Improvements in Photographic Cameras.
Year: 1896

page_text: Improvements in Photographic Cameras.
I, ALFRED CHARLES JACKSON of Crown Works, 98A, Amhurst Road, Hackney,
Manufacturer of Photographic Apparatus, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
These improvements relates chiefly to hand cameras but are applicable to all
kinds of Photographic Cameras.
The improvements consist of forming the rack and slide of a Camera in one
piece, preferably of metal, and making this combined rack and slide sufficiently
thin to fit into the frame or side of the camera where it may be either nearly
flush, flush or quite below the surface. The combined rack and slide is marked
with divisions or a focusing scale which may be read through a hole in the side of
the camera or in any other simple way. Preferably two combined racks and
slides are used in each camera both being worked by the same pinion.
A compact handle for carrying the camera is fitted to the same. This handle
is preferably made of leather or some similar material. The ends of the handle
(or one end only if preferred), are supplied with a double headed pin or other
suitably shaped piece of metal which crosses the handle at about a right angle.
The stem or shaft of this pin slides in one or more slotted fittings. The length of
the slot or slots allows the handle to be flat on the camera when it is not in use
but when it is being carried the slot or slots allow the handle to give plenty of
room for the fingers or knuckles of the carrier.
The back of the camera is fitted with metal springs known as Pressure Springs
shaped to push forward the plates or the sheathes evenly by pressing at or near two
ends of the same instead of in or near the centre as is the case in Cameras now
used in which Pressure Springs are employed.
The changing motion for the plates or sheaths is constructed to release one plato
or sheath at a time allowing the second plate or sheath to come into position with
the same movement.
This is managed by fitting to the inside of the camera a small catch which is
connected to one or more pivotted stops, the whole being governed by a spring and
worked by pressure on a knob or button outside the camera.
Dated this 28th day of November 1896
S. S. BROMHEAD,
97, Newgate Street, London, E.C., Agent for Applicant.

page_text: I, ALFRED CHARLES JACKSON of Crown Works, 98 Amhurst Road, Hackney,
London N.E., Manufacturer of Photographic Apparatus, 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:―
My invention relates to improvements in photographic cameras generally, but
applies more particularly to such as are known as hand-cameras, the said improve-
ments consisting Firstly-Of a pair of toothed racks, preferably of metal, firmly
connected to the shutter plate carrying the lens or lenses, the said racks being
adapted to slide in grooves formed in the sides of the body of the camera, and
operated by the rotation of a milled head upon the end of a rod carrying a pinion
in connection with both the said racks, Secondly-Of a compact handle for carry-
ing the said camera, Thirdly-Of an improved form, and combination of pressure
springs adapted to push forward the sheaths carrying the sensitized plates or films
more evenly and steadily than hitherto, and Fourthly-Of an improved changing
motion for the said sheaths, my said invention having for its objects, compactness,
the simplification of the parts affected, and the lowering of the cost of production.
In order that my said improvements and the manner of their use may be clearly
understood, I have hereunto appended two sheets of drawings, of which,
Fig. 1 Sheet 1 is a detached perspective view of a shutter plate and lens carrier
to which my improved toothed racks have been connected.
Fig. 2 is a perspective view of part of a hand camera case shewing the grooves
in which the said racks may slide.
Fig. 3 is a perspective view of my improved handle, while Fig. 4 is a perspective
view of one of the slotted fittings by means of which the said handle is connected
to the camera case.
Figs. 5 and 6 are side views of Figs. 3 and 4 when combined and in position
upon the camera case.
Figs. 7 and 8 are front and back views respectively of the sheath changing
mechanism in its normal position, Fig. 9 being a view of Fig. 7 in its second
position.
Figs. 10 and 11 are end views of Figs. 7 and 9 respectively as viewed in the
direction of the arrows, these views serving to illustrate the manner in which the
sheaths or carriers are released one at a time, after exposure of the plates or films
carried thereby.
Fig. 12 is a perspective view of a pair of my improved pressure springs for
pushing forward the said sheaths or carriers, while Fig. 13 is a small perspective
view of a complete camera carrying my said improvements.
In so far as relates to the first portion of my invention, I carry this into effect by
constructing of any suitable material, but preferably metal, a pair of plates A
and B bent at right angles at their ends a b, whereat they are screwed, rivetted or
otherwise connected at either side of the face of the shutter plate C, as at Fig. 1.
Upon a certain portion of the under surface of both A and B teeth c are formed,
and with these engage the teeth of a pair of pinions, or a toothed roller or pinion D,
mounted upon or formed integrally with a rod E, the ends of which are borne by
holes d and d in the case of the camera, and immediately above the said holes,
slots or grooves G are formed, one in each side of the camera, in which the plates A
and B may slide in either direction, when the pinion or pinions 1) is or are rotated,
this being effected by the means of a milled head e fixed upon the protruding end
of E at the right hand side of the camera, the said sliding of the plates A and B

page_text: and consequently the shutter plate C serving to place the lens H upon the said
shutter plate in the desired focus, and in order that the operator may know when
the lens is in proper focus, guided by his judgment of the distance of the object
to be photographed I provide upon the plate A divisions, marks, characters, or
figures as shewn at Fig. 1, which may be read through a hole J formed in a
plate K fixed upon the side of the camera as shewn at Fig. 2, such marks or the
like when flush with one or the ather of two marks f upon the plate K indicating
the focus of the lens.
The camera may be provided with any form of shutter and means of adjusting
and operating the same, but preferably that described and shewn in my patent
No. 3055 of A.D. 1896.
The second portion of my invention relates to an improved carrying handle, and
means by which the same is connected to the camera case F. In hand cameras,
a difficulty has hitherto been experienced in providing, within the limited space,
a handle having such play as to lie flat upon the camera, without extending beyond
its ends, when not in use, and yet rise from the camera a sufficient distance to
provide ample room for the knuckles when the camera is being carried thereby,
and my improved handle is designed with a view to overcome these difficulties,
which I attain by constructing of leather or any other suitable material a handle L,
the extremities of which are turned under and stitched, cemented or otherwise
treated so as to provide at each end a loop g, and in each of these I place a double
headed pin or bolt such as h, substantially as shewn in Fig. 3. In suitable posi-
tions I screw, rivet or otherwise fix upon the top or either of the sides, or the back
end of the camera case F, a pair of fittings M, these being punched or stamped out
of thin sheet metal, and provided with upturned sides, in which are formed
slots M' and M, and with these engage the pins or bolts à in the ends of the strap
handle L. The position of the fittings M when fixed upon the camera case would
be such, that when the handle L is not in use and lies flat upon the camera case,
the ends of L may extend slightly beyond the fittings M, so that the bolts or pins A
lie within the inner ends of the loops 9 in the handle L, and the outer ends of the
slots M and M in the fittings M, as shewn in Fig. 5 but when the handle has to
be used for carrying the camera, the raising of this would place the bolts or pins A
in the outer ends of the loops g and the inner ends of the slots M' and M³ as shewn
in Fig. 6 the double play thus provided by the said loops and slots affording ample
room for the knuckles when carrying the camera as shewn in Fig. 6, and the
handle L to lie within the length of the case F when not in use as shewn in Fig. 5.
The third portion of my invention relates to an improved simple and inexpen-
sive mechanism, for providing a changing motion for transferring the sensitized
films or plates and their carriers, from a vertical to a horizontal position, one at a
time, after exposure. For the purposes of this portion of my invention I provide
a metallic plate N, (Figs. 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11) having upon the centre or thereabouts
of its upper surface a tubular extension O, through which and a hole in the
plate N passes a plunger P, the upper end of which is provided with
a knob 1, while its lower end is in fixed connection with the upper
edge of a vertical plate R, which, and the plunger 1', are both retained in their
normal and highest positions (as at Figs. 7, 8, and 10) by the tension of a spring
such as j, upon the under surface of the plate N, engaging with a pin or stud k
upon the plate R. To the front face of the plate R is screwed or otherwise
pivotally connected the inner ends of a pair of arms m and m', these having each,
centrally of their lengths or thereabouts, a slot n, through which pass screws, pins
or the like p which engage with blocks fixed upon the under surface of the
plate N. The arms m and m' are thus fulcrummed at the points p, and their
inner ends are free to rise and fall with the plate R.
The saia apparatus or mechanism for effecting the changing motion of the sheath
or carriers, is more particularly adapted for use in cameras in which the said
sheaths or carriers are linked or otherwise connected to the bottom portion of the
camera case, substantially as described and shewn in my previous patent

page_text: No. 3055, although the same mechanism may, by a slight modification of the
means for operating the same, be employed in connection with sheaths or carriers
otherwise mounted. Assuming therefore that the said sheaths or carriers (repre-
sented by S in Figs. 10, 11 and 13) are so mounted, I fix the plate N upon the
crown or top of the camera case F in such a position, that the sheaths or carriers S,
before exposure of the plates or films, rest against the outer ends of the arms m
and m', which extend downwards through an aperture in the roof of the case, and
preferably through an aperture or apertures in a plate S fixed upon the inner
and under surface of the said roof, the said sheaths or carriers being kept abutting
against the said arms m and m' by the means of my improved pressure springs
forming part of my invention, and hereinafter explained, the tension of the said
springs exerting a pressure in the direction of the arrow Fig. 10.
According to Figs. 10 and 11 it is assumed that the sheath or carrier represented
by S is the one carrying the plate or film next in order for exposure, and after
such exposure, the operator would press down the plunger P, and consequently the
Flate R, thereby placing the latter behind the carrier or sheath S2, and in front
of the next one S, and such downward movement of the plate R would raise the
outer ends of the arms m m¹ as shewn at Fig. 9, and the rising of these would
release the sheath or carrier S2 as shewn in Fig. 11, thus allowing this to fall
into a horizontal position, when, by the operator releasing the pressure upon P,
this and the plate R would be automatically raised into their normal positions
(Figs. 7 and 8) by the power of the spring j, and the said raising of it would
lower the outer ends of the arms m m¹ again, when the tension of the said pressure
springs would place the next or front carrier or sheath abutting against these in
the manner previously described and as shown in Fig. 10, and the same operation
of the changing mechanism would be repeated after each exposure until all the
plates or films were used up.
The fourth portion of my invention relates to my improved pressures springs
for pushing forward the sheaths or carriers S as previously mentioned. The
springs hitherto employed by myself and others for this purpose, have been of
spiral form, and adapted to impinge upon the centre or thereabouts of the said
sheaths, but I have found in practice that the said central pressure
was not fairly and evenly distributed over the surface of the carrier or
sheath, and so gave rise to oscillation or vibration in the latter, thereby preventing
a smooth and even travel of these upon their guides. To overcome these difficulties
I provide two pairs of curved plate springs, constructed and arranged substantially
as at Fig. 12, each pair T and T being connected together at one end by a plato
or wire W, their free ends having holes for the passage of screws, by means of
which they may be fixed upon the back door F1 of the case I, as shewn in Fig. 13
or at right angles thereto. It will be understood that (according to the position in
which the springs are fixed upon 1) the plates or wires W would impinge upon
each side, or the top and bottom, of the sheaths or carriers S, or in other words,
the four ends of W would impinge upon the four corners of these and so ensure a
smooth and even travel of them upon their guides.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1st. In a photographic camera, the combination of a combined rack and focuss-
ing slide, and means for operating the same, a carrying handle with means for
contracting and protracting its length, a pair of pressure springs for operating the
forward movements of the sheaths or carriers for the plates or films, and mechanism
for affecting the changing motion of the said sheaths or carriers, substantially as
herein described and shewn, and for the purposes specified.
2nd. In a photographic camera, the combination of a rack and slide composed
of plates such as A and B, connected to the shutter and lens plate C, and adapted
to slide in grooves G in the camera case F by the means of a pinion or pinions D

page_text: fixed upon or formed integrally with a rod E and in gear with teeth or cogs c
upon the plates A and B, with means, such as a milled wheel e, for rotating E, and
imparting a sliding motion to the said plates A, B and C, substantially as herein
described and shewn by Figs. 1, 2 and 13 of the accompanying drawings.
3rd. In a photographic camera, the combination of a carrying handle such as L,
having looped ends g, carrying double headed pins or bolts such as h, adapted to
make contact with and slide in slots M and M¹ formed in the upturned sides of
metallic fittings M, fixed upon the top, sides or back-end of the camera case F,
substantially as and for the purposes herein described and shewn by Figs. 3, 4, 5,
6 and 13 of the accompanying drawings.
4th. In a photographic camera, the combination of mechanism for operating the
changing motion of the sheaths or carriers for the sensitized plates or films, con-
sisting of a plate N fixed upon the case F, and having a tubular extension Ó and
plunger P, the latter connected to a plate R, provided with a spring such as j,
and pivotally carrying the inner ends of a pair of arms m and m¹, fulcrummed
at p p upon blocks r fixed to the said plate N, the whole connected combined and
operating with or without an inner plate S sub-tantially as and for the purposes
herein set forth and shewn by Figs. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 13 of the appended
drawings.
5th. In a photographic camera, the combination of two pairs of curved plate-
springs such as T and T', each pair being connected at one end by a plate or
wire W, and fixed at their opposite ends upon the back door F1 of the camera
case, and adapted to impinge against and operate to push forward the sheaths or
carriers S when F1 is closed, substantially as herein described and shewn by
Figs. 12 and 13th of the accompanying drawings.
1
100
GEO. THOS. HYDE,
1 Broad Street Buildings, London, E.C., Agent for the Applicant.