Improvements in Photographic Cameras.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Dec., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 11th Sept., 1889-Accepted, 30th Nov., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Photographic Cameras.
I THOMAS PARSONS WATSON of 313 High Holborn, London, W.C. Optical
Instrument Maker, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to improvements in photographic cameras of the Kinnear or
other collapsible type, particularly those which are collapsed and folded by laying the
front face downwards upon the base board.
The improvements have for their object generally to render the camera lighter,
more compact when folded for carrying, and more easily erected and closed than
existing cameras of similar types, and they consist, first, in pivoting the frame in
which the rising front is fitted to slide, to the travelling frame of the base board by
means of gudgeons, and in providing means whereby the said gudgeons will be
securely retained in their bearings when the camera is in use, but may be readily
removed therefrom when required. For this purpose spring latches are fitted.in such
position as to close the entrance to the bearings, but which yield under pressure to
permit the entrance of the gudgeons in their bearings. These latches oppose the
removal of the gudgeons and are operated to release them by abutments on the front
supporting frame, which when the latter is rearwardly inclined beyond a certain angle
bear on pushers attached to the spring-latches and forcibly remove the latter out of
the way so as to permit the removal of the gudgeons from their bearings.
"
The improvements have secondly for their object to provide means whereby the
rising front will be retained at any height at which it may be set whilst the free
motion of the front in its guides is permitted when the front is laid down upon the
base board so that when the bellows-body is being collapsed the front may be free to
adjust itself accordingly and so as to avoid undue strains on the bellows body. For this
purpose, the edges of the front are fitted to slide in half-round grooves in the standards
of the front supporting frame and have a rack at one side engaging with a spring-
pawl mounted on the front supporting frame and which when the latter is laid down
on the base board becomes forcibly disengaged from the rack leaving the front free to
adjust itself to suit the bellows body.
The improvements have thirdly for their object to enable the back of the camera
body to be advanced along the base board so that the front and back may be brought
close together when a wide angle lens is employed and also to enable side swing of
the back to be obtained. For this purpose, the brackets to which the back is pivoted
are fitted to slide in guide slots in the edge of the base board and are clamped in position
therein, there being sufficient freedom of.independent motion of the two brackets to
permit of the desired amount of side swing.
The Invention relates lastly to an improved self-engaging catch for locking the base
board and back together in the folded position. This catch is pivoted on the one part
and its hooked end engages with a stud on the other part. It is provided with a lug
on the under side received in a recess containing a spring whereby its motion is
limited, and it is normally held in position to engage with the stud which it does
utomatically. Upon the stud striking the rounded end of the catch and forcing it
back, the catch yields and then engages with the stud, the spring tending to keep it
in position of engagement.
Dated this 11th day of Decembar 1000

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Photographic Cameras.
I, THOMAS PARSONS WATSON; of 313, High Holborn, London, W.C. Optical
Instrument Maker, 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 relates to improvements in photographic cameras of the Kinnear or
other collapsible type, particularly those which are collapsed and folded by laying the
camera front face downwards upon the base board.
The improvements have for their object generally to render the camera lighter,
more compact when folded for carrying, and more easily erected and closed than
existing cameras of similar types.
In order that the improvements may be more readily understood, I have illus-
trated them in the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, and
will proceed to describe them with reference thereto.
The first improvement relates to the pivoting of the frame (in which the rising
front is fitted to slide) to the travelling frame of the base board by means of lateral
gudgeons and it consists in providing means whereby the said gudgeons will be
securely retained in their bearings when the camera is in use but may be readily
removed therefrom when required by a simple backward swinging movement of the
camera front which may be effected by one hand. This improvement is illustrated.
in Sheets 1 and 2 wherein figure 1 represents a front elevation of part of the rising
front frame, partly in section, the struts which keep it upright and the bellows-body
being omitted and the base board being in cross section on line 1-1 figure 2.
Figure 2 is a side elevation of the front frame, the base board being in section
on line 2-2 figure 1: Figures 3 and 4 are similar views illustrating the operation of
disconnecting the front frame from the base board. Figure 5 is a horizontal section
on line 5-5 figure 1.
し
A is part of the base board, B one member of the travelling frame fitted to
slide therein in the ordinary way, C is one member of the frame in which is fitted to
slide the rising front D carrying the lens, E is the back frame of the camera between
which and the rising front the bellows-body (not shown) is distended. The frame C
is pivoted to the travelling frame B by gudgeons cone at each side which have
their bearings in notches a in metal angle pieces fixed to the inner sides of the
longitudinal members of the frame B. Each notch a is approximately shaped,
the horizontal member being directed forwards and within the boxing b is pivoted
at d' a latch lever d whose free end is held raised by a spring d in such position as to
close the entrance to the bearing notch a but is easily depressed by the gudgeon when
pressed into its bearing whilst after it has entered the end of the latch abuts against
it and so prevents its removal. The latches are depressed so as to permit the
removal of the gudgeons from the notches by abutment shoulders e projecting at
the back of the frame U bearing on studs ffixed to the latches and playing in slots in
the boxings b, the abutments depressing the latches only when the frame is inclined
backwards to a certain angle, as shown in figure 3, and the abutments e then sliding
slightly on the studs by the continued backward movement of the frame C until
the gudgeons rise completely out of their bearings.
The improvements have secondly for their object to provide means whereby the
rising front will be retained at any height at which it may be set, whilst free
motion of the front in its guides will be permitted after the front has been laid face
downwards upon the base board. The purpose of permitting this free sliding motion
of the front, is that when the bellows-body is being collapsed by the back frame E of
the camera being folded forwards the front D may be free to adjust itself so as to
avoid undue strains on the bellows-body. This improvement is illustrated in figures 1
and 5 above referred to and in figure 6 which represents a plan of the base board with

page_text: the front folded face downwards thereon, and the back E vertical, the bellows-body
being omitted.
For the purpose of this improvement, the edges g of the front are rounded and are
fitted to slide in corresponding half-round grooves in the side standards of the front
supporting frame C and one edge 7 is notched, as at h, to form a rack with which
engages a bolt pin i carried by a lever i pivoted on the edge of the front supporting
frame C. The bolt is forced inwards by a spring and the tail end of the lever
projects from the side of the frame C so that when the latter is laid down on the base
board, as shewn in figure 6, the tail end of the lever is forcibly pressed inwards by
abutting against the adjacent boxing on the frame B and the bolt i is disengaged
from the rack leaving the front D free to adjust itself to suit the bellows-body.
By making the notched edge of the front of half-round section as shown the teeth
of the rack extend at their roots across the entire thickness of the front and are not so
liable to break off with rough usage as would be the case if made in the ordinary
tongued edge.
The Invention relates lastly to an improved self-engaging catch for locking the base
board and back together when the camera is folded up. This catch is illustrated in
figures 7 and 8. The catch m is a flat piece of metal pivoted at one end to the top of
the back E so that it is free to move in its own plane and its free end is bevelled and
hooked for engagement with a stud n projecting from the end cross-member of the
base board A when the back E is folded down thereon. The catch has a pin m²
projecting from its underside into a recess o in the camera back covered by the catch
and containing a spring p. The motion of the catch about its pivot is limited by the
pin and the spring holds the catch in positlon for engagement so that on the stud
striking the bevelled end of the catch it will be forced back, as shewn in figure 8,
until its notch engages with the stud, as in figure 7.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is;
+
°
1. The combination with the lateral gudgeons of the front supporting frame and
with shaped bearing notches therefor, of spring latches adapted to lock tho
gudgeons in their notches as described and of abutments on the front frame
adapted to act on the spring latches by a backward tilting motion of the front frame,
substantially as and for the purpose specified.
2. The combination with a notched edge of the rising front of a spring bolt mounted
on the front supporting frame and adapted to engage with the front for the purpose
of supporting it at the desired height and of means, substantially as described, whereby
when the front is laid down on the base board the bolt will be disengaged and the
front free to slide and adjust itself in the supporting frame, as specified.
3. Fitting the front to slide in its supporting frame by the convex edges of the
former being received in corresponding concave grooves in the latter, and notching the
convex edge of the front for engagement with a spring bolt substantially as specified.
4. The self engaging spring catch for locking the base board and back together,
the catch being constructed and operating in the manner specified.
Dated this 11th day of September 1889.
T. P. WATSON.
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
Patent Agents.