IMPROVEMENTS IN SOLAR CAMERAS
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Francis Humphries, of Limerick, in the County
of Limerick, Ireland, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SOLAR CAMERAS."
A communication, from abroad by James Thom, of Carrollton, Louisiana, in
the United States of America.
Scaled the 18th February 1879, and dated the 21st August 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Francis Humphries
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 21st August 1878.
WILLIAM FRANCIS HUMPHRIES, of Limerick, in the County of Limerick, Ireland.
'IMPROVEMENTS IN SOLAR CAMERAS." [A communication from abroad by James
Thom, of Carrollton, Louisiana, in the United States of America.]
This Invention consists of a camera for taking and enlarging pictures from a
photograph or any opaque object, and may be used by portrait painters for making
their drawings, the same being constructed and arranged as herein-after described.
Fig. 1 is a horizontal section of the improved instrument taken on the line x, x,
of Fig. 2.
Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation taken on the line y, y, of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a section of the lens tube taken on the line z, z.
And Fig. 4 is a detail of the contrivance for supporting and adjusting the lens.
The lens a is mounted on the upright piece or frame b that slides in grooves
inside the funnel-shaped tube A, the inner walls of which are parallel for four or
five inches, and for the rest diverge to the right and left at d, d. This piece b is
provided with a screw B on the back side projecting down far enough to adapt it to
enter a notch in rod e, Fig. 5.
No. 3 is a cover over mirror No. 4; said cover is provided with two springs c, c,
to hold a picture when it is desired to make a reversed drawing.
Mirror No. 4 is provided with two wings or doors, one on each side. These
wings stand, when in position, parallel to the lens, and at an angle of forty-five
degrees to the mirror.

page_text: The picture is fastened to one of the wings, No. 5, at forty-five degrees to the
mirror No. 4 and is reflected in it, and is seen by the lens at right angles to it, and
is reproduced in a darkened room on a screen, canvas, or paper, for exhibition or
drawing purposes, quite plain enough to draw it correctly.
The instrument is fastened to the window sill if it is not too low, or to the left
or right side casing by the use of a strip of plank D which is fastened temporarily
to the top and bottom edges of the instrument with screws, then to the side casing
by screws E, so that the front side G is just even with the inside of the casing.
The window is provided with an opaque screen with a square hole just large enough
to receive the end of the projecting tube side G.
When using a south window in the morning attach to the right casing, using the
right wing mirror.
Mirror No. 4 is changed by pressing and turning the thumb stud f, which
liberates both from catch bar by pushing down the spring support J.
The bevelled piece K at the bottom of wings No. 5 is made vertically adjustable
by means of a slot, screw stud, and clamp nut to adapt it for holding pictures of
different lengths.
A glass is sometimes used to retain the moisture in a picture, for some photo-
graphs reflect, when dry, a multitude of minute little brilliant specks which are an
annoyance to the party sketching.
Mirrors H, H1, H2, are so arranged on a support L and adjustable bed piece M
that they can be adjusted in any position that the case may require.
In some cases the mirror has to stand with one corner, the lowest, to make the
illumination fall square on the photograph. The upper mirror is first adjusted by
turning the stand and the rest brought to it.
By suitable arrangement the apparatus above described may be worked with the
aid of artificial light.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
tho said William Francis Humphries in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
20th February 1879.
WILLIAM FRANCIS HUMPHRIES, of Limerick, in the County of Limerick, Ireland.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SOLAR CAMERAS." (A communication from abroad by James
Thom, of Carrollton, Louisiana, in the United States of America.)
This Invention consists of a camera for taking and enlarging pictures from a
photograph or any other opaque object, and may be used by portrait painters for
making their drawings, the same being constructed and arranged as herein-after
described.
In order that the said Invention may be more fully understood and applied in
practice I will describe the accompanying Drawings.
Fig. 1 is a horizontal section of the improved instrument taken on the line x, x,
of Fig. 2.
Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation taken on the line y, y, Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a section of the lens tube taken on the line 3, s.
And Fig. 4 is a detail of the contrivance for supporting and adjusting the lens.
The lens a is mounted on the upright piece or frame b that slides in grooves
inside the funnel-shaped tube A, the inner walls of which are parallel for four or
five inches, and for the rest diverge to the right and left at d, d. This piece b is
provided with a screw B on the back side, projecting down far enough to adapt it
to enter a notch in rod e in Fig. 5.
No. 3 is a cover over mirror No. 4; said cover is provided with two springs c, c,
to hold a picture when it is desired to make a reversed drawing.
Mirror No. 4 is provided with two wings or doors, one on each side. These
wings stand, when in position, parallel to the lens, and at an angle of forty-five
degrees to the mirror.
The picture is fastened to one of the wings, No. 5, at forty-five degrees to the
mirror No. 4, and is reflected in it, and is seen by the lens at right angles to it, and
is reproduced in a darkened room on a screen, canvas, or paper, for exhibition or
drawing purposes, quite plain enough to draw it correctly.
The instrument is fastened to the window sill if it is not too low, or to the left
or right side casing by the use of a strip of plank D which is fastened temporarily
to the top and bottom edges of the instrument with screws, then to the side casing
by screws E, so that the front side G is just even with the inside of the casing.
The window is provided with an opaque screen with a square hole just large enough
to receive the end of the projecting tube side G.
When using a south window in the morning attach to the right casing, using the
right wing mirror.
Mirror No. 4 is changed by pressing and turning the thumb stud f, which
liberates both from catch bar by pushing down the spring support J.
The bevelled piece K at the bottom of wings No. 5 is made vertically adjustable
by means of a slot, screw, stud, and clamp nut to adapt it for holding pictures of
different lengths.
A glass is sometimes used to retain the moisture in a picture, for some photo-
graphs reflect, when dry, a multitude of minute little brilliant specks which aro an
annoyance to the party sketching.
Mirrors H, H', H, are so arranged on a support L and adjustable bed pieco M
that they can be adjusted in any position that the case may require.
In some cases the mirror has to stand with one corner, the lowest, to make the
illumination fall square on the photograph. The upper mirror is first adjusted by
turning the stand and the rest brought to it.
By suitable arrangement the apparatus above described may be worked by the
aid of artificial light.

page_text: Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner in
which the same may be worked, I would have it understood that what I consider
new and original is,―
First. The combination of adjustable mirrors H, H², H2, mirror 4, and the side
wings 5, substantially as hercin-before described and set forth.
Second. The catch 6, spring support J, and thumb stud f combined with mirror 4,
substantially as specified.
Third. The cover 3 with springs c attached removably to mirror 4, and the
adjustable picture-holding cleats K combined with said mirror 4, all substantially
as herein specified and set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Francis Humphries, have hereunto,
this my Specification, set my hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of February,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-nine.
WILLIAM FRANCIS HUMPHRIES. (L.s.)