Improvements in or appertaining to Camera Obscuras, and in Devices whereby the same are Rendered Operative by the Insertion of a Coin of Predetermined Value.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Jan., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 27th Oct., 1891-Accepted, 23rd Jan., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or appertaining to Camera Obscuras, and in
Devices whereby the same are Rendered Operative by the
Insertion of a Coin of Predetermined Value.
I, EDWARD WILLIAM BANNER of 16 Hargreave Street, Southport, in the
County of Lancaster, Ironmonger, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This invention relates to camera obscuras and to devices whereby the-same are
rendered operative by the insertion of a coin of predetermined value.
The camera obscura may be of any suitable form or construction, but, by
preference, I propose to provide a rotatable dark chamber of conical or other
suitable form, having a flat screen or surface at the bottom, and a mirror at the
top which is adapted to reflect the image of the object onto the screen aforesaid.
The object glass and eye piece are placed in suitable positions, and when the
apparatus is not in use, both are concealed by shields or protectors which exclude
light, moisture and dust from the mirror and lenses.
The dark chamber is adapted to rotate on a suitable vertical spindle, having
a pulley and weighted cord or its equivalent which causes the dark chamber, after
being rotated, to resume its normal position, namely, the position in which the eye
and object glasses are concealed. In proximity to the spindle, I provide a pivoted
lever, having at one end a suitable tray for receiving a coin of given value, and at
the other a locking bar or block, adapted to resist considerable strain and pressure
and formed to engage a tooth on the spindle and lock it firmly in one position.
The mode of action is as follows-
On dropping a coin of predetermined value through the slot of the machine,
it falls on to the tray aforesaid, and its weight overbalances the pivoted lever
raising the locking block or bar, and freeing it from engagement with the tooth
on the spindle. A stop prevents the said block from rising more than a given
height. The spindle being now released, the operator can rotate the dark chamber
by a handle, thus moving it away from the shields or protectors which concealed
the object and eyepieces. By this movement, the stop aforesaid is also moved,
the coin tray is further depressed, the coin drops off into a money receptacle,
and, the weight of the coin being thus removed, the locking block resumes its
normal position. The beams of light enter through the object glass, the image
of the objects in the field is reflected by the mirror onto the screen, and the
picture is revealed to the operator on his looking through the eye piece. The
object and eye pieces may be provided with lenses or with plain glass, whichever
is desired, and the latter has a hood which prevents light passing into the chamber
when a person is looking into the camera.
By slowly rotating the dark chamber, a complete panorama of views of the
surrounding neighbourhood is portrayed on the screen, and, at the same time, the
weighted cord or its equivalent is wound up.
When the operator has finished, he releases the handle, the dark chamber rotates
back by the weighted cord, and the spindle is locked in the manner already
described, the locking tooth being chamfered at one side to facilitate its passing
the locking bar. The object glass and eye piece are thus again concealed by the
coverings aforesaid, until released by a coin in the manner already set forth.
The screen may, if desired, be capable of adjustment so as to bring it into proper
focus. Suitable stops are provided to limit the rotation of the dark chamber.
Dated this 26th day of January 1891.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Patent Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or appertaining to Camera Obscuras, and in
Devices whereby the same are Rendered Operative by the
Insertion of a Coin of Predetermined Value.
I, EDWARD WILLIAM BANNER of 16 Hargreave Street, Southport, in the
County of Lancaster, Ironmonger, 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, relates to camera obscuras and to devices whereby the same are
rendered operative by the insertion of a coin of predetermined value."
The camera obscura may be of any suitable form or construction, but, by
preference, I provide a rotatable dark chamber of conical or other suitable form,
having a flat screen or surface at the bottom, and a mirror at the top which is
adapted to reflect the image of the object on to the screen aforesaid. The object
glass and eye piece are placed in suitable positions, and, when the apparatus is not
in use, both are concealed by shields or protectors which exclude light, moisture
and dust from the mirror and lenses.
The. invention is best described by aid of the accompanying drawings, in
which :-
Figure is a side elevation, partly in section, showing the machine in its
normal position when not in use, and the door removed to show the locking
mechanism;
Figure 2, a front elevation, partly in section, showing the dark chamber partly
rotated;
Figure 3, a section on the line X X, Figure 1; and
Figure 4, a plan of Figure 2.
Figures 5, 6 and 7 show, on an enlarged scale, parts of the apparatus in detail.
In these-
A, is the main frame of the machine, a the upper frame, B the dark chamber
rotatable on the vertical spindle C, which has a pulley D, and a weighted cord E,
or its equivalent, which causes the dark chamber B, after being rotated, to resume
its normal position (Figure 1), namely, the position in which the eye and object
glasses are concealed. is the eye glass, G the object hood containing the lens
over which a reflecting mirror H is placed at an angle of 45°. The opening in the
frout of the object hood is covered with a piece of plain glass which excludes dust
and water from the lens and mirror inside. The eye-piece is provided with a lens
.or with plain glass. This latter has a hood which is shaped to receive the
operator's face and exclude the light as he looks into the camera and enables him
to see more clearly the picture on the screen.
I is the object screen and a' a' shutters or abutments for concealing or hiding
the eye and object glasses.
In proximity to the spindle C, I provide a pivoted lever J (Figures 1, 3, 5, 6
and 7) having at one end a suitable tray j for receiving the coin of given value, and,.
at the other, a locking bar or block adapted to resist considerable strain and
pressure and formed to engage a tooth c on the spindle C and lock it firmly in one
position. is the axis on which the lever J is pivoted, K slot in the frame
through which the money is dropped, L a trough for delivering the money into
the tray, C a stop on the spindle which prevents the block from rising more than
given height.
The mode of action is as follows:-
On dropping a coin of predetermined value through the slot K of the machine, it
falls on to the tray j aforesaid, and its weight overbalances the pivoted lever J,
raising the locking.block or bar j' and freeing it from engagement with the tooth c
on the spindle C. The stop C₁ prevents the said block j from rising more than a

page_text: given height (Figure 5). The spindle C being now released, the operator can
rotate the dark chamber B by the handle M, thus moving it away from the
abutments or protectors a' a' which concealed the object glass G and eyepiece F.
By this movement, the stop C' aforesaid is also moved, the lever J is further
released, and assumes the position shown by dotted lines in Figure 5. The coin
therefore drops off the tray j into a money receptacle, and, the weight of the coin
being thus reinoved, the locking block falls back and rests on the tooth c until the
spindle C has resumed its normal position, when it drops into the recess in the
tooth e and locks the spindle C. The beams of light enter through the object
glass G, the image of the objects in the field is reflected by the mirror on to
the screen I, and the picture is revealed to the operator on his looking through the
eye-piece F.
By slowly rotating the dark chamber, a complete panorama of views of the
surrounding neighbourhood is portrayed on the screen, and, at the same time, the
weighted cord or its equivalent is wound up.
When the operator has finished, he releases the handle M, the dark chamber
rotates back by the weighted cord E, and the spindle C is locked by the block j¹ in
the manner above described. The object glass and eye piece are thus again
concealed by the coverings aforesaid until again released by a coin in the manner
already set forth.
The screen may, if desired, be capable of adjustment so as to bring it into
proper focus.
Suitable stops are provided to limit the rotation of the dark
chamber:
I have described in this Specification the way in which I have hitherto con-
structed the apparatus, but it is obvious that, once given the general idea, other
forms of apparatus can be designed without departing from the nature of the
invention. For example, the dark chamber B can be made stationary and the
abutments or shutters a' on the upper frame can be made to rotate round the dark
chamber when released by the insertion of a coin. In this case, the upper frame
can be mounted on the rotatable spindle C and locked or released in the manner
above described.
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. A camera obscura having a rotatable dark chamber with eye and object
glasses, stationary abutments or shutters located in close proximity to the dark
chamber and mechanism adapted to lock the dark chamber in such a position as to
conceal the said glasses behind the stationary abutments, whereby the apparatus is
rendered inoperative except when the mechanism is released by the insertion of a
coin of predetermined value, substantially as described.
2. A camera obscura of the kind described in which the dark chamber is
stationary and the abutments or shutters are adapted to rotate when the machine is
released by the insertion of a coin substantially as described.
3. The locking or releasing mechanism or devices for camera obscuras sub-
stantially as and for the purpose described, whereby the same are rendered
operative by the insertion of a coin of predetermined value.
4. The general combined arrangement and construction of parts substantially as
herein described.
C
this 20th da
October 1OOI.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of Liverpool, Manchester, Nottingham, and London, Patent Agents.