AN IMPROVED Box OR CASE FOR CONTAINING AND PRESERVING SENSITIVE PHOTOGRAPHIC PAPER, CALLED MARION's Box
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Claude Mamès Augustin Marion, of Paris, in the
Empire of France, Manufacturer, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED
Box OR CASE FOR CONTAINING AND PRESERVING SENSITIVE PHOTOGRAPHIC
PAPER, CALLED MARION's Box.""
Sealed the 17th June 1859, and dated the 27th December 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Claude Mamès Augustin
Marion at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 27th December 1858.
I, CLAUDE MAMES AUGUSTIN MARION, of Paris, in the Empire of France,
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"AN IMPROVED Box OR CASE FOR CONTAINING AND PRESERVING SENSITIVE
PHOTOGRAPHIC PAPER, CALLED 'MARION'S Box,'" to be as follows:-
My Invention consists of a new arrangement of box for preserving the
nitrated paper used in photography. This paper being very sensitive to air
For this
and light, requires, in order to preserve it, to be perfectly enclosed.
purpose I bave constructed an apparatus, which I term Marion's box, for
preserving the nitrated paper which is sensitive to air and light. It consists of
a box with a double bottom hermetically closed, & containing in the one
part chloride of calcium, and in the other, the paper to be preserved.
In the annexed Drawings are represented three arrangements according to

page_text: my Invention. Fig. 1 shows a longitudinal section on line A, B, Fig. 2, of
the first arrangement; Fig. 2 shows a top plan, in which the upper box is
supposed to be partly removed in order to show the wire gauze; Fig. 3 shows
an elevation of the upper part of a box according to a second arrangement;
Fig. 4 shows the lower part; Fig. 5 shows a plan of the lower part of the
second arrangement; Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section, showing the third
arrangement.
The same letters of reference indicate like parts where they recur.
a, double
box divided into two parts by wire gauze, the upper part of. the box con-
taining the paper to be preserved, and the lower part containing a drawer
in which is placed the chloride of calcium; b, wire gauze secured to box a,
serving to separate the chloride of calcium from the paper to be preserved;
c, drawer, containing the chloride of calcium placed in the lower part of the
box, which is intended to absorb the humidity of the air which may be
introduced into the box when the nitrated paper is required to be placed in or
.removed from the box; it is held in position in the box by means of strips of
paper, which prevent it moving when the box is shaken from any cause;
.d, hinge placed at one of the upper extremities of box a, for inserting or
removing the nitrated paper. The joint of this hinge is rendered hermetic by
means of a strip of india-rubber e, on which it rests; f, upper part of the
second arrangement which is intended for receiving the nitrated paper, also
having a linge, as above-mentioned. The bottom of this box forms a lid or
cover for the lower part of box; it is perforated for the purpose of allowing
the chloride of calcium to absorb the damp of the air contained in box f;
g, lower box divided into compartments into which the box f fits, & which is
closed hermetically by means of india-rubber strips e placed between them.
each compartment of this box is filled with chloride of calcium, secured as
before described in the first arrangement; h, cylindrical box for containing a
roll of the nitrated paper, the bottom of which is pierced with holes, and forms
the lid of the lower box, which is filled with the chloride of calcium; i, top lid
of the box h, for forming a hermetic closure of the box, the india-rubber strips e
being applied for that purpose; j, lower box containing chloride of calcium,
and secured as before described for the two other arrangements by means of
strips of paper; the hermetic closure of the box is also obtained by means of
the strips of india-rubber e.
It will be seen by these arrangements, that the nitrated paper to be used
in photography may be placed in either of these cases, and be completely
isolated from air & light, which deteriorate if no such precautions are taken.
In effect, each of these boxes being completely closed, renders impossible all

page_text: introduction of light to the interior; the chloride of calcium also performing
its part in entirely absorbing the humidity of the air which might enter.
These apparatus, being of simple construction and small sise, are easily
carried about, and may be also applied for keeping the nitrated paper, or for
holding it when taking it from place to place; they also allow of the previous
preparation of the paper intended for photographic proofs.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Claude Mamès Augustin Marion in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 25th June 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CLAUDE
MAMES AUGUSTIN MARION, of Paris, in the Empire of France, Manufacturer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-seventh day of December, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-second
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said Claude Mamès Augustin Marion, Her special licence that
I, the said Claude Mamès Augustin Marion, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Claude Mamès Augustin. Marion,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and
no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter. during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend,
within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands,
and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN IMPROVED BOX OR CASE FOR CONTAINING
AND PRESERVING SENSITIVE PHOTOGRAPHIC PAPER, CALLED MARION'S Box,'"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Claude Mamès Augustin
Marion, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under
my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
was to be performed; and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the
said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Claude Mamès Augustin Marion,
do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement, reference being had to the Sheet of Drawings

page_text: hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, (that is
to say):
My Invention consists of a new arrangement of box for preserving the
nitrated paper used in photography. This paper being very sensitive to air
and light, requires in order to preserve it, to be perfectly enclosed. For this
purpose I have constructed an apparatus which I term "Marion's box," for
preserving paper, which is sensitive to air and light; it consists of a box with
a double bottom hermetically closed, and containing in the one part chloride
of calcium, and in the other, the paper to be preserved. In the annexed
Drawings are represented three arrangements according to my Invention.
Fig. 1 shows a longitudinal section on line A, B, Fig. 2 of the first
arrangement; Fig. 2 shows a top plan in which the upper box is supposed to
be partly removed in order to show the wire gauze; Fig. 3 shows an elevation
of the upper part of a box according to a second arrangement; Fig. 4 shows
the lower part; Fig. 5 shows a plan of the lower part of the second arrange-
ment; Fig. 6 is a transverse section showing the third arrangement. The
same letters of reference indicate like parts in all the Figures where they
recur. a, double box divided into two parts by wire gauze, the upper part of
the box containing the paper to be preserved, and the lower part containing
a drawer in which is placed chloride of calcium; b, wire gauze secured to
box a, serving to separate the chloride of calcium from the paper to be
preserved; c, drawer containing the chloride of calcium placed in the lower
part of the box which is intended to absorb the humidity of the air which may
be introduced into the box when the nitrated paper is required to be placed
in or removed from the box; it is held in position in the box by means of
strips of paper which prevent it moving when the box is shaken from any
cause; d, hinge on which the small lid of box a moves for inserting or
removing the nitrated paper; the joint of this hinge is hermetically close
by means of the strip of india-rubber e, on which it rests; f, upper part
of the second arrangement, which is intended for receiving the nitrated
paper, also having a hinge as above mentioned. The bottom of this box
forms a lid or cover for the lower part of box a; it is perforated for the
purpose of allowing the chloride of calcium to absorb the damp of the air
contained in box f; g, lower box divided into compartments, into which the
box fits, and which is closed hermetically by means of india-rubber strips
e, placed between them; each compartment of this box is filled with chloride
of calcium, secured as before described in the first arrangement; h, cylindrical
box for containing a roll of the nitrated paper, the bottom of which is pierced
with holes, and forms the lid of the lower box, which is filled with the chloride

page_text: of calcium; i, top lid of box h, for forming a hermetical closure of the box,
the india-rubber strips e, being applied for that purpose; j, lower box
containing chloride of calcium, and secured as before described for the two
other arrangements by means of strips of paper; the hermetical closure of
this box is also obtained by means of the strips of india-rubber e. It will be
seen by these three arrangements that the nitrated paper to be used in photo-
graphy may be placed in either of these cases, and be completely isolated
from air and light, which deteriorate it if no such precautions are taken. In
effect each of these boxes being completely closed renders impossible all
introduction of light to the interior, the chloride of calcium also performing its
part in entirely absorbing the humidity of the air which might enter.
These apparatus being of simple construction and small size are easily carried
about, and may be also applied for keeping the nitrated paper, or for holding
it when taking it from place to place; they also allow of the previous
preparation of the paper intended for photographic proofs. The reservoir may
also be used separately or may be placed in boxes, drawers, or in the cases in
use among artists; the reservoir I form of a frame furnished with cross pieces
or divisions, one of the faces being covered with a transparent fabric, and
wire gauze of galvanized iron or copper; the other surface is covered by a
plate of zinc, which latter, after the introduction of the chloride of calcium,
is fixed to the interior of the frame. The particles of chloride of calcium are
prevented from shaking by placing strips of paper between, as before described.
In the annexed Drawing, I have represented this improved reservoir for
the chloride of calcium.
Fig. 7 shows a plan of my improved case, fitted with its divisions, and
containing chloride of calcium; Fig. 8 shows an edge view of the same;
Fig. 9 is a plan of the reservoir part of the casing being removed so as to
show all the parts constituting the two faces, and Fig. 10 a longitudinal
vertical section of the same. In these three Figs. similar letters of reference
indicate like parts where they recur. a, frame formed of four parts connected
together; b, divisions for strengthening the frame holding the chloride of
calcium; c', zinc plate forming one face of the reservoir; d¹, muslin secured
on the upper surface; e¹, wire gauze for consolidating the fabric d'; f',
particles of chloride of calcium which are held in position by strips of paper.
The muslin d', and gauze e¹, are first firmly fixed, and the chloride of
calcium and strips of paper then placed in position. Lastly, the plate of zinc
c is placed over the whole, and fastened thereto. In cylindrical boxes, the
chloride of calcium may be contained in an open cylinder which would serve
as a roller for the paper placed at the centre of the box. My improved

page_text: drying reservoirs of chloride of calcium are further carefully enveloped in
paper, which is glazed, varnished, or otherwise rendered impervious.
Having described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of per-
forming the same, I declare that what I claim as my Invention to be
protected by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
First, the several arrangements of boxes containing chloride of calcium
for the preservation of nitrated paper as herein-before described and repre-
sented in the Drawing.
Secondly, I claim. the case containing the chloride of calcium for the
preservation of nitrated paper as herein-before described and represented.
In witness whereof, I, the said Claude Mamès Augustin Marion, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Ninth day of June, One thousand
eight hundred and fifty-nine.
Witness,
JAMES DAISHI,
53, Chancery Lane..
A. MARION. (L.S.)