Improvements in Photographic Cameras and Tripods or Stands therefor.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 27th July, 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Photographic Cameras and Tripods or Stands
therefor.
We, JOHN EDWARD THORNTON and EDGAR l'ICKARD, both of Altrincham, near
Manchester, in the County of Chester, Manufacturers, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to that class of photographic camera primarily designed
for use on a tripod or stand, and is designed with the object of improving the
details of construction, and also to render it capable of being used as a hand camera
with greater facility than heretofore.
To permit of the ready insertion and withdrawal of the slide or plate-holder the
focussing screen is pivoted or hinged at the lower edge to the back of the camera
by means of a cranked or other suitably shaped spring controlled pivot or hinge.
This is so constructed as to allow the screen at the upper end to be turned outwardly
from the camera back to a much greater extent than at the lower end or to be held
completely out of the way whilst the slide is being inserted. This hinge may be
constructed of a piece of wire passing along the inside of the lower rail strip or
Guide for the slide and beut inwards to form the hinges or pivots for the screen. It
is provided with a spiral or other spring springs to keep it in a normal or closed
position. One extremity of the spiral spring may be attached to the wire hinge and
the other to the camera back or to the lower rail or guide for the slide so that as the
screen is turned outwards it will place the spring in tension to automatically close it
after the insertion or withdrawal of the slide. When the slide has been inserted the
spring hinge holds the screen parallel to it or to the back, and thereby exerts a
pressure against the whole of the surface of the slide.
Or
Instead of making both rails or strips at the top and bottom of the back of the
camera which form the recesses or guides for the plate holder immovable we con-
struct the upper one capable of being raised and lowered to adjust itself to the slide
when inserted and with a suitable spiral or other spring to close it thereon or force
it in a downward direction. The lower front edge of the top rail or strip may be
bevelled or otherwise suitably shaped if desired and may be attached to the camera
back in any convenient manner as by screws pins or projections passing through
slots or holes in the rail or by grooves formed in the ends of the rail in which plates
or projections formed on or attached to the back may engage.
The stretchers for holding the back and front of the camera in position are formed
with notches or recesses to one side of the slot running longitudinally thereof, so
that when the front or back is turned up at right angles to the base board the
screws or pins passing from the longitudinal slots into the notches thereby securely
lock it in position without the aid of springs.
In order to allow the front board to be turned over and placed in the base board
when the camera is being folded up we without necessitating the detachment or
alteration of the position of the fork we pivot the front board to the upper extremi-
ties of the fork and provide it on the under side with spring clips or the like to

page_text: lock it to the fork when brought into position for use. The spring clips are so
constructed as to be capable of being easily taken hold of to release the front board
when being folded.
With a view to facilitating the focussing operation and to guard against the
liability of the extension frame and front accidentally moving, in addition to a
focussing scale and pointer on the extension frame we affix a notch or indented plate
under the focussing scale the notches of which correspond with the marks on the
scale which comes in contact with a spring catch or projection on the base board.
This spring catch is made sufficiently strong to resist any tendency to movement
of the parts but so as to yield when the focussing pinion is rotated by hand. The
notches may however be formed on the edge of the focussing scale instead of on
a separate piece and it may be attached to the base board and the spring catch
carried by the extension frame. The spring clip and pointer might also be made
in one piece if desired.
In order to save space where a shutter is provided on the camera front it will
be made detachable so as to be removed and placed inside the hellows of the
camera if preferred.
In the construction of the top or head of the tripod or stand we take a wooden disc
of a suitable size and cut out therefrom three angular segments at three points equi-
distant from the centre on three equi-angular radial lines. These angular
openings are formed with holes ou each side and provided with metal sockets to
receive the projections or pins on the tripod legs. Centrally in this wooden disc
on the under side is formed a deep countersunk hole to receive a pivoted block
which is tapped or formed with an internal screw thread and through which the
screw for attaching the tripod head to the base board of the camera passes. The
countersunk hole will be constructed with slots or openings to receive the pivots
of this block which will be secured therein by plugs screws or the like.
On the top of the disc a slot is formed which communicates with the countersunk
hole on the under side and permits the screw to be rotated with the block and
thereby project therethrough in order to he screwed to the base board. The threads
on the screw are cut away near the winged head in order to permit of its rotation
when being screwed into the camera. The screw can be folded flat and laid inside
the counter sunk hole by being rotated with the block to which it is attached but
from which it may be screwed when desired.
Dated this 4th Iul 180
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
6. Bank Street, Manchester, l'atent Agents,
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Photographic Cameras and Tripods or Stands
therefor.
We JOIN EDWARD THORNTON, of Altrincham, near Manchester, in the County
of Chester, Manufacturer, and FREDERIC PICKARD, of Stone Cross, Mansfield, in
the County of Nottingham, Executor of Edgar Pickard, Deceased, late of
Altrincham, near Manchester, in the County of Chester, Manufacturer, 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 that class of photographic camera primarily intended
for use on a tripod or stand, and is designed with the object of improving the
details of construction, and also to render it capable of being used as a hand camein
with greater facility than heretofore.

page_text: reference to the accompanying drawings.
Fig. 1. Side elevation of camera.
Fig. 2. Plan.
Fig. 3. Front elevation.
Fig. 4. Back elevation.
Figs. and 6. Enlarged sectional details of the camera back and focussing screen
detached.
Fig. 7. Plan of tripod head.
The focussing screen A for the purpose of permitting of the more ready insertion
and withdrawal of the dark slide or plate holder A' we pivot or hinge at the lower
edge a to the back C of the camera by means of a cranked or curved pivot or hinge B
which is controlled or beld in josition by a coiled spring . The arrangement of
cranked pivot is such as to allow the screen A at the other end to be turned out-
wardly from the camera back to a much greater extent than at the lower end or to
be heid completely out of the way whilst the slide is being inserted as shown
in Fig. 6. This hinge may be constructed of a piece of wire B passing along the
inside of the lower rail or strip that supports or retains the slide A' in position
and bent inwards to form the hinges or pivots for the screen A. It is provided
with a spiral spring (or other spring or springs) to keep it in a normal or closed
position. One extremity of the spiral spring may be attached to the wire B
and the other to the camera back C or to the lower rail or guide so tual as the
screen A is turned outwards it will place the spring in tension to automatically
close it after the insertion or withdrawal of the slide A'. When the slide A has
heen inserted the spring hinge holds the screen A parallel to it or to the back C
and thereby exerts a pressure against the whole of the surface of the slide A'.
gives
The lower rail or strip of the camera back C we construct in the usual way
fixed or rigid and preferably to this rail is secured the cranked pivot or hinges of
focussing screen A. The upper rail c we construct so as to be capable of a sliding
movement being held in normal position by a spring c. This movement permits
the rail e to adjust itself to the slide A' when inserted and the spring
sufficient pressure to prevent the siide being raised out of place. The lower front
edge of the rail c is bevelled or otherwise suitably shaped so that the screen A or
plate holder A' will close past it and it is attached to the camera back C by the
guide pieces or brackets c fitting into grooves formed in the ends of the rail
between which it slides or in any other convenient manner, as by screw pins or
projections passing through holes or slots in the rail.
The stretchers D and D' for holding the back C and front E of the camera in
position are formed with notches or recesses d to one side of the slot d running
longitudinally thereof as described in the specification of Patent 22136 of 1895
so that when the front or back is turned up at right angles to the base board F
the screws or pins falling from the longitudinal slots into the notches thereby
securely lock the front or back in position without the aid of springs.
In order to allow the front board E to be turned over and placed in the base
hoard F when the camera is being folded up without necessitating its detachment
from or the alteration of its position in the fork H we pivot the frout board E to
the upper extremities of the fork H and to the under side of the front board E we
attach a spring catch or clip e which passes through an inclined transverse groove A
cut in the fork H. The end of the spring e when it emerges from the groove h
engages on the front side of the fork and holds the fork H and board E in the same
plane when raised to a vertical position. Any other form of spring clip or catch
may be applied to the front board E or to the fork for the same purpose. The
spring clips are so constructed as to be capable of being easily depressed at the
ends to pass back again through the groove to release the front board when being
folded
To facilitate the operation of focussing and to guard against the liability of the
extension frame K and front E accidentally moving upon the base board F wi

page_text: ents
erejor.
affix to the extension frame K below the focussing scale k (or in other convenient
position) a notched plate L the notches of which correspond with the markings
of the scale and to the base board F we affix a spring catch M to engage with the
notches sufficiently strong to resist any tendency to movement of the parts but
so as to yield when the focussing pinion is rotated by hand. We prefer to place
the notched plate L under the ivory scale and to form the spring catch and
pointer in one but it may be otherwise arranged if desired the notches may be formed
in the side of the focussing scale instead of in a separate plate or the notched plate
may be affixed to the base board and the spring catch to the extension frame.
In order to save space where a shutter is provided on the camera front it will
be made detachable so as to be removed and placed inside the bellows of the camera
if preferred.
We construct the top or head N of the tripod or stand of a wooden disc of
suitable size with three angular segments n cut out therefrom at three points
equidistant from the centre on three equi-angular radial lines. These angular
openings are formed with holes on each side and provided with metal sockets »
te receive the projections or pins on the tripod legs. In the centre of the dise top N
on the underside is formed a deep countersunk hole to revive a pivoted block P
which is tapped or formed with an internal screw thread and through which the
screw for attaching the tripod head to the base board of the camera passes. The
countersunk hole is constructed with slots or openings to receive the pivots of the
lock P which are secured therein by plags screws or the like. On the upper side
of the disc top N a slot is cut which communicates with the countersunk hole on
the under side and permits the serew It to be rotated with the block and also to
project through to screw to the base board. The threads on the screw R are cut
away near the winged head in order to permit of its rotation when being screwe.!
into the camera. The screw R can be folded flat and laid inside the countersunk
hole by being rotated with the block to which it is attached.
Instead of tapping the block to receive the screw It the hole may be made plain
and the screw with a shoulder and be held in position by a pin inserted in the side
in such a position as to allow the screw to rotate.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is:-
1. A focussing screen for photographic cameras pivoted or hinged at or near the
back edge of the camera upon a cranked pivot or hinge held in position by a coiled
or other spring whereby the screen at its top end is permitted to be withdrawn
further away than at the other end for the insertion of the slide and capable of
lying close against and parallel to the camera hack or slide at other times substan-
tially as and for the purposes described.
2. A camera hack constructed with a rail (such as e) loosely attached thereto
and capable of a sliding movement held in normal position by a spring which
permits of its being moved to receive the plate holder or slide substantially as
described.
3. In a camera front constructed with the front board permanently pivoted to
the extremities of the fork the combination of a spring catch or clip by which the
two are locked thus permitting the complete front, frontboard, and fork to be
swung to any desired angle substantially as described and shown.
4. In a photographie camera the combination with the base sand and the
extension frame of a notched plate affixed to one and a spring catch on the other.
to engage therewith substantially as and for the purpose described.
A tripod head or stand for photographic camera constructed with a counter-
sunk recess in the under side a fixing screw secured to a pivoted block placed in
the recess and a slot through which the end of the screw projects so that the screw
may when required he folded flat so as not to project beyond the surface of the
tripod head at either side substantially as described.

page_text: 6. A photographic camera having the several parts constructed and arranged
in combination substantially as described and shown.
Dated this 21st day of Auril 1897
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Manchester, Liverpool and London, Patent Agents.