Improvements in and connected with Photographic Cameras.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Dec., 1895-Accepted, 11th Jan., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Photographic Cameras.
I, FREDERICK WILLIAM GOLBY, of 36, Chancery Lane in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by Kurt
Bentzin, of Rauschwalderstrasse 28, Görlitz, Germany, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention, which relates to improvements in photographic cameras, said
improvements being particularly applicable to saloon cameras, has for its object
to produce a camera which requires only two manipulations in place of the nine
manipulations which are necessary with the photographic cameras heretofore
in use.
Hitherto, in taking a photograph, it has been necessary for the photographer ;-
1. to fix the focussing screen, 2 to put the dark slide or change box in its
place, 3. to close the objective, 4 to draw out the box-slide, 5 to open the objective,
6 to close the same, 7 to slide the dark slide or change box to, 8 to draw out the
dark slide or change box, and 9 to put in the focussing screen. By the present
invention all these manipulations are effected by the simple sliding of the dark slide
or change box.
The invention is represented in the accompanying drawings.
Figure 1 is a view of the focussing screen with the dark slide introduced;
Figure 2 is a longitudinal section through the dark slide, focussing screen, and
the mechanism for opening the dark slide box; and
Figures 3 & 4 are similar views shewing respectively the position of the parts.
when the dark slide box begins to open and when it is about to be closed;
Figure 5 is a longitudinal section through the dark slide box but on an enlarged
scale;
"
Figure 6 is a part longitudinal section through the camera on an enlarged scale
shewing the mechanism for holding dark slide box cover.
Figures 7 to 14 shew a modification which will be explained hereinafter.
In the photographic camera which forms the subject of this invention the
objective remains continually open.
The dark slide box is furnished with. various flaps or shutters which are so
arranged that, together with the sensitized plates, they are completely shut out
from the light when laid before the objective.
The dark slide box a with sliding cover 6 is introduced into the camera frame A,
and the sliding cover b is by means of its ridge b' held by the catch rail c under
the influence of a spring w. The focussing screen d together with its frame e is
attached to a flexible shutter f which in its turn is attached by a hinge i to a
flap g.
The flexible shutter f is moveable over a roller h, and the flap g is attached to an
elastic cord k. The flap g, under certain clearly defined conditions, gives free.
action to the closing of the dark slide box. The sensitized plate m is completely
closed to the light by means of the shutters n,'o, p, even when the sliding cover b
of the dark slide box is open. The shutter n is furnished with a hinges which
tends to open it; the shutter o is attached to an elastic cord q which tends to open
it; while the shutter p, with a spring at r and fastened hingewise, holds the
shutter o in a closed position when the slide 6 is opened.
If the dark slide box be now attached to the frame e of the focussing screen d by

page_text: means of the book r, the sensitized plate m in the box a can be exposed to the light
by a single downward sliding movement of the dark slide.
The result produced by this sliding movement is as follows ;-
When the box a attached to the frame e is pushed downwards (Fig. 2) the
box is opened by the sliding cover b being held fast at its ridge b¹ by the catch
rail c.
It is the principal condition now that the shutters n, o and p, be momentarily
opened and suddenly reclosed. Whilst as shewn the box a is brought to the dark
slide position, Fig. 3, the shutter p holds fast the shutter o beneath it, and the
shutter o similarly holds the shutter n. Now when the sliding cover b is drawn
out to the hinger of the shutter p, the shutters n, o, p, can open entirely into the
position shewn in Figure 4. The rubber band k serves to open the flap g in every
position of the camera. When the box with the dark slide is slid up again after
exposure, the flap g, fastened to the flexible shutter f, first closes up in consequence
of the friction of the roller 1, takes the shutter n up with it, and holds it closed
until the shutters p and o are closed by the sliding cover b. The latter shutter o
holds the shutter n in a closed position, so that by a further upward sliding
movement the box a is completely closed. Only two movements are therefore
necessary, consisting of pushing down the box previously attached to the frame of
the focussing screen, and the raising of said box and its simultaneous removal
from the camera.
• Another example of the invention is illustrated in Figures 7 to 14. By the
employment of the same principle of construction, the camera is so arranged that
two impressions can be taken on different parts of the same plate, one after the
other. In a frame B a second frame C containing the focussing screen D moves
up and down with the dark slide. On a ridge y of this second frame C moves the
roller N which is fixed with a spring fork M to the box E and can be momentarily
released and the latter attached to the frame C. The handle bar G at the top F
of the box E renders a light sliding movement possible.
The box and dark slide are thus connected together as shewn in Figure 7. The
angular block H with rim J acts as a guide for the box. If the box be pushed
downward as shewn by dotted lines in Figure 7 the shutter O which is held closed
by the slide S, opens out when the box E is brought to the exposed position shewn
in Figure 11. By a downward sliding movement, the slide S, held by the spring
clips T T, is drawn out by the sliding of the box and the shutter O thus released..
The shutter O is under the influence of an elastic hinge which tends to open it.
If now the box is pushed from right to left after the exposure of the first plate
into the position shewn in Figure 12, the shutter O will be closed by the
abutment z; the shutter P will open, and the part of the plate X which is behind
it will be exposed. The sliding cover Q employed specially for the closing of the
box is held or drawn out respectively by a beading L which catches on the
ridge Q', (see Figs. 9, 11, 13, and 14). The exposure of the plate X is rapidly
effected whilst the shutter P is immediately reclosed by a movement of the box E
from left to right. The twelve manipulations by the photographer hitherto
required for the taking of such impressions are thus reduced by this arrangement
to two, namely;-1, by the sliding in two directions from top downwards to the
left and back again; and 2, by the removal of the box from the frame.
The exposure of the plate can be extended as desired and also instantaneously
reduced at the moment of sliding. A spring U on the guiding rod R draws the
slide S back and the box inwards when the exposure is completed, whilst the
sliding cover is instantaneously reclosed by means of the ledge Q on
the backward movement of the box.
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. A photographic camera distinguished by the arrangement of a dark slide or

page_text: change box having a number of flaps or shutters so disposed that by the action of
sliding the box into position in the camera, the slide is opened and the flaps or
shutters released, said flaps or shutters and the slide being reclosed by the with-
drawal of the box from the camera after exposure, the bottom shutter in said box
being closed by a hinged flap connected to the flexible shutter in the dark slide or
change box, while the top shutters are closed by the closing of the slide
substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore described and illustrated in
Figures 1 to 6 of the accompanying drawings.
2. A modification of the camera indicated in the preceding claim for taking two
impressions by first exposing one half of the plate, then sliding the box to one side
and exposing the other half, the parts being constructed and arranged to operate
substantially as and for the purpose herein before described. and illustrated in
Figures 7 to 14 of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 5th day of December 1895
F. W. GOLBY,
36 Chancery Lane, London, W.C.
F. W. GOLBY,
36 Chancery Lane, London, W.C.