Vision by Radio - Early Television Foundation

In sending pictures electrically, there have beenbut two methods employed, perhaps the only methodspossible; namely (a) a cylinder mechanism; and (b)a flat surface.Without exception, every scheme which hadattained any degree of success, before the authoradopted flat surfaces, has depended upon synchronousrotation of two cylinders, one at the sending stationwith the picture thereon to be sent ;and the otherat the receiving station where the picture is to beput.Perhaps the very obviousness of the cylinderscheme, and that there are no patents to prevent,explains why it has been employed by so many.And there have been many workers in this line ofendeavor; for example, in England, Lord Northcliff,Sir Thompson, Mr. Evans and Mr. Baker; in France,MM. Armengaud, Ruhmer, Rignoux, Fournier, andBelin; in Germany, Paul Nipkow, Dr. Anchutz, andDr. Korn.In America, Mr. Ballard, Mr. Brown, and Mr.Amstutz, the latter deserving particular mention,for, from a distant picture, a swelled gelatine print,he engraved a printing plate which could be putdirectly on a printing press for reproduction.All these many workers have adopted the cylindermethod of sending and receiving, and all have arrivedat approximately the final stage of developmentpermitted by concurrent science.It may be well to explain that, in these olderschemes, the picture to be sent is wrapped aroundthe cylinder, usually a cylinder of glass where lightsensitive cellsare employed, mounted on a rotatingshaft, which also has longitudinal displacement.The light values which make up the picture areconverted into electric current of corresponding14