An Improved Hand Camera.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Oct., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 29th July, 1895-Accepted, 7th Sept.,
1895
ALEXANDER JAMES JONES SAMUEL JOSEPH LEVI Wholesale Opticians
71 Farringdon Road Holborn, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
The object of our invention is a hand camera that shall be compact, efficient &
always ready for use. We construct a box which forms the body of the camera;
the front of which falls down & is retained in position by struts or other suitable
means; the front to carry the lens, shutter & bellows, is fixed on to a block, which
slides along a pair of metal runners, fitted into the falling front. This block is
furnished at its sides with a pair of angle pieces to engage in the runners.
A metal frame with its lower portion in the shape of a cam or eccentric is fitted
through the block & so arranged that it can be drawn over and cause the block to
be gripped tight when necessary.
Space is provided at the back of the body for a dark slide & focussing screen
with a small door at the side to insert same. We further place on the top or
side of the camera body & forming part of itself, a second box, or compartment,
with a lid, to contain extra slides.
At the back of the camera body we make another door hinged at the top to
enable the focussing screen to be seen, this is furnished with a spring at the hinge
to open it automatically and a suitable stop or button to retain it closed.
Dated this 30th day of October 1894.
ALEXANDER JAMES JONES.
SAMUEL JOSEPH LEVI.
An Improved Hand Camera.
We, ALEXANDER JAMES JONES and SAMUEL JOSEPH LEVI, both of
71, Farringdon Road, Holborn, Wholesale Opticians, 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 :-
The object of this invention is to produce a photographic hand camera which is
compact and efficient and may be readily adjusted for use.
The improved camera is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming part
of this Specification wherein
Figure 1 is a perspective rear view of the camera with the lens front drawn out
ready for use, parts being broken away to shew the interior.
Figure 2 is a part sectional front elevation, and Figure 3 is a part sectional
side elevation of the lens front and the means of supporting and adjusting it for
focussing.
The same letters of reference denote like parts in all the figures.
The camera body is a rectangular box A having a front flap B hinged to fall
down for the purpose of supporting the lens carrier when the bellows body is
T
"

page_text: drawn out, the flap. B being supported in that position by struts having bayonet
slots c sliding on and caused by springs, to engage with studs on the inner sides
of the body A when the front B is lowered. The lens carrier or combined carrier
and shutter D to which the bellows portion of the body E is attached is mounted
on a base block F fitted to slide along a pair of metal guides or runners G fixed
upon the falling front in continuation of similar guides G¹, fixed on the bottom of
the box portion A, the edges of said guides which overhang grooves 7 in the front
flap B being embraced by metal clips or angle pieces ffixed to the sides of the
block G.
In order to firmly secure the base block F at any given focal distance, a spring
gripping plate his fixed to the underside of the block and is acted on by an
eccentric or cam spindle i received in a cavity in the block F beneath which the
free upwardly turned edge of the gripping plate / extends, the ends of this spindle i
being journalled in the side portions of the clips f and having rigidly attached to
them the ends of a ☐ shaped lever-like frame I whereby the spindle may be turned
sufficiently to cause its eccentric or cam portion to bear on the plate / and by
pressing it down tightly upon the runners G cause the latter to be gripped between
the plate on the one hand and the clips fon the other. The lever frame I in
this position stands up in the position shewn in Figure 1 and in the released
position of the gripping device it swings down in front of the base block and in
that position serves also as a convenient handle or means for moving the block F
forward and backward as required for adjustment to the proper focus.
At the top of the body a chamber K is provided to receive two reserve dark
slides L, said chamber being partitioned off from, and forming structurally part of,
the body A. It is provided with a hinged lid & held closed by a snap fastening k¹.
At the rear of the body A space is provided for the dark slide which is in use for
the time being and the focussing screen M, these being inserted at a side opening
closed by a hinged door N, the dark slide being pressed up to stops formed by the
marginal frame around the exposing aperture, by springs attached to the focussing
frame which is in turn pressed forward to the focussing plane when the slide is
withdrawn. This is effected by means of a slider O working in the bottom of the
chamber and provided at its inner end with, an upwardly turned lug that catches
hold of the inner end of the dark slide whilst its outer end is provided with a
spring detent lug, o to, retain the slide in position when the dark shutter is drawn for
exposure.
To enable the focussing screen to be seen for focussing the picture, an aperture
closed by a door P is provided at back, said door which is hinged at top and
provided with side gussets p'; so as to form a hood, being thrown up and retained in
the horizontal position shewn, by a spring applied to its hinge, when the door is
released from its fastening p³:
Having now, particularly described and, ascertained the nature of the said inven
tion, and in what manner the same. is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:
1. In a photographic band camera, the herein described means of securing the
lens carrying front in position, consisting, in the combination, with the sliding
base block and clips adapted to embrace the guides G, of the spring gripping
plate and eccentric or cam spindle acting on the gripping plate in the manner
specified.
2. The combination, with the eccentric or cam shaft, of the gripping device
specified in Claim 1, of the shaped lever frame fixed by its two ends to the ends
of the shaft and adapted both for operating the latter and as a handle for moving
the base block to and fro substantially as specified.
3. A photographic hand camera provided at top with a chamber K to hold dark
slides, closed by a hinged lid, as specified.
4. The herein described camera provided with the following improvements in
combination, ris. :-a space at back to receive the focussing, screen and dark slide,

page_text: closed by a side door, and an aperture at back closed by a spring actuated door
hinged at top and provided with side gussets so as to form a hood, substantially as
and for the purpose specified.
Dated this 29th day of July 1895.
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.