Improved Apparatus for Enabling Photographic Images to be Taken, Projected, or Viewed in Rapid Succession.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 27th May, 1895
Complete Specification Left, 27th Feb., 1896-Accepted, 2nd May, 1896
Improved Apparatus for Enabling Photographic Images to be Taken,
Projected, or Viewed in Rapid Succession.
I, BIRT ACRES, of Clovelly Cottage, Barnet, Herts, Photographer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to improved apparatus for enabling photographic images
to be taken, projected or viewed in rapid succession and consists more particularly
in so arranging the apparatus as to permit of the film being clamped for the period:
necessary for exposure, projection or viewing without causing undue strain on the
film notwithstanding that the motion of the apparatus is continuous.
For this purpose a continuous sheet of film is drawn of a roller by means of a
pin wheel taking into perforations preferably made at the edges of the film. It is
caused to pass behind the lens and is clamped there for the short period necessary
for exposure. During the time the film is so clamped, the pin wheel still revolving
would cause undue strain on the film. This I obviate by causing the film to be
deflected out of the straight line by a roller acted on by a spring. Whilst the film
is travelling this spring is free to act, but whilst it is clamped in position the pin
roller continuing to revolve takes up the slack due to this deflection in opposition
to the spring. Immediately the clamp is released the spring again acts on the
roller causing the film to be deflected as before. The film is then wound onto a
second roller.
Dated this 27th day of May 1895.
ABEL & IMRAY
Agents for the Applicant.
Improved Apparatus for Enabling Photographic Images to be Taken,
Projected, or Viewed in Rapid Succession.
I, BIRT ACRES, of Clovelly Cottage, Barnet, Herts, 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 :-
My invention relates to improved apparatus for enabling photographic images
to be taken projected or viewed in rapid succession and consists more particularly
in so arranging the apparatus as to permit of the film being clamped for the period
necessary for exposure, projection or viewing without causing undue strain on the
film notwithstanding that the motion of the apparatus is continuous.
For this purpose a continuous sheet of film is drawn by feeding wheels off a
roller by means of two pin wheels taking into perforations made at the edges of
the film. It is caused to pass behind the lens and is clamped there for the short
period necessary for exposure. The clamping is effected by an open frame pressed
against the film by a cam turned by gear from the axis of the shutter, which is
turned by hand or otherwise.
During the time the film is so clamped, the pin wheels still revolving would
cause undue strain on the film. This I obviate by causing the film between the

page_text: clamping frame and the pin wheels to be deflected out of the straight line by a
roller acted on by a spring. Whilst the film is travelling this spring deflects the
film but whilst the film is clamped the spring yields and the pin wheels continuing
to revolve take up the slack. Immediately the clamp is released the spring again
acts on the roller causing the film to be deflected as before. The film is then
wound onto a second roller.
Instead of acting on the deflecting roller by a spring it may be moved by a cam
lever timed to the cam which works the clamp.
The accompanying drawing is a section of the casing of a photographic apparatus
with mechanism according to my invention for moving and clamping the film.
A is the objective tube behind which is mounted the disc shutter which is caused
to revolve by hand or otherwise driving by any suitable gear a came and pin
wheels cover which passes the continuous film a drawn from one spring roller b
and wound on another ¹.
The film passes between a pair of rollers r and the face of a lever d which is
pivotted at hand is alternately pressed by the cam e against the film clamping it
and holding it stationary, and releasing it so as to allow it to move onwards. The
pin wheels c c which are geared together are so set in the first instance as to leave
between them a certain amount of slack of the film which is taken up by the
roller g urged by a spring 9' causing a bend of the film. As the wheels go on
while the film is clamped the wheel c delivers slack and the roller g yields allowing
the wheel to take up the slack of the bend.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
In photographic apparatus, in combination with continuously revolving feeding
and drawing wheels for moving the film, and a clamp for temporarily holding it,
a roller arranged to deflect the film while it is not clamped and to yield while it is
clamped, substantially as described.
Dated this 27th day of February 1896.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.