IMPROVEMENTS IN TENTS AND APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN TAKING PHOTOGRAPHIC PICTURES
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Wheeler Thomas, of Pall Mall, in the
County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN TENTS AND
APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN TAKING PHOTOGRAPHIC PICTURES."
24
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Wheeler Thomas
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
29th August 1864.
I, RICHARD WHEELER THOMAS, of Pall Mall, in the County of Mid-
dlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
TENTS AND APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN TAKING PHOTOGRAPHIC PICTURES," to be as
follows:
} :
This Invention has for its object the rendering tents and apparatus employed
in taking photographic pictures not only as convenient as may be for ready
transport from place to place, but also for obtaining the most ready use of the
various apparatus and materials employed in the process of photography. For
this purpose the case or box, together with the requisite flexible material
constituting the tent, are arranged and combined in such manner as not only
to be capable of being readily expanded for use and of being contracted in
dimensions for transport, but also the arrangement is such that the apparatus
and materials employed in the process of photography, and which are used in
the tent, are secured in the positions they occupy when in use, both when the
box or case is expanded into a tent, and also when contracted for transport,

page_text: so that when the box or case is opened for use, the bath, the plate box, and
chemicals are all in position within the tent, and, as before stated, they retain
their positions when the box or case is contracted for transport, thus dis-
pensing with the packing and unpacking of the apparatus and materials here-
tofore more or less necessary when employing portable tents.
The tent when in use is fixed at the top of a tripod or other suitable stand,
as has been usual with other forms of portable photographic tents, and
according to my Invention, the tent is constructed of a box or case having the
two ends and back fixed to the bottom, whilst the front is hinged in such
manner that it may fold down. The height of the ends and of the back and
front is such that the inclined bath may be secured and retained in the position
in which it is used, so that when in use and when being transported it will
retain its position. The bath is of the ordinary form, and has a fluid-tight
cover as heretofore. It is preferred that this bath should not be absolutely
fastened on the bottom of the box or case, but safely secured thereto in the
proper inclined position, so as to admit of its being removed, or if desired, it
may be capable of being adjusted to a greater or less inclination. The top or
cover of the box or case is made in two parts, which are respectively; hinged
to-the two ends of the case or box; when closed the cover comes just above
the top of the inclined bath. And in order that the box or case should be
strong and yet light, it is preferred that the back, the two ends, the front,
and also the two parts of the top or cover should be framed in wood and have
panels of paper or millboard, but such parts may be otherwise constructed and
of other materials. A flexible covering (usually of black cotton velvet lined
with yellow calico) is formed and affixed in the following manner.:-At the
back the flexible material is. fixed to the upper edge of the back; the flexible
material is also fixed to the back edges of the two parts constituting the cover
or top, and is also fixed to the edges of these two parts of the cover or top
where such edges meet together when shut, and in such manner. that' when
these two parts are open and stand upright the flexible material forms a top
or covering to the tent. The flexible, material in front is formed in a similar
manner to that in which like flexible materials have been used in other con
structions of portable photographic tents; but in order that the upper part of
the front may be held above the head of the person who is manipulating, two
sliding bolts are used, having spring catches to retain them in. position when a
they are slid out to support the flexible material. The two bolts are employed
one at each end of the tent, and they are applied to the two parts constituting
the top or cover of the box or case. These, bolts are arranged.to slide
diagonally at the front angles of the two parts of the cover or top, by which

page_text: the outer ends of the bolts when in use will-stand at a higher position than the:
other parts of the top of the tent.
It is preferred that the inclined bath should be secured and held in the
position it is required when in use on the bottom of the box or case and at
the left-hand end thereof, whilst the box for the plates, and also the case for:
the bottles of chemicals and other articles are secured to the bottom at its
right-hand end in the positions required when in use. The gutta percha sink.
is placed in the centre of the bottom of the box or case, and the camera is
arranged to be strapped or fixed to the bottom of the tent when placed on the
cover of this sink.
:
The respective localities in which these apparatus are secured may, if
desired, be varied so long as they are secured in the positions required for
their use when the tent is opened. A window or windows and provision for
ventilation will be made as heretofore in other portable photographic tents..
By this construction and combination of a photographic tent and apparatus.
the same will, when for transport, consist of an oblong rectangular case or box,
having within it the apparatus and materials requisite for the process of
photography, such apparatus and materials being secured in position and
ready for use immediately on raising the two parts constituting the cover or
top of the box or case, whilst in order again to render the whole fit for
transport the flexible material will be folded into the interior, the front of
the box or case will be raised, and the two parts of the cover or top will be
closed or shut down and fastened, the apparatus within retaining the positions.
in which they were when being used.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Richard Wheeler Thomas in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 24th February 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, RICHARD
WHEELER THOMAS, of Pall Mall, in the County of Middlesex, send
greeting.
24
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters:
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-ninth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-eighth year of Her
reign, did, for. Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Richard Wheeler Thomas, Her special licence that I, the said Richard:
Wheeler Thomas, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,-
=

page_text: the said Richard, Wheeler Thomas, 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
"IMPROVEMENTS IN TENTS AND APPARATUS EMPLOYED IN TAKING PHOTOGRAPHIC
PICTURES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I; .the said Richárd
Wheeler Thomas, 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 thé
date of the said Letters, Patent: .
*...*
NOW KNOW YE, that I; the said Richard Wheeler Thomas; do hereby
'declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the fol-
Jowing statement thereof, that is to say:
This Invention has for its object the rendering tents and apparatus
employed in taking photographic pictures not only as convenient as may be
for ready transport from place to place, but also for obtaining the most ready
use of the various apparatus and materials employed in the process of. photo-
graphy. For this purpose the case or box, together with the requisite flexible
material constituting the tent, are arranged and combined in such manner as
not only to be capable of being readily expanded for use and of being con
tracted in dimensions for transport, but also the arrangement. is such that the
apparatus and materials employed in the process of photography, and which
are used in the tent, are secured in the positions they occupy when in use,
both when the box or case is expanded into a tent and also when contracted
for transport, so that when the box or case is opened for use, the bath, the
plate box, and chemicals are all in position within the tent, and, as before
stated, 'they retain their positions when the box or case is contracted for
transport, thus dispensing with the packing and unpacking of the apparatus
and materials heretofore more or less necessary when employing portable
tents.
The tent when in use is fixed at the top of a tripod or other suitable stand,
as has been usual with other forms. of portable photographic tents, and
according to my Invention the tent is constructed of a box or case having the
two ends and back fixed to the bottom; whilst the front is hinged at its bottom
edge in such manner that it may fold down. The height of the ends and of

page_text: the back and front is such that the inclined bath may be secured and retained
in the position in which it is used, so that when in use and when being trans-
ported it will retain its position. The bath is of the ordinary form, and. has a
Huid-tight cover, as heretofore. It is preferred that 'this bath should not be
absolutely fastened on the bottom of the box or case, but safely secured
thereto in the proper inclined position so as to admit of its being removed, or,
if desired; it may be capable of being adjusted to a greater or less inclination.
The top or cover of the box or case is made in 'two parts, which are respec=
tively hinged to the two ends of the case or box'; when closed the cover comes
just above the top of the inclined bath. The height of the tent depends on
the length of the box or case, as the height added to that of the box when
opening it into a tent will be half the length of the top or cover of the box or
case. In order that the box or case should be strong and yet light, it is
preferred that the back, the two ends, the front, and also the two parts of the
top or cover should be framed in wood and have panels of paper or millboard,
but such parts may be otherwise constructed and of other materials. A
flexible covering (usually of black cotton velvet lined with yellow calico) is
formed and affixed in the following manner:At the back of the box or case
the flexible material is fixed to and along the upper edge of the back; the
flexible material is also fixed to the back edges of the two 'parts constituting
the cover or top of the box or case, and the flexible material is also fixed to
the edges of these two parts of the cover or top where such edges meet
together when shut, and in such manner that when these two parts are 'open.
and stand upright the flexible material forms a top or covering to the 'ten't as
well as part of the back of the tent. The flexible material in front is formed
in a similar manner to that in which like flexible materials have been 'used 'in
other constructions of portable photographic tents; but in order that the upper
part of the front may be held above the head of the person who is 'manipu
lating, if the height of the tent is not sufficient for this purpose, two sliding
bolts are used, having spring catches to retain them 'in position when they' are
slid out to support the flexible material. The two bolts are employed one at
each end of the tent, and they are applied to the two parts constituting the
top or cover of the box or case. These bolts are arranged to slide diagonally
at the front angles of the two parts of the cover or top, by which the outer
ends of the bolts when in use will stand at a higher position than the other
parts of the top of the tent: The flexible material is formed tubular, as here-
tofore, so that the person enters it from the lowest end, and in order to close
it in all directions as heretofore, so as to shut out the light from entering in
this direction, he either places the lower parts of the flexible material between

page_text: his legs, as heretofore, or he raises the flexible material so as to fasten it
round him under his arms by hook and eye or otherwise. The two parts of
the top or cover of the box or case when raised into an upright position are
retained open by means of a stretcher or rod at the top or by light rule-jointed
stretchers at the back, or by both, or by any convenient means.
It is preferred that the inclined bath should be secured and held in the
position it is required when in use on the bottom of the box or case; and at the
left-hand end thereof, whilst the box for the plates and also the case for the
bottles of chemicals and other articles are secured to the bottom at its right-
hand end in the positions required when in use. The gutta percha sink is
placed in the centre of the bottom of the box or case, and the camera is
arranged to be strapped or fixed to the bottom of the tent when placed on the
cover of this sink.
+
The respective localities in which these apparatus are secured may, if
desired, be varied, so long as they are secured in the positions required for
their use when the tent is opened. A window or windows and provision for
ventilation will be made as heretofore in other portable photographic tents;
these openings I prefer to be at the back or ends of the case or box, and they
are formed as heretofore in portable tents.
By this construction and combination of a photographic tent and apparatus
the same will, when for transport, consist of an oblong rectangular case or
box, having within it the apparatus and materials requisite for the process of
photography, such apparatus and materials being secured in position and
ready for use immediately on raising the two parts constituting the cover or
top of the box or case, whilst in order again to render the whole fit for
transport the flexible material will be folded into the interior, the front of
the box or case will be raised, and the two parts of the cover or top will be
closed or shut down and fastened, the apparatus-within retaining the positions
in which they were when being used. The dimensions of the box or case may
be varied, but I prefer to construct an oblong box from thirty to thirty-six
inches long, eighteen to twenty inches from back to front, and from fourteen
to sixteen inches high.
The box or case may be arranged to be carried by two persons by means of
handles at the end, or by passing a light bar of elastic wood or otherwise, or
it may even be mounted on a wheel or wheels, and moved by one person by
the aid of handles in like manner to a barrow; but the arrangements for
moving the apparatus from place to place form no part of my Invention.
What I claim as my Invention is the combined arrangement of parts,
herein described, whereby a box, or case combined with flexible material is

page_text: arranged to open into a tent, in which the apparatus and materials employed
in photography are fixed in position suitable for use as soon as the tent is
opened out, as herein explained.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Wheeler Thomas, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Second day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five.
RICHARD WHEELER THOMAS. (L.B.)