An Improved Portable Photographic Camera.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Aug., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 17th Apr., 1889-Accepted, 20th July, 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Portable Photographic Camera.
We SAMUEL GEORGE HARRISON-DEARLE of 80 Islington Liverpool in the county
of Lancaster Dental Surgeon and THOMAS HENRY ASHCROFT of 8 Marine Terrace
Liscard in the county of Chester Timber Merchant do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
The object of our invention is to produce a camera in and by which photographs
can be taken or obtained while the camera is carried by the hand or otherwise and
these photographs can be so taken or obtained without the knowledge of any bystander
and this our camera can be constructed very cheaply and can be arranged to receive
and use plates of any desired size.
To carry out this object we form a box or caso preferably of wood and of the desired
shape and size and the outside of this box can be covered with any material or be
otherwise so treated in any usual manner as preferably to look like an ordinary
package or receptacle that is usually carried by an handle on or in the upper part or
top thereof and the side of this box can be opened to allow of access to the interior
thereof and the whole box is or may be so constructed as when closed to be light
tight. In one end of this box is made an aperture behind which is pivoted or contred
on the box or elsewhere a circular or segmental or other shutter wherein is an aperture
corresponding with the aperture in the box and a spring tongue or catch is fitted
which can hold and retain this shutter in position to close the aperture in the box
and when this catch is retired a spring applied to the shutter causes the same rapidly
to revolve during which revolution the aperture in the box is uncovered by the
aperture in the shutter and then closed again by the solid part of the same and the
shutter can be revolved back against the spring from the outside of the box by a
button on its pivot or centre or by other appliance until the catch can again hold and
retain the same. The aperture in the box can be masked by one of the ordinary
name labels or otherwise so fitted on the outside of the box as to be capable of
being turned back or removed to unmask the same. Behind the aperture in the
bov and the shutter is the ordinary or other lens mounted on and connected with
another light tight box or camera so formed and fitted and so secured in and to
the outer box or camera as to be capable of being lengthened or shortened as may
be desired and in or at the rear end of this inner box are fitted the usual grooves
or guides in and along which the dark slides that contain the sensitive plates can
be passed or the rear end of this box can be otherwise fitted as may be necessary for
the particular sensitive appliance or apparatus or device that is to be used and a
screen or screens can be fitted to prevent the light reaching the lens even when the
side of the outer box is opened. The outer box can if desired be so lengthened
at the rear of the inner box as to carry a number of dark slides or other desired
articles.
Thus when the shutter is properly set and the sensitive plate or other article is duly
exposed in the inner box the catch is retired preferably by a wire or pull passing out
at the side of the box or elsewhere to the handle so that an unobserved pressure by
the thumb or finger can so retire the same and the shutter revolves giving the
desired exposure to the plate or article through the lens and the photograph is
taken.
In order that it may easily be known at what view or thing the lens is directed
two apertures are made in the outer box one being in the front end thereof the
other in the top thereof and preferably near the corner of the box both of which
apertures can be masked as is the aperture for the lens and inside the box is
fitted any usual or other view finder the glasses and lenses and reflectors of which

page_text: are so formed and arranged and the apparatus is so fitted in the box that on
looking down into the aperture in the top of the box the operator can see the
view or thing to which the lens is directed.
Though we preferably use a revolving shutter in this our camera as is aforesaid
we can obviously also use a drop or any other usual kind of shutter when it is desired 5
so to do.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Portable Photographic Camera.
SAMUEL GEORGE HARRISON-DEARLE Dental Surgeon 80 Islington Liverpool,
& THOMAS HENRY ASHCROFT, Timber Merchant Seel Street Liverpool, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to bo
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
This invention relates to so called Detective cameras the novel features of which we
will particularly describe.
The object of our invention is to produce a camera in and by which photographs
can be taken or obtained while the camera is carried by hand or otherwise, and to
admit of photographs being secured without the knowledge of any bystander, which
pronounces it at once to be a true detectivo camera.
It can be arranged to receive and use plates of any desired size or make.
To carry out this object we form a box or case preferably of wood and of the
desired shape and size, and the outside of this box can be covered with any material
or substance which would prevent its appearance resembling a photographic camera.
It is preferably made to look like an ordinary picnic basket or hamper and has a
handle made of wickerwork and has a bar and lock attached to the top to aid in its
deceptive appearance; a portion of the box can be opened to allow of access to the
interior, preferably the side nearest to the operator, and the whole box is or may be so
constructed, as when closed to be light tight.
In one end of this box is made an aperture A behind which is pivoted or centred
on the box or elsewhere a circular or segmental or other shutter S wherein is
an aperture A corresponding with the aperture in the box A and a spring tongue
or catch His fitted which can hold and retain this shutter in position, to close the
aperture in the box; and when this catch is released a spring J applied to the
shutter causes the same rapidly to revolve during which revolution the aperture
in the box A is uncovered by the aperture in the shutter A' and suddenly closed
again by the solid part of the same, and the shutter can be revolved back against
the spring from the outside of the box by a button as at B on its pivot or centre or
by other appliance until the catch can again hold and retain the same. The aperture
in the box can be masked by one of the ordinary name labels or other appliance, so
fitted on the outside of the box, as to be capable of being turned back or removed to
unmask the same as represented at C.
Behind the aperture in the box and the shutter is the Lens D connected with
another light tight box or camera, so formed and fitted and so secured in and to the
outer box or camera as to be capable of being lengthened or shortened as may be
desired, and in or at the rear end of this inner box are fitted the usual grooves or
guides E in and along which the dark slides that contain the sensitive plates can be
passed, or the rear end of this box can be otherwise fitted as may be necessary for the
particular sensitive appliance or apparatus or device that is to be used and a screen
or screens can be fitted to prevent the light reaching the Lens even when the side of
the outer box is opened.
The outer box can if desired he so lengthened at the rear of the inner box, so as
to carry a number of dark slides or other desired articles, thus when the shutter is

page_text: proporly set and the sensitive plate is duly exposed in the inner box the catch is
released preferably by a wire or pull passing out at the side of the box as shown at F
or elsewhere to the handle, so that an unobserved pressure by the thumb or finger of
the hand holding the box cau so release the catch that the shutter revolves giving
the desired exposure to the sensitive plate or film through the Lens and the photograph
is secured.
This arrangement of discharging the shutter necessitates the use of only one hand
in taking the photograph.
In order that it may easily be known at what view or object the Lens is directed
two apertures are made in the outer box one being on the front end thereof and the
other in the top thereof G and preferably near the corner, both of which apertures
can be masked as is the aperture for the Lens, and inside the box is fitted any
usual or other view finder H the glasses and Lenses and reflectors of which are so
formed and arranged and the apparatus is so fitted in the box that on looking
down into the aperture on the top of the box the operator can see the view or thing to
or at which the Lens is directed.
Though we preferably use a revolving shutter we can obviously also use a drop or
any other kind of shutter when it is desired so to do.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this our inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare what we
claim is-
1st. A photographic camera substantially as described herein, with a covering such
as shall prevent its outer appearance resembling, in any way a photographic camera,
preferably taking the shape of a pic nic basket covered preferably with American
cloth only exposing to view a portion of wicker work holding the handle, also
composed of wickerwork.
2nd. A photographic camera with the shutter discharged and working from the
handle of the box containing the Camera necessitating the use of only one hand
in making the exposure, that hand being the hand holding the said detective camera,
substantially described herein.
Dated this 16th day of April 1889.
S. G. HARRISON-DEARLE.
THOS. H. ASHCROFT.