Improvements in Detective Hand and other Cameras.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Aug., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 2nd May, 1891-Accepted, 20th June, 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Detective Hand and other Cameras.
We WALTER GRIFFITHS of Highgate Square Birmingham Manufacturer and
JOSIAH PUMPHREY of 160 Angelina Street Manufacturer and both in the
County of Warwick do hereby declare the nature of our said invention to be as
follows:-
:-
Our invention has for its object improvements in detective hand and other
cameras by which we are able to apply a magazine arrangement of plates to such
cameras in a particularly simple and efficient manner & so that the said plates may
be easily and quickly changed in the open field without fear of being damaged by
light while at the same time we form our magazines so as to be interchangeable by
which means the magazine containing the plates in its complete state can be readily
renewed in the open field and thus the operator may carry dozens of plates for use
without the necessity of a dark room for changing and thus we do without in any
way enlarging the camera.
In carrying our invention into effect we form a magazine of zinc or other suitable
material in the shape of a box of the size required to receive the particular plates to
be used one side being open to allow of the sensitized face of the plate being exposed
to the lens and deep enough to contain any required number of plates.
This magazine we pivot within the camera so that it may oscillate and be turned
with the sensitized face of the plate opposite the lens in the position required for a
picture or the magazine may be so turned that the edges of the plates are facing
the back of the camera for the purpose of enabling the plate used to be readily
taken from the front side of the magazine and placed in the back side thus leaving
the next plate in the magazine ready for another object.
The magazine when in the position in which the plates face the lens is secured by
a catch which is released by the hand when it is required to turn the magazine upon
its pivot. For the purpose of allowing the position of the plates to be altered in
the magazine when in the open we form an aperture in the back of the camera to
which we attach one end of a dark sleeve having at the other end an elastic band
so placed as to draw the end of the sleeve closely together another elastic band
being provided some little distance along the sleeve for the purpose of double
security from light and this arrangement also allows of the hand being inserted
through the first band which fits tightly round the coat wrist while the hand is being
inserted within the second band for the purpose of allowing the removal of the front
plate to the back of the magazine and this sleeve when not in use may be tucked in
the aperture at the rear of the camera which aperture may be formed in the lid of
the camera.
Another part of our invention consists in forming the magazine so as to slide into
a frame which frame is pivoted within the camera as before described with regard
to the magazine itself thus allowing the magazine containing the plates to be
removed when the whole of the plates have been used and for effecting this in the
open field we provide a dark case containing a magazine full of unused plates which
magazine is made to slide in or otherwise fit the pivoted frame within the camera
where it is secured by a spring catch. By placing the case within the afore
described sleeve we are enabled to exchange the magazine full of used plates for
that of the magazine full of unused plates the used plates being then placed in the
dark case and removed by which means there is hardly any limit to the number of
plates which may be carried & used without the necessity of a dark room & without
fear of damage to the plates.
The pivoting of the inagazine or the frame which contains it renders it a simple

page_text: matter to adjust the inclination of the plates with regard to the camera this being
effected by a lever pivoted in the centre and having a screw pin acting upon one
end to incline it and upon this lever are two projections which act upon the pivoted
magazine or frame and thereby rettin the plate in an inclined position which may
at times be desirable in the case of certain objects to be taken.
The plates are backed in any suitable manner when in the magazine but when
metal backs are used we turn the flange over the plate at the ends thus covering
only that portion of the plate which does not come within the focus of the lens.
We do not confine ourselves to the exact details as we may vary these without
departing from the nature of our said invention as for instance we may make the
dark sleeve separate and so arranged that the one end may be stretched over the
back of the cainera for use where it may be secured by a metal clip.
Dated 2nd day of August 1890.
WALTER GRIFFITHS:
JOSIAH PUMPHREY:
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Detective Hand and other Cameras.
We WALTER GRIFFITHS of Highgate Square Birmingham Manufacturer and
JOSIAH PUMPHREY of 160 Angelina Street Birmingham Manufacturer and both
in the County of Warwick do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:-
Our invention has for its object improvements in detective hand and other cameras
by which we are able to apply a magazine arrangement of plates to such cameras in
a particularly simple and efficient manner and so that the said plates may be easily
and quickly changed in the open field without fear of being damaged by light while
at the same time we form our magazines so as to be interchangeable by which means
the magazine containing the plates in its complete state can be readily renewed in
the open field and thus the operator may carry dozens of plates for use without the
necessity of a dark room for changing and thus we do without in any way enlarging
the camera.
In carrying our invention into effect we form a magazine of zine or other suitable
material in the shape of a box of the size required to receive the particular plates to
be used one side being open to allow of the sensitized face of the plate being exposed
to the lens and deep enough to contain any required number of plates.
This magazine we pivot within the camera so that it may oscillate and be turned
with the sensitized face of the plate opposite the lens in the position required for
obtaining a picture or the magazine may be so turned that the edges of the plates
are facing the back of the camera for the purpose of enabling the plate used to be
readily taken from the back side of the magazine and placed in the front side thus
leaving the next plate in the magazine ready for another object. The magazine
when in the position in which the plates face the lens is secured by a catch which is
released by the hand when it is required to turn the magazine upon its pivot.
For the purpose of allowing the position of the plates to be altered in the magazine
when in the open we form an aperture in the back of the camera to which we attach
one end of a dark sleeve having at the other end an elastic band so placed as to
draw the end of the sleeve closely together another elastic band being provided
some little distance along the sleeve for the purpose of double security from light
and this arrangement also allows of the hand being inserted through the first band
which fits tightly round the coat-wrist while the hand is being inserted within the
second.band for the purpose of allowing the removal of the front plate to the back
of the magazine and this sleeve when not in use may be tucked in the aperture at
the rear of the camera which aperture may be formed in the lid of the camera.
Another part of our invention consists in forming the magazine so as to slide into

page_text: a frame which frame is pivoted within the camera as before described with regard to
the magazine itself thus allowing the magazine containing the plates to be removed
when the whole of the plates have been used and for effecting this in the open field
we provide a dark box containing a magazine full of unused plates which magazine
is made to slide in or otherwise fit the pivoted frame within the camera where it is
secured by a spring catch. By placing the box within the afore described sleeve
we are enabled to exchange the magazine full of used plates for that of the magazine
full of unused plates the used plates being then placed in the dark box and removed
by which means there is hardly any limit to the number of plates which may be
carried and used without the necessity of a dark room and without fear of damage
to the plates.
The plates are backed in any suitable. manner when in the magazine but
when metal backs are used we turn the flange over the plate at the ends thus
covering only that portion of the plate which does not come within the focus of
the lens.
We do not confine ourselves to the exact details as we may vary these without
departing from the nature of our said invention as for instance we may make
the dark sleeve separate and so arranged that the one end may be stretched
over the back of the camera for use where it may be secured by a metal clip.
In order that our invention may be clearly understood and more easily carried
into practise we have appended hereunto a sheet of drawings upon which we have
fully illustrated the nature of our said invention and from which its application to
various kinds of hand or detective cameras will readily be understood.
Figure 1. is a vertical section through the camera with one of our magazines
contained therein the camera being closed and ready for exposure.
Figure 2. is a similar section to Figure 1 but shewing the camera open and shewing
the mode of changing a plate or case of plates.
Figure 3 is an elevation of the magazine when in the position shewn in Fig. 1 and
looking from the back of the camera.
Figure 4 is a sectional elevation also looking from the back but shewing the
magazine in the position shewn by Figure 2.
Figure 5 is a view of the pivoted case of the magazine shewn separate from the
main body.
Figure 6 is a view of the case or magazine for containing the plates and
sheaths.
Figure 7. is a view of the separate box for containing the magazines.
The outer form shape and casing of the camera body Z together with the lens D
and shutter arrangement at E may be arranged to suit various requirements. In
the body Z of the camera on the stiffening piece the magazine frame A is fixed
upon the pivots a and a² so that it may be turned upon its pivots into either of the
positions shewn by Figures 1 and 2. This magazine frame A is either constructed
to itself contain the plates P or to receive the magazine case B which contains the
plates Pas shewn by Figure 6. The case B is cut away at 61 and 2 to allow the
bottom plate to be drawn out by the hand which is inserted up the sleeve K as
shewn in Figure 2 after which it is placed in at the top as shewn by dotted line in
the same figure the magazine frame being then turned upon its pivot and the lid =²
closed ready for use as shewn at Figure 1. and so on until the last plate has been
used when the separate box H shewn by Figure 7 is inserted up the sleeve and the
magazine case B is withdrawn and placed within the separate box the lid ¹ of
which is then closed and withdrawn the magazine frame being then replenished by
another separate box full of plates in a similar way. The last plate is so formed
that it can readily be distinguished from the others so as to enable the operator to
know when he is using the last plate.
The sleeve F which is mounted on the frame f³ is provided with two elastic
bands and to prevent the possibility of any light reaching the plates
while being changed from the magazine to the separate, box or vice versa, the
whole being contained in the end of the camera when closed for exposure.

page_text: The sleeve is secured to the frame 3 which slides in the groove formed by
the stiffening pieces so that the sleeve may be removed if necessary.
The magazine frame A and case Bare constructed preferably of metal and
a portion of the pivoted frame A. is cut away so as to allow of the inner
case being readily withdrawn. The stop is provided to prevent the
magazine frame from turning upon its pivots too far forward out of the vertical
and a suitable catch is provided for securing the frame A when in its vertical
position.
The spring pieces and are secured to the side of the camera B and are
provided with the bent heads which press against the sides of the magazine
frame A thereby forming a kind of break until the bent ends spring over the
top edge of the magazine where it is retained as seen in Figure 4.
The plates may be either prepared opaque on the back or may be cased in
sheaths.
We do not confine ourselves to the particular mode of carrying out the details
here described as for instance we might pivot the magazine case A. vertically
instead of horizontally.
Having
now particularly ascertained the nature of our said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is
1st. The improvements in detective hand and other cameras consisting of a
magazine frame for containing the plates pivoted substantially as and for the
purpose herein set forth and shewn upon the drawings.
2nd. The improvements in detective hand and other cameras consisting of
separate cases for containing the plates in combination with the pivoted frame
made to receive it within the camera and the box H to receive them when out
substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth and shewn.
3rd. The improvements in detective hand and other cameras substantially
as and for the purpose herein set forth and shewn upon the accompanying
drawings.
Dated this 1st day of May 1890.
WALTER GRIFFITHS.
JOSIAH PUMPHREY.