Improvements in or relating to Apparatus for Use in Receiving and Projecting Photographic Images.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 20th June, 1896-Accepted, 25th July, 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Apparatus for Use in Receiving and
Projecting Photographic Images.
1, AMBROISE FRANÇOIS PARNALAND, of 42 Boulevard Bonne-Nouvelle, Paris,
in the Republic of France, Engineer, 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 apparatus forming the object of the present application is for use in
photographing animated scenes and for subsequently projecting them.
Its construction and mode of operation will be better understood by reference to
the accompanying drawing in which
Fig. 1 shows the apparatus in vertical longitudinal section.
Fig. 2 rear elevation, a part of the cover being broken off to allow the inner
mechanism to be seen.
Fig. 3 is a plan of the same, in horizontal section on line X Y of Fig. 1.
The mechanism of the apparatus is enclosed in a casing A, the lateral sides of
which strengthened by cross stays and the back plate, support the different parts.
At the upper part of this casing is placed longitudinally a fixed tube B in which
the objective C for photographing or projecting is held towards the front and may
be fixed in any adjusted position.
The film D is unwound from an upper transverse spindle E, and descends into a
passage or guide F formed between the outer surface of the back plate G of the
casing A and the inner surface of a movable plate H, held between two upright
bars H H carried by the plate G by means of spring blades 1 I fixed on the
latter in supporting hooks J J carried by the upright bars H¹ H".
The plate H held in the manner described being pressed by the springs I I'
presses the film slightly in its guide F thus ensuring its proper guidance by the
inechanism hereinafter described.
On the inner face of the plate G and in the direction of its vertical axis is
arranged and works a slide K, the vertical reciprocating motion of which is caused
by the combination of two connecting rods L L articulated at their lower ends to
the same lever M oscillating upon a shaft M¹ whilst the upper end of the rod L is
connected to the slide K and, the upper end of the rod L is connected to a crank
shaft N, the rotation of which (N) is caused by means of an intermediate
pinion N¹ keyed on the crank shaft and driven by a toothed wheel N" keyed on
the driving shaft O, driven from outside the casing A by means of a hand-
wheel O'.
At a certain distance from its upper extremities the slide K is provided along
its vertical axis with an opening P in which work side by side two pawls QQ
which are mounted so that they can oscillate upon a spindle P¹ carried by the
slide K. The lower ends of these pawls pass through the opening P of said
slide K and press against the film D, the plate G being provided for that purpose
with a corresponding opening R enabling the pawls QQ' to pass through and to
move, these pawls taking part in the reciprocating vertical motion of the slide K;
the upper branches of the pawls Q Q are under the influence of a spring S which
acts so as to keep their lower extremities pressed against the film D which, as can
be seen from Fig. 4, is provided along its longitudinal axis corresponding exactly
to the vertical axis of the slide K, with horizontal holes T, the lower edges of
which are intended to co-operate with the pawls Q. Q', as will be later explained.

page_text: The distance separating the lower edges of two consecutive holes T is equal to
the length through which the film has to move in order to present each view or
scene which it carries or each place for views which it has to carry exactly opposite
the objective C for photographing or for projecting.
The result of such arrangement is that the reciprocating vertical movement of
the slide K caused by the continuous rotation of the band wheel O' in one direction.
will produce reciprocating movements of pawls QQ the ends of the lower branches
of which being always pressed against the film D will slide on the latter and, under
the pressure ef the spring S, pass through the holes T as soon as the lower edge of
the said holes comes to their level; the movements of these different parts are so
combined that the downward movement of the slide K and, consequently, of the
pawls QQ takes place when the lower ends of the latter have entered into the
corresponding hole T engaging its lower edge so that in their downward movement
the said ends of the pawls QQ' press against that lower edge and cause the film
to move downward during the time that the slide K moves downward.
When the upward movement of the slide K begins the pawls QQ slide in their
upward movement along the film D oscillating, and passing over the upper edge of
the hole T, on the lower edge of which these pawls had previously been acting
and at the end of the upward movement they occupy the same relative place as
before to the lower edge of the following hole T, in order to cause the film D to
move down again.
It is clear from the preceding that to the downward movement of the slide K and,
consequently, to the downward movement of the pawls Q Q will correspond the
downward morement of the film D and that during the upward movement of the
same parts the film will remain stationary. These movements being successive and
alternate the result will be that the film will be successively and alternately moved
and stopped, which constitutes the working of the apparatus.
In combination with these movements of the film D mechanism is employed to
cover the objective C when the film is moving, and to uncover it again when the
film is stationary.
This covering mechanism is substantially constituted by a plate U of a sufficient
width which oscillates behind the objective in a plane parallel to the latter upon a
spindle U carried by a crossbar U supported by the sides of the casing A, and
on which is mounted the support V of said plate U.
The upper part of the plate U passing through a slot U of the tube B works
inside the latter in a frame V with which said tube is provided and which has two
apertures VV corresponding exactly; on one hand to the objective C and on
the other hand to the apertures W W with which are respectively provided tho
plates G and H.
To ensure to the plate U the full extent of its alternate oscillations to the right
or to the left of the objective necessary to allow of the objective being successively
and alternately covered and uncovered, the sides of the casing A have openings
provided with sheaths W" to allow the plate U being sufficiently moved without
the risk of letting light into the apparatus.
The movement of the plate U is produced by a circular cam a in the cam
groove a of which is a roller & carried by the support V of said plate U on its
spindle U under the latter; the shape a' of the cam a is so designed as to cause
the plate U to stand still exactly when the objective is closed, as shown in
Figs. 1, 2, 3 and to oscillate to the right or to the left in order to uncover the said
objective.
These movements are combined with those of the film D in such manner, that
when the latter is stationary, the objective is uncovered, and when the film moves,
the objective is closed.
The cam a is keyed on a transverse shaft c, which is caused to rotate by a
pinion d driven by the main wheel N" on the driving shaft O, the necessary ratio
of the gearing being provided.
When the apparatus is to be used as a projecting apparatus, the aperture W

page_text: will be open and behind it will be suitably disposed the luminous source for
projection; whilst when the apparatus is to be used for photographing, the
aperture will be closed by any suitable device; in this latter case the film D will
be suitably enclosed and its entering and leaving the apparatus must take place
without being exposed to the outer light.
In order to ensure absolute immobility of the objective C in its adjusted position,
the tube B is combined with a split collar B' with a tightening screw B", which
collar B compresses the objective tube C in such manner that vibrations and
shocks which might be caused by the great speed. of the working of the apparatus
cannot move it or alter its adjusted position.
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. In its whole and in its different parts the mechanism described and illustrated
in the accompanying drawing which can be used for photographing and for
projecting animated scenes substantially as described.
2. The arrangement of oscillating pawls QQ with a supporting spring S
mounted on a slide K to which a vertical reciprocating motion is communicated
by a moving mechanism acting in combination with holes T made in the film D
at desired intervals along its longitudinal axis so that the said pawls QQ¹pressing
against the lower edge of the holes T cause the film D to move downward when
the slide K carrying the pawls Q Q' moves downward said pawls being capable
of oscillating passing during the upward movement of the slide K over the hole T
on the lower edge of which they have just been acting and sliding on the film D
compress their spring S in order to come at the end of their upward movement
under the action of said spring to engage the lower edge of the next highest
hole T in order to produce a renewed downward movement of the film D at the
next downward movement of the slide K.
3. In combination with the arrangement forming the object of Claim 2 the
mechanism for covering the objective operated by a câm a driven by the same
moving mechanism as the slide K in such manner that the objective is covered
when the pawls QQ engage with the lower edges of the holes T of the film D
and remains covered during the whole downward movement of the slide K that is
to say during the movement of said film the objective being uncovered exactly
when the slide K arrives at the end of its downward course and remains so during
the upward movement of the said slide and consequently of the pawls Q Q¹ until
the said slide arrives to the end of its upward movement and the pawls Q Q'
engage with the lower edge of the corresponding hole T of the film D that is to
say when the said film D is absolutely stationary.
Dated this 19th day of June 1896.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.