Improvements in and relating to Folding Photographic Cameras and to Plate and Film Holders therein.
Year: 1899

page_text: Improvements in and relating to Folding Photographic Cameras and
to Plate and Film Holders therein.
I, CARL PAUL GOERZ, of Rheinstrasse 45/46, Friedenau, near Berlin, in the
Empire of Germany, Optician, 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 present invention relates to improvements in and relating to folding photo-
graphic cameras and to plate and film holders therein, by means of which one
is enabled to bring a number of plates or parts of a film strip into and from
exposure position while automatically preventing a second exposure of one and
the same plate or part of the film. For this purpose the holders for the plates
or spools for the films are arranged to swing on the side walls of a camera that
folds in book fashion and the swinging in and swinging out of the plate or
film holders is effected by a lever from the outside means being provided for
automatically retaining the exposed plate or for winding up the exposed film.
The object of this invention is shown in the annexed drawing as an example.
Fig. 1 represents part of a book camera for plates in side view one side wall
being taken away.
Fig. 2 shows the same closed, in section on the line AA of Fig. 1.
Fig. the same opened, in section, one of the plate holders being folded to
the side wall and the other one turned into the exposure position.
Fig. 4 shows the plate holder on a larger scale and the changing mechanism
for the plates, seen from the side, all plates being still unexposed.
Fig. is an under view of Fig. 4.
Fig. 6 shows the position of the parts ready for exposure of the first plate
in under view.
Fig. shows the plate magazine in under view when turned back into the
resting position, at the moment the undermost frame with the just exposed plate
is about to be separated from the plate magazine and put against the side wall
whilst at the same time the whole is moved forward by the breadth of one
plate so that the next plate when again swung out will come into the proper
focus for exposure.
Fig. 8 shows the magazine entirely swung out of the exposure field and
against the side wall of the book camera after the first plate has been exposed.
Fig. 9 shows the same in under view, the four undermost plates exposed
already and held to the side wall of the camera whilst the fifth plate is turned
into the exposure position.
Fig. 10 shows all the plates held to the side wall of the camera.
Fig. 1 shows in side view the book camera as arranged for films the side wall
being taken away.
Fig. 12 shows the same closed, in section on the line B B of Fig. 11.
Fig. 1 shows in section the same expanded with the film swung into the
exposure field.
Cn the two side walls 1 and 2 of the camera body 3 are arranged the two
plate magazines 4. Each plate magazine consists of several frames 5 one upon

page_text: the other, whereinto sensitive plates or films can be pushed. Each of these
frames can be turned independently from the others by means of turning joints
round a common axle joined with the bottom plate 6 of the mugazine 4. All
the frames are provided on the ends with noses 8 so arranged that when all the
frames are put one upon another, these noses lie all one behind the other in the
same horizontal plane. The locking of all the frames is effected by a slide 9
fastened on the upper-most frame by means of slots and forked on the one side
at 35. When the slide 9 is pushed towards one end this fork engages the noses 8
thus holding all the single frames together (Figs. 4-6). The position of the
slide varies according as it is to hold all or only some of the frames together.
When all the frames are to be held together by the slide it has to be pushed so
far as to engage all the noses 8: if less are to be held together the slide 9 is
simply pushed back for the breadth of so many of the noses 8 as are to be free.
For fastening the slide 9 in its various positions against accidental displacement,
an elastic pin 10 thereon engages into suitable rounded recesses on the side of the
uppermost frame.
The plate magazine is swung into or out of the exposure field in the camera
by means of a double cranked lever 11 pivoted on the side wall of the camera;
one crank of the same provided with a handle being outside the camera whilst
the other one with a slit 12 in its end is connected by means of a pin 13 through
the slit 12 with the uppermost frame. By turning the outside crank handle tho
plate magazine is turned on its hinge joints round the axle 7 and swung as far
ns to lie perpendicularly to the axis of the objective 14 of the camera in the
focal plane. The plate nearest to the objective can then be exposed. In drawing
the lever back the plate magazine is swung out of the exposure field against
the side wall of the camera. In order to expose the next plate it is necessary to
push the slide 9 so far as to set free the nose of the frame of the just exposed
plate so that when the plate magazine is next swung into the exposure field
the exposed plate can be held fast on the wall of the camera and only the four
other ones are swung out, the foremost of which is then exposed.
In order to effect automatically the setting free of a frame from the plate
magazine cach time this latter has been swung in and out of the exposure field,
the bracket plate 6 is movable on the side wall of the camera body in guides 15
and limited in its extreme position by shoulders 16 arranged on the side wall
of the camera. On one side of these guides a short ratchet bar 17 is fastened
into the teeth of which there engages a dog under spring pressure fastened on
the uppermost frame. Moreover there is a shoulder 19 fastened on the side wall
of the camera against which in swinging back of the plate magazine a rect-
angularly bent projection 21 of the slide pushes, whereby the latter each time
is moved a little farther on corresponding to the breadth of one of the noses 8
of the frames 5 and the thickness of a plate magazine, or more truly speaking
is held in its position while the plate magazine as a whole is gradually pushed in
a direction towards the objective. 20 is an elastic catch hook arranged on the
side wall of the camera which each time the plate magazine is pushed along
against the side wall engages over the noses 8 fastened on the single frames and
pushed under it, holding the respective frame fast to the side wall of the camera.
To prepare this book camera for photographing the removable side walls are
taken from the camera body (on each of which side walls as shown for instance
in the camera represented in the drawings a plate magazine is fastened) and
plates or cut films are put into the single frames, in the example shown for
instance, each plate magazine is provided with five frames, and the single frames
of each magazine are locked together by the slide 9. Then the plate inagazines
are pushed back to the shoulders 16 on the side wall (Figs. 1, 2, 4 and 5) and
the side walls are put back in position in the camera. The apparatus ia then
prepared for taking 10 pictures. The camera is expanded (Fig. 3) and directed
to the object to be taken. The apparatus will suitably bo arranged so that in
expanding the camera the instantaneous shutter is automatically set but as

page_text: this arrangement forms no part of the present invention further description
need not be given. Preferably also any device will be provided for varying the
focus according to the distance of the object to be taken. After the apparatus
has been focused the outside hand lever it is moved to swing one of the plate
magazines and brings the plate of the undermost frame into the exposure field
of the camera (Figs. 3 and 4) thereupon the picture is taken in the ordinary
way.
After the picture has been taken the plates are swung out of the exposure
field by turning the hand lever 11 back and are brought to the side wall of
the camera. The dog 18 arranged on the uppermost frame thus engages behind
the first tooth of the ratchet bar fastened on the side wall of the camera (Fig. 7)
whereby all the frames on the common bracket plate 6 of the magazines are
pushed forwards for one tooth's distance. At the same time when the magazine
swings back, the lug 21 of the slide 9 passes behind the shoulder 19 fastened
on the side wall of the camera whereby when the whole plate magazine is pushed
forward the slide 9 holding all the frames together, is held back for the breadth
of one nose 8 thus freeing the undermost frame from the others.
When the plate magazine pushes against the side wall the catch hook 20
is over the nose of the undermost frame and holds it fast on the side wall.
In Fig. 7 the plate magazine is represented at the moment the lug 21 of the
slide 9 pushes against the shoulder 19. In Fig. 8 the magazine is represented
folded completely against the side wall the undermost frame being separated
from the remaining four and fastened on the side wall of the apparatus by the
hook 20. When a second picture is to be taken the camera is expanded again
and the plate magazine is swung anew into the exposure field by turning the
lever 11, but this time the undermost frame is held fast on the side wall and
the next following frame is exposed. In turning the lever back this frame is
also detached from the others and held fast on the side wall by the hook 20
and so on till all the plates have been turned into the exposure plane. When
the whole magazine is held fast on the book cover, the camera can be opened and
the magazine set free after taking away the side wall.
When all the plates of one of the two magazines arranged in the camera have
been exposed and are held fast, the same process is repeated with the second
magazine. When the plates of this are also all exposed, the side walls of the
camera are unfastened, the plates taken out of the frames and replaced by
Hew ones.
In Figs. 1 to 13 the invention is adapted for roll-films.
In order to enable the swinging of the film into the exposure field and out
of it the ordinary film spools 22 and 23 and guiding rollers 24 besides the
other mechanism are arranged on a special frame 25 open on both sides but
closed on the top by a cover; this frame is hinged with one edge in the side wall
of the camera so as to be movable round an axle 28 and is swung in the same
manner as the hereinbefore described magazine in and out of the exposure plane
of the camera by means of an exterior lever 26. The film wound in coil 22
and one end guided over roller 24 past the one side opening of the frame, is
rolled up at 2. By turning the lever 26 the frame 25 with the film strip before
the opening in the frame is swung into the exposure field of the camera and a
picture can be taken. After the picture has been taken the frame with the
exposed strip of film is folded again to the side wall of the camera whereby a
second exposure by unintentional opening of the objective is avoided. After
the frame has been folded to the side wall of the camera the just exposed film
strip is wound upon the coil 23 by means of a wheel 27 moved from outside
which has then come into gear with a toothed wheel on the coil 23; a new
unexposed part of the film strip is thereby unwound from the coil 22 and brought
before the opening of the frame. This process is repeated after each taking of
a picture as long as the film strip on coil 22 lusts.
In order to facilitate the putting of the film spools into the frame the following

page_text: Improvements in Folding Inolograpnic cameras and was w
arrangement has been made:
Two hollow cylinders 37 split in direction of
their length are arranged in the frame on pivots 36 ou the ends of the latter
fitting suitable holes in the rollers 22 and 23 carrying the film. On their other
end the coils are held by pins 29 arranged on the inside of the end cover 1
which can be unfolded. The end cover itself is elastic and has on its lower side
shoulders 32 fitting into the ends of the tubes 7 and tightly closing them
and also preventing an unintentional turning of the cover.
The covers for the tubes 37 consist of one piece in the example represented.
By means of an elastic pin 3 seated in the solid part 30 of the frame, the cover
can be raised or sunk or also turned so that the openings of the tubes 37 are
set free.
Of course also each tube can be provided with a separate cover. As the pins 29
are pushed elastically against the rollers 22 and 23 they act as brakes so that
the film is always tensioned. In order to take the spool away it is only necessary
to lift the cover 31 with its pins 29 out of the roller ends or the tubes and to
turn it through 90° by means of the button 33 whereupon the spools can be
taken out of the frame.
When a film spool is to be put in it is only necessary after opening the
cover 31 to push the full coil into the tube and to fasten its end to the other
roller. As the diameter of the tube is only a little greater than that of the
spool on its roller the latter is conducted directly upon the pin 36 without long
search. The pins 29 are also automatically centred on turning back the cover
into the close position. In order to facilitate their entrance into the roller ends
the pins may be made of conical form.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed 1 declare that what
I claim is:-
1
1. A new or improved book formed camera in combination with a magazine
(for plates or roll films) arranged on the inside of the book cover for saving room
and adapted to be brought into the exposure plane after expanding the camera,
2. In the camera as in Claim 1 an arrangement for swinging a number of
plates one after the other by turning of the hand lever 11 into the exposure field
or out of it, consisting of a number of frames 5 adapted to swing round a
common axle 7, connected by a slide 9 and arranged on a bracket plate 6 mounted
movably on the side wall of the camera so that they are moved onwards by an
elastic dog on the uppermost frame which when the ſever is turned back engages
each time a tooth farther in a ratchet bar on the side wall of the camera, the
slide 9 holding the single frames together, being retained each time by pushing
against a shoulder 19 arranged on the side wall of the camera so that it detaches
the frame just exposed.
3. In the construction described in Claim 2 a device to hold the frames singly
and one after the other fast on the side wall of the camera, comprising an
clastic catch hook 20 on the side wall of the camera which when the frames are
pushed towards it engages over one or more of the noses 8 arranged in hori-
zontal level on the frames and retains the same.
4. A roll film frame for the camera described in Claim 1 comprising a tube
like space into which the coil is pushed and centred and held by pivot like off-
sets on the end and on the elastically held and laterally movable cover.
Dated this 8th day of November 1899.
HERBERT HADDAN & Co.,
Agents to Applicant, 18, Buckingham Street, Strand, W.C'.,