IMPROVEMENTS IN PHOTOGRAPHIC CAMERAS
Year: 1884

page_text: I, ALEXANDER CRAWFORD LAMB, of Reform Street, Dundee, in the County of
Forfar, Hotel Proprietor, do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN PHOTOGRAPHIC CAMERAS," to be as follows:-
The object of this Invention is to enable photographic cameras to be carried
conveniently in the pocket, while being readily opened up and adapted for use at
any time.
The Invention consists in connecting the front part of the camera, in which is
fitted the lens, and the back part or frame which carries the dark slide, by means
of springs or spring bars which admit of the front and back parts being brought
close together to close the camera, or opened out and rigidly held when it is to be
used.
According to one modification of the Invention, the front and back frames of the
camera are connected together by four jointed spring stays or bars similar to those
used in collapsible opera hats, and fitted at each corner. Each spring stay is mado
in two lengths or bars and jointed in the middle, so that it can fold inwards to
close the camera. Between the parts of the stay bar a bearing shoulder is formed,
and the bars are held in their distended position by means of helical or other
springs which are attached to hooks or catches formed on the bars. When fully
di-tended, the two parts of each bar bear on cach other at mid length and form a
rigid stay. The stays thus formed at each corner suffice to hold out the camera in
its open position. The usual bellows or dark cloth is connected to the end pieces
to form the box-like body of the camera.
•

page_text: "
I, ALEXANDER CRAWFORD LAMB, of Reform Street, Dundee, in the County of
Forfar, Hotel Proprietor, do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN PHOTOGRAPHIC CAMERAS"; and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
The object of my Invention is to enable photographic cameras to be carried
conveniently in the pocket while being readily opened up and adapted for use at
any time.
The Invention consists in connecting the front part of the camera, in which is
titted the lens, and the back part or frame which carries the dark slide, by means
of springs or spring bars, which admit of the front and back parts being brought
close together to close the camera, or open out and be rigidly held when it is to be
used.
In the accompanying Drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of the camera
when opened out for use, Figures 2 and 3 are respectively an end elevation, and a
side elevation, showing the camera collapsed.
According to one modification of the Invention, the front and back frames A
and B, of the camera are connected together by four jointed spring stays or bars C,
similar to those used in collapsible opera hats, one jointed stay C being fitted at
each corner.
Each spring stay is made in two lengths or bars and jointed in the
middle, so that it can fold inwards to close the camera. Between the parts of the
stay bar a bearing shoulder c is formed, and the bars are held in their distended
position by means of helical or other springs c¹, which are attached to hooks or
catches formed on the bars. When fully distended the two parts of earh-bar bear
on each other at mid-length and form a rigid stay. The stays thus formed at each
corner suffice to hold out the camera in its open position. The usual bellows or
dark cloth D is connected to the end pieces to form the box-like body of the
camera. The lens E is fitted to the front part A of the frame in any of the usual
ways.
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 improved collapsible photograph camera herein described and
illustrated.
Second. Connecting the front and back parts of photographic cameras by means
of spring stays as and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this Sixteenth day of October 1884.
A. C. LAAI B.