Improvements in or appertaining to Photographic Cameras.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Feb., 1891-Accepted, 14th Mar., 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or appertaining to Photographic Cameras.
I, WILLIAM SANDERS, of 91, Mount Pleasant, Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, Boot Manufacturer, 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 :-
The invention has for its object a photographic camera formed with two parallel
tubes similar to the tubes of a binocular, and either with or without the external
appearance of the same. It is applicable for the use of detectives, and, owing to
its external appearance, can be directed towards a scene or object for the purpose of
producing a photographic picture thereof, without suspicion being aroused as regards
the real purpose which the operator has in view. The apparatus, being of very
compact form and easily portable, is also applicable for tourists, surveyors, civil
engineers and others. In the examples I am about to describe, a pair of telescopic
tubes, having parallel and simultaneous adjustment, are employed as in an opera or
other like binocular glass, one of which is adapted for focussing, and the other for
receiving the sensitised surface or plate which is exposed to the actinic action of
light. The apparatus is so arranged that, when an object is focussed by the one
tube, the sensitised surface in the other tube is in the proper focus to receive the
image of such object.
The invention may be described in detail as follows, reference being had to the
accompanying drawings, in which :-
Figure 1 is a vertical section, partly in elevation, of the camera;
Figure 2 an elevation of one side of the device for carrying the sensitised paper
and key for operating the same;
Figure 3 an elevation of the other side of said device;
Figure 4 is a sectional plan through xx, Figure 1;
Figure 5 a plan of the device;
Figure 6 an end elevation of a portion of the sensitised paper carrier, showing
the device for locking the feed roller;
Figure 7 is a perspective view of the feed roller;
Figure 8.an elevation, and Figure 9 a plan, of the exposing shutter;
Figure 10 an elevation partly in section of the apparatus when converted into
an opera glass.
Referring to Figure 1 :-
The tubes a, a¹ are adapted to slide telescopically in the tubes A A¹ in the usual
manner of opera or field glasses, being operated and adjusted simultaneously to the
same focus by the milled headed screw B. These tubes may be constructed in the
same or nearly the same manner as those of binoculars and are provided with lenses
forming the eye and object glasses. The tubes A" and A¹ are socketted or
screwed on the tubes A' and A, and the former forms the chamber in which the
sensitised paper is exposed. L L are the field lenses and L' the eye lens for
focussing.
C is the shutter (see Figures 1, 8 and 9) preferably globular in shape, but
having a hole, as shown, and which is pivotally mounted in the tube c and attached
to the quick threaded screw c¹ having a nut c³. The tubes c and c are fastened
together and are provided with the field lenses L L aforesaid. They are adapted
D

page_text: to be received by the tubes a and a', on which they can be slid on and off at pleasure.
A milled head is adapted to engage the said nut c2 by means of a stud c which
enters the groove in the nut. The stud travels in the path of the semi-circular
slot c, and the groove c allows the stud the necessary transverse play. On
rotating the milled head c³, the screw c¹ and shutter C are rotated, thus admitting
a ray of light from the object to the sensitised surface in the interior. In Figures 1,
8 and 9, the shutter is shown in its open position, that is to say, with the opening in
line with the telescopic tubes. In its normal or closed position, the opening in the
shutter lies transversely to the line of sight through the telescopic tubes, and thus
does not admit the passage of any light to the sensitised surface in the interior.
By rotating the milled head rapidly, a ray of light is admitted for an instant of
time; by rotating it slowly, light is admitted for a longer period. It is a rapid or
slow shutter, at will. The respective lenses, are so formed or adjusted that, when
an object is focussed by the focussing tube, the sensitised surface in the other tube
is in the proper focus to receive the image of such object.
Referring now to Figures 1 to 7 inclusive :-
The extremity of tube A is closed by the base plate D³ of the frame D', which
supports the paper rolls. The plate D³, which is secured to the frame D' by
screws and winged nuts d', has a square or other shaped opening, through which
the sensitised paper is exposed. It can be easily removed by rotating the nuts to
coincide with the slots d². e is the sensitised paper or other suitable material,
E the roll containing the supply of sensitised material ready for exposure. E', E
and E are rolls, and E the roll on to which the sensitised paper is wound after
exposure. F is a spring, which presses on the roll E to prevent the paper being
unrolled unless force is applied. The paper or other flexible material e is wound
on the roller E, the end is passed round the guide roll E', and along the flat face e¹
of the frame, so that a portion of its sensitised face, equal to the size of the
opening D, will be exposed to the action of light when the shutter is opened. The
paper is then passed round the rolls E and E³ to the roll E* on which the paper
is wound after exposure.
G is a toothed wheel or circular rack, engaging a bevel
wheel Gmounted on paper roll E and having a hole adapted to receive a key
such as H. is a ratchet wheel on the end roll E; ea pawl engaging the
teeth thereof, a spring, which keeps the pawl in engagement with the teeth of
wheel e. By rotating the toothed wheel G by the key, the sensitised paper is
rolled on to the roll E from the roll E, whereby fresh unexposed portions of the
paper are successively presented to the opening D. I is a pivotted locking lever,
the tongues i and of which are adapted to engage respectively the slot e of the
measuring roll E3 and the teeth of the bevel wheel G, and prevents (while in
engagement) the paper rolls E' and E* rotating, and, in conjunction with the ratchet
wheel e, pawl and spring F, keeps the sensitised paper drawn tight, so as to
maintain a flat surface to the opening D, free from creases or wrinkles. is a
spring, the tendency of which is to keep the said lever in the slot e and prevent it
accidentally falling out of engagement therewith. One corner of slot e is rounded
off to permit the tongue of lever I to mount the end of the roll when force is
exerted to rotate the latter in one direction, the other side of slot being square pre-
vents the said roll E³ rotating the other way. The circumference of said roll is
approximately equivalent to the length of opening D. On the other end of said
roll is the sloping surface J. J' is a rotatable spindle having a projecting tooth j,
and a coiled spring j', which retains the tooth normally in the position shown.
When the spindle is rotated by a key inserted from the outside, the tooth passes
through the slot in the frame and presses upon the inclined plane of the surface J,
thereby rotating the roll sufficiently to cause the locking lever I to mount the end
of said roll. The locking lever I being thereby raised, the bevel wheel G¹ is
released from engagement of the teeth i¹, and the roll E' can then be rotated to
present a fresh surface of sensitised material e for exposure. On one revolution of
the roll E³ being completed, the tooth i of the locking lever drops into the slot &*
of the roll E³, and the tooth into one of the teeth of bevel wheel G', thus locking

page_text: the roll E and indicating to the operator that an entirely fresh portion of sensitised
paper has been placed under the opening D ready for the next exposure, and the
portion last exposed moved away where it cannot receive the actinic rays. The
roll E cannot again be rotated until the bevel wheel is released in the manner
already described.
The mode of action is as follows:-
The operator directs the lenses L L towards the object and locates it by looking
through the eye lens in the tube A. He obtains the proper focus by adjusting the
milled head B, until distinct vision is obtained. The telescopic tube A is thereby
simultaneously adjusted to the same focus. The milled head is now rotated,
whereby a ray of light is admitted from the object to the sensitised surface in the
interior. When the exposure is completed, and the picture of the object produced,
the paper rell E' is rotated by the key inserted from the outside of apparatus,
thereby rolling the paper on to the paper roll E from the roll E and presenting a
fresh surface beneath the opening D ready for the next exposure. The locking
lever I indicates when enough of the sensitised paper has been rolled on to the
roll E from the roller E to present a fresh surface beneath the opening D, as, by
the automatic locking of the measuring roll E³ and of the bevel wheel G¹ on com-
pletion of one revolution of roll E³, further movement of the mechanism is prevented,
until it is again released in the manner already described. By my invention, long
focus lenses can be used, thus taking pictures at very long distances, securing large
detail, very true focussing, and a faithful representation of the picture seen
through the opera glass. The length of exposure is regulated by the judgment of
the operator, as already explained.
To change the camera into an opera or field glass, the tubes A" and A are
taken off tubes A and A', together with the frame D' with its paper rolls and the
eye lens which the said tubes respectively contain. Tubes A³, with ordinary
object lenses, are put on instead, as shown in Figure 10. A are hoods capable of
being drawn out to shade the object glasses. The tubes c and c. containing the
object lenses, and the shutter C, are also taken off and eye pieces of any usual kind
put on in their place, or, if desired, three kinds of eye glasses may be used, adapted
respectively for opera, field or marine purposes, either of which can be brought into
use by rotating the milled head K.
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 I am
aware that roll feed mechanism and a locking device similar to what I have herein-
before described have previously been proposed and I make no general claim to
such arrangements but what I claim is :-
1. In a photographic camera of the kind set forth, the combination, with the
herein described locking device, of a spindle J₁ having a tooth and capable of
being rotated by a suitable key from the outside, and an inclined plane J on the
measuring roller E, against the surface of which the tooth is adapted to strike
when the spindle is manipulated from the outside, whereby the guide roll is rotated
sufficiently to lift the locking lever I to such an extent às to free it from engage-
ment with the teeth of bevel pinion G', so that the rolls can be rotated to present a
fresh sensitised surface for exposure, substantially as set forth.
2. In a portable photographic camera, a dark shutter such as C, held normally
closed so as to exclude the actinic rays from the object in the interior, but adapted
to be opened by rotating the milled head on the exterior of the apparatus, said
head being so located that it may be easily rotated by the finger and thumb, either
rapidly or slowly, whereby the sensitised surface may be exposed momentarily or
for a longer period at will, substantially as described.
3. In a portable photographic camera, of the kind described, an appliance for
exposing the sensitised surface or film either momentarily or for a longer period of
time at will, consisting in the combination of the shutter C, pivotally mounted so as
to be capable of rotation, the quick threaded screw c' to which the said shutter is

page_text: attached, the sliding nut ² with
and the rotatable milled head
substantially as described.
slotted groove adapted to operate said screw,
having a stud c adapted to engage said groove,
4. The herein described arrangement of parts forming the improved photographic
camera, substantially as set forth.
Dated thie 14th dow of Fehru 1801
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of Liverpool, Manchester, Nottingham, and London, Patent Agents.