Circumferential stereo spectacular, 360 degrees horizontally and vertically with mosaic in scene

• US 3,989,362 A
• Filed: 11/01/1972
• Issued: 11/02/1976
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Henry Merritt Farnum
• Original Assignee: Henry Merritt Farnum
• Inventors: Farnum, Henry Merritt
• Primary Examiner(s): Hayes, Monroe H.
• Application Number:
  US05/302,901
• Time in Patent Office: 1,462 Days
• Field of Search: 352/69, 352/70, 352/71, 352/243
• US Class Current: 352/69
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 15/08 Trick photography
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 37/00 Panoramic or wide-screen photography; Photographing extended surfaces, e.g. for surveying; Photographing internal surfaces, e.g. of pipe

Abstract

This invention is an improved apparatus for recording and displaying a scene. It comprises a camera positioned at a location in a mosaic comprising a stage, to record said scene to be photographed which selectively extends beyond said mosaic. Said scene when projected upon a cyclorama substantially fills the field of vision of an observer, creating the illusion of reality. Said cyclorama is in the form of a generally symmetrical geometric figure. Said camera selectively rotates at a uniform speed in a predetermined pattern, and at least one projector is mounted on the optical axis of said camera for projecting the image recorded on said film back to the portion of said cyclorama corresponding to the respective portion of said scene.

Claims

1. In a stage with a cyclorama, an improved apparatus to record and display a scene, comprising:

a stage with a first horizontal plane comprising locations at equal linear increments in the pattern of an equilateral triangle, and three similar planes comprising with said first plane the surfaces of a tetrahedron with a mosaic of those locations;

a cyclorama around at least a portion of said stage and generally spherical, with its center at a selected location in said tetrahedron; and

a camera universally pivoted at a selected location in said mosaic and drive means for rotating said camera at a uniform speed in a panning motion to record on film the scene on said stage.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said cyclorama comprises a regular polyhedron with its geometric center coinciding with the optical axis of said camera and with the geometric center of said tetrahedron.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said cyclorama comprises a regular polyhedron with its geometric center coinciding with the optical axis of said camera, and wherein said center coincides with a selected location in the mosaic of that tetrahedron.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, comprising means for actuating said camera at selected points along the path of said panning motion for recording different fields of view.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said mosaic of said tetrahedron comprises a plane similar to each plane and parallel thereto, at each incremental location, for the pivot of said camera.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, with an object in said stage positioned at a selected location in said mosaic and within the field of view of said camera.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the size of said object is a selected ratio of life size in a model of said scene.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising at least one projector for mounting on the optical axis of said camera during photographing of said scene and projecting the images recorded on said film back to their corresponding portion of said cyclorama.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said camera is a video camera and said projector is a video tape projector.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said camera comprises a focal plane shutter for recording a continuous image on a loop of film.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said camera comprises two lenses for recording left hand and right hand stereo images on said loop of film.

12. In a stage with a cyclorama, an improved apparatus to record and display a scene, comprising:

a stage with a first horizontal plane comprising locations at equal linear increments in the pattern of an equilateral triangle, comprising a mosaic of those locations,

a cyclorama around at least a portion of said stage and generally spherical, with its center at a selected location in said mosaic; and

a camera universally pivoted at a selected location in said mosaic and drive means for rotating said camera at a uniform speed in a panning motion to record on film the scene on said stage.

13. In a stage with a cyclorama, an improved apparatus to record and display a scene, comprising:

a stage comprising a mosaic of locations in predetermined relationship to a cyclorama comprising a generally symmetrical geometric figure;

said cyclorama around at least a portion of said stage and generally spherical, with its center at a selected location in said mosaic; and

a camera universally pivoted at a selected location in said mosaic and drive means for rotating said camera at a uniform speed in a panning motion to record on film the scene on said stage.