Year: 1888

page_text: Mechanician.
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:-
This invention has for its object an improved apparatus by which after a determined
coin such as a penny has been inserted into an opening provided for it, a series of
pictures or designs can be seen by a person looking through a lens provided for the
purpose, the apparatus being arranged so that after the entire series of pictures has
been seen the apparatus can be no longer used until another similar coin has been
inserted.
In the upper part of the front of an upright box or case of wood or other suitable
material is arranged a lens or eye piece through which the picture arranged in front of
it inside the case can be seen.
The frames of a sufficient number of the pictures are hinged together so as to form
an endless chain, which passes over two horizontal rollers square in transverse section
turning in bearings in the case, and the upper one being arranged opposite to and at
a suitable distance from the lens. Upon the axle of the upper roller is arranged a
device by which it can be turned round at intervals, this device consisting of a ratchet
wheel having four teeth and a pall carried by an aran turning freely upon the axle of
the roller and having a connecting rod at its outer end which is itself connected to a
horizontal bar below sliding in guides in the case, the front end of which projects
through the front of the case and is provided with a knob or handle so that if it is
pushed in the pawl turns the ratchet wheel round one tooth, thus presenting a fresh
picture whilst when the sliding bar is released it is brought out to its original position
by a spring.

page_text: The sliding bar is also provided with a projecting catch inside the case above which
is arranged a horizontal lever, turning upon a centre its inner end being bent down
so as to form a hook or detent which holds back the projection upon the sliding bar so
as to prevent the latter from being pushed in whilst the other end of the lever is forked,
its two arms embracing freely the open sides of a suspended passage or channel down
which the penny or other coin passes.
This channel or tube is suspended from its upper end into which the coin is intro-
duced through a suitable slot or opening made for the purpose in the front of the case,
and a wide mouthed channel is also arranged below the lower end of the suspended
tube through which a coin when released passes into a locked drawer or box below.
When it is desired to use the apparatus a coin is inserted and drops down the tube
until it is stopped by the fork of the lever, the other end of which is raised by its
weight and releases the projection upon the sliding bar.
The latter can then be pushed in by its knob thus turning the rollers one fourth round
and presenting the pictures or designs in succession to the view of a person looking
through the lens, the handle and sliding bar being brought back by the spring so that
a single push only is necessary for each operation.
When the whole of the pictures have thus been shewn a projecting roller carried
upon the end of the hinge between two of the pictures, comes in contact with a curved
projecting bar fixed to the back of the suspended coin tube or channel, and presses the
latter forward until the coin is freed from the fork of the lever and falls into the
drawer below whilst the inner end of the lever being freed from its weight falls and
holds back the projection upon the sliding bar which can no longer be moved, until a
fresh coin has been first introduced.
The pictures or designs are lighted by means of a lamp of any suitable kind arranged
above and provided with a reflector for throwing the light in a proper direction, and a
screen may also be used where necessary.
The lens is provided with a rack and pinion by which its focus can be adjusted, and
the lighting is effected from a door on the left hand of the case, whilst upon the right
hand is provided a larger door through which access can be had to the mechanism of
the apparatus.

page_text: 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) :-
:-
This invention has for its object an improved apparatus by which, after a certain
determined coin, such as a penny, has been inserted into an opening provided for it, a
series of pictures designs photographs, or other objects, moveable or not, can be
viewed in succession by a person looking through a suitable single or double lens
provided for the purpose; the apparatus being so arranged that after the entire series
of pictures or other objects has passed in front of the lens the apparatus can no longer
be used until another similar coin has been inserted.
The accompanying drawings are in illustration of the invention, Figure 1 being a
vertical section, figure 2 a front view, and figure 3 a horizontal section, of the novel
apparatus arranged for the display of a series of pictures or photographs.
Figures 4, 5, 6, and 7, are detailed views of parts of the mechanism.
In figures 1, 2, and 3, a is a box or case in the front of the upper part of which a
lens is arranged through which the person looks who is using the apparatus, the
picture or other object being displayed exactly opposite to the lens. The several
pictures which constitute the series are jointed together at their edges or are fixed
upon an endless band or chain A which passes round the upper and lower revolving
rollers c and d, which are square in end view, or of other suitable shape to receive
the endless band. Upon the axis of the upper roller c is fixed a ratchet wheel e,
figures 1 and 4, with the teeth of which gears a pall upon a lever turning freely
upon the axle g of the roller. The other end of the lever is connected by the link i to
the upright rod upon the sliding bar 4, so that every time that the latter is moved in
and out the ratchet wheel e is turned round one tooth and a fresh picture is brought
opposite to the lens b. The wheel e is shown provided with four teeth so that cach
movement in and out of the sliding bar I causes it to turn one quarter round.
The bar I slides in suitable guides, and its front end outside the case is provided
with a knob or handle.

page_text: Upon the sliding rod a projecting piece or hook m is fixed, with which engages
the curved back end of a pivotted lever n, the other end of which is forked (in plan)
and embraces the lower end of a suspended guiding tube down which the penny, or
other determined coin, passes.
The front o and back p of this tube are sufficiently far apart to allow the coin to
pass down freely, and the upper end of the back p is pivotted upon the pin or joint q.
The lower end of the
The back p is also provided with a curved projecting piece r.
tube leads into the funnel or guides by which the coin passes into a money box or
drawer t, which is kept locked so that the coins collected therein can only be removed
by the person having the key.
The lower roller d is provided with four grooved rollers E (as shewn in figure 6),
upon which rests a lever F turning upon a centre G and having at its outer end a
weight H.
This arrangement prevents the chain of pictures from vibrating by the movement
of the rollers c and d, which would render the proper view of the picture opposite to
the lens impossible for some time. By the action of the weighted lever F upon the
two upper rollers E the chain of pictures is stopped and steadied and all vibration of
the picture viewed is prevented.
The working of the apparatus is only possible after the proper coin has been inserted
into the slit u, whence it slides down the suspended tube until it is stopped by the
forked end of the lever n upon which it rests and by its weight depresses the lever and
releases the projecting piece or hook m upon the sliding rod l, as illustrated in figure 5.
The rod can then be pressed in by the knob or handle at its outer end, and every such
pressure turns the ratchet wheel e forward one tooth, and the roller c is moved round
one quarter of a revolution bringing a fresh picture into position in front of the lens b.
After each such movement of the rod it is brought back by the spring v, so that
a single push forward is sufficient to change the picture. When the whole series
of pictures have been thus brought in succession opposite to the lens and the last
one has passed the latter, the curved projecting piece is pushed forward by a
friction roiler w fixed upon the endless band which carries the pictures, and the
piece forces back the suspended tube so that the coin removed from the fork of
the lever n (as shewn in dotted lines in figure 5) drops into the guide s and
thence into the money drawer t. The lever n when the weight of the coin is
removed returns to its original position by its own weight or by a light spring
and holds the projecting hook m so that the rod 7 cannot be again pushed forward
until a fresh coin has been inserted.
""
The picture which is in the proper position in front of the lens bis illuminated
by means of a lamp, the light of which is concentrated and reflected by the
reflector y.
A rack and pinion (at B figure 3) of the usual well known kind
serve to focus the lens to suit the sight of the observer.
A door is arranged in the upper part of the apparatus by which access is
obtained to adjust and regulate the lampe, and another door D serves to give access
to the mechanism of the apparatus.
The chamber in which the lamp is placed may be entirely lined with looking
glass or other su table reflectors, from which the light is reflected upon the pictures,
and a flame may be arranged between the lens and the picture having an opening of
such size that only the picture itself is visible.
The lamp may be made of such shape that it langs upon the side of the box the
wick and flame being at the end of an arm projecting from it sufficiently far to he
exactly in front and about the centre of the pictures.
Stereoscopic pictures of the ordinary kind may be used, two stereoscopic lenses being
used instead of the single one as described, the mountings which carry the lenses being
arranged so that the lenses can be readily changed and either the single or double
lenses used as required.
The apparatus described may be made of any suitable materials, and the form and
proportions of the several parts may be varied more or less to suit the different circum-
stances in which it is to be used.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :
:-
1. In apparatus for exhibiting pictures or other objects, in which such pictures or
other objects are brought in succession in front of a lens or lenses through which they
are viewed, the combination with the rollers c and d, ratchet wheel e, lever and pall h,
connecting link i, rods k, sliding rod and handle 7, and spring v, of the projecting
hook m, forked lever n, suspended tube o, p, and slot u, arranged and operating sub-
stantially in the manner and for the purpose described and shewn.
2. The combination with the suspended tube or channel o, p, of the projecting
piece r, and roller w carried by the endless band or chain of pictures or other
objects A, for the purpose of removing the coin from the lever n, substantially as
described and shown.
T
1000