Improvements in Photographic Hand Cameras.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd May, 1892
Complete Specification Left, 3rd Feb., 1893-Accepted, 4th Mar., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Photographic Hand Cameras.
JOHN SKYNNER BAILY BELL 3 Wentworth Place Newcastle upon Tyne
Civil Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to and is for improvements in apparatus for photographic
hand cameras, and I carry it out in the following manner,-
The camera case may be of the usual shape or form or otherwise and with any
additional or necessary adjuncts if required.
Within the camera and immediately behind the lens I have the exposure chamber
and behind this chamber and divided from it by a suitable partition there are two
chambers one above the other and divided by a horizontal plate or partition at or
near the middle of the height of the camera. The upper one of these chambers
is the unexposed chamber for the reception of sensitized plates, and the lower one
is the exposed chamber to receive the sensitized plates after being operated upon
in the exposure chamber. The back end of this chamber being the usual light
proof end cover.
In these two latter chambers there is a cage having a horizontal top plate of
thin sheet iron or other suitable material. The bottom plate is similar to the
upper one and they are connected together with small rods passing through the
horizontal partition and let into grooves in the camera sides or otherwise. The
whole being free to slide up and down in the two chambers. The downward
motion being actuated by the weight of the cage or otherwise.
The cage being say at the top, the upper part is in contact with or contiguous to
the upper part of the unexposed chamber.
There is a horizontal slit or opening in the unexposed chamber at the bottom in
the vertical partition dividing it from the exposure chamber. This slit or opening
is just large enough to allow one sensitized plate with its sheath to slip out into the
exposure chamber, and there is another slit in the upper part of the partition of
the exposed chamber dividing it from the exposure chamber sufficiently large to
allow a plate operated on in the exposure chamber to pass into the exposed
chamber.
•
Immediately in front of these slits there is a shutter kept close by a suitable
spring or springs.
In the exposure chamber there is a tumbler or pivoted plate of suitable shape to
receive the sensitized plate, having its edges turned up at the two sides and at one
end. This plate is pivoted on a horizontal axis at or near its centre and having
spindles or pivot pins let into the sides of the camera case. One of these pins is
continued outwards and on its outer end there is a suitable milled head or other
device or contrivance so as to give the tumbler the necessary amount of motion,
and having an index finger to shew the position inside. There is a stop piece below
the slit in the partition of the exposed chamber for the edge of the tumbler plate
to rest upon when it is at its lowest position that is-in a position to deliver a plate
into the exposed chamber.
There is also a stop piece at the top of the exposure chamber so that the tumbler
may rest in the vertical position-that is in a plane at right angles to the axis of
the camera-when a photograph is being taken. At one side of the exposure
chamber there is a thin strip of metal as a spring or other contrivance which the
tumbler plate presses against in its rotation which steadies the tumbler and arrests
unnecessary motion. This spring has a projection or knob at such a point that the
tumbler is arrested in its motion when in a position suitable to receive one of the
sensitized plates from the unexposed chamber on to the tumbler plate.

page_text: There may be an index and register actuated by the cage so that the descending
cage acting on a hinged lever inside the exposed chamber communicates motion to
an axle which axle is continued to the outside, and an index finger fixed on it there
will shew the number of plates operated upon-or other form of index and register
may be used if desired.
The method of working is as follows,-
The cage in the unexposed chamber is charged with sensitized plates up to its
highest point. The top of the cage being above the highest of these plates. The
tumbler plate is in the vertical position or plane at right angles to the camera.
The first operation is to rotate this plate the necessary quadrant of a circle or
so by the milled head until it is in a position to receive the sensitized plate from
the unexposed chamber. In its downward motion it has pressed the shutter down-
ward before it so that there is a clear opening for one sensitized plate. The camera
is slightly tilted forward and the plate slides out on to the tumbler plate in the
exposure chamber. Secondly the tumbler with the sensitized plate upon it is now
rotated into its proper position to receive the impression. The photograph is taken
and the tumbler with its plate is brought down to the lower stop carrying the
shutter before it. The camera is slightly tilted backwards and the plate slips off
the tumbler through the slit on to the bottom plate of the cage in the exposed
chamber. The tumbler is now slightly rotated and is checked by the knob at a
position to receive a fresh plate from the unexposed chamber, and so the operations
are continued as before until the supply of plates is exhausted. The cage dropping
down as each separate plate is removed from the unexposed chamber.
It will thus be seen that the plate is moved into its various positions without
violence or risk of breakage.
The various parts may be of any suitable shape or material.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Photographic Hand Cameras.
I, JOHN SKYNNER BAILY BELL of 3 Wentworth Place Newcastle on Tyne
Civil Engineer 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 :-
My invention is for hand cameras and improvements connected therewith, and I
carry it out in the following manner,
At the back end of the camera which is closed by an ordinary door there is a
compartment which is divided by a horizontal partition about the middle of its
height. In this compartment which may be called the magazine there is a cage
having its upper part in the upper division of the compartment and its lower part
in the lower division of the compartment. These parts may be of thin metal or
other material and are connected together by small rods or other means at the sides
and moving in grooves in the sides or frame of the camera.
The upper division is for the stock of unexposed plates, and the lower division
is for the reception of the exposed plates.
In front of these divisions there is the exposure chamber which is separated from
the above named divisions or compartment by a partition which has a slot or
opening about the middle of its height both from the bottom of the upper division
and from the top of the lower division of the magazine.
In the exposure chamber I have a tumbler or plate on an axle which axle
extends to the outside where there is a milled head or finger piece on it.
At the exposure side of the opening and immediately below it I have a shutter
actuated to close the opening by a suitable spring and near this I have a stop piece

page_text: for the tumbler when in an approximately horizontal position to deliver an
exposed plate.
56
When this tumbler is moved about 90° with the plate upon it-it is then in
register" or in a position to receive a photographic impression. At this point
there is a stop and at the same place, opposite to it or otherwise there is a check
spring to ease the motion. There is also a check spring in the exposure chamber
to check the tumbler when it is in a horizontal position to receive the plate from
the upper division of the magazine.
The lens may be fitted to a partition on the front side of the exposure chamber
or it may be attached to the door for the lens or in any other way; the
lens having behind it a suitable shutter with the necessary apparatus connected
therewith and it may have a "finder" and all other required appliances for a
camera.
At the sides of the cage in the magazine there is a register on which marks or
numbers are fixed and at the side of the camera there is an apperture to this
register so that as the cage descends by gravity as the plates are used or changed
from the part of the cage in the unexposed chamber to the part of the cage in the
exposed chamber the numbers or figures indicating the plates used or unused may
be seen so the operator will know at a glance how many plates are used and how:
many unused.
I will now describe more fully by the drawing the mode of operation.
In the drawing
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal vertical section through the centre of the camera.
Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section at A. B.
Fig. 3 is a side elevation shewing the camera in a leather case and
Fig. 4 is an end view of the camera at the lens or front end.
In which drawing a is the unexposed chamber the exposure chamber and c the-
exposed chamber. The chambers a and c forming the magazine, d is the frame of
the camera, e the magazine door, the exposure chamber door and g the lens door,
h is the partition between magazine or unexposed and exposed chamber and the
exposure chamber, and is the plate guard.
is the partition or shelf between the unexposed chamber a and the exposed
chamber c. is an aperture or horizontal slot in partition / opening into unexposed
chamber and exposed chamber on the one side, from exposure chamber c on.
the other.
I is the
k is the top of cage ¹ the bottom of cage k³ the hangers or connections between
top and bottom moving in grooves k³ in the sides or frame of the camera.
unexposed plates resting in sheathes in the unexposed chamber a. m is the
automatic magazine shutter, m¹³ is the position of the actuating spring and m² is
the stop for tumbler when delivering exposed plates into exposed chamber c.
n is the tumbler n' the tumbler stop when at "register." n' spring with catch
for tumbler when horizontal or in a position to receive unexposed plates. n* is
tumbler check spring which checks the motion as the tumbler approaches the
register" position. n is tumbler axle and n is the finger piece for tumbler axle..
o is the lens fixed on door g.
66
o' is the aperture for lens.
o the shutter behind lens, and
o the finger piece for lens shutter.
is the release nin for long shutter

page_text: finger piece non tumbler axle n is slightly turned downwards that is in a direction
opposite to the arrow and thrusting the shutter m against the spring m¹ thus placing
the tumbler n on or about a level with the partition i.
The
The camera is now tilted somewhat and the lowest plate in the 'unexposed
chamber a is gently sliden through the aperture j into the tumbler n.
tumbler n with the unexposed plate in it is now rotated on the axle from the
horizontal position to the vertical position in the direction shewn by the arrow
until arrested by the tumbler check spring n³ and the tumbler stop n¹ when the
plate is in "register" that is ready for exposure in the ordinary manner or other-
wise. As the tumbler is being thus moved the spring m¹ automatically closes the
aperture j.
The exposure of the plate having been completed the tumbler is moved
backwards that is in the opposite direction to arrow pressing the shutter m
against the spring m' until the tumbler is arrested by the stop m² and the camera
being now tilted the exposed plate slides down through the lower part of the
aperture on to the bottom of the cage k, k' in the exposed chamber c. The
tumbler is now moved upwards to a horizontal position on a level with the
partitioni in magazine, ready to receive a fresh unexposed plate from the unexposed
chamber a.
In this position it is held by the catch in the spring n². The plate
guard preventing more than one plate passing at one time. And in this manner
the operations may be continued till the stock of unexposed plates in chamber a is
exhausted. And as each succeeding plate is withdrawn from the unexposed
chamber a the cage by gravity falls correspondingly to receive the plate again
after exposure-into the cage below the partition i in the exposed chamber c.
At one or both sides of the chamber attached to the cage there is a register ri
a strip or strips of any suitable material being marked with figures or numbers
which shew through the aperture r¹ the numbers of plates used or unused or other
method may be adopted.
"
bė
The lens may be fixed on the lens door y as shewn on the drawing or it may
on a partition if. preferred on the front of the exposure chamber and any required a
or desired adjuncts may be used.
The whole may be made of any suitable material shape or design.
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 :-
1st. Self acting apparatus for supplying the unexposed plates from the unexposed
chamber and returning them again into exposed chamber, and method of retaining
unexposed and exposed plates in separate chambers.
3
2nd. The method of changing the plates by the revolving tumbler-in bringing
unexposed plates into "register".and returning them after exposure into exposed 4
chamber.
3rd. The whole arrangement substantially as described in Specification_and
drawing having the whole of the mechanical operations of changing the plates
actuated from one finger piece.
1000
JOHN S. B. BELL.