Improvements in Photographic Machines.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Nov., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 11th Sept., 1893--Accepted, 4th Nov., 1893
PROVISIONAL
SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Photographic Machines.
I, WILLIAM JAMES BAKER, of Peasholme House, Scarborough, in the County
of York,. Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows :-
My invention relates to that class of photographic machines in which some of the
working parts are actuated by the weight of one or more coins when inserted
therein, and other parts by weights or springs under the control of an attendant.
In carrying out my invention I employ as a dark chamber, to contain the whole
of the mechanism, a rectangular box of wood or iron, the joints of which are made
sufficiently close to prevent the admission of light, and in one end of this box
(hereinafter referred to as the "front") the lens is fixed.
The "plaques" or sensitized plates are placed in either a revolving drum or in a
long rectangular box divided into compartments, each to contain one plaque.
These compartments are open at the bottom, so that as the drum revolves or the
box is drawn along a slide, the compartments successively arrive at a slot opening
into a shoot, when the plaque in the compartment in coincidence with the slot
drops into the shoot and passes thereby into a shutter-box which is placed
immediately behind and in line with the lens.
The shutter-box is provided with a thin sheet-metal shutter working vertically
in grooves and suspended from one end of the coin-lever by which it is operated.
The bottom of the shutter-box is closed by means of a horizontal slide, which
upon being withdrawn allows the plaque contained in the shutter-box to drop out
in a vertical direction.
The coin lever is mounted upon a stud between two slots for receiving coins.
The first coin inserted acts on one end of the coin lever and raises the opposite
end of the same and with it the shutter, thus exposing the plaque.
When the exposure is complete the second coin is inserted at the second slot.
which coin presses down the lever and closes the shutter and at the same time opens
the slide at the bottom of the shutter-box by means of a vertical lever projecting from
the under side of the coin-lever, whereby the exposed plaque is dropped into the
dipper which at this stage hangs immediately beneath the shutter-box.
The dipper into which the plaque drops and fits loosely, is formed of wirework
or perforated anticorrosive sheet metal, and is hung upon a short crosshead which
is mounted upon two friction-rollers, one at each end.
The dipper crosshead, is traversed from front to back of the machine by means of
straps, cords or chains which pass round a drum mounted upon brackets at the
back of the machine, which druin is actuated by means of a coiled spring or by a
weight.
The dipper is returned to the front of the machine also by straps or cords which
pass round a drum operated by means of a crank-handle worked at the outside of
the machine near the front by the attendant.
The friction-rollers of the dipper crosshead are carried between double guide
rails (top and bottom rails) which extend from front to back of the machine, at
each side of the dipper, and which are curved up or down as required to give the
dipper the necessary rise or fall during its traverse to effect the proper immersion
of the dipper and plaque in the three baths (developer, fixer and washer,
successively) which are contained in suitable vessels placed in the path of the
dipper.
When the dipper has passed through and been raised out of the third or
washing bath it comes in contact with a cross bar or roller, and the cross head

page_text: simultaneously descending a steep incline of the guide rails, the dipper is inverted
and the plaque slides out into a shoot by which it passes out at the back of the
machine, completed.
In the return of the dipper from back to front after discharging the plaque, the
friction rollers upon which the dipper is carried are shunted by means of a spring
switch upon an upper tier of guide rails which conduct the dipper in a horizontal
line clear of the baths to its starting point under the shutter box ready to receive
a fresh plaque.
By fixing strips of leather upon the front drum to come in contact with a
regulating screw or brake, the passage of the dipper may be retarded at certain
points, as for the purpose of prolonged immersion in the baths, and it may also be
either retarded or regulated by means of the crank handle outside the machine
which is held by the attendant.
The time of exposure of the plaques is regulated by the time allowed to elapse
between the insertion of the first and second coin.
The divided drum or box containing the supply of plaques is furnished with
a toothed periphery or rack and is moved the space of one compartment at a
time by means of a lever and pawl actuated by the dipper crosshead on its return
traverse.
Dated this 11th day of November 1892
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION:
Improvements in Photographic Machines.
1, WILLIAM JAMES BAKER, of Peasholme House, Scarborough, in the County
of York, Mechanical Engineer, 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 :-
My invention relates to that class of photographic machines in which some of
the working parts are actuated by the weight of one or more coins when inserted
therein, and other parts by a crank-handle under the control of an attendant in
combination or not with weights or springs.
To enable my invention to be fully understood I will describe the same by
reference to the accompanying drawings, in which :-
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a photographic machine constructed according
to my invention; and,
Figure 2 is a transverse section of the same :
Figure 3 is a side elevation partly in section of a modified form of dipping
apparatus; and,
Figure 4 is a cross section of the same:
Figures 5 and 6 are views similar to Figures 3 and 4 of another modification of
the dipping apparatus; and,
Figure 7 is a side elevation partly in section of a modified arrangement of
another part of the machine.
Similar letters refer to similar or corresponding parts in all the figures.
In carrying out my invention I employ as a dark chamber, to contain the whole
of the mechanism, a box or case A, Figures 1 and 2, of wood or iron, the joints of
which are made sufficiently close to prevent the admission of light.
The box or case A is mounted upon a pillar A' to which it is secured by a stud
and a screw-nut B, which stud acts as a pivot upon which the box can be turned
when the nut is slackened, in order to adjust the machine to the most favourable
position for securing a good light. In one end (hereinafter referred to as the
"front") of this box the lens H is fixed.
The "
plaques" or sensitized plates are placed in a long rectangular box C,

page_text: Figures 1 and 2, divided into compartments, each to contain one plaque. These
compartments are open at the bottom.
The box C fits into a horizontal frame D adapted to slide in the direction of the
arrow Figure 1 along a guide or bridge E. One side of the frame D has a rack or
teeth E' formed in it corresponding in pitch with the distance between the centres
of the compartments in the box C. The box is moved with the frame D one tooth
and one compartment at a time by means of a lever C' and, a pawl C² which
engages in the teeth of the frame. The bottom of the box C is provided with a
sliding cover D' which has a projecting pin D2 fitting into a hole in the guide or.
bridge E, the compartments being by this means uncovered one at a time as the
box is moved along. The lever C¹ is operated by the return traverse of what I
call the dipper cross-head M'. As the compartments of the box C containing the
plates arrive in succession over a slot D³ formed in the bridge E the plate in the
compartment in coincidence with the slot drops into a shoot F through which it
passes in the direction of the arrow into a shutter box G where it rests immediately
in a line with the lens H but is for the present closed from the light by the shutter H¹
working vertically in grooves in the shutter box G and suspended from one end of
the coin lever J.
The bottom of the shutter-box G is closed by means of a horizontal slide or
movable bottom carried by a pivotted plate M2, which bottom upon being withdrawn
in the manner hereinafter described allows the plaque contained in the shutter-box G
to drop out in a vertical direction.
The coin lever J is mounted upon a stud between two slots J¹, J' for receiving
coins.
The first coin inserted in the slot J' falls upon two pins projecting from the coin
lever near one end thereof and that end being thereby depressed the opposite end
is raised and with it the shutter, thus exposing the plaque and allowing a
photograph of an object placed opposite the lens to be taken.
When after a few seconds the exposure is complete the second coin is inserted in
the second slot J2, which coin presses down the shutter end of the lever J and
closes the shutter.
The photograph now requires to be immersed in three separate baths for the
purposes of developing, fixing, and washing. These baths are lettered K¹, K'
and K³ respectively.
K is the dipper into which the plaque drops and fits loosely; it is formed of
wire-work or perforated anticorrosive sheet metal, and is hung and swings upon
the cross-head M' which is mounted upon two flanged friction rollers N, N, one at
each end.
The dipper cross-head M¹ is traversed from front to back of the machine by
means of straps, cords or chains M which pass round a drum L mounted upon
brackets at the front of the machine, which drum is for this purpose actuated by an
attendant by means of a crank handle L' outside the machine. The drum in
rotating winds up a spring P₁.
The dipper is returned to the front of the machine by the unwinding of the said
spring.
The friction rollers N, N of the dipper cross-head M' are carried between double
guide-rails N', N1 (top and bottom rails) which extend from front to back of the
machine, at each side of the dipper K and which are curved upwards and
downwards as shewn in Figure 1 to give the dipper the necessary rise and fall
during its traverse to effect the proper immersion of the dipper and plaque in the
three baths.
As soon as the drum L begins to revolve a stud projecting from the dipper cross-
head M¹ (or from the centre of the cross-head itself) catches a finger L' whereby
the bottom of the shutter box G is opened and the plaque then drops out of the
shutter box into the dipper K which is carried along by the cross-head M³,
following the alternate downward and upward course of the curved guide

page_text: rails N', N' until, after raising the spring-switch O¹, into the position indicated by
the dotted lines in Figure 1, it stops at the end of the rail. This rotation of the
drum as hereinbefore stated winds up the spiral spring P¹ which is now allowed to
come into operation to return the dipper to the front of the machine.
In the return of the dipper, the friction rollers upon which the dipper is carried
are shunted by means of the switch (which has been returned by its spring to the
position shewn in full lines) onto an upper tier of return guide-rails P at the front
end of which is a counterbalanced and self-acting switch 0%, which rails and
switches conduct the dipper in a horizontal line clear of the baths K³, K², K³ to its
starting point where the front of the dipper K presses against a roller R which
causes the front of the dipper which is provided with a spring-hinge to open at the
bottom and drop out the finished photograph into a delivery shoot R' by which it
passes out of the front of the machine.
In passing along the guide-rails the dipper K containing the photograph is
thoroughly immersed in the three baths K1, K2, K3 successively and the time of
immersion is regulated by the attendant who is operating the handle L' at the side
of the machine.
In the return of the dipper cross-head along the return rail P the lever C¹ is
caught by the dipper cross-head M¹ and is moved by it a sufficient distance to open
one compartment of the box C and thereby allow a fresh plate to pass into the
shutter box in the manner already described and so on.
In the modification of the dipping apparatus represented at Figures 3 and 4 the
which
dipper K is suspended from the ends of levers S, S pivotted to a carrier V,
levers are depressed when a finger T fixed to a boss of the said levers comes in
contact with the edge of a plate U, which edge is formed with such curves and
inclines as will give the necessary depression to the levers S carrying the
dipper K as the carrier V upon which they are mounted passes along the guide-
bars W. The levers S, S are brought back to a horizontal position by the
counterpoise B¹.
In the modification of dipping apparatus represented at Figures 5 and 6 a single
lever S¹ carries the dipper K which is loosely suspended upon a stud at the end of
the lever.
The lever is fixed upon a carrier or sleeve U₁ which slides upon a round guide-
bar W in which is formed from end to end a groove V₁. A pin projecting
inwardly in the sleeve fits into the groove and as the sleeve passes along the bar
the pin gives the required twist to the sleeve and the lever thereto attached, which
action gives a rising and falling motion to the lever S'. The groove V₁ passes in
a slanting direction about one quarter of the distance round the bar, and this
direction of the groove is repeated twice in order to give the dipper the three
required immersions during the passage of the sleeve along the bar. Or instead of
.a round grooved bar a flat bar can be employed having three portions of its length
.twisted at right angles to the remaining portion. A flat sleeve passing along this
twisted bar gives the necessary dipping motion to a lever mounted upon the sleeve
and carrying the dipper.
Instead of the rectangular box C shewn in Figures 1 and 2 for containing the
supply of plaques or sensitized plates I can, as shewn in Figure 7 employ a drum
which is divided near its periphery into compartments, each designed to hold one
- plate. The drum is mounted upon a horizontal spindle and is provided with teeth
. on its outer edge and is operated by a lever C₁ and pawl C² in a similar manner to
that described with reference to Figures 1 and 2. Or the drum may be mounted
upon a vertical spindle and rotated horizontally for a similar purpose, by means o
⚫a pawl and lever.
.
If desired the weight or spring for returning the dipper to the front of the
machine may be dispensed with, in which case the forward as well as the
backward movement of the dipper is effected by the attendant operating the crank
handle.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
"
1. In a photographic machine a rectangular box for containing a supply of
"plaques
or sensitized plates constructed as described and adapted to be moved
over a fixed cover by the means and for the purpose set forth.
2. In a photographic machine a revolving drum divided into compartments for
containing a supply of "plaques" or sensitized plates and operated by the means
and for the purpose set forth.
66
3. In a photographic machine the combination with the shoot leading from the
plaque" or sensitized plate container of a shutter-box, and a shutter, attached
to a coin lever adapted to be operated by two coins, an interval being allowed
between the insertion of each coin substantially as, and for the purpose, herein-
before described.
4. In a photographie machine a dipper carried upon a shaft running upon
friction rollers within double guide-rails, such guide-rails being curved both
upwards and downwards to give the necessary immersion to the dipper containing
the photograph in combination with a return rail having two self-acting switches,
the said return rail being for the purpose of returning the dipper to the front of the
machine without re-immersion for the purposes described and as illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
5. In a photographic machine the use of a dipper constructed as described and
illustrated (which carries the plate for immersion in chemical and other baths) and
the parts connected therewith, the said dipper being suspended or swinging from or
otherwise held by a cross-head, spindle or stud attached to a lever or carrier to
which a rising and falling motion is given in its passage in order to immerse the
dipper and plate in the manner described.
6. In a photographic machine a travelling dipper and its carrier or cross-head
actuated by means of cords or belts passing over rollers and a drum keyed to a
crank-handle under the control of and worked by an attendant, the said drum
being rotated in one direction by a spring or weight, substantially as hereinbefore
described.
7. In a photographic machine the means for dropping the photograph from the
shutter-box into the dipper, substantially as hereinbefore described.
8. In a photographic machine the dipper herein described and illustrated having
a spring-hinged front which upon being pressed at the top (like a letter clip) opens
at the bottom and allows the photograph to fall out or into the delivery shoot,
substantially as hereinbefore described.
9. In a photographic machine the attachment of the upper portion or case
containing the lens and mechanism to the lower portion or pedestal by means of a
pivot, stud or bolt and screwed nut to admit of the upper portion being rotated to
allow of operating with the best light.
10. The construction, combination, operation, and general arrangement of the
various parts of my improved photographic machine consisting of a dark chamber
pivotally connected to a pillar or support, a container for holding and supplying
the plaques or sensitized plates, a shutter operated and timed by the insertion of
two coins at the required interval, and a dipping apparatus under the control of an
attendant, all for the purposes described and as illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
11. The improved photographic machine hereinbefore described and illustrated in
the accompanying drawings.
L
1000
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.