Improvements in Photographic Cameras.
Year: 1897

page_text: "
Improvements in Photographic Cameras. .
I, SOPHUS RITTER, of 43, Gl. Kongevej, Copenhagen, in the Kingdom of
Denmark, Director, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The object of the present invention is a photographic camera that is constructed
in such a manner, that the prepared plate may be conveyed direct from its wrapper
or packing into the camera and after exposure from the camera back again into
the packing without necessitating a dark chamber and without the plate being
for a single moment exposed to the light.
With this object in view a funnel, arranged in firm connection with the upper
As however such a funnel projects
side of the camera has hitherto been used.
above the camera it is constantly exposed to being squeezed or damaged in some
other manner. As furthermore the opening of the funnel, after the bag or
packing containing the plate having been removed, is left unprotected, dirt and
dust can enter freely into the interior of the camera.
The projecting funnel also makes it very difficult to fix the bag containing the
plate to the mouth of the funnel in such a manner, that the plate may slide
easily down into the camera, without it being liable to stick fast on the way.
In order to do away with these draw-backs the funnel for conveying the plate
to and from the camera is made movable and arranged in such a manner, that it
may be pushed completely into the camera, when this is not being used.
Whilst on new cameras the funnel is made movable in a slot on one of the
sides of the camera, the new arrangement may easily be applied to existing
cameras by making the funnel movable in a loose case or fiame, that may be
slipped into the camera in the ordinary way.
The camera forming the object of the present invention is furthermore provided
with certain arrangements, that serve partly to attach the bag containing the plate
to the mouth of the funnel and partly to give, during the sliding-down into the
camera, such a direction to the plate, that it cannot possibly stick fast on the
way.
The camera may be of any shape whatever. One of its sides, for instance the
upper side is towards the back provided with a slot, through which the funnel
can move up and down. The shape of the funnel is arranged so as to afford ample
space for the insertion of the plates and it may suitably be made of thin metal-
plates. On the front side of the funnel is arranged an angle plate, whose horizontal
flange lies against the under surface of the side of the camera, when the funnel is
in its uppermost position, whereby the camera will be perfectly closed against
admission of light at that place.
Underneath the horizontal flange of the angle-plate the front side of the funnel
is cut away in order that the plate, when inserted, may be exposed to the light

page_text: coming through the objective. The inserted plate is kept in its place by means
of the bent edges and pressed up against the front of the funnel by a spring.
The back of the funnel is provided with a somewhat thicker plate which, during
the movement up and down of the funnel, slides in a corresponding groove in the
camera-wall and thus helps to guide the movement of the funnel and limit same.
In the thick plate is arranged a hole, into which is screwed a set-screw. During
the movement up and down of the funnel this set-screw slides in a vértical slot
in the camera-wall and is provided with a washer outside the camera and a suitable
handle. By screwing the set-screw into the thick plate the washer is pressed
against the camera-wall, whereby the funnel is kept in position.
The slot is covered by a plate with an opening for the set-screw, this plate
moving up and down with the screw. In order to keep out the light all surfaces,
along which the funnel is sliding and through which the light might pass, are
provided with strips of cloth or other suitable substance.
At each end of the slot, through which the funnel moves up and down, is
arranged a hinge-piece. By means of these two hinge-pieces the slot-opening
can be completely closed, when the camera is not in use and the funnel is let
down into the camera.
On the inner side of these hinge-pieces are fixed spring-clips that grip round
the edges of the bag containing the plate, when the bag is slipped into the
mouth of the funnel for the purpose of conveying the plate to or from the camera.
Between the arms of the spring-clips are fixed pins that penetrate into the sides
of the bag and fit into small holes on the sides of the funnel, when this is pushed
out.
By means of this arrangement the fastening of the bag to the funnel is made
secure, especially when the bag is hanging down on one side.
The hinge-pieces are further provided with small projecting-pieces, rounded off
on the top, for the purpose of guiding the direction of the plate in its downwards
motion, which can be done by simply pressing the hinge-pieces slightly against
the edges of the plate through the bag.
The photographic-plates are each enclosed in a kind of a bag that is made of
paper or other suitable material, through which light cannot pass. The bottom
of the bag is provided with a piece of card-board of the same thickness as the
photographic plate, and the length of the bag is made somewhat greater than the
length of the plate.
When a photographic operation is to be effected the upper end of the bag is
slipped over the mouth of the funnel and is kept in position by the spring-clips
on the hinge-pieces. When now the bag is placed, bottom upwards, above the
funnel, the plate is brought to slide down through same, if necessary by pressing
on to the guide-pieces. After exposure the whole camera is turned round, and the
plate will again slide through the funnel into the bag, that can be removed. The
whole operation has thus been effected without the plate having been unduly
exposed to the influence of light.
101
1
100x
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:――
The object of the present invention is a photographic camera that is constructed
in such a manner, that the prepared plate may be conveyed direct from its wrapper
or packing into the camera and after exposure from the camera back again into
the packing without necessitating a dark chamber and without the plate being
exposed to the light.
With this object in view a funnel, arranged in firm connection with the upper
side of the camera has hitherto been used. As however such a funnel projects
above the camera it is constantly exposed to being squeezed or damaged in some
other manner. As furthermore the opening of the funnel, after the bag or .
packing containing the plate having been removed, is left unprotected, dirt and
dust can enter freely into the interior of the camera.
The projecting funnel also makes it very difficult to fix the bag containing the
plate to the mouth of the funnel in such a manner, that the plate may slide
easily down into the camera, without it being liable to stick fast on the way.
In order to obviate these inconveniences the funnel for conveying the plate to
and from the camera is made movable and arranged in such a manner, that it
may be pushed completely into the camera, when this is not being used.
Whilst on new cameras the funnel is made movable in a slot on one of the
sides of the cameras, the new arrangement may easily be applied to existing
cameras by making the funnel movable in a loose case or frame, that may be
slipped into the camera in the ordinary way.
The camera forming the object of the present invention is furthermore provided.
with certain arrangements, that serve partly to attach the bag containing the plate.
to the mouth of the funnel and partly to give, during the sliding-down into the
camera, such a direction to the plate, that it cannot possibly stick fast on the
way.
In the accompanying drawing
Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section through a camera provided with the
new arrangements.
Figure 2 is a front view of the funnel.
Figures 3 and 4 show respectively sections through Figure 2 on the lines A---B
and CD respectively.
Figure 5 shows the arrangement by means of which the bag containing the
plate is attached to the mouth of the funnel and the plate is placed in the right
position before the sliding-down, the said figure being partly in section.
Figure 6 is a plan of a portion of Figure 5 and
Figure 7 is a section through the bag containing the plate.
The camera (Figure 1) may be of any shape whatever. One of its sides, for.
instance the upper side a as shown in the drawings is towards the back provided
with a slot, through which the funnel 6 can move up and down. The shape of
the funnel (Figures 1 and 2) is arranged so as to afford ample space for the
insertion of the plates and it may suitably be made of thin metal-plates. On the
front side of the funnel is arranged an angle plate c, whose horizontal flange lies
against the-under surface of the side of the camera, when the funnel is in its.
uppermost position, whereby the camera will be perfectly closed against admission
of light at that place.
Underneath the horizontal flange of the angle-plate c the front-side of the
funnel 6 is cut away (see Figure 3) in order that the plate, when inserted, may
be exposed to the light coming through the objective. The inserted plate is
kept in its place by means of the bent edges d and pressed up against the front
of the funnel by a spring e.
The back of the funnel is provided with a somewhat thicker plate f which,
during the movement up and down of the funnel, slides in a corresponding groove g
in the camera-wall h and thus helps to guide the movement of the funnel and
limit same.

page_text: In the thick plate f is arranged a hole i into which is screwed a set-screw k.
During the movement up and down of the funnel this set-screw slides in a vertical
slot in the camera-wall hand is provided with a washer m outside the camera
and a suitable handle n. By screwing the set-screw into the slide plate of the
washer is pressed against the camera-wall, whereby the funnel is kept in position.
The slot is covered by a plate O with an opening for the set-screw, this plate
moving up and down with the screw. In order to keep out the light all surfaces,
along which the funnel slides and through which the light might pass, are provided
with strips of cloth or other suitable substance.
. At each end of the slot, through which the funnel moves up and down, is
arranged a hinge-piece p Figure 5. By means of these two hinge-pieces the
slot-opening can be completely closed, when the camera is not in use and the funnel
is let down into the camera.
On the inner side of these hinge-pieces are fixed spring-clips (Figures 1, 5
and 6) that grip round the edges of the bag containing the plate, when the bag is
slipped on to the mouth of the funnel for the purpose of conveying the plate to or
from the camera. Between the arms of the spring-clips are fixed pins u, that
penetrate into the sides of the bag and fit into small holes on the sides of the
funnel b, when this is pushed out.
By means of this arrangement the fastening of the bag to the funnel is made
secure, especially when the bag is hanging down on one side.
In Figure 5 one arm of the spring-clip is removed to show the pin u.
The hinge-pieces are further provided with small projecting-pieces r, rounded
off on the top, for the purpose of guiding the direction of the plate in its down-
ward motion, which can be done by simply pressing the hinge-pieces slightly
against the edges of the plate through the bag.
The photographic-plates are each enclosed in a kind of a bag t (Figure 7) that
is made of paper or other suitable material, through which light cannot pass. The
bottom of the bag is provided with a piece of card-boards of the same thickness
as the photographic plate, and the length of the bag is made somewhat greater than
the length of the plate.
,
When a photographic operation is to be effected the upper end of the bag is
slipped over the mouth of the funnel and is kept in position by the spring-clips q
on the hinge-piece 2. The bag is then placed, bottom upwards, above the
funnel, the plate is caused to slide down through the same, if necessary by pressing
on to the guide-pieces r. After exposure the whole camera is turned round, and
the plate will again slide through the funnel into the bag, which can then be
removed. The whole operation has thus been effected without the plate having
been exposed to the influence of light.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
-
"
1. In photographic cameras provided with a funnel for conveying the plate to
and from the camera the arrangement, in which the funnel (b) is made moveable,
so that it may be pushed into the camera, when this is not in use and pushed
out through a slot in one of the sides of the camera, when it is desired to place
a plate in the same, so that the funnel cannot be damaged and is not in the way
when carrying the camera.
2. In photographic cameras of the kind indicated in Claim 1, the arrangement
of the movable funnel in a special frame or case, that can be slipped into the
camera in the usual manner.
3. The combination of the movable funnel indicated in Claims 1 and 2 with
hinge-pieces (p) arranged at the ends of the slot, through which the funnel can
be moved up and down, the said hinge-pieces being provided with spring-clips (9)
and pins (u) and guide-pieces (r), the whole arangement for the purpose of holding
in position the bag, when this is slipped over the mouth of the funnel, guiding

page_text: the direction of the plate in its downward motion and after termination of
operation closing the opening of the slot in the camera-wall.
n. this 17th day of December 1897.
www
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.