Improvements in or appertaining to Hand or Magazine Cameras.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Feb., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 18th Nov., 1897-Accepted, 8th Jan., 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or appertaining to Hand or Magazine Cameras.
I, FELIX WILLIAM HUDLASS, of 13 Hartwood Road, Southport, in the County of
Lancaster, Musician, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The object of my invention is a hand or magazine camera in which, in use,
a single action on the part of the operator will suffice to expose a plate or film,
and to present another ready for exposure the shutter meanwhile returning auto-
matically to position.
The plates or films are stored in sheaths, one behind another, at the rear of the
camera, being pressed forward by a spiral or other spring. The lower edge of the
foremost rests against a fixed stop and its upper edge is retained by a catch or
hook affixed to the top of the camera.
Immediately before exposure this catch is raised and another one in a more
forward position is lowered so that the first plate is allowed to spring into exposing
position. After exposure, the foremost catch is again raised and the exposed plate
falls forward face downwards, and so on in rotation.
Adjacent to the lens which is near the camera front is an opening which is
normally closed by the shutter. The shutter is actuated pneumatically. I provide
a flexible tube which is attached to a union or nozzle attixed in the side of the
camera, and this tube carries a hollow ball. Pressure on this by the operator
actuates the shutter by means of a pneumatic cylinder and piston within the
camera.
The two catches above mentioned are actuated by means of a double cam carried
by a spindle which lies longitudinally along the camera top and which, on the
At the forward end
shutter being moved, depresses first one and then the other.
this spindle is bent downwards at right angles or thereabouts, and the pneumatic
piston is connected thereto in such manner that the depending portion is rocked
from one side to the other and carries with it a screen that normally covers an
opening in the shutter proper. This shutter consists of a fan shaped piece having
an opening (aforesaid) whice to effect exposure passes across, or coincides with,
the lens opening. On the forward movement of the screen which is supported
from above the shutter opening is dragged across the lens opening but no
exposure takes place by reason of the former being covered by said screen.
shutter is pivotted below the lens opening and the screen engages it by means of
a projecting stud. On the screen being pushed by the pneumatic piston to its
farthest position the shutter disengages, or slips from the stud, and flies back
under the influence of a spiral spring, the tension of which is adjustable. The
free opening in the shutter effects exposure by passing the lens opening.
The
I also provide a movable stop which arrests the shutter at exposing position for
"time" exposures. This stop is projected into the return path of the shutter by
the pneumatic pressure and automatically withdraws and allows the shutter to
completely close on pressure being released.

page_text: rocking motion being given thereto, the spindle 15 is partially turned on its axis
and, the link 12 participating in the movement, the catches 5 and 6 are alternately
raised and lowered, thus releasing the plates one at a time. This rocking motion
is imparted to the yoke 18 by means of a reciprocating pin 19, (see Figs. 1 to 4)
as hereinafter described.
The carriers or sheaths are of such a height that the plates contained therein do
not reach quite to their tops thus leaving a clear space for the catches to work in.
59 are stops or projections to prevent the exposed plates from rattling about in the
camera bottom. 60 is a stop affixed to the removable back of the camera for the
same purpose.
The
Referring to Fig. 1. Attached to the inside of the front wall is a metal plate 20.
A pneumatic cylinder 21 is provided, whose piston rod 22 is protruded when air
is forced thereinto. The outer end of cylinder 21 is provided with a hole or union
(not shown) to which a length of flexible tube connected with a collapsible ball
may be attached in such manner that on pressure being exerted on said ball the
piston rod will be forced outwards and will carry with it a screen 23.
shutter proper 24 is fan shaped and has an opening (25, dotted lines) which is
normally covered by screen 23. 26 shows the lens opening in the camera front.
On the screen 23 being pushed across the camera front it drags the shutter 24
with it by means of a pin or stud 27 attached thereto, but the path of the said
shutter being circular while the path of the screen is in a right line, it follows
that almost immediately the rear edge of screen 23 has passed the opening 26,
said stud disengages, (see 23, 27") and shutter 24 is pulled by spring 29 back to
its original position, the coincidence of openings 25 and 26 effecting the exposure.
The speed at which shutter 24 flies across may be varied by altering the tension
of said spring 29 by winding more or less of it on drum 30 by means of a knob
or milled head outside. Immediately after disengaging the shutter, the front
edge of screen 23 rides up a rounded projection 31 which cants it up a little thus
easing the return movement of the shutter. A slight spring 32 normally serves
to maintain a light tight contact between screen 23 and shutter 24.
pressure on the ball is released the return movement of screen 23 and piston rod 22
is partly effected by the consequent suction, and partly by the contraction of a
sprir 33. The rear bottom corner of screen 23 is turned up so as to readily
moun nd 27 on the return movement.
"
When
For v making " time exposures I provide a lever 34 having a turned down
end 35 a
tted at 36. A cam 37 may be rotated from outside and will cause
lever 34 to assume the position shown in dotted lines 34, and thus to cause
shutter 24 to partly rotate as clearly indicated by dotted line 38, and by this move-
ment the openings 25 and 26 will coincide. To make the exposure screen 23 is
pressed forward as hereinbefore described and the shutter 24 on its return motion
will stop short, thus leaving opening 26 uncovered as long as the pressure is con-
tinued. On the pressure being released screen 23 will return to normal position
and end the exposure.
A lever 39 is rocked every time an exposure is made and serves by means of
reciprocating link 40 to move a ratchet wheel 41 one tooth. 44 is a guide for
link 40, and 45 is a spring to keep the said link up in place. The front of the
ratchet wheel is marked with numerals which may be seen through hole 44 and
which serve to notify the number of exposures made. 45 is a detent pawl.
serve as
46 shows a quadrant shaped plate which may be turned about its axis 47 from
outside. It has two or more openings 48 of different sizes which
diaphragms for the lens. A tongue 49 turning with plate 46 rides over a wire
or other ridge 50 having notches 51 into which it clicks and thus serves as a
check at the proper places. 52 is a hole for use in conjunction with a view finder
of any suitable construction.
The
Referring now to Figs. 3 and 4. The shutter instead of being fan shaped and
having a curved path is rectangular and free to reciprocate in guides 53.
screen 23 engages a stud 27 on shutter 24 as described hereinbefore. The release