IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS For PRODUCING OPTICAL ILLUSIONS, WHICH MAY BE USED FOR
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Bolton, of Moreton Street, Pimlico, in the
County of Middlesex, Upholsterer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN APPARATUS For PRODUCING OPTICAL ILLUSIONS, WHICH MAY BE USED FOR
Sealed the 15th March 1864, and dated the 19th December 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Bolton at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
19th December 1863.
I, CHARLES BOLTON, of Moreton Street, Pimlico, in the County of
Middlesex, Upholsterer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention.
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING OPTICAL ILLUSIONS, WHICH MAY.
BE USED FOR DRAMATIC AND OTHER ENTERTAINMENTS," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to the apparatus and means of producing optical
illusions, such as that now in vogue, and known as the ghost illusion, being
the reflection or refracted image of an actor or object, which is presented on a
sheet of plain glass, and which at the same time that it serves to present the
figure to the spectators, also permits actors and objects to be seen through it..
This sheet of glass I prefer to place in a vertical position, but instead of being
straight across the stage or other place of exhibition, that is, at right angles to
the line of sight of the spectators, I place it at an angle, and I place the actor.
or object to be exhibited on a level with and at the side of the stage, he or it
being placed in a box or chamber which is screened from view, say, by the

page_text: side scenes.
This chamber somewhat resembles a sentry box, but is much
larger, and has no bottom. I mount it on wheels or otherwise, so that it may
be readily moved. The actor or object, instead of being illuminated by
oxhydrogen or other powerful concentrated lights and reflectors, which clearly
exhibit some parts and throw disagreeable shadows on others, is illuminated
by means of ordinary gas lights, and distribute the light uniformly over the
whole, which much enhances the effect. The lights are placed in vertical rows
in the corners or angles behind what may be termed the returns of the
chamber, being the parts constituting the front of the chamber beyond the
width of the door or opening. The interior of the box chamber is black;
the whole of the light is kept within the chamber, and is thrown by reflectors
on the figure within it, but the interior of the chamber being black will not
appear in the reflection. The actor performs in the box, and as he moves
backwards from or approaches closer to the side of the stage so he will appear
further forward or backwards on the stage, and in order to appear moving
across the stage he moves further toward the back or towards the front of the
stage, and need not be confined to the limits of the chamber, as that may be
moved in the direction in which he wishes to move.
In order to protect the actor from the gas burners I enclose the angles or
corners of the chamber by sheets of glass; this may be clear or ground glass,
as desired, or it may be rendered semitransparent by applying a coating of
some suitable matter so as to produce a softened effect, which greatly enhances
the appearance.
Where the chamber is of great depth, angles or corners are formed to
receive other vertical rows of lights (one on each side) which are enclosed by
glass, and with reflectors, as before described, but all screened from the
reflecting glass or medium, to which nothing is presented but the actor or
object and the black interior and screening parts of the chamber, none of
which will be reflected from the glass sheet.
Instead of being at the side, the chamber containing the actor or object to
be exhibited may be placed in front of the sheet of glass, and reflected to the
spectators, in which position I arrange it to move as before described, the
actor walking on the flooring on which it travels. Instead of the image being
transmitted direct from the figure, the black chamber before mentioned may
face the spectators, but is of course hidden from the view; the image is
thrown on a mirror, and thence reflected on to a sheet of clear glass, where it
appears to the spectators. For this purpose I place the actor or object to be
exhibited on a platform above the stage upon which the image is to be repre-
sented; it may be near the ceiling; the object or actor faces towards the

page_text: audience, but is hidden from the spectators by a curtain or drop scene; behind
this drop scene is placed the reflecting mirror, a (silvered sheet of glass) at
such an angle as will reflect the image down on the plate of clear glass, which
I incline backwards from the audience, and in the opposite direction to that.
hitherto adopted.
In lighting up the chamber before mentioned, or it may be a room and
immovable, several objects may be exhibited therein simultaneously, the
forward objects or those near the sides being lighted by lights disposed and
screened as before described, while those in the middle I illuminate by lights
placed behind, and screened by other of the objects exhibited.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Charles Bolton in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 18th
June 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
BOLTON, of Moreton Street, Pimlico, in the County of Middlesex, Upholsterer,
.send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-seventh year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Charles Bolton, Her special licence that I, the said Charles Bolton, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Charles
Bolton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR
PRODUCING OPTICAL ILLUSIONS, WHICH MAY BE USED FOR DRAMATIC AND OTHER
ENTERTAINMENTS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Charles Bolton, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par-
ticularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in
what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be
filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Charles Bolton, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, that is to say :-
This Invention relates to the apparatus and means of producing optical
illusions, such as are now in vogue, and known as the ghost illusion, being the
reflection or refracted image of an actor or object which is presented on a
sheet of plain glass, and which at same time that it serves to present the figure
to the spectator, also permits actors and objects to be seen through it. This
sheet of glass I prefer to place in a vertical position, but instead of being
straight across the stage or other place of exhibition, that is, at right angles to
the line of sight of the spectators, I place it at an angle, and I place the actor
or object to be exhibited on the level of and at the side of the stage, he or it
being placed in a box or chamber which is screened from view, say, by the
side scenes. This chamber somewhat resembles a sentry box, but is much
larger, and has no bottom. I mount it on wheels or otherwise, so that it may
be readily moved. The actor or object, instead of being illuminated by
oxyhydrogen or other powerful concentrated lights and reflectors, which clearly
exhibits some parts and throw disagreable shadows on others, I illuminate
by means of ordinary gas lights, and distribute the light uniformly over the
whole, which much enhances the effect. The lights are placed in vertical
rows in the corners or angles behind what may be termed the returns of the
chamber, being the parts constituting the front of the chamber beyond the
width of the door or opening. The interior of the box or chamber is black; the
whole of the light is also kept within the chamber, and is thrown by reflectors
on the figure within it, but the interior of the chamber being black will not
appear in the reflection. The actor performs in the box, and as he moves
backwards from or approaches closer to the side of the stage so he will
appear further forward or backwards on the stage, and in order to appear
moving across the stage he moves towards the back or towards the front of
the stage, and need not be confined to the limits of the chamber, as that may
be moved in the direction in which he wishes to move.
In order to protect the actor from the gas burners I enclose the angles or
corners of the chambers by sheets of glass; this may be clear or ground glass,
as desired, or it may be rendered semitransparent by applying a coating of
some suitable matter, and so produce a softened effect, which greatly enhances
the appearance.
Where the chamber is of great depth, angles or corners are formed to
receive other vertical rows of lights (one on each side) which are enclosed by

page_text: glass, and with reflectors, as before described, but all screened from the
reflecting glass or medium, to which nothing is presented but the actor or
object and the black interior and screening parts of the chamber, none of
which will be reflected from the glass sheet.
Instead of being in the side, this chamber containing the actor or object to
be exhibited may be placed in front of the sheet of glass, and reflected to the
spectators, in which position I arrange it to move as before described, the
actor walking on the flooring on which it travels. Instead of the image being
transmitted direct from the figure, the black chamber before mentioned may
face the spectators, but is of course hidden from their view; the image is
thrown on a mirror, and thence reflected on to the sheet of clear glass, where
it appears to the spectator. For this purpose I place the actor or object to
be exhibited on a platform above the stage upon which the image is to be
represented; it may be near the ceiling; the object or actor faces towards the
audience, but is hidden from the spectators by a curtain or drop scene;
behind this drop scene is placed the reflecting miror (a silvered sheet of
glass) at such an angle as will reflect the image down on the plate of clear
glass, which I incline backwards from the audience, and in the opposite
direction to that hitherto adopted.
In lighting up the chamber before mentioned, or it may be a room, and
immovable, several objects may be exhibited therein simultaneously, the
forward objects or those near the sides being lighted by lights disposed and
screened as before described, while those in the middle I illuminate by lights
placed behind, and screened by other of the objects exhibited.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Bolton, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
CHARLES BOLTON. (L.B.)