Mechanism for Hand Camora for Producing Pictures in Series.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Sept., 1897-Accepted, 6th Nov.,
1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Mechanism for Hand Camora for Producing Pictures in Series.
I, EMIL KRONKE of 1 Lindenplatz Dresden in the Kingdom of Saxony and
Empire of Germany, Pianist, 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:--
This Invention relates. to a mechanism or arrangement of photographic hand-
cameras having for their object to produce series of pictures for kinematographic
purposes, consequently the production of pictures in successive fractions of a second.
Within the fraction of a second, therefore, must take place the change of the
surface for the picture, the lifting of the screen, and its release for an exposure. This
is impossible in any of the hand cameras heretofore known, even in those whose
mechanism has been most simplified. Even these require at least two manipu-
lations for the three operations, such manipulations however must be carried out
with one hand as the operator requires the other hand for holding the camera.
Two manipulations in succession, however, require more time than a single one.
The present arrangement is substantially such that the mechanism for raising
and releasing the shutter or screen, and that for changing the surface to be
exposed are so connected with one another, that they are put into operation in
the required sequence by the manipulation of a single piece effected by a simple
pressure of the finger.
In the drawings hereto annexed Figs. 1 and 2 show a photographic hand camera
in which the surfaces to be exposed consist in plates p; Figs.
and 4 show a
similar apparatus having a film f. Figs. 1 and 3 show the camera with the side
nearest the eye removed. Figs. 2 and 4 are sections on lines I. I.
All movable parts are shown in full lines in their position of rest, dotted lines
showing the same at the extreme end of their stroke.
The shutter is of a known type, the movable shutter b being suspended by a
spring-latch on the upper edge of the lower, or covering screen, b, so that
when the latter is raised, it moves therewith. When the shutters have reached
the top of their movement the latch meets a cam surface, or shoulder n and is
by that lifted off the edge of screen b', and a spring c carries the shutter b back
to its position of rest, thus effecting the exposure.
The screens or the shutter arrangement is raised by the arm a of a two-armed
lever a, a, which acts on the lower screen 6 by a link or coupling rod d.
A spring a maintains the lever a a¹ in its position of rest, or brings it back
into the same.
When the surface to be exposed consists of plates p a two-armed lever ee¹ serves
to change the same, see Fig. 1. When at rest the end of the arm e of said lever
supports the top of the foremost plate. When raised, as shown in dotted lines
in the drawing, this end pushes from above against the foremost plate. A link,
or coupling bar, g connects the arm e¹ with the part a¹ of the lever a a¹.
The film is shifted by means of the arrangement shown in Fig. 3.

page_text: x and y are rollers for carrying the film; XC being the roller which supplies
the film, y that which receives the same, and z¹ are guide-rollers for the film.
The receiving roller y carries a ratchet wheel h, with which engages a pawl i
fixed on the side of the camera; the pawl prevents return motion of the roller y.
With the ratchet wheel- a toothed segment 7 also engages. This is so mounted
on a lever m as to have pendulous motion on its upper end. A spring holds the
toothed segment against the wheel h.
In both forms of this apparatus a lever o is provided on that side of the camera
which is at the right hand side of the operator. This lever serves to actuate the
mechanism.
In the form shown in Figs. 3 and 4 this lever is mounted on the centre of rota-
tion of lever m. The arm m of the last named lever acts on the part a¹ of
lever a, a¹.
In the form illustrated by Figs. 1 and 2, there is only the simple lever m¹ here
acting also on the part a' of lever a, a¹.
In the apparatus of the latter kind depression of the lever serving for the
operator's manipulation produces the following effects.
The lever m causes the lever aa¹ to move until it reaches the position shown
in dotted lines. This causes the arm a¹ to put tension on the springs a², whilst
arm a by the connecting bar d raises the screens or shutters b, b' into the position
indicated by dotted lines in the drawing. In this position the aperture in the
screen nearest the lens is in line with the aperture of the lens, the aperture in
the exposure-shutter b being above. On reaching its highest position the latch k
of the shutter b meeting the cam-like projection, or shoulder n, is raised off the
upper edge of the screen. The shutter is now drawn back by, the spring c which
was put under tension by the upward movement, and this produces the exposure.
Whilst raising the shutter-arrangement the lever a, a, by the bar or coupling 9,
has moved the lever eel into the position shown in dotted lines; in this position
the end of the arm e hitherto serving to support the foremost plate, is raised above
the same. Consequently this plate, and all the other plates p behind it are, by
the spring pressing against the series of plates, moved from the backwardly
inclined position previously occupied by them into a vertical position. The fore-
most plate now bears with its top edge against a ledge w, is in focus. and is
exposed.
At the moment of exposure the hand lever o is at its lowest position, on reaching
which it is to be forthwith released by the operator. Now the tension of spring a
becomes operative and causes all the parts, including the screen 6', to return to
their position of rest.
In its return. movement the lever arm e of lever e e¹ by its end presses against
the plate that has been exposed. As this rests upon a rotary support & upon
which a spring acts, it will recede from this downward pressure in so doing it
looses its support against the. ledge, the other plates pressing against it from
behind cause it to incline forward and its own weight causes it to fall forward
thus reaching the magazine M. for exposed plates.
In the apparatus shown in Figs. 3 and 4 and adapted for films the action of the
mechanism taking place on depression.and release of lever o as regards the screen,
or shutter arrangement,, bb' is the same us that hereinbefore described. The
change of the surface to be exposed is here effected during the upward motion
of the shutter mechanism, that is to say before exposure. It is as follows:-
When lever m moves upward the toothed segment 7 thereon, maintained in contact
therewith by spring, , moves the toothed wheel h and by. that the receiving
roller y so that this turns the distance corresponding to one exposure of the film'f,
this being at least equal to the height (or the length) of one picture. On the
release of lever o a spring m², previously tightened returns lever m to its position
of rest. In this movement the toothed segment, being capable of pendulous
motion, passes idly over the wheel 7 and the latter, held by the pawl i preventing
its return motion, stops, and with it the roller y.

page_text: In both forms a simple pressure of the finger suffices to produce within the
camera all those actions that are requisite to produce a negative and change the
sensitive surface.
As each pressure upon the lever o yields one negative picture a series of pictures
can be obtained by a rapid and regular succession of depressions which, if the
object was in motion during exposure, are suitable for the Kinematograph.
In order to make longer exposures with cameras fitted as above described for
the production of serial pictures, the shutter is arranged for longer exposures, in
addition to instantaneous exposures, as follows: An arm A, movable from the
outside of the camera, is so arranged below the shutter bas to act only on this
shutter. When this arm A, is in a horizontal position as shown in full lines in
the drawings, instantaneous exposure takes place as the shutter is free to travel
from its raised position to its position of rest. If arm A, is placed vertically, as
shown by dotted lines in the drawings, the shutter can travel back so far only that
its aperture and those of the screen and lens, coincide so as to effect exposure.
This then lasts as long as the pressure on lever o.
On the release of the latter,
the return motion of screen will cover the lens.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:-
In photographic hand-cameras an arrangement enabling the same to be used
for the production of serial pictures, said arrangement consisting in means for
raising and releasing the shutter mechanism the latter being so connected with
those for changing the surface to be exposed that a single pressure of the finger
will actuate the whole in proper sequence a negative picture being produced each
time, the said arrangement being characterized by a lever o placed externally on
the camera and serving for operation by the hand and a lever m¹ mounted on the
same axle and actuating a two-armed lever a, a¹ by which is effected the raising
of the shutter and screen (b, b') and the tightening of a spring a the spring
returning the lever a, a¹ (and with this all the parts operated thereby) to the
position of rest; the said arrangement being connected for the purpose of
synchronous movement effecting the change of sensitive surface with:
(a) When plates ? are used as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, with the plate
lever e e¹ by connecting bar, or link g attached to the arm a of lever a a¹.
Or,
(b) When a film f is used as the sensitive surface, see Figs. 3 and 4, with
the lever m and m', winding up the film f on a roller y by the toothed
gearing 1 h.
NEWNHAM BROWNE,
Agent for the Applicant.