An Improved Registering Apparatus for Optical Lanterns.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Feb., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 10th July, 1891-Accepted, 15th Aug., 1801
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Registering Apparatus for Optical Lanterns.
WILLIAM ROCKLIFFE Engineer 35 South Street Durham do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention consists of an oblong receptacle with an opening from back to
front, and from side to side and is large enough internally to admit magic lantern
slides, besides leaving plenty of room so that the slide can be moved in the
said receptacle a certain distance up or down or from side to side at the will of
the operator. The opening from back to front of the aforesaid receptacle is to
allow the light to pass through it and the slide to throw the picture on the screen
in the ordinary way.
The opening from side to side of the receptacle is to allow
the slide to pass through it. The aforesaid receptacle is large enough externally
to fill up the whole of (what is termed) the opening or staging of the lantern,
and can be inserted and withdrawn at will.
On the front of the said receptacle at each side I have thumb screws or their
equivalents for the purpose of securing and keeping the slide in its registered
position. To prevent the receptacle from going too far when inserted into the
lantern stage I have a check on the top or bottom which stops it when it is far
enough in. When I wish to obtain a true registration with my improved apparatus
I first insert the aforesaid receptacle which being large enough to fill up the
whole of the opening or staging it cannot move either one way or the other.
This is a decided advantage and an entirely new idea, inasmuch as it entirely
dispenses with wedges, thin slips of wood, &c., which have to be used with the
present methods. Everything that has been hitherto introduced and used for
the purpose of registration of pictures requires to be moved in the opening or
staging aforesaid. In nearly all cases wedges thin strips of wood and other
troublesome things are used to obtain a registration which is very seldom truc.
When I have inserted the receptacle as aforesaid I then insert the slide with the
picture I wish to register into the receptacle and after I have moved it (in the
receptacle) to its true position with the picture on the screen I secure it there
with the aforesaid thumb screws or their equivalents. The receptacle with the
slide and picture can now be withdrawn and inserted as often as the exhibitor
wishes and a fresh and true registration obtained in the easiest, quickest and
most economical process possible and can be put by just as it is ready for
future use.
Dated this 13th day of February 1891.
WILLIAM ROCKLIFFE.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Registering Apparatus for Optical Lanterns.
I, WILLIAM ROCKLIFFE, Engineer of 35 South Street, Durham in the County
of Durham 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 refers to an improved registering apparatus for optical lanterns.
At present it is customary for the exhibitor to carefully register the position of
all the "effect" slides he means to introduce before his audience prior to the time
of exhibition so as thus to ensure his effects being accurately exhibited.
For this purpose (and it will be understood that the present invention has special
Price 8d

page_text: reference and is specially applicable to the registration of effect slides that is slides
intended to produce an effect on a picture already being exhibited on the screen)
the exhibitor usually practices in private with his lantern and slides and in order
to ensure the effect slide being easily and quickly thrust into its correct position at
the time of exhibition before the audience, he has to ascertain beforehand and
adjust the said position. For this purpose he moves the effect slide about in the
open staging" of the lantern until he finds the exact position that it ought to
occupy for subsequent exhibition and he then "pieces" the slide, that is he either
glues strips of wood onto it or he shaves pieces off it, so that when the piecing or
adjusting is finished the pieced or adjusted slide when thrust into the open staging
is sure to occupy its correct position and thus produce the desired effect.
This process obviously takes much time and is costly as regards lighting medium
for the lantern but by my invention I can register the position of effect slides in a
minute and I employ no piecing. I do this by employing for every effect slide
intended to be exhibited a special receptacle or holder of a size somewhat larger
than the slides to be used therein but the receptacle or holder itself is made to fit
exactly the open staging of the lantern and is provided with adjustment media for
adjusting the slides as well as for its own adjustment.
I will fully explain my invention with reference to the accompanying drawings
in which
Figure 1 shows a side or front view of a receptacle for a slide with the 'slide
shown adjusted therein, Figure 2. being an end view of the same in position.
Figure 3 shows a side or front view of a modified form or design of receptacle,
Figure 4 being an end view of the same.
Figure 5 is hereinafter explained.
Throughout the following description like letters or marks of reference designate
like parts.
Referring to Figures 1 and 2 the receptacle or slide holder 1 may consist of an
open ended flat sided and flat topped frame of thin brass the flat sides whereof
have openings therein considerably larger than the opening in the slide. The
slide 2 is inserted through one of the open ends of the receptacle and its required
position in the receptacle may be adjusted precisely by moving the slide about with
the fingers within the receptacle until its required position is ascertained when' it
can be effectually clamped in this position by means of the clamping screws 3
which clamp the slide against one of the flat sides of the receptacle. Attached by
screws to the receptacle are two wooden skeets or sliding pieces 4 which project
therefrom further than the heads of the clamping screws aforesaid as shown in
Fig. 2 which thus allows the receptacle to be freely inserted into the open staging
of the lantern. The stop 5 on the top of the holder is adjustable by a small screw
and nut 6 sliding in a longitudinal slot formed in the substance of the holder and
this stop is designed to strike the pillar 7 of the lantern when the receptacle has
been inserted the required distance into the open staging thereof. Filling up
strips 8 of brass or wood are employed to fill up the space that may be left between
an edge of a slide and an edge of the opening in the receptacle frame and these
strips may be secured by clamping them in the required position by means of small
screws 9.
Referring to Figures 3. and 4, in this arrangement the slide 2.is. adjusted and
secured in the desired position for registration on the holder 12 by means of the
clamping screws 10 working in lugs 11. The slide is intended to be moved about
in the open staging of the lantern by hand until its correct position is ascertained
when it can be clamped on the holder at once, no piecing and consequent waste. of
time and material being required.
In this case as well as in the case of Figures 1 and 2, the holder is made to
exactly fit the open staging and its size is somewhat larger than the slide to enable
the latter to be moved about for adjustment of its position for registration.
A simple adjustable check stop 13 is shown for regulating the 'distance of insertion
of this holder into the open staging of the lantern.

page_text: Instead of the clamping screws 3 shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the device equivalent
thereto shown in Fig. 5 may be employed. In this, the spring 14 keeps the
roughed end or ends of the lever 15 pressed against the slide but by simply
depressing the knob 16 the slide is freed. One operator can thus easily register
and secure a slide in position.
In Fig. 2 s is the spring front of the open staging of the lantern and P the
platform arranged in the usual way.
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. For registering slides in optical lanterns the use of a receptacle or holder
adapted to fit the open staging of. the lantern and furnished with means for
clamping or securing the slide in position in itself substantially as and for the
purpose herein set forth.
2. For registering slides in optical lanterns the combination or arrangement
of parts constituting the improved registering apparatus for slides in optical
lanterns substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.
Dated this 9th day of July 1891.
A. CRAWHALL CHAPMAN,
3, St. Nicholas' Buildings, Newcastle-on-Tyne, Patent Agent for Applicant.