Im- PROVEMENTS IN STEREOSCOPES AND THEIR CASES
Year: 1860

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William John Gibbons at the.
Office of the Commissioners. of Patents, with his Petition and: Declara-:
tion, on the 24th December 1860, pursuant to the 9th Section of the
Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
I,'WILLIAM JOHN GIBBONS, of Birmingham, in the County "of Warwick,
Manufacturer, do' hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "Im-
PROVEMENTS IN STEREOSCOPES AND THEIR CASES," and the manner in which the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto
annexed, and to the letters and figures 'marked 'thereon, that is to say:―
The object of this Invention is, firstly, to combine the stereoscope with the
case required to contain the slides, and thus to make the whole a compact and
convenient instrument complete in all its parts, and containing every require-
ment within itself, whilst it is also much more portable and more readily
packed for travelling than the instruments now in use.
Secondly, my Invention consists of an improved folding stereoscope, such as
can be produced at a very low cost without the case.

page_text: DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 represents in a perspective view one of my improved stereoscopes,
the case being open and ready for use; Fig. 2 represents in a similar view
one of my improved folding stereoscopes.
I will now proceed to describe the construction and action of the instru-
ment seen at Fig. 1. (a) is the case, and (a') the lid, which, when closed,
forms an oblong box; to the inside of the front edge of the lid is hinged the
lens plate (b), carrying the lenses (6', 6';) at the back of this lens plate, and
similarly hinged to a strip, or the inside of the lid, is the folding bracket-
piece (c), serving as a stay to keep up the lens plate.(b),. and also as a
separator for the two pictures to be viewed; (d) is a sliding carrier, furnished
with spring holders (E, E,) which receive the slide or picture. The carrier (d)
is adjustable, sliding in grooves at each end of the case; it can be advanced
or withdrawn at will, and thus this form of stereoscope accomodates itself to
different visions, allowing a long or short focus, as may be desired. The
motion of the carrier (d) may be produced by means of the screw (ƒ) con-
nected to the carrier working through a tapped metal eye in the front of the
case, and furnished with a thumb-piece at its fore end, by turning which
thumb-piece the carrier with the slide or picture on it may be adjusted to any
requisite distance from the lenses; this screw (f) is not absolutely necessary,
as the carrier (d) may be shifted by the hand alone, a small flat metal spring)
attached to the back of the carrier, but not seen in the Drawing, and pressing
on the bottom of the box prevents the carrier from slipping by its own weight
when the screw is not employed. Thus far I have represented tlie instrument
as it is seen when in use. In closing it the bracket (c) is first folded down
into the lid of the case, the lens plate (6) is then folded upon the bracket (c),
the carrier (d) is advanced close to the back of the box, the slides or..pictures.
are laid in the bottom of the box, which may be of any depth; according to
the number. of slides or pictures it. may be required to. contain, and the lid
being closed may be secured by.a lock, a spring catch, or any other suitable
fastening. The instrument with the case for its slides is thus comprised in one
small box.
.
Figure 2 represents a modification of the above described form of stereo-
scope, but without the case for the slides; this form of instrument may be
made either for a fixed focus or an adjustable one by employing the sliding
carrier. It consists simply of a back, plate (9), upon which is hinged a
bracket (h) and lens plate (5), the carrier (k) for the slides being placed at
the bottom edge of the back plate. On packing away this instrument it fulds

page_text: in manner precisely similar to that shewn in Fig. 1.. The bracket (h) folding
first upon the back plate, and then the lens plate upon the bracket.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I claim the peculiar arrangement and
combination of the several parts forming a stereoscope and case, or a simple
folding stereoscope, or any mere modification of the same, in manner herein
more fully set forth and specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said William John Gibbons, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of December, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty.
WILLIAM JOHN GIBBONS. (L.S.)