Improvements in and in connection with Photographic Apparatus.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Oct., 1891-Accepted, 5th Dec., 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and in connection with Photographic Apparatus.
I, EUGEN HACKн of 31, Königstrasse, Stuttgart, Wurttemberg in the German
Empire, Photographer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and the manner
in which the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to a means for photographing in bound light.
Under the expression bound light, such source of light is implied as is entirely
under the control of the photographer, that is which may be increased, decreased
and regulated to requirement.
I not only employ direct light-i.e. that light, the rays of which meet the object
directly, but also reflected light. The object of photographing in bound light is
to enable reproduction in full or life size and to distribute the light in such manner,
as to render the reproduction equally sharply defined all over and to obviate a
blurring of the same owing to the variation of the rays caused by the height of the
object to be photographed. Photographing on this system is carried out, according
to my present invention by enclosing the object to be reproduced within a revoluble
housing closed on all sides and formed of a combination of surfaces arranged at
various angles to each other; such housing gradually converging to a funnel for
the reception of the source of light.
These surfaces are advantageously fitted together in such manner as to allow the
angles at which they stand in regard to each other to be varied so that the object
to be photographed can be illuminated in various ways according to requirement.
The closed housing is revolubly mounted on a pivot above which the object or
person to be taken is situated, so that the latter may be illuminated in various ways
and thus various light and shade effects attained. The housing may be revolved a
distance covering about 270°.
In order to employ this bound light, which enables an absolutely intensive
illumination of the object in question, a particular arrangement of the camera is
For this purpose the
necessary in order to prevent mirage and false reflections.
space traversed by the rays passing from the object to the lens and by the refracted
rays passing to the sensitive plate must be closed on all sides, that is to say the
camera must be closed light tight on to the housing for the reception of the object
to be reproduced.
The lens is arranged inside the closed camera casing and the latter is provided
with shades arranged at intervals in order to prevent mirage and false reflections
and to strictly confine the light to the effective cone of rays.
The closure of the camera onto the housing, after the latter has been adjusted in
a position according to the light required, is effected in such manner that the axis
of the camera, the centre of the object and the back ground-if such is present-lie
in one line.
refer to the
In order to make this description more easily intelligible
accompanying drawings in which similar letters denote similar parts throughout the
Beveral views.
Fig. 1 represents a perspective side view of the frame work of the revoluble
housing.
Fig. 2 is a perspective front elevation of the said framework without the funnel
for, the source of light.
5-19
Fig. 3 shows a half top view, and half ground plan of the housing and
Fig. 4 is a perspective elevation partly in section of the camerá arrangement.
The housing consists of a series of lower radially arranged rods a fitted into
the trunnion" which is revoluble on a suitable pivot and above which a stool

page_text: or stand is arranged for the reception of the object. The radial rods a are
connected to uprights d provided with suitable rollers at their lower ends and
connected at about the centres and at the top by the bent rods e and f. The
whole is surmounted by the ridge poles y and can be closed in at the lower
part by means of a suitable covering and the rods g' ending at the platform k
of the stool or stand c The space enclosed by the rods def g g' is closed up
to a pear shaped whole by means of the light funnel h the longitudinal axle of
which is inclined upwardly.
The funnel h, in which the artificial light (electric, magnesium or other light) is
arranged, is adjustable on its two uprights ii which are supported by the rods j
terminating in the trunnion & and provided with suitable stays.
The bottom of the housing is formed by the horizontal platform k onto which the
trapezium shaped sides close at an angle whilst the front of the said platform is
closed up to the funnel h by means of triangular surfaces in order to obtain the
requisite narrowing of the housing towards the funnel.
The sides, bottom and roof of the housing are covered with a fabric capable of
deadening the light leaving however the interior of the housing sufficiently light to
enable the adjustment of the camera with regard to the object to be effected
without the aid of the artificial light.
The angular surfaces forming the sides of the housing can be adjusted in relation
to each other by means of the frames which are jointed together. This jointing of
the rods being simply a constructive feature of my invention is omitted in the
drawings so as not to make the same unnecessarily complicated.
By means of the adjustability of these surfaces the light coming from the funnel h
can be reflected and distributed onto the object arranged on the stool c, and the
light effect regulated in various ways as may be found desirable.
The prismatic funnel h which is made of sheet metal can be closed on to the
housing by means of a suitable fabric arranged as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1.
The camera which is supported on the stand consists of the casing m, having
the adjustable front part n and the folding back extension o.
The camera casing contains the lens g arranged in a partition at a suitable point
in the same whilst the adjustable casement n serves for the reception of the focus
and sensitive plates. The space in front of and behind the lens is provided with
dark partitions arranged at intervals and provided with suitable apertures so that
only the effective cone of rays from the object is allowed to react on the lens.
The folding back end o of the camera is to enable the same to be light tightly
closed on to the housing as may be seen in Fig. 3. For this purpose the walls of
the housing are arranged as laterally sliding blinds which may be closed onto the
sides of the camera frame whilst the top and bottom are covered by cloths arranged
in suitable manner.
The devices for supporting the back ground which is separate and independent
from the housing, is after the adjustment of the housing arranged in such position
as to lie in a line with the longitudinal axis of the camera. That part of the housing
at which the back ground is arranged is opened up and the latter closed onto the
housing by means of suitably arranged cloths or fabrics.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, what I claim is :-
:-
1. The process of photographing in bound light, to enable the perfect control
and regulation of the light effects, consisting in confining the object to be reproduced
in an entirely closed room or housing having its walls angularly and adjustably
arranged together and in relation to each other said housing adapted to be light
tightly closed onto the camera, and provided also with means for the reception of the
artificial source of light substantially as described.
2. For photographing in bound light a housing or room consisting of trapezium
shaped surfaces, formed of fabric on frames adjustably arranged at angles to each
other, said housing having adjustable light funnel h, platform k and stool c and being

page_text: provided with suitable means for attaching the camera as also for the arrangement
of a back grounds substantially as described.
3. In combination with the housing of the form described and having platform, light
funnel and back ground, the camera having adjustable front casing n for the focus
and sensitive plate, and middle casing m with partitions r and lens g mounted in
support p, said partitions being perforated as described to confine the light to the
effective cone of rays from the object, said camera having further folding chamber o
at its rear end for the purpose substantially as described and shown.
4. The process and device for photographing in bound light substantially as
herein before described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this GOLD way of D
E. HACKH.
Per W. H. Beck,
115, Cannon Street, London, E.C., Agent.