MECHANICALLY SHIFTING PHOTO- GRAPHIC BACKGROUNDS
Year: 1884

page_text: I GEORGE WILSON MORGAN Photographer 5 Crimon Place Aberdeen Scotland do
hereby declare the nature of my invention for MECHANICALLY SHIFTING PHOTO-
GRAPHIC BACKGROUNDS, to be as follows:-
Any number of painted scenes from two to twelve of more are tacked on to
rollers and suspended in a rotating case moving on journals at the top of a frame
similar in size to an ordinary photographic scene frame. Any scene required by
the operator can at once be brought into position by causing the case to revolve
until the scene required comes to the front when it is by a simple mechanical
arrangement lowered to the studio floor and by the same arrangement again drawn
up into case and if desired another scene brought to the front and lowered in its
place and so on, thus effecting as many changes of scenery as there are contained
scenes in the rotating caso.
The advantages gained are 1st Equal illumination over every part of the back-
ground each background as it is required coming in front of the others.
2nd Extra portability the backgrounds being enclosed in a circular case they
take up little room and as the whole are fixed in a moveable frame with castors on
the feet they can be moved to either end of the studio with ease.
Deted this third day of Juno eighteen hundred and eighty four.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
I, GEORGE WILSON MORGAN, Photographer, 5 Crimon Place, Aberdeen, Scotland,
do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention for "IMPROVED MULTIPLEX
PHOTOGRAPHIC BACKGROUNDS," and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My Invention consists of a mechanical contrivance for storing and using
photographic back-grounds that will afford the utmost facility to the operator and
place a large quantity of different back-grounds at his disposal for use in the
shortest time. Hitherto photographic back-grounds have been used either stretched
on frames or hung from the roof of the studio on rollers; the drawback in the
former case being the amount of time wasted where a number of changes were
required, and in the latter case the backgrounds being hung from the roof, one
behind or in front of the other, those in front throw a shadow on part of those
behind, and the rollers being fixtures they cannot be moved in any way to suit the
light at the will of the operator.
In my Invention any number of those rollers, (each containing a photographic
background) from two to twelve or more as it may be found most desirable or
convenient are fixed in a case capable of partial rotation. The case containing the
rollers as above mentioned is attached to the top of a movable frame at a
convenient height from the ground. As a background contained in the case is
required, the case is made to revolve until the desired background comes to the
front, when it can by a simple mechanical attachment bo lowered to the studio
floor, and when desired drawn up again by the same mechanical arrangement.
The case may then be again turned, and any of the other scenes contained in it
brought to the front as the operator may desire.
In the accompanying Drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation, and Figure 2 is a
front elevation of my improved multiplex photographic background. Figure 3 is
a sectional elevation to an enlarged scale of part of the rotating case and operating
mechanism.
The backgrounds are painted as usual upon canvas or similar material, and are
each rolled up on a roller A having spindles or centre studs a fitted into end discs
or frames forming part of the rotating case B. The case B is carried by a central
spindle b carried by the framework C, and on one end of the spindle b is fitted a
bevel pinion D gearing into a bevel pinion D¹ on a vertical hollow spindle E whose
lower end is fitted with a hand lever E¹ whereby the spindle E may be partially
rotated to convey through the gearing D, D, a corresponding extent of rotation to
the case B. A square socket or recess is formed in the spindle a of each roller A,
and into one of these recesses at a time fits a spindle on which is a pulley F
driven by a belt F' from a hand wheel F. The spindle is gripped between the
forked ends of a bell-crank lever g operated by an arm on a central spindle H
passing down within the hollow spindle E, and fitted with a hand lever at the
lower end, whereby the bellcrank can be actuated against the power of a spring h
to withdraw the spindle f from its socket in the roller spindle a. While the
spindle is thus withdrawn; the operator may turn the hand lever El to rotate the

page_text: case B and bring a fresh roller. A opposite the spindle f which is then freed, so that
it enters the socket in the spindle a. By turning the hand wheel F', the roller A
is rotated to lower or raise the scene or background which is rolled upon it.
Springs I are fitted to bear against each roller to retain them in any position
desired.
The frame C has castors attached to the feet, and can be moved to any part of a
studio to suit the light, and with as much ease as an ordinary single. frame, the
backgrounds when not in use are out of the way and leave the studio almost clear
of obstruction.
-
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
First: The arrangement or combination of devices forming the improved
multiplex photographic backgrounds or background appliance herein described
and illustrated.
Second: An apparatus for carrying or storing photographic backgrounds, con-
sisting of a case or holder capable of rotation on an axis and fitted with a series
of rollers each adapted to carry a background substantially as herein set forth.
Data in Tatarnimble J. of Tom
100E