New or Improved Figures or Puppets" for Magic Lantern Displays, and Apparatus or Mechanism for Actuating same or the like and in connection therewith.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Mar., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 22nd May, 1891-Accepted, 6th Feb., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
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New or Improved Figures or Puppets" for Magic Lantern Displays,
and Apparatus or Mechanism for Actuating same or the like and
in connection therewith.
I WILLIAM CHEFFINS of Holbeach in the County of Lincoln Photographer
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows':
This invention consists of (firstly) transparent automaton figures representations
or puppets for magic lantern displays-that is figures et cetera which are transparent
so that the coloring shading et cetera of such figures et cetera is when shown in the
magic lantern reproduced and (secondly) this invention consists of apparatus or
mechanism for actuating such figures or the like or in connection therewith so that
such figures or puppets being arranged constructed and mounted in conjunction with
the "slide or framework in which they are held while being displayed in the
lantern that such figures or puppets can be caused to move as in the action of
walking running boxing fencing or gesticulating or other movements grotesque or
otherwise.
Or these transparent automaton figures or représentations may be mounted in any
other suitable or convenient mauner (as on a trapeze) and actuated in any well
known or suitable manner independently of my improved actuating mechanism
et cetera which latter again may be used independently of my new or improved
transparent automaton figures.
Heretofore slides having moving figures or representations have been used in
magic lanterns as I well aware-but such moving figures or reflections have been
produced by painting or otherwise producing pictures or figures on the glass or
transparent part of the slide itself and then moving such glass about this has
shown a reflection of a moving figure et cetera but the effect has been rather of a
"fixed" nature and the success doubtful as the fixed figure could only be made
to move and not the separate parts thereof as with my automaton transparent
figures.
My invention is as follows:-
First The automaton figures representations (or "puppets" as I call them) are
made of talc or any like equivalent transparent substances for the sake of example
I will describe one figure only and that the figure of a man.
The legs are jointed to the hip (and the knees also jointed if desired) and the
arms jointed to the shoulders as also the head and neck if desired:
The face hands clothes et cetera et cetera may be suitably colored as desired care
being taken to leave the parts transparent where required whilst those parts where
the joints occur or mechanisni connected (or other parts also) may be rendered
opaque so as to hide same.
#3
Such "puppets" may then be arranged and mounted and actuated (or not) as
desired in any well known or suitable manner and one or more of these " puppets"
may be arranged to perform and be shown at one and the same time.
These puppets are particularly adapted to be displayed and actuated by the
following means which constitute the second part of my invention viz. :-
Second Continuing the example of a figure of a man-One foot of the figure is
attached to a projection or part of a peculiarly shaped support the other foot being
similarly attached to a second corresponding support.
Each such support may be advantageously formed of tin plate or other thin sheet
metal and has a wide turned up edge or flange formed at right angles to the plane
of the figuré et ceterȧ-this flange is to form a bearing surface upon one edge of a

page_text: kind of trough slide or magic lantern slide having a space between two transparent
glasses in which space these figures can be displayed.
These two supports (to which respectively the two feet of the figure are attached)
are combined and retained together either by the one having a bolt head thereon
working in a longitudinal or other slot in the other or by the one having a lug
thercon carrying a headed pin which works in a slotted link pivotted to a similar
lug on the other or equivalent mechanical arrangement so that these two supports
can freely move in the direction of the planes thereof but not away from or apart
from one another.
Any suitable levers cranks pulleys belts bands or connections may be used in
addition to the above described invention-if required or desired.
Dated this 2nd day of March 1891
TONGUE & BIRKBECK,
34, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Patentee.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
New or Improved Figures or "Puppets" for Magic Lantern Displays,
and Apparatus or Mechanism for Actuating same or the like and
in connection therewith.
I WILLIAM CHEFFINS of Holbeach in the County of Lincoln Photographer
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 consists of (firstly) transparent automaton figures representations
or puppets for magic lantern displays-that is figures et cetera which are transparent
so that the coloring shading et cetera of such figures et cetera is when shown in the
magic lantern reproduced and (secondly) this invention consists of apparatus or
mechanism for actuating such figures or the like or in connection therewith so that
such figures or puppets being arranged constructed and mounted in conjunction
with the "slide" or framework in which they are held while being displayed in the
lantern that such figures or puppets can be caused to move as in the action of
walking running boxing fencing or gesticulating or other movements grotesque or
otherwise.
Or these transparent automaton figures or representations may be mounted in
any other suitable or convenient manner (as on a trapeze) and actuated in any well
known or suitable manner independently of my improved actuating mechanism
et cetera which latter again may be used independently of my new or improved
transparent automaton figures.
Heretofore slides having moving figures or representations have been used in
magic lanterns as I am well aware-but such moving figures or reflections have
been produced by painting or otherwise producing pictures or figures on the glass
or transparent part of the slide itself and then moving such glass about-this has
shown a reflection of a moving figure et cetera but the effect has been rather of a
"fixed" nature and the success doubtful-as the fixed figure could only be made
to move and not the separate parts thereof as with my automaton transparent
figures.
My invention is as follows :-
First: The automaton figures representations (or "puppets" as I call them) are
made of talc or any like equivalent transparent substances for the sake of example
I will describe one figure only and that the figure of a man.
The legs are jointed to the hip (the knees being also jointed if desired) and the
arms jointed to the shoulders as also the head and neck if desired such jointed parts
being clearly shown by several of the figures of the drawings hereto annexed.
The face hands clothes et cetera et cetera may be suitably colored as desired care

page_text: illustration for the other puppets and figures arranged and acting in a similar
manner-e being the actuating lever as and for the purposes herein described.
Figure 5 represents a walking figure of a man walking with a stick and by the
same lever e joined to the upper part of the arm can be made to represent a man
chopping down a tree or a man striking with a large haminer.
The fencers (Figure 6) represent similar movements one of the figures being
jointed as a walking figure and the other as having the head, body, and legs in one
piece of mica.
Figure 7 represents a man sitting upon a chair which figure may be taken as an
example of other figures required to be jointed at the knee--the chair or other object
upon which the figures sit being painted on the scene.
I have not considered it necessary to represent scenes—the figures simply showing
the joints and mechanical parts. In the figure sitting on a chair (Figure 7) the
motion to the body is governed by a slotted arm d connected to a cam d' and
actuating rod d². The legs are made of metal and two pieces of tin are soldered
to the mica for a strong support to actuate the body.
Another action (Figure 8) is so arranged that the arms can be worked in a sitting
position on a stool the niovement of the body being actuated by rods jointed to the
limbs as shown.
The step dancer (Figure 9) is also jointed at the knees and I use steel wire
hammered very thin for the joints to foot and levers.
This figure is attached to a walking support with spring attachments and can be
made to dance to time and tune.
The mechanism Figure 3 with spring is suitable for the representation of a tight
rope dancer and the extra supports will serve to actuate a walking donkey horse or
any other animal the springs a serving to lift the fore or hind feet.
The three figures répresented by Figure 10 are arranged to act on the same
principle as those previously described the three left legs being jointed to the
part a & the right legs being jointed to a see Fig. 4.
"
Figure 12 shows a nigger opening his mouth the actuating lever e is attached
to the lower part of the jaw of the figure the movement of the body being the
same as in Figure 1.
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Figure 13 shows a see-saw the bodies being jointed so that by the lever
movement the bodies work perpendicularly the barrel rocking to and fro as
indicated. A tree stump or balks of timber can be represented as the support of
the plank. The action is hidden by a suitable application of paint:
Figure 14 shows a boy on a swing actuated in a very simple manner as clearly
shown in the drawings.
Figure 15 shows an acrobat the jointed figure being soldered or otherwise
attached to a pin at the hands and by pressing or pulling up a spring the body is
carried round and assumes a variety of amusing positions.
Figure 15 shows another acrobat balancing a barrel on his feet:
Figure 16 shows the main carrying slide which has a movable top b as some of the
subjects which have extra spring attachments require the opening at top to be
considerably wider. A simple walking figure with no lever attachment requires
for better working of figures just sufficient room for an automaton figure to work
down the centre so that the slot would only require to be comparatively narrow
with lever attachment a little wider and with spring attachment wider still so I
employ a brass or metal top that will expand by pressing in the right direction and
tightening up with a screw to make it rigid and with two screws to counteract
against the spring of lantern.
All the subjects may or may not have suitable back scenes in addition to the
walking or acting figures.
The main slide has a contrivance whereby a change of scene can be effected by
liberating one of the ends and pushing it with the finger the painted glass and one
glass is thus pushed out to be replaced at the opposite end. I may attach three
scenes to the carrier.

page_text: 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 :-
"
1. The improved arrangement construction and application of transparent or
semi-transparent automaton figures or "puppets" or the like suitable for being
exhibited in magic lanterns alone or in combination with ordinary magic lantern
slides the limbs heads and other parts of such figures or "puppets or the like
being so constructed as to be capable of having movement imparted thereto whilst
being exhibited substantially in the manner and for the purposes hereinbefore fully
described and represented in the drawings hereto annexed.
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2. The arrangement and application of apparatus or mechanism for actuating
transparent or semi-transparent automaton figures "puppets" or the like and in
combination therewith and so as to produce novel and varied effects on being
exhibited in a magic lantern substantially in the manner and for the purpose
hereinbefore described and represented in the drawings hereto annexed.
Dated this no-d... FM 1001
TONGUE & BIRKBECK,
34, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.