Improvements in or relating to Photographic Cameras.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Jan., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 3rd Oct., 1895-Accepted, 9th Nov., 1835
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Photographic Cameras.
We, CHARLES WALTER FORWARD of 32 Grove Road, Brixton in the County
of Surrey, Bookbinder, and CHARLES EDWARD COLE of 10 Elm Road, Camden
Town, in the County of Middlesex, Cabinet-maker, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows :-
:-
This invention relates to improvements in photographic cameras.
The object of this invention is to construct a simple camera wherein the several
operations of putting the plate or film into position, setting the shutter, and when
releasing it to effect the exposure, and retiring the exposed plate or film in readiness
for the further use of the camera, are all effected by a single simple movement of
an operating-device so arranged that the camera cau be completely and unobtrusively
operated by the use of one hand alone.
According to one method in which this invention can be carried into effect a bar
is arranged to slide in guides in the camera body; a spring is applied to this bar
which tends always to keep it at one extreme of its travel. Upon the bar is a push-
piece by which it can be moved and which preferably is adapted to fold out of the
way when not in use. The bar is provided with a projection or with other means
which at a certain part of its travel will operate a plate-changing device or
mechanism for moving the film.
A suitable shutter is pivotted upon the camera and in proximity thereto is a
spring-controlled detent adapted to come automatically into engagement with the
shutter when the latter has blocked the light orifice. The sliding bar is so con-
structed that it will move the detent out of engagement with the shutter at the
proper moment after the plate or film has been put ready for exposure.
A driving lever for the shutter is pivotted to the casing and is provided with a
pawl preferably so arranged that when permitted to operate as hereinafter explained
it will not only come into contact with the shutter and cause it to open the light-
orifice but will simultaneously move into the path of parts of the shutter to prevent
it from over-running.
A spring is arranged to operate in conjunction with the sliding bar and the driving
lever in such a manner that in the first part of the operation of the sliding bar the
spring is put into tension or compression and tends to operate the driving lever and
the shutter against the resistance of the detent. This detent will be moved by the
bar to permit rotation of the shutter when, but not until the bar has operated
the plate-presenting or film-operating device before referred to and hereinafter
described.
Immediately that the bar moves the detent out of engagement with the shutter
the driving lever operates the latter with great rapidity under the influence of the
previously-energised spring to effect the exposure. The return of the driving-lever
to its normal position is conveniently effected by arranging the same spring to
operate reversely upon it immediately upon the locking of the shutter by the detent.
The spring is preferably so secured in position as to be easily adjustable in order
that the amount of distortion imparted to it by the sliding bar may be regulated in
accordance with the desired rapidity of action of the shutter. Where the camera
is used for working with plates the change of plates is preferably effected by means
of a sliding carriage aud devices for operating that carriage from the sliding bar.
For instance, we construct a carriage to slide in the camera in a direction parallel
with the aerial line of the lenses; in the carriage guides are provided to receive

page_text: individual plates and we arrange in the camera a stationary partition to extend into
the carriage and support the plates in one end of their guides until they are moved
with the carriage along and to the end of the partition over which they drop
successively into position for exposure, each plate being all the time retained in its
especial guide which are continuous to avoid risk of jamming the plates. Each
plate is stored in one end of its guide before exposure, and moves to the other end
or exposure and storage after exposure. The plates are "backed to prevent the
passage of light therethrough each one as it moves into position for exposure
shields the plate which preceded it. To impart movement to the carriage a
traversing-screw or other device is provided, preferably arranged to be operated
intermittently and to the desired extent by a pawl, and ratchet which is actuated
at the desired point in the movement of the sliding bar by a projection thereon or
otherwise.
Where a film is employed instead of plates the film can be moved by mechanism
operated in like manner to that which works the plate-carriage..
1
Means are provided for throwing the pawl or other driving device out of gear or
for cunbling it, to be moved out of gear with the carriage-traversing or film-
operating mechanism and to enable such mechanism to be reversely operated by a
suitable key or otherwise when necessary.
The exterior of the carriage can be conveniently numbered to indicate through
an opening in the wall of the camera the number of the particular plate or film last
exposed or ready for the next exposure.
Dated this 3rd day of January. 1895.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
'Improvements in or relating to Photographic Cameras.
We, CHARLES WALTER FORWARD of 32 Grove Rond Brixton, County of
Surrey, Bookbinder, and CHARLES EDWARD COLE of 10 Elm Road, Cainden
Town, County of Middlesex, Cabinet-niaker, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention and in what manner the same is to be perforined, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
The object of this invention is to construct a camera wherein the several
operations of putting the plate or film into position beliind the lens, ready for
exposure, setting the shutter, and then releasing it to effect the exposure, and
retiring the exposed plate or film in readiness for the further use of the camera, are..
all effected in proper order by but a single reciprocation of an operating-device. so
arranged that the camera can be completely and unobtrusively operated by the use
of one hand alone.
"
In the accompanying drawings,
!
Figure 1 is a perspective elevation of a caniera constructed according to our
invention,
Figure 2 is a longitudinal central section of the same,
i
S
Figure 3 is a perspective view of the camera with, the, front cover, opened and,
with parts broken away so that the mechanism and, internal arrangement may be.
seen, and
Figures 4 and 5 are views to illustrate the mode of operation of certain parts of
the mechanism, and will be hereinafter more particularly described.
Figure 3 is drawn to a scale which is slightly larger than that of the other..
views.
Like letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings...
The body of the camera is a box A having a removable lid A. B is the lens
secured in the present example in an opening in the lower part of the front wall A
.

page_text: of the box. C is a cover hinged by hinges C to the front wall A and containing
part of the mechanism of the camera, and a "finder "D of a customary or other
desired type. Within the box A' is a plate-carriage E open at the top and also
open half-way up its front end opposite the lens 13, and adapted to reciprocate in
the box in a direction parallel with the axial line of the lens; in the carriage are
guide ribs E and between each pair of these ribs the sensitized plates Fare
received as shown. Gis'a stationary partition fixed in the body A and arranged
to extend into the carriage 'E as shown, so as to support the plates F which lic
between the upper ends of the guide ribs E' until the carriage E moves them along
and to the end of the partition Gover which they drop successively into position
for exposure, each plate being all the time retained between one of the pairs of
guide ribs E, these being preferably made continuous to avoid risk of the plates
jamming in a manner which would probably be experienced if the plates had to
change grooves. Each plate F is passed into the camera by way of the opening
ordinarily closed by the lid 'A' at the top of the box A and is put between the
upper ends of the guide ribs 'E" before exposure and' moves to the opposite ends for
exposure where it remains for storage after exposure until the camera is emptied.
We may arrange numbers as at E on the carriage E to be visible through-an
opening A in the body 'A so that the position of the plates in the top part of the
carriage relatively to the partition G can be readily ascertained. Each of the
plates Fisbacked," for example by being inserted in a thin 'flanged metal
backing F which will prevent the passage of light therethrough; thus cach one,
as it moves into position for exposure (see for example, the plate at the right-hand
end of the lower series in Figure 2) shields the adjacent plate which preceded it.
H is a screw journalled so as to 'be rotatable but not movable endwise in 'a
bearing Ain'the wall 'A'.
E is a nut formed in a boss upon a cross-bar 'E' secured to the carriage E;
this nut engages with the screw' (Figure 2) so that the carriage can be inovéd
by rotation of the screw as hereinafter described. 'H' is a ratchet-wheel secured to
the screw H, which latter has a squared end 'H, opposite a key-hole A in the
wall A which is provided with a pivotted cover A, and through which a key can
be inserted to operate the screw manually for a purpose hereinafter specified.
Ordinarily the screw His intermittently rotated mechanically by a pawl I which
has at one end a projection 12 and at the other end 13 carries a roller and is
hinged to an arm J which can turn freely through a limited angle about a pivot K
fixed to the wall. The pawl I and arm J connected as described forin a toggle,
which when operated as hereinafter described causes the projection'1' to engage the
ratchet-wheel Hand move it through part of a revolution. The pawl-I is so
formed or so weighted that it will rest against the ratchet-wheel 'H' in some such
position as that indicated in Figure 3 as long as the camera is held upright; but if
the camera be turned upside down the pawl will disengage itself under the influence
of gravity, from the ratchet-wheel'H' as shown in Figure 5. Iis an extension" of
the pawl 1 past' the hinge thereof; it engages with a projection on the' arm J
and the latter in turn has its movement about its pivot limited by the stop 'A' on
the wall Athe projection J and stop A are provided in order to prevent the
pawl and arm from assuming, so long as the camera is approximately upright
as in Fig. 3, any position whence they would not be drawn by gravity into gear
with the ratchet-wheel H'; the proportions of the arin J and pawl I of the toggle
are such that it cannot extend far enough to over-drive the ratchet-wheel H
,
L is a spring attached to the wall A so as to bear on the ratchet-wheel H¹ and
prevent by engaging with the recesses in the circumference the latter from being
jarred or accidentally moved out of its proper position.
Mis a bar arranged to slide end wise between suitable stops and in guides Cin
the cover C. M is a spring attached at one end to the cover C and at the other
end to the bar 'M; this spring is provided or an equivalent arrangeinent is made in
order that the bar M' when displaced end wise shall tend always to move to that
extreme of its travel at which it is shown in Fig. 3. M' is a push-piece by which

page_text: the bar M can be moved by a finger of the hand which supports the camera; this
push-piece is preferably inged to the bar M at M³ so that it can fold out of the
way, when not required for use, into a recess C³ in the cover C.
The
On the bar M is a projection M adapted to engage with the roller when the
bar M is moved, provided that the cover C is closed upon the body of the camera.
N is the shutter. In the present instance it is a disc, pivotted to the interior of
the cover C by the pin C between the head of which..and the shutter is a small
helical spring C to keep the shutter close against the interior of the cover.
shutter has three openings N₁ therein any one of which may be brought opposite
an opening C in the cover C by which light can pass to the lens B and sensitized
plate. Nare pins projecting from the shutter N. and N are notches in its edge;
one pin and one notch is appropriated to each opening N.
Further each opening is of such a form that all portions of the aperture in the
shutter permit the passage of equal amounts of light that is to say the top and
bottoin parts of the aperture remain open just as long as the central or any other
portion, and this is done by making the shapes of the opening and closing, edges an
exact converse of each other and so that each shall have as the chord of its arc a
radial line.
O is a driving lever, pivotted at one end O¹ to the cover C; at the other end of
the lever O is pivotted a pawl P with an extension P thereon. Q' is a spring, in
tension between the pawl P and lever O so as to make the pawl Por its
extension P bear always against one or other of the pins N2 and to cause the
jaw of the pawl to move into position at the completion of the downward
movement of the lever ( below that pin N2 which it has next to act upon. The
extension P prevents the pawl from nioving so far towards the lever O as to miss
the pin; overrunning on the part of the shutter N is prevented by the pins N2 and
the body of the pawl which are so disposed relatively to each other that the
movement of one pin N by the jaw of the pawl brings the next succeeding pin
into contact with the body of the pawl as shown in Figure 4 before the jaw of the
pawl is disengaged from the shutter. O is a spring by which the lever O is
connected with the bar M; the tension of the spring is preferably adjustable, as
by the adjusting screw 03 which rests on a projection from the bar M and is screw-
threaded to engage a threaded portion of the spring, or a device to which the spring
is connected. Or the spring may be adjustable at that end which is to be connected
with the lever 0; in any case the tension should be very slight if maintained at
all, when the bar M and lever O are in the relative positions indicated in Fig. 3.
Instead, however, of regulating the speed of the shutter by the spring Of we may
do so by means of the spring C, the compression of which could be adjusted by
arranging the pin C so that it could be moved in er out;, for this purpose it can
be extended through the cover and provided at the exterior thereof with a milled
head.
Qis a detent pivotted at one end Q' to the cover Cand, adapted to engage by means
of the projection Q2 thereon with the notches N3, in the edge of the shutter; the
other end Q3 of the detent extends into the path of a projection M from the
bar M. Qis a spring fixed to the cover C and arranged to press the detent Q
towards or against the shutter.
Ris another detent carried on the inner end of a short shaft R' journaled in
one side of the cover C and carrying at its outer end a button R². This detent
can be used in the manner hereinafter described, to lengthen the time of exposure
if desired, beyond that which is given automatically. The several parts, arranged
as described, are operated as follows, it being assumed that the cover C is closed
and the push-piece M put in line with the bar M
When the push piece M2 is raised from the position in which it is shown in
Figure 3 to that in which it is shown in Figure 4 the projection M at a certain
part of its upward travel with the bar will raise the roller I and thereby cause the
toggle composed of the arm J and pawl to straighten out so that the pawl
rotates the ratchet-wheel H through the angular distance between adjacent teeth

page_text: thereof. This effects a similar partial revolution of the screw H which propels the
carriage for a short distance (equal to the pitch of the ribs E¹) and causes a plate
to drop past the inner end of the partition G into readiness for exposure.
Moreover, by this upward movement of the bar M the spring O2 is put into tension
and therefore exerts a pull upon the lever O tending to cause the pawl P to
operate the shutter N. This tendency however is opposed by the detent. Q until
the projection M'on the bar M rises high enough to raise the end Q³ of the
detent, whereupon the previously-extended spring Q2 actuates the pawl P to turn...
the shutter N by one of the pins N2 very rapidly through (in the present instance)
a third of the revolution at the end of which the next of the pins N³ is checked
by the body of the pawl P; this movement of the shutter effects a momentary
exposure of the plate by causing one of the openings N to pass behind the
opening C in the cover. This movement of the shutter does not take place until
the carriage E has been moved by the pawl I as described, to provide a plate.
The subsequent return of the lever and pawl P to their original position takes
place during the descent of the bar M and is effected by gravity or in addition by
causing the spring 02 to he pushed down or slightly compressed by the bar as the
latter moves down under the action of its own spring M which was put in tension
during the ascent. In the first part of the descent of the bar M the projection M
moves away from the part Os of the detent Q so that the projection Q² re-engages
the shutter.
:
To vary the rapidity of exposure which depends upon the speed at which the
shutter N is moved by the spring O³ the tension of the latter can be regulated to
give different speeds as desired, but if a long "time-exposure" is to be given the
detent R should be turned by the exterior button R2 into the path of the pins N
before the bar M is moved up in such case the subsequent raising of the bar M
has the same effects as have just been explained except that the shutter N instead
of cutting short the exposure is stopped by the detent R with one of the
openings coincident with the opening C in the cover C, and the bar M having
been moved up must be kept up until the button R2 is operated reversely whereupon
the tension maintained in the spring O2 by reason of the retension of the bar in.
its higher position will complete the suspended partial revolution of the shutter by
the pawl and conclude the exposure.
If the carriage E is required to be run back, the camera should be reversed, to.
disengage the pawl I from the ratchet-wheel H', the screw H can then be reversely
rotated by a key placed on the square head H2 and thus, the carriage can be run
back.
A sensitized film may be employed. on a carrier instead of the plates F and
carriage E and may be moved by mechanism operated in like manner to that by,
which the carriage is worked.
A sliding or pivotted "stop" with a graduated series of apertures can be placed
in the cover C behind the opening C³ therein.
We wish it clearly understood that the camera and the appurtenances thereof
herein before described are explained by merely way of example and that
modifications and alterations thereof may be made without departure from our
invention.
Having, now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. A photographic camera wherein from a single operation of a device such for
example as the bar M the changing of the plate or filin and the complete operation
of the shutter all result in the desired order, substantially as described.
2. In a photographic camera the combination with an operating device such for
example as the bar M and a shutter, of mechanism for, controlling and operating
the shutter and for changing the plate or film substantially as hereinbefore
described.
'
1

page_text: 3. In a photographic camera such as is claimed in Claim 1 an operating device
such for example as the bar Mso' arranged that the camera can be completely
operated by one hand alone, substantially as described. "
4. In a photograpliic camera the combination with a single movable carriage
such as E of a partition such as G substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore
described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
5. In a photographic camera the combination with the body A of a movable
carriage such as E with continuous plate guides therein and a partition such as G
substantially as and for the purpose herein before described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
6. In a photographic camera the combination with a plate-changing or film-
operating device such as H a ratchet wheel Hand a movable device such as the
bar M with a projection M thereon of the arm and pawl I arranged to constitute
toggle driving-gear for the ratchet wheel H¹ substantially as and for the purpose
hereinbefore described.
1
7. In a photographic camera a toggle driving-gear such as is constituted by the
arm J and pawl I so constructed and arranged that it normally remains in gear
with a driven ratchet-wheel H' but can be caused to free the ratchet-wheel by
tilting the camera, substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore described.
8. In a photographic camera the combination with a toggle driving-gear such as
is claimed in Claim 7 of means to limit the angular movement of the arm J and
pawl substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore described.
9. In a photographic camera the combination with a plute-carriage such as E,
and partition G of the screw H ratchet-wheel H' and toggle driving-gear therefor
substantially as and for the purpose herein before described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
10. In a photographic camera the combination of carriage E partition G and
screw H substantially as and for the purpose herein before described.
11. In a photographic camera the combination with a shutter such as N and
operating-device such as the bar M of an adjustable or other spring 02 a lever O
pawl P pins N' and detent Q arranged and operating substantially as and for the
purpose hereinbefore described.
12. In a photographic camera the combination with a shutter such as N of a
lever pawl P and pins N arranged and operating substantially as and for the
purpose hereinbefore described.
13. In a photographic camera a cover such as C containing part of the operating
mechanism and hinged to the body A substantially as described.
14. In a photographic camera the combination and arrangement of parts
constituting that portion of the driving-apparatus which in the accompanying
drawings is shown as carried by the cover C, substantially as and for the purposes
herein before described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
15. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting a complete photo-
graphic camera substantially as and for the purpose herein before described and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
16. Devices for adjusting the speed of the shutter, substantially as hereinbefore
described.
17. In a photographic camera a bar M. with a folding push-piece M 2 substantially
as and for the purpose herein before described.
...
100
CHARLES EDWARD COLE.
C. W. FORWARD,
Per his Agents,
Boult & Wade.
CHARLES EDWARD COLE.
C. W. FORWARD,
Per his Agents,
Boult & Wade.