IMPROVEMENTS IN PHOTO- GRAPHIC CAMERAS."
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Ford Stanley, of Great Turnstile, Holborn, in
the County of Middlesex, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PHOTO-
GRAPHIC CAMERAS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Ford Stanley at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 18th August 1880.
'
WILLIAM FORD STANLEY, of Great Turnstile, Holborn, in the County of
Middlesex. IMPROVEMENTS IN PHOTOGRAPHIC CAMERAS."
cr
The photographic camera consists of three distinct parts, viz. :-The lens, the
body, and the dark-slide. My improvements are in each of these parts.
My improvements in the lens are shewn under A in the Drawings. They consist,
(1) in enclosing the lens in a metal cell so that one or two lenses may be used at
one time to alter the focus of the camera, without the risk of scratching the lens or
the need of a separate cell fixed in the lens mount. One cell with lenses is shewn
at z; (2), in making the inner fitting of the lens screw for a fine adjustment, instead
of moving it by a sliding fitting, or with a rack and pinion, as shewn at y, y, in
Drawing A.
(3). In making the stops with exterior out-turned rim, as shewn at x, these slide
in from the front.
(4). In making a plug w to close the lens instead of an exterior cap; (5), in the
general form and construction shewn in section in Drawing A.
My improvements in the body, shewn in Drawing B, B¹, consist (1) in making the
separate parts slide out from the front telescopically, there being in such telescopic
sliding parts at least two slides.
The sliding parts of other cameras generally slide from the back, but cameras
have been made with one adjusting slide in front, so that my Invention relates to
two or more, the front one only being adjustable, the other slides claimed as special
to this Invention are for lengthening the body and making it portable. These slides
are shewn at v, v', in the Drawing; (2), the sliding part fixing by a spring at the
lower part of slide shewn at u, u; (3), the slide is made dust-tight by an inlaid
cord in a groove attached to each of the slides, and enlarged at tin the Drawing B¹;
r Price Ad21

page_text: (4), the front of the body of the camera is constructed to tip the lens to an angle by
fixing one part within another, as shewn in section on the Drawing B at 8, 8, 81, 81.
The elevation of this part being shewn at s, s¹, on Drawing B, this part is con-
structed of wood having a bead for a joint at the top edge, and an adjusting screw 8¹¹.
This part takes the place of a tipping-back in ordinary cameras.
My improvements in the dark-slide which are shewn in Drawings c, c', consist
in making an inner adapter to carry dry-plates to fit into the ordinary slide, there
being for this Invention generally made to each camera six of such inner adapters
to hold twelve dry plates, so that the dark-slide in my camera is in two parts, the
carrier and the adapter, instead of one part. The details of this part of the Invention
are (1), the carrier made open at the top, which resembles the part of an ordinary
camera into which the slide is put, except that this is detached. The detached
part is fixed upon the end of the body by a groove either in the ordinary manner
of sliding, but by preference by pressing on directly, a projecting tongue being
made for this purpose q',q'. This carrier is open at the bottom; 2, the adapter
shewn consists of a light wooden frame which is constructed as follows:-Two
wooden trays are attached to a piece of metal (enamelled by preference). This
metal plate, forming a diagraphm between them, shewn in section p, p, each of the
trays has an inner groove into which an enamelled iron plate slides; this is shewn
at o, o.
These slides draw out from the under side of the adapter by knobs. The
adapter has four corners shewn m, m, n, n'; m, m, being undercut, as shewn at the m
on section c¹ in one or two of the corners; this under cut angle slides out by a
spring latch. The object of this part of the Invention is that an oblong plate may
be fixed in the slide either horizontally or vertically.
Generally, I claim this Invention as a complete camera. I also claim the separate
parts applied to other cameras, as for instance, the lens, the body, or the slide, or
the parts of these specified, as for instance, the plug to the lens. The adjusting front
of the body, the inlaid cord, or the separate adapter to dark-slide. The parts
specified will be generally constructed of wood and metal as described, but the
principles are claimed and not the materials, so that other materials may be used,
as for instance, a tin plate body instead of wood, vulcanite slides instead of iron, or
otherwise alterations that do not affect the general principles.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent and of
an Order of the Lord Chancellor filed by the said William Ford Stanley in
the Great Seal Patent Office on the 14th March 1881.
WILLIAM FORD STANLEY, of Great Turnstile, Holborn, in the County of
Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN PHOTOGRAPHIC CAMERAS."
The photographic camera consists of three distinct parts, viz. :-The lens, the
body, and the dark slide. My improvements are in each of these parts.
My improvements in the lens are shewn under A in the Drawings. They consist
(1) in enclosing the lens in a metal cell, so that one or two may be used at one time
to alter the focus of the camera without the risk of scratching the lens, or the need
of a separate cell fixed in the lens mount, one cell with lenses is shewn at z; (2), in
making the inner fitting of the lens to screw, for a fine adjustment, instead of
moving it by a sliding fitting, or with a rack and pinion, as shewn at y, y, in
Drawing A; (3), in making the stops with exterior out-turned rin, as shewn at x;
these stops slide in from the front; (4), in making a plug W to close the lens
instead of an exterior cap; (5), of the general form and construction shewn in
section in Drawing A.
My improvements in the body shewn in Drawing B, B¹, consist (1), in making
the separate parts slide out from the front telescopically, there being in such
telescopic sliding parts at least two slides. The sliding parts of other cameras
generally slide from the back, but cameras have been made with one adjusting slide
in front, so that my Invention relates to two or more, the front one only being
adjustable, the other slides claimed as special to this Invention are for lengthening
the body and making it portable. These slides are shewn at v, vl, in the Drawing;
(2), the sliding part, fixing by a spring at the lower part of slide shewn at u, u¹;
(3), the slide made dust-tight by an inlaid cord in a groove attached to each of the
slides, and enlarged at t in the Drawing B'; (4), the front of the body of the
camera is constructed to tip the lens to an angle by fixing one part within another,
as shewn in section on the Drawing B at 8, 8, 8¹, s¹, the elevation of this part being
shewn at s, s¹, on Drawing B'. This part is constructed of wood, having a bead
for a joint at the top edge and an adjusting screw 8". This part takes the
place of a tipping-back in ordinary cameras.
My improvements in the dark slide, which is shewn in Drawing c, c¹, consist in
making an inner adapter to carry dry plates to fit into the ordinary slile, there
being for this Invention generally made to each camera six of such inner adapters
to hold twelve dry plates, so that the dark-slide in my camera is in two parts, the.
carrier and the adapter, instead of being one part as heretofore. The details of this
part of the Invention are (1), the carrier made open at the top, which resembles the
part of an ordinary camera, into which the slide is put except that this is detached.
The detached part is fixed upon the end of the body by a groove either in the
ordinary manner of sliding, but by preference by pressing it directly upon a pro-
jecting tongue made for this purpose q³, q'. This carrier is open at the bottom (2).
The adapter consists of a light wooden frame which is constructed as follows:-
Two wooden trays are attached to a piece of metal (enamelled by preference); this
metal plate forming a diaphragm between them, shewn in section p,p; each of the
trays has an inner groove into which an enamelled iron plate slides; this is shewn
at o, o. The slides draw out from the under side of the adapter by means of knobs.
The adapter has four corners, shown m, m, n, n¹; m, m, being under cut, as shewn
at the m on section c¹ in one or two of the corners; this under cut angle slides out
by a spring latch. The object of this part of the Invention is that an oblong plate
may be fixed in the slide, either horizontally or vertically.
Generally, I claim this Invention as a complete camera. I also claim the separate

page_text: parts applied to other cameras, as for instance, the lens, the body, or the slide,
or the parts of these specified, as for instance, the plug to the lens. The adjusting
front of the body, the inlaid cord, or the separate adapter to dark slide.
The parts specified will be generally constructed of wood and metal as described,
but the principles are claimed and not the materials, so that other materials may
be used, as for instance, tin plate in place of wood, or vulcanite slides instead
of iron or otherwise, alterations that do not affect the general principles defined
above.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Ford Stanley, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twelfth day of March, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
W FORD STANLEY. (L.S.)