AN IMPROVED MODE OF PUBLICLY EXHIBITING PICTURES OR PAINTED SCENERY OF EVERY DESCRIPTION, AND DISTRIBUTING OR DIRECTING THE DAYLIGHT UPON OR THROUGH THEM, SO AS TO PRODUCE MANY BEAUTIFUL EFFECTS OF LIGHT AND SHADE, WHICH I DENOMINATE A DIORAMA
Year: 1824

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
ARROWSMITH, of Air Street, Piccadilly, in the County of Middlesex, Esquire,
send greeting.
WHEREAS His most Excellent Majesty King George the Fourth did, by His
Lettors Patent under the Great Seal of that part of the United Kingdom
of Great Britain and Ireland called England, bearing date at Westminster, the
Tenth day of February, One thousand eight hundred and twenty-four, in the fifth
year of His reign, give and grant unto me, the said John Arrowsmith, my
exors, adiñors, and assigns, His especial licence, full power, sole privilege and
authority, that I, the said John Arrowsmith, my exors, adñiors, and assigns,
during the term of years therein mentioned, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-
Tweed, the Invention, partly communicated to me by a certain Foreigner residing
abroad, and partly discovered by myself, of "AN IMPROVED MODE OF PUBLICLY
EXHIBITING PICTURES OR PAINTED SCENERY OF EVERY DESCRIPTION, AND
DISTRIBUTING OR DIRECTING THE DAYLIGHT UPON OR THROUGH THEM, SO AS TO
PRODUCE MANY BEAUTIFUL EFFECTS OF LIGHT AND SHADE, WHICH I DENOMINATE A
DIORAMA;" in which said Letters Patent there is contained a proviso that if
I, the said John Arrowsmith, shall not particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, and cause
the same to be inrolled in His Majesty's High Court of Chancery within
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters

page_text: Patent, that then the said Letters Patent, and all liberties and advantages
whatsoever thereby granted, shall utterly cease, determine, and become void,
as in and by the same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and at
large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
John Arrowsmith, do hereby declare that the nature of the said Invention,
and the manner in which the same is to bo performed, are particularly
described and ascertained in manner following, that is to say:
The Invention consists in placing the pictures or painted scenery (which
are intended to form the exhibition) within a building so constructed that
the saloon or amphitheatre containing the spectators may be caused to revolve
at intervals, as may be desired, for the purpose of bringing in succession two
or more distinct scenes or pictures into the field of view, and without the
necessity of the spectators removing from their seats. From this arrangement
of the revolving saloon the scenery or pictures themselves may remain
stationary, and they will therefore admit of the application of the said improved
method of distributing or directing the daylight upon or through them, so
as to produce the effects of varying the light and shade in a more pleasing
manner than has been hitherto accomplished, the said variable effects of light
and shade being performed according to the said improved method, by means
of a number of coloured transparent and moveable blinds or curtains, some of
which said blinds are placed behind the picture or scenery, for the purpose of
intercepting and changing the colour and shade of the rays of light, which
are permitted to shine or pass through certain semi-transparent parts of the
said picture or scenery, and thereby effect many curious changes in the
appearance of the colours in proportion as the said coloured blinds are moved
up and down, which motion is performed in a particular order by the aid of
certain lines or cords connected with suitable machinery, as will be herein-after
more particularly described; others of the said coloured transparent blinds or
curtains are situated above and in front of the said pictures or scenery, so as
to be moveable by the aid of cords or lines as aforesaid, and by that means to
distribute or direct the rays of light which are permitted to fall upon the face
of the picture, at the same time the rays of light in passing through the said
coloured blinds effect many suprising changes in the appearance of the colours
of the painting or scenery, and thereby form the pleasing exhibition herein-
before denominated a diorama; but in order to explain clearly the manner of
carrying the said Invention into effect, and to enable persons conversant with
works of a similar nature to put it in practice, I have hereunto annexed two
Sheets of Drawings or Plans marked Fig. 1 and Fig. 2.

page_text: The Drawing Fig. 1 represents an horizontal plan of a building adapted to
exhibit two distinct scenes or pictures, according to the said improved mode,
one of the pictures being supposed to be furnished with the moveable trans-
parent coloured blinds or curtains and apparatus as aforesaid, and the other
picture being supposed to be viewed in its natural state without any such blinds.
or curtains. A, A, shews the plan of the revolving saloon, which is fitted up
with boxes and seats for the accommodation of the spectators. B, B, shews
the situation of one of the pictures; and C, C, the situation of the other.
The saloon is in the form of a cylindrical building, having a proper and.
spacious opening S, S, in one side thereof, for viewing the pictures through;
and doors s, s, at the back or opposite side for the admission of company.
The space or distance between the opening of the saloon and the pictures is
enclosed above and on each side by light screens, forming a kind of vista, as
seen at a, a, b, b, so as effectually to conceal the margins or boundary of the
pictures, and thereby produce in a certain degree the effect of panoramic.
pictures. The manner in which the revolving saloon is constructed is explained
clearly by the Fig. 2, and the same characters or letters of reference are used
to denote corresponding parts upon both the Figures.
Fig. 2 represents a transverse section of the entire building, supposed to be
taken at about the dotted line marked 2, z, in the Fig. 1. A, A, shews the
saloon B, B, one of the pictures which is suspended from above, and is kept
in a proper degree of tension by small weights hung on at bottom and also at
the sides, at which place the lines for the weights pass over small pulleys fixed
to a stationary rail, but which are not visible in the Drawings. D, D, shews
a large window fitted with ground or some transparent glass, to admit a portion
of light behind the picture. Before this window the aforesaid coloured trans-
parent blinds are suspended by small lines, so as to be capable of moving up
and down, in order to pass by and overlay each other.
I have only represented five of these blinds in the Drawings where they are
marked 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7, but there may be a considerably greater number
used, which must depend entirely upon the nature of the painting or scenery
to be exhibited, and must, as well as the arrangement of their movements and
also of the colour of the cloth or fabric of which they are composed, be
determined by the judgment of the painter or artist. E, E, shews a large
window or skylight situated in the roof of the building, for the purpose of
admitting light upon the face of the picture. This window is also fitted with
ground glass, and is furnished with transparent coloured blinds, as seen at F, F.
These as well as the before-mentioned blinds I usually make of coloured calico
or other light texture, and they are adapted to move upon hinges or joints

page_text: at their uppermost ends, so as to be capable of moving into the dotted
position ff. and thereby permitting the rays of light to fall unobstructed
upon the face of the picture; but when they are raised up, as shewn in
the Figure, they intercept part of the rays of light, and when brought fully
up they may be made to close up the window entirely, and thereby cause all
the rays of light to pass upon the picture through the said coloured shades or
blinds, so as to produce variations in the shades and tints upon the picture.
The various transparent coloured blinds are moved in the following manner:-
The cords or lines which proceed from them are passed over small pulleys
near the top of the building, and then descend and are attached to a long lever
or balance G, H, which moves upon a centre or fulcrum at h, and is situated
The
against a partition of the building, as seen at G, H, in the Plan, Figure 1.
cords or lines marked K proceed over small pulleys K, and over leading
pulleys situated at the end of the roof of the building, after which they are
attached to the extremities of the blinds F, F, as shewn in the Figure, in
order to move them upon their centres, and close or open them. There are
five pairs of these blinds in the length of the building, each furnished with a
separate cord attached to the lever G, H, but I have only exhibited one of
the pairs in the Drawings. The cords marked L and M proceed over small
pulleys at and m, and are attached to the hanging blinds 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and
it will appear from inspection of Fig. 2 that the cords L and M are attached
to the lever G, H, on opposite sides of the center thereof, consequently when
the lever is moved on its center, some of the said blinds would ascend and
others descend, so as to pass over each other, and produce different tints of
light, but no precise or even general rules can be laid down for these motions,
as they will depend upon the nature of the picture or scenery as herein-before
stated, and must therefore be determined by the artist who paints the same.
The lever G, H, when at rest, stands in the position shewn by the dotted lines
g.g, Fig. 2, in which situation the blinds F, F, are also in the dotted position
ff, or quite open. But when it is desired to produce the effect of change in
the lights and shades of the picture, a workman draws the end H of the lever
G, H, slowly downwards, by turning the handle or winch P, shewn in Fig. 1,
and also by dotted lines at P in Fig. 2, where two ends of a rope o, p
may be seen, which proceed over pulleys q, r, and are attached to the
opposite ends of the lever G, H. This rope winds round a barrel, which
is turned by a pinion and cog wheel from the winch P, and the ends o, p,
of the rope pass off on opposite sides of the said barrel, so that by turning
the winch P round slowly in contrary directions the changes may be
produced as aforesaid. t represents a balance weight attached to one end

page_text: of the lever G, H, for the purpose of balancing the weight of the blinds.
The degree or extent of motion which the various coloured blinds may require
to have communicated to them can be obtained by attaching their lines or
cords to the lever G, H, nearer to or farther from its center of motion h. The
floor of the revolving saloon is supported upon a very strong timber framing,
which consists of a central shaft or axis Q, having twelve timbers or arms
similar to those seen at R and T, arranged round it at equal distances, in the
manner of radii. The extremities of these timbers are connected together
by upright pieces V, V, and the whole framing is farther strengthened by
diagonal braces v, v, and cross timbers w, w, which proceed from one arm to
the next, and are firmly bolted to each arm, so as to form a pentagonal
framing. The cross timbers w, w, serve to carry the bearings of twelve strong
iron shafts or axes similar to those seen at x, x, which have cast-iron
wheels or rollers X, X, fixed upon them, being adapted to roll round
upon the surface of a metal kirb or ring e, e, which is bolted down
firmly to a course or coping of masonry situated upon the top edge of the
circular wall Y, Y. This wall, if seen in plan, would appear like a large
well, and its foundation proceeds some feet below the surface of the ground,
in order to obtain a solid foundation for the support of the revolving saloon.
The framing of the saloon above described is steadied in its revolving motion
by the central shaft Q, which is furnished with a pivot or gudgeon at its
lower extremity, working into a brass stop-piece N, being fitted with adjusting
screws, as shewn in Fig. 2, and bolted securely upon the surface of a pier of
masonry y, y. The cylindrical part of the saloon above the floor is composed
of light wood framing, which is ornamented internally by drapery, and the
ceiling is composed of a transparent painting, stretched beneath a system of
light iron frames i, i, forming a kind of roof, which is furnished with a pivot
or gudgeon in the centre, adapted to turn round in a bearing affixed to one
of the principles of the main roof, as seen at I. J, J, shews a skylight for
admitting light through the transparent ceiling of the saloon. The extent of
revolving motion which would require to be given to the saloon for exhibiting
the two pictures, as represented in the Plan, Fig. 1, would be an arc of
about 73 degrees, and during the time that the saloon is in the act of revolving
no company is permitted to go in or out; but when the opening S, S, is
brought into the proper situation opposite either of the pictures, then one of
the two doors 8, s, of the saloon will be found to correspond exactly with one
at the doorways shewn in the circular brick wall surrounding the saloon, and
will thus open a direct entrance to the saloon. On the outside of this circular
wall a suitable antiroom is provided for the company to wait in if they happen

page_text: to arrive while the saloon is in motion. The said revolving motion of the
saloon is effected by means of a sector or portion of a wheel, having cogs
formed upon its edge. This sector is securely fixed to the central shaft Q,
as seen at 8, in Fig. 2, so that its cogs may be engaged with the cogs of a
pinion 9, which is fixed upon a vertical shaft, having a bevelled wheel 11 upon
its lower extremity. The wheel 11 is engaged with the teeth of a bevelled
pinion 12, upon the axis of which a cog wheel 13 is fixed, engaging with the
teeth of a pinion 14, upon the axis of the fly wheel and winch 15. By this
train of wheelwork a man standing upon the platform 16 may by turning
the winch 15 cause the whole saloon to revolve slowly, and by proper stops
being fixed to some part of the framing below it, is caused to ring a bell, and
thus indicate when the saloon has been turned into a proper situation for the
pictures to be viewed through the opening S, S. c & d, Fig. 2, represents
slight partitions or opaque blinds, which are erected in order to conceal the
lower margin of the picture from the view of the spectators.
I have now fully described the manner of carrying the said Invention into
effect, and I hereby declare that I consider the claim of Invention to consist
in the employment of colours, transparent moveable blinds or curtains, as
herein-before described, which are adapted to distribute or direct the daylight
upon or through pictures or painted scenery of every description, for the
purpose of publicly exhibiting the same, and by which means many beautiful
effects of light and shade may be produced, such exhibition being denominated
a Diorama. At the same time I wish it to be observed that the claim of
Invention is not considered to extend to the use of the revolving saloon as
herein-before described generally, but only when the same is used in com-
bination with the aforesaid improved method of distributing or directing the
light upon or through pictures or painted scenery. The particular arrange-
ment or construction of the wheelwork for turning the saloon, as well as the
means of communicating the requisite motions to the aforesaid transparent
coloured blinds, may be varied in many ways, according to the discretion of
the workman employed in constructing the same. The size and proportions
of the different parts may also be varied, according to the circumstances of the
case, without departing from the object of the Invention, as herein-before
described and set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Arrowsmith, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of February, in the year of our
Land One thousand eight han
JOHN (L.S.) ARROWSMITH.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Eighteenth day of February,
in the year of our Lord 1824, the aforesaid John Arrowsmith came before
our said Lord the King in His Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification
aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in form
above written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according
to the tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Inrolled the Sixth day of March, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and twenty-four