US703416A - Shadowgraph. - Google Patents

Description

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIC JOHN G. HIRSOH, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

SHADOWG RAPH.

SPEGIFICATIQN forming part of Letters Patent No. 703,416, dated July 1, 1902.

Application filed February 1, 1902. $erial No. 92,158. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN G. HIRSOH, residing at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsim have invented a new and useful Improvement in Shadowgraphs, of which the following-is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which are a part of this specification.

My invention relates to a device which I call a shadowgraph, that may be made in many forms and which is so constructed as to cast a shadow when properly handled or applied and is intended for the purpose of amusement or to attract attention and is well adapted as a means, in connection with advertising, to attract attention to the card or sheet on which advertising matter is placed.

The device includes transparent or translucent material, like a sheet of paper, or, advisably,cardboard, of paper or celluloid,which I call the shadow-board, with a figure or figures cut or formed of opaque or light-obstructing material and fastened or secured to the rear surface of the shadow-board either centrally or at distant points, theportions of the figure or figures not directly fastened to the shadow-board being bent or carried away from the surface of the shadow-board, so as to permit lightwhen coming thereto in an ob lique direction to pass underneath the parts of the figure thus carried away from the shadowboard. With a device thus constructed and held up before the eyes by placing a small but sharp light at the rear of the device and moving the light around from place to place or by holding the light still and moving the device around in .front of the light an apparent movement of the figure is produced that attracts attention and may be either amusing or interesting, or both, depending on the character of the figure and the effect produced thereby. Anyformoffiguremaybeemployed that is desired, and I have shown three forms of figures in the drawings to illustrate limitedly the variety of figures that may be used.

In the drawings, Figure 1 illustrates my improved shadowgraph with the figure of a brownie employed therewith. It is a rear View. Fig. 2 is an edge view of the device shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a front view of the' shadow-board of the device shown in Fig. 1, the eifect of the shadow being shown thereon.

Fig. 4 is a shadowgraph having the figure of a' snake coiled and secured to theshadowboard. Fig. 5 is an edge View of the device shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a device with the figure of a butterfly thereon. Fig. 7 is an edge View of the device shown in Fig. 6.

In the drawings, 8 represents the shadowboard, which may be in the form of a card, as shown in the drawings, or may be of any other form desired, but must beof transparent or translucent material adapted to permit the passage of more or less light through it. In Figs. 1 and 2 a figure 9 of a brownie is shown, which figure is cut from some thin material which is opaque or to some extent" light-obstructing. This figure I have shown as fastened to the rear surface of the shadowboard 8 at the toes 10 and also at the upper end of the body 11. The intermediate portion 12 is curved away from the shadow-board 8, as also the head 13, and the arms 14: are bent or carried away from the surface of the shadow-board. Holding this device with one hand before the eyes, especially in the dark, and holding a candle or even a lighted match in the other hand and moving it around in a circle or in irregular form at the rear of the device a; shadow will be cast on the shadowboard, which can be seen through the board at the front, somewhat as shown at 15 in Fig. 3, which shadow will be constantly changing, making the head, arms, and body of the brownie to appear to be moving, giving to the brownie the appearance and action of a contortionist.

. In FigsA and 5 I show the figure of a snake 16 in coiled form, and the figure in this instance is secured to the shadow-board along a central longitudinal line 17, and the margins of the figure above and. below this line of attachment are curved or carried away from the shadow-board, so that the relatively moving light in its changing positions will shine obliquely under and past the figure, casting a shadow that will be constantly changing in form as the light moves about, giving the snake the appearance of rolling along on the shadow-board.

In Figs. 6 and 7 I have shown the figure of a butterfly 18, which in this instance is attached to the shadow-board on a central longitudinal line vertically. The extended wings or margins 19 of the figure are bent or carried away from the shadow-board, whereby a light moved about at the rear of the device will throw its rays past the thus-distant margins of the figure in oblique directions onto and through the shadow-board, thus giving the figure when the light is moved about or relatively the appearance of flying or movement on the shadow-board.

The figures may be secured to the shadowboard by paste or cement or even by staples or in any other convenient manner, though some adhesive substance is preferred. The figures might even be inserted through slits made therefor in the shadow-board. The specific means for securing the figures to the shadow-board forms no part of my invention and is therefore not specifically illustrated.

From the three illustrations shown in the drawings it will be understood that the figures employed may vary unlimitedly, for not only may figures of animals be employed, but figures of athletes, ballet-dancers, highland dancers, Washerwomen, clowns, rope-walkers, or any other figure that strikes the fancy of the user may be employed.

It will beunderstood from the foregoing description of the construction and operation of my shadowgraph that in order to obtain the shadow by the method to be employed parts of the figure must be distant or separated by a space from the shadow-board, so that rays of light coming thereto in oblique direction and passing the figure will pass through the shadow-board under or at an angle to those parts of the figure, and while in the drawings devices are illustrated in which only parts of the figure are bent or carried away from the shadow-board it should also be understood that by curving or carrying the shadow-board away from parts of a fiat figure substantially the same or quite similar effects could be obtained, and such construction must be deemed the equivalent of that shown and hereinbefore described.

WVhat I claim as my invention is-- 1. A shadowgraph, comprising a translucent shadow-board, a figure secured thereto at one or more points, one at least of which points is medially of the figure or at a distance from its termination other parts of the figure extending a distance from the board whereby light can pass obliquely under the part or parts of the figure thus separated from the board and cast a shadow thereon.

2. A shadowgraph, comprising a board or sheet of light-transmitting material, a figure in light-obstructing material secured medially to the light-transmitting material, other parts of the figure being at a distance from but opposite to the light-transmitting material.

3. An article of manufacture, consisting of a sheet or board of light-transmitting material, a figure of light-obstructing material secured at a point or points one at least of which points is medially of the figure or at a distance from its termination to the surface of the light-transmitting material and having other parts opposite to but at a distance from the light-transmitting material.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN G. I-IIRSCH.

\Vitnesses:

C. T. BENEDICT, ANNA V. FAUsT.

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