Improvements in Photographic Cameras.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 4th May, 1894
Complete Specification Left, 4th Feb., 1895-Accepted, 9th Mar., 1895
PROVISIONAL DICITICATION.
Improvements in Photographic Cameras.
I, JAMES GAGE, of 8 and 10 Pembroke Place, Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, Toy Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
This invention has for its object a photographic camera which can be made at
small cost and sold at a low price. It is designed to carry its own plates and
automatically, or almost automatically, change an exposed plate for an unexposed
The camera can be carried
one, so that views can be taken in quick succession.
under the arm, and the image found and focussed and the exposure is instantly
effected without having to alter the position of the focussing glass or screen in
any way.
In carrying out my invention, I prefer to make the camera in the form of a box
with compartments. The sensitised plates are stored in a sliding or removable
store box or magazine in an upper compartment, this magazine being provided
with divisions or pockets for containing the sensitised plates. A slit, wide enough
for one plate to drop through, is provided in the partition between this upper
compartment and the exposure compartment below. To expose a plate, therefore,
the magazine is moved slightly forward so that the plate will drop through into
the exposure compartment. After exposure, the camera is turned upside down
and the exposed plate drops back through the slot in the magazine.
operation may be repeated as often as there are unused plates in the magazine.
The plates that have been exposed or those that are held in reserve are both carried
in this magazine. .In practice, I may employ one or more magazines adapted to fit
within the compartment, and each of said magazines may contain a complement of
plates. Thus, when the plates in one box are used, it may be withdrawn and
another substituted.
This
The magazine has mechanism for moving it forward, also for locking it in
any desired position, and means for indicating the particular plate that has
dropped through, thus removing danger of one plate being brought down twice.
I propose that the focussing screen be placed at one end of the exposure
chamber near where the plate is dropped into position. Thus, by holding up the
camera at the level of the eye, the image can easily be focussed on the screen, and
this image will be about the same size as the picture photographed on the plate.
From the foregoing description, it will be readily seen that one great advantage of
my camera is that the view may be photographed the moment it is found or focussed.
The exposure shutter may be formed of a hinged or rotatable slide, which can easily
be moved by the finger.
nin and do of Mov 1804

page_text: Improvements in Photographic Cameras.
I, JAMES GAGE of 8 and 10 Pembroke Place, Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, Toy Manufacturer, 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 for its object a photographic camera which can be made at
small cost and sold at a low price. It is designed to carry its own plates and
automatically, or almost automatically, change an exposed plate for an unexposed
one, so that views can be taken in quick succession. The camera can be
carried under the arm, and the image found and focussed and the exposure is
instantly effected without having to alter the position of the focussing glass or
screen in any way.
The invention will be understood from the following description, reference being
had to the accompanying drawings, in which
Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section,
Figure 2 a view of the camera ready for use, and
Figure 3 shows a slight modification.
The camera is made in the form of a box with compartments. The sensitized
plates A are stored in a sliding or removable store box or magazine B in an upper
compartment C, this magazine B being provided with divisions or pockets bb for
containing the sensitized plates. A slit D, wide enough for one plate to drop
through is provided in the partition between this upper compartment C and the
exposure compartment E below. F is a lever or handle pivotted to the magazine B
and adapted to engage when pressed down the notches G in the camera. There
are as many notches G as there are plates in the magazine. ƒ is a little wedge for
holding the handle F down in the notches.
To expose a plate, therefore, the handle is lifted out of the notch, the magazine
moved slightly forward so that the handle will be between two notches. The
plate will be heard to drop through the slit into the exposure compartment E.
After exposure the camera is turned upside down, and the exposed plate drops
back through the slot D into the magazine. Then the magazine is moved slightly
forward, so that the handle can be pressed into the next notch. The wedge is
reinserted and the plate thus locked in the magazine. The user can then turn the
camera any way he likes and open either the back or lens with impunity. This
operation may be repeated as often as there are unused plates in the magazine, and
moreover the particular plate which was last dropped through is indicated, as if
the handle is pressed into the fourth notch it is obvious that three plates have
been dropped through and the fourth is the next one to be exposed, and so on.
This removes the danger of one plate being brought down twice. Plates that have
been exposed or those which are held in reserve are both carried in the magazine.
In practice I may employ one or more magazines adapted to fit within the
compartment C, and each of said magazines may contain a complement of plates;
thus when the plates in one box are used it may be withdrawn and another
substituted.
It is obvious that instead of using the pivotted handle F and notches G, a
pivotted catch and eyelets may be provided, as shown in Figure 3, this arrange-
ment being practically a mechanical equivalent of the other.
H is the focussing screen placed at one end of the exposure chamber E, near
where the plate is dropped into position, I a hinged door at end, held closed
by the elastic strap J. Thus by opening the door I and holding up the camera
to the level of the eye, the image can be easily focussed on the screen H, and

page_text: this image will be about the same size as the picture photographed on the plate.
From the foregoing description, it will be readily seen that one great advantage of
my camera is that a view may be photographed the moment it is found or focussed.
The exposure shutter K may be formed of a slide, which can be easily moved by
the finger or otherwise.
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 improvement in photographic cameras which consists in forming them of
a box with compartments, namely, an upper compartment C, and an exposure
compartment E below, the partition between these two compartments being
provided with a slit wide enough for one plate to drop through at a time,
in combination with a sliding or removable store box or magazine B located
within the upper compartment aforesaid, and formed with divisions or inverted
pockets for carrying sensitized plates that are held in reserve, and also those that
have been exposed, substantially as and for the purpose described.
2. The use in combination with cameras, of mechanism substantially as describe.l,
for moving the magazine forward in the upper compartment C, and for locking it
in any desired position, while such mechanism allows of the particular plate that
has been dropped through to the exposure compartment to be indicated, thus
removing danger of a plate being brought down twice.
3. The general combined arrangement and construction of parts forming my
improved photographic camera substantially as set forth.
Dated this 2nd dox of February 1805
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, and London, Agents.