Improved Photographic Camera:
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Sept., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 24th June, 1891-Accepted, 25th July, 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Photographic Camera:
I, JOHN PITT BAYLY of 18 Fulham Place, Paddington, in the County of
London, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (a communi-
cation to me from abroad by Edgar Bullard, of Wheeling, West Virginia, USA.,
Inventor) to be as follows:
This invention relates to an improved photographic camera of that class known
as "detective cameras." The invention has in part for its object to provide a
camera which is simple in construction, neat in appearance and more convenient
for use than those at present made and sold.
By this invention, the whole of the mechanism is contained within a box or
casing, having a glazed aperture in its forward end. At the rear of this glazed
aperture is the lens tube of the camera, which lens tube is provided with an
adjustable lens. A slotted shutter is arranged to move transversely of and with
the lens, and suitable means stationary relative to the lens is provided for operating
a suitable shutter. This shutter consists of a curved and slotted plate, which is
arranged to move between the lenses, and which plate is provided with a radial
arm pivotally mounted to a suitable support. A suitable slotted toe is attached to
said arm and a longitudinally movable rod provided with a pin engages said toe.
A pawl is arranged to engage a tooth portion of said rod, and another rod is con-
nected to the pawl and operates the same. A horizontal rod is pivoted at one end
and engages a vertically-movable rod-which projects beneath the box or casing-
at the opposite end and a spring exerts a downward force upon the horizontal rod.
By this means the camera may be adjusted.
Dated this 24th day of September 1890.
J. P. BAYLY,
Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Photographic Camera!
I, JOHN PITT BAYLY, of 18 Fulham Place, Paddington; in the County of
London; Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention' (a com-
munication to me from abroad by Edgar Bullard, of Wheeling, West Virginia;
U.S.A., Inventor) and in what manner the same is to be performed; to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:
The invention described herein relates to certain improvements in that class of
photographic cameras generally known as "detective-cameras." A's heretofore
constructed small cameras are of limited capacity.
The object of this invention is, therefore, to provide a very simple' compact
camera with all the necessary conveniences and adjustments essential to a complete
machine, including a direct and simplified focusing mechanism, of a shutter having
all the advantages of the rotary and drop shutters combined, being absolutely
under the control of the operator, thereby admitting of any possible degree of
exposure, from time to instantaneous. The shutter is so constructed as to move
transversely of and with the lens, having means stationary relative to the lens' for
operating it.
In general terms the invention' consists in the construction and' combination
of mechanical devices or elements, all as more fully hereinafter described atid
claimed.

page_text: In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this Specification
Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of my improved camera,
Fig. 2 is an end elevation, the front end of the box or case being removed; and
Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the shutter and its operating mechanism.
The case or box 1 is preferably made about 7 or 8 inches long and four by four
inches square, one part of its top side being hinged to the other part, forming a
door 2 for the insertion and removal of the ground-glass screen and the plate-
holder, and in the front and rear ends are formed apertures, the one in the front
end for the exposure of the lens being provided with a cap or plug 3, while the
opening in the rear, (which is formed so as to permit of inspection of the image on
the ground-glass screen) is preferably closed by a hinged door 4. The doors 2
and 4 are provided with suitable catches 5 and 6 for holding them in closed
position.
About midway of the case or box is formed a partition 7 having an opening
therethrough, and suitable springs 8 are provided in the rear of said partition for
holding the ground-glass screen or the plate-holder firmly against the partition.
At a suitable distance in front of the partition 7 is placed a second partition
having an aperture, and to the front side of said partition is attached one end of
the bellows 10, the opposite end of said bellows being secured to a sliding-block 12
around the edges of an opening 13 formed through the block. This block is held
against the bottom of the box, in the case, by means of a screw 14 passing through
the longitudinal slot 15 in the under side of the box and plate 17, the head of the
screw engaging a spring 16, which slides along the plate 17, upon which is inscribed
a table of distances, thereby making it an easy matter to focus the lens from the
outside of the box or case without the employment of the ground-glass. (See
Fig. 1).
On the front face of the block 12 is fastened the ring or sleeve 18, forming a
bearing for the lens tube 19, which is slotted, as shown, for the passage of the
curved plate 20 between the lenses. At one end this plate is provided with a
radial arm 21, which is pivotally attached to a plate 22, secured as shown in Fig. 2
to the movable block 12. The centre of curvature of the edges of the plate or
shutter and also of the slot 23 formed therein, coincides with the pivot-pin
connecting the arm 21 with the plate 22 or with the centre of movement of the
shutter.
The arm 21 is provided at its inner end with a slotted toe 24 adapted to engage
a pin 25 projecting through a vertical slot in the plate 22, and fastened to a
vertically-movable rod 26. This rod, whose lower end projects through the under
side of the box or case, and is provided with a suitable button, has a bearing in the
under side of the box and also in an angle-plate 27 attached to one side of the box,
as shown in Fig. 2, and is arranged in line with the block 12 when at the inner
limit of its movement. The pin 25 is therefore made of sufficient length to remain
in engagement with the toe 24 at every position of the block 12 and shutter 20.
The upper end of the rod 26 is provided with a rib or enlargement having teeth
on its edge with which a pawl 28 engages, so as to support the rod in its upper
position. This pawl is secured to a horizontal rod 29 mounted in suitable bearings
on the sides of the box and provided with a frame 30 extending out horizontally or
approximately so. An operating-rod 31 is attached to the free end of this arm
and extends down through an opening in the under side of the box or case. By an
upward pressure on the button or head on the end of this rod 31, the rod 29 is
rotated and the pawl disengaged from the tooth rod with which the pawl is held
in engagement, by means of the downward pressure on rod 31 of the small spring
attached to the inside of the bottom of the box or case. On being released from
the pawl 28 the weight of the rod 26 and shutter 20 cause the latter to drop to the
position shown in Fig. 2, and in so dropping the slot 23 will admit light through
the lenses on the sensitive plate; but as this gravity movement is too slow to
obtain a proper exposure, under certain conditions a rod 32 is flexibly connected
at one end to one side of the box or case, the opposite end passing loosely through

page_text: a hole in the rib or enlargement on the rod 26, and to this rod is connected one
end of a spring 33, the opposite end thereof being connected by a swivel-joint to
a tension screw 34 passing through a nut in the bottom of the case or box
terminating in a milled head 35. By properly adjusting the tension of the spring
any desired rapidity of movement of the shutter may be attained.
Any other suitable means of connecting the spring and shutter may be employed,
but that shown and described is preferred as being capable of exerting considerable
force with but slight strain on the spring. The downward movement of the shutter
is arrested by a cushioning-stop 36 formed by a plate having an upturned portion
and secured to the bottom of the case or box. In using my camera the lens is
focused by shifting the block 12 by means of the projecting-head of the screw 14
until the front edge of the spring-plate 16 (which being attached to the screw,
moves with it) coincides with the proper figures in the table of distances inscribed
on the metal plate 17, or until a properly-defined image is shown upon the ground-
glass screen. The lens being properly adjusted the shutter is set by pressing the
rod 26 upward to its extreme limit when the pawl 28 will engage the lower tooth
of the rib thereon, thereby holding a shutter with a solid portion in line with the
lens. The slide is then withdrawn from the plate-holder, which has previously
been placed in position, the plug 3 removed, the camera properly directed at the
object, and the exposure made by upward pressure on the rod 31, thereby dis-
engaging the pawl and permitting the shutter to resume its lower position, as
shown in Fig. 2, the slotted portion 23 having passed between the lenses in so
doing. If, however, a time exposure is desired, the operator can, by means of
the rod 26, either retard the movement of the shutter, or entirely arrest its
movement when the slotted portion thereof is in line with the lenses, as will be
readily understood. If desired, a time or instantaneous exposure can also be
effected, by raising the shutter by upward pressure on the rod 26.
It will be readily understood that the case need not extend rearwardly beyond
the partition 7, but it is preferred to construct the case, as shown, as the space
behind the partition will contain a number of plate-holders, where they can be
readily carried.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1. In a detective-camera, the combination, of a box or case, an adjustable lens,
a slotted shutter movable transversely of and with the lens, and means stationary
relative to the lens for operating the shutter, substantially as set forth.
2. In a detective-camera, the combination, of an adjustable lens-tube, a curved
slotted plate arranged to move between the lenses and pivotally mounted at one
side of the tube, and means stationary with relation to the tube for operating the
said shutter, substantially as set forth.
3. In a camera, the combination, of a lens-tube, a curved and slotted plate
arranged to move between the lenses, and provided with a radial arm pivotally
attached to a suitable support, a slotted toe attached to said arm, and a longi-
tudinally-movable rod provided with a pin engaging said slotted toe, substantially
as set forth.
4. In a camera, the combination, of a lens-tube, a curved and slotted plate
arranged to move between the lenses and provided with a radial arm pivotally
attached to said arm a longitudinally-movable rod provided with a pin engaging
said toe, a pawl arranged to engage a tooth portion of the rod, and a rod for dis-
engaging the pawl, substantially as set forth.
5. In a camera, the combination, of a lens-tube, a curved and slotted plate
arranged to move between the lenses and provided with a radial arm pivotally
mounted to support a slotted toe attached to said arm, a longitudinally-movable
rod provided with a pin engaging said toe, a pawl arranged to engage a tooth
portion of said rod, a rod 31, connected to the pawl and operating the same, a

page_text: horizontal rod pivoted at one end and ergaging the vertically-movable rodi 26 at
the opposite end of a spring for exerting the downward force on the horizontal ród,
substantially as set forth.
Datel this out of Tune 1901
J. P. BAYLY,
Applicant.