IMPROVEMENTS IN PHOTOGRAPHIC CAMERAS
Year: 1884

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION,
I, WILLIAM MIDDLEMISS, Holmefield Mill Thornton, Road Bradford Yorks
Camera Maker, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS
IN PHOTOGRAPHIC CAMERAS to be as follows:-
1
(1) Improved means of fixing camera front so as to obtain long or short focus.
(2) Improved means of obtaining horizontal swing to back of camera.
(3) New baseboard to camera to act instead of a tripod top, and as cover for
glass focus screen when camera is not in use.
They are constructed as follows.
((1) Improved means of fixing camera front).
The essential parts are referred to as movable frame, two brass angle plates, two
brass strutts, wood or metal frame and camera front,
The movable frame slides in bottom of camera, and is moved by means of rack
& pinion in the usual way. Sliding on each side of this movable frame are two
brass angle plates which are fixed by means of two set screws. The two sides of
movable frame are grooved for the insertion of the two set screws so that the two
angle plates may be fixed at any part of the length of the movable frame.
To these two angle plates are pivoted one wood or metal frame and twọ brass
strutts.
The frame consists of two sides and cross bar fastened to bottom of two sides.
The two brass struts have slots near top end and are fixed to the two sides of
frame by means of two set screws, so that the frame may be fixed at any angle
vertically.
The camera front consists of plain board to which the end of bellows is fastened,
and is rebated on each side to slide against the two uprights of wood frame. The
wo uprights or sides of frame have slot holes cut thro' from front to back, thro
which pass the two set screws which are used to fix the front in any part of wood
or metal frame.
It will be seen that to close the camera the two angle plates must be pushed to
ack end of movable frame, the front must be pushed down to bottom of wood
rame, then the front, wood frame and two brass strutts may all be folded into
ottom of camera between the sides of movable frame.
((2) Improved means of obtaining horizontal swing to back of camera).
This consists of brass plate working on back end of camera bottom. It is
ivoted in the centre by means of screw or bolt and is pierced at each end in
adius struck from centre of pivot Thro' the pierced hole at each end are inserted
wo set screws screwed into nuts fast in camera bottom and by this means the
rass plate may be fixed at any angle horizontally,

page_text: The ends of this brass plate are turned up or pieces of brass plate are fastened to
the plate at right angle. And to these plates are pivoted by means of screws or
pins, the camera body or back and two slotted brass bars. These two brass bars
are fixed at the top end to camera back or body by means of two set screws. By
this means the body is kept rigid at any angle Also the camera body may be
fixed in any horizontal position without interfering with its vertical movement or
supports.
((3) New base board to camera &c).
Consists of board the size of camera bottom and fastened to camera bottom by
means of bolt passing thro centre. The baseboard may thus be turned round on
bottom of camera.
On the underside of this baseboard are fixed pieces of metal having pins to go
into holes or holes to go into pins either round or flat.
To the top ends of tripod legs are fixed brass plates having pins or holes to
correspond to plates on baseboard.
When the camera is not being used the baseboard may be screwed off and
fastened over back of camera by means of fastenings at the sides in order to
protect the glass of focus screen.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
i, WILLIAM MIDDLEMISS of Holmefield Mill Thornton Road, Bradford, in the
County of York, Camera Maker do hereby declare the nature of my invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN PHOTOGRAPHIC CAMERAS, and in what manner the same is to 2
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
My improvements are-
First. Improved means of fixing camera front and it's supports, so as to obtain
long or short focus, and to fold the camera front, and its supports, into camera 3
bottom without detaching any part.
'
Second-Improved means of obtaining horizontal swing to the back of camera.
Third-New baseboard to camera to act as tripod top, and as cover for glass
focus screen, when the camera is not in use.
The first improvement may be described as follows.
The essential parts are referred to as, movable frame, two brass angle plates,
two brass strutts, wood or metal frame, and camera front.
The movable frame slides in bottom of camera, and is moved by means of screw
or rack and pinion in the usual manner. Sliding on each side of this movable
frame are two brass angle plates. The two sides of movable frame, are grooved for
the passage of two set screws, by means of which, the two angle plates are fixed,
at any part of the length of the movable frame. To these two brass angle plates
-
E

page_text: are pivoted or hinged; the lower ends of wood or metal frame, and the two brasṣ
'strutts.
$
The wood or metal frame consists of two sides and cross bar fastened to the
lower ends of the 'two'sides
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"
The two brass strutts have slots near top end, and are fixed to the sides of
frame by means of two set screws, so that the frame may be fixed at any angle
vertically.
The camera front to which the bellows is attached, is a plain piece of wood, and
is made to slide against and between, the two sides of wood or metal frame.
The two sides of frame have slot holes cut through both on the front and the
side. The two set screws by means of which the front is fixed, pass through the
slot holes in front and the set screws which fix the two brass strutts, pass 1 through
the slot holes in the sides of the frame.
The camera front may thus be moved up or down and fixed where required.
The camera front, wood or metal frame, two brass strutts, and two angle plates,
are all connected together, and may be moved from one end of the movable frame
to the other, so as to obtain long or short focus.
When the camera front has to be closed, I loose the two set screws in the brass
angle plates, and draw the whole combination to the end of movable frame nearest
back of camera; I then lower the front in the wood or metal frame, loose the two
set screws fastening the two brass strutts, and lower the front, wood or metal
frame and brass strutts into the space in camera bottom without detaching any
part.
The second improvement consists of a brass plate to which is hinged the bottom
of camera back. To this plate also are pivoted the two brass strutts that support
the camera back when raised for work.
At each end of this brass plate is a slot hole at a radius from the centre of the
brass plate. Through these slot holes pass the two set screws, which fix the brass
plate at any angle horizontally.
The nuts into which these set screws are screwed are made to slide in grooves in
the camera bottom.
Thus the brass plate, the two brass strutts and camera body may be all moved
at once, from one end of camera bottom to the other without detaching any part.
Also, the camera back or body may be fixed at any angle horizontally, without
interfering with its position vertically, or vice versa.
The third improvement consists of making an extra baseboard, the size of the
camera bottom. To the underside of this baseboard are fixed pieces of metal
having pins attached. These pins are made to fit into holes in brass plates on
tripod legs.
When the camera is not in use, the baseboard is fastened over focus screen of
camera, to protect it.
When the camera is being used, the baseboard is attached to the camera bottom,
by means of screw or other fastening.
The parts referred to in this specification are numbered on plan as follows
1 Set screws to fix brass angle plates.
2 Set screws to fix brass strutts to wood or metal frame.
3 Set screws to fix camera front in wood or metal frame.
4 Brass strutts.
5 Sides of wood or metal frame.
6 Brass angle plates.
7 Camera front.
8 Brass plate for horizontal swing.
9 Brass strutts to camera body or back
10 Set screws to fix brass plate.
11 Baseboard.
12 Pins in Baseboard.

page_text: 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
(1) The two brass angle plates and the method of fastening the supports of
'camera front to these angle plates.
(2) The method of sliding the camera front and its supports from one end of
moveable frame to the other, so as to obtain long or short focus.
(3) The combined arrangement of parts, as before described, of camera front,
wood or metal frame, strutts and brass angle plates, whereby the camera front and
its supports, may be folded into bottom of camera, from the back end of camera
bottom, without detaching any part.
(4) The brass plate to which the camera back or body is hinged.
(5) The method of fastening the back and brass strutts to this brass plate so as
to move the camera body horizontally.
(6) The method of sliding the brass plate, camera back and brass strutts
combined, from one end of the camera bottom to the other without detaching any
part.
(7) The baseboard and the use of it as tripod top and as a protection to glass
focus screen.