GB2245079A

GB2245079A - Portable viewer

Info

Publication number: GB2245079A
Application number: GB9009815A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David William Harrison
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1990-05-01
Filing date: 1990-05-01
Publication date: 1991-12-18
Also published as: GB9009815D0

Abstract

A means of viewing stereoscopic photographs using a booklet style viewer. The viewing lens holder 11 unfolds from the cover 2 and is focused by a sliding member 8. Stereo paired photographs are mounted back to back in clear plastic envelopes 6 attached to a removable shoe 5. The shoe fits into a track 4 mounted on the spine 3 of the book, said shoe may be removed, turned through 180 degrees re-inserted into the track to view the reverse side of the photographs contained in the envelopes. Innumerable sets of stereo photographs contained in spare shoes can likewise be viewed. Compact and constructed of lightweight material and able to contain many stereo photographs, with the ability to accept other prepared sets allows the user to carry it and spare sets in a pocket or handbag. <IMAGE>

Description

PORTABLE VIEWER.

The present invention relates to a portable viewer for viewing stereo photographs.

Stereo photography has been in existance for many years, and involves looking at two pictures through a viewer. A typical viewer has simply been two spaced apart lenses which are held up to the eyes with one hand, and then it is nescessary to hold the photographs with the other hand and move them backwards and forwards until they are in focus. This is extremely cumbersome and tiring on the arms when viewing a series of pictures. The photos and lenses are separate and not designed particularly to be portable. Other viewers do exist such as sold under the trade mark "Viewmaster" for viewing sides held in circular discs, but these are not suitable for viewing individual's photographs for they only accept the disc format. Also such a device is not especially portable.

According to the present invention there is provided a viewer for looking at stereo photographs comprising a book having a front and back substantially rigid cover connected by a spine, said front cover including a pair of lenses for viewing stereo photgraphs and said spine being attached'to a holder supporting one or more pictures to be viewed. Preferably said front cover contains an inner telescoping member having attached thereto a said lenses optionally hinged to said inner telescoping member, movement of said telescoping memhr relative to the front cover adjusting the focus. Preferably said holder slides into a track in said spine and is rotatable through 180 degrees whereby two pictures placed back to back in said holder can be viewed.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a side view of a viewer according to the invent ion, and Figure 2 shows a plan view of the inner telescoping member and lenses.

Referring to Figure 1, there is shown a book like device having a substantially rigid back cover I connected to a front cover 2 by a spine 3. Front cover 2 is hinged to spine 3, but back cover is rigidly fixed to spine 3 at 90 degrees. Attached to spine 3 is a track 4 into which slides a holder in the form of a shoe 5 supporting a plurality of photographs. Shoe 5 can be removed , turned through 180 degrees and then put back whereby any two photographs placed back to back can be viewed.

Photographs 6 may be held in clear envelopes hinged at point 7 whereby after viewing they can be dropped to face front cover 2 thus exposing the photograph behind. It will be seen that track 4 is slanted at about 5 degrees relative to the spine 3, this is to ensure that the photographs already viewed clear the viewing path of the next picture to be viewed.

Referring to figures 1 and 2, front cover 2 includes a telescoping member in the form of a plate 8 which telescopes in and out of front cover 2. Plate 8 is prevented from being fully withdrawn by sprung wedges 9 which mate with holes 10 in front cover 10. A lense holder 11 containing two lenses 12a and 12b is hinged to plate 8 by hinge 13. Plate 8 and lens holder 11 includes a cutaway portion 14, so as to allow a nose to extend therethrough when eyes are in close proximity to the lenses 12a and 12b. When the viewer is not in use, lens holder 11 is plated galt against plate 8 and both are pushed into front cover 2. Front cover is then closed and the whole viewer is then placeable in a poctet or the like offering a very portable neat unit.

When it is decided to view pictures, front cover 2 is folded open and the plate 8 withdrawn, lens holder 11 raised and pictures 6 viewed. By adjusting the extent plate 8 is withdrawn, so the correct focus is obtained. When one picture has been viewed, it can be folded down towards front cover 2 exposing the next picture. As mentioned before, if the pictures are mounted back to back in the clear envelopes the whole shoe can be removed and turned around through 90 degrees to view another set of photographs. Also spare shoes containing other photographs to be viewed can be inserted in track 4.

The viewer could be made of suitable material , e.g plastics.

Further modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

A A stereoscopic viewer in the form of a book, comprising of a stiff cover in which the viewing lens on a focusing slide is incorperated. The stereo paired photographs are in the form of pages held in a removable shoe that fits into z tilted track attached to the spine of the book.

2 A stereoscopic viewer as claimed in claim 1 wherein the viewing lens unfolds from the cover of the book.

A A stereoscopic. viewer as claimed in claim g or claim a wherein the viewing lens is adjusted for focus by a telescopic member attached to both the lens and the cover0 4 A stereoscopic viewer as claimed in claim 1 wherein the spine of the book has a track set at an angle from the horizontal to accept and retain the shoe containing the stereo paired photographs.

5 A stereoscopic viewer as claimed in claim 1 or claim 4 wherein the removable shoe has attached to it by soft hinges a plurality of clear plastic envelopes that accept two pairs of stern photographs mounted back to back.

6 A stereoscopic viewer as claimed in claim - or claim 5 wherein all shoes used therein may be removed, turned through 180 degrees and re- inserted into the track on the spine to view the reverse pairing.

7 A stereoscopic viewer substantially as described herein with referance to Figures 1-SWof the accompanying drawing.