5 illustrating two constructions of
the lengthened slotted end of the objective tube and Fig. 6 illustrating the
mechanism by which the oscillation of the objective tube and casing effected.
The objective casing or lens-holder c (hereinafter called the objective casing), is
mounted so as to be capable of turning between the points of two set screws b
carried by brackets a. d is a tube the length of which is such that its inner end
is at a distance from the centre of motion corresponding or nearly so to the focal
length of the objective. This tube is connected within the camera to the objective
casing c, and ends in a narrow slit d'. To this tube and to the walls of the camera
are secured strips of suitable material such as cloth of close texture, in order to
close the camera in such a manner as to render it impervious to light.
The objective casing c carries a spring case g containing a coiled spring / adapted
to partly rotate the casing in the direction of the arrow (Fig. 2) but is normally
prevented from doing so by a detent i which engages with a shoulder or abutment k
at the periphery of the spring case. According as the rotary movement is to be
faster or slower, the spring his wound up to a greater or less extent. For this
purpose one of the set screws 6 (the top one in the example shown) is provided at
its lower portion with a squared part to which the inner end of the spring is fixed
in a suitable manner. The screw itself passes loosely through the bracket and is
secured in position therein by means of the two nuts and m. To the detent i
which normally holds the spring case with the spring wound up there is connected
a wire n leading to an external knob o by pulling which the detent can be dis-
engaged from the spring case g and the spring allowed to partly rotate the objective
tube.
q
In order to be able to arrange the sensitive paper, or the emulsion film a, in such
a manner that all parts thereof shall be equally distant from the objective there are
arranged within the camera and at the top and bottom thereof fillets and
P
having convex rear edges, and on the rear or back wall of the camera are fillets
and shaving concave edges. Within the camera are also vertical fillets t and
carried by the rear or back wall are vertical fillets u. The sensitive paper or film
when arranged between these fillets will by these means be caused to form a portion
of a cylindrical surface the centre of which corresponds with the optical centre of
the lens or obiective.

page_text: In taking photographs the objective casing is rotated into the position illustrated
in Fig. 2, and held in this position by the detent i the spring being wound up. If
now the detent be thrown out of engagement with the spring case, the spring will
cause the objective casing to turn in the direction of the arrow and move the slit-
shaped aperture of the tube d along and in front of the sensitive paper or film.
In consequence of the optical centre of the lens being at a constant distance from
the sensitive paper or film, the illumination of the latter will be uniform, and the
picture will be throughout its length of the same strength of light, depth,
and sharpness, and all distortion of parts of a landscape or other view will be
prevented.
In order to indicate approximately to the operator the best position which he
should choose for his camera for taking a photograph of a landscape, or a group of
objects, there are arranged on the cover or lid and on the sides of the camera,
triangular plates and w which serve as sights.
The front wall a is furthermore arranged and constructed in such a manner as to
be capable of being fixed in various positions, according as a greater or smaller
illumination is necessary.
Dated this 29th day of December 1890.
W. PINKERNELLE.
By L. W., per F. B.
Improvements in Panoramic Cameras.
1, WILHELM PINKERNELLE of 96 Barthelstr. Hamburg, Germany, Chief
Engineer, 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 :-
It is well known that in taking large photographic pictures of landscapes and
groups of objects the parts of the picture near the border appear indistinct
and hazy or distorted. This invention has for object to obviate this drawback and
enable photographs of large size to be produced of uniform clearness and sharpness.
This object is attained by suitably lengthening the objective tube or casings and
forming its inner end with a slit of a form suitable for the view to be taken; and
by causing this tube or casing with its lengthened portion, to turn about the optical
centre of the lens in front of the sensitive film which is so arranged as to be at a
uniform distance from the said centre, this distance being made to correspond, or
approximately so, to the focal length of the lens or objective.
The drawings filed with my Provisional Specification illustrate a camera
according to this invention.
Fig. 1 being a vertical section partly in elevation and,
Fig. 2 a sectional plan, with the back portion shown drawn out.
Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the camera closed ready for transport.
Figs. 4 5 and 6 are detail views, Figs. 4 and 5 illustrating two constructions of
the lengthened slotted end of the objective tube; and Fig. 6 illustrating the
mechanism by which the oscillation of the objective tube and casing is effected..
The objective tube casing or lens-holder c (hereinafter called the objective casing),
is mounted so as to be capable of turning between the points of two set screws
carried by brackets a. d is a tube the length of which is such that its inner end is
at a distance from the centre of motion corresponding, or nearly so, to the focal
length of the objective. This tube is connected within the camera to the objective
casing c, and ends in a narrow slit d'. To this tube and to the walls of the camera
are secured strips f of suitable material such as cloth of close texture, order to
close the camera in such a manner as to render it impervious to light.
The objective casing c carries a spring case y containing a coiled spring / adapted

page_text: to partly rotate the casing in the direction of the arrow (Fig. 2) but is normally
prevented from doing so by a detent i which engages with a shoulder or abut-
ment at the periphery of the spring case. According as the rotary movement
is to be faster or slower, the spring his wound up to a greater or less extent.
For this purpose one of the set screws 6 (the top one in the example shown) is
provided at its lower portion with a squared part to which the inner end of the
spring is fixed in a suitable manner. The screw itself passes loosely through the
bracket and is secured in position therein by means of the two nuts / and m.
the detent i which normally holds the spring case with the spring wound up there
is connected a wire a leading to an external knob o by pulling which the detent can
be disengaged from the spring case g and the spring allowed to partly rotate the
objective tube.
To
In order to be able to arrange the sensitive paper, or the emulsion film c in such
a manner that all parts thereof shall be equally distant from the objective there
are arranged within the camera and at the top and bottom thereof fillets p and
having convex rear edges, and on the rear or back wall of the camera are fillets
and shaving concave edges. Within the camera are also vertical fillets t and
carried by the rear or back wall are vertical fillets u. The sensitive paper or film
when arranged between these fillets will by these means be caused to form a portion
of a cylindrical surface the centre of which corresponds with the optical centre of
the lens or objective.
In taking photographs the objective casing is rotated into the position illustrated
in Fig. 2, and held in this position by the detent i the spring / being wound up. If
now the detent be thrown out of engagement with the spring case, the spring will
cause the objective casing to turn in the direction of the arrow and move the slit-.
shaped aperture of the tube d along and in front of the sensitive paper or film.
In consequence of the optical centre of the lens being at a constant distance from
the sensitive paper or film, the illumination of the latter will be uniform, and the
picture will be throughout its length of the same strength of light, depth, and
sharpness, and all distortion of parts of a landscape or other view will be prevented.
In order to indicate approximately to the operator the best position which he
should choose for his camera for taking a photograph of a landscape, or a group of
objects, there are arranged on the cover or lid and on the sides of the camera,
triangular plates and w which serve as sights.
V
The front wall is furthermore arranged and constructed in such a manner as to
be capable of being fixed in various positions, according as a greater or smaller
illumination is necessary.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
1. A photographic camera constructed with an objective casing c adapted to
oscillate about the optical centre of the lens, and provided with a rearward extension
the inner end of which is formed with a narrow slit substantially as herein described
for the purpose specified.
2. In a photographic camera constructed with an oscillating objective casing
ending rearwardly in a narrow slit, the arrangement of a spring case g fixed upon
the said objective casing and provided with a spring h, a detent i adapted to engage
with and prevent rotation of the said casing, and a wire n with knob or handle o
for disengaging the detent from the spring case substantially as described for the
purpose specified.
3. In a photographic camera constructed with an oscillating objective casing
ending rearwardly in a narrow slit, the arrangement of concave fillets r, s, and
convex fillets P, q by means of which the sensitive paper or film when held between
them will be caused to assume the form of a portion of a cylindrical surface the

page_text: axis of which passes through the optical centre of the lens substantially as herein
described.
4. The improved panoramic camera described and shown.
Dated this 13th day of January 1891
W. PINKERNELLE.
By L. W., per F. B.