Improvements in Photographic Cameras.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Oct., 1899-Accepted, 23rd Dec., 1899
.:..
Improvements in Photographic Cameras.
1
A communication by ARTHUR WILLIAMS MCCURDY, of Washington, D.C., United
States of America.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., Agent for Foreign Patent
Solicitors, 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, and 6, Bank Street, Manchester, both in.
the County of Lancaster, 118, New Street, Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, and 322, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, 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:
-
The present invention pertains to photographic cameras, and has to deal more
particularly with the registering mechanism for indicating or denoting the
position of the film as it is moved along in the camera, to bring the different
plates or surfaces to be exposed into position.
The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein
Figure 1 is a horizontal sectional view of so much of a camera as is necessary
to the proper illustration of the invention.
Figure 2 a similar view on an enlarged scale.
Figure 3 a front elevation of the registering mechanism, the cap or cover
being removed, and the ratchet wheel being shown in dotted lines.
Figure 4 an elevation of the rear face of the camera, and
Figure 5 a perspective view of the registering mechanism, some of the parts
being shown detached.
The object of the invention is to provide a simple and efficient registering
device for indicating the position of the film within the camera, so that, as each
and every exposure or plate upon the film is brought to its proper position, the
fact will be visually indicated.
In using the registering devices about to be described, a continuous film A
provided with a series of openings or perforations B adjacent to one edge
thereof, as indicated in Figures 1 and 2, and in dotted lines in Figure 4, is
employed or made use of. Said film, as is usual, passes from one spool to
another within the camera, about suitable rolls C C adjacent to the back D.
In the form of camera shown in the drawings, and which, of course, must
be taken simply as an illustrative type, a frame E is employed, said frame
occupying a position at the end of the exposure chamber, intermediate the.
rolls CC, and serving to define the part of the film being exposed.
The back D is provided with an opening in line with the openings or per-
forations in the film, and within said opening or recess is seated and secured the
registering mechanism.
Frame E, at a point opposite the registering mechanism, is cut out, forming
a pocket or recess F, Figures 1 and 2, into which the nose of the registering
mechanism enters when it passes through one of the perforations in the film..

page_text: The registering mechanism, in the form indicated, is enclosed within a shell
or casing G, and a plate H, the plate being secured to the inner face of the
back of the camera, and the shell or casing with its outer cap or cover I being
of such height as to come flush with the outer surface of the back.
Pivotally mounted upon plate H is a lever J, having at its outer end a nose K
which is in line with an opening L formed in said plate H. A spring M is
secured to the plate H in rear of the pivotal point of lever J, and passes beneath
a rearwardly extending arm N carried by or formed on said lever: A screw 0
is mounted in arm N and bears upon the face of the spring M, the spring
serving to throw the forward end of the lever down, toward plate H and project
the nose K beyond the face of the plate, through the opening L.
Pivotally mounted in a projection P extending up from the outer end of
lever J, is a pawl Q, its free hooked end extending beneath a ratchet wheel
and engaging with one series of ratchet teeth R formed on the end thereof. A
spring S serves to hold the pawl in engagement with the teeth.
A
The ratchet wheel is provided with suitable spindles at each end, one of which
is mounted in an arm T secured to the plate H, while the other is journaled in
the outer cap I. Said ratchet wheel is provided with a second set of teeth U
around its periphery, and a spring-actuated dog or detent V, mounted upon a
suitable arm or support W, engages said teeth U and prevents the ratchet
from being rotated backward.
The outer end of the ratchet-wheel shaft has secured to it an indicator plate
or dial X provided with a series of numbers or notations, usually 1 to 12 inclu-
sive, said plate lying between the upper end of the shell or casing G and the
cap I.
Cap I is provided with an opening Y through which the notations or numbers
may be seen, one at a time, as they are brought to view.
The perforations in the film are of course so spaced as to mark off each ex-
posure or plate on the film, and, in the form of camera illustrated in the drawing,
come opposite the upright members of the frame E when the film is in position
for an exposure.
The operation of the mechanism is as follows:
The user of the camera first places the spool with the film rolled thereon in
position, as is usual, unwinds the paper therefrom and passes it over to the
opposite spool, when, of course, the camera is ready for action. It is intended
to use a film without the usual backing of paper and to simply attach a strip of
paper to each end of the film, though it is manifest that the ordinary film and
backing sheet may be used, the film and paper both being perforated.
The operator after threading the paper, as above, winds one spool about until
the indicator shows the Figure 1, or the first notation employed. This will
occur when the first exposure surface on the film is in place, and the first per-
foration comes beneath nose K and over recess F. Previous to this time nose K
has been bearing or riding, first on the black paper which is wound around the
spool and then on the unsensitized face of the film, but as soon as the perforation
comes beneath the nose it will pass therethrough, spring M serving to actuate
it no matter what be the position of the camera. In passing through the open-
ing or perforation in the film, pawl Q will be carried or swung forward and,
as its hooked end is in engagement with one of the teeth R, it will rotate the
ratchet wheel and the index plate X one step, bringing the first numeral beneath
the exposure opening Y. The parts are then in the position shown in Figure 1.
After the exposure has been made the operator winds the film forward in the
direction indicated by the arrow in Figure 2, or in the direction of the length
of the lever J, and as this is done, the opening in the film passes out of line with
nose K, thereby raising the nose and lever up into the position indicated in
said Figure 2.
Inasmuch as the face of the nose is inclined or beveled, it rides easily out of
the opening; it being found from actual use that there is no difficulty whatsoever

page_text: experienced from the film tearing or splitting. It will be noted that the film
has only to lift the lever against the action of spring M and cause the pawl Q
to pass back the space of one tooth on the ratchet wheel. The spring S, which
holds the pawl Q against the teeth, is very light, and, as will be noted upon
reference to Figure 5, the hooked end or head of the pawl is beveled or rounded
so as to pass freely, and with but little friction, beneath the tooth during the
backward movement of said pawl.
Of course, as pawl Q is being moved back by the upward movement of lever J
dog or detent holds the ratchet against any backward movement, preventing
the notation just brought to view from being changed.
When the film has travelled far enough to entirely remove the exposed por-
tion thereof from the exposure chamber, another hole or perforation in the
film will be over the recess F, and immediately lever J will again be moved
and its nose K passed through the opening, thereby causing the ratchet wheel
and dial to rotate one step and bring the next notation to view. These steps
will be carried on until the film is used.
It will be noted that nose K bears on the celluloid or unsensitized face of the
film, so that in no manner can the sensitized face of the film be injured thereby.
It will also be seen that the location of the registering device in the back of
the camera is the same as the usual inspection opening, wherein the number
on the black paper is brought to view, so that these cameras may be readily
supplied with the device herein described.
With cameras of a different type from that shown in the drawing, the indi-
cating mechanism will of course be differently located, the arrangement being
such that the film will be brought to the proper place, and the fact denoted
by the indicator.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. In a camera, the combination of a suitable indicating device; and a lever
adapted to actuate the same, said lever being movable back and forth across the
path of travel of the film, substantially as described.
2. In a camera, the combination of a suitable indicating device; a lever for
actuating the same, said lever extending out into the path of travel of a film;.
and means for yieldingly holding said lever in contact with the film, substantially
as and for the purpose described.
3. In a camera, the combination of a film support; an indicating device;
and a lever for actuating said indicating device, said lever being movable toward
and from said support, across the path of travel of the film.
4. In a camera, the combination of a suitable indicating device; and means
adapted to actuate the same and extending out into the path of travel of a film,
said means being so arranged and adapted that it will normally rest on one sur-
face of the film and hold the indicating mechanism out of action, but will move
and actuate the same when released by the film, substantially as described.
5. In a camera, the combination of a film support; and a registering device
projecting toward said support, across the path of travel of a film, said device
being adapted to be moved back from said support, by a perforated film, substan-
tially as described.
6. In a camera, the combination of a film support; an indicating device; a
lever for actuating said indicating device, movable toward and from said support,
across the path of travel of the film; a spring for throwing said lever toward
the film support; and means substantially such as described for holding the
indicator against backward rotation.
7. In a camera, the combination of a film support; an indicating device; a
lever for actuating the same; said lever being movable toward and from said

page_text: support, across the path of travel of the film; a spring for throwing said lever
toward the support; and a dog or detent for holding the indicating device in
opposition to the backward movement of the lever.
:
8. In a camera, the combination of a film support; an indicating device; a
lever, said lever being provided with a nose K at its outer end; a spring for
actuating said lever and throwing its nose across the path of travel of the film;
a pawl carried by said lever for actuating the indicating device; and a dog or
detent for holding the indicating device in opposition to the rearward movement
of the pawl.
9. In a camera, the combination of a film support; a lever provided with a
nose ; a spring for throwing said lever in one direction and projecting its
nose across the path of travel of a film; a ratchet wheel; an indicating plate
connected to said ratchet wheel; a pawl Q connected to the lever and adapted to
move the ratchet wheel in one direction; and a dog or detent serving to hold
the ratchet, in its adjusted position.
10. In a camera, the combination of a suitable film support; a lever provided
with a nose K adapted to pass across the path of travel of a film and toward
said film support; a spring M for actuating said lever; a ratchet wheel; an
indicating plate carried by said wheel; a spring-actuated pawl Q carried by
said lever for actuating the ratchet wheel; and a locking dog or detent V for
holding the ratchet wheel against rearward movement.
11. In combination with an indicating device; a setting lever, and a spring
for actuating the same; and a film movable relatively to the lever and adapted
to come into direct operative relation therewith, said film being provided with
openings whereby the lever is thrown back by the film and is permitted to, move
forward under the force of the spring when an opening of the film comes oppo-
site the lever.
12. In combination with an indicator; a spring-actuated pawl for moving the
same; and a travelling perforated film adapted to throw the pawl back to its
engaging position and to permit its forward or feeding movement when an
opening of the film comes to a predetermined postion.
Datad this 22nd dow of October 1200