Improvements in Photographic Apparatus.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Apr., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Photographic Apparatus.
FLORENCE TOWNSEND, independent, 2 Avenue Road Hammersmith, W.
London do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to and comprises new or improved constructions
or arrangements and combinations of the parts of a photographic apparatus for
taking, developing and fixing photographic pictures or taking and storing the
undeveloped pictures and without aid of a darkroom. The nature and novelty of
the invention is as follows:
To a camera provided with a lens and a suitable shutter is adjoined a separate
magazine in such a way as to have its top on the same level as the part of the
camera opposite the lens. Both the camera and the magazine are fixed to &
support in following manner: the camera itself on a hinge for the purpose of
bringing it above a reservoir (to be described hereafter) and of stopping it at a
desired inclination by means of a screw; and the magazine fixed firm, open side
upwards, to the same support. The camera and the magazine are both provided
with guidings in metal, so as to allow a slide to move in a required direction and
long enough to cover the open part of the magazine and the exposure side of the
camera. This slide is cut in two corresponding parts in such a manner as to allow
the camera to be swinged above the reservoir together with the sensitized plate,
without interfering with the magazine containing a provision of plates. The same
slide is provided on one side with a non-actinic focussing glass and at a suitable
distance with a sliding perpendicular rod having a hole through its length. On
one end of this rod is fixed a pneumatic indiarubber bulb and at the bottom of it
an indiarubber sucker in such a way as to secure a perfect contact of it with the
plate to be lifted. To transfer plates from the magazine into the camera the slide
is shifted to bring the pneumatic rod above the magazine, the rod is pressed down
and with pneumatic action the plate is lifted into a recess in the slide, which is
then brought to its former position and the camera circled up above the reservoir
into which exposed plate is dropped through a slot. This reservoir consists either
of a set of tanks, which are provided with a masked dipper receiving exposed plates
and sheltering them fro.n light during their journey from one tank to another; or
it consists of a suitable light tight box for the purpose of storage.
Dated this 31st day of March 1896.
FLORENCE TOWNSEND.
Improvements in Photographic Apparatus.
I FLORENCE TOWNSEND, independent, 2 Avenue Road Hammersmith, W.
Londou, 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 :-
This invention has reference to and comprises new or improved constructions
and arrangements and combinations of the parts of photographic apparatus for

page_text: taking, developing and fixing photographic pictures or for taking and storing
undeveloped pictures without aid of a darkroom.
The nature and novelty of this invention will be best understood by reference to
the accompanying drawings, in which:
Fig. 1 is the vertical plan of the apparatus showing the lifting rod I in touch
with sensitized plates,
Fig. 2 is the same plan as the Fig. 1 with the rod I holding the sensitized plate
opposite the lens,
Fig. 3 is the horizontal plan of the apparatus corresponding to the Fig. 2.
Fig. 4 is the horizontal plan of the apparatus with the camera A circled up into
position for exposure and in touch with the developing box.
Fig. 5 is the vertical section of Fig. 2 showing the plate in the direction of the
releasing slot.
The working of the apparatus is as follows:
To the camera A provided with a lens and a suitable shutter is adjoined a
separate magazine B in such a manner as to have its top on the same level as the
part of the camera A opposite lens. Both, the camera A and the magazine B are
fixed side by side on the support X in following manner: the camera A on a
hinge C for the purpose of swinging it to any desired angle, at which it can be
stopped by a thumb screw D, and the magazine B fixed firm to the support X,
open side upwards.
The camera A and the magazine B are provided with two sets of guides E E
and FF, (each set being practically a continuation of the other), in metal or other
suitable material, between which a carrying slide G¹ in conjunction with another
slide G of the same thickness as the slide G and forming a lid to the magazine B
can be moved in two opposite directions without uncovering either the magazine B
containing sensitized plates or the plate ready for exposure in the camera A. These
slides G G are connected between each other by means of the peg and loop T,
allowing the camera A of being detached from the magazine B and raised without
disturbing the lid G of the magazine B. The carrying slide G' is provided on one
side with a nonactinic focussing glass R and on the side nearer of the magazine B
and at a suitable distance with a perpendicularly sliding rod I having an air hole
through its length. The rod I has at its top end a pneumatic indiarubber bulb K
and at its bottom end a suitable indiarubber sucker L fixed in such a way as to
secure its perfect contact with the plate to be lifted. To carry the plates from the
magazine B into the camera A the carrying slide G is pushed so as to bring
the rod I above the magazine B; the rod I is then sent down against the plates, the
top bulb K pressed and the plate intended for exposure is lifted by pueumatic
action of the sucker L combined with the pull of the rod I into the recess O
grooved in the corresponding part of the carrying slide G', which brings it in the
front of the lens, when restored to its former position; then the camera A is circled
up to a required inclination for further operations. When in this position the
sensitized plate is maintained by a drawer-like slide M above the slot cut out in
the carrying slide G¹ for the purpose of its ultimate release. After exposure of
the plate the camera A is brought in close contact with the reservoir P, which
is fixed against the support X in such a manner as to allow its aperture to meet
the slot of the carrying slide G¹. The reservoir P, into which the exposed plate
is allowed to drop by pulling the slide M, is composed either of a suitable upright
developing tank provided with a masked carrier S, viz. a carrier in shape of a
sheath with a few holes at the bottom of it for the purpose of draining off the
liquids and which carrier protects the exposed plate from direct light, when
transferred from one liquid to another, or it consists of a light tight storage box.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:
1. In the general arrangement of a complete apparatus for taking, developing

page_text: and fixing photographic pictures, or taking and storing undeveloped pictures
without the aid of a darkroom.
2. In the application of pneumatic power for the purpose of transferring sensitized
plates from the magazine into the camera without exposure to light.
3. In the use of a nonactinic focussing screen instead of a white one for the
purpose of excluding from the apparatus any incidental actinic light.
4. In a hinge arrangement, by means of which the camera is brought upright
for exposure of the sensitized plate and for the subsequent light tight contact of its
releasing slot with the aperture of the developing or storing reservoir.
Dated this 31st December 1896.
FLORENCE TOWNSEND.