Improvements in Photographic Cameras.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Feb., 1895-Accepted, 23rd Mar., 1895
Improvements in Photographic Cameras.
HENRY JAMES SPRATT, ALFRED SIDNEY SPRATT and GEORGE ALBERT
SPRATT, Scientific Instrument Manufacturers, of Tudor Works Tudor Road,
Hackney, London, 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 :-
Our invention relates to improvements in photographic cameras.
The object of our said invention is to construct a camera having an improved
means of fixing the camera front to the baseboard in such a manner that the
one act of grasping the front renders it free for removal and that of releasing
the grasp renders it rigid & immovable.
In order that our invention may be clearly understood, we will now proceed to
describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings in which-
Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the camera front, shewing baseboard A in section,
with brass guide strips B also in section.
Fig. 2 is a section of the same thro' the dotted line F G.
A is the baseboard of camera in section.
B B are brass guide strips fastened to baseboard A. upon which the camera front
moves.
D is a plate spring fastened to the camera front H, by means of screws as shewn,
the ends of which exert a pressure upon the under side of the guide strips B B
clamping the same between themselves and the camera front H which rest on
the upper side of the said guide strips B B.
CC are levers having their square ends resting upon the plate springs D and
centred at E.
E E are pins passing through the base of the camera front H and the levers C C
about which the said levers CC move.
In order to release the camera front H so as to move it along or detach it
from the brass guide strips B B the levers C C are grasped between the thumb
and finger and pressed inwards, the square end of the said levers C C thereby
depress the plate spring D & disengage it with the guide strips B B thereby
rendering the camera front H free to be moved or detached.
We do not limit ourselves to the employment of the particular mode of applying
or fixing the levers and springs herein before explained.
They may be applied in any convenient manner as occasion may require, as-for
instance in such a manner as to give a swinging motion to the camera front, in
which case the guide strips B B would be substituted by projecting pins; and the
ends of the plate springs, would have an indentation to receive half of the
circumference of the said projecting pin, & a corresponding indentation in a metal
plate attached to the bottom of the camera front in opposition to the said plate
springs D thereby allowing the camera front H to swing with a backward and
forward motion on the said projecting pins which form a pivot. This or any
similar suitable variation may be employed-provided always-that it is so arranged
that by the one act of grasping the front, the levers shall be actuated upon the
plate spring D in the manner herein before explained.
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.
First. Providing a photographic camera with a method of fixing the front to the

page_text: baseboard that shall enable the said front to be readily attached or detached by
the single act of grasping the said camera front substantially as described for the
purpose specified.
Second. A camera-having its front and base-constructed substantially as herein-
before described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Dated this Twentieth day of February 1895.
HENRY JAMES SPRATT.
ALFRED 'SIDNEY SPRATT.
GEORGE ALBERT SPRATT.