An Improved Pocket Case of Photographic Dark Room and like Utensils.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 17th June, 1899-Accepted, 26th Aug., 1899
r.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Pocket Case of Photographic Dark Room and like
Utensils.
I, HENRY HARINGTON LEIGH, Assoc. Inst.C.E., Fel.Ch. Inst.P.A., F.I.Inst.,
practising as Phillips and Leigh, of No. 22, Southampton Buildings, Chancery
Lane, in the Administrative County of London, Engineer and Patent Agent,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention, a communication to me from
Amy Valentini Cristiani Mayall, of Le Raincy, near Paris, in the Republic of
France, Married Woman, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to
be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
The object of this invention is the construction of a photographic utensil
case sufficiently small to be placed in the pocket and nevertheless capable of
containing the materials indispensable to the photographer, particularly, dishes,
a lamp, a drying-frame, and a printing frame, objects folded and diminished
when in the case, but which when mounted or unfolded return to the dimensions
indispensable for their use and replace those usually employed. The reduced
size I have realized does not necessarily require that the case should be of fixed
and invariable dimensions for the instruments of which it is composed must
correspond in size with the photographs one wishes to produce. The dimensions
of the case and of the objects it contains are evidently greater for photo-
graphs 9 x 12 than for those of 8 x 9. But the specific feature in the diminution
obtained is that the case complete and shut has smaller dimensions than an
ordinary dish intended for photographs of the same dimensions.
To attain my object I had necessarily to make special and new types of
utensils in which I suppressed certain parts which are found in existing types
and rendered those which are retained folding, light and uncumbersome.
The pocket case here described as a specimen comprises a lamp, two or more
dishes, a drying-frame and a printing-trame.
To diminish the size of the lamp it is requisite to make it foldable, replacing
the brittle glass by stronger material and omitting the chimney or smoke-
consumer. The dishes usually so heavy and cumbersome must also be of a
folding type; likewise the drying-frame. Finally, the printing frame which
in current types consists of rough wood and plate of glass heavy and fragile and
with its spring projecting could not make part of my invention until suppression
of the spring and replacement of the cumbersome parts by others more suitable.
Thus my sole object; diminution of the complete and shut case led to the
invention of new types.
The object of my invention being thus clearly defined, I will proceed to describe
in detail a practical application of it. I select this by way of example and will
demonstrate afterwards the modifications I could make therein without however
exceeding the limits of my invention.
In order to make the description perfectly understood I annex a sheet of draw-
ings illustrating it, in which all the figures are on the same scale and every
similar reference figure denotes the same part throughout the views.

page_text: Figure 1.is a perspective view of the case closed, forming when opened out a
lamp, and containing a candle-holder, two or several dishes, a drying-frame and
a printing-frame.
Figure 2 represents the lamp rigged up.
Figure 3 is the back view of the closed case, shewing apertures for ventilation.
Figure 4 is a detached view of the bottom of the lamp.
Figures 5 and 6 are the elevation and inverted plan respectively of the candle
holder.
Figure 7 is a perspective view of the metallic frame of one of the dishes.
Figure 8 is a plan view of the entire dish and frame as combined.
Figures 9 and 10 are perspective views of the drying-frame in its open and
shut positions respectively.
Figure 11 is a back view of the printing frame.
Figures 12 and 13 are transverse sections along the lines AB and CD of
Figure 11.
As has been already observed, the various objects constituting the dark room
of the travelling photographer are transformed with a view to the possibility of
their all being placed in a pocket case, as represented in Figure 1, a case which
for photographs of 9 x 12 centimetres has the dimensions of 14 cm. long, 10 wide,
and 3 in depth, which are less than those of the dish when mounted. More-
over the case only weighs about 10 ounces, when the metal parts are made of
aluminium. It is the box itself of the case which forms the lamp, Figure 2.
In opening this box a little strip 1 attached to the sides allows just the requisite
opening between the body part 2, and the lid 3. On the latter are fixed the
three folded parts 4, 5, 6, which when open form, 4, the transparent front;
5, the top; 6 (Figure 4) the bottom of the lamp. Part 4 consists of a frame
which contains a mica plate, replacing the glass of the ordinary lamps. The
mica plate is covered on the interior with a thin red textile or other suitable
material. Part 5 which forms the top of the lamp carries the handle 7 which
is fastened to the lid 3 by means of a catch S. The part 6 which forms the
bottom of the lamp is represented detached in Figure 4. In the paste-board
of which it is made there are perforations 9 variable in number and which
are covered on the inside with a red textile or other red material. A turn-
button 10 fixed by a rivet serves to keep in position the candle holder 11 (Figures 5
and 6) when it is slid under the loop 12 of the botttom of the holder. Figure 3
represents the back of the box in which are made the orifices 13 similar to those 9
of the bottom 6. They are covered internally with a red textile and the said
textile is so thin that the necessary current of air for combustion of the candle
can be established. The lamp such as has so far been described allows no white
ray of light to pass outside and illumination is effected through the red textile
and the plate of mica 4 in front. Moreover the materials of which the lamp is
made may be fire-proof and the circulation of air is strong enough for the lamp
to remain burning for hours without becoming heated.
Figures 7 and 8 represent respectively the frame of one of the two folding
dishes and the frame and lining or dish proper combined. This combination
consists of a frame 14, each of the four sides of which is furnished with a flap 15
attached by hinges so that it can be raised and form a given angle with the plane
of the frame 14. The centre of the outer edge of each flap 15 is formed into
a tongue 16 which is bent inwards forming a little groove between itself and the
flap. The frame could also be made of wire. A sheet of paper, parchment,
impermeable cloth or other material of like nature, transparent and relatively
pliant, and of dimensions which admit of its being inserted in the metal part
Figure 7 in such a way that the four edges of the sheet are clipped under the
four tongues 16 and the corners of the sheet form tongues 17 projecting from
the openings between the four flaps 15 as illustrated in Figure 7, forms the dish.
This lining sheet (Figure 8) has a graduated scale which enables measurement
of the liquid poured into the dish.

page_text: Figures 9 and 10 represent the drying-frame or rack which is folded when
placed in the case as shown in Figure 10, and open for use as in Figure 9. Two
light frames 18 and 19 are assembled and pivoted together at 20, and a link 21
maintains them in position forming right angles one with the other when open.
The bottom of each of these frames is formed of a band of corrugated sheet
metal 22 and 23, the said bands supporting the photograph plates during washing
and drying.
The printing frame 24 (Figures 11, 12 and 13) is of metal and has a mounting
all around of flexible india-rubber 26. This mounting is hollowed in such a
way that glued against the metal band of the frame it acts as an air cushion.
This mounting 26 is bodily kept in position by the four metal links 28. A
plate or tablet 27 also advantageously of metal, and furnished with a foldable
fastening inside, rests with its four corners on the india-rubber mounting 26
being held thereto by means of the four movable arms or links 28, jointed to
grooves 25. The plate 27 has hinges 29 and 30, which enable, by opening one
or the other, the examination of the photographic proof placed with the negative
between the plate and frame.
Having now described a special type of the pocket case I wish to state that the
materials, form and dimensions given for the different parts may vary provided
that the complete case when closed does not exceed the dimensions of an ordinary
dish for the same size of photograph.
The lamp, in particular, may not be intended to form part of the case. When
this is so the width of the edges 31, 32, 33, are considerably reduced so that the
folded lamp assumes the shape of a portfolio. This lamp and all the other
objects are then enclosed in a box and in such case it would no longer be requisite
to have folding dishes, it would suffice to fit dishes of reduced size one in the
other, place therein the afore-mentioned printing-frame as also the drying-frame
and my lamp, to attain always the object of my invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
The combination pocket case or set of photographic dark-room requisites or
utensils comprising a folding lamp without chimney the top and base hinged to
and folding behind the front a sheet of mica or other like transparent substance
for window, apertures in the bottom and back covered with a thin red textile
or other substance to screen the light, folding dishes consisting of a frame with
hinged flaps capable of being raised to a desired angle and having their outer
edges adapted for retaining the edges of a sheet forming a dish or lining, a
printing-frame without springs the latter being replaced by a hollow india-rubber
mounting between the plate and frame, intended to press the negative; the lamp
forming when needed a box for the other parts, substantially as described and
set forth.
HENRY H. LEIGH,
No. 22, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.