Year: 1888

page_text: I, AUGUST FUHRMANN of Passage, W. Berlin in the German Empire, panorama
proprietor 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 :-
The ordinary panoramas in which stereoscopes are used to magnify and render
corporeal the pictures have the disadvantage, that the spectator is obliged to pass from
one ocular to another and that he may remain as long as he pleases at any one of the
pictures.
The necessity of preceeding from picture to picture causes great inconvenience, for
with a somewhat extensive program the visitor becomes tired and inspects the last
pictures only cursorily. But the liberty left to the visitors to remain as long as they
like before any picture causes still greater inconvenience, and interferes with the
regular utilisation of panoramas of this kind, for as one picture attracts one visitor
and another picture another visitor more than some others, he will remain sometimes
a very long time before the picture that pleases him and the following visitors are
compelled to wait for him. This irregularity causes an obstruction in the circulation
or a collection of spectators at some of the pictures by which the time for passing
through the panorama is unduly prolonged and the number of spectators that can be
admitted is greatly limited.
All these drawbacks are obviated by my invention, which consists in arranging
the different stereoscopes in a circle and causing them to pass before the spectators,
who sit in a circle, at certain intervals, so that said spectators not only can view the
pictures in a comfortable position, but that the whole presentation of the panorama
takes places within a certain definite time, during which each picture is brought before
each individual spectator.

page_text: On the drawings appended hereunto fig. 1 sheet I shows the circulating panorama
in a vertical section and fig. 2 in an outside view, fig. 3 sheet II shows a plan while
fig. 4 shows a section through the side of the panorama on an enlarged scale.
Supposing the panorama be intended to be used simultaneously by 25 persons, its
shell A is arranged as a polygon with 25 sides, as shewn on fig. 3 or as a cylinder
with 25 oculars. This shell A rests upon an annular table B (fig. 3 and 4) the top of
which is only wide enough for the spectators to rest their arms comfortably upon it
and provided with a cushion C.
Before each side of the polygon a spectator takes a seat and views the pictures
brought intermittently before him through the oculars arranged at the level of his
eyes. The pictures are inserted in the known manner into the stereoscope boxes D
and are twice as many. in number as the seats provided; for as the latter must have
a certain width in order to afford the necessary room for the spectators, while the
width of the stereoscope boxes is comparatively narrow, a much larger number of
stereoscope boxes D than seats can be arranged. These boxes are arranged side to
side behind the shell A of the apparatus, so that in the case herein supposed they form
a polygon of 50 sides.
Below the boxes a U-shaped annular trough a is fixed, by means of which the ring
of stereoscope boxes D travels on rollers which are fixed upon a circular board E
carried by brackets. Above each stereoscope box D there is a vertical plate c carrying
an exchangeable slide d with the indication of the picture. In the shell A slits are
provided through which these slides and indications of the pictures are visible to the
spectator. Behind each ocular a lamp L is placed in such a manner that it illuminates
the picture brought before the ocular from behind without interfering with the rotation
of the ring of stereoscope boxes (fig. 3 and 4).
4
The rotation of the ring of stereoscope boxes is effected by turning the hollow
shaft F round the fixed pillar G, the ring of boxes being connected with the shaft F
by the spokes or braces H. If the rotation is effected by hand, the shaft F need only
be short and can be replaced by a ring or collar to which the spokes or braces H are
attached. If the rotation is to be effected selfactingly, for instance by means of a
clock work I, the shaft F is provided at its lower end with a bevil wheel e into which
the bevil wheel d actuated by the clockworks gears. The rotation takes place inter-
mittently, so as to leave a suitable time for the inspection of the pictures by the
spectators. When actuated by hand, the attendant must be instructed to move the
ring at suitable intervals, while if the apparatus is arranged to be selfacting,
the clockwork is constructed so as to produce this intermittent motion in any suitable
known manner.
The process of working the apparatus is as follows:-
After the visitors have occupied the chairs standing before each ocular, which is
regulated by the numbers attached to the sides of the polygonal shell of the apparatus
(fig. 2) as the tickets are printed with the number of the seat, the spectators while
sitting first view the picture placed opposite to their ocular. After a certain time
sufficient for a complete inspection of the picture a bell is sounded to announce the
change of picture.
The ring of stereoscope boxes D then makes a short partial rotation after which it
stops, so that the next picture is brought behind the ocular and before the lamp.
This picture is not the same previously inspected by the neighbour, but, in consequence
of the less pitch of the ring of stereoscopes, the picture which previously lay between
two spectators (fig. 3).
After the lapse of the time allowed for inspection, the ring of stereoscopes D is
again turned by the width of the picture, and as this process is repated until the
picture first seen has again arrived at its original place, all pictures are presented
to each spectator.
When this has been done, the spectators leave their seats, which are occupied by
others and the representation begins again.

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
The arrangement of circulating stereoscopic panorama with a polygonal or circular
shell A containing the oculars behind which the stereoscope boxes D ranged in a circle
are rotated intermittently by hand or by self acting mechanism round the centre of
the apparatus so as to be brought successively before each ocular, substantially as
herein before described and illustrated by the drawings.
EMMOTT & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.