Improved Means for Illuminating Animated Pictures.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 28th June, 1899-Accepted, 2nd Sept., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means for Illuminating Animated Pictures.
I, ERNST MALKE, of No. 38, Brau Strasse, Leipsic-Gohlis, Kingdom of Saxony,
Germany, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement: --
The present invention consists of means for illuminating animated pictures
with a variety of coloured lights, and of the details of construction herein after
set forth.
And in order to render the present specification more easily intelligible
reference is had to the accompanying drawings in which similar letters of
reference denote similar parts throughout the several views:-
Fig. 1 shows a plan of one form of carrying the present invention into
practice, Fig. 2 a cross section on line M-M of Figure 1, Fig. 3 a modification of
a further
the invention and Fig. 4 a side elevation of Figure 3, Fig. 5 is
modification in cross section and Fig. 6 a plan of Figure 5.
Referring to Figures 1 and 2: The animated pictures are produced from a
block of leaves containing pictures of a series of successive positions of a moving
figure or of moving figures. The said block containing the leaves a is mounted
on a suitable base plate and this plate is moved by suitable means under a bar or
bow so that as it passes under the same the leaves are rapidly turned over and
the effect of an animated picture attained. The base plate may be moved by a
star or chain wheel e which engages in orifices in the bottom of the said plate,
or by any other means. This device forms no part of the present invention and
consequently requires no further explanation.
The means for illuminating the pictures as they are produced consist of a source
of light B (lamp or the like) having arranged there-around a cylinder of poly-
gonal cross section as at A, the sides of which are of different coloured glass or other
translucent material. This cylinder A is mounted to rotate on the stand of
the lamp or other source of light and advantageously provided at the bottom with
a gear C, which engages an intermediate gear D suitably mounted on the
supporting plate of the apparatus. The gear 1) engages a rack E mounted on
the base plate of the block of pictures, and obviously, as the block is moved
forward as previously mentioned, the rack E will rotate the gear D) and with it
the gear C and translucent mantle A of the lamp. Thus the pictures, as they are
produced, will be illuminated with a light which constantly changes its colour
5 and a very pretty effect will be attained.
Instead of a mantle A enclosing the source of light B, a disc F may be
employed as shown at Figures 3 and 4, the said disc being mounted in front of
an electric or other light and between it and the effective surface of the pictures.
This disc may be provided with various colours and must, of course, be
o translucent. The dise may be rotated from the driving shaft of the star wheel c
by means of a cord or chain I and wheels H and K.
In Figures 5 and 6 a device is shown for reflecting light on to the picture
as it is produced. This device consists of a reflector N pivotally mounted in
slots O of a supporting frame O, which is mounted on an expansible set o

page_text: levers known as "Nuremberger scissors." This set of levers is also adapted to
turn on its pivot on a segment P¹ fitted to the base plate of the apparatus as will
be evident from Figure 6, so that the reflector may be adjusted to any desired
position as regards the picture.
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 Means for illuminating animated pictures of the class specified, which
consists in a coloured translucent mantle surrounding the source of light or a
translucent disc inserted between the source of light and the surface of the
pictures; said mantle or disc being adapted to be rotated by the movement of
the base plate of the picture block in the manner and for the purpose sub-
stantially as described.
2: A modified form of the invention covered by Claim 1 which consists in
the combination of a reflector mounted in proximity to the picture as it is
produced, said reflector being adjustable in all directions in the manner and for
the purpose substantially as described.
3: The device for illuminating animated pictures substantially as described
and illustrated.
Dated this 28th JT..... 1000
J. B. FLEURET,
5, Hatton Garden, Holborn Circus, London, E.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.