Improvements in Apparatus for Exhibiting Panoramic Views and the like.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Aug., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 14th May, 1889-Accepted, 3rd Aug.,
1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Exhibiting Panoramic Views and
the like.
I, BERNHARD DUKES, of 226 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex, Patent
Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR EXHIBITING PANORAMIC VIEWS AND THE LIKE," a communication to
me from abroad by Robert Eschè of Geneva, Switzerland, to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for exhibiting panoramic
views and the like and has for its object so to construct such apparatus that the
services of an attendant to collect the fees for inspecting the same may be dispensed
with. The usual arrangement consisting of a picture or object to be exhibited and
a sight hole with or without a lens therein is employed. The sight hole or lens is
normally covered by a shuter which moves aside when impelled by the mechanism
hereinafter referred to.
In the casing enclosing the panoramic arrangement a slot suitable for the reception
of a coin is provided. A suitable shoot or guide behind the slot conducts the coin
when inserted into a semicircular box fixed on one end of an elbow lever. The other
end of the elbow lever carries a counterweight so shaped as to act as the shutter for
the lens. Upon the elbow lever a sliding weight may also be provided for
adjustment.
When the coin falls into the tray or box on the elbow lever the latter is tilted and
uncovers the lens. A spur on the elbow lever is in said movement carried towards
a rod or lever connected with a train of clockwork. The coin now falls off the box
or tray but the elbow lever is by its spur retained until the clockwork, set in motion
by the lever connected with it operates the latter so that it moves out of the way of
the spur.
TAL
A
1000
⚫ COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Exhibiting Panoramic Views and
the like.
I, BERNHARD DUKES of 226 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex, Patent
Agent, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR EXHIBITING PANORAMIC VIEWS AND THE LIKE". (a communication
to me from abroad by Robert Eschè of Geneva, Switzerland,) and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for exhibiting panoramic views
and the like and has for its object so to construct such apparatus that the services of
an attendant to collect the fees for inspecting the same may be dispensed with. The
usual arrangement consisting of the picture or object to be exhibited and a sight hole
with or without a lens therein is employed. The sight hole or lens is normally
covered by a shutter which moves aside when impelled by the mechanism hereinafter
referred to.
In the casing enclosing the panoramic arrangement a slot suitable for the reception
of a coin is provided. A suitable shoot or guide behind the slot conducts the coin
when inserted into a semicircular box fixed on one end of an elbow lever. The other

page_text: end of the elbow lever carries a counterweight so shaped as to act as the shutter for
the lens. Upon the elbow lever a sliding weight may also be provided for
adjustment.
When the coin falls into the tray or box on the elbow lever the latter is tilted and
uncovers the lens. A spur on the elbow lever is in said movement carried towards a
rod or lever connected with a train of clock work. The elbow lever is by its spur
retained until the clock work, set in motion by the lever connected with it operates the
latter so that it moves out of the way of the spur.
I will now proceed to describe the details of this invention as illustrated in the
accompanying drawings in which
Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of the apparatus.
Fig. 2 is an elevation thereof seen from the right hand side of fig. 1.
Fig. 3 shows details of the mechanical arrangements.
Fig. 4 being a section and
Fig. 5 another view of the shoot or channel for the coin.
Like letters refer to like parts throughout the drawings.
A is the casing of the apparatus which may be of the shape shown or be adapted
to a recess in a wall say, or may be arranged in any convenient manner according to
the place and circumstances in which the invention is to be used. In the casing A
may be provided windows B and a lamp C of any suitable construction for the
purpose of illuminating the picture provided at D. E is the sighthole which is
preferably fitted with a lens F protected by a plate G of plain glass and through
these the picture or object shown in the apparatus is seen when the shutter is not (as
shown in figs. 1) interposed between the sight hole and the picture.
On the outside of the casing is a plate I having a slot of such size as will just
admit the coin or token to be inserted in order to allow the picture to be seen.
The picture D may be combined with side screens J an inclined plane K and a
suitable number of wings L and in some cases with a foreground M in solid relief so
as to produce perspective effects.
As above stated the whole is illuminated either by light falling in through the
windows B or by one or more lamps C.
A light disc serves as the shutter H it is carried by a lever h pivotted at a the other
end of the lever carrying a capsule, tray or receptacle 6 into which falls the coin or
token c, inserted through the slot in plate I into the shoot or channel i. The capsule
tray or receiver b is so shaped that coins or tokens smaller than those which are to
operate the mechanism pass freely through it without moving the lever / from the
position shown in dotted lines in fig. 3. A coin of suitable size however acts as a
counterweight and brings the lever into the position shown in full lines.
In order to keep the sight hole open for a sufficient length of time the lever / is not
allowed at once to descend to the full extent of its movement and to drop the coin but
is arrested by a two armed lever N upon which it bears. The lever N is fulcrumed
in n and is by its weighted arm N¹ pressed against an elbow lever S. In descending
the lever (weighted by the coin) releases a lever O which stops the revolution of the
regulator P of the clockwork Q. The descent of lever h thus starts the clockwork
which causes the arbor R connected with the cam or excentric to revolve at a
suitable speed. The hooked end of the elbow lever S bears upon the said excentric r
and the elbow lever is capable of raising the lever N into the position shown in dotted
lines in fig. 3 so that the lever h becomes free to fall until the coin or token drops
into the receptacle T whereupon the shutter immediately resumes the position shown
in dotted lines (fig. 3) and covers the sighthole. At the same time the lever h or an
arm attached to either of levers S or N operates the lever O so that the clockwork is
stopped again.
It will thus be seen that the sight hole remains uncovered for as long a time as is
required for the cam r to make a complete turn.
Effects of changing light such as sunset, moonlight, fire &c. may be produced by
combining with the cam or excentric r one or more other excentrics placed upon one

page_text: or other of the arbors of the clockwork working in conjunction with levers so
arranged as to interpose one or more coloured screens either between the source of
light and the object or picture or between the lens and the latter.
When electric lights are employed the clockwork may operate the contacts of
differently coloured lamps instead of screens.
In the drawings is represented a screen U which may be coloured or made in
graded tints and made of glass or other transparent material. This screen is
supported by a two armed lever V pivoted at v. A counterweight X causes the
rod Y on the lever always to bear against the excentric r. The latter gradually
raises the lever V and brings it into the position shown in dotted lines in fig. 3
whereby the coloured screen U is lowered between the lens F and the picture D.
Immediately after releasing the elbow lever S the excentric r releases the rod Y and
allows the screen to resume its normal position.
In order to protect the apparatus against stoppage by the insertion through I of
unsuitable matters, tickets for instance or the like, the shoot or channel i is at its
lower side provided with an aperture k (figs. 4 and 5) which is of sufficient size to
allow such articles to escape (as for instance) the ticket K¹ fig. 4 whilst coins c of
suitable size are passed to the capsule or tray b.
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.) The combination of a panoramic or other picture or object and of the lens or
sight for viewing the same with one or more shutters or screens so actuated by clock-
work or other mechanism when a coin or token is inserted that the picture may be
viewed and varying light effects produced, the whole arranged combined and
operating substantially as shown in the accompanying drawings and as hereinabove
specified.
2.) The combination of the shutter H with the lever h the capsule tray or receiver b,
and the levers N and S operating in conjunction with an excentric or cam r actuated
by clockwork as set forth and illustrated in the drawings.
3.) The combination of a screen U with lever V counterweight X and rod Y
operating in conjunction with the clockwork set in motion by the insertion of a coin
or token all as and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 14th day of May 1889.
BERNHARD DUKES.