CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN PHOTOGRAPHIC CAMERAS
Year: 1884

page_text: I, ALEXANDER HENRY REED, of 90 Cannon Street in the City of London,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS
IN PHOTOGRAPHIC CAMERAS 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 class of photographic cameras which are designed
more especially for taking instantaneous photographs, and tho Invention consists
in the novel features of construction hereinafter described wheroby an article of
superior utility is obtained.
In the accompanying Drawing
Fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of a camera embodying the Invention.
Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the shutter detached on a smaller scale than the
previous Figure.
Similar letters indicato corresponding parts.
The letter A designates the camera box having openings BC in opposite sides
thereof, one to receive the lens D and the other the sensitive plate F, the lens or
its holder being inade adjustable through the medium of a rack and pinion in
a well known manner. Adjacent to the lens opening B within the box is located
a swinging shutter G having an exposure opening H which is adapted to register
with the lens opening B, that is to say, in the motion of the shutter this opening
passes and repasses the lens opening, and since the plate inserted into the plate
The shutter G
opening is thus exposed to the lens, the desired effect is produced.
is mounted on an axial spindle I by means of end pieces G' (see Fig. 2) which are
flat and are fitted close to the proper sides of the box, to prevent the passage of
light between them and such sides. The spindle I has its bearings in the sides
of the box and it is bored out to receive a rod I' round which is coiled the spring J,
one end of which is secured to the rod I' and the other end to the spindle I to act
thereon with a tendency to force the shutter G from the lower position (shown in
full lines in Fig. 1) to the upper position (indicated in dotted lines in said Figure)
and consequently when the shutter is allowed to follow the action of this spring,
the exposure opening H passes the lens opening B with a motion more or less rapid,

page_text: The
according to the tension of the spring and an instantaneous exposure is produced,
the lens opening being closed by the shutter, except at the moment when the
exposure opening passes the same. The tension of the spring J may be regulated
by means of a pawl N and ratchet N° and a suitable key, so as to make the motion
of the shutter more or less rapid. In the lower position of the shutter the lens
opening is entirely exposed and the image in the focus of the lens is reflected upon
the lower surface of a ground glass plate K in the top of the box by means of
a mirror L or a prism, so that the image is visible to the eye through the ground
glass, and the operator is enabled to adjust the lens in the required manner.
mirror L is arranged on the shutter G to take an inclined position in relation to
the lens opening and to the focussing glass K. when the shutter is moved to a lower
or opened position as shown in full lines in Fig. 1. The shutter G is held in an
opened position by means of a catch N which is arranged to engage the shutter
when the same reaches the position named, this catch being provided with means
for retracting it, consisting in this example of a lever N¹ which connects with the
catch by a rod N2 and which is operated by a finger piece N³ extending through
the side of the box. A second catch O is used to engage the shutter, when the
exposure opening H registers with the lens opening B and to hold the shutter in
that position for making a time exposure, both catches entering one and the same
opening of the shutter and the catch being arranged to take an inoperative
position and leave the camera in condition for instantaneous work. Both
catches N, O, moreover are attached to a partition P serving to divide the shutter G
from the side A' of the box which side is hinged to form a door through which
access may be had to the catches and other enclosed parts. To the inner side of
the door A' is hinged a shutter A2 which serves to close the opening A³ in the door
when the camera is not used. In order to close this shutter the door A¹ must be
at least partially opened. The focussing glass K is fitted in a frame on the top
of the box A and above it is located an eyepiece R which is connected to the box
by means of a bellows or hood S of opaque material such as rubber cloth and
which is hinged to a lid T which in its turn is hinged to the top of the box so
that when this lid is closed, it covers the focussing glass and cyepiece together
with the bellows, the parts last named being folded under it. When the lid T is
opened, the eyepiece R is unfolded and held in an inclined or horizontal position
by a spring U which may be applied as shown in the Drawing or which may be
applied in the form of a spring hinge. As the eyepiece R is unfolded, the bellows
or hood S is extended and brought in the position shown in Fig. 1.
The lid T is provided with a lock t and the lid A' is provided with a latch a³
which swivels on a point pivot a³ secured in the top of the box A and which when
closed engages with a pin a secured in the top of the lid. The tail end of this
latch extends beneath the lid T and when this last named lid is locked, the lid A¹
cannot be opened. On that side of the box A which contains the opening C is
placed a plate box V which is intended to receive a number of sensitive plates F.
This plate box is connected to the box A by hinges v, and is fastened by a catch v
which is secured by the lock of the top lid T in a similar manner to the lid A.
Said plate box contains a follower V₁ which is exposed to the action of a spring V²,
so that the plates F are forced up against the opening C. The first plate in the
row is supported by two or more pins v' which are forced inward by springs v³.
The follower V₁ can be forced back against the action of its spring by a rack
and pinion or other suitable means. The heads of the pins v may be connected
by a bar so that all of them can be withdrawn simultaneously.
In order to permit the first plate F in the row to drop through a slot upon
a slide w which is fitted into the top of a dark chamber W, the follower is moved
back so as to relieve the plates from pressure and then the pins v are drawn back.
A button w¹ serves to withdraw the slide w and then the plate drops down into
the dark chamber. This dark chamber is connected to the box A by hinges and
it is provided with a suitable catch to retain it in its closed position. The hinges
are by preference so arranged that the dark chamber can be unshipped and turned

page_text: upside down for the purpose of removing the plates previously dropped into it.
In the example shown in the Drawing the dark chamber is arranged beneath the
bottom of the box A, but it may be attached to the box in any other position
suitable for the purpose.
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:-
A photographic camera constructed substantially in the manner herein shown
and described.