Improvements in and relating to Blinds for Use in Photographic Dark Rooms and Developing Lamps.
Year: 1897

page_text: Improvements in and relating to Blinds for Use in Photographic
Dark Rooms and Developing Lamps.
I, EDWARD JOSHUA BLACKBURN SCRATTON, of 1, Gillespie Terrace, St. Andrews,
Fifeshire, Barrister-at-Law, do hereby declare the nature of my invention to be as
follows:
This invention has reference to and comprises improvements in and relating to
blinds for use in photographic dark rooms and has for its object the obviating of the
difficulties at present experienced in fitting a window for use as a dark room window.
By this invention a suitable light for photographic operations of various natures is at
once obtainable at pleasure.
My improvements consist of forming a frame of the desired size according to that
of window for which it is intended. Within this frame work roller blinds of various
colours, the edges of which blinds run in parallel slots or grooves in both sides of the
frame.
These rollers to the desired number may be mounted within the upper part of the
frame side by side, and each blind runs in independent parallel slots, the strings of
each blind working over suitable pulley wheels placed on the outside of the frame
within the dark room, otherwise the blind rollers may be mounted one above the
other in a stepped manner. A string matching in colour the blind to which it is
attached should be used for each blind.
By the use of this invention any quantity and quality of light desired may be had
at a moments notice by altering the position of the different blinds. For instance,
when developing by daylight, an opaque black blind, working behind the non-actinic
blinds, may be raised or lowered at pleasure to the desired extent, and thus a
perfectly safe photographic light may be obtained even though the sun be shining
brightly on the outside of the developing room.
The lower end of each blind is fitted with a flat piece of lead or other metal
along its full breadth and a similar piece of metal about six inches above the
lower strip. To the upper strip may be affixed a tag which when pulled downwards
will piace the lower end of the blind within its slot, thus excluding all light from
the room except that which passes through the blind.
Another manner of bringing each blind down into the slot intended for it,
would be by affixing a string to the lower metal blind slip by which means the
blind may be drawn down into its slot.
The blinds may be made, one of opaque black material the others of the usual
non actinic fabrics used by photographers. The invention may be applied on a
smaller scale to many forms of developing lamps, or special developing lamps may
be constructed on the same principle as the blinds.
Dated 11th day of February 1897
W. R. M. THOMSON & Co.,
96, Buchanan Street, Glasgow, Agents.

page_text: Improvements in and relating to Blinds for Use in Photographic
Dark Rooms and Developing Lamps.
I, EDWARD JOSHUA BLACKBURN SCRATTON, of 1, Gillespie Terrace, St. Andrews,
Fifeshire, Barrister at Law, do hereby declare the nature of my invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement in writing, that is to say :-
This invention has reference to and comprises improvements in and relating to
blinds for use in photographic dark rooms and has for its object the obviating of the
difficulties at present experienced in fitting a window for use as a dark room window.
By this invention a suitable light for photographic operations of various natures is
at once obtainable at pleasure.
And in order that my invention may be properly understood, I have hereunto
appended a sheet of illustrative drawings in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of an
ordinary window fitted with my improvements, and Figure 2 a sectional side elevation
of same, while Figure 3 is a front elevation of a photographic developing lantern
also fitted with my improvements and Figure 4 a side elevation of same partly in
section.
My improvements consist in forming a frame A of wood or metal of the desired
size according to that of the window X or lantern Y for which it is intended.
Within this frame A roller blinds B C D of various colours work, their edges
running in parallel slots or grooves b c d in both sides of the frame A the bottoms of
the blinds also entering grooves in the lower part of frame.
The blind rollers E to the desired number say three may be mounted within the
upper part of the frame A side by side, and each blind runs in one of the independent
parallel slots b c d the strings e of each blind working over suitable pulley wheels e'
placed on the outside of the frame A. within the dark room, otherwise as shown in
the drawings the blind rollers E may be mounted one above the other in a stepped
manner. A string matching the colour of the blind to which it is attached is
preferably used for each.
By the use of this invention any quantity and quality of light desired may be had
at a moment's notice by altering the position of the different blinds. For instance
when developing photographs by daylight, an opaque black blind working behind the
non-actinic blinds may be raised or lowered at pleasure to the desired extent and
thus a perfectly safe photographic light may be obtained even though the sun be
shining brightly on the outside of the developing room.
The lower end of each blind is fitted with a flat piece of lead F or other metal
along its full breadth and another similar piece of metal say about six inches above
the lower strip. To the upper piece of metal F on each blind is affixed a tag G
which when pulled downwards causes the lower end of each blind to enter its slot or
groove at the lower part of the frame A, thus excluding all light from the room
except that which passes through the blind.
The blind rollers may be mounted as described and shown in the drawings or in
any other ordinary manner suitable.
The blinds may be made of various colours say one of opaque black material and
the others of the usual non-actinic fabrics used by photographers such as ruby and
orange. For use in hospitals or sick rooms any desired colours may be used.
The invention is applied on a smaller scale to many forms of developing lamps as
indicated in Figures 3 and 4 the arrangement being practically the same, except that
it is preferred to have the pulleys of the blind rollers for the actuating cords outside
of the frame.

page_text: The arrangement of blinds may be employed in hospitals, sickrooms, and such like
places if desired.
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 :
First. The combination with a frame formed with side and bottom slots or grooves
of blind rollers carried within its upper part and blinds of various colours weighted
to work within and enter said slots or grooves all substantially as herein described
and illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
Second. The combination with a frame formed with side and bottom slots or
grooves of blind rollers fitted to revolve within its upper part and stepped so as to
cause each blind to run within its appropriate slots and fitted with actuating cords,
tags, and pulleys all substantially as herein described and illustrated by the
accompanying drawings.
Third. A frame for carrying a series of blinds of various colours fitted with side
and bottom slots or grooves for guiding and receiving the edges and bottoms of the
blinds, substantially as and for the purposes herein described and illustrated by the
accompanying drawings.
Dated 11 1