New or Improved Apparatus for Producing Artificial Light for Photographic and the like purposes.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Apr., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 20th Feb., 1899-Accepted, 1st Apr., 1899
New or Improved Apparatus for Producing Artificial Light for
Photographic and the like purposes.
I, CHARLES KLARY, of 13, Rue Taitbout, Paris, in the Republic of France,
Photographer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to apparatus for producing the deflagration of illuminating
powder and the subsequent operation of a smoke and gas catcher or retainer; by
these means a light of great intensity can be obtained with certainty at a given
inoment without being inconvenienced by the gas and smoke disengaged by the
deflagration of the powder.
My apparatus consists of a box of any suitable length, the ends of which are
preferably shaped partly circular and partly rectangular or polygonal; the box is
open at the front where the ends are circular whilst it is closed at the sides bounded
by the rectangular or polygonal ends. This box is fixed at any required inclination
forwards and backwards by means of bearings which can be tightened up by any
suitable means on a horizontal tube supported in any suitable way.
Near the bottom of the box is placed a table or stand extending the whole length
of the apparatus and held by suitable supports. This table or stand supports the
powder intended to produce the artificial light. The powder carriers consist of two
Dars resting on the aforesaid table or stand and fitting together near the middle of
the apparatus; they are fixed on the table by means of tenons or dowels fixed to
the latter. The powder carrier supports a metal tray and a certain number of blade
springs fixed by screws or otherwise and furnished with studs or blocks intended to
fire the caps placed beneath them, and thereby to produce the deflagration of the.
powder.
Opposite the caps and blade springs are placed hammers. The fall of these
hammers on to the blade springs causes the deflagration of the powder; the stems
of these hammers are fixed in the same plane by means of sockets on a horizontal
shaft one end of which outside the box is subjected to the action of a spring which
tends to press down the hammers, and the other end of which is furnished with a
trigger the release of which allows the said spring to act and to cause the descent
of the hammers as will be explained hereafter.
The
A curtain or screen is arranged to fall and close the open side of the box so as
to enclose and retain in the latter the smoke and gases produced by the deflagration
of the powder. This curtain or screen may be made of any suitable kind of flexible
material and is folded up bellows-wise when in its open position, being mounted on
horizontal rods connected with radial rods which are subjected at their point of
divergence to the action of springs which tend to lower the blind or screen.
radial rod corresponding to the lower edge of the blind may be alone subjected if
preferred to the action of a spiral spring wound between two discs the other rods
being mounted freely on their axes. By means of a chain or wire held by a coin
in the shape of a finger or otherwise the blind or screen can be held folded up that
is in its open position. The cam is keyed on to one end of a shaft turning in suit
able bearings on the box, the other end of the said shaft has fixed to it a sinall

page_text: ;
plate a notch in the periphery of which serves to receive a stop pin or pawl fixed to
the end of a connecting rod. The upper and lower ends of the connecting rod are
suitably guided and its lower end is furnished with a slot in which a pin can be
fixed in various positions. When the connecting rod is raised the stop pin or pawl
is disengaged from its notch in the plate and consequently the shaft is released,
and is turned in the proper direction by springs which tend to open out the blind
or screen downwards.
A releasing mechanism is placed below the aforesaid-connecting rod and consists
of the following parts; on a plate fixed by means of screws on the ends of the box are
arranged a small pneumatic cylinder in which is a piston the rod of which terminates in
a slot; a trigger with two arms keyed on the hammer shaft; and a guide for guiding
the end of a releasing lever which is pivotted on a screw fixed in the end of the box.
Near the free end of the said lever is fixed a button forming a guide for the slot in
the end of the piston rod. A flexible tube ending in a hollow pear or hall is
connected to a pipe or nozzle at the bottom of the pneumatic cylinder.
ACTION OF THE APPARATUS.
The releasing mechanism in the set or cocked position is arranged with the trigger
: lever resting at its end in a notch of the releasing lever. This position corresponds
to the raised position of the hammers; and the aforesaid stop pin or pawl is engaged in
the notch of its plate. When by pressing the hollow pear or ball at the end of the
flexible tube the piston of the pneumatic cylinder is raised, the rod of the said piston
effects successively, but at times sufficiently near together, the deflagration of the
powder aud the fall of the smoke-catching blind or screen. That is to say, when
by the rising of the piston the lower end of the slot in the connecting rod begins to
act on the button the stop notch of the releasing lever escapes from the trigger so
that the shaft, subjected to the action of the spring is suddenly turned by the latter
and the hammer strike their corresponding caps aud thereby effect the deflagration/
of the flashing powder. The movement of the piston continuing, the releasing lever
comes to act on the connecting rod, raises the latter so that the stop pin or pawl is
disengaged from the notch of the plate and the curtain or screen shaft turns so as to
allow the curtain or screen to fall and to imprison in the box the smoke and gas
produced therein. By varying the position of the button on the connecting rod
the interval of time between the deflagration of the powder and the consequent
production of the flash of light, and the fall of the curtain cau be varied at pleasure
and consequently the duration of the flash without the smoke and gases having in
any case, time to get out of the apparatus. After the operation, the apparatus is
taken out of the room and the gas and smoke allowed to escape from it, which
enables several views to be taken successively in the same room because the latter is
quite free from smoke. The arrangement of the powder carrier in two pieces allows
of all the hammers being operated together, or only one half of them while powder
is being placed on the other half which may be taken out of the apparatus for that
purpose.
The above described apparatus may be constructed of any suitable size, shape,
and materials, the means of firing the flashing powder may be varied according to
circumstances, and the blind or screen may be constructed in any other suitable way
without departing from the nature of my invention.
Dated thin 02.1 dow of A 1000

page_text: New or Improved Apparatus for Producing Artificial Light for
Photographic and the like purposes.
I, CHARLES KLARY, of 13, Rue Taitbout, Paris, in the Republic of France,
Photographer, 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 apparatus for producing the deflagration of illuminating
powder, known as flash-light apparatus, and the subsequent operation of a smoke
and gas catcher or retainer; by these means a light of great intensity can be
obtained with certainty at a given moment, without being inconvenienced by the
gas and smoke disengaged by deflagration of the powder; the apparatus is there.”
fore suitable for taking photographs with artificial light inside dwelling houses,
assembly rooms and so forth.
In the accompanying three sheets of drawings are illustrated by way of examples
two forms of my apparatus.
Figure 1 is a front elevation of the apparatus set or cocked ready for action; the
support for the apparatus not being shown in this figure.
Figure 2 is a side view and Figure 3 is a back elevation of same.
Figures 4 and 5 show respectively a transverse section and a front elevation, to a
larger scale than Figures 1, 2 and 3, of the disengaging mechanism of the
deflagrator.
Figures 6, 7 and 8 show respectively a front elevation, a side view and a plan, to
the same larger scale, of the disengaging mechanism of the smoke catcher.
Figure 9 is a front view of an apparatus differing in certain details from that
shown in Figures 1 to 8.
Figure 10 is a side view showing the disengaging mechanism in the set or cocked
position.
:
In the arrangement shown in Figures 1 and 2 the apparatus consists of a sup-
port ab of any suitable length, composed of a more or less horizontal table a, and
a vertical frame b the open parts of which latter are covered with fabric b¹; tho
ends of this support are closed by cheeks c on which are fixed the pivots d d of
the curtain or smoke catcher e.
The table a has at its front a frame a¹ of longitudinal and transverse bars over
which is stretched and fixed a fabric e² which fills or covers the open spaces. The
frame al is hinged to the table a to enable it to be opened out as shown in the
drawing when the apparatus is to be used or to be folded up at other times by being
raised from below upwards.
On the table a is placed a metallic trough extending the full length of the
apparatus, and intended to contain the powder for producing the artificial light."
This table also carries a certain number of blade springs g fixed at equal or unequal
distances apart by screws g¹, and provided with blocks g² for causing the detonation.
of the caps which are placed below them in the trough f, and consequently the
deflagration of the powder.
Opposite the caps and the blade springs are arranged the hammers shown in,
Figures 1, 2, 4 and 5 in the set or cocked position, and the striking of which on the
corresponding springs g effects the firing of the caps and consequently of the
powder. The stems of these hammers are fixed, by means of the bosses i, in lines
with one another on a horizontal shaft j, the end of which is acted upon by a coiled
spring constantly tending to turn the hammers downwards. This shaft j has
fixed to it an arm the release of which enables the spring to act and effect the
simultaneous fall of the hammers, as will be hereinafter explained.

page_text: The curtain or screen e, which constitutes the smoke catcher, is mide of any
suitable fabric in the form of a bellows, or better still in the form of a carriage
hood the ribs of which turn and fold together on the pivots dd. It is represented
in Figures 1, 2 and 3 in its folded-up or open position. When it is let down it
comes against the inclined frame a hinged to the horizontal table a, and thus forms
with the table a, frame. a¹, the frame b, and the cheeks c c a closed space in which
the apparatus producing the artificial light is completely enclosed. The curtain e
is fixed at its edge e' to the sides of the frame b, and is supported by a number of
horizontal rods e mounted on radial rods e³, turning freely on the axes d d. The
outer rods e³, corresponding to the edge et of the curtain, are acted upon by a
spiral spring e' wound round each of the ases d d and tending constantly to lower
the curtain. This latter is held in its raised position by the engagement of the
hooked end of a rod k with a bracket fixed to the frame b.
The disengaging mechanism consists of two parts; one, which relates to the
firing of the powder, consists of a horizontal axis m passing through the frame b,
and having on it three arms m', m², m³. The arm m³, actuated by means of the
cord and subjected to the action of a spring m³, can oscillate between two
stops me m, the arm m² retains in its normal position the arm j belonging to the
hammer shaft. The third arm serves to retain the second part of the
mechanism. This latter comprises an axis n placed in the middle cross-piece of
the frame b, and carrying two arms n¹ n², a chain n³ attached to the outer arm n¹,
a heavy weight n attached to the chain, a second axis p furnished with an arm pi
supporting the weight n and resting ou the arm m³. The two axes np are
mounted on the middle cross-piece b, the arm n² carried by the first axis oscillates
inside the bracket, it is placed, in its normal position, over the bent end k¹ of
the rod k.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-
When
When the mechanism is set or cocked ready for action the hammers are in their
raised position, and are held in that position by the engagement of the arm j² of
their supporting axis j with the arm m²; the curtain or smoke catcher e is also held
in its raised position by the engagement of the hook with the bracket k².
the cord m is pulled so as to draw down the arm m¹ the axis m is caused to make a
partial rotation and the arm m² rising liberates the arm ; the hammers are drawn
down suddenly by the spring j¹ and strike the springs y causing the instantaneous
firing of the powder in the trough f. At the same time, in consequence of the
partial rotation of the axis m, the arm m³ allows the arm p' and the weight n² to
fall. The length of the chain n³ is so arranged that the weight n does not begin
to act on it till after it has fallen for a certain time, which time is easily determined.
When the weight has fallen far enough to take up the slack of the chain it begins
to draw down the arm n¹ and consequently the arm n². This latter arm in
descending forces the hook down free of the bracket thus liberating the curtain e,
and the springs e immediately come into action to force it downwards so as to
catch and enclose the smoke and gases produced by the combustion of the powder
so that they cannot incommode the operator.
By varying the length of the chain n³ the interval of time intervening between
the production of the flash of light and the fall of the curtain can be regulated at
pleasure so as to determine the duration of the illumination.
After the operation the apparatus may be taken out into the open air, and the
smoke and gases allowed to escape from it, which enables several pictures to be
taken in the same room without any inconvenience whatever.
Another arrangement of the apparatus is illustrated in Figures 9 and 10 of the
drawings, in which parts which are similar to certain of those of the arrangement
illustrated in Figures 1 to 8 are marked with the same letters of reference.
This form of the apparatus consists of a box of any suitable length, the ends of
which are preferably shaped as shown in Figure 10 partly circular and partly
polygonal; the box is open at the front where the ends care circular as from 1 to 2,
whilst it is closed at the sides bounded by the prismatic surfaces 2, 3, 4, 1. This

page_text: box is fixed at any required inclination by means of wing nuts 7 which tighten up.
the bearings 8 on a horizontal tube 9 of the support 10.
Near the bottom of the box b is placed a table or stand a extending the whole
length of the apparatus. This table or stand supports the caps placed at g² at the
ends of blade springs g which are fixed in the middle by screws g' and on which is
placed the powder intended to produce the artificial light.
Opposite the caps are placed hammers h shown in the set or cocked position in
Figure 9. The fall of these hammers on to the corresponding caps causes the
dellagration of the powder. These hammers may have their striking part striated
or furnished with points to render their action more powerful, the stems of these
hammers are fixed in the same plane by means of bosses i on a horizontal shaft j
one end of which, outside the box is subjected to the action of a spring which
tends to press down the hammers, and the other end of which is furnished with a
two armed trigger 11-12 the release of which allows the hammers to fall as will
be hereinafter explained.
A curtain or screen is arranged to fall and close the open side of the box b so
as to enclose and retain in the latter the smoke and gases produced by the
deflagration of the powder. This curtain or screen may be made of any suitable
kind of flexible material and is folded up bellows-wise when in its open position as
in the drawing being mounted on horizontal rods e connected with radial rods e",
which are subjected at their point of convergence to the action of springs which
tend to lower the curtain or screen. The radial rod e corresponding to the lower
edge of the curtain may be alone subjected, if preferred, to the action of a spiral
spring e wound between two discs 13, the other rods being mounted freely on their
axes. By means of a chain or wire held by a cam 14 or otherwise the curtain or
screen can be held folded up that is in its open position. The cam 14 is keyed on
to one end of a shaft 15 turning in suitable bearing 16 on the box the other end of the
said shaft has fixed to it a small plate 17 a notch in the periphery of which serves to
receive a stop pin, or pawl 18 fixed to the end of a connecting rod 19. The upper
end of this connecting rod is guided in a groove in the support 16 when it is raised
by the trigger meclianism. When the connecting rod 19 is raised the stop pin or
pawl 18 is disengaged from its notch in the plate and consequently the shaft 15 is
released, and is turned in the direction of the arrow by the double action of a flexible
rod 20 and the spring e which tend to turn the curtain or screen downwards.
A releasing mechanism is placed below the aforesaid connecting rod and consists
of the following parts:-On a plate 21, fixed by means of screws on the end of the
box b, are arranged a small pneumatic cylinder 22 in which is a piston the rod of
which terminates in a slot 23; a two armed trigger 11-12 keyed on the hammer
shaft and a guide groove 24 for guiding the end of a releasing lever 25 which is
pivotted on a screw 26 fixed in the end of the box b.
At a point on this lever 25 is
connected the rod 19 and near the free end of the said lever 25 is fixed a pin 27
forming a guide for the slot 23 in the end of the piston rod. A flexible tube 29-
ending in a hollow pear or ball is connected to a pipe or nozzle at the bottom of
the pneumatic cylinder 22.
The action of this apparatus is as follows:-The releasing mechanism in the set
or cocked position is arranged as shown in Figure 10 that is to say with the trigger
lever 11-12 resting at its end 11 against a stop 30 of the releasing lever 25. This
position corresponds to the raised position of the hammers, and the aforesaid stop
pin or pawl 18 is engaged in the notch of its plate 17. When, by pressing the
hollow pear or ball at the end of the flexible tube, the piston of the pneumatic
cylinder 22 is raised, the rod of the said piston effects successively, but at times
sufficiently near together, the deflagration of the powder and the fall of the smoke
catching curtain or screen e. That is to say, when by the rising of the piston the
lower end of the slot 23 in the connecting rod begins to act on the pin 27 the stop
notch 30 of the releasing lever 25 escapes from the trigger 11-12 so that the shaft j
subjected to the action of the spring is suddenly turned by the latter and the
hammers strike their corresponding caps and thereby effect the deflagration of the

page_text: flashing powder. The movement of the piston continuing the releasing lever 25 the
comes to act on the connecting rod 19, and raises the latter so that the stop pin or
pawl 18 is disengaged from the notch of the plate 17 and the shaft 15 turns in the
direction of the arrow, Figure 10, so as to allow the curtain or screen e to fall and
to imprison in the box the smoke and gas produced therein. By varying the
forms, relative positions, and dimensions of the parts of the releasing mechanism,
and the strength of the springs employed, the length of the interval of time between
the deflagration of the powder, and the consequent production of the flash of light, and
the fall of the curtain, can be varied at pleasure and consequently the duration
of the flash without the smoke and gases having in any case, time to get out of the
apparatus and to spread themselves through the room. After the operation the
apparatus is taken out of the room and the gas and smoke allowed to escape from
it, which enables several views to be taken successively in the same room because
the latter is quite free from smoke."
The above described apparatus may be constructed of any suitable size, shape,
and materials, the means of firing the flashing powder may be varied according
to circumstances, and the curtain or screen forining the smoke catcher may be
constructed in any other suitable way without departing from the nature of my
invention.
Having now particularly, described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
First. A flash-light apparatus for utilizing artificial light in photography, which
consists of a smoke and gas catcher to close automatically after the combustion of
the illuminating powder, in such manner as to catch or imprison the smoke and gas
produced, in combination with firing devices, mechanism for releasing and actuating
the firing devices, and mechanism for releasing and actuating the smoke and gas
catcher, substantially as described, and for the purposes specified.
Second. A flash-light apparatus consisting of a support, a metallic trough for
containing the deflagrating powder, a series of blade springs furnished with
percussive blocks arranged over the trough, a series of hammers mounted on a
shaft for striking simultaneously the said springs and effecting the firing of the
powder, a movable curtain or screen forming a smoke and gas catcher or retainer,
and releasing and actuating mechanism for the firing devices and for the smoke and
gas catcher or retainer substantially as described.
Third. A flash-light apparatus consisting of a support, a firing arrangement, an
axis carrying three arms, one of which is acted on from outside by a cord, the second
of which serves to hold and releaso the firing devices, and the third of
which serves to hold and release the actuating mechanism of the smoke and
gas catcher or retainer, in combination with a smoke and gas catcher or
retainer held open against the action of springs by a hook, an axis provided with
two arms, one of which releases the said hook, and the other of which carries a chain
of adjustable length provided with a weight the fall of which is determined by the
releasing mechanism of the firing devices, and produces in its turn the closing
action the smoke catcher or retainer at the end of an interval of time which can be
regulated at pleasure according to the nature of the deflagrating powder, and the
necessary time of exposure of the photographic plate or film, by varying the length
of the chain substantially as described with reference to Figures 1 to 8 of the
drawings.
Fourth. In flash-light apparatus of the kind forming the subject of the first
claiming clause hereof the combination of a series of springs having striking
blocks g² arranged on a supporting table a furnished with a hinged part a', the
said springs and blocks being placed directly over a trough containing the
deflagrating powder with firing caps, hammers h mounted on a shaft j adapted to
be turned in bearings on the table by two springs wound round its ends; a
releasing mechanism for the striking hammers consisting of an arm on said
2

page_text: shaft j, an axis m with arms m¹ m² m³, cord m' and spring m"; releasing mechanism
for the smoke catcher or retainer e comprising the axis n with arms n', n², the
arm n¹ being provided with the chain n³ having a weight n resting on the lever pl
supported by the arm m³ of the said hammer releasing mechanism, and the arm n²
of the said axis releasing a rod : by which the smoke and gas catcher or retainer
is held up; a curtain or screen e forming the smoke and gas catcher or retainer
which folds up bellows or accordion fashion on radial ribs e³, and is opened out
automatically by the action of springs 6 wound round the pivots d d of the said
radial ribs; the whole being combined so that by a slight effort exerted on the
cord mt, there are produced successively, at intervals of time that can be adjusted
by modifying the length of the automatically acting weighted cord ³, firstly, the
action of the hammers h on the strikers g, the consequent firing of the deflagrating
powder and the flash of light necessary for the taking of the photograph, and
secondly, the opening out of the smoke and gas catcher and the capture or imprison-
ment of the smoke and gas generated by the combustion of the powder before they
have had time to spread into the surrounding space, substantially as described with
reference to Figures 1 to 8 of the drawings.
Fifth. A flash-light apparatus consisting of a cylindro-prismatic box mounted on
a stand which allows the inclination of the box to be varied, the said box being
provided with a flexible curtain or screen adapted to be opened out over the open
cylindrical face of the box, in combination with a firing arrangement and a trigger
mechanism consisting essentially of an air piston effecting by the ascent of its rod
the raising of a releasing lever which determines, firstly, the escape of a retaining
finger keyed on the oscillating axis of the firing hammers and, secondly, the release
of the smoke and gas catcher or retainer; these two movements being effected by
means of suitable springs and the interval of time which separates them being
regulatable at pleasure substantially as described with reference to Figures 9 and 10
of the drawings.
Sixth. In a flash-light apparatus of the kind forming the subject of the first
claiming clause hereof, a series of springs g with striking blocks g² fixed on a sup-
porting table a forming part of a box b mounted on a jointed stand 8-9;
hammers mounted on a shaft j adapted to be turned in bearings on the table a
by a spring, a releasing mechanism for the striking hammers comprising a
trigger 11-12 fixed on the shaft, the oscillating lever 25 with stop shoulder 30
and pin 27, the pneumatic cylinder 22 with slotted piston rod, and an elastic
operating air ball or pear; a releasing mechanism for the smoke and gas catcher or
retainer comprising a connecting rod 19 having a stop pawl 18, a notched movable
disc 17, a shaft 15 carrying a cam 14 serving to retain the smoke and gas catcher
in its raised position by means of a hook 1, a smoke and gas catcher e which folds
up like an accordion on a skeleton frame-work radial ribs e, and which is opened-
out automatically by the action of springs e mounted round the pivots of the said
radial ribs, the whole being combined so that by a slight pressure on the elastic
pear or ball, there are produced successively, first, the action of the hammers h on
the striking springs g, the firing of the deflagrating powder and the flash of light
necessary for taking the photograph, and second, the opening out of the smoke and
gas catcher e and the capture or imprisonment of the smoke and gas-generated by
the combustion of the powder, before they have time to spread into the surrounding
space, substantially as described with reference to Figures 9 and 10 of the
drawings.