Improvements in or relating to Apparatus for Exhibiting Photo- graphic Pictures.
Year: 1897

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Apparatus for Exhibiting Photo-
graphic Pictures.
I, CECIL MILTON HEPWORTH, of 22, Cecil Court, Charing Cross Road, in the
County of Middlesex, Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This invention relates to apparatus for exhibiting photographic pictures, its
object being the production of such apparatus in a self-contained form capable of
operating continuously without requiring the presence of an attendant. Apparatus
according to the present invention will be of particular advantage for use in the
display of advertisements; its use, however, is not limited to this particular
application.
According to this invention an animated-photograph apparatus of suitable con-
struction is contained in a box or placed upon a support which carries also an
automatic electric lamp, preferably an arc-lamp, or other source of light, an
electrical resistance, if required, to control the supply of current to the lamp also
an electric or other motor for driving the mechanism of the apparatus, and a
magazine for storage of the photographic film, pellicule or the like.
The film employed in the apparatus should preferably be in the form of a disc
or endless band.
From the foregoing it will be obvious that apparatus of this sort is entirely
self-contained and automatic.
The arc-lamp, resistance and all other portions of the apparatus in which heat
is generated should be placed in compartments separated from other parts of the
apparatus, by suitable partitions, preferably double and separated by air-spaces.
The film-feeding apparatus employed should preferably be one provided with
devices such as sprocket wheels for moving the film to the point of exposure inde-
pendent of the mechanism for effecting the change of picture; so that the latter
does not have to bear the stress of feeding as well as of changing the picture.
Automatic or other means may be employed for stopping and starting the
apparatus at intervals as may be desired."
A convenient form of magazine for use with apparatus of the kind described,
would comprise a series of rollers over which the whole of the film would be
extended, such rollers being preferably geared to the feeding apparatus and thus
serving to operate upon the entire length of the film in such manner that undue
tension would not occur in any portion thereof during feeding. Preferably a
jockey roller should be provided to compensate automatically for any variation in
the length of the film. Electric contact apparatus can readily be combined with
such a roller in a manner which will enable it to stop the apparatus or actuate an

page_text: alarm should the roller become abnormally displaced by reason of a breakage
entanglement in the film.
or
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in or relating to Apparatus for Exhibiting Photo-
graphic Pictures.
I, CECIL MILTON HEPWORTH, of 22, Cecil Court, Charing Cross Road, in the
County of Middlesex, Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:—
This invention relates to apparatus for exhibiting photographic pictures, its
object being the production of such apparatus in a self-contained form capable of
operating continuously without requiring the presence of an attendant. Apparatus
according to the present invention will be of particular advantage for use in the
display of advertisements; its use however, is not limited to this particular
application.
According to this invention an animated-photograph apparatus of suitable con-
struction is contained in a box or placed upon a support which carries also an
automatic electric lamp, preferably an arc-lamp, or other source of light, an
electrical resistance, if required, to control the supply of current to the lamp also
an electric or other motor for driving the mechanism of the apparatus, and a
magazine for storage of the photographic film, pellicule or the like.
The film employed in the apparatus should preferably be in the form of a disc
or endless band.
From the foregoing it will be obvious that apparatus of this sort is entirely
self-contained and automatic. The are-lamp, resistance and all other portions of
the apparatus in which heat is generated should be placed in compartments separated
from other parts of the apparatus, by suitable partitions, preferably double and
separated by air-spaces.
Automatic or other means may be employed for stopping and starting the
apparatus at intervals as may be desired.
A convenient form of magazine for the use of apparatus of the kind described,
would comprise a series of rollers over which the whole of the film would be
extended, such rollers being geared to the feeding apparatus and thus serving
to operate upon the entire length of the film in such a manner that undue tension
would not occur in any portion thereof during feeding. Preferably a jockey
roller should be provided to compensate automatically for any variation in the
length of the film. Electric contact apparatus can readily be combined with such
a roller in a manner which will enable it to stop the apparatus or actuate an alarm
should the roller become abnormally displaced by reason of a breakage or entangle-
ment of the film.
Hitherto the apparatus employed in conjunction with a kinematograph or
kinetoscope although in some cases kept in rotation or operation by means of an
electric or other motor, has required the presence of an attendant or other person
to set it in motion, in some instances by means of a penny in a slot; an automatic
stoppage has been employed in some instances notably in those machines operated
by the insertion of a coin. The apparatus which is the subject of the present

page_text: application for patent is however automatic to a further degree in that by it a series
of exhibitions may be given with or without intervals of rest without the necessity
of any manipulation on the part of an attendant or other person, the re-starting
as well as the stopping being automatically effected. It is in view of this entire
independence of an operator or attendant that the apparatus will hereinafter be
termed automatic."
The apparatus according to this invention therefore starts and stops and runs
itself, and the automatic operation may further if desired include the control of
the source of light; this however is not essential. The interval which has herein-
before been referred to as occurring if desired between stopping and re-starting
is advantageous in adding to the attractive effect when the apparatus is employed
as is primarily intended for advertising purposes.
One construction of apparatus embodying the improvements according to this
invention is, by way of example illustrated in the accompanying drawings in
Figure 1 of which, for the sake of clearness, portions of the apparatus are shown
in perspective, the remainder being in elevation.
Figure 2 is a perspective view of a detail of the apparatus and Figure 3. illus-
trates the method of separating the heat-emitting portions from the remainder of
the apparatus.
In Figure 1 the case, in which it is preferred to enclose or encase a considerable
portion of the apparatus is omitted for the sake of clearness and the apparatus is
exposed to view attached, with the exception of the periodic starting and stopping
apparatus to a board A.
On the top of this board A. is a cross-piece or shelf A on which is placed the
lantern B. B is an electric arc lamp the light from which traverses in the usual
manner lenses contained in the forward portions B2, B3, of the lamp: within the
portion B is contained any desired form of kinematograph film-exposing mech-
anism. An alum trough is indicated by dotted lines at B5, inside the portion B2
of the lamp. The revolving shutter commonly used is shown at 6 and the sprocket
wheel which effects the change of picture at b. An electric motor driving the
apparatus is shown at C its pulley & being connected by a band c¹ with the pulley c
which is mounted on a vertical spindle .
"
At its upper end this vertical spindle d' carries a worm which effects the
rotation of the shutter b and operates the mechanism contained in the portion B
of the lamp. The shaft d¹ is supported by a bracket de attached to a base or
frame D, the latter being placed upon a shelf A2 affixed to the board A.
The frame D also carries three other spindles d³ dd, the spindle
driven from spindle d' by bevel gearing as seen at d³ and itself driving the
spindles 3, d, by means of worm and worm wheel gearing.
being
The spindles d³, d, carry sprocket wheels D' D³ by which the film E is fed into
and drawn out from the magazine respectively.
Rollers 13 carried by arms D are kept pressed by means of springs D³ upon the
wheels D¹ D in order to retain the film E upon them in its proper position.
The magazine for the film E (which has its ends united to form an endless band)
is formed of a bank of rollers E¹, over which and from one to another of which
the film passes in zigzag fashion as shown; the film by this means is kept flat' and
in good condition free from twist or entanglement and passes readily through the
magazine; in the case of long films it is preferred to drive any or all of these
rollers E so that they receive a motion of rotation from a source of power inde-
pendently of that imparted by the film itself, say by gearing them to the motor
spindle, this rotation of the rollers serving to obviate undue tension in any por-
tion of the film when it is in motion.
Two of the rollers E' are shown so geared by means of worm gearing with the
spindle e which is driven from the motor by bevel gear c³.
From between the wheel D³ and its roller D³ the film E passes over two
rollers F, F to the kinematograph exposure apparatus contained within the por-

page_text: tion B of the lantern. The film E is preferably provided with a slot e which,
as it passes over the roller Få permits the extremity of a spring tongue f to come
in contact with the surface of the roller F2 from which it is normally separated
by the film.
The extremity of the tongue may be provided with a small roller if
necessary to avoid injury to the film. This contact between the tongue f and
roller F completes an electric circuit in which is placed an apparatus for periodi-
ally stopping and starting the motor and lamp.
This apparatus may be of any desired construction.
That illustrated in Figure 1 comprises a timepiece G, mercury switch G¹,
electro magnet G² and lever G³ all mounted upon a base G4 together with a
detent G5. The timepiece G causes a disc g¹, carrying near its circumference a
number of pins g to rotate at a uniform rate in the direction indicated by the
arrow 73
These pins in turn engage with a projecting arm g5 of the detent G5 thus
periodically causing the latter to move about its pivot g and release the hooked
arm ga of the lever G³ and when a pin g has moved sufficiently far out of engage-
ment with the arm 95 the detent G³ will be returned to its normal position by the
effort of the spring g
One end of the winding of the magnet G2 is connected to the spring f and
the other to one pole of the battery g² which supplies the current; the other pole of
the battery is connected to the roller F2.
At F is shown a jockey roller mounted on one end of an arm f¹ which is
pivotted at f and tends owing to the tension in the spring f3 to move in a down-
ward direction. The opposite end of the arm f¹ makes contact at f as shown in
detail in Figure 3 with a plate of metal, that end of the arm and the plate of metal
being in the main circuit which supplies the lamp and motor. For the jockey
roller Fany equivalent jockey device can be substituted.
In order to obtain a quick break and also in order to prevent the accidental
re-establishment of contact the metal plate is raised from the surface of the board A
by a block of insulating material and the arm fl is sprung so that its extremity
cannot be replaced upon the metal plate without being pressed or lifted away from
the board A so as to clear the block of insulating material. Any quick break
switch may, if preferred be employed instead of the above device.
K is a resistance and L a switch in the main circuit the whole being supplied
by the leads M¹ M². The motor may be so constructed that its field-magnet wind-
ings take the place of the resistance K which can then be dispensed with.
The operation of the apparatus is as follows:
Starting with the parts in the relative positions shown in the drawings, on
closing the switch L current enters by the lead M2 passes to the mercury switch G¹
from cup to cup of which it proceeds by the conducting bridge carried at the end
of the lever G3. From the switch G1 current passes to the lamp B¹ and motor C
returning from the lamp through the resistance K; the lamp current and motor
current which bi-furcate at m¹ reunite at m² and thence pass to the metallic part
of the arm f¹ and return through the contact f* by the main M¹. The passage of
current through this circuit lights the lamp and sets the motor in rotation thus
operating the kinematographic exposure apparatus in the box the film shifting
rollers D D³ and the two geared rollers E¹. The film between the rollers D2 & Fi
is preferably left loose as shown in the drawing in order to enable it to be given
intermittently a sudden movement by the picture changing device to effect the
change of picture without stretching or straining the film.
As the film E passes
over the roller F2 the slot e will periodically come beneath the contact thus
establishing the circuit connected to the battery g². The magnet G thus becomes
energised with the result that the main circuit is broken at the mercury switch G¹
as will by readily understood and the apparatus is therefore stopped. Owing,
however, to the inertia of the moving parts the apparatus does not stop immedi-
ately and the slot e therefore moves away from beneath the spring f before stop-

page_text: page occurs and the current through the magnet G² ceases. The lever G³, is,
however, retained in position by the detent G until by the continued rotation of
the disc the engagement with the arm of one of the pins g effects its release
thus completing the circuit through the mercury switch G by the return of the
bridge piece at the end of the lever G³ under the influence of gravity or a spring.
The closing of the circuit by the mercury switch sets the apparatus again in motion
and it will continue to operate until contact is again made between the spring f
and roller F through the slot e.
Should the film become broken or entangled in any way through the operation
of the apparatus the roller F or other jockey under which it passes will be allowed
to fall or will be drawn in an upward direction, either event causing the contact f*
to break the main current thus stopping the motor and putting out the lamp and
rendering the whole apparatus inoperative.
While the hereinbefore described and illustrated construction of apparatus
serves to set forth the nature of this invention, this invention is not limited to
that construction many details of which may be modified without departing
from the spirit thereof.
For example in the place of an electric motor any suitable motor may be used
such as a gas or oil engine or a train of clockwork actuated by a spring or weights,
such a motor being capable of operating for a considerable length of time without
attention. It may of course be necessary for an attendant to periodically inspect
the apparatus in any case to see that all is in working order; and in the case of
an arc lamp being employed to renew its carbons; also to renew other parts sub-
ject to wear.
The periodic stopping and starting devices are in the described construction
electro mechanical but purely mechanical or other devices may be substituted if
desired; for instance in the place of the mercury switch G¹, a throw-off clutch
may be employed by which the motor is thrown out of gear with the apparatus
which it otherwise drives. Neither is it necessary that the light should be periodi-
cally extinguished and relighted, a continuously burning source of light may be
employed together with a shutter by which its rays are periodically shut off from
the rest of the apparatus.
The timepiece may further be provided with a cam, such as is sometimes em-
ployed to regulate the artificial light in public places, by which the whole
apparatus is thrown out of action during daylight or other desirable intervals and
is thrown into action only when desired. Certain well known and commonly
used adjuncts to the various parts of the apparatus may be added where desired,
such for example as an alum bath as indicated in dotted lines at B5.
The case for the apparatus hereinbefore referred to as removed from view in
Fig. 1 in order to clearly expose the contents is indicated by the dotted lines N.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:
1. An automatic" kinematographic apparatus.
2. A kinematographic apparatus which periodically and automatically stops
and after an interval re-starts.
3. In a kinematographic apparatus the combination with the film of an auto-
matic stopping device controlled by the film.
4. The combination with a kinematographic apparatus of a time-piece for the
purpose described.
5. A kinematographic apparatus which automatically starts and stops and
turns or shuts the light on and off.
6. The combination with a kinematographic apparatus for automatically giving
successive exhibitions of a periodically operating device for controlling the motor
or the supply of light or both.

page_text: 7. In a kinematographic apparatus the combination with a film slotted as at e
of metallic contacts which come together at the slot substantially as and for the
purpose described.
8. In a kinematographic apparatus, one or more film carrying rollers within the
magazine positively rotated for the purpose described.
9. In a kinematographic apparatus an automatic stopping or warning device
comprising a "jockey" such as F in combination with a non-return or other
switch or throw-off gear for the purpose described.
10. In a kinematographic apparatus an automatic stopping or warning device
operated by a "jockey" whether the film is abnormally shortened or lengthened
or is broken.
11. The complete automatic kinematographic apparatus constructed and opera-
ting substantially as described or illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
T
1000
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.