Improvement in Photographic Plate-holding Boxes and Cameras.
Year: 1889

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvement in Photographic Plate-holding Boxes and Cameras.
1, HERBERT JOHN ALLISON of 52 Chancery Lane, London, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention which has
been communicated to me from abroad by Carl Paul Stirn, of 20 Park Place, in the
City, County, and State of New York, Merchant, and in what manner the same is to
be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in, and by the following
statement:-
:―
This invention relates to the construction, combination and arrangement of photo-
graphic plate-holding boxes and Cameras and has for its object to store, in the most
compact form, the largest number of sensitized plates or films and to facilitate their
transfer to and from the camera.
It consists in the novel devices hereinafter described and claimed for use in
combination with a Camera, whereby a series of sensitized plates stored in a suitable
plate-holding box may be severally automatically dropped by gravity into proper
position within the camera for exposure and be thereafter returned by its reversal to
the same plate-box to be kept until opportunity arrives for their development.
In the accompanying drawings:-
Figure 1, is a plan of a Camera having my improved plate-holding attachments
applied thereto.
.
Figure 2, a central section through the camera and attached plate-box, in line w, w,
of Figure 6, with the plate-box in position to receive a plate after its exposure; the
plate being shown as dropping back from the camera into the box.
Figure 3, is a detail of the detachable hinge by which the cover for the plate-box is
connected to the back of the camera, to form an extension of its slitted wall.
Figure 4, a detailed view in elevation of the catch by which the position of the
plate-box with reference to the slit in the camera is determined.

page_text: Figure 5, is a horizontal transverse section in line of Figure 2, illustrating
the arrangement of the lateral grooves in the plate-box for the reception of the plate-
holders.
Figure 6, is a vertical transverse section in line y―y of Figure 1, through the side
of the camera upon which the plate-box slides, and
Figure 7, a transverse section of the cover for the plate-box, in line
Figure 2.
Similar letters indicate like parts in all of the Figures.
of
The camera, A, for use with my invention, may be of any desired size and of any
approved description adapted for the exposure therein of a removable plate or plate-
holder. A longitudinal slit, adapted to permit the insertion of a plate-holder through
it, is formed in one of the walls of the camera in line with the focal plane of its lens at
the rear end of the exposing-chamber, the opposite sides of the chamber being grooved,
as shown at c, Figure 2, to guide and support the ends of the plate-bolder introduced
through the slit a, and also the corresponding ends of a backing-plate or follower D,
which is adapted to be carried bodily, by means of an adjusting-screw E fitted in the
back of the camera, as shown in Figure 2, to and from the plate-holder resting in said
grooves. The function of this adjustable plate D, is to bear against and thereby hold
the plate or plate-holder fast and firm in its seat in the grooves during the exposure of
the sensitized film.
The sensitized plates, or the holders carrying sensitized films for the camera, are
represented by the letters F, F, in Figure 2. They may be of any approved form and
are stored both before and after exposure, in a plate-box, G, open on one side only
and in which each plate or holder. is separately supported in grooves m, m, formed in
the opposite sides of the box so as to engage loosely the ends of the plate or holder,
the width of each groove being made to correspond with that of the open slit a, in the
camera.
The open-face of the plate-box G is adapted to fit upon and be closed by, the
wall A of the camera in which the slit a is formed, and by sliding the box back and
forth thereon each plate-holder F may be successively brought into register with the.
slit a, and in position to drop through it into the camera by gravity alone. To
facilitate the movement of the plate-box upon the camera, longitudinal grooves n, n,
are formed, as shown in Figure 6, in the two opposite edges of the side through which
the slit a is cut, to extend at a right angle with said slit a, and counterpart tongues P,P;
are formed to project from the edges of the open end of the plate-box G to engage and
slide freely in said grooves n, n, as shown in Figure 6, or vice-versa, the tongues and
grooves being so adjusted as that the open face of the plate-box G shall be completely
closed by the proximate face of the camera as the box is moved over upon it, the joints
being made light-proof in the customary manner, by means of suitable elastic or
spring-seated packing strips H H, or other suitable means.
The plate-box G is kept closed and covered to exclude the light therefrom as it is
withdrawn from the camera, by means of a covering-plate or way K, having grooved
edges n', n', see Figure 7,-corresponding exactly with the grooved edges n, n, of
the camera so as to receive in like manner the tongues p, p, on the box. This cover
serves practically as an extension or continuation of the wall A¹ of the camera over
which the plate-box slides, so that the box in sliding off of the camera, shall slide on to
said cover, and vice-versa, and for this purpose its end is made fast by suitable
fastenings to the rear end of the camera, in the plane of the side A', as shown in
Figures 1 and 2.
Preferably, the fastenings of the covering-way K to the camera are made detachable,
and in the form of a hinge, so as to permit the plate-box, after it has been slid out
upon said way; to be swung up on the hinges against the rear of the camera, as
indicated by the dotted lines in Figure 1, or to be entirely detached therefrom so that
a second plate-box having a similar cover may be attached to the camera in the stead
thereof.
Such a detachable, hinged fastening, is shown in Figures 1 and 3, and consists of a
pivot pin i projecting from one edge of the way K. to be engaged by à spring-plate
e

page_text: on the camera, said plate having a hole therein to receive the pin. Normally the plate
will spring in towards the pin and form therewith a hinge, see positive lines
Figure 1 and dotted lines Figure 3, but the pin may be freed and the cover detached
by springing the plate e outward, as shown by the positive lines in Figure 3.
To afford a support for the covering-way K when it is in position to form an
extension or continuation of the side A of the camera, jointed, folding braces L, L'
are pivoted to each side of the camera to extend therefrom diagonally into engagement
with pins r, r, projecting from about the middle of each lateral edge of the way, as
shown in Figures 1 and 2. The ends of the braces are confined, upon the pins ",", by
means of an overlapping spring-plate s, fixed to the edge of the way as shown in
Figure 1, and by springing the plate out from the pin the brace may be readily
detached. The joint in each brace permits it to bend and swing back at the sides of
the camera when the plate-box is swung over against the rear end thereof, as shown
by dotted lines Figure 1.
To determine the position of the plate-box G with reference to the slit a, as the box
is moved over the face A¹ of the camera, and to secure it after any one of the entire
series of plates or plate-holders F in the box has been brought into position to drop
through the slit into the camera and out again into its proper place in the box, a
rack T is secured upon the camera proximate to one of the edges along which the
plate-box moves and a spring-actuated finger V,-see Figures I and 4, is secured
upon the edge of the box to project over and engage the notches of the rack. The
intervals between the notches correspond with those between the plates or plate-holders
in the box and the notches correspond in number with the number of plates or holders
which the box is adapted to contain. The rack and the finger are moreover so
adjusted as that when the first plate is in register with the slit. a, the finger V will
engage the first notch of the rack T, and so on.
To permit the plate-box G to be carried upon the camera with either end foremost,
a second finger V is fitted upon the side of the box opposite that carrying the finger V,
as shown by dotted lines in Figure 1, so that plate-holders each holding two sensitized-
films placed back to back, may be placed in the box, and after all the films facing in
one direction have been exposed, the box may be withdrawn and reversed so as to
bring successively the remaining films into position for exposure, thereby doubling the
capacity of the box.
To permit of the withdrawal of the plate-hox G without detaching the covering-way K
from the camera, and thereby facilitate the use, interchangeably, of a number of
plate-boxes with the same covering-way K, each plate-box may be fitted with an
auxiliary dark-slide U, as shown by dotted lines in Figures 1 and 2, adapted to close
the open-top of the box, light-proof, independently of the way K.
In the use of my apparatus, the plate-box G is fitted with plate-holders or slides
F, F, each preferably furnished with two sensitized films t, t-see Figure 2,-placed
back to back upon an interposed, dark backing-plate u, and each fitted loosely with
its ends in the opposite grooves m, m, of the box; and the box is covered by sliding
the covering-way or plate K over its open top, the longitudinal grooves n', n', in the
cover, see Figure 7,-being engaged by the longitudinal tongues p, p, on the edges
of the box, see Figures 4 and 6.
The covering-way or plate K, is then hinged to the camera by springing the free
ends of the spring-plates e, e, over the pins i, i, on the cover, and the free ends of the
braces LL over the pins so that the way is thereby brought into position to
form an extension of the slitted face A' of the camera, the grooves n' n' in the way K
being brought into registry and in a right line with the similar grooves n, n, in the
edges of the camera.
By this means the box G may be slid along from under the covering-way K, on to
the camera, as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2.
slit
In doing so, the first plate-holder in the box will be carried into register with the
a, in the camera, and the further movement of the box may thereupon be arrested
by the engagement of the finger V with the first notch of the rack T and the box be
held firmly fixed thereby until its further movement is required.

page_text: If now the camera he turned so as to bring the box G on the top, the plate-holder
in register with the slit will drop of its own weight into the camera and enter the
grooves c, c, by which it will he supported in the focal plane of the lens. By a turn
of the screw E the plate-holder may now be secured in this position with the sensitized
film on one side thereof in readiness for exposure.
For the purpose of this exposure the camera may be turned as most convenient.
After exposure, the screw E is loosened and the camera turned so as to bring the
box G under it, whereupon the plate-holder containing the exposed film will drop back
automatically by its own weight into its place in the box, as shown in Figure 2.
The finger V, may now be lifted and the box moved forward to bring the second
plate in register with the slit a, its proper position being indicated and determined by
the engagement of the finger V with the second notch in the rack.
By numbering the notches in the rack, as shown in Figure 1, the number of plates
that have been exposed will be at once indicated by means of the finger V.
After the whole number of plate-holders FF in the box G have thus been severally
dropped into the camera for exposure and returned, the slide U,-
-see dotted lines
Figures 1 and 2, may be closed to protect the films from the light and the box be
withdrawn wholly from the camera and covering-way K, and after being reversed
may be returned so as to expose in turn the opposite films in the plate-holders.
After all the films in a box G have been exposed it is evident that a second, similar
box, containing fresh films may be substituted for it with great ease.
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. The combination with a photographic camera, of an open receptacle for
containing the plates or films before exposure and for receiving them after exposure;
said receptacle being attached to the camera in manner to be covered and closed
thereby and by devices connected thereto and to communicate freely with an aperture
through which the plates may be severally made to gravitate into and out of the
camara by its revolution alone, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein
set forth.
2. The combination with a photographic camera and with a juxtaposed movable
plate-box open towards the camera and made light-proof by its juxtaposition therewith
and with a covering plate projecting therefrom, of a series of plates or films severally
supported in ways in said box to slide independently, by gravity, through a communi-
cating aperture, into position for exposure within the camera and back again into the
box as the camera is turned for the purpose, substantially in the manner and for the
purpose herein set forth.
3. The combination with a photographic camera and with a juxtaposed open plate-
box fitted to slide back and forth upon the camera, and be closed thereby, of a
covering-way for said receptacle fitted to the rear end of the camera to form a
detachable extension upon which the plate-box may slide without being opened to the
light as it is drawn off of the camera, substantially in the manner and for the purpose
herein set forth.
4. The combination with a photographic camera having a lateral aperture for the
passage of the plates or films into position for exposure therein and out again, of the
open plate-hox fitted to move with either end foremost and with a light-proof joint
over said aperture, and a series of plate-holders or slides each containing two sensitized
films placed back to back and supported loosely in said box to drop through the
aperture when in register therewith, substantially in the manner and for the purpose
herein set forth.
5. The combination of the camera A; the extension-piece or covering-way K
hinged to its rear end to serve as a continuation of one of its side walls; the open
plate-box fitted to slide back and forth upon, and be closed by, said covering-way and
the corresponding wall of the camera; and the hinged braces L L', for the support of
said way, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.

page_text: 6. The combination of the camera having a lateral slit or plate-passage therein; the
extension-piece or covering-way attached to the rear end of the camera to serve as a
continuation of its slitted-wall; the open plate-box fitted to slide back and forth upon,
and be closed by, said covering-way and wall, and having lateral guide-ways for the
plate-holders therein; the rack upon the camera, and the finger upon the plate-box
engaging said rack, substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.
7. The combination with the camera A, having a lateral plate-receiving slit a.
therein, and plate-supporting grooves or ways c, c, in register with said slit, of a
movable backing plate D; and a set-screw E for adjusting the same, substantially in
the manner and for the purpose herein set forth.