GB952059A - Producing optical effects - Google Patents

Abstract

952,059. Optical toys. A. I. COHEN. March 9, 1960 [March 20, 1959 (2)], No. 8251/60. Headings A6M and A68. Apparatus for producing optical effects comprises one or more light sources from which the light is reflected on to a screen by at least one patterned reflector to whose back are applied a series of localised pushes and pulls to cause distortions of the reflector. The light sources may be of any colour and coloured filters changeable manually or automatically may be provided. The intensity of the light sources may also be varied manually or automatically. The reflector may be metal foil reinforced by paper, leather, plastic sheet or textile material or any of these backings may be coated with reflective material or may have reflective beads, glitter material or small mirrors secured thereto. The metal foil may be patterned by crumpling. As shown, Fig. 1, iron bodies 2 on the back of the flexible reflector 1 adhere to electromagnets 4 carried on rods connected to crank-shafts 5. Alternatively, hooks and lugs or pneumatic, hydraulic or electromagnetic means may be used. The member 1 comprises a piece of oil cloth to which pieces of mirror are attached rigidly or by suspension therefrom. The reflector members 1, Fig. 5, may be mounted on an endless belt system 9 supported by pulleys 10 and moved by mechanism 11. The whole arrangement is pivoted on a stand 13 and can be oscillated by a spring and electromagnet 14, while electromagnets 4 produce the local movements of the reflector. A projector 15 with a revolving colour filter 15A throws light on to a mirror 16 which reflects it on to the translucent screen 17. A changing background effect is produced by coloured lamps of varying intensity mounted in reflectors 18 to 24, Fig. 4. A multi-track tape recorder carrying music in one or more tracks may control the lights and reflectors from the other tracks.