Improvements in Magazine or Detective Cameras.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Feb., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 13th Nov., 1891-Accepted, 16th Jan., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Magazine or Detective Cameras.
I, ARTHUR JOHN BUNCHER of Whittall Street, in the City of Birmingham,
Printer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in magazine or detective cameras, or in
other words, that class of cameras, in which a number of sensitive plates are stored,
and successively used or exposed, as occasion requires.
By my invention, the plates are automatically taken from a pile or battery of
plates, and from thence transferred to a position, (face forward), at the back of the
camera, and in a focussed position opposite the lens, which is situated at the
front of the camera, while at the same time a previously exposed plate or plates,
is or are stored at the back of the camera, and at the back of the last trans-
ferred plate.
My invention consists in the 1st part, in the construction of the camera box. In
the second part, in means for feeding the sensitive plates from a pile to the camera.
In the 3rd part, in the construction or formation of the compartment for the
reception of the pile of plates. In the 4th part, in a telescopic plate feeder, and
in the 5th part, in guide or race means, for elongating the plate feeder, in order that
the same can follow up the plates, during their transit into a focussed position. In
the 6th part, in means for tilting the plate, prior to the engagement of its carrying
frame, with the hooked end of the feeder. In the 7th part, in the plate carrying
frames.
The camera box, is an erect six-sided figure, open at top and rear, and with the
front enclosed and fitted with an inside disposed, or other lens. The front upper
part of the box, is made after the manner of a well or receptacle, with an open
bottom, but with the opposite sides of the said well, in the direction from front to
rear of the box, provided with plate rests, in the form of flanges or shelf strips,
running about two thirds from front to rear of the well as aforesaid, and then
inclining or curving themselves downwards to vertical stop rests, against which,
the edges of the carrying frames of the plates, rest, when in a position for
exposure.
Running parallel with the said plate, and stop rests, is a curved race or guide,
for the purpose as hereinafter described.
The underside of the back end of the partition of the well, is open to a height of
the depth of the plates from the tops of the horizontal rests, whilst directed at the
upper back part of the camera, and in the same plane as the top of the horizontal
plate rests as aforesaid, which support the pile, is a platform or floor, with the
fore part next to the partition of the back end of the well, open, wherethrough
the plate to be transferred to its assigned position across the camera, downwardly
passes.
The rear termination of the platform or flooring, is provided with an upwardly
directed curved or inclined part, for tilting or transferring the plates from a hori-
zontal to an inclined position, so that the hooked end of the feeder, can engage
with a hooked fore part of the plate carrying frame, so that as the plates, which
are placed face upwards, are transported or conveyed from the pile, they are slid
rearwards, and followed up by the feeder, and their front ends then made to
impinge against the aforesaid curve or incline, which lies within the path of
their traverse, hence the first tilting of the plates by the said curve, and the
complete turning of them to a vertical position upon the front edge of the platform
by the feeder.
The extreme back of the camera, which is the store for the exposed plates, has

page_text: a spirally coiled spring, which admits of the spirals taking the same plane as each
other when compressed, although a flat spring may be used in lieu thereof if
necessary.
The feeder consists of an arm, jointed at its lower end to the front of the camera,
and adapted to turn inwardly, and with the axial ends extending through the
opposite sides, for the operation of the same, by turns, or short arms connected to
them.
The upper end of this arm, or quadrant working arm, is provided with a
supplementary piece, which works telescopically, and slides within its upper part,
so as to admit of the feeder lengthening itself, consequent upon the angle made
by it, and in order to follow up the plates in their traverse rearwards.
The two opposite edges of the supplementary sliding part, have outstanding pins
or studs, which work within races, or upon guides, of the figure or contour of the
plate or stop rests, but with the lower parts of the said races or guides left open,
for the clearance of the feeder in the passing of the same back to its normal position,
which is in front of the carrier, and beyond the front edges of the plate frames
piled within the well or store.
The plate frame has an open front and closed back, with the metal at two
opposite sides, turned over, and with the front middle part slightly extended and
made hook wise, whilst the middle part of the closed back, has a lip, for holding the
said plates in the frames.
OPERATION.
Assuming a pile of plates (face upwards) to be within the well, and a loose
bearing plate to be placed at the back of the camera, and to be pressed home by
the spring, the turning fully back of the feeder, slightly lifts the plates, and brings
the top edge of the supplementary part of the feeder, on a level with, and at the
back of the front edge of the bottom plate of the pile, and with the outwardly
directed studs or pins taking within the race in the sides or walls of the camera.
The turning inwards of the feeder, causes its upper edge as aforesaid to impress
itself against the bottom plate, which is then traversed rearward by the impinge-
ment, passing under the partition walls at the back of the well, upon the top of the
platform or table, and above the opening, and with the front part impinging against
the incline, which said front part on traversing up the same, tilts the plate upon
the front edge of the platform, as a fulcrum, and causes the supplementary end of
the said feeder, to hook or link itself with the plate frame, which is then raised.
thereby into a vertical position at the back of the partition rear wall of the well,
when the feeder and plate descend, with the latter coming at the front of, and
pressing back the previously exposed plate or plates, if any, if not, then the false
back as aforesaid.
The front of the last exposed plate, bears against the vertical stop rests, and
with the feeder lying flat upon the bottom of the camera box.
At the same time that the plate is transferred from the well to its position for
exposing, the pins or studs of the supplementary part, travel within the races,
channels or guides, and so distends or contracts the telescopic part, so that the end
of the same shall constantly bear upon or follow up the plates. To transfer another
plate from the pile, turn back the feeder, when the pins or studs return clear
of the races, and the said feeder takes an erect position.at the back of the then
bottom plate of the pile, and with its pins or studs opposite to the entrance to the
race.
Dated this 12th day of February 1201

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Magazine or Detective Cameras.
I, ARTHUR JOHN BUNCHER of Whittall Street, in the City of Birmingham,
Printer 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 improvements in magazine photographic cameras, or
detective magazine hand photographic cameras as hereinafter described.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings, represents in vertical section, a magazine
camera, or a hand magazine detective camera, constructed, arranged and provided
according to my invention.
The said camera is shown in operation, and with a part pile of plates within the
magazine, and with a portion, or the remaining portion, which have been exposed,
shown at the back of the camera.
The lower carrier, having within it the lower plate of the pile, is shown taken
hold of by a radius arm, which is dilating in its constitution, and adapted to pilot
the plates to an exposing position at the back of the camera, and before those
sensitised plates previously transferred, and already exposed.
Figure 2 represents a transverse section of Figure 1 upon the dotted lines A. B.
The said lines are taken first inwards of the back wall of the magazine, then down
to the bottom carrier but one, then along the topside of the bottom carrier of the
pile, then a section through its fore part, and then directed rearwardly through the
body of the carrier.
This view shows how the radius arm takes hold of the plate carriers, by the
hooked fore part of the upper and movable section of the said arm, coming against
the semi-circular lip end of a carrier, when by pressure applied to the said radius
arm, through the intervention of the turns on the side, the said hooked end of the
arm, passes over the hooked lip of the carrier, and snaps behind the same, by the
contraction of the spring, which was formerly slightly distended by the initial and
rising motion.
It also shows how the upper section of the said radius arm, works telescopically
in the lower section, and it is kept in a contracted position by the spring directed
down the back of it, and still further, how the said upper section is dilated or
opened out, and the hook part of the same, made to come in front of the
curled up lip of the carrier, prior to the engagement of the latter with the
former.
Figure 3 represents a like section as Figure 1, but with the carrier and plate
shown in the act of being drawn through the trap opening, during the process of
piloting the plate, to its position in front of the already exposed plates, disposed at
the back of the camera, and pressed home by a false back through the aid of a
spring.
This view also shows how the upper section of the radius arm, during the
operation of piloting the plate, is distended, by the opposite edges of the fore
end of the carrier, following retreating curved ledges, disposed on the opposite side
walls of the camera box, and which lead to position shoulders or ledges, against
which plates to be exposed come.
Figure 4 represents a horizontal section of that portion of the camera at
the bottom of the magazine, and which view shows the stop arrangement,
for preventing the plates and carriers from being taken from out of the
magazine, or from under the pile, until the same has been laid hold of by the
radius arm.
The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures
of the drawings.

page_text: a is the camera body part or box, consisting of an enclosed six-sided figure,
fitted at front with a lens b, and exposure aperture, which latter is made
within the front wall a³ of the said camera body part, while the lens is fitted within
a supplementary vertical partition a', directed at a short distance from the inner
surface of the front wall a².
The fore and top part of the camera box, is made into the form of a well d, and
constitutes the magazine, wherein a series of sensitized plates, fitted within
carriers e, made to receive them, and which carriers with plates, are arranged
pilewise, and with the edges e, of the opposite sides of the lower one, resting upon
ledges f, situated upon the two opposite sides a³, of the camera, and which ledges
extend to retreating curve ledges, a little beyond the middles of the undersides
of the said carriers within the magazine, and which terminate in vertical ledges or
position stops, against which the opposite front edges of the carriers abut, when
the plate is in its assigned position for exposure, as represented.
The exposed plates e¹, are deposited within a chamber a, at the back of the
camera, and rear of the vertical abutments fs, and with a false back a, dis-
posed within the same, and brought up to its acting position by a spring y,
disposed between the back of itself, and the inside back wall of the camera
box.
The magazine d, is enclosed by a trap lid d, whilst its depending back wall d³,
is terminated by a yielding skirting flap d', which prevents the ingress of light to
the magazine during exposure of a last plate fed.
Situated at the after part of the said magazine, is a yielding or spring stop flap h,
which prevents the carriers with their plates, from being disturbed, or their
positions changed until they have been laid hold of by the hooked end of the
telescopic radius armi, which is jointed at 2, and when not in use, lies flat upon
the bottom of the camera.
The stop flap h, best seen in Figure 4, consists of a jointed plate ³, a stud ³,
connected to the free end of a flat spring, connected to the camera at 5, so that
as the carrier with plate is traversed, the stop moves out of the way, in obedience
to pressure applied to it, through the intervention of carrier and radius arm.
Linable with the underside of the bottom of the lowest carrier within the pile,
is a platform or floor j, having at its rear part, a curved guide k, and at its fore
part a trap opening 1, coming opposite the vertical abutments f³, and that part of
the retreating curves, adjacent to them, and through which trap opening,
the plates, in the act of being piloted to their exposing positions, downwardly pass,
after being turned beamwise upon the corner j', of the said platform j, as a fulcrum,
see Figure 3.
The curved guide k, is to act as a guide, and assistance in starting and turning
the carriers with plates from a horizontal, to a vertical position.
Directed at the front, and on the two opposite sides of the camera, are
guiding ledges m, upon which, rollers or trunnion ends ³, at the two opposite
sides of the dilating section 1, of the telescopic radius arm i, run or traverse
on the said arm being taken into a position for its engagement with the plate
carrier.
The telescopic radius arm, consists of a lower hollow section, having working
within it, an upper dilating one, which is capable of being drawn outwardly, to an
extent sufficient to follow up the radius made by the plates, and which drawing out
is performed by the radius of the carriers of the plates, traversing over the straight
and curved ledges as aforesaid.
Contraction of the opening out section of the said arm, is performed by a spring *,
distended between a pin i, of the one part, and the axis of the other part, which
latter works within bearings 7, and is terminated by turn arms or levers i, situated
on the outside of the camera, whilst the said distending part i¹, has a hook termi-
nation, with a returned end 10, which is adapted to engage with an inverted hook
shaped lip e, on each of the carriers e.
Additional pressure is imparted to the carriers with plates in the magazine,

page_text: beyond that given to them by gravity, by means of a spring or springs n, dis-
posed between the trap d', and the pressure panel d. The said spring or springs
also prevent displacement of the said carriers with plates on the camera being
turned up or inverted.
Operation.
Assuming a pile of plates, face upwards to be deposited within the well of the
magazine, the turning fully backwards of the radius arm, through the intervention
of the turns, causes the rollers or trunnion ends ³, to roll up the guides m, lift
the dilating section i¹, to a position, that the hooked end of it, impinges upon the
underside of the front portion of the lower carrier of the pile, which rests in the
path of motion of the said hooked end, and by such impingement, the pile is
slightly lifted, when the said hooked end of the arm, passes behind the end of
the lower carrier, which is moved or slid up to the stop h, as represented in
Figure 1.
By now pressing the turns 8, in the direction as indicated by the arrow (see
Figure 1), the radius arm is pressed-forward, and its hooked end inade to impinge
against the curved lip of the carrier, when the said hooked end passes over the
curved lip, and engages with it. .
The carrier is at the same time, traversed rearwards, pushing aside the flap
stop h, passing through the passage, and with its now after end, taking upon the
top of the platform j, which is tilted by the turning of the underside of the middle
part upon the corner as a fulcrum. Then as the fore edge of the frame of the
carrier travels over the retreating curve, the dilating part of the radius arm is
opened out, in order to follow up the carrier and plate, and safely pilot the same
into position, by the drawing of the said carrier and plate through the trap
opening, vertically downwards to a position between the ledge abutment f³, and
the last plate et, exposed, when the radius arm becomes disconnected from the
carrier and plate thus piloted.
The operation is repeated for every carrier with plate taken from the
magazine.
The sections of the piloting arm, may slide one upon another, instead of one
within the other. The exposed plates are removed from the chamber a', by a door
or loose back a".
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
First A magazine camera, or a detective magazine hand camera, piloting the
carriers with plates, by a distensible or dilating radius arm, pivoted at its lower
end, and actuated by a turn or turns, situated preferably outside the camera, as
described and set forth.
Secondly-A magazine camera, or a detective magazine hand camera, piloting
the plate carriers or plates, by a distensible or dilating radiant arm, in connection
with a guide or guides, leading to the back of the camera, and to the front of the
plates already exposed, as described and set forth.
Thirdly In a magazine camera, the means herein described, for lifting
the distensible section of the piloting arm, and engaging or connecting its hooked
ends with the hooked lips, or the hooked ends of the plate carriers respectively, as
described and set forth."
Fourthly: In a magazine camera, the yielding stop means, as herein described,
in connection with the magazine, for preventing the shooting forward the said
carriers before connection is made with the piloting arm, substantially as set
forth.
Fifthly In a magazine camera, gapping the bottom rear part of the well of the
magazine, and placing rearwardly of it, a platform, and between them, a trap
opening, whereby the plate is allowed to be shot forward, then turned upon the

page_text: front edge of the platform as a fulcrum, to bring the plate vertical, prior to its
descent into an exposing position as set forth.
:-
Sixthly In a magazine camera, the means as described, marked k, for
preventing the overshooting of the plates or carriers, and the too rapid working
of the same, as set forth.
Seventhly-In magazine camera plate carriers, providing one end, or the fore
part of the frames constituting the carriers, with semi-curled lips or hooked ends,
as set forth.
Eighthly In a magazine camera, or a magazine detective hand camera, the
construction and arrangement of the interior of the body or box part of the same,
substantially as described and set forth.
Ninthly In a magazine camera, the improvements in the construction and
arrangement of the parts, as herein described and set forth, whereby the plates are
transferred from the magazine one at a time, to the back of the camera, and in
front of the plates already exposed, and with the sensitized film of the said
transferred plate presented to the lens or front of the camera as set forth.
Tenthly In a magazine camera, the combined means for operating, directing
and working the parts of the camera, in combination with the interior construction
of the same, substantially as, and for the purpose as, set forth and described.
Dated this 12th day of November 1891.
ARTHUR JOHN BUNCHER,
By Henry Skerrett,
6, Livery Street, Birmingham, Agent for Applicant.