US2114801A - Optical illusion effect or the like - Google Patents

Description

F. O KING April 19 19.

Original Filed Feb.- 21, 1955 Patented Apr. 1, 1938 -51 rein Original application February 21, 1935, Serial No.

Patent No. 2,074,297, dated March 16, Divided and this application February 17, 1937, Serial No. 126,178

2 Claims.

The present invention relates to the production of optical illusion effects or the like.

An important object of the present improvement is to produce the realistic efiect to the eye 5 of the observer of specially illuminated objects,

without the actual use of such special illumination.

While the invention may be embodied in various forms, including figures in the round, in the present illustrative construction, cardboard panels are employed which lend themselves to what is known as cut-out display advantageous for advertising purposes, such as in store windows or the like.

This application is a division of my co-pending application Ser. No. 7,506, filed February 21, 1.935.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description, taken together with the accompanying drawing, in which:-

Figure 1 is a front view of a composite structure embodying the present invention;

Figure 2 is a crosssection taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; and

Figure 3 is a perspective view' of the parts in separated or exploded relation.

As best shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the illustrative embodiment here shown comprises a foreground surface such as the front panel it, a background surface in proximity thereto, such as the rear 30 panel H, and an intermediate figure or object l2, all in different spaced-apart planes, preferably parallel, from front to rear of the composite display 3. The composite display 53, in addition to the foregoing principal elements, may include a box-like structure of cardboard or the like having a rear wall Hi, side walls i5, i5, and bottom ill. In this instance the rear panel I! is secured as by pasting or the like over the area of the rear wall I4. The figure or object i2 may also be cut out of cardboard, and by means of the angularly turned base part Hi may be made to stand upright on the bottom ii at any desired point intermediate the panels Hi, i 5.

Also in the present construction, the front panel may be secured by gluing or the like to the inwardly turned flanged parts 59, of the side walls !5, 16, the front panel it also being substantially of the same area, over all, as the panel H and rear wall M.

In accordance with the present invention, the front panel is generally frame-ii 2e, having a relatively large sight opening '25 therein. Following the invention, a figure 22 is shown formed coplanar with the front panel iii as by being cut out to project into the sight opening 2!, for example, in the vicinity of a lower corner thereof.

In this instance the figure 22 represents or simulates a man holding a conventional hand flash-light lamp 23, a somewhat rearward View of the man and flash-light being depicted, and the flash-light appearing to be directed upon the upper portion of the rearwardly disposed figure it which maybe assumed to represent the figure of a woman. It will be noted that figure I2 is not only spaced in a plane to the rear of the figure but is also staggered with respect thereto transversely of the panels, as best shown in Fig. 1. Manifestly, if the lamp 23 were a real light the upper forward surface 24 of the figure l2 would be illuminated and a disk or circle of light would be thrown upon the panel I I, somewhat to the right of the figure i2, with the shadow of the figure i2 within. said circle.

To produce the illusion of this actual effect, I produce a circle-like expanse 25 on the panel I i of lighter color, for example, white, in contrast to the darker background 26 making up the rest of the surface of the panel H, and this darker expanse 2t continuing into the circle-like portion 25 as at 2'? in an outlined counterpart of the upper portion of the figure it, this counterpart being slightly enlarged as would naturally occur, to simulate the shadow of the upper part of the woman represented by the figure l2.

Since the figure i2 and its partial counterpart 2'5 are staggered transversely of the panels, as best shown in Fig. 1, the eye of the observer looking at the front of the display stand !3 and through the sight opening 25 secs both the figure and its counterpart or shadow at the same time, and as the figure and its illuminated shadow are in different planes spaced at difierent distances from. the eye of the observer, but still in relatively close proximity, the effect of a real rather than a pictured shadow is produced upon the observer, this being further enhanced by the provision of the man holding the simuiated source of light in still a third plane. Furthermore, the upper portion 24 of the figure 42 may be differentiated from 4 the lower portlon thereor to enhance the effect of illumination of this part of the figure i2 by the simulated illuminating means 23, In conventional co-planar pictures, in attempting to produce a similar effect, a cone of pictured light wouid be employed, but by means of my invention the effect is produced and the appearance of reality is enhanced, without the necessity for the cone.

It will be understood that the various figures or their counterparts might be in relief, thus further enhancing the efiect.

If necessary or desirable to heighten the realistic effect, the expanse 25 might be slightly elongated vertically to correspond with its appearance of being slightly rotated from the normal with respect to the eye of the observer, in order to present the figure l2 and its simulated shadow 2'. in staggered relation from left to right with respect to the figure 22.

Various modifications of the invention may occur to the user, all employing my essential idea here disclosed, and such adaptations may therefore be made as fall Within the scope of the appended claims Without departing from the invention.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. Means for producing an optical illusion effect or the like comprising, in combination, a representation of a source of light directed upon an object, an object upon which the represented source of light is directed, and a picture of a shadow of said object, said representation, object and picture being in different planes.

2. Means for producing an optical illusion effect or the like comprising in combination a front panel having a sight opening therein, a figure cut out from said panel and projected into said opening, a second figure rearwardly disposed of said front panel and a rear panel rearwardly disposed from said second figure, said second figure and rear panel being visible through the sight opening, and said figures being staggered transversely of the panels, the first-mentioned figure including the simulation of a lighting means directed upon the said second figure, and the rear panel carrying a simulation of an expanse of light directed thereupon by the lighting means of the first panel and within said expanse the simulation of a shadow cast by the second figure, said shadow being also staggered with respect to both the first-mentioned figure and the said second figure.

FRANK 0. KING.

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