Improvements in Portable Photographic Cameras.
Year: 1890

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PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Portable Photographic Cameras.
ALEC JONES 3 Upper Gilmore Place Edinburgh, Commercial Traveller, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:--
The object of my invention is to arrange a bellows body camera that can be
rapidly and easily fixed in position, and be perfectly rigid and extremely portable,
and also to allow for a difference in its length so as to be adapted to the varying
foci of the lens.
Into the frame of a bellows-body camera, I hinge two strong wire (preferably
steel) supports, bent at right angles, and forming 3 sides of a square, the lower or
middle side being the pin of the hinge; the ends being hinge bound by wedges are
adjusted to spring into suitable receptacles fixed on to the front of the camera, either
at the top and bottom, or opposite sides as desired.
To adjust the camera to different lengths for focussing the lens I multiply the
number of sets of slots or holes into which the wire sides are fixed on the camera
front, to as many as necessary, each set being placed on a different plane, permits
of the camera being made longer or shorter, as the supports are fitted into these
different sets of receptacles.
Dated this 27th day of September 1900
ALEC JONES,
3, Upper Gilmore Place, Edinboro.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Portable Photographic Cameras.
I, ALEC JONES, of 41 West Cumberland Street, Glasgow, North Britain,
Commercial Traveller, 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 :-
The object of my invention is to arrange a bellows body camera that can
be rapidly and easily fixed in position and be perfectly rigid and extremely portable
and also to allow for a difference in its length so as to be adapted to the varying
force of the lens.
Into the frame of a bellows body camera I hinge two strong wire (preferably
steel) supports, bent at right angles and forming three sides of a square, the lower
or middle side being the pin of the hinge; the ends being hinge-bound by wedges
are adjusted to spring into suitable receptacles fixed on to the front of the camera,
either at the top and bottom, or opposite sides as desired.
To adjust the camera to different lengths for focussing the lens, I multiply
the number of sets of slots or holes into which the wire sides are fixed on the
camera front, to as many as necessary, each set being placed on a different plane
permits of the camera being made longer or shorter, as these supports are fitted into
the different sets of receptacles.
In order that my invention may be properly understood and readily carried into
effect I have hereunto appended an explanatory sheet of drawings, in the several
figures of which corresponding parts are marked with the same letters of
reference.
Figure 1 shows the camera folded down for portability.
TA
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page_text: Figures 3 and 4 are sections showing the wire supports for keeping the bellows
extended.
Into the frame of the bellows-body, two strong wire supports a a and b bare
hinged at ccc² c³. These supports are bent at right angles as shown on the
drawings, and form three sides of a quadrilateral. Notches or slots a' 6' are cut in
the ends of the supports. On the front dd a metal plate is fitted which has holes
pierced in it to engage in the notches. When it is desired to fix the camera
for taking a photograph, the bellows is drawn out, and the wire supports are sprung
in at the ends so as to engage in the holes in the front. The spring of the supports
causes the notches to catch in the holes, and keeps the camera perfectly rigid.
Several notches may be cut in the supports so that the distance between the lens
and the focussing plate may be adjusted according to the distance of the object. If
desired, the wooden front carrying the lens may be tilted by causing the holes on
one side to engage in a higher or lower notch than on the other side. This will
answer the same purpose as the swing back of the ordinary camera.
Instead of the metal plate with holes pierced in it rigidly attached to the
front dd, I may use two rods connected to the front by staples, but capable
of turning round in the staples. These rods have holes at their ends and are long
enough to allow of the distance between the holes being equal to the distance
between the ends of the metal support as shown in dotted lines in Figure 2 when
not sprung in. When constructed thus, as the camera is folded down, the wire
supports slide through the holes in the rods and will fold up without disengaging
the supports. This is illustrated at Figure 5, which shows the front and top
portion of one of the supports. ee is the metal rod attached to the front of the
camera d d by the staples ff. The rod is turned when it passes through the
staples to allow it to revolve in the staples. Holes g g are made in the rod which
engage with the notches in the wire support. As the camera is folded down,
the support a a slides in the holes gg, and as the rod ee is free to turn in
the staples, the front d d always remains parallel to the back as it closes in.
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 :-
1. The portable camera with folding wire supports which are used for keeping
the bellows rigidly extended for use, and having means for adjusting the distance
between the lens and back plate.
2. The portable camera with folding wire supports which are used for keeping
the bellows rigidly extended for use, and having means for tilting the front so as to
answer the purpose of the swing back, substantially as described.
Dated this 26th day of May 1891.
BOTTOMLEY & LIDDLE,
154, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Applicant's Agents.