Improvements in Photographic Cameras.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd July, 1897-Accepted, 8th Jan., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Photographic Cameras.
We, HENRY WOOD, of 45 Netherwood Street, Brondesbury, in the County of
London, and SAMUEL CLARK, Secretary of the London Stereoscopic & Photo-
graphic Co. Ld., of 106 & 108 Regent Street, in the County of London, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
This Invention relates to improvements in photographic cameras of the kind
using two lenses in which the dark slide containing the sensitive plates is placed
in the back of the camera in the usual manner and the chief object of which is
to materially reduce the size and increase the focussing action of the same com-
pared with that of similar cameras hitherto in use.
For this purpose I increase the forward and backward motion of the inner body
or box carrying the lenses by dispensing with the usual side supports or frames
of the mirror and forming a short slot or groove in each of the upper side frames
of the outer body or box into which the upper ends of the sides of the mirror fit.
The mirror is still further supported by means of two spring metal strips fixed
to the said frames and bent or folded inwards at their lower ends to grip or hold
the sides of the said mirror. By this means the inner body or box is free to
slide back to within a short distance of the end of the outer body or box and is
so constructed that it may be protruded outward in the contrary direction without
exposing the interior of the same.. This arrangement will enable a smaller camera
to be used capable of having the same or an increased length of focus to those
hitherto constructed. We also provide at the back of the camera a flap carrying
the focussing ground glass which flap is hinged at the bottom so as to open down-
wards, the glass being protected by a suitable flap hinged at the top to open
upwards by means of an elastic or other suitable spring the same being kept in
its closed position by a pivoted catch or otherwise.
And in order to clearly understand out said invention we will describe the same
with reference to the accompanying sheet of drawings in which Figure 1 is a
longitudinal vertical section and Figure 2 a cross section on the line a x (Figure 1)
of our improved camera.
a is the outer body or box and 6 the inner one carrying the lenses c c¹. The
outer body a is provided with two, upper strips or frames & which are each formed
at their back end with a slot or groove for receiving the upper ends of the
sides of the mirror e, which reflects the image from the lens c¹ on to the focussing
screen c
The mirror is still further supported by the spring metal strips of fixed to the
frames & their lower ends being bent to form a groove in which the sides of the
mirror e lie. These sides of the mirror are bevelled off or inclined at e¹ so as not
to interfere with the movement of the inner body b.
It will thus be seen that the space in the box a is clear for permitting the free
sliding motion of the inner body b to within a short distance say about 2 inches
of the end a of the box a thereby increasing the extent of the focussing range

page_text: above that of similar cameras hitherto in use.
The inner body or box may also
be so constructed with enclosing sides that it may be protruded a certain distance
beyond the front edge or face of the outer body or box a without exposing the
interior of the said body or box.
The back of the camera is hinged at g¹ for opening out so as to place the
dark slide in position in the usual manner and carries the focussing glass g² which
is covered by a flap h hinged at h₁ to the back g and provided with an elastic or
other suitable spring i which opens the flap so as to expose the glass g³ when the
pivoted catch or button k is turned round clear of the said flap h. By this means
the focussing glass g² may always be covered when not in use it being simply
necessary to raise the flap h for locating a view. This arrangement is also applic-
able to single lens cameras.
As our improvements may be capable of some slight modification without de-
parting from the principle of this our invention we do not restrict ourselves to the
precise form or placements of the parts thereof.
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 twin lens photographic cameras constructing the same so as to permit of
the inner body or box being shifted to within the short distance of two inches or
thereabouts of the rear end of the outer body or box as well as a certain distance
beyond the front end of the latter in order to materially reduce the size of such
cameras over those hitherto in use and to increase the length of focus by means
of the special attachment of the focussing mirror substantially as described and
shown in the drawings.
2. In twin lens photographic cameras the combination with the outer body a
and the inner body b carrying the lenses cand c¹ of the strips or frames & formed
with the grooves d¹ the mirror e having bevelled sides or edges el spring metal
strips f, back yg hinged at g' and carrying the glass g² flap h hinged at h¹ spring i
and catch or button k arranged and operating substantially as described and for
the purposes specified.
3. In photographic cameras having one or more lenses the combination of a
back flap hinged at the bottom and carrying the focussing glass and a hinged
flap or cover to the said glass substantially as described and for the purposes
specified.
4. The improved photographic camera substantially as described and shown in
the drawings.
1007
J. B. FLEURET,
5 Hatton Garden, Agent for the Applicant.