Improvements in Film Changing Photographic Cameras.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Mar., 1896-Accepted, 27th June, 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Film Changing Photographic Cameras.
We, CONRAD BECK, of 68 Cornhill, in the City of London, Optician, WILLIAM
BECK, Jr., of Lister Works, Dickenson Street, Kentish Town, London, N.W.,
and JOSEPH THACHER CLARKE, of Gayton Corner, Harrow, Middlesex,
Architect, 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 relates to photographic magazine cameras for the manipulation
of cut sheets or films of flexible negative material. It has for its chief objects:
firstly to provide a novel and advantageous method of retaining the flexible films,
after exposure, in a secondary pack or series; secondly, to provide means for
rendering a revolving film holder or magazine conveniently detachable from the
outer case or light-tight covering, so that it may be removed by the operator for
the purpose of recharging; and, thirdly, to provide means for giving a differential
motion to the sorting teeth, or other film selecting and separating devices, by
moving the holder alternately forwards and backwards against a stop or buttress.
Furthermore this invention relates to improved means of fitting and attaching a
spring back board to a film holder or magazine.
In order that our invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into
effect by those skilled in the art to which it appertains, we will describe in detail
a form of film changing apparatus in which our improvements are embodied:
reference being had to the accompanying drawings, throughout which like
reference numerals designate like parts.
Figure 1 is a side view of a camera constructed in accordance with our invention.
In this view the two portions of the case are separated, and the holder is represented
as suspended between them.
Figure 2 is a back view of the film holder or magazine, and of the foremost
portion of the casing, with the holder in position therein.
Figure 3 is a longitudinal section of the case and holder, taken on the dotted
line A-A, Figure 2, so as to show the concentric guide grooves and the manner
in which the discharged films are retained in a secondary pack or series.
Figure 4 is a view of the top of the holder, shown as a horizontal section of
the case on the dotted line B-B, Figure 2.
The revolving holder 1, for the reception of the unexposed films, may
advantageously be constructed of sheet metal. It is provided upon either side with
trunnions, 2 and 3, bearing in the semicircular cradles 4, 4, and 5, 5, of the two
portions 6 and 7 of the light-tight casing, preferably of wood, which casing,
viewed as a whole, is bisected in the axis of the said cradles. It is found
advantageous, in practice, to make the trunnions of different diameters, thus
obviating the danger of the holder being put into the case upside down. The
width of the holder 1 is such that it approximately fits the case.
Upon the back of the holder is a projection 8, having, in side view, the form of a
segment or arc, the centre of which is approximately in the centre of revolution
of the holder. This segmental projection may conveniently be formed by turning
up one or more flanges of metal attached to the backboards of the holder, but the
same result may be obtained by attaching any suitably shaped block either to the
bottom, top or, preferably, the back of the revolving holder itself. This segmental
projection has for its purpose to retain the exposed and discharged films, as a
secondary pack or series, in a space provided for this purpose at the bottom, top,

page_text: or preferably, the back of the holder. The position of the segmental projection 8,.
in relation to the series of exposed and discharged films, 9, 9, is shown in the
section Fig. 3, from which it will be seen that the films arc, by the projections,
prevented from falling into the body of the camera when this is inverted, and arc,
furthermore prevented from becoming caught by and entangled in, the holder itself
on this being revolved. Similar and supplementary projections, constituting a
continuation of the segmental line of the main flange, may advantageously be
formed upon the top and bottom of the holder itself by giving the requisite curve
to the leading plates or guides, 25 and 26, bereinafter more particularly described.
These supplementary projections extend that arc of revolution of the holder during
which the films are retained. Hitherto this retention of the discharged films has
been effected by holding them down by means of a special presser foot or lid,
raised for their deposition; or the films have been kept from falling into the
body of the case through an intervening flexible septum or band; such as is
described in Specification No. 9819 of 1892; or, again, the flexible films have been
forced past projecting ledges against a spring backboard by means of which they
are prevented from falling into the body of the camera when this is turned upside
down, as is described in Specification No. 7450 of 1894. Thus it will be perceived
that our present invention,-applicable in any case where a rotary film holder or
magazine is employed, provides broadly for a novel and effective method of
dealing with this problem of retaining the exposed and discharged films in
secondary series.
a
The contact edges of the two sections 6 and 7 of the casing are formed with
rebates in such wise that, when adjoined, they constitute a light-tight support and
covering for the holder 1. The trunnions, 2 and 3, of the said holder fit accurately
into the circular bearings formed by the cradles, 4, 4, and 5, 5, and the light-
tightness thus obtainable may be advantageously rendered still more secure by
providing the trunnions upon their outer surfaces, with concentric flanges 10 and 11.
Any suitable fastening, such as a hook catch, may be employed to secure the
juncture of the two sections, 6 and 7.
Convenient means for rotating the holder from the outside of the casing may
be provided by firmly attaching to one of the beforementioned flanges 10 a metal
tube 12, easily grasped, and firmly to be held between the fingers. In this tube
may be embedded a spirit level 13, which will serve to show the operator when the
foremost surface of the bolder, and consequently the sensitized film within it, is
perfectly vertical.
The film selecting and separating devices, of whatever nature, are operated by
giving a to and fro movement to the shifting pin 14, connected therewith. This
shifting pin, projecting beyond the sides of the holder 1, travels in grooves or
guides, 15 and 16 which, being concentric throughout the greater part of their
extent, prevent the shifting pin from being moved, relatively to the axis of the
holder, at any other time than when the holder is rotated, for the purpose of film
changing, to such a position that the pin 14 may shift from one concentric guide
groove to the other through the cross channels 17 and 18.
This cross movement is given to the shifting pin 14 by causing it to travel up
the inclined edges of a stop or buttress 19, which may with advantage be rigidly
attached to the side of the case, in a position corresponding to that angle of
rotation of the holder at which it is desired to discharge therefrom the foremost
film. In the accompanying illustrations the receptacle for the discharged films is
shown as situated at the back of the holder, and the angle of rotation of the
holder is consequently 180° or thereabouts, in both directions. But were it, for
instance, desired to have the chamber for the reception of the discharged films at
the bottom of the holder, the angles of rotation would be respectively 90° in one
direction and 270° in the other direction, as will be readily understood. The
beforementioned buttress, 19, may be conveniently formed of somewhat thick sheet
metal, so attached to the side of the case by screws, or otherwise, as to bear upon,
deflect, and move for the determined distance, the shifting pin 14.

page_text: In the concentric guide grooves, 15 and 16, at the positions indicated, there are
light spring checks 20 and 21, formed on the principle of an umbrella catch.
These spring checks permit the shifting pin 14 to ride over them in one direction
(namely in returning to its normal position), but not in the other. Thus it will be
evident that, when the holder has been brought back to register, ready for an
exposure to be made upon the foremost film, it will not be possible to turn the,
handle in the same direction in which it was rotated the time before, in changing
the previous film,-since, were it attempted to thus repeat the movement of the
holder, the shifting pin 14 would strike against the outwardly sprung end of one
of the checks, either 20 or 21, so that the movement of the holder would be
thereby impeded. The holder is, however, free to move in a direction contrary
to that in which it had been turned during the immediately preceding operation
of film changing. By this means an alternate, forward and backward, rotation of
the holder is automatically assured.
For instance, in the section given in Fig. 3 the holder is represented as having
been moved to that position which it occupies after having been turned forwards
(i.e. in the direction in which move the hands of a clock), after the process of film
changing. It is plain that the previous film was discharged by turning the.
handle first in a backward direction, and after this in bringing it to its normal
position by turning it in a forward direction. But, as the shifting pin 14 is now
situated in the outer concentric guide groove 15, the next cycle of film changing.
cannot be begun by revolving the holder backwards, since the shifting pin 14
would be stopped in its path by the spring check 20. The holder can only be
turned forward, and this reverses the order of movement in the process of
discharge. Thus, should the operator endeavour to turn the holder in a wrong
direction, (that is to say, twice alike, whether forwards or backwards), he would
find this to be rendered impossible by the improved mechanism of the camera.
When the film separating devices are arranged upon both sides of the holder,.
and are not directly connected, the one with the other, so as to work together, there
will of course be a shifting pin, concentric guides, cross channels and a buttress.
provided upon both sides of the camera. When, on the other hand, the selecting
devices are so connected as to work as one piece, this duplication of parts will not
be necessary.
The holder 1 is provided upon its ends with outwardly projecting edges, 22, 22
and 23, 23, and the back board 24 of the holder is formed with leading plates 25.
and 26 which run in between the said projecting edges 22, 22, and 23, 23, and thus
facilitate the fitting on of the backboard in the dim light of the photographic dark
room. These leading plates 25 and 26 are turned slightly outwards, and are
somewhat narrower at their fore edge than at their juncture with the backboard
itself, thus guiding the backboard 24 to its exact position upon the holder I by
bearing against and sliding along the inside of the beforementioned projecting
edges 22, 22, and 23, 23.
The back of the holder is provided with toothed lugs 27 and 28, while a double
ended spring latch 29 is attached to the backboard 24 in such a position that, when
this backboard is guided on to the holder, as before described, the two ends of the
said spring latch engage with the lugs 27 and 28. The backboard 24 may be
readily detached from the holder 1 by sidewise pressure of the two ends of the
spring latch 29 which will cause this to be carried out of engagement with the
lugs 27 and 28 through the action of a pressure spring and pressure board of
the usual type within the holder.
In the accompanying illustrations the film selecting and separating devices have
not been shown, since these features are themselves not included within the scope
of the present application. The various improvements which have been herein-
before set forth are intended to be more immediately employed in cameras provided
with sliding sorting teeth or stops for the manipulation of photographic films
notched and formed into packs of alternate sequence in the manner set forth in
Specification No. 23315 of 1892. It will, however, be obvious that the said

page_text: improvements are by no means restricted to film changing cameras of this one
particular kind, but that they may be employed in connection with film selecting
and separating devices operating in other ways.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:
1. In a film changing photographic camera, the combination with a receiving
chamber for the discharged films, of a revolving holder having segmental
projections such as 8, substantially as, and for the purpose, hereinbefore described.
2. In a film changing photographic camera, the combination with a revolving
holder having two trunnions such as 2 and 3 of a bisected casing, each section of
which is provided with two semicircular cradles such as 4, 4, and 5, 5, for the
light-tight reception of the said trunnions, substantially as, and for the purpose,
hereinbefore described.
3. In a film changing photographic camera, the combination with a holder
revolving alternately forwards and backwards for the discharge of the films therein
contained of a stop or buttress adapted to move the film separating devices in the
one direction when the holder is moved forwards for the act of film changing, and
in the reverse or return direction when the holder is moved backwards for the act
of film changing, substantially as hereinbefore described.
4. In a film changing photographic camera, the combination with a holder
revolving alternately forwards aud backwards for the discharge of the films therein
contained of the concentric guides 15 and 16 for the shifting pin 14 and the cross
channels 17 and 18 between the said guides, substantially as, and for the purpose,
berein before described.
5. In a film changing photographic camera having a holder revolving alternately
forwards and backwards for the discharge of the films therein contained, the
combination with a shifting pin such as 14 of the spring checks 20 and 21,
substantially as, and for the purpose, hereinbefore described.
6. In a film changing photographic camera, the combination with a holder
having outwardly projecting edges or ends, such as 22 and 23, of a backboard
provided with the leading plates 25 and 26, substantially as, and for the purpose,
hereinbefore described.
7. In a film changing photographic camera, the combination with a holder having
the catch lugs 27 and 28, and with a backboard having the outer guides referred to
in the preceding claim, of the double ended spring latch 29, substantially as, and
for the purpose, herein before described.
Dated this 24th day of March 1896
CONRAD BECK.
WILLIAM BECK, JNR.
JOSEPH THACHER CLARKE.