Improvements in or relating to Photographic Cameras.
Year: 1897

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Photographic Cameras.
We, THOMAS EDWARD CORNEY WILSON of 16, Swiss Road, Fairfield, Liverpool
in the County of Lancaster, Cotton Salesman, and WILLIAM HENRY TOMKINSON of
81, Dale Street, Liverpool, aforesaid, Photographic Dealer, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to hand or pocket photographic cameras, and has for its
object among other things to produce a camera which will be portable and capable
of being compressed into a small space when not in use.
In carrying our invention into effect, the plan we prefer is to make the camera
in the form of a box with collapsible sides, the top and bottom being hinged
together at one end so that they will fold or close one towards the other when the
sides are collapsed, or be expanded when the camera is requited for use. The two
sides are hinged respectively to the top and bottom, so that they can be folded or
collapsed on the inside of the top or of the bottom, or be opened out so as to lie
at right angles thereto to form the camera box. By this means the camera can
be expanded when it is required to take the photograph, or by folding or collaps-
ing the sides, the camera can be collapsed and thus occupy much less space so
that it can even be carried in the pocket, the camera when expanded being by
preference of a wedge shape and when collapsed the top and bottom are nearly or
quite parallel. The two sides are locked when expanded at the opposite edge to
the hinges by suitable catches. The light is prevented from passing through the
collapsed sides by a flexible cover of cloth, leather or other suitable material. At
one end of the camera is the lens, focussing screen, and shutter, and at the other
we provide guides for insertion of the plate slide or the dark slide containing the
sensitised plates or films. The shutter is arranged to work in a peculiar manner,
sliding transversely across the end of the camera, and adapted not only to close
the lens but also to separate the oblique mirror (which throws the external object
on to the finder) from the finder lens, so that in the normal position of the shutter
the object cannot be seen on the finder. The shutter is controlled by a spring in
such a manner that normally the shutter intervenes between the oblique mirror
and the finder lens, and also closes the camera lens. This spring may consist of a
springy arm fixed firmly at one end to a suitable part of the camera, and at the
other engaging the shutter itself, the arrangement being such that the springy
arm normally keeps the shutter over the mirror and closes the camera lens pre-
venting the plate being exposed or the object being reflected on to the finder.
To take a photograph, the camera box is expanded, the dark slide with its
sensitised plates inserted in the guides. The shutter is now slid transversely
against the pressure of the spring by means of a string attached to the shutter,
and the shutter is locked by a spring catch engaging in a notch in the shutter,
the lens still remaining closed. By this movement, the shutter, which hitherto
intervened between the mirror and finder lens, is moved away and light being
admitted to the mirror, enables the external image to be thrown on to the finder.

page_text: The dark slide shutter is opened, and the catch withdrawn, the lens shutter which
has the usual opening in it, flies back to its original position effecting an instan-
taneous exposure of the sensitised plate.
In case a time exposure is required, another notch is provided in the plate for
the catch to engage in which will hold the shutter in such a position that the
necessary exposure by time can take place.
We have described the above way of carrying our invention into effect, but it is
obvious that having once given the general idea alferations may be made without
departing from the general principle of the invention..
Dated this 29th day of January 1897.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Patent Agents for the Applicants.
:
Improvements in or relating to Photographic Cameras.
We, THOMAS EDWARD CORNEY WILSOx of 16, Swiss Road, Fairfield, Liverpool
in the County of Lancaster, Cotton Salesman, and WILLIAM HENRY TOMKINSON of
81 Dale Street, Liverpool aforesaid, Photographic Dealer, 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 hand or pocket photographic cameras, and has for its
object among other things to produce a camera which will be portable and capable.
cf being compressed into a small space when not in use.
The invention will be understood from the following description reference being
had to the accompanying drawings in which,
Figure 1 is a general view of the improved camera with the front separated from
the camera box or body;
Figure 2 an end elevation showing the opposite end of the camera to that
depicted in Figure 1;
Figure 3 a longitudinal section; and
Figure 4 an end view showing camera collapsed.
We make the camera in the form of a box A with collapsible sides B, the top
and bottom being hinged at C so that they will fold or close one towards the other
when the sides B are collapsed, or be expanded when the camera is required for
use. The two sides B are hinged respectively at D to the top and bottom, so that
they can be folded or collapsed on the inside of the top or of the bottom, or be
opened out so as to lie at right angles thereto to form the camera box. By this
means the camera can be expanded when it is required to take the photograph,
or by folding or collapsing the sides, the camera can be collapsed and thus occupy
much less space so that it can even be carried in the pocket, the camera when
expanded being by preference of a wedge shape and when collapsed the top and
bottom are nearly or quite parallel. The two sides are locked when expanded at
the opposite edge to the hinges by suitable catches E. The light is prevented
from passing through the collapsed sides by a flexible cover F of cloth,. leather or
other suitable material. At one end of the camera is the lens.G, focussing screen,
and shutter H, and at the other we provide guides I for insertion of the plate slide
or the dark slide containing the sensitised plates or films. The shutter H is
arranged to work in a peculiar manner, sliding transversely across the end of the
camera, and adapted not only to close the lens G but also. to, separate the oblique
mirror K (which throws the external object on to the finder), from the finder lens L
so that in the normal position of the shutter H the object cannot be
7.seen.
the

page_text: finder. The shutter is controlled by a spring J in such a manner that normally
the shutter intervenes between the oblique mirror K and the finder lens L, and also
closes the camera lens G. This spring may be a spiral spring as shown, or it may
consist of a springy arm fixed firmly at one end to a suitable part of the camera,
and at the other engaging the shutter itself, the arrangement being such that the
springy arm normally keeps the shutter over the mirror and closes the camera
lens preventing the plate being exposed or the object being reflected on to the
finder.
To take a photograph, the camera box is expanded, the dark slide with its
sensitised plates inserted in the guides I. The shutter is now slid transversely
against the pressure of the spring J by means of a string M attached to the
shutter H, and the shutter H is locked by a spring catch N engaging in a notch n
in the shutter H, the lens G still remaining closed. By this movement, the
shutter H, which hitherto intervened between the mirror K and finder lens L, is
moved away and light being admitted to the mirror, enables the external image
to be thrown onto the finder. The dark slide shutter is opened, and the catch N
withdrawn, the lens shutter H which has the usual opening 0 in it, flies back to
its original position effecting an instantaneous exposure of the sensitised plate.
In case a time exposure is required, another notch n¹ is provided in the plate H
for une catch N to engage in, which will hold the shutter in such a position that
the necessary exposure by time can take place as shown in the accompanying
drawings.
We have described the above way of carrying our invention into effect, but it is
obvious that having once given the general idea alterations may be made without
departing from the general principle of the invention.
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. The improvement in hand or pocket photographic cameras, which consists
in making them in the form of a box with collapsible sides, the top and bottom
being hinged at one end so that they shall fold or close one towards the other, and
the sides so hinged to the top and (or) bottom, that they can be folded flat against
the inside thereof or be opened out so as to lie at right angles thereto to form the
camera box substantially as described.
2. In a photographic camera, a shutter so arranged as to close the finder lens
simultaneously with the camera lens after exposure of the sensitised plate sub-
stantially as described.
3. The general combined arrangement and construction of parts forming the
improved photographic camera substantially as set forth.
Dated this 30th day of June 1897.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Patent Agents of Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, and London.