Improvements in Kinetoscopes,
Year: 1898

page_text: PROVIDIUNAL
DIECIFICATION.
Improvements in Kinetoscopes,
I, PHILIPPINE WOLFF, of 19, Königgrätzerstrasse, Berlin in the Empire of
Germany, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to a kinetoscope constructed on a new and very simple
principle, which allows of obtaining and easily examining animated pictures
without having to bring the eye near the ocular-glass, which might be arranged
n the apparatus, to make it possible to see the said pictures, as is the case with
he kinetoscopes now in use.
For that purpose, I provide the objective opening in the front vertical wall
of the kinetoscope and pass the pictures successively behind the glass with which
the said opening is provided, and against which the pictures come vertically one
after another, thereby making it extremely easy for the standing or seated spec-
tator to follow the development of the animated scene shown.
I have also noticed that, in the several kinetoscopes now in use, the illusion of
the movement of the pictures produced by the rapid succession of the said photo-
graphic pictures taken at very short intervals, is necessarily very imperfect on
account of the very short stay made by each of the pictures behind the ocular glass,
and of irregularity in the speed of the movement.
My apparatus simply prevents these disadvantages and makes it possible to have,
enclosed in a case of small dimensions, a mechanism operating in a faultless manner
and showing animated scenes of the greatest clearness and lasting any length of
time.
My kinetoscope is entirely enclosed in a casing of rectangular shape and varying
size, in one of the vertical faces of which is provided an opening having the same
dimensions, or approximately the same dimensions, as the picture to be seen, and
provided with a very clear glass through which the animated scenes are to be
observed. Within the casing and on both sides of the opening are fixed two
metal or wooden guides, extending upwards to the top of the apparatus to guide
the pictures when passing behind the glass.
To the front or back wall of the casing are fixedly attached, at the top and
bottom, the bearings for the shafts of the pulleys on which pass the endless chains
on which are mounted the picture carriers.
The said pulleys are grooved and have two flat cheeks provided with recesses
and grooves to receive and carry forward the links of the chains which are housed
therein, the links coming edgewise entering into the recesses and those coming
flat entering into the grooves. On each of the links coming edgewise into the
pulley and in each of the chains is fixed by means of a ring or any other suitable
device, and at both sides, the edge of a picture-carrier, which is thus maintained
parallel to the axis of the pulley shaft. The picture-carrier comprises, in principle,
two pieces of card-board or thin wood connected together by a flexible band of
fabric or any other suitable material, and which allows the pieces the first of which
is connected to the links and the second of which carries the picture, to take
several different inclinations the one to the other.

page_text: The position of the pulleys is so determined that, when passing behind the
opening, each picture shall come vertically against the glass which is there arranged,
between the two guides.
By turning the crank handle which operates the upper shaft, the pictures may be
caused to pass successively behind the glass at a suitable speed, animated pictures
being thus produced, and without it being necessary, as in the case of the kineto-
scopes now in use, to bring the eye near to an occular-glass, the result being that
there need be no other light than that afforded by the opening which is never
darkened by the observer's head.
It is indispensable, in apparatus of this kind, to cause the pictures to stay an
instant behind the glass, while the other pictures are continuing to move and
also to cause the next picture to take the place of the one which is being examined.
For that purpose, I may use any suitable means and more especially the arrange-
ment hereinafter described which is very simple and gives very clear pictures.
At the side of the opening and arranged parallel to and against the front wall
of the casing, is a star wheel loosely mounted on its shaft, and of which one of the
points comes under the picture-carrier, while another point is held by a spring,
in such a manner that the picture-carrier, which comes against the glass of the
kinetoscope, is stopped for an instant in its downward movement, by its abutting
against the point of the said star wheel, and until the movement of the endless
chain which continues puts sufficient tension on the pieces to overcome the opposing
spring bearing against the point, and causes, through the movement of th
wheel, the disappearance of the picture, and its instantaneous replacement by the
next picture behind the glass of the opening. The dimensions and the shape of
the points of the wheel must be determined in such a manner that each of the
said points comes and acts in the same way under the successive picture-carriers.
The star wheel might be dispensed with, in which case the stop would be brought
about by the spring, or by any other similar device.
I may apply the above described apparatus to scenes of any length and to
pictures of all sizes by suitably modifying the position of the pulleys and the
size of the opening.
The shafts of the pulleys may be operated either by hand, or electrically by means
of accumulators, or by clock-work and a driving spring.
The apparatus may be made with only one endless chain, and in any suitable
material, and have at the outside any suitable ornamentation.
Dated this 2nd day of June 1898
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.
I, PHILIPPINE WOLFF, of 19, Königgrätzerstrasse, Berlin in the Empire of
Germany, 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:-
This invention relates to a kinetoscope constructed in accordance with a novel
and very simple principle, enabling animated views to be readily produced and
viewed, without the necessity of applying the eye to an ocular glass arranged
upon the apparatus, such as has hitherto been necessary in devices of this kind,
in order to render the pictures visible.

page_text: For this purpose, I arrange the aperture for the objective upon the front
vertical wall of the kinetoscope, and cause the pictures to pass successively behind
the glass with which this aperture is provided, such pictures coming vertically
into position before the glass one after the other, thereby enabling a spectator
who is sitting or standing in front of the apparatus, to readily and comfortably
follow the development of the animated scene which is being represented.
I have noticed that in the various continuous kinetoscope as hitherto constructed,
the illusion of the movement of the pictures produced by the rapid succession of
drawings or photographs taken at extremely short intervals, is necessarily very
imperfect, by reason of the very short time during which each of these pictures
remains in front of the ocular glass and the irregular velocity of the movement.
By means of my improved apparatus these various defects may be avoided in
a simple manner, with the advantage also that, enclosed within a box of limited
dimensions there is contained a mechanism which is absolutely certain in its
operation, and which expose the animated pictures with great clearness for any
desired duration.
In the accompanying drawings, I have represented, by way of example, the
principal constructional arrangements of my novel apparatus;
Figure
is a vertical section taken upon a plane parallel with the front wall
of the apparatus.
Figure 2 is a vertical section taken on a plane at right angles to that represented
in Figure 1.
Figure 3 is an external elevation of the apparatus, and
Figure 4 represents one of the jointed picture carriers, and its method of attach-
ment to the endless chain.
My kinetoscope is entirely enclosed within a box a having the form of a reetan-
gular prism of any suitable dimensions, in one of the vertical faces of which is
formed an aperture b, having the same, or approximately the same, dimensions
as the picture to be exhibited, and which is provided with a glass of a high degree
of transparency through which the animated picture is seen. Within the box,
and upon each side of the aperture b, are fixed two metal or wooden blades " which
are continued as far as the top of the apparatus, and serve to guide the pictures
during their passage behind the glass.
Upon either the front or rear wall of the box a, and at the upper and lower parts
of the same, are fixed small supports, 1, 2, 3, 4, which are firmly fixed in position,
and through which pass the shafts e f carrying the pulleys g h over which pass
the endless chains upon which the picture carriers are mounted.
9
These pulleys g h are grooved and are provided with two flat cheeks in which
are formed recesses and grooves, serving for the reception and driving of the
links of the chains which enter them, according as such links present their flat
sides or their edges.
To each of the links of the chains j, which presents itself edgeways to the
pulleys, there is fixed by means of a ring or in any other suitable manner, the
edges of a picture carrier, which being fixed upon both its sides to the chains i j
respectively is thus maintained parallel with the axis of the pulley shaft.
The picture carrier consists, in principle, of two parts of cardboard or thin
wood, connected one with the other by means of a flexible band m, of canvas or
other suitable material, which enables the parts and 7, the first of which is
attached to the links of the chains, whilst the second carries the picture, to assume
various relative degrees of inclination. The position of the pulleys is such that
each picture, during its passage in front of the aperture is applied vertically
against the glass with which this aperture is provided, between the two guides č.
By turning the erank actuating the upper shaft e, all the pictures may be
readily caused to pass in succession before the glass with any desired velocity,
animated pictures being produced without its being necessary, as in apparatus of
this kind hitherto in use, to apply the eye to an eye-glass, and also without its

page_text: being necessary to provide any other means of illumination than the aperture b
which is never obstructed by the head of the spectator.
It is indispensable in apparatus of this kind to momentarily arrest the picture
Behind the glass while the movement of the other pictures is continuing, and the
next picture is taking up its position behind that which is, for the time being,
visible. In order to produce this result, I may employ any suitable means, that
which I prefer being the simplified device represented in the drawing, which
enables very clear and sharp picture to be obtained.
Upon the side of the box upon which the aperture bis situated, against this wall,
I provide a small star-wheel o mounted loose upon its axis p, one of the teeth o
of which comes beneath the picture carrier, whilst another tooth is maintained
by a spring r In this manner, the picture carrier which is applied against the
glass of the kinetoscope, is momentarily arrested, in its movement of descent owing
to its striking against the tooth o' of the star-wheel, until the movement of the
endless chain, which has been continuous, produces sufficient tension in the parts &
and m to overcome the resistance of the spring r upon the tooth ²,
and the resistance to the movement of the star-wheel, and causes the
sudden disappearance of the picture l and its instantaneous replace-
ment by the succeeding picture behind the glass in the aperture 4.
The dimensions and form of the teeth of the star-wheel o should be determined
in such a manner that each of them acts in the same manner beneath the succes-
sive picture carriers. Instead of employing a star-wheel, I may produce the
necessary stoppage of the picture by means of the spring alone, or in any other
suitable manner.
In Figure 2 is clearly shown the manner in which the jointed picture carriers
are superposed and arranged with respect one to the other, during the displacement
of the endless chains in the direction indicated by the arrow.
I may employ the apparatus which has been described for exhibiting scenes of
any, duration or length, and pictures of any size, it being only necessary to suitably
modify the position of the pulleys and the size of the aperture 6.
The pulley shafts may either be operated by hand as shown in the drawing,
electrically by means of secondary batteries, or by means of a clockwork movement
with a driving spring.
The apparatus may be provided with one endless chain only, any suitable material
being used in its construction. It may also be provided externally with any
suitable ornamentation.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. A kinetoscope for exhibiting animated pictures, in which the pictures which
are presented successively and vertically behind the glass, with which the aper-
ture formed in the front vertical wall of the apparatus is provided may be viewed
from a distance; these pictures being arranged upon jointed picture carriers,
fixed upon one of their edges to one link of an endless chain, or to two corre-
sponding links of two endless chains, passing over two chain pulleys,
the cheeks of which are formed with recesses corresponding to the links
of the chain, the successive stoppage of the pictures behind the glass, being pro-
duced by spring-operated or other mechanism, substantially as above specified.
2. In a kinetoscope constructed in accordance with Claim 1, the cardboard or
wooden picture carriers formed in two parts jointed together, one of which carries
the picture whilst the other is fixed to the links of the endless chain or chains
driven by the recessed pulleys substantially as above described, with reference to
the accompanying drawings.
3. In a kinetoscope constructed in accordance with Claim 1, the arrangement
of lateral guides at the objective aperture against which each picture, which is
vertically applied is stopped momentarily by the action of a star wheel, which is

page_text: submitted to the action of a flat counter spring, substantially as above described,
with reference to the accompanying drawing.
4. The kinetoscope constructed in accordance with the preceding claims, and
enabling animated pictures to be plainly seen from a distance without its being
necessary to approach the apparatus nearly, by the successive passage vertically
of the pictures behind the glass of the objective aperture, substantially and in
detail in the manner above described, with reference to the accompanying drawing.
5. The application of my kinetoscope to the exhibition of animated pictures of
any duration whatever may be the nature and dimensions of the pictures.
Dated this 2nd day of March 1899.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.