Improvements in Photographic Cameras.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Dec., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 19th Sept., 1898-Accepted, 24th Oct., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Photographic Cameras.
We, ALBERT ARTHUR SMITH, of 26, Hanover Street, Peckham, Inventor and
JOHN STUART, of The Hollies, Clapham Common, Gentleman, both in the County
of London, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to photographic cameras of the kind wherein the front is
carried upon two slides one of which we term the main slide whilst 'the other
which slides upon the main slide we term the supplemental slide, the object of the
said invention being to provide means whereby the supplemental slide shall be
moved relatively with the main slide by means of the same pinion which controls
the movements of the main slide, instead of by hand as heretofore.
According to our invention the supplemental slide is provided with racks
which project through the main slide into engagement with the pinion beneath
the latter and which pinion also engages with the racks of the main slide. In
connection with the main slide we provide spring catches which serve to hold
the same stationary whilst the supplemental slide is being moved and upon
the supplemental slide we arrange an unlocking plate or keel designed when the
supplemental slide has reached its limit of movement in either direction to bear
upon one or the other of the said catches and to retain it in its unlocked position
whilst the main slide is being projected or withdrawn.
It will be understood that the racks of the main slide are cut away or mutilated
at certain points to allow of the movement of the supplemental slide without
moving the main slide. It will also be understood that the racks of the supple-
mental slide are of a length regulated by the distance it has to move relatively
with the main slide.
Although we have referred to the main and supplemental slides as being
provided with racks it will be understood that one rack only is necessary
for each.
Doted the 19th Dan 100
We, ALBERT ARTHUR SMITH, of 26, Hanover Street, Peckham, Inventor,
and JOHN STUART, of The Hollies, Clapham Common, Gentleman, 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:-
This invention relates to photographic cameras of the kind wherein the front is
carried upon two slides one of which we term the main or focusing slide whilst
the other which slides upon the main slide we term the supplemental slide, the
object of the said invention being to provide means whereby the supplemental
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page_text: slide shall be moved relatively with the main slide by means of the pinion which
controls the movements of the main slide, instead of by hand as heretofore.
According to our invention the supplemental slide is provided with racks which
project through the main slide into engagement with the pinion beneath the latter
and which pinion also engages with the racks of the main slide. In connection
with the main slide we provide spring catches which serve to hold the same
stationary whilst the supplemental slide is being moved and upon the supplemental
slide we arrange an unlocking plate or keel designed when the supplemental slide
has reached its limit of movement in either direction to bear upon one or the
other of the said catches and to retain it in its unlocked-position whilst the main
slide is being projected or withdrawn.
To, enable our invention to be fully understood we will describe the same by
reference to the accompanying drawing, in which,.
I,
Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation of a camera provided with our
improvements.
Figure is a horizontal section of the same.
Figure 3 is a front sectional elevation of the lower part of the camera.
Figure 4 is a view of the lower part of the camera as in Figure 1 but showing
the parts in a different position.
"
Figure 5 is an underside view of the slides.
'
a is the body or box of the camera which is provided with the hinged doors b, b
at the front. c is the lens front which is carried upon the main slide d operated
by a rack or racks e, e and a pinion of the said front c being directly mounted upon
a board or supplemental slide 9 which slides in guides h, h in the main slide d.
The said front c is adapted to move backwards relatively with the slide d for the
purpose of affording space between the front c and the doors b, b, when closed, for
the lens or lenses, the camera shewn in the drawings being represented as adapted
for carrying two lenses, one of which serves for focusing.
g
In order that the supplemental slide g shall be operated by the same pinion
which operates the main slide d, the supplemental slide 9 has on its underside two
racks, which project through slots in the main slide d so that they can be
engaged by the said pinion. In operating the pinion to extend the camera, it
first acts upon the racks e, e to project the main slide d to an extent sufficient to
open the doors b, b, then upon the racks i, i of the supplemental slide 'g to move
the said slide relatively with the main slide d and then again upon the racks e, e
to distend the bellows to any desired extent for focusing purposes.
1, are notches in the racks e,e which notches allow of the rotation of the
pinion during the time that the said pinion is in engagement with the racks i, i
and moving the supplemental slide
9.
•
k, are the catches which serve to hold the main slide stationary whilst the
supplemental slide is being moved, so that the friction of the supplemental slide
in the main slide shall not cause the main slide to move. The catch k serves to
hold the slide d whilst the supplemental slide 9 is being moved forward and the
catch serves to hold the main slide whilst the supplemental slide is being moved
backwards. These catches are fixed on the bottom of the box of the camera and
are designed to engage with notches on the under side of the main slide.
m is the
keel plate which is fixed to the supplemental slide 9 and projects into a slot n in
the main slide, in such a manner that when in extending the camera the supple-
mental slide has reached its forward position relatively with the main slide, by
coming into contact' with the upper end of the catch it disengages the same
from its notch in the main slide so that the latter is free to move forward. When
in closing up the camera the supplemental slide has reached its innermost position
relatively with the main slide the keel plate by acting upon the upper end of the
catch disengages the latter from its notch so that the main slide can be moved
backwards.
o is a spring bolt which serves to lock the supplemental slide y to the main
slide d during such times as no relative movement between the same should take

page_text: place. This bolt is carried on the supplemental slide and adapted to engage in a
hole P in the main slide corresponding in position with the forward position of the
supplemental slide.
This bolt is operated at the required times by the head thereof coming int
contact with a cam surface y fixed on the wall of the camera.
The operation of the apparatus hereinbefore described is as follows:-Assume
the camera to be closed as shewn in Figures 1 and 2; if now the pinion of be-
turned in the proper direction the main slide will be extended to open the front
doors b, b of the camera and until the notches j, j of the racks e, e are over the-
pinion by which time the racks i, i have come into engagement with the pinion as
shewn in Figure 4. The continued rotation of the pinion then causes the move-
ment of the supplemental slide until the bolt o springs into the hole or recess p
and the keel plate depresses the catch k when both the slides can be movel
forward together to any desired extent for focusing. When the pinion is turned in
the opposite direction to close up the camera both slides move back together
until the holto is lifted out of engagement with the hole p by the cam surface q
and the catch springs into its notch beneath the main slide when the continued
rotation of the pinion moves the supplemental slide back until the keel plate m
by coming into contact with the catch 7 depresses the latter whereby both slides
are free to move back together into the interior of the camera, when the doors can.
be closed.
The doors when closed are retained by a catch Figures 1 and 2, which, when
the camera is to be opened is automatically depressed by a projections on the
underside of the main slide when the latter is moved forward.
I have described in the foregoing specification and illustrated in the drawing
the main and supplemental slides as each being provided with two racks, it is to
be understood, however, that one rack only is necessary for each, although it is
advisable for practical purposes to employ two to each.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what-
we claim is :—
the
1. In a photographic camera wherein the lens front is carried by a supplemental
slide working upon the main or focusing slide, the combination with the supple-
mental slide of a rack projecting through the main slide and adapted to engage
with the pinion for operating the said main slide, substantially as described.
2. In a camera of the kind wherein the lens front is adapted to slide
upon
focusing slide and wherein the said focusing slide and the slide carrying the front
are adapted to be operated by a common pinion, the arrangement of catches such
as k,l for preventing the movement of the focusing slide during the time that
the supplemental slide is being moved, substantially as described.
3. The manufacture, and use in combination with a camera, of the arrange-
ment of racks, pinion and catches, substantially as hereinbefore described and
illustrated in the accompanying drawing for the purpose specified.
Dated this 19th day of September 1896.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.