Improvements in Apparatus for Use in Taking Photographic Pictures.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Feb., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 12th Nov., 1894--Accepted, 15th Dec., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Use in Taking Photographic
Pictures.
4
I, GEORGE DICKINSON Photographic Engineer 144, Morley Avenue, Wood
Green London, N., in the County of Middlesex do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
The principal object of this invention is to provide a compact photographic
apparatus in which a number of plates, films, or sensitized surfaces are placed in
succession in position for receiving the photographic image and are afterwards
returned to a receptacle in which they are retained without opening the camera
or exposing the plates, films, or surfaces to light otherwise than in taking the
picture.
According to my invention I provide a suitable closed box or camera in which a
lens and shutter may be used in the ordinary way. Into this camera and opposite
the lens is a rectangular frame acting as a plate or film-holder, having projections
in its inner four corners or angles so that the sensitive sheets or plates and cardboard,
or other intercepting medium, or the sensitive sheets or plates only, with or without
sheathes, when placed at right angles and in apposition transversely across each
other may be supported and allowed to fall at the will of the operator by revolving
or raising and lowering eccentric or alternating catches working at opposite sides
or corners in such a manner that at each movement one of the sheets or platea is
displaced, removed and succeeded by another.
These movements may be accomplished in various ways:-
1. By eccentric or alternating catches on one of the ends of each of the projections
inside the holder all connected or geared so that they face each other in pairs, which
operation may be actuated by levers, bevel-cog motion, or similar contrivance.
2. By leaves or catches on each side and not at the corners, so arranged with
springs and levers that when one pair of such catches face each other inwards, the
other pair would be depressed outwards, thus liberating the top film or plate and
retaining the remainder until another movement be made.
In combination with the above movements I can arrange a cover for the receptacle
for exposed plates or films.
On raising this it engages with a lever which actuates the changing arrangement
and which also moves an index recording the number of film or plate brought into
position and disposed of.
Dated this 10th day of February 1894.
GEO. DICKINSON.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION..
Improvements in Apparatus for Use in Taking Photographic
Pictures.
I, GEORGE DICKINSON, of 144, Morley Avenue, Wood Green, London, N.
Photographic Salesman, 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 relates to that kind of photographic camera in which a number of

page_text: sensitive films or plates placed in front of one another are successively brought up-
to position for exposure and after exposure are caused to fall forwards into a
receptacle at the bottom of the camera.
The object of my inventiou is to provide means whereby the retention and release
of the films or plates alternated with backing cards, may be effected without the
films or cards being notched or otherwise specially shaped to serve the purpose of
an escapement. It also has for object to cause the cover of the receptacle for
exposed plates or films to be raised by the movement whereby the release of the film
or plate is effected and to be retained in the raised position until the said movement
has been completed by the release of the backing card and the return of the
escapement devices to their normal position.
The means whereby these results are attained involve the arrangement of the
films or plates and cards in alternate order and in such relation to each other that
the end edges of the films or plates project beyond the adjacent edges of the cards,
and conversely the cards project beyond the side edges of the films or plates. This
relative position is maintained by the provision in the corners of the magazine
chamber of the camera, of filling or guide pieces and the successive release is effected
by means of escapement devices consisting of detents pivoted at the front ends of
these corner guide pieces and geared together so as to be operated simultaneously,
whereby they are caused to occupy one or other of two positions. In their normal
position these detents project in the front of the foremost film or plate of the series
at the projecting end portions of such film or plate so that they are out of the path
of the succeeding card, and in their other position they similarly project in front
of the card and are out of the way of the film or plate which is then free to fall
forwards, the same being the case with the card when the detents are returned to
their former position to engage with the next succeeding film or plate.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this
Specification, wherein
Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating the arrangement of the films and
cards.
Figures 2 and 3 are cross-sections of the magazine, shewing the detents in the two
positions.
Figures 4 and 5 are corresponding elevations of the couplings of adjacent detents
whereby simultaneous operation is effected.
Figure 6 is a side elevation of the mechanism for actuating the detents and the
cover of the receptacle for exposed plates or films.
Figure 7 is a face view, ou a smaller scale, of the side of the camera supposed
removed in Figure 6.
Figure 8 shews detail views of one of the detents, and
Figure 9 is a detail view of a safety stop to prevent the exposed plates or films
falling out of their receptacle when the camera is inverted.
The same letters of reference denote like parts in all the figures.
a.are the films and b the backing cards arranged as shewn in Figure 1, c, c, c, c', are
the corner guides between which the ends of the films a and of the cards fit as
shewn, i.e. the films between the pairs of guides c, c, c', c', and the cards between
the pairs c, c, c, c', and they are pressed up towards the plane of exposure
by springs at back in the ordinary way. The corner guides are fixtures in the
magazine d which is an internal chamber fixed within the outer case of the
camera. e are the detents or catches pivoted on centres e at the front ends of the
corner pieces c, each detent being T-shaped and coupled by links pivoted to its
two shorter arms e² to sway levers g, g', 92, 93, respectively pivoted at g' to the four
outer sides of the magazine d, the detents at adjacent corners of the magazine being
coupled to the opposite ends of the same sway lever, at each of the four sides of the
magazine. All the levers and detents being thus coupled together they move
simultaneously from the normal position, in which the detents project towards each
other in pairs vertically, as shewn in Figure 3 to the position in which they project

page_text: towards each other in horizontal pairs, as in Figure 4 and vice-versa. The lever. g
at the side shewn in Figure 6 is provided with a handle h for operating the detents,
said handle passing through a slot in the side of the camera, said slot being
masked by an internal shutter ² pivoted at ³ to the side of the camera in axial
alignment with the pivot of lever of the handle h passing through a hole in
the shutter. The receptacle for the exposed films is situated at and k is the cover
for the said receptacle carried by a cross-shaft provided with a lever arm k*
which is coupled by a link to a lever pivoted at land whose upper end is acted
on by a stud 12 on the lever g so that when the latter is oscillated to operate
the detents for the release of an exposed film the cover k is raised, as shewn in
Figure 6. This figure represents the position of the parts after the detents have
been turned from the position shewn in Figure to that shewn in Figure 4 and back
again to allow the exposed film and its backing card to fall into the receptaclej. The
lever is provided with a catch m which is engaged by a latch lever m' when the
cover k is raised, and from which it is released to allow the cover k to fall, by acting
on a handle m² passing out through a slot in the side of the camera.
The up or
down position of the cover k is indicated by the letters U and D on a plate
carried by lever l, one or other of which is visible through an aperture in the side
of the camera.
€
It will be seen that until the detents are returned to the position shewn in
Figure 3 to allow the backing card to fall, the cover k cannot be lowered.
n is a safety bolt which is pressed inwards by a spring so as to pass through a
hole in the inner wall of the camera and project into engagement with the cover k
which is thereby locked in its lowered position so that the exposed films cannot fall
out of the receptacle j should the camera be inverted when being carried. When.
the camera is in use the safety bolt is retracted and so held, by a pin n' on it
engaging in a bayonet slot n' in a fixed sheath through which the bolt passes.
an ordinary indicator dial to shew the number of films exposed. It is revolved by
a pawl o' carried by a link o connected to the lever, the pawl engaging with a
ratchet wheel o³ on the back of the dial whose indications shew through an aperture o*
in the side of the camera.
o is
When plates are used they may be arranged alternately with backing cards in.
the same way as films or they might be carried in metal sheaths in which case no
backing cards would be required, the sheathed plates being alternately placed in
the position of a film a and card b. In this case the notion of the detents e through
an are of 90 degrees in one direction is sufficient to effect the release instead of the
double motion as required when backing cards are used. In this case, therefore, it
would be necessary to provide other means for raising and lowering the cover k
independently of the detents.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a camera, the combination of detents pivoted to corner guides and connected
so as to be moved simultaneously through quadrant arcs, substantially as and for the
purpose specified.
2. In a camera, the combination of detents pivoted to corner guides and connected
so as to be moved simultaneously through quadrant arcs, with a series of films or
plates and cards or of sheathed plates of oblong form alternately arranged crosswise
so as to fit between the pairs of corner guides and be successively retained at the
plane of exposure and released by the motion of the detents through quadrant arcs,.
as specified.
3. In a camera, the combination of the detents arranged as described and of
a continuous chain of lever and link connections whereby the detents are coupled
together so as to be simultaneously operated in the manner specified.
4. The combination, with the detent-operating mechanism, of the mechanism.

page_text: operating the cover of the receiving chamber, the arrangement being such that the
cover is raised by the operation of the detent mechanism before the plate or film is
allowed to fall.
Dated this 12th day of November 1894.
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.