IMPROVEMENTS IN PHOTOGRAPHIC AND OTHER OPTICAL APPARATUS
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Dec., 1886.
Complete Left, 5th Sept., 1887
Complete Accepted, 7th Oct., 1887.
I, ZACHARY HARRIS KINGDON, of 30, Victoria Road, Old Charlton, in the County
of Kent, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN PHOTOGRAPHIC AND OTHER OPTICAL APPARATUS, to be as follows :-
My Invention relates to improvements in apparatus such as cameras and lanterns
for photographic and other purposes whereby such apparatus is rendered easily
collapsible into a convenient form for carriage, and readily erected and adjusted
for use.
My Invention consists in connecting the parts of the apparatus which are to be
closed together when out of use and separated to a required distance, or distances,
for use by links or levers, or links and levers either alone or in conjunction with
flexible or other ties; or the ties may be replaced or assisted by causing certain or
all of the links and levers to come in contact with fixed or moveable stops, or with
one another, when in certain relative positions according to the requirements of any
particular case.
To obtain rigidity of the structure with its parts in any particular relative positions,
such as when opened to a required extent or when closed, I arrange springs so to
act on any or all of the links or levers that they in conjunction with the ties or stops
constrain the system as required; or I obtain rigidity by causing some or all of the
links and levers or their joints to come on or slightly past their dead centres; or I
apply spring or other catches or bolts of any form to effect the same end.
In one modification the system of links partakes of the form of the ordinary
lazy-tongs, whereby any required extension can be obtained by having a sufficient
number of links suitably arranged which can be actuated and controlled either
directly by hand or through any combination of links, levers, ties, stops, springs,
joints, catches and bolts as aforesaid.
A final adjustment, when requisite, such for example as in the case of focussing the
lens, is obtained in the following way-The frame or setting which carries the lens,
or similar part, requiring adjustment, is arranged to slide in an outer tube or sheath,
the sheath having in it one or more slots or grooves which engage with a stud or

page_text: studs set in or affixed to the frame or setting. These grooves or slots may be straight,
curved, stepped, notched, serrated or of any other suitable form and may be in any
position and direction; and the studs may be of any suitable form and may be rigid
or otherwise, as for example they, or a part of one or of any number of them, may be
attached by a spring which will admit of a slight displacement and will bring them
back again to their normal position. The relative positions of the studs and slots
may be reversed, the studs being connected to the sheath and the slots or grooves
being in the frame or setting.
The position of the frame or setting in the sheath may be indicated by an index
and graduations upon any suitable part of either the frame or sheath or both or any
other portion of the lens mount or any extension thereof or attachment thereto; or
it may be indicated and temporarily maintained by a stud or catch or similar appliance
engaging steps, notches or serrations in the grooves or slots already described or in
any other part or extension of or any attachment to the lens mount. By these means
the senses of touch and hearing together or separately are employed in focussing and
adjusting, but I do not limit myself to these means as I intend to include all suitable
means by which the senses of touch or hearing may be used in obtaining the desired
adjustment.
Dated this 3rd day of December 1886

page_text: I, ZACHARY HARRIS KINGDON, of 30, Victoria Road, Old Charlton, Kent, Civil
Engineer, 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 :-
My Invention relates to improvements in apparatus such as cameras and lanterns
for photographic and other purposes whereby such apparatus is rendered easily
collapsible into a convenient form for carriage, and readily erected and adjusted
for use.
My invention consists in connecting the parts of the apparatus which are to be
closed together when out of use and separated to a required distance, or distances,
for use by links or levers, or links and levers either alone or in conjunction with
flexible or other ties; or the ties may be replaced or assisted by causing certain or
all of the links and levers to come in contact with fixed or moveable stops, or with
one another, when in certain relative positions according to the requirements of any
particular case.
To obtain rigidity of the structure with its parts in any particular relative positions,
such as when opened to a required extent or when closed, I arrange springs so to
act on any or all of the links or levers that they in conjunction with the ties or stops
constrain the system as required; or I obtain rigidity by causing some or all of the
links and levers or their joints to come on or slightly past their dead centres; or 1
apply spring or other catches or bolts of any form to effect the same end.
In one modification the system of links partakes of the form of the ordinary
lazy-tongs, whereby any required extension can be obtained by having a sufficient
number of links suitably arranged which can be actuated and controlled either
directly by hand or through any combination of links, levers, ties, stops, springs,
joints, catches and bolts as aforesaid.
-->
In the accompanying drawings figs. 1 and 2 represent in plan a camera constructed
according to this invention, fig. 1 showing the camera when open for use, and fig. 2 the
same camera when closed. The front F and the back B are connected by the links L, L
and the bell crank levers CC. pivotted together as shown at the points p, P
The bell crank levers are carried by the supporting brackets S. S-- by means of the
fulera ff-round which C, C, oscillate, the brackets being fixed to the front and back
of the camera. When opening the camera the levers C Care prevented from moving
too far by the stops s. s. fixed to the brackets C. C. (see fig. 1.) and when closing it by
coming in contact with the front and back of the camera at C.
C,
(See fig. 2.).
--
The body of the camera may be formed of the usual bellows, or a sleeve of flexible
material may be stretched from the front to the back of the camera and its length
so adjusted that it acts as a tie to control the amount of separation of front and
back. When the ordinary bellows are used flexible ties or jointed bars may be

page_text: stretched from front to back to effect the same end. In either case the ties may
assist the stops s. s. already described or the stops may be relied on alone. The
amount of opening may also be controlled by the links and levers, or suitably arranged
projections thereon, coming in contact with one another.
In the camera figs. 1 and 2. Springs G. G. are stretched between joints a. a--- on
the cranks C, C.-- these points being in such positions that the camera is maintained
in its extended position, as in fig. 1, by the combined action of the springs ties and
stops, or maintained in its closed position, as in fig. 2, the springs in the process of
closing having passed the lines of dead centres their force being now exerted to close
the camera. Instead of the springs G. G. catches or bolts may be used to keep the
camera open or shut.
Any required extension of the camera may be obtained by having a sufficient
number of links L L. --
A final adjustment, when requisite, such for example as in the case of focussing the
lens, is obtained in the following way;-The frame or setting which carries the lens,
or similar part, requiring adjustment, is arranged to slide in an outer tube or sheath,
the sheath having in it one or more slots or grooves which engage a stud or studs set
in or affixed to the frame or setting. These grooves or slots may be straight, curved,
stepped, notched, serrated or of any other suitable form and may be in any position
and direction; and the studs may be of any suitable form and may be rigid or
otherwise, as for example they, or a part of one or of any number of them, may be
attached by a spring which will admit of a slight displacement and will bring them
back again to their normal position. The relative positions of the studs and slots
may be reversed, the studs being connected to the sheath and the slots or grooves
being in the frame or setting.
The position of the frame or setting in the sheath may be indicated by an index
and graduations upon any suitable part of the frame or sheath or both or any other
portion of the lens mount or any extension thereof or attachment thereto; or it may
be indicated and temporarily maintained by a stud or catch or similar appliance
engaging steps, notches or serrations in the grooves or slots already described or in
any other part or extension of or any attachment to the lens mount.
By these
means the senses of touch and hearing together or separately are employed in focussing
and adjusting, but I do not limit myself to these means as I intend to include all
suitable means by which the senses of touch and hearing may be used in obtaining
the desired adjustment.
In figs. 1, 3 and 4 one modification of the means of effecting the final adjustment
of the lens is shown. In fig. 1. the lens is seen in its place on the camera. Fig. 3 is
a front view of a portion of the lens mount, the cover plate k (figs. 1 and 4.) being
removed, and fig. 4. is a longitudinal section through the same portion of the mount.
T. is the lens-tube or setting which slides in the sheath H, this sheath having a collar
which fits in the recess in the flange K and is held in place by the cover plate k.
Fixed to there is a feather V which engages the feather-way in T and thus
prevents from revolving. Studs are fixed in T and these engage with slots
the sheath H, these slots being portions of a helix or screw. On revolving H by
means of the milled projection the lens tube T will be worked in or out and the
amount will be indicated to the senses of touch and hearing by the click of the spring-
catch g. in the notches --, this spring-catch being fastened to the sheath H, the
notches being in the flange K.
in
Another method in which I carry out this portion of the invention is by having
notches or serrations in one side of the slots with which the studs or spring
catches attached to the studs engage. In this case the sheath H may be fixed to the
flange if preferred and the slots g may be of the form shown or may be straight lying
parallel to the axis of the lens tube, the tube being moved in and out directly by
hand or by a lever or rack motion.
In a second modification of the invention as it relates to the opening and closing
of a camera or other piece of apparatus I connect the front and back or other parts
to be closed together and separated by bars hinged together in the middle and hinged

page_text: at their ends to the front and back of the camera. One portion of such a hinged bar
has attached to it a spring which acts upon the other portion of the bar in the same
manner in which the spring-back acts on the blade in an ordinary pocket knife. In
a third modification such jointed bars have stops on them which allow the two parts
of the bar to hinge into a position slightly past a straight line, or slightly past their
dead centre, and being then held by the tension of a spring or tie (which tie may be
the sleeve constituting the body of the camera) whereby rigidity is obtained.
I use these means for opening and closing the top and bottom of lanterns such as
are used for conducting photographic operations by where non-actinic light only is
admissable.
I further use these means for applying extensions to existing cameras for the
purpose of using longer focus lenses.
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 cameras, lanterns and similar apparatus for photographic and other optical
purposes the connecting of those parts which have to be closed together at one time
and separated at another by systems of links and levers and constraining the same by
ties, stops, springs, catches or bolts or combinations of any or all of these.
2. The application to cameras, lanterns, &c. of the system of links used in the
ordinary lazy-tongs for the purpose of rendering them collapsible.
3. The combination of links, levers ties, stops and springs herein described and
illustrated as applied to collapsible cameras.
4. The application to cameras, lanterns &c. of jointed stretcher bars having a spring
action similar to that of the blade of an ordinary pocket knife in its handle,
substantially as herein set forth.
5. The application to cameras, lanterns &c., of jointed stretcher bars having stops
near their joints which prevent them from doubling backwards except a small amount.
past their dead centres, substantially as herein set forth.
6. All suitable means by which the senses of touch and hearing may be used for
focussing and adjusting lenses and other similar parts of photographic apparatus.
7. The arrangements for focussing lenses herein described and illustrated.
Dated this 3rd day of September 1887