Improvements in Portable Photographic Dark Rooms.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Dec., 1896
Complete Specification Left 1st Sent 1397-Accented. 2nd Oct., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Portable Photographic Dark Rooms.
I, WALTER THADDEUS FERGUSON, of Bickley Mill, in the County of Russell, and
State of Virginia, United States of America, Gentleman, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to photographic folding dark-rooms, and it has for its
object to provide a portable dark room for photographic purposes which can be
readily set up for use in any convenient point and also readily folded up into a
small compass, so that the same can be carried from place to place by and in the
same manner as a camera.
To this end the main and primary object of the present invention is to provide a
folding portable dark room that shall meet every requirement of the photographer
for developing dry or wet plates, filling plate-holders, or handling any sensitized
surface without the necessity of being closeted or shut up in the usual poorly-
ventilated and otherwise objectionable "dark-room," and in the accomplishment
of these important objects the present invention is especially useful as a part of a
travelling photographic outfit.
I provide a portable folding box or cabinet adapted to be removably supported
on a tripod or other suitable light support, and the said box essentially consists of
a thin flat bottom board, opposite side and end boards, and a removable top board.
The opposite side boards are hinged at their lower edges by means of suitable
hinges to the opposite top edges of the bottom board, so that when the box or
cabinet is not in use and is ready for transportation the said side boards can be
readily folded inward over the top of the bottom board. The side boards are pro-
vided on the outer sides with flange-strips which are arranged parallel with the
side and end edges of the side boards, and when the latter are unfolded and swung
upward, the lower of said flange-strips of the side boards will bear tightly on
joint strips, which project upwardly from the opposite side and end edges of the
tttom boards to form perfectly light-tignt, joints at the point of connection
between the, side boards and the bottom board when the-former-are-straightened
up to form the opposite inclosing sides of the box or cabinet. The opposite end
boards of the box or cabinet are hinged at their lower edges by means of hinges to
end cleats, secured to the opposite end top edges of the bottom board, and which
are of a width equaling the combined width or thickness of the side boards and the
flange-strips projected from, the outer sides thereof, so that when the side boards
are folded inward over the top of the bottom board the hinged end boards can also
be folded inward so as to rest flat on top on the folded side boards, thereby pro-
viding an arrangement for collapsing the box or cabinet within as small a compass
as possible. The folded hinged end boards are also provided on their outer sides
and near their upper and lower edges with flange-strips, the lower of which are
adapted to bear tightly on the joint-strips at the end edges of the bottom board
when the end boards are unfolded to an upright position, thereby forming light-
tight joints between the point of connection between the end boards and the
י

page_text: bottom board. The said end boards are further provided at their end edges with
corner cleats, which overlap the ends of the side boards when the side and end
boards are in their upright positions, and within the angles formed at the ends
of the end boards by the cleats are fitted joint-strips, which register at one side of
the flange-strips at the opposite ends of the side boards, thereby insuring a per-
fectly light tight joints at the carners of the box or cabinet, while the cleats form
braces for the said corners of the box or cabinet. The said corner cleats are pro-
vided at one end with short laterally extended feet which, when the side and end
boards are folded down on the bottom, board, are designed to overlap the side edges
of the top board at the corners thereof, so that such top board will be braced in its
knockdown position on top of the folded side and end boards. With the side and
end boards folded down over the bottom board and the top board placed in the
position just described, the entire box or cabinet is ready for transportation, and
when in this position, the top board is adapted to be fastened to the opposite ends
of the bottom board by means of suitable catches. When the box or cabinet
is in its knockdown or folded condition, the same is adapted to be conveniently
carried about by means of a pair of flexible handles, secured, respectively, to the
adjacent side edges of the top and bottom boards.
When the box or cabinet is set up for use on top of the tripod or other suitable
support, the folding side and end boards are held rigidly in their unfolded upright
positions by means of fastening buttons, pivotally mounted at the inner side of
one of the end boards and adapted to be turned against the inner sides of the side
boards at one end thereof; but it will of course be understood that these fastening-
buttons may be located at both ends of the box or cabinet instead of at one end.
With the side and end boards of the box or cabinet fastened in their upright
positions, the top board is adapted to be secured to the top edges of such boards to
form an inclosing top for the box or cabinet.
In order to insure a perfect light tight connection with the folding side and end
boards, the top board is provided on its under side with a peripheral annular groove
which snugly receives and fits over the projecting top edges of the side and end
boards, and when the top board has been fitted on top of the side and end boards
the same is securely fastened in place by means of suitable latches, connecting the
opposite side edges of the top board with the opposite folding side boards.
In order to assist in properly lighting the interior of the box or cabinet, the
opposite end boards are provided therein with the light-openings, which openings
are provided in their edges with grooves to removably receive the orange or other
suitably-coloured glass panes. The grooves in the opposite side edges of the open-
ings lead into slide-openings, formed in the top edges of the end boards and com-
municating with the said openings so that the glasses can be readily removed and
replaced at any time that it may be necessary. In addition to the glass panes,
removably fitted in openings in opposite ends of the end boards, further provision
for lighting the interior of the box or cabinet and for inspection thereof is made
by providing the top board with a flanged window-opening, within the flange of
which opening is designed to be seated a hinged window-frame. This window-
frame is hinged at its rear edge by hinges to the top of the board within the flanged
seat of the opening, so that the window-frame can be readily raised and lowered
in manipulating and adjusting the position of the articles contained within the box
or cabinet when preparing for developing or other operations.
The hinged window-frame has connected to its under side and at
one end a folding jointed brace, which, when the window-frame is
elevated, serves as a support to hold the same open, and which will
fold down with the said frame, so as to allow the same to snugly
register within the flanged seat of the window-opening. The hinged window-frame
is provided therein with a light-opening, having in its edges grooves to removably
receive the orange or other suitably-colored glass pane. The grooves in opposite
edges of the opening lead into a slide-opening, formed in the front unhinged edge
of frame and communicating with the said opening, so that the glass can be readily

page_text: removed and replaced at any time desired, and when the glass is in place the
slide-opening in the front edge of the frame is closed by a flanged plug-strip,
removably fitted therein to exclude actinic rays at that point.
The photographer in using the box or cabinet has the entire interior of the
apparatus fully exposed to view through the window, consisting of the frame and
the colored glass pane, which window can be readily raised and lowered by grasp-
ing the finger knob attached to its front edge, and which may be locked over the
window-opening by means of a suitable turn-buckle; but in using said window it
is desirable to properly shade the same, which is accomplished by the use of a
shade-door. The shade-door is designed to snugly register within the light open-
ing on top of the glass, and is hinged at one edge to the rear edge of the said
light-opening.
The free edge of the shade-door is adapted to be engaged by the turn-buckle fór
fastening the door within the opening while the box or cabinet is being trans-
ported. When the box or cabinet is set up for use in a room, the shade-door is
held partly open by means of a suitable hook, pivotally attached at one end to the
top board and adapted to detachably engage over the inclined pin or stud pro-
jected from the outer side of the shade door. When the door is held partly open
by the hook, it will be observed that by reason of the separate hinging of the said
door and of the window-frame the latter can be readily raised and lowered without
disturbing the connection of the hook with the said pin or stud. For outdoor
work the shade-door is supplemented by triangular side shades, which, when not
in use, are suitably fastened on top of the top board at opposite ends of the window
thereof. When set up for use, the said shades are fitted within opposite ends of
the light-opening, and the upper edges of said side shades register within rabbets,
formed in the opposite end edges of the shade-door, and as thus positioned the said
side shades not only serve as additional shades for the window, but also as supports
for the shade-door.
The top board is further provided with an off-standing wire rack, arranged
adjacent to the opposite end edges and one side edge, said rack affording a con-
venient support for the drying of wet plates when such plates are being developed
within the box or cabinet, and to provide for the introduction of water within
the box or cabinet for developing purposes the said top board has fitted therein a
water-tube. The water-tube extends to a suitable point of water supply prefer-
ably a bucket arranged above the box or cabinet, so that the water can be siphoned
through the said tube and at its inner extremity of said box or cabinet the water-
tube has attached thereto a valved nozzle, providing means whereby the flow of
water can be completely controlled by the operator. The portion of the tube which
enters the interior of the box or cabinet passes through the lower perforated bar
of the rectangular hinged or swinging tube-aajusting frame, which is hinged at
its upper end to the under side of the top board. A swinging frame allows the
inner end of the tube to be adjusted to any convenient position in washing plates
and the like, and provides also for holding the said inner end of the tube-back out
of the way when not in use, and when the cabinet is folded up into a small com-
pass, as described, the frame folds up under the top-board, so as to lie between the
folded end boards entirely out of the way, so as not to interfere with the snug
fitting of the top board on top of the folded side and end boards.
The bottom board of the box or cabinet is provided therein at a suitable point
with a flanged opening, adapted to removably receive a cover, which closes said
opening when desired and which also forms a cover for the open upper end of the
bath-box. The bath-box is of suitable dimensions, so as to hold the bath-dish
for the plates being developed or otherwise manipulated and said bath-box is
hinged at one edge to the under side of the bottom board, so that when not in use
the same can be swung flat up against the said bottom board and held in such posi-
tion by means of a hook pivoted to the bottom, of said box and adapted to engage
over a pin or stud at one side edge of the bottom board. When in use, the bath-
box is fastened with its open upper end directly below the flanged opening in the

page_text: bottom board by means of a suitable supporting-hook attached to the bottom board
and adapted to engage a suitable pin or stud at one side of the bath-box. With
the opening uncovered the bath-dish within the bath-box can be conveniently
employed, but with the cover in position the dark room may be opened up to do
any outside work necessary without injurying the plate in the bath, as will be
readily understood.
The bottom board of the box or cabinet is preferably designed to have remov-
ably fitted thereon a tray, which is designed to catch all overflow and drippings
and direct the same toward the discharge-opening formed in the said bottom-board,
said tray having a flanged opening agreeing with the opening. A funnel is
designed to be fitted in the opening and arranged within the box or cabinet so as
to catch the drippings from the plates during manipulation and to conduct such
drippings or overflow into the overflow tube, suitably connected at one end with
the discharge opening, and loosely supporting in the lower end of a hanger-link
suspended from the bottom of the box or cabinet in order to dispose the discharg-
ing end of the over-flow tube at one side of the opening to prevent any light
entering the cabinet at that point. When the box or cabinet is not in use, the tube
is held fast against the bottom of the board by passing the same through a keeper-
staple, fitted in the lower side of said bottom board.
The dark room equipped as desired is designed to accommodate both hands of
the photographer, so that the different articles can be as readily manipulated as
in an ordinary dark room, and to effect this result one of the side boards is pro-
vided with a pair of arm-holes, disposed respectively near the ends of said side
boards. The said armholes have removably fitted over their outer edges by means
of removable fastening-rings the inner ends of flexible opaque sleeves, which are
made of any suitable material, so as to entirely exclude light. The said sleeves
are designed to be drawn over the wrist of the operator and to tightly fit the wrists,
so that when the hands are passed through the armholes na light will enter the box
or cabinet, but the hands will be perfectly free to easily handle the plates and
manipulate the same in connection with the various chemicals employed in
developing and fixing the plates.
Dated this 17th day of December 1896.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in Portable Photographic Dark Rooms.
I, WALTER THADDEUS FERGUSON, of Bickley Mills, in the County of Russell, and
State of Virginia, United States of America, Gentleman, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
Tuis invention relates to photographic folding dark-rooms, and it has for its
object to provide a portable dark room for photographic purposes which can be
readily set up for use at any convenient point and also readily folded up into a
small compass, so that the same can be carried from place to place by and in the
same manner as a camera.
To this end the main and primary object of the present invention is to provide a
folding portable dark room that shall meet every requirement of the photographer
for developing dry or wet plates, filling plate-holders, or handling any sensitized
surface without the necessity of being closeted or shut up in the usual poorly-
ventilated and otherwise objectionable "dark-room," and in the accomplishment

page_text: of these important objects the present invention is especially useful as a part of a
travelling photographic outfit.
With these and other objects in view, which will readily appear as the nature
of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction,
combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described,
illustrated, and claimed.
In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portable dark room con-
structed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view
thereof. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view on the line 22 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4
is a detail sectional view on the same line of section as Fig. 3, showing the
triangular side shades for the hinged top window in position for outdoor use.
Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail sectional view through one of the armholes and the
sleeves employed in connection therewith. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the
dark room folded up for transportation. Fig. 7 is a central longitudinal sectional
view of the dark room when in its folded condition. Fig. 8 is a detail sectional
view at one corner of the box or cabinet.
Referring to the accompanying drawings, 1 designates a portable folding box or
cabinet adapted to be removably supported on a tripod or other suitable light
support 2 and the said box 1 essentially consists of a thin flat bottom board 3,
the opposite side and end boards 4 and 5 respectively, and a removable top board 6.
The opposite side boards 4 are hinged at their lower edges by means of suitable
hinges 7 to the opposite top edges of the bottom board 1, so that when the box or
cabinet is not in use and is ready for transportation the said side boards can be
readily folded inward over the top of the bottom board. The boards 4 are provided
on their outer sides with the flange-strips 8, which are arranged parallel with the
side and end edges of the boards 4, and when the latter are unfolded and swung
upward the lower of said flange-strips 8 of the boards 4 will bear tightly on the
joint-strips 9 projecting upwardly from the opposite side and end edges of the
bottom board 3 to form perfectly light-tight joints at the point of connection
between the side boards and the bottom board when the former are straightened
up to form the opposite inclosing sides of the box or cabinet.
The opposite end boards 5 of the box or cabinet are hinged at their lower edges
by means of the hinges 10 to the end cleats 11 secured to the opposite end top edges
of the bottom board 1, and which are of a width equaling the combined width or
thickness of the side boards 4 and the flange-strips 8 projected from the outer sides
thereof, so that when the side boards are folded inward over the top of the bottom
board the hinged end boards can also be folded inward so as to rest flat on top of
the folded side boards, as clearly illustrated in the drawings, thereby providing an
arrangement for collapsing the box or cabinet within as small a compass as possible.
The folding hinged end boards 5 are also provided on their outer sides and near
their upper and lower edges with the flange-strips 12 the lower of which are
adapted to bear tightly on the joint strips 9 at the end edges of the bottom board
when the end boards are unfolded to an upright position, thereby forming light-
tight joints between the point of connection between-the end boards and the bottom
board. The said end boards 5 are further provided at their end edges with the
corner cleats 13, which overlap the ends of the side boards 4 when the side and end
boards are in their upright positions, and within the angles formed at the ends, of
the boards 5 by the cleats 13 are fitted joint-strips 14 which register at one side of
the flange-strips 8 at the opposite ends of the board's 4, thereby insuring perfectly
light-tight joints at the corners of the box or cabinet, while the cleats 13 form
braces for the said corners of the box or cabinet.
The said corner cleats 13 are provided at one end with the short laterally-extend-
ing feet 15 which, when the side and end boards are folded down on the bottom
board, are designed to overlap the side edges of the top board 6 at the corners
thereof, so that such top board will be braced in its knockdown position on top of
the folded side and end boards. With the side and end boards folded down over the

page_text: bottom board and the top board) placed in the position just described the entire
box or cabinet is ready for transportation and when in this position the top
board 6 is adapted to be fastened to the opposite ends of the bottom board by means
of suitable catches 16. When the box or cabinet is in its knockdown or folded
condition, the same is adapted to be conveniently carried about by means of a pair
of flexible handles 17, secured, respectively, to the adjacent side edges of the top
and bottom boards, as clearly illustrated in the drawings.
When the box or cabinet 1 is set up for use on top of the tripod or other
suitable support 2, the folding side and end boards are held rigidly in their un-
folded upright positions by means of the fastening buttons 18, pivotally mounted
at the inner side of one of the end boards 5 and adapte to be turned against the
'inner sides of the side boards 4 at one end thereof; but it will of course be under-
stood that these fastening-buttons may be located at both ends of the box or
cabinet instead of at one end, as illustrated. With the side and end boards of the
box or cabinet fastened in their upright positions, the top board 6 is adapted to be
secured on the top edges of such boards, to form an inclosing top for the box or
cabinet.
In order to insure a perfect light-tight connection with the folding side and end
boards, the top board 6 is provided on its under side with a peripheral annular
groove 19, which snugly receives and fits over the projecting top edges of the side
and end boards 4, and 5 and when the top board has been fitted on top of the side
and end boards the same is securely fastened in place by means of suitable
latches 20 connecting the opposite side edges of the top board with the opposite
folding side board 4.
In order to assist in properly lighting the interior of the box or cabinet 1, the
opposite end boards 5 are provided therein with the light-openings 21, which open-
ings are provided in their edges with the grooves 22 to removably receive the
orange or other suitably colored glass panes 23. The grooves 22 in the opposite
side edges of the openings 21 lead into slide-openings 24 formed in the top edges
of the end boards 5 and communicating with the said openings 21, so that the
glasses 23 can be readily removed and replaced at any time that it may be
necessary.
In addition to the glass panes 23 removably fitted in openings in opposite ends
of the end boards 5, further provision for lighting the interior of the box or cabinet
and for inspection thereof is made by providing the top board 6 with a flanged
window-opening 25, within the flange of which opening is designed to be seated a
hinged window-frame 26. The window-frame 26 is hinged at its rear edge by
the hinges 27 to the top of the board 6 within the flanged seat of the opening 25
so that the window frame can be readily raised and lowered in manipulating and
adjusting the position of the articles contained within the box or cabinet when
preparing for developing or other operations.
The hinged window frame 26 has connected to its under side and at one end a
folding jointed brace 28 which, when the window-frame is elevated, serves as a
support to hold the same open, and which will fold down with the said frame so
as to allow the same to snugly register within the flanged seat of the window
opening 25. The hinged window-frame 26 is provided therein with a light-open-
ing 30 having in its edges the grooves 31 to removably receive the orange or other
suitably-colored glass pane 32. The grooves 31 in opposite edges of the open-
ing 30 lead into a slide-opening 33 formed in the front unhinged edge of the
frame 26, and communicating with the said opening 30, so that the glass 32 can
be readily removed and replaced at any time desired, and when the glass 32 is in
place the slide-opening 33 in the front edge of the frame 26 is closed by a flanged
plug-strip 34 removably fitted therein to exclude actinic rays at that point.
The photographer in using the box or cabinet has the entire interior of the
apparatus fully exposed to view through the window consisting of the frame 20
and the colored glass pane 32 which window can be readily raised and lowered by
grasping the finger-knob 35 attached to its front edge, and which may be locked

page_text: over the window-opening 25 by means of a suitable turn-buckle 36, but in using
the said window it is desirable to property shade the same, which is accomplished
by the use of a shade-door 37. The shade-door 37 is designed to snugly register
within the light-opening 30 on top of the glass 32 and is hinged at one edge as
at 38 to the rear edge of the said fight-opening 30.
The free edge of the shade-door 37 is adapted to be engaged by the turn-
buckle 39 for fastening the door within the opening 30 while the box or cabinet
is being transported. When the box or cabinet is set up for use in a room, the
said, door 37 is held partly open by means of a suitable hook 40 pivotally attached
at one end, as at 41, to the top board 6 and adapted to detachably engage over the
inclined pin' or stud 42 projected from the outer side of the said door 37. When
the door 37 is held partly open by the hook 40 it will be observed that by reason
of the separate hinging of the said door and of the window-frame the latter can be
readily raised and lowered without disturbing the connection of the hook with the
said pin or stud 42. For outdoor work the shade-door 37 is supplemented by the
triangular side shades 43, which when not in use are suitably fastened on top of
the board 6 at opposite ends of the window thereof, as illustrated in the drawings
When set up for use, the said side shades 43 are fitted within opposite ends of
the light-opening 30 and the upper edges of said side shades register within the
rabbets 44, formed in the opposite end edges of the shade-door 37 and as thus posi-
tioned the said side shades 43 not only serve as additional shades for the window,
but also as supports for the shade-door 37.
The top board 6 is further provided with an off-standing wire rack 44, arranged
adjacent to the opposite end edges and one side edge, said rack affording a con-
venient support for the drying of wet plates when such plates are being developed
within the box or cabinet, and to provide for the introduction of water within the
box or cabinet for developing purposes, the said top board has fitted therein at 46
a water tube 47. The water tube 47 extends to a suitable point of water supply,
preferably a bucket arranged above the box or cabinet, so that the water can be
siphoned through the said tube, and at its inner extremity of said box or cabinet
the water tube has attached thereto a valved nozzle 48, providing means whereby
the flow of water can be completely controlled by the operator. The portion of
the tube 47 which enters the interior of the box or cabinet passes through the
lower perforated bar 49 of the rectangular hinged or swinging tube-adjusting
frame 50, which is hinged at its upper end, as at 51, to the under side of the top
board 6. The swinging frame 50 allows the inner end of the tube 47 to be adjusted
to any convenient position in washing plates and the like, and provides also for
holding the said inner end of the tube back out of the way when not in use, and
when the cabinet is folded up into a small compass as described, the frame 50
folds up under the top board 6 so as to lie between the folded end boards entirely
out of the way, so as not to interfere with the snug fitting of the top board on top
of the folded side and end boards.
The bottom board of the box or cabinet 1 is provide therein at a suitable point
with a flanged opening 52 adapted to removably receive a cover 53", which
closes said opening when desired and which also forms a cover for the open upper
end of the bath-box 53. The bath-box 53 is of suitable dimensions, so as to hold
the bath-dish for the plates being developed or otherwise manipulated and said
bath-box is hinged at one edge, as at 54, to the under side of the bottom board 3,
so that when not in use the same can be swung flat up against the said bottom
board and held in such position by means of a hook 55 pivoted to the bottom of said
box and adapted to engage over a pin or stud 56 at one side edge of the bottom board.
When in use, the bath-box 53 is fastened with its open upper end directly below
the flanged opening in the bottom board by means of a suitable supporting-hook 57
attached to the bottom board and adapted to engage a suitable pin or stud 58 at
one side of the bath-box. With the opening 52 uncovered the bath-dish within
the bath-box 53 can be conveniently employed, but with the cover 53*, in posi-

page_text: tion the dark room may be opened up to do any outside work necessary without
injuring the plate in the bath, as will be readily understood.
The bottom board 3 of the box or cabinet is preferably designed to have remov-
ably fitted thereon a tray 59, which is designed to catch all overflow and drippings
and direct the same toward the discharge opening 60, formed in the said bottom
board, said tray having a flanged opening 59", agreeing with the opening 52. A
funnel 61 is designed to be fitted in the opening 60 and arranged within the box
or cabinet so as to catch the drippings from the plates during manipulation and
to conduct such drippings or overflow into the over-flow-tube 62, suitably con-
nected at one end with the discharge-opening 60 and loosely supporting in the
lower end of a hanger-link 63 suspended from the bottom of the box or cabinet in
order to dispose the discharging end of the tube 62 at one side of the opening 60
to prevent any light entering the cabinet at that point. When the box or cabinet
is not in use the tube 62 is held fast against the bottom of the board 3 by passing
the same through a keeper-staple 65 fitted in the lower side of said bottom board
as illustrated in dotted lines in one of the figures of the drawings.
The dark room, equipped as described is designed to accommodate both hands of
the photographer, so that the different articles can be as readily manipulated as in
an ordinary dark room, and to effect this result one of the side boards 4 is pro-
vided with a pair of arm-holes 66 disposed respectively near the ends of said side
boards. The said arm holes 66 have removably fitted over their outer edges, by
means of the removable fastening-rings 67, the inner ends of the flexible opaque
sleeves 68, which are made of any suitable opaque material so as to entirely exclude
light. The said sleeves 68 are designed to be drawn over the wrist of the operator
and to tightly fit the wrists, so that when the hands are passed through the arm-
holes 66 no light will enter the box or cabinet, but the hands will be perfectly free
to easily handle the plates and manipulate the same in connection with the various
chemicals employed in developing and fixing the plates.
From the foregoing it is thought that the construction, operation, and many
advantages of the hereindescribed portable folding dark room will be readily
apparent to those skilled in the art, and it will be understood that changes in the
form, proportion and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without
departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.
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 a portable dark room, a collapsible box or cabinet consisting of a flat
bottom board, inwardly folding side boards hinged to opposite side edges of the
bottom board, inwardly-folding end boards hinged to the opposite end edges of the
bottom boards and provided on their opposite end edges with corner-cleats having at
one end short laterally-extending feet, and a removable top board provided in its
under side with a peripheral annular groove to receive the projecting top edges of
the side and end boards, said top board being also adapted to rest on the side and
end boards when folded, inside of the plane of the short feet of the corner-cleats,
substantially as set forth.
2. In a portable dark room, a collapsible box or cabinet consisting of a flat
bottom board provided at its opposite side and end edges with joint-strips and at
its opposite ends with end cleats, inwardly-folding side boards hinged to the opposite
side edges of the bottom board and provided on their outer sides with flanged strips
the lower of which are adapted to bear on said joint-strips, inwardly-folding end
boards hinged to said opposite end cleats of the bottom board and provided on
their outer sides with flange-strips the lower of which bear against said joint-
strips, and at their opposite end edges with corner-cleats adapted to overlap the
ends of the side boards when in their upright positions, said corner-cleats being

page_text: provided at one end with short laterally-extending feet, and a-removable top board
provided on its under side with a peripheral annular groove adapted to receive the
projecting top edges of the side and end boards, said top board being also adapted
to rest on the side and end boards when folded, inside of the plane of the short feet
of the corner-cleats, said box or cabinet being provided with handles at one edge
of its top and bottom boards, suitably-arranged light-openings, and a pair of
light-protected armholes, substantially as set forth.
3. In a portable dark room, a collapsible box or cabinet consisting of a bottom
board, oppositely inwardly-folding side and end boards, and a removable top board
one of said side boards having a pair of light-protected armholes, and said end
boards being provided therein with light-openings having in their top edges slide-
openings, and colored-glass panes slidably fitted in said light-openings and adapted
to be moved in either direction through the slide-openings in the top edges of said
end boards, said lide-openings being covered by the top board when the box or
cabinet is set up, substantially as set forth.
4. In a portable dark room, a box or cabinet provided in one side with a pair of
light-protected arm holes and in the top with a window-opening, a window-
frame working over said opening and hinged at one side of the same, said window-
frame having a glass-covered light-opening, a shade-door hinged at one edge to
ene side of the window-frame and working over said light-opening, and a suitable
support for holding the shade-door in an elevated position when the window-frame
is lowered, substantially as set forth.
5. In a portable dark room, a box or cabinet provided in one side with a pair of
light-protected armholes and in the top with a flanged window-opening, a window-
frame working over said window-opening, and hinged at one side of the same
said window-frame being provided with a light-opening and in its unhinged edge
with a slide-opening communicating with said light-opening, a colored glass pane
removably fitted in said light-opening a flanged plug-strip removably fitted in
said slide-opening, and an adjustable shade-door hinged to said window-frame,
substantially as set forth.
6. In a portable dark room, a box or cabinet provided in one side with a pair of
light-protected armholes and in the top with a flanged window-opening, a window-
frame working over said opening and hinged at one side of the same, said window-
frame having a glass-covered light-opening, a shade-door working over and within
said light-opening and hinged at one edge to one side of the window-frame, a
suitable support for holding the shade door in an elevated position, and triangular
side shades adapted to be removably fitted under the opposite ends of the shade-
door at opposite ends of the light-opening of said window-frame, substantially as
set forth.
7. In a portable dark room, the combination of the box or cabinet having suitable
armholes and light-openings, a swinging frame hinged at its upper end to the
under side of the top board of the box or cabinet and provided with a lower per-
forated bar, a water-tube fitted in the top board of the box or cabinet and having
its lower end extended through the perforation-in-the-lower bar of said frame,
and a suitable-overflow pipe connection with the bottom of said box or cabinet
substantially as set forth."
8. In a portable dark room, a collapsible box or cabinet provided in its bottom.
with an opening, a bath-box hinged to the bottom of the box or cabinet below the
opening therein, and fastening means for securing the bath-box against the
bottom of the box or cabinet and in an upright position directly below said
opening, substantially as set forth.
9. In a portable dark room, a collapsible box or cabinet provided with suitably-
arranged light-openings and a flanged opening in its bottom, a flanged drip-
collecting tray fitted in the bottom of the box or cabinet and of an area equaling
the same, a bath-box hinged at one edge to the bottom of the box or cabinet below
said flanged opening, a cover adapted to removably register in said flanged opening,
and fastening means for securing the bath-box against the bottom of the box or

page_text: cabinet, and also in an upright position directly below said flanged opening,
substantially as set forth.
Dated this 1st day of September 1897
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.