Improvements in Apparatus for Copying by Photography.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 6th June, 1889
Complete Specification Left, 6th Mar., 1890-Accepted, 12th Apr., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Copying by Photography.
We ARCHIBALD BARR Professor of Engineering and WILLIAM STROUD Professor of
Physics both of the Yorkshire College Leeds in the County of York, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Our Invention has reference to the copying by means of photography of pictures
drawings book illustrations and the like, more especially for cases in which it is
desirable to have the reproductions or negatives of all of one size or restricted to a very
few definite sizes. Now the object of our Invention is to provide an apparatus by
means of which such copying may be effected with ease, rapidity, and accuracy.
Such an apparatus should provide or consist of means, 1° for properly supporting
the book or picture; and 2° for supporting the camera and adjusting the same at the
proper height and distance and in the proper position with reference to the picture,
and also for focussing the same. One of the most useful cases to which our Invention
may be applied, is the production for lecture use of lantern slides of illustrations from
books, and we shall describe our Invention with reference to such use, as this perhaps
best illustrates and ascertains the nature of our Invention.
An Apparatus constructed in accordance with our Invention consists in the first
place of a holder or support for the book. Such holder may conveniently consist of
a box-shaped frame, open at the front and provided at the back with two sliding boards
arranged so that they can be simultaneously and to an equal extent moved towards or
from a central vertical line. The upper edges of the boards may be arranged to
move in a narrow groove in the under side of the top board of the frame close to the
back edge thereof. The lower edges of the sliding boards may be similarly fitted to
slide in grooves in the bottom of the frame, or provided with lugs or bosses fitting on
a tubular or plain slide or guide bar. The two sliding boards are so connected
together that they are constrained to move simultaneously and to an equal extent
towards or from the centre vertical line, (in which their inner edges would meet if
closed up). This may be effected by suitable link mechanism, but is perhaps most
conveniently carried out by providing each sliding board at its lower end with a
tapped or screwed boss or socket, fitting respectively on opposite (i.e. the right and
In this case
left hand) side portions of a quick pitched right and left handed screw.
a guide for the lower edges of the sliding boards as above mentioned is unnecessary.
The book opened to the page containing the illustration to be copied, is placed with
this page against the back sliding boards, which have been opened the necessary
distance so as to expose the illustration to be copied. The opposite page of the book
is laid on the top board of the frame at the back thereof, and a pointer or index
attached to one or other of the sliding boards facilitates the adjustment of the boards
to give the proper opening, the size of which may have been previously ascertained
by measurement from the illustration. A couple of Argand gas burners or other
source of light, placed one towards each side and towards the front of the frame,
supply the necessary illumination for the picture; the front of the frame being of
course covered in so much at each side, as to exclude the direct light from the lens of
the camera. Instead of using artificial light, the frame may be arranged and placed
so as to expose the illustration to be copied to daylight.
The second part of our Invention relates to the means for supporting, adjusting,
and focussing the camera. The camera is supported by mechanism for adjusting it to
the proper height, (to be afterwards described) from a frame or carriage capable of
being moved on a railway or longitudinal guide, so that the centre line of the camera
may be moved to and fro in a direction at right angles to the back of the frame or
book holder, i.e. to the illustration to be copied. An index or pointer attached to the

page_text: carriage or frame, and a scale of equal parts fixed on the side of the railway or
longitudinal guide enables the camera to be at once adjusted at the proper distance
from the book holder to produce a negative of the desired size.
The scale is most conveniently graduated and marked according to the longest
dimension of the picture to be copied so that when the camera is placed with the
index opposite this division the image of the picture in the camera will be of the
desired size.
The camera is supported from the carriage or frame by means of a parallel motion,
so constructed as to keep the camera in a perfectly horizontal position both longi-
tudinally and transversely, and preferably so as to constrain the camera to move in
a vertical line, so that its up and down motion may not affect its distance from the
book holder. Such a parallel motion may consist of two pairs of hinged boards, (or
equivalent link connections), the angular or radial movement of the one pair being
at right angles to the angular or radial movement of the other pair. Or the two
pairs may be arranged with their angular or radial movements in the same sense or
direction, in which case a vertical guide and a connecting board or rods joining
the middle hinge is required in order to keep the camera perfectly horizontal in a
longitudinal direction. The lower boards hinged to the carriage or frame may
further be prolonged below the point or axes at which they are hinged to the
frame or carriage, and carry a balance weight or weights to facilitate the raising
and lowering of the camera. Or a spring may be introduced so as to balance or
partially balance the weight of the camera. Such spring may be conveniently
introduced at the hinge connecting a pair of radial boards or frames. A pointer
attached to the camera and a vertical scale of equal parts fixed to the carriage or
frame facilitates the adjustment of the camera to the proper height, a scale of equal
parts being also attached to the inner edge of one or both of the sliding boards of
the book holder, for reading off the requisite height of the camera. The moveable
or negative end of the camera is provided with a pointer or index, and the base of
the camera with a scale of reciprocals for facilitating the focussing of the camera;
the graduations and markings of this scale being made to correspond with those
of the scale indicating the distance of the camera from the book holder. By the
arrangement of scales described, if a picture for example having 12 ins. as its
longest dimension is to be reproduced, the camera is to be moved to the mark 12
on the railway, and the back end of the camera to the mark 12 on the base board of
the camera.
Provision may be made for securing the camera in any position in which it may
have been adjusted.
In order to facilitate the use of the apparatus for the production of positives from
negatives, provision may be made for supporting the negative in the same position
as that described for the book holder; or provision may be made to alter the position
and a second pointer or index attached to the camera carriage at a distance from
the other equal to the distance between the front and back of the book holder.
To support loose drawings, photographs, pictures we may provide a board to which
they may be fixed, such board being furnished with a ledge or brackets at right
angles thereto, so as to rest upon the top board of the frame.
Dated this 5th day of June 1889
J. CLARK JEFFERSON,
2, East Parade, Leeds, Agent for aforesaid two Applicants.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Copying by Photography.
We ARCHIBALD BARR Professor of Engineering in the University of Glasgow and
late Professor of Engineering in the Yorkshire College Leeds, and WILLIAM STROUD,
Professor of Physics in the Yorkshire College Leeds in the County of York 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 has reference to the copying by means of photography of pictures,"
drawings, book illustrations and the like, more especially for cases in which it is desirable
to have the reproductions or negatives all of one size, or restricted to a very few
definite sizes. Now the object of our invention is to provide an apparatus by means
of which such copying may be effected with ease, rapidity, and accuracy.
Such an apparatus should provide or consist of means, Firstly, For properly
supporting the book or picture, and Secondly for supporting the camera and adjusting
the same at the proper height and distance and in the proper position with reference
to the picture, and also for focussing the same. One of the most useful cases to
which our Invention may be applied is the production for lecture use of lantern
slides of illustrations from books, and we shall describe our Invention with reference
to such use, as this perhaps best illustrates and ascertains the nature, and shews in
what manner our Invention may be performed.
An apparatus constructed in accordance with our Invention consists in the first
place of a holder or support for the book. Such holder may conveniently consist of
a box shaped frame, open at the front, and provided at the back with two sliding
boards, arranged so that they can be simultaneously and to an equal extent moved
towards or from a central vertical line. The upper edges of the boards may be
arranged to move in a narrow groove in the underside of the top board of the frame
close to the back edge thereof. The lower edges of the sliding boards may be
similarly fitted to slide in grooves in the bottom of the frame, or provided with
lugs or bosses fitting on a tubular or plain slide or guide bar. The two sliding boards
are so connected together, that they are constrained to move simultaneously and to
an equal extent towards or from the centre vertical line, (in which their inner edges
would meet if closed up). This may be effected by suitable link mechanism, but is
perhaps most conveniently carried out by providing each sliding board at its lower
end with a tapped or screwed boss or socket, fitting respectively on opposite (i.e. the
right and left hand) portions of a quick pitched right and left handed screw.
this case a guide for the lower edges of the sliding boards as above mentioned. is
unnecessary. The book, opened to the page containing the illustration to be copied,
is placed with this page against the back sliding boards, which have been opened the
necessary distance, so as to expose the illustration to be copied. The opposite page
of the book is laid on the top board of the frame at the back thereof, and a pointer
or index, attached to one or other of the sliding boards, facilitates the adjustment of
the boards to give the proper opening; the size of which may have been previously
ascertained by measurement from the illustration. A couple of Argand gas burners,
(or other source of light), placed one towards each side and towards the front of the
frame, supply the necessary illumination for the picture, the front of the frame being
of course covered in so much at each side as to exclude the direct light from the lens
of the camera. Instead of using artificial light, the. frame may be arranged and
placed so as to expose the illustration to be copied to day light.
In
The second part of our Invention relates to the means for supporting, adjusting and
focussing the camera. The camera is supported by mechanism for adjusting it to the
proper height, (to be afterwards described), from a frame or carriage, capable of
being moved on a railway or longitudinal guide, so that the centre line of the camera
may be moved to and fro in a direction at right angles to the back of the fraine or

page_text: book holder; i.e. at right angles to the illustration to be copied. An index or pointer,
attached to the carriage or frame, and a scale of equal parts, fixed on the side of the
railway or longitudinal guide, enable the camera to be at once adjusted at the
proper distance from the book holder to produce a negative of the desired size.
The scale is most conveniently graduated and marked according to the longest
dimension of the picture to be copied; so that when the camera is placed with the
index opposite this division, the image of the picture in the camera will be of the
desired size.
The camera is supported from the carriage or frame by means of a parallel motion,
so constructed as to keep the camera in a perfectly horizontal position both longitu-
dinally and transversely, and preferably so as to constrain the camera to move in a
vertical line, in order that its up and down motion may not affect its distance from
the book holder. Such a parallel motion may consist of two pairs of hinged boards
(or equivalent link connections), the angular or radial movement of one pair being at
right angles to the angular or radial movement of the other pair. Or the two pairs
may be arranged with their angular or radial movements in the same sense or
direction; in which case a vertical guide and a connecting board or rods joining the
middle hinges is required, in order to keep the camera perfectly horizontal in a
longitudinal direction. The lower boards hinged to the carriage or frame may
further be prolonged below the point or axes at which they are hinged to the frame
or carriage, and carry a balance weight or weights to facilitate the raising and
lowering of the camera. Or a spring may be introduced, so as to balance or partially
balance the weight of the camera. Such spring may be conveniently introduced at
the hinge connecting a pair of radial boards or frames. A pointer attached to the
camera and a vertical scale of equal parts fixed to the carriage or frame facilitate the
adjustment of the camera to the proper height, a scale of equal parts being also
attached to the inner edge of one or both of the sliding boards of the book holder for
reading off the requisite height of the camera. The moveable or negative end of the
camera is provided with a pointer or index, and the base of the camera with a scale of
reciprocals for facilitating the focussing of the camera; the graduations and markings
of this scale being made to correspond with those of the scale indicating the distance
of the camera from the book holder. By the arrangement of the scales described, if
a picture, having for example 12 ins. as its longest dimension, is to be reproduced,
the camera is to be moved to the mark 12 on the railway, and the back end of the
camera to the mark 12 on the base board of the camera.
Provision may be made for securing the camera in any position to which it may
have been adjusted.
In order to facilitate the use of the apparatus for the production of positives from
negatives, provision may be made for supporting the negative in the same position as
that described for the book holder; or provision may be made to alter the position,
aud a second pointer or index attached to the camera carriage at a distance from
the other equal to the distance which the negative is from the back of the book
holder.
To support loose drawings, photographs, pictures and the like, we may provide a
board to which they may be fixed, such board being furnished with a ledge or
brackets at right angles thereto, so as to rest upon the top board of the book
holder.
The apparatus can evidently be used also for photographing many kinds of objects,
such as botanical specimens, bas relief casts, or other objects which can be supported
at the back of the book holder.
And in order that our Invention and the manner in which the same is to be
performed may be more clearly understood, reference is given to the accompanying
drawing and to the letters and marks thereon.
Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4 represent an apparatus constructed in accordance with our
Invention, and of which :-
Fig. 1 represents a back view of the book holder; Fig. 2, a side elevation of the

page_text: apparatus, the book holder however being represented in section on a vertical plan at
or near the centre; Fig. 3 a front end view of the camera and its supports or con-
nections with the railway; and Fig. 4 a plan of the apparatus, the book holder
however being represented in section.
In these figures the book holder represented open at the front as shewn at A,
and provided at the back with two sliding boards B, B. These boards have feathers
at their upper ends, which are guided in a groove C in the underside of the top D.
The lower ends of the boards are shewn as carrying transverse pieces, to which
are attached nuts F, and F., and plain bearings H, and H These nuts F, and F2
fit respectively the right and left hand screws G₁ and G. The bearings H₁ and H₂
slide on the outside of the threads of the screws. The screws are formed in one rod,
or are attached together, and are supported in bearings attached to the ends, or to the
base board E of the book holder. The screws are preferably of very quick pitch, so
that when the boards B₁ and B, are pushed towards or from each other, the screwed
rod will rotate, permitting the boards to move, but constraining them to move
simultaneously and to an equal extent towards or from a central vertical line; or
the screws may be made with an ordinary pitch, and means provided for rotating
them so as to move the boards simultaneously and to equal extents. A scale on
the back edge of the base board E (see Fig. 1.) and indices I, and I, connected to
the sliding boards B, and B, serve to shew when the boards are at a sufficient
distance apart to expose the illustration or object to be photographed. The illus-
tration or object can further be set by this means truly centrally opposite the camera.
A couple of Argand burners, (or other sources of light), are placed in positions such
as are indicated by J, and J, in the figures.
The camera X rests on a base W, on which the end Y can be slid for the purpose
of focussing. The base or board W is supported from a carriage K, which can be
moved along a railway or longitudinal guide L. An index M, attached to the
carriage K, and a scale N of equal parts, upon the railway L, enable the camera to be
adjusted at the proper distance from the book holder to produce a negative of the
required size from a picture or object of known dimensions.
The camera is supported from the carriage K by means of two pairs of hinged
boards P₁ P, and O, O2, the angular motion of one pair being at right angles to the
angular motion, of the other pair. These boards allow the camera to be moved
vertically relatively to the carriage K, but constrain it to remain always horizontal,
and in addition prevent any longitudinal or transverse motion. These boards may
evidently be replaced by rigid frames or parallel motions, correspondingly hinged and
connected together and to the board W and the carriage K.
A scale of reciprocals, on or attached to the camera base W and a pointer U
attached to the end Y of the camera enable the camera to be focussed when the
scale has been graduated to correspond to the scale N upon the railway. A scale T
on one or both of the sliding boards B₁ B₂ of the book holder enables the height of
the middle of the picture or object being copied to be read off; and a vertical scale S
attached to the carriage, and graduated to correspond with the scale T, and a
pointer R attached to the camera base enable the camera to be quickly set, so that its
lens is opposite the centre of the height of the picture. This may be done most
conveniently by making the unit of the scale S half that of the scale T, and so
arranging its position, that if the numbers represented by the graduations opposite
the top and bottom of the picture being copied are read off on the scale T, and the
index R set to the graduations on the scale. S corresponding to the sum of these
numbers, the camera will be at the proper elevation. A milled headed screw is shewn
by means of which the camera may be fixed at the proper elevation when set.
A spring may be provided between the hoards P, and P₂, or O, and O₂, to balance
or partially balance the weight of the camera; or one or both of the lower boards O₂
or P, may be prolonged through or past the carriage K, and weighted at the lower
end to balance the camera.
Fig. 5 shews an alternative arrangement for controlling the motions of the boards B₁
and B. These boards are guided on a plain guide rod a, instead of upon the screws

page_text: above described, and they are connected by links b b¹ to a sliding block c upon another
guide rod dat right angles to the first, (i.e. to a).
Figs. 6 and 7 shew an alternative arrangement or mode of supporting the camera.
In this arrangement the two pairs of hinged boards are placed parallel to each other.
They may be connected together by a horizontal rod attached to one board of each
pair at or near the hinges connecting the two boards of each pair, the arrangement
being such, that the boards O, and P, are maintained parallel to each other, and like-
wise the boards O2 and. P2. Or the lower pair of hoards O2 and P2 may be prolonged
below the base carriage K as shewn in Figs. 6 and 7, and connected by a link at Q to
accomplish the same end. The link Q may further be made heavy so as to balance
the weight of the camera. In this case a vertical guide Z', (not required in the
previous case shewn in Figs 2 and 3), is provided, in which a piece attached to
the camera base slides so as to constrain the camera to move vertically relatively to
the carriage K.
In the arrangement shewn in Figs. 6 and 7, in order further to control the
boards O, P, and O, P2, so that they shall remain always parallel, it is advisable to
provide pieces, say of triangular form, attached at right angles either to O₁ P₁, or
to O₂ P2, and at the opposite side of these boards from the vertical guide, and to
connect the outer extremities of these by a link of a length equal to the distance
between the corresponding hinges of the two pairs, as illustrated in Fig. 8.
Z shews a board upon which loose pictures, drawings, or other objects to be photo-
graphed may be attached and supported from the book-holder.
To facilitate the copying of negatives by the apparatus, provision may be made for
supporting the negatives in a fixed position at or near the front A of the book holder,
and a second pointer M¹ provided upon the carriage K at a distance from the main
pointer M equal to the distance between the negative and the back of the book
holder; or a second series of graduations or numbers may be put upon the scale N,
so as to correspond with the position chosen in which to fix the negative. A white
sheet of paper may then be used at the back of the book holder to reflect light through
the negative.
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 :-
1° An apparatus for photographing pictures, book illustrations, and other objects,
consisting of a holder or support for the object, a camera and camera supports, a
longitudinal guide or railway, on which the camera and camera supports are mounted
capable of being moved longitudinally thereon, and scales for the purpose of adjusting
or indicating the proper position of the camera with respect to the object, so as to
obtain a photograph of the desired size.
2° A support or holder, for supporting the object to be photographed, provided with
vertical boards so connected or constrained, that whatever may be the distance apart
to which they are adjusted, the centre line of their space between the inner edges remains
the same.
3° The means substantially as herein set forth and illustrated in Figs. 1 and 4 and
in Fig. 5 respectively, for constraining the motion of the vertical boards B and B', so
that the centre line of the space between their inner edges remains the same: viz.:-
(a) the right and left handed (preferably quick pitched) screws G, and G₂ fitting or
passing through nuts attached to the boards B₁ and B, respectively; and (b) the plain
guide rod a, links bb, sliding block c and guide rod d at right angles to the guide
rod a.
4° A camera support consisting essentially of two pairs of hinged boards (or equiva-
lent rigidly hinged parallel motions), having the axes or hinges about which they are
moveable at right angles to each other, preferably so that the one pair of hinged
boards has its axes parallel and the other at right angles to the direction of the longi-
tudinal guide or railway, for the purpose herein set forth and substantially as illustrated
by Figs. 2 and 3.

page_text: 5° A camera support consisting essentially of two pairs of hinged boards (or equiva-
lent rigidly hinged parallel motions) having the axes or hinges about which they
are moveable, parallel to each other, and connected by links at right angles to their
axes or hinges, in combination with a vertical guide substantially as herein set forth.
6° In the arrangements referred to under Claims 4° and 5°, the combination therewith
(a) of a spring or springs Q between the boards of one or other of either or of both
pairs of boards, or (b) of a vertical prolongation of the lower binged boards below the
hinges attaching them to the carriage K with attached balance weight or weights
substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.
7° In arrangements for the production of lantern slides or other photographs all
of one size from objects of various sizes, the arrangement of scales herein set forth
by means of which the camera is set and focussed by the adjustment of the camera
carriage and the back end of the camera to graduations indicating the greatest
horizontal or vertical dimensions of the object to be photographed.
Dated this Fifth day of March 1890.
J. CLARK JEFFERSON, A.R.S.M., Wh. Sc.,
2, East Parade, Leeds, Agent for Applicants.