A New for Improved Apparatus for Obtaining Bird's-eye Photographic Views.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 25th July, 1891
Complete Specification Left, 25th Aor., 1892-Accepted, 30th July, 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A New for Improved Apparatus for Obtaining Bird's-eye
Photographic Views.
A communication to me from LUDWIG ROHRMANN, of Krauschwitz, in the
Empire of Germany.
I, EDMUND EDWARDS, of the firm of Edwards and Co., Patent Agents and
Engineers, of 35, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The present invention is applicable more especially to military operations, by
taking photographic bird's-eye views of fortifications, or other positions occupied
by an enemy, from a distant position where they are not visible.
It may be also applied to other operations not of a military nature, such as
taking bird's-eye views of buildings estates, or land.
The improved arrangement consists of a parachute having hung to it below, an
instantaneous photographic apparatus, the parachute in its closed condition being
contained in a space prepared for it in a suitable projectile. The projectile is.fired
high in the air in the direction of the object to be photographed, a charge of
explosive being then ignited and the parachute apparatus being thereby set.free
from the projectile. The parachute then operates automatically, falling by itself,.
the photographic apparatus hanging perpendicularly below it, and by a suitable
arrangement taking one or more instantaneous photographs of the positions on the
earth below, the parachute being then brought back to the point from which it was
projected by a line one end of which is attached to it, the other being retained at
the starting point.
In one method of putting the invention in operation a rocket is used, a space in
the front end or cap of which contains the parachute apparatus. This rocket is
ignited and fired from a stand of the usual kind or any other suitable support.
During the flight of the rocket the ignited composition in the latter reaches a fuze
and fires an explosive charge in the front end. This explosion bursts open the
rocket cap which is made of earthenware or sheet iron, the parachute apparatus
being prevented from injury by the fire by means of a plate or pad of asbestos.
In order that the rocket cap may free the parachute. apparatus with certainty, it
may be made with grooves or notches so as to weaken the inaterial and allow a
small explosion to burst open the cap. Or it may be so arranged that if sheet.iron
is used the latter is unrolled or flattened out. The parachute, apparatus, is
perfectly independent after this as already explained.
The attaching cord is fastened where the apparatus is attached to the parachute
and is led through a hole in the rocket cap or beneath the latter to a winding drum
at the firing point, which may be worked by a small steam engine or by hand.
Insulated electrical wires may be carried by, or.form part of, the connecting cable
and in this case the mechanism of the photographic apparatus may be worked by
their means from the starting point. About three mêtres of the line where it
adjoins the parachute are made of wire to prevent the risk of its being burned.
In order that the improved apparatus described for taking bird's-eye views may,
be projected to greater distances the parachute may be fired from an ordinary gun
instead of a rocket being used. In this case the folded parachute and, the
photographic apparatus are contained in a cylindrical shell having a pointed end in
front, into which a time fuze is screwed which is fired in the usual way by the
explosion and exactly at the determined time ignites the bursting charge so that
the parachute and photographing apparatus are set free.
In this case also the parachute is separated from the bursting charge by a pad of
asbestos, so that it is prevented from being injured by the fire.

page_text: The gun used is a muzzle loading mortar of sufficient length which is carried by,
and adjustable in, a suitable frame. In the barrel parallel air grooves are made
which are not rifled as in ordinary guns, as the revolution of the shell would break
the connecting line, which is laid in one of the longitudinal grooves in the barrel.
Between the shell and the cartridge, which latter is fired through a touch-hole
an arched disc or plate of iron is inserted to prevent the possible breaking of the
shell and the parachute apparatus when the gun is fired. The plate is shot out of
the gun and then falls to the ground. The parachute which is of the ordinary
well known construction opens out as soon as it is freed, and the photographic
apparatus hangs perpendicularly below it. By a suitable arrangement the
parachute is prevented from collapsing.
The photographic apparatus is of the kind used for taking instantaneous pictures.
With it, is combined spring clockwork which is. wound up before the gun is fired
and must be arranged according to the calculated time of flight. It then comes
into operation and effects the instantaneous exposure of a plate, which is then
moved sideways from its position leaving another plate in position for a fresh
exposure and so on. In this way by a single shot six to eight exposures may be
made.
It is evident that by means of a series of exposures a complete circle of, views
round the firing point may be obtained.
For this purpose as many shots as are necessary are fired in succession 'from the
firing point as a centre, so that when the several pictures are put together a
complete map of the country may be obtained.
The following is one of the forms of photographic apparatus which may be used
with advantage. The apparatus hangs below the parachute with its lens pointed
down and consists of an ordinary chamber or camera containing the plates for
exposure and another adjoining chamber into which they are removed after
exposure. The plates each fitted in a wooden slide are arranged one above the
other in the first chamber. Above the pile of plates is arranged a pressure plate
which presses the plates downwards by means of springs. The lower edges of
each plate-slide are fitted with two parallel toothed racks and the racks upon the
lowest slide gear with corresponding toothed wheels driven by the clockwork
contained in a chamber at the lower part of the apparatus. This clockwork also
serves to open and close the lens in order to expose the plates and obtain the
pictures. When this has been done the lowest slide is removed, by the toothed
racks and wheels together with the exposed plate which it contains, into the
adjoining chamber. The bevilled edge of the next slide, after the plate in it has
been exposed, is passed under the edge of the first one which it lifts as it is
removed from the first chamber into the second, and this operation is repeated for
as many plates as are contained in the apparatus. A space for single plates may
be left above the second chamber.
.
J
In the construction of the parachute the ribs of the latter are preferably jointed
to a central cap and to these ribs are jointed radial stays as in ordinary umbrellas.
The inner ends of these stays are jointed to a central plate which is connected to
the upper cap by a spring which draws them together so that the parachute is at
once automatically opened as soon as it is set free from the shell as already
described.
The photographic apparatus is hung by lines from the ribs of the parachute the
lower ends of these lines being connected to a universal joint from which the
photographic apparatus is suspended; so that the latter is not affected by
the oscillations of the parachute. To this universal joint the connecting line to
the firing point is also attached.
Deted this 5th do of T... 1001

page_text: A New or Improved Apparatus for Obtaining Bird's-eye.
Photographic Views.
A communication to me from LUDWIG ROHRMANN, of Krauschwitz, in the
Empire of Germany..
I, EDMUND EDWARDS, of the firm of Edwards and Co., Patent Agents and
Engineers, of 35, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, 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 and accompanying drawing, that is to say :-
The present invention is applicable more especially to military operations, by
taking photographic bird's-eye views of fortifications, or other positions occupied
by an enemy, from a distant position where they are not visible.
It may also be applied to other operations not of a military nature, such as
taking bird's-eye views of buildings, estates, or land.
The improved arrangement consists of a parachute having hung to it below, an
instantaneous photographic apparatus, the parachute in its closed condition being
contained in a space prepared for it in a suitable projectile. The projectile is fired
high in the air in the direction of the object to be photographed, a charge of
explosive being then ignited and the parachute apparatus being thereby set free
from the projectile. The parachute then acts automatically, falling by itself; the
photographic apparatus hanging perpendicularly below it, and by a suitable
arrangement taking one or more instantaneous photographs of the positions on the
earth below whilst the parachute is brought back to the point from which it was
projected, by a line one end of which is attached to it, the other being retained at
the starting point.
In the accompanying drawings which are in illustration of the invention,
Figure 1 is a general view, upon a small scale, of one method of putting the
invention in operation. In this arrangement a rocket A is used, a space in the
front end or cap. of which contains the parachute apparatus, as shewn upon a .
larger scale at B, C, Figure 2.
This rocket is ignited and fired from a stand of the usual kind or any other
suitable support. During the flight of the rocket the ignited composition in the
latter reaches a fuze a and fires an explosive charge in the front end. This
explosion bursts open the rocket cap C which is made of earthenware or sheet
iron, the parachute apparatus being prevented from injury by the fire by means of
a plate or pad d of asbestos. In order that the rocket cap may free the parachute
apparatus with certainty it may be made with grooves or notches so as to weaken
the material and allow a small explosion to burst open the cap. Or it may be so
arranged that if sheet iron is used the latter is unrolled or flattened out.
parachute apparatus is perfectly independent after this as already explained.
The
The attaching cord e is fastened where the apparatus is attached to the
parachute, and is led through, a hole in the rocket cap or beneath the latter to a
winding drumf (Figure 1) at the firing point, which may be worked by a small
steam engine or by hand. Insulated electrical wires may be carried by, or formi
part of, the connecting cable, and in this case the mechanism of the photographic
apparatus may be worked by their means from the starting point. About three
mêtres of the line where it adjoins the parachute are made of wire to prevent the
risk of its being burned.
ויי
..In order that the improved apparatus. described for taking bird's-eye views may
be projected to greater distances the parachute may be fired from an ordinary gun
instead of a rocket: being used.. In this case the folded parachute and the
photographic apparatus are contained in a cylindrical shell D having a pointed
end in front, as shewn in Figure 3, into which a time fuze g is screwed, which is

page_text: fired in the usual way by the explosion and exactly at the determined momen
ignites the bursting charge h so that the parachute and photographing apparatus
are set free.
.
In this case also the parachute is separated from the bursting charge by a pad
or plate of asbestos i, so that it is prevented from being injured by the fire.
The gun used, (as shewn in Figure 4) is a muzzle loading mortar of sufficient
length which is carried by, and adjustable in, a suitable frame. In the barrel
parallel air grooves are made which are not rifled as in ordinary guns as the
revolution of the shell would break the connecting line, which is laid in one of the
longitudinal grooves in the barrel.
·
Between the shell and the cartridge, which latter is fired through a touch holek,
an arched disc or plate of iron is inserted to prevent the possible breaking of the
shell and the parachute apparatus when the gun is fired.
The plate is shot out of the gun and falls to the ground. The parachute which
is of the ordinary well known construction opens out as soon as it is freed, and
the photographic apparatus hangs perpendicularly below it. By a suitable
arrangement the parachute is prevented from collapsing.
The photographic apparatus is of the kind used for taking instantaneous
pictures. With it is combined spring clockwork, which is wound up before the
gun is fired and must be arranged according to the calculated time of flight. It
then comes into operation and effects the instantaneous exposure of the plate,
which is then moved sideways from its position leaving another plate in position
for a fresh exposure and so on. In this way by a single shot six to eight exposures
may be made.
It is evident (as illustrated in Figure 5) that by means of a series of exposures
a complete circle of views round the firing point may be obtained.
For this purpose as many shots as are necessary are fired in succession from the
firing point s, t, as a centre, so that when the several pictures are put together a
complete map of the country may be obtained.
When the apparatus has been brought back the pictures are developed and
finished singly in the usual way in a box or chamber lighted with non-actinic
glass.
In Figures 6 and 7 is shewn one of the forms. of photographic apparatus which
may be used with advantage. The apparatus C hangs below the parachute with
its lens m pointed down and consists of an ordinary chamber or camera C₁
containing the plates for exposure and another adjoining chamber C³ into which
they are removed after exposure. The plates each fitted in a wooden slide n are
arranged one above the other in the. first chamber. Above the pile of plates is
arranged a pressure plate o which presses the plates downwards and holds them
steady by means of springs p. The lower edges of each plate-slide are fitted with
two parallel toothed racks g and the racks upon the lowest slide gear with
corresponding toothed wheels driven by the clockwork contained in a chamber c³
at the lower part of the apparatus. This clockwork also serves to open and close
the lens in order to expose the plates and obtain the pictures. When this has
been done the lowest slide is removed by the toothed racks and wheels, together
with the exposed plate which it contains, into the adjoining chamber C2 and the
pile of plates is pressed down so that the next one can be exposed.. The bevilled
edge of this next slide, after the plate in it has been. exposed, is passed under the
edge of the first one which it lifts as it is removed from the first chamber into
the second, and this operation is repeated: for as many plates as are contained in
the apparatus. A space Ct for single plates may be left above the second chamber.
In the construction of the parachute (shewn in Figure 8) the ribs s of the latter
are preferably jointed to a central cap tand to these ribs are jointed radial.stays u
as in ordinary umbrellas. The inner ends of these stays are jointed to a central
plate which is connected to the upper cap by a spring w which draws them
together so that the parachute is at once automatically opened as soon as it is set
free from the shell as already.described..

page_text: The photographic apparatus is hung by lines below the parachute, the lower
ends of these lines being connected to a universal joint X from which the photo-
graphic apparatus is suspended, so that the latter is not affected by the oscillations
of the parachute. To this universal joint the connecting line e to the firing point
is also attached.
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. The apparatus for taking bird's-eye views consisting of an instantaneous.
photographing apparatus suspended to a parachute, both being contained in a
hollow shell, which is fired into the air and exploded so as to set them free, the
parachute expanding and the photographic apparatus suspended to it coming into.
operation so that views of the objects below are obtained, whilst the parachute is.
brought back by a line to the standpoint of the observer, substantially as described.
and shewn.
Dated this 05th dox of Amil 1000
EDWARDS & Co.,
35, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London,
Agents for the Applicant.