Improvements in Photographic Cameras.
Year: 1889

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Photographic Cameras.
I, WILLIAM JAMES LANCASTER trading as J. Lancaster and Son of Colmore Row
in the City of Birmingham, Manufacturing Optician, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to photographic cameras as hereinafter described, and is an
improvement upon Letters Patent granted to me and bearing date the 1st day of
May 1885 No. 5364, and the 1st day of February 1887 No. 1533 respectively.
My present invention consists
1st, in a triple tail board without hinges, and when collapsed, is made to fold over
the ground glass of the focussing slide, whereby there are no loose parts, and
the camera is by such an arrangement, greatly simplified in its construction and
working.
2ndly, mounting the back of the camera or focussing slide upon rock hearings,
to admit of angular adjustment, and the consequent foreshadowing of the
picture.
3rdly, distending and contracting the triple tail board parts and bellows.
4thly, in an improved construction of bellows; that is to say, making the gussets
graduate and follow each other step like, instead of taper, whereby no part of a
plate under exposure is cut off, as is common with bellows of the ordinary
construction.
5thly, mounting the front of the camera upon pivot axes, in conjunction with
quadrant slotted arms, for affixing the angular or other adjustment of the said
front.
6thly, generally in sundry fittings and cognate camera parts.
The triple tail board consists of three parts, sliding and working telescopically
edgewise one within the other, and with the back of the camera supported and
sliding upon the No. 1 part tail board, whilst the front of the camera is
attachedly connected and supported upon the fore part of the No. 3 part tail
board. Thus, the No. 3 part tail board slides and works edgewise and telescopic
within the No. 2 part tail board, and the No. 2 part tail board with the No. 3 part,
slides and works telescopically within the No. 1 part tail board.
The lower portions of the two opposite sides of the back of the camera, are mounted
upon a transversely directed pivot axis or rod, whose outer ends pass through holes
or bearings of upright brackets of carrier slides, working upon the two opposite
edges of the No. 1 part tail board. The extreme terminal ends of the axial rod as
aforesaid, are screwed, and upon which milled heads take which whon rotated in
one direction, clamp the back of the frame to the bed, and when turned in the
other direction, they loosen the slide, which permits the said back or focussing
slide to be adjusted by a sliding movement upon its bed or tail board.
The tops of the brackets of the slides, are curved from front to rear,
and upon
which the undersides or saddles of brackets secured to the sides of the back as
aforesaid, move; and which said brackets, are clamped by a turn or screw, and a
stiff joint thereby produced, for keeping the said back at any angle to which it may
have been placed or adjusted.
The front of the camera frame has fittings or opposite upright brackets, pivoted
to upright fixed brackets, fixedly secured to the front top sides of the No. 3 part tail
board. The extreme lower ends of the bracket fittings, have quadrant slots cut
within them, and wherethrough the outer ends of a clamping screw or rod pass;
so that on the front being adjusted to any required angle, it is affixed there, by
screwing home a milled head, or heads, on one end, or on both ends, of the
clamping rod.

page_text: The upright bracket-fittings are also longitudinally gapped, wherein the shanks of
clamping devices move, when vertical adjustment is required.
Thus, the front of the camera admits of making both a swinging and a vertical
movement, for adjustment.
The No. 2 tail card is distended or drawn-in by a horizontally working screw
taking within a screw-box, and with the handle part presented at the front of the
No. 1 part tail board.
The No. 3 part tail board is operated by a rack or pinion, or racks or pinions. The
rack, or racks, is or are disposed on the underside of the tail board, while the pinion
or pinions, is or are carried, and directed transversely across the underside front of
the No. 2 part tail-board; so that, a fine adjustment can be obtained by or from the
rack and pinion movement irrespective of the positions of the tail boards one with
another.
Thus, the bellows are distended by loosening the clamps of the back part, and
sliding it longitudinally upon its bed, then a rough adjustment is effected by rotating
the screw, which distends the middle tail hoard" part from the one within which it
slides. A fine adjustinent, or a further extension is then obtained by rotating the
head of the pinion axis, which is carried by the middle tail-board part.
The gussets of the bellows are graduated step like, (instead of running off taper)
which admits of the whole of the plate being exposed.
The camera when folded, occupies little space, which is a desideratum in carrying
and for transit.
The back of the camera, or both the back and front of the carrier, may be mounted
upon a double sewing arrangement, which admits of the same being adjusted both
vertically and horizontally at the same time, instead of the brackets having independent
slots for adjustinent.
Thus in carrying out this modification which is the converse to that described, the
supporting brackets have transverse slots cut within them with middle holes, wherein
reduced shoulders or necks of screw bosses take, when screwed home, while the
shanks of the screws take into the slots, with the collars of the necks coming
against the said brackets, which when tightened up, bind the said parts in their
adjusted positions.
Thus the frame of the back is mounted upon or within extended or slot bearings,
which admit of it having a double swing.
Dated this Twenty fourth day of January 1889.
WILLIAM JAMEN LANCASTER.
By Henry Skerrett,
Agent for Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Photographic Cameras.
I WILLIAM JAMES LANCASTER trading as J. Lancaster and Son of Colmore Row in
the City of Birmingham Manufacturing Optician 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 cameras, as hereinafter described, and is an
improvement upon two several Letters Patent granted to me and bearing date the.
1st day of May 1885 No. 5364, and the 1st day of February 1887 No. 1533
respectively.
My present invention consists
1st. In an hingeless triple part tail board, which when contracted and the camera
collapsed allows the ground glass of the focussing slide with framing to fold flat
upon the said tail board.
2ndly. Mounting the back of the camera with focussing slide, upon pivot bearings,
stiffened by pressure clamps, thus admitting of angular adjustment.

page_text: ordly. Combination means for distending and contracting the triple tail board
parts and bellows.
4thly. In an improved construction of bellows, consisting of combined parallel and
tapering gusset or gussets which follow each other step like, whereby no part of a
plate under exposure is cut off, as is common with bellows of the ordinary construction.
5thly. Mounting the front of the camera upon pivot axes, in conjunction with
quadrant and vertically slotted side arms, for affixing the angular and vertical
adjustment of the said front.
6thly. Generally in sundry fittings and cognate camera parts.
The triple tail board consists of three parts, sliding and working telescopically and
edgewise, one within the other respectively and with the back of the camera supported
and sliding upon the opposite top edges of the No. 1 part tail-board, whilst the front
of the camera is attachedly connected and supported, upon the fore part of the No. 3
part tail board.
Thus the No. 3 part tail-board slides and works edgewise and telescopically within
the No. 2 part tail-board, and the No. 2 part tail-board with the No. 3 part (when
collapsed) slides and works telescopically within the No. 1 part tail-board.
The lower portions of the two opposite sides of the back of the camera, are mounted
upon a transversely directed pivot axis or rod whose outer ends pass through holes or
bearings of upright brackets, of carrier slides, working upon the two opposite edges of
the No. 1 part tail board. The extreme terminal ends of the axial rod as aforesaid,
are screwed, and upon which milled heads take which when rotated in one direction,
clamps the back of the frame, to the bed of the No. tail board, and when turned in
the other direction, they loosen the slide, which permits the said back or focussing
slide, to be adjusted by a sliding movement.
The tops of the brackets of the slides, are curved, and upon the outside faces of the
brackets adjacent to them, the rebated edges of clamping places come, and by means
of screws they are made to bind themselves to the brackets sidos.
The front of the camera frame has fittings or opposite upright brackets pivoted
to upright fixed brackets fixedly secured to the front top sides of the No. 3 part
tail board. The extreme lower ends of the bracket fittings have quadrant slots cut
within them, and where through the outer onds of clamping screws pass.
The upright arms of the brackets are slotted to admit of said front, being
adjusted vertically.
Thus, the front of the camera admits of making both a swinging and a vertical
movement for adjustment.
The No. 2 tail board is distended or drawn in by a horizontally working screw
taking within a screw box, and with the handle part presented at the front of the
No. I part tail board.
The No. 3 part tail board is operated by a rack or pinion, or racks or pinions.
The rack, or racks, is or are disposed on the underside of the tail board, while the
pinion or pinions, is or are carried, and directed transversely across, the underside
front of the No. 2 part tail board.
The bellows are distended by loosening the clamps of the back part, and sliding it
longitudinally upon its bed, then a rough adjustment is effected by rotating the
screw, which distends the middle tail board part from the one within which it slidos.
A fine adjustment, or a further extension is then obtained by rotating the head of
the pinion axis, which is carried by the middle tail board part.
The gussets of tho bellows are made part parallel and part taper instead of running
continuously, taper.
The camera when folded, occupies little space, which is a great advantage in
carrying, and for transit.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings, represents in side elevation, a photo-
graphic camera, provided with triple extension tail board, bellows, guide arins, and
other sundry fittings and parts, constructed and arranged according to my invention.
The said view shows the front of the camera, in a perpendicular position, and slightly
elevated.

page_text: Figure 2 represents a like view as figure 1, but with the back of the camera
bellows part adjacent to it, and tail board, in longitudinal vertical section. It also
shows the clamping pins and pivot axes, at the front of the camera, in section.
Figure 3 represents an inverted or underside plan of the said camera, partly in
section, showing the means for working the tail boards, which are three in number,
and are adapted to slide edgwise and telescopically.
Figure is a front elevation of the camera, showing the quadrant and slotted
arms, for giving an angular swing, and admitting of vertical adjustment, also
the positions of the tail boards, with respect to each other, in the positions when
collapsed.
Figure 5 shows a vertical section of the camera, upon the dotted lines A B
figure 1.
Figure 6 represents the sail camera, collapsed and folded.
Figure 7 represents a modification of the means for mounting the back of the
camera.
Figure 8 is a plan, with the bracket supports and bearings, in section.
The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures of
the drawings.
a is the No. 1 part tail board, 6 the No. 2 part tail board, and c the No. 3 part
tail board. is the front of the camera, and e is the back thereof. The No. 2
part tail board slides edgewise and telescopically within the No. 1 part tail board,
whilst the No. 3 part tail board slides within the said No. 2 part tail board, and
when contracted, they occupy collectively the same space or superficial area, as the
No. 1 part tail board.
Directed longitudinally down the middle of the said No. 1 part tail-board, is an
adjustment screw f, with a handle f³, and which screw or the end thereof as
represented takes into a screw box 6, let within the inner or rear end 62, of the
No. 2 part tail-board, so that by rotating the screw in one or other direction, the No. 2
part tail-board, is contracted or distended.
Directed and carried transversely on the front underside of the said No. 2 part
tail board, is an axis or spindle c³, with pinions c³, which gear with the teeth of
double racks c, disposed longitudinally on the underside of the No. 3 part tail board,
so that by rotating the milled bead e, of the said axis c³, a fine adjustment of the
said tail-board is thus accomplished.
The tail board parts, slide edgewise, and are guided by tongues of the one, sliding
within grooves of the other.
The back of the camera consisting of a pierced frame and focussing slide g, h, is
mounted and rocks angularly, upon a transversely directed pivot axis, or rod i,
with the outer ends passing through bearings of upright brackets ³, of carrier
slides, which work upon the two opposite channelled edges and beds a², a³, of the
No. 1 part tail-board a.
The extreme terminal ends of the said axis or rod, are fitted with milled heads or
nuts k, for affixing in any adjusted position, the said slides, and back carried by them,
to the said tail-board a.
Fitted to the opposite sides of the frame g, and above the curved edge 23, of the
bracket, are loosely attached clamping brackets 1, with clamping screws, passing
through them and taking into screw holes in the frame.
The lower edges, of the said clamping brackets, which are designed for the
affixing of the back part of the camera at an adjusted angle, are made to overlap (rabate
like) the outside edges of the top of the slide bracket below it; so that by turning the
clamping screws, the clamping brackets or plates, are pressed home, or pressure
relieved for affixing (or giving a stiff joint) or adjusting.
Thus, when the back of the camera is required to be roughly adjusted, the clamping
nuts or heads k, aro loosened, when the slides, and parts carried by them, can be
moved or made to slide upon the tail board a, to any desired position, and there again
fixed, by the screwing home of the said milled heads.
The front d, of the camera, is carried by quadrant and longitudinally slotted

page_text: brackets m, pivoted upon fulcrum screws m², carried by fixed upright brackets n,
attached permanently to the front top side of the No. 3 part tail-board c.
The opposite sides of the front d, are fitted with screw holes, wherein dual screw
pins d, take, and with their shanks passing through the longitudinal slots m³, of the
bracket m; so that by loosening the screws , the front part can be raised lowered
or elevated to the extent of the said slot of the bracket.
The pivoted lower ends of the brackets, have quadrant slots m, wherethrough the
stems of screw pins n³, take, for clamping the said back, and bracket carrying it, at
any angle.
To elevate the back loosen the screws d², then adjust it to any desired position, and
screw up the screws.
To place the back at an angle, loosen the screws n³, and swing the bracket m, upon
the pivots m³, then turn home the screws n².
The front of the camera, is connected to the back, by a part parallel and part taper
bellows; the sides of the fore part o, are tapered inwardly from rear to front,
while the sides of the rear part o', are directed parallel, so that no part of a plate
under exposure, is cut off, however short it may be focussed.
In the modification figure 7, which admits of the back of the camera, being
skewed or adjusted horizontally and turned vertically, as shown in the dotted lines
of the plan figure 8. a is the tail-board, j the slide, an upright bracket of the
slide, a clamping screw, an upper horizontal slot, and a lower horizontal
slot. are clamping screw pins, taking into screw-holes in the sidos of the back e.
The upper milled head or nut 1, has a collar 1, which takes within an enlarged
middle-part j, of a slot j³, when the said back part is desired to swing or turn in
an angular direction, as indicated in the dotted lines in the said figure 7.
When the said back is required to make an angle in a horizontal direction
as indicated in figure by dotted lines, the screws take into the ends of the
slots.
The back of the camera, may if necessary, be raised or lowered vertically, alike
unto the front of the camera.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
First
A hingeless triple-part tail-board, substantially as described and set forth,
in figures 1 to 6.
Secondly
Sliding and adjusting the back of a camera, and parts carried by
it, upon the rear part tail-board, substantially as described and set forth in figures
1 to 6.
:-
Thirdly Distending, and contracting, or working, the parts of triple tail boards,
by a combined slide, screw, and rack, arranged in manner, substantially as described,
and set forth in figures
:
to 6.
Fourthly Mounting the backs, of cameras, upon a rock shaft or pivot, carried
by slide brackets, which traverse the rear tail-board part, of a photographic
camera tail-board, for the purpose, substantially as described and set forth in
figures 1 to 6.
Fifthly-Imparting stiffness to the joints, or affixing the back of a photo-
grabic camera, in an adjusted position, by binding brackets or plates, in con-
junction with clamping or tightening screws, substantially as described and set
forth in figures 1 to 6.
Sixthly Adjusting both vertically and angularly, the fronts of cameras by
means, substantially as described and set forth in figures 1 to 6.
Seventhly The combination with a front part tail-board, of a fixed bracket,
upon which is mounted a rocking or swinging bracket, whereby a vertical and
angular adjustment is admitted, substantially as described and set forth in figures
1 to 6.

page_text: Eighthly: The combination with a stationary front, (with respect to the tail-
board part upon which it is mounted) and a sliding back part, as set forth in
figures 1 to 6.
:-
Ninthly Forming the sides of the gussetted bellows, of photographic cameras
partly parallel, and partly taper, or square and taper, substantially as, and for the
purpose, as set forth in figures 1 to 6.
Tenthly: The construction, arrangement and combination of the parts, and
fittings of photographic cameras, substantially as described and set forth in figures
1 to 6.
Eleventhly-Mounting the backs, or both the backs and fronts, of photographic
cameras, upon swing brackets, with horizontal pin and pin adjustments, for the
purpose, substantially as described and set forth in figures 7 and 8.
Dated thin orth ..
1000
WILLIAM JAMES LANCASTER.
By Henry Skerrett,
Agent for Applicant.