Improvements in and relating to Masks and Binders, and Apparatus for Mounting same on the Glasses of Magic Lantern Slides, Photographs, Stereoscopic Slides, and the like.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Feb., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 18th Nov., 1591-Accepted, 20th Feb., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Masks and Binders, and Apparatus
for Mounting same on the Glasses of Magic Lantern Slides,
Photographs, Stereoscopic Slides, and the like.
We DAVID ALEXANDER CROMBIE, Architect, 34 St. Andrew Square, and
EDWARD ROBERTSON FLETCHER, of 24 Queens Crescent, Merchant, both in the
City and County of Edinburgh, do hereby declare the nature of our invention
to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to and comprises a combined mask and binder, and
mode of or apparatus for mounting or attaching same to the glasses of magic lantern
slides, photographs, stereoscopic slides and the like, for protecting and making
them air tight and which will be more simple and efficient than what has been
heretofore in use.
The improvements consist first in making a mask and binder combined in one of
gummed paper or cloth, or equivalent material. This is effected by cutting the
paper or cloth of a suitable size to bind round the edges and over the back of the
glasses, plain on the outer surface and gummed or cemented on the inner surface,
with a large circular or other opening in the centre. The outer binding edges
would be cut away at an angle of 45 degrees or so at the corners at that part of the
mask which is to fold over and meet each other on the back of the glasses, leaving
a square tongue part at the centre of each corner equal to the thickness of the
glasses attached by one of its sides to the two opposite folding edges of the mask,
so as to overlap and cover the corners of the glass which it binds, before the other
two opposite edges of the mask are folded over. These combined masks and binders,
cut and formed in the improved manner described, may be thus folded over and
attached to the glass by hand, but would preferably be mounted by our new or
improved slide mounter or apparatus. This consists under one arrangement of a
square or rectangular open frame, preferably of wood of the size of the glasses
internally, with four lateral sliding sides or bars at its upper part, having an elastic
band, or other binding springs surrounding them, and with a removable bottom or
solid part working within the back part of frame to support the glasses. This
solid back part would preferably consist of two square or rectangular pieces
connected to each other at some distance apart by pins and sockets with springs,
or with a helical or other spring between the two parts, so that the inner part will
have a collapsing or yielding elastic action when the glass plate is pressed towards
it as hereinafter described, while the outer bottom part would be held in a checked
recess in the lower part of the frame by swivelling catches or otherwise. In using
this apparatus the combined paper or cloth mask and binder so cut, is moistened on
its gummed upper side, and placed with its dry side within the upper part of frame
made to the size of mask, over the edges of the four lateral sliding parts which are
dovetailed and meet each other at their inner corners, and on the upper surface of
the spring bottom, which is brought up by the springs within and to the upper part
of sliding sides, and the glasses are laid over the mask and spring bottom; or the
mask may be gummed to the front glass before being inserted in frame. The glasses
are then pressed inwards by hand by which action the mask binder is carried along
with them through between the spring pressing sides and bound round the edges of
glass and depressed with inner part of spring bottom at back part of frame. The
two opposite folding or sliding spring sides of frane which fold up the edges of
mask and to which the corner tongues of mask are attached, are highest and come
first into action to fold up these two edges, and fold in the four end tongues before
the other two opposite sliding sides come into action, these being less in depth, and

page_text: so fold up their edges over the tongues, which seal the ends air-tight at the same
time as sealing the four edges. The glasses and spring bottom are then pressed
further down until they pass the lower edge of the spring sliding sides, which now
slide inwards over the upper glass and press down the edges of the mask to adhere
on to the upper surface edges of the glasses, assisted by the action of the springs,
these edges meeting each other in a mitre joint at the corners. In some cases the
lower surface edges of these sliding bars might be fitted with vulcanized india-
rubber or other soft material to so fold and press the edges of the mask on to
the glass. Each glass slide can then be removed by taking out the spring bottom
of the frame, which is again inserted before mounting the next glass with a mask
and binder.
To assist in placing or inserting the glass or glasses centrally over the moistened
gummed mask in these frames, a loose portable frame holding these may be
employed fitting the mounting frame on pins or otherwise, and with turn latches or
slides moved in unison, which would allow the glass to drop out of this upper
movable frame down on to the centre of the mask in the fixed frame. Or otherwise
corner guides may be mounted on hinges on the fixed frame to be folded over after
putting in the moistened mask, and so guide the glasses down on to the mask,
and be folded out of the way again as soou as the glasses were placed in
position.
This apparatus may also be so used for folding and attaching the ordinary
ornamental sheet metal outer securing or binding mounts over the glasses and
masks.
Dated the 26th February 1891.
W. R. M. THOMSON & Co.,
96, Buchanan Street, Glasgow, Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Masks and Binders, and Apparatus
for Mounting same on the Glasses of Magic Lantern Slides,
Photographs, Stereoscopic Slides, and the like.
We, DAVID ALEXANDER CROMBIE, Architect, 34 St. Andrew Square, and
EDWARD ROBERTSON FLETCHER, of 24 Queens Crescent, Merchant, both in the
City and County of Edinburgh, do hereby declare the nature of our invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement in writing, that is to say :-
This invention has reference to and comprises a combined mask and binder, and
mode of or apparatus for mounting or attaching same to the glasses of magic
lantern slides, photographs, stereoscopic slides, and the like, for protecting and
making them air tight; and which will be more simple and efficient than what has
been heretofore in use.
And in order that our said invention and the manner of performing or carrying
the same into effect or practice may be properly understood we have hereunto
appended an explanatory sheet of drawings in which the same reference letters are
used to indicate corresponding parts in all the figures where shown.
1
Figure represents a front and edge view respectively of one of our improved
combined masks and binders as suitable for mounting on magic lantern slides.
Figures 2 and 3 represent a sectional elevation and a plan respectively of our
improved portable frame or apparatus as set in position ready for mounting the
masks and binders on to the photograph glass and its protecting cover.
And
Figure 4 is a sectional elevation corresponding to and at right angles to Figure 2,
but showing the moving parts of the frame in their lower or collapsed position
after having mounted the mask binder on the glass slide.
Referring to these drawings:-The improvements consist first in making a mask
and binder combined in one of gummed paper or cloth, or equivalent material.

page_text: This is effected say for a square or rectangular shape as shown in Figure 1 by
cutting the paper or cloth a, of a suitable size to bind round the edges at a² and
over the back of the glasses h, indicated by the dotted lines plain on the
outer surfaces, and gummed or cemented on the inner surfaces, with a large square
opening a', as shown in Figure 1, or a circular opening as shown in Figure 3, in
the centre. The outer binding edges a, a, are cut away at an angle of 45 degrees
or so at the corners ³, at that part of the mask which is to fold over and meet and
mitre with each other on the back of the glasses, leaving a square or nearly
square tongue part a', at the centre of each corner ³, equal in size to the thickness
of the glasses b, b', attached by one of its sides to the two opposite folding edges a², a²,
of the mask, so as to overlap laterally and cover the corners at a³ of the glass
which it binds, before the other two opposite edges a", a", of the mask are folded over
the edges of the glass and these corner pieces. These combined masks and binders,
cut and formed in the improved manner described, may be thus folded over and
attached to the glass by hand, but would preferably be mounted by our new or
improved slide mounter or apparatus. This consists under one arrangement, as
shown in Figures 2 to 4 of a square or rectangular open frame A., preferably of
wood, of the size of the glasses,, internally, with four lateral sliding sides
or bars A, A2, and A", A", respectively opposite each other, with rounded inner
edges, fitted to slide in recesses at A', at its upper part, having an elastic band B,
or other binding springs surrounding them to push them inwards automatically
from the position shown in Figures 2 and 3 to that shown in Figure 4, and with a
removable bottom or solid part C, C', working within the recess A³, in the back
central part of the frame A to support the glasses b, b'. This solid back part
preferably consists of two square or rectangular pieces C, C', mounted over each
other and connected at c' to the ends of a large helical spring c (or it might be a
number of helical springs and pins and sockets as at the corners) so that the inner
part C will have a collapsing or yielding elastic action when the glass plate,,
is pressed towards it as hereinafter described, guided by the projections C" which
may also form stops for it in its highest position in the recess A³, while the outer
bottom part C, would be held in a checked recess C3, in the lower part of the
frane by swivelling catches C or otherwise. In using this apparatus the combined
paper or cloth mask and binder a so cut, is moistened on its gummed upper side,
and placed with its dry side within the square check A in upper part of the
frame A, made to the size of mask. over the edges of the four lateral sliding
parts A, A, which are mitred at A, and meet each other when they come
together, at their inner corners, and on the upper surface of the spring bottom C,
which is brought up by the spring c, within and to the level surface of the top
sliding sides A2, A", and the glasses b,, are laid over the mask a and spring
bottom C, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, and dotted in at 12 in Figure 1; or the.
mask may be gummed to the front glass before being inserted in the frame A,
by laying it over the damped mask to the position of the dotted lines shown in
Figure 1. The glasses b, b, are then pressed inwards by hand along with the
sliding bottom C from the position shown in Figures 2 and 3, by which action the
mask binder u, is carried along with them through between the spring pressing
sides A, A", and bound round the edges of the glass and depressed with the inner
part of the spring bottom C, at back parts of frame A. The two opposite folding
or sliding spring sides A, A, of the frame A, which fold up the edges a², a², of
mask a to which the corner tongues a', of mask are attached, are highest and come
first into action to fold up these two edges a², a², and fold in the four end tongues a*,
by the corner pieces A³, before the other two opposite sliding sides A", A", come
into action, these being less in depth, as shown at A in Figure 4, and so fold up
their edges a", a", over the tongues a', which seal the corners of the glasses b, bi,
air-tight at the same time as sealing the four edges of these glasses. The glasses b, b',
and spring bottom C, are then pressed further down until they pass the lower
inner ends and edges of the spring sliding sides A2, A", which now slide inwards
over the upper glass b, and press down the edges a, a", of the mask a to adhere on

page_text: to the upper surface edges of the glass b, assisted by the action of the outer
spring B, as indicated in Figure 4, these edges a³, a³, meeting each other in a
mitre joint at the corners thus finishing the mounted glasses. In some cases the
lower surface edges of these sliding bars A, A", might be fitted with vulcanized
india-rubber or other soft material to fold and press the edges of the mask a on to
the glass. Each glass slide, . so mounted as shown in Figure 4, can then be
removed by turning the catches C³, and taking out the spring bottom C, C, of
the frame A, which is again inserted before mounting the next glass with a mask
and binder.
To assist in placing or inserting the glass or glasses centrally over the moistened
gumned mask a in these frames A, a loose portable frame holding these may be
employed fitting the mounting frame on pins or otherwise, and with turned latches
or slides moved in unison, which would allow the glass to drop out of this upper
movable frame down on to the centre of the mask a, and spring bottom C in the
fixed frame A. Or otherwise corner guides may be mounted on hinges on the fixed
frame to be folded over after putting in the moistened mask, and so guide the
glasses down on to the mask in the position of the dotted line 62 on it, and be folded
out of the way again as soon as the glasses were placed in position. This apparatus
may also be used for folding and attaching the ordinary ornamental thin sheet
metal outer securing or binding mounts over the glasses and masks.
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
First. The construction and use of a mask, or a mask and binder having a tongue
piece at each of its corners for folding and covering in the corners of the glasses
laterally, substantially as and for the purposes herein described in reference to and
by way of application shown in the accompanying drawings.
Second. A. box frame or apparatus and its fittings for mounting masks or masks
and binders on the glasses of magic lantern slides, photographs stereoscopic slides,
and the like, substantially as herein described in reference to and shown in the
accompanying drawings.
Third. In a box frame or apparatus for mounting masks or masks and binders on
the glasses of magic lantern slides, photographs, stereoscopic slides, and the like
the construction and use of four spring or movable lateral acting parts and a
spring movable bottom, substantially as and operated in the manner herein
described in reference to and shown in the accompanying drawings.
Dated the 17th November 1891.
W. R. M. THOMSON & Co.,
96, Buchanan Street, Glasgow, Agents.