Patent ID: 8244117

Claim:
A photo motion machine for creating an animated video of changing views of an object, said machine comprising: camera means for taking still photographs of the object; first means for moving the camera means toward and away from the object; a carriage on which the camera means is mounted; column means for moveably supporting the carriage, the column means being hollow and extending upward from and being supported by the first means, said hollow column means extending completely through the carriage, the carriage circumscribing the hollow column means; means located within said hollow column means and being connected to the carriage for maintaining the position of the carriage in relation to said hollow column means; second means for tilting the camera toward and away from the object, whereby simultaneous movement of the camera means by the first means, the second means, and the carriage transports the camera means through an arcuate route of travel from a bottom position facing the object to an upper position directly over the object and back to the bottom position, said route of travel comprising a plurality of predetermined camera positions; and means for controlling the operation of the camera means and the first means, the second means, and the carriage whereby the controlling means directs the camera means to take a still photographic image of the object at each of the predetermined camera positions.