Improvements in Photographic Cameras.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Feb., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 5th Nov., 1891-Accepted, 2th Dec., 1891
TITOVIDIUNADJ
Improvements in Photographic Cameras.
I, TOM MILLER of Broughton Road, Salford in the County of Lancaster
Watchmaker do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows
My invention relates to improvements in photographic cameras of the class that
are employed for stereoscopic purposes, or taking two precisely similar pictures at
the same time.
The objects of this invention are first to place a greater or less number of
sensitized plates in a photographic camera of the above description in rapid succession
for the purpose of exposure, and to remove said plates successively after exposure
without requiring to be touched or handled by the operator, or taken out of the
camera until necessary for the developement of the picture; and second for obtaining
either instantaneous or prolonged exposure.
In photographic cameras that are used for taking stereoscopic pictures it is
necessary to employ two lenses which are attached side by side at, or near the front
of said camera at a suitable distance apart, and to place within the camera a longi-
tudinal division. This division has hitherto been securely attached to the camera,
or has been attached in such a manner that if required to be placed out of the way
it has had to be removed by the operator. In this invention I form a photographic
camera for the purposes hereinbefore set forth, preferably of a rectangular shape.
In the back of said camera, I construct two chambers, an upper and a lower one.
The upper chamber is for the purpose of retaining any number of sensitized plates
in position so that they may be used successively for taking pictures, and the lower
chamber is for the purpose of receiving said plates after the picture has been taken,
without requiring the plates or plate to be removed from the camera.
In the floor of the upper chamber I form an opening, through which the plate
on which an object or a view has been taken, slides into the lower chamber, and
allows the next plate to be exposed; the front portion of the floor of upper
chamber is placed at an angle, to facilitate the discharge of the plate into the lower
chamber through the aperture in floor.
In order to place the plates in position for taking a picture, and to remove them
out of the way when a picture has been taken, I employ a double cam or worm, the
rounded edge of the back part of which has been flattened vertically, and the
rounded edge of the front portion has also been flattened but horizontally. When
the plates are put in this upper chamber the bottom front edge of the first plates
comes in contact with a small ledge or register on the edge of the opening in floor
and the upper part of said plate rests against the back of aforesaid double cam or
worm; this cam or worm is attached to a spindle passing to the outside at end of
camera. I attach a handle or a wheel to this spindle by which to operate said
can. When a quarter of a turn is given to the cam or worm by means of aforesaid
handle, the flat vertical side at back of camera assumes a horizontal position level
with the top of the front plate, thus allowing the upper edge of the front plate to
enter the groove of the cam or worm, and rest against the front part of said cam,
the flat side of which having by the before mentioned operation been placed in a
vertical position.
When a quarter turn back is given to the worm the flat sides are again placed in
the positions they originally occupied, thus permitting the front plate to fall forward
after exposure on to the inclined front portion of floor, and slide through the
aperture into the receiving chamber underneath, while at the same time the plate
next in succession is pressed forward into position for taking a picture by means of

page_text: a spring inside the back of case; until it in its turn, is caused to fall forward
and slide into the receiving chamber by the action of aforesaid double cam
or worm.
For the purpose of removing the longitudinal division that is affixed within the
camera. between the lenses out of the way each times that the: plate upon which a
picture or an object has been taken in order to allow said plate to fall forward on
to the inclined portion of floor of upper chamber and slide through aperture into
receiving chamber. I. attach the aforesaid longitudinal division to a rod which is
..supported.by brackets secured to the inside of roof of camera.
I connect one end of this rod to the front part of aforesaid double cam or worm
by means of a he and she joint in such a manner that when said double cam is
revolved as herein before described for the purpose of removing a plate said longi-
tudinal division is also turned up against the inside of roof of camera but at a
period slightly in advance of the time of the plate falling forward so as to avoid
contact with said plate:
By these means said longitudinal division will always be in a vertical position at
the required time but will be out of the way each time a plate is removed. The
herein before described he and she joint need not be employed if it is not intended
-to-construct the camera with the back portion separate from the front, as said rod
by which the longitudinal division is supported may be a continuation and form: a
part of the rod or shaft that carries the double cam.or worm.
For the purpose of obtaining either instantaneous or prolonged exposure by
simultaneous admission of light through both lenses. I form a V shaped shutter,
each of the upper ends of which are sufficiently large to cover aperture in front
board. I attach said shutter to front part of camera by means of a pin passing
through the lower part of shutter in order that it may pivot thereon, I form the
lower or narrow end of shutter with a projection and in proximity thereto I place
a spring wire rod; in order to operate the shutter this rod is pulled: down over
aforesaid projection without altering position of shutter but when the wire is.allowed
to return said wire comes. in contact with the projection on bottom of shutter and
thus causes the shutter to open when aforesaid wire passes over the projection and
the shutter again closes.
Dated this 6th day of Wahun 1901
THOMAS PRESCOTT,
53, Arcade Chambers, St. Mary's Gate, Manchester, Agent for Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION:
Improvements in Photographic Cameras.
I. TOM MILLER of Broughton Road Salford in the County of Lancaster
Watchmaker 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 improvements in photographic cameras of the class that
are employed for stereoscopic purposes, or taking two precisely similar pictures .at
the same time. In photographic cameras that are used for taking stereoscopic
pictures, it is necessary to employ two lenses which are attached side by side at or
near the front of said camera at a suitable distance apart, and to place within the
camera: a longitudinal division. This division has hitherto been securely attached
to the camera;.or has been attached.in such a manner that if required to be placed
out of the way it has had to be removed by the operator by internal hand
manipulation:.
The objects of this invention are to place a greater or less number of sensitized
plates in a photographic camera of the above description in rapid succession for
the purpose of exposure, and to remove said. plates successively, after exposure
without requiring to be touched. or handled by the operator, or taken out of the

page_text: camera until necessary for the development.of.the picture, or coming in contact WITH
the aforesaid division.
In order more clearly to describe my, invention, I have annexed: hereunto a sheet
of drawings.in which
Fig. I is a side, view of a magazine or hand photographic camera.that may be
employed for stereoscopic purposes constructed according to this invention...
Fig. 2 is a longitudinal. section of the same..
Figs. 3 and 4 are transverse sections of the same on line.A..A.
Figs. 5 and 6 are enlarged-views of double cam or worm in.combination with.the
longitudinal division which is shown in different positions.
In this invention I form a photographic camera for the purposes herein before
set forth preferably of a-rectangular shape: In the back of said camera construct
two chambers an upper and a lower one: The upper chamber A, is for the purpose
of retaining any number of sensitized plates e in position so that they may be used
successively for. taking pictures in duplicate,.and.the lower. chamber B is for the
purpose of receiving said plates after the pictures have been taken, without requiring
the plate. or plates to be removed from the camera.
In the floor, of the upper chamber I form an opening.d, through which the plate
on which an object. or. view has been taken in duplicate, slides into the lower chamber
and allows the next plate to be exposed, the front. portione of the floor of upper
chamber being placed at an angle to facilitate the discharge of the plate into the
lower chambers through the aperture in floor. In order to place the plates in
position and to remove them out of the way when a picture has been taken
without requiring, either the plates or the longitudinal.division to be handled by the
operator, I employ a double cam or worm E which is attached to a spindle, the
end of said spindle passing to the outside either at the end or top of camera.. I
extend the opposite portion of aforesaid spindle towards the front of camera.and
support, the end in a bracket go. I affix to this portion of the spindle, a.longitudinal
division h, which may be placed vertically between.the lenses and so as to divide
the front portion of the upper chamber A¹ of camera into two longitudinal portions
with a lens for each portion.
The plates which are preferably sheathed may be put in the upper chamber from
the back of camera, the bottom edge of the first plate e coming into contact with
a small ledge-or register. k near the opening din floor, and the upper part of said
plate resting against the back of the front portion of the double cam or worm F;
when a quarter-of-a-turn is given to the cam or worm F by means of the handle 1
the longitudinal division is commenced to be raised, and by the time that the said
division is raised sufficiently, so as to be clear of the sensitized plate c' as shown in
Figs. 4 and 7 the flat edge of the front portion of the cam or worm F will have
been placed in a horizontal position level with the top edge of the plate c'; said
plate is then pressed forward by the springs q and falling on to the angular
floor e as represented in Fig. 1 slides into the receiving chamber B. By means of
a quarter turn back which is then given to the handle g', the longitudinal division h
is replaced in a vertical position as shown in Fig. 3 between the lenses j and j¹, and
at the same time the next succeeding plate of the series c enters the groove m and
rests against the front part of the cam or worm F until released by a repetition
of the operation herein last described.
The front and back portions g' and 2 of the herein before described spindle g,
may either be formed continuously, or if it is preferred to construct the front
portion of the camera so that it may be detached from the back portion, the
front portion of said spindle, to which the division is attached may be
connected to the back portion g' by means of a coupling joint or by other suitable
means.
In my Provisional Specification I have described a particular form of shutter,
but any preferred form of shutter for either instantaneous or prolonged exposure
may be emploved.

page_text: In the drawing a "Kershaw" double aperture shutter is represented attached to
the inside of the front of camera.
In the foregoing Specification of my invention I have described a photographic
camera for stereoscopic purposes with an upper and a lower chamber, an opening
in the floor of the upper chamber, an angular position for the front portion of said
floor and a double cam or worm for operating a succession of sensitized plates, but
inasmuch as in hand cameras two chambers are in common use, and the opening
in, and angle of floor and the double cam or worm, form parts of the invention
described in the Specification of my Patent No. 12669 of 1890 I do not claim such
parts in this invention, but
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
1st. In a magazine or hand photographic camera in which two lenses are employed
for stereoscopic purposes or for taking duplicate pictures at the same time, the use
of a longitudinal division such as h affixed to a spindle such as g², and supported so
as to be removed by the operator out of the way of a plate. on which a picture or
an object has been taken and replaced in position, without internal hand
manipulation, in the manner and for the purpose substantially as herein before
described.
2nd. In a magazine or hand photographic camera, in which two lenses are
employed for stereoscopic purposes or for taking duplicate pictures at the same
time the use of a longitudinal division in combination with a double cam or worm,
said division being supported and arranged so as to be removed out of the
way of
a plate on which a picture or an object has been taken immediately prior to 'said
'plate being released by the action of the double cam or worm; both the removal
of the division, and the release of the plate being performed at one operation and
without internal hand manipulation in the manner and for the purpose substantially
as herein before described.
Dated this 2nd day of November 1891
THOMAS. PRESCOTT,
53, Arcade Chambers, St. Mary's Gate, Manchester, Agent for Applicant.