A Marine Cyclorama.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Dec., 1894 .
Complete Specification Left, 20th Sept., 1895-Accepted, 20th Mar., 1896
A Marine Cyclorama.
I, WILLIAM REDFERN MILLWARD, of 54, Deansgate, Manchester, in the
County of Lancaster, Naturalist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to build a cyclorama for the amusement of
people which will effectively represent a ship or ships in motion either in a calm,
stormy or heavy sea and provide all the sensations connected therewith when on
board.
To this end the principal features of my invention consist in the employment of
a ship or ships arranged to carry a crew and people, of apparatus for supporting
and giving the necessary motion to the said ship or ships, of scenery wholly or
partly surrounding the same and in producing atmospheric disturbances and other
appropriate effects.
The said ship I form so as to represent the deck and hulk to a certain depth and
be strong enough to carry a considerable number of people, the masts or any other
part being arranged to fall if desired to imitate the wreck of the ship.
The apparatus carrying and giving motion to the ship consists of a platform
fulcrumed by means of rods to a frame mounted upon eccentrics formed or fixed on
a shaft adapted to rotate in another frame. On each of the said eccentrics is
placed an arm the free end of which is jointed to one end of a lever adapted to
rock on the said frame, the other end by means of a link being jointed to the first
named frame in such a manner that the said frame is caused to rise and fall and
move longitudinally simultaneously. Upon the face of one of the said eccentrics.
or upon a disc secured on the free end of the eccentric shaft is fixed a crank stud
which by means of a double jointed link imparts a combined lateral & oscilating
motion to the said platform during its rise and fall and longitudinal motion, thus
imitating in a most realistic manner the pitching, rolling and heaving of a ship.
The scenery I form either flat or in relieve or both combined to represent sea.
and coast, either with or without port or town as may be found most effective and
for facilitating transport form the same in sections. The said scenery I may
form hollow so as to form underground passages, entrances and exits, walks and
rooms for shooting galleries, bars and the like..
The sea around the ship I form of painted canvas partly secured to the scenery.
and partly to the ship, the waves being produced by the motion of the ship which
agitates the canvas. Upon the latter I may place objects in imitation of
wreckage.
Atmospheric disturbances such as thunder and lightening representing a storm at
sea, darkness and moonlight I produce in a similar way as is usual in theatres.
The main or driving shaft of the apparatus described suitably geared up, may be.
driven by any convenient source of power and in order to facilitate the embarking
and landing of the people suitable gangways are employed.
Dated this 19th day of December 1894.
F. BOSSHARDT & Co.,
Agents to Applicant.

page_text: A Marine Cyclorama.
1, WILLIAM REDFERN MILLWARD, of 54, Deansgate, Manchester, in the
County of Lancaster, Naturalist, 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 :-
The object of this invention is to build a cyclorama for the amusement of
people which will effectively represent a ship or ships in motion either in a calm,
stormy or heavy sea and provide all the sensations connected therewith when on
board.
To this end the principal features of my invention consist in the employment of a
ship or ships arranged to carry a crew and people, of apparatus for supporting and
giving the necessary motion to the said ship or ships, in imitation of scenery wholly
or partly surrounding the same and in producing atmospheric disturbances and
other appropriate effects.
And in order that my invention may be more fully understood I have caused to
be appended hereunto two sheets of drawings marked with letters of reference
indicating like parts in the various figures.
Fig. 1, Sheet 1, is an elevation of the cyclorama, showing its interior constructed
in accordance with my invention, Fig. 2, Sheet II, a side view, Fig. 3 a plan, Fig. 4
an end view, Fig. 5 a vertical section at line A-B of Fig. 2 at an enlarged scale
of the apparatus for supporting and giving motion to the said ship.
a is the ship, 6 the sea, e the scenery, d the enclosure of the cyclorama.
In carrying out my invention and referring to Fig. 1, Sheet I, I build the ship a
so as to represent the deck and the hulk to a certain depth and be strong enough to
carry a considerable number of people, whilst the masts or any other part of the
ship may be arranged on hinges or otherwise so as to drop if desired to imitate the
wreck of the ship.
.
The said ship or ships however do not travel as is the case in roundabouts but
remain to a certain extent like when at anchor.
The scenery c, I form either flat or in relieve or both combined to represent sea
and coast either with or without port or town as may be found most effective and
for facilitating transport I form the scenery in sections. The said scenery I may
build hollow so as to form underground passages or walks and with one or
more entrances and exits e & f respectively and rooms for shooting galleries,
refreshment bars and the like as will be readily understood.
The sea b around the ship I form of painted canvas partly secured to the scenery c
and partly to the ship a, the waves being produced by the motion of the ship a
which agitates the canvas. Upon the latter I may place objects such as a broken
mast g in imitation of wreckage.
Atmospheric disturbances such as thunder and lightning representing a storm at
sea, darkness and moou-light I may produce in a similar way as is usual in
theatres.
Referring to Sheet II, the apparatus carrying and giving motion to the ship a
consists of a platform fulcrumed by means of rods or brackets i to a frame k
mounted upon eccentrics / formed or fixed on a shaft m adapted to rotate in another
frame n.
On each of the eccentrics is placed an arm o the free end of which is
jointed to one end of a lever padapted to rock on the frame n, the other end by means
of a link g being jointed to the frame k in such a manner that the latter is caused to
rise and fall and move longitudinally simultaneously. Upon the face of one of the
eccentrics or upon a disc secured on the free end of the eccentric shaft m is
fixed a crank stud which, by means of a double jointed link s, imparts a combined
lateral and oscillating motion to the platform h during its rise and fall and

page_text: longitudinal motion, thus imitating in a most realistic manner the riding or pitching,.
rolling and heaving of the ship secured upon the platform h.
The eccentric shaft m of the apparatus described at one end is suitably geared up
with and rotated by any convenient source of power and in order to facilitate the
embarking and landing of the people suitable gangways, for instance such as t,
shown in Fig. 1, Sheet I, are employed.
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
1st. A cyclorama, consisting of a ship or ships at sea adapted to ride or pitch, roll
and heave as if at anchor, in combination with suitable scenery wholly or partly
surrounding the said ship or ships, all substantially as and for the purpose
herein before specified.
2nd. An apparatus for supporting and giving motion to a ship as specified in the
preceding claim, consisting of a platform adapted to oscillate on a frame k
mounted upon eccentrics fixed upon a rotary shaft m suitably mounted, the said
platform being adapted to carry the said ship and be oscillated from the
eccentric shaft m by suitable connections laterally and longitudinally as well as
vertically, all substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
3rd. The general arrangement and combination of parts constituting my
improvements operating substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 19th day of September 1895.
F. BOSSHARDT & Co.,
4, Corporation Street, Mauchester, Agents to Applicant.