Improvements in Photographic Cameras.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 28th May, 1892
Complete Specification Left, 23rd Feb., 1893-Accepted, 25th Mar., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Photographic Cameras.
I, JOHN FEATHERSTONEHAUGH PARSONS, of Siddington House, Kingsdown
Parade, in the City and County of Bristol, Artist, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention which relates to photographic cameras-more particularly hand
cameras has for its objects to obviate certain disadvantages appertaining to
cameras as hitherto constructed and fitted.
According to this invention, in its relation to the use of films, the latter, instead
of being, as heretofore, in a continuous roll, are separate and each film is carried
on the face of a mount of cardboard, paper, or other suitable substance to which
it is attached. The mounts carrying the films are piled on end and at the base
they are separately hinged to a common foundation of tissue paper or other suitable
pliable material. The pack of mounts and adhering films thus arranged in book-
form is placed on a shelf in the camera, and a spiral or other suitable spring is
brought to bear on the back of the pack which thereby tends to advance towards
the lens, but is restrained by a stop situated at each side of the camera.
When an
exposure has been made, the said stops are operated so as to release the foremost
film of the pack and to retain the rest. The camera is then tilted forward and the
released film descends on its hinge, face downwards, until it is arrested by the
spring of an indicator. The operator then turns a rod by which a vane, arm or:
frame is brought to bear on the back of the mount and forces it past the indicator
by which latter the descent of the film is indicated to the operator. The film.
descends to the floor of the camera and is detached at the hinge from the rest of the.
pack which under the influence of the spring behind it has advanced to the extent
of the thickness of a mount. After exposure of the now leading film of the pack,
the actions above described are repeated, and so on for each until the whole pack
has been exposed.
When, at any time, it is desired to take out a film or films from the camera, a
slide in the latter is opened and the film or films removed without waste of film,.
such as is entailed with the use of rolled films, and without disturbing the unexposed
films.
According to this invention, in its relation to the use of sensitized glass plates,.
the latter are arranged in a pack of frames or cases placed on end and hinged, at
the base which is inclined, by webs of paper, parchment or other suitable material
to a common foundation. The pack of frames or cases carrying the plates is placed
with the inclined base downwards on a correspondingly inclined part of a carrier
in the camera, the longest frame or case being in front, that is, facing the lens.
To the carrier is attached one end of a spring constantly tending to draw the
carrier towards the lens. A rod furnished with suitable restraining stops prevents
at the will of the operator any forward motion of the carrier. The stops are so
arranged that when one plate has been exposed and is allowed to fall on its hinge,
the plate immediately behind it is prevented from descending with it. As each
plate is used and lowered, a holder connected to a spring acts in conjunction with
the stop rod and holds the plates on the bottom of the camera where they lie face
downwards, one exactly over the other, a result due to the inclined base of the pack
and the inclined part of the carrier which is advanced to the extent of a plate-
holding frame or case at each change of plate. The changing is effected by one
manual motion only.
This invention consists further in an improved shutter for the lens. The shutter
is composed of two sliding plates so shaped as to present, when moved apart, a

page_text: diamond-shaped aperture. The plates which are contained between guides are
normally kept closed by a spring of india-rubber or metal. To open the shutter,
pressure is applied to the outer ends of two hinged levers which, on being pressed
inwards at the said outer ends and consequently forced apart at the inner ends,
cause the plates to recede from one another and from before the lens. With this
form of shutter, no setting is necessary and instantaneous and time exposures are
made without altering the shutter or the motion by which exposure is made.
Moreover, light is first admitted at the centre of the lens which is also the last
point of closure.
Dated this 27th day of May 1892.
NICHOLAS WATTS,
Bristol Bank Buildings, Bristol, Chartered Patent Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Photographic Cameras.
I, JOHN FEATHERSTONEHAUGH PARSONS, of Siddington House, Kingsdown
Parade, in the City and County of Bristol, Artist, 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 which relates to photographic cameras-more particularly hand
cameras has for its objects to obviate certain disadvantages appertaining to
cameras as hitherto constructed and fitted.
In the Provisional Specification left with my application for Letters Patent to
this invention I have described the invention as applicable to both film carrying
cameras and glass plate carrying cameras. I find, however, that, in its application
to glass plate carrying cameras, the invention may possibly possess features which
might lead to conflict with other plate carrying cameras and, accordingly, I wish
it understood that so much of my Provisional Specification aforesaid as relates to
the subject of plate carrying cameras is abandoned and is not included in my claims
to novelty or otherwise to be regarded as contained in this Complete Specification.
For like or analogous reasons I do not include as part of my invention the
shutter described in the said Provisional Specification.
My invention therefore relates only to film carrying cameras as hereinafter set
forth.
According to this invention each film is affixed to a plain card of paper or other
suitable substance. The cards or mounts with the films attached are piled together
and at the base they are separately hinged to a common foundation of tissue paper,
linen or other suitable pliable material. The pack of mounts and adhering films
thus arranged in book-form is placed on a shelf in the camera, and a spiral or other
suitable spring is brought to bear on the back of the pack which thereby tends
to advance towards the lens, but is restrained by stops or checks situated at each
side of the camera. When an exposure has been made, the said stops or checks
are operated so as to release the foremost film of the pack and to retain the rest.
The camera is then tilted forward and the released film descends on its hinge, face
downwards, until it is arrested by the indicator. The operator then turns a rod by
which a vane, arm or frame is brought to bear on the back of the mount and forces
down the indicator, by which latter the descent of the film is indicated to the operator.
The film descends to the floor of the camera and is detached at the hinge from
the rest of the pack which, under the influence of the spring behind it, has
advanced to the extent of the thickness of a mount. After exposure of the now
leading film of the pack, the actions above described are repeated, and, so on, for
each until the whole pack has been exposed.
In the accompanying sheet of drawings,
Fig. 1 represents a side elevation of my improved camera.
IN
1+

page_text: Fig. 3 a transverse section taken in front of the indicator rou.
Fig. 4 represents a plan of the holder for the packs of films and the spring
arrangement by which the packs are impelled towards the lens and pressed against
the stops or checks.
Fig. 5 illustrates, at an enlarged scale, the stop or check mechanism as seen
from below or from the floor of the camera.
Fig. 6 represents a pack of film-carrying cards a turned bottom upwards to show
the tearable or severable base or binding a¹ to which the cards are attached by:
glue, gum or other suitable means.
Fig. 7 is a view of the underside of the combined shield and cutter.
Fig. 8 is a face view of the cutter.
As aforesaid, the films are affixed to mounts of card or other stiff paper or other
suitable substance. The mounts and films are of two sizes; one-half of theo
number in the pack being longer but not so deep as those constituting the other
half of the pack, and the arrangement is such that behind each of the longer
mounts is placed one of the shorter but deeper mounts. This arrangement is
preserved throughout the pack, as seen more particularly at Figs. 2, 3 and 6.
Such packs are hereinafter referred to as packs of films. At the rear of the pack
is a card a², Fig. 6, not having a film attached. This rear card is recessed at the
sides so as to slide readily into grooves provided for it in the holder b, Figs. 2.
and 4, which, when a pack of films is to be fitted into it, is withdrawn from the
camera in a dark room. The holder b, with the pack of films placed therein, is
returned to the camera, the pack being advanced until the foremost film bears against
the stops or checks c rigidly fixed to the pinions d gearing with racks e, free to work
on pins passed through slots in the racks which latter engages by means of pins with,
grooves gl in the disc g, as seen more particularly at Fig. 5. Through the medium
of the thumb-piece carried on the outside of the camera top, the pinions d and.
racks e are operated at will so as to turn the stops or checks c from the position.
shown at Figs. 2, 3 and 5 so as to pass up clear of the face of the foremost film
and on to the face of the film behind. Again, by a reverse movement of the
thumb-piece A, the stops or checks are lowered to the position seen at Figs. 2, 3
and 5. The range of upward movement is controlled by the stops i and of the.
downward movement by stops i, Fig. 3.
When, as aforesaid, a pack of films has been placed in the camera, the spindle 6'
of the holder bis inserted in recesses provided for it in the frame of the camera,
and by this act, the spindles 62 of the vanes 63 hinged to the spindle bare forced
apart in the grooves from the position shown at Fig. 4 to that shown at Fig. 2,
that is to say, the spring j is extended. The slide k is then closed and by the
constant strain exerted thereafter by the spring ; to contract and draw the
spindles 62 towards one another, the pack of films is maintained firmly pressed
against the checks or stops c.
It is, of course, understood that the camera is furnished with a proper shutter for
the lens, though none is shown in the drawing.
After an exposure has been made, the shield carrying the cutter is raised, to
the position shown at Fig. 2, by pushing back the lever 2, Fig. 1, which is secured
upon the spindle 3 to which the shield is rigidly fixed.
The foremost film is then freed from the restraint of the checks c and, on the
camera being tilted forward, the film turns on its flexible base a¹ and lies on the
indicator rod m, as seen at Fig. 2. The shield is now turned down, and
the cutter severs the film from its base; the ribs holding the film firmly on the
rod m which, as the shield is further depressed, is forced down to the bottom of
the groove m'; the upward tendency of the spring which normally holds up the
rod m being overcome. Behind the groove m¹ and inside the camera is a plate m³
to exclude light at all times. This plate is fixed upon and moves with the rod m.
As one end of the rod m is visible from the exterior of the camera, its position at
the bottom of the groove is a certain indication that the exposed film has been
turned down and, has been severed from its base and is lying shielded from light.

page_text: In this position of the shield the cutter ', the back end of which is made to project
slightly above the shield, acts as a check to the lower end of the pack of films and
thus assists to keep the pack back in its proper place.
On the shield being raised, the shutter being closed, the severed film, freed
from the grasp of the ribs l, falls to the bottom of the camera, and the rod m is
raised by the spring m² to the top of the groove m'.
Similarly, with each film until the entire pack has been used, the card a² being
alone left in the holder b.
When, at any time, it is desired to remove a film or films from the dark box of
the camera the slide n' at bottom is withdrawn for that purpose.
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 :-
1. Arranging photographic films (preferably on suitable cards or other mounts)
in packs bound together at bottom by a linen or other suitable tearable or severable
base, substantially as hereinbefore described and shown at Figs. 2, 3 and 6 of the
accompanying drawings.
2. In a photographic camera, the provision of an indicator rod. such as m with
spring m² below it, the said rod extending at one end to the exterior of the camera
through a light-tight groove and being so placed that the films after release. from
the checks c fall upon it and cannot further descend until the said rod is forced
down and the upward strain of the spring counteracted, as hereinbefore described.
3. The combined shield and cutter centered on a spindle the handle or lever.
of which is outside the camera and arranged for operation to sever from the pack
each film in succession after it has fallen on to the indicator rod, to hold each film
against such rod and to shield it from light whilst an exposure is being made with
the film next in succession.
4. The mechanism for restraining the pack of films and releasing each film after
exposure; said mechanism consisting of the stops or checks c, pinions d, racks e
with pins, the disc g with slots g', and thumb-piece or handle h, all arranged for
operation as hereinbefore described.
5. In a photographic camera the combination of parts, constructed, arranged and
operating, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accom-
panying sheet of illustrative drawings.
Dated this 20th day of February 1893.
NICHOLAS WATTS,
Chartered Patent Agent.