IMPROVEMENTS IN REFLECTORS
Year: 1884

page_text: I, HERRMANN BOEHLE, of Berlin, in the Kingdom of Prussia, German Empire,
do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
REFLECTORS"; to be as follows:―
My Invention relates to a new arrangement combined with a reflector, for the
purpose of showing to the spectator an extraordinary luminous effect, not unlike a
fire-work, producing itself within the cavity of the reflector. This new and
attractive effect is obtained by placing between the reflector and the light or flame
belonging to the same, a transparent multicoloured object, and imparting to the
same a rotary movement.
According to one modification of my Invention, the said transparent coloured
object consists of a lantern surrounding the light or flame of the reflector. Said
light may be derived from gas, petroleum, electricity, or any other source, and the
pipe, conductor, or support of said light or burner conveniently serves to guide the
lantern in its rotary movement. The said lantern may be of a polygonal shape, or
it may be cylindrical, or its circumference may consist of separate panes or bars of
circular or prismatic section. The several panes of the lantern, or sections of the
cylindrical casing, or the bars surrounding the light, are transparent and of
different colours. The reflector therefore will receive a coloured light, and as the
lantern turns round the light, the coloured light will be travelling over the surface
of the reflector in the saine succession, as the colours of the panes or bars are
arranged.
The reflector being made of a great number of flat pieces of mirror-glass arranged
at obtuse angles within the cavity of the frame, the coloured light travelling over
the surface of the reflector meets with a manifold refraction, and the refracted rays
of coloured light while travelling, constantly blend with each other, sparkling,
changing every moment, and appearing like a fire-work.
In this modification of my Invention, the lantern is suspended or carried by a
vertical shaft receiving a rotary movement by means of any convenient driving
mechanism or clockwork combined with the reflector, or motion may be derived
from any distant motor. The same effect will be obtained if rotation is imparted
to the reflector, the lantern remaining fixed or turning likewise.
Another modification of my Invention consists in the arrangement of a
transparent disc or plate with coloured sections, placed between the light or flame
D
11

page_text: This
and the reflector, and receiving, a rotary movement around a horizontal shaft
dise serves instead of the lantern to throw a travelling multi-coloured light upon
the reflector, which reflects the same by multiple refraction, as in the modification
described before. While, in the former modification, the coloured light is travelling
over the surface of the reflector, entering at one side and leaving at the opposite
side, it will, with the disc or plate of the latter modification, rotate concentrically
upon the reflector. To conceal the light or flame to the spectator, another disc,
rotary or stationary, may be arranged outside of the light towards the spectator.
The splendid luminous effect may still be increased by using, in place of the
coloured disc, a chromotrope combined with a magnifying glass, as used in producing
dissolving views. The said chromotrope, consisting of two transparent coloured
discs revolving in opposite directions, arranged between the reflector and its light
or flame, produces a magnificent luminous effect by the multiple refraction of the
reflector.
I further have combined with the reflector and the rotary multi-coloured lantern,
disc or chromotrope, other means to increase the astonishing effect produced upon
the spectator.
Parallel to the rim of the reflector and independent of the same, a circular
toothed ring may be arranged, carrying an ornamental border-crown. The said
ring receives a rotary motion by the driving power actuating the lantern or disc,
and by means of this revolving ring I produce the optic illusion, as if the whole
reflector was turning. The said illusion is the more maintained, as the coloured
light travelling over the reflector makes the same also appear in constant motion.
Another arrangement combined with the described. reflector for the purpose of
increasing its effect, consists in placing behind the reflector another light or flame,
and surrounding the same with a drum, the circumference of which is formed by a
number of plates capable of being turned. through an angle of ninety degrees.
This simultaneous movement of the said plates may be operated by the same
driving mechanism which turns the lantern or reflector. The plates alternately
present their edges and flat surfaces towards the light enclosed in the drum, and
whenever the edges are turned towards the flame, the light radiates through the
interstices between the plates, but when the plates turn their surfaces towards the
flame, the circumference of the drum is closed and no light penetrates. By this
means an alternate radiation and obscurity round the reflector is produced.

page_text: I, HERRMANN BOEHLE, of Berlin, in the Kingdom of Prussia, German Empire, do
hereby declare the nature of my said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN REFLECTORS,"
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 a new arrangement combined with a reflector, for the
purpose of showing to the spectator an extraordinary luminous effect, not unlike a
firework, producing itself within the cavity, or upon the face, of the reflector. This
new and attractive effect is obtained by placing between the reflector and the light,
or flame, belonging to the same a transparent, multicoloured object and imparting:
to the latter a rotary movement.
With reference to the drawings, Fig. 1. shows the face of a reflector A made of a
great number of small, flat pieces of mirror-glass, arranged at obtuse angles within
the cavity of the frame. The light, or flame of any convenient kind, gas, petroleum
electric light or any other, is placed, as usual, in the focus of the reflector and
surrounded by a lantern B, preferably of polygonal shape, consisting of transparent
panes of different colours. The lantern may as well be of cylindrical shape and it
may consist of bars of transparent material, such as glass, of circular or prismatic
section, or the colours may be fixed upon the circumference of the casing B, without,
however, depriving the casing of its transparency.
The lantern or casing B is suspended by a rod or wire carried by a little bevel-
wheel e¹ in gear with another bevel-wheel e, on a shaft, to which rotary movement
is imparted by any convenient motor H enclosed in a casing arranged in connexion
with the frame of the reflector, or placed at a distance from the same.
By this means the lantern or casing B is made to turn around the flame of the
reflector and, accordingly, the face of the latter will receive a travelling, multi-
coloured light, as the transparent panes, or sections of the lantern pursue a rotary
movement and successively proceed between the flame and the reflector, the several
colours succeeding each other in regular turns. The coloured light, while travelling
over the face of the reflector, meets with a manifold refraction and the refracted
rays, while travelling, constantly blend with each other, changing every moment
and appearing like a firework.
The gas-pipe, or support of the flame or burner, may serve as a guide for the
lantern B in its rotary movement.
In Fig. 2, two reflectors A are shown to be placed side by side upon a lantern-
post; the faces of the two reflectors being at opposite sides and the rotary
movement of the lanterns B being derived from one common motor H. In the
same manner three or more reflectors may be arranged in combination with each
other, with their faces turned to different directions, in order to be seen from every-
side.
The rim of the reflector A may be provided with an ornamental border-crown E,
as shown in Fig. 1, consisting of a ring with triangular; heartshaped or any other
dents. Behind this border-crown and parallel to the same another ring F with
similar dents may be loosely mounted on the frame A, said ring F, Fig. 3, being
provided-with a circular rack, into which gears a pinion G receiving motion from

page_text: the same motor H, which drives the lantern, or by a separate motor. By this
means the ring F is made to turn behind the border-crown E, and the donts of the
stationary ring and those of the turning ring going past each other in quick
succession, while the multicoloured light is travelling over the surface of the
reflector, the optic illusion is produced, as if the whole reflector was turning round
its horizontal axis.
Fige. 4 and 5 show another modification of my invontion; Fig 4 being a back-
view, Fig 5 a vertical section of the reflector. The frame of the reflector A is
mounted on a stand C, the driving mechanism H, spring-motor or the like, being
arranged upon a bracket of said stand C. The gas-pipe, or petroleum-feed-tube, or
electric wires, are guided through a hollow shaft g and enter into the cavity of the
reflector through a central hole of the latter. The said shaft g receives a rotary
movement from the motor H, or by any other convenient means, and imparta
motion to the lantern through the gearings i, i, e, e, and also to the revolving
ring F carried by radial rods secured to a collar on the shaft g. The cross-bar D
pivoted to the vertical post of the stand C serves to secure the frame to a wall, bolts'
being passed through the eyes at the ends of snid cross-bar D.
Another modification of my invention is shown in Fig. 6, which is a vertical
section of a reflector A, suspended to a wall. Through a central hole in the back
of the reflector A passes a tube a, through which the petroleum feed-pipe from tho
reservoir P, is guided, or the gas supply leading to the burner, or electric wires.
Concentrically with this tube a, three hollow shafts b, c, d, are arranged, each
carrying at its fore end.a funnel-shaped piece b, c, d, of transparent material, such
as glass or mica, with sections of different colours. At the rear end of each of the
hollow shafta b, c, d, is mounted a gear-wheel receiving motion from the motor I
by suitable gearings. The shafts b, c, d, and funnels b¹, c², d³ are revolved either
in the same direction with different speed, or in alternately opposite directions with
the same, or with different speed. The flame may conveniently be sheltered by a
casing with transparent, flat or convex bottom, carried by the burner or by other
suitable means. By this arrangement a similar effect will be obtained as with the
chromotrope which is used with dissolving views. A vast variety of coloured,
luminous configurations is thrown upon the face of the reflector A. and reflected
with manifold refraction Instead of three shafts b, c, d and three funnels 'b', a¹; d',
two shafts and funnels may be employed, or also more than three of them.
The same effect may be obtained, if the funnels b, c, d'are replaced by trans-
parent, multicoloured disks o, o, Fig. 7, rotating in opposite directions, or by a
simple transparent, multicoloured disk, Fig 8, placed between the flame and the
reflector and receiving a rotary movement by means of the motor HI. To conceal
the light to the spectator, another disk, rotary or stationary, may be arranged
outside of the light, towards the spectator.
In some instances it may be preferable to replace the concave reflector A in any
of the modifications shown in Figs 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 by a plane mirror glass or
plate A, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 6. If such a plane mirror is employed;
the multicoloured light will not be refracted, as with a reflector of the kind shown
in Fig 1, but the luminous effect will be better seen by persons standing aside.
The concave reflectors as shown in Figs 1 to 6 may be entirely made of or plated
with polished metal, such as nickel and the like, instead of mirror-glass.
▸
Having, now, particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner it is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
First. The combination with a reflector or plane mirror and a flame or light
arranged before the face of said reflector or mirror: of a transparent multicoloured
casing surrounding said flame or light and receiving a rotary movement, sub-
stantially as and for the purpose described.
Second. The combination with a reflector or plano mirror and a flame or light
arranged before the face of said reflector or mirror: of two, three or more trans-

page_text: parent, multicoloured funnel-shaped pieces 6' c' d' mounted on concentrical
shafts b, c, d and rotated either in the same or in alternately opposite directions,
substantially as and for the purpose described.
Third. The combination with a reflector or plane mirror and a flame or light
arranged before the face of said reflector or mirror: of a transparent, multicoloured
disk rotating between the flame and the reflecting surface, or of two transparent,
multicoloured disks o, o¹, rotating in opposite directions, substantially as and for
the purpose described.
Fourth. The combination with a reflector A: of a flame or light arranged before
its face, a rotating, multicoloured, transparent casing, or disk, or disks and an
ornamental border-crown or ring F to which a rotary movement is imparted,
substantially as and for the purpose described.