The Twister

The Twister and its Inventor, Don Cowles

A key patented invention that enabled the Hexagon camera system to succeed was that of the “twister.” This was a mechanical device, shown below, that allowed the film to travel both linearly and in rotation past the focal plane of the camera. It made the film travel over air bars that twisted back and forth in rotation and in synchronization with the rotating image.  

Don Cowles, a mechanical engineer at Perkin-Elmer invented and developed the twister. He was acknowledged and honored at a celebration at Perkin-Elmer in Danbury, Connecticut many years ago by Chester Nimitz, Jr, CEO of Perkin-Elmer and attended by many other staff members of the program.