An Improved Fotograp
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Jan., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 30th Mar., 1897-Accepted, 1st May, 1897
An Improved Fotograp
I, WILLIAM THOMAS PRESTON TURNER of 6, Queen's Road, Kingston Hill,
Kingston-on-Thames, Clerk, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
My invention relates to an improved photographic developing cabinet presenting
when out of use the outward semblance of an ordinary article of library or other
sitting room furniture so as to admit of ordinary photographic operations being
carried on when desired in a sitting room, without the cabinet presenting at other
times any incongruity of appearance or being otherwise objectionable from an
aesthetic point of view.
The article of furniture in question is what is known as a Davenport writing
desk and the cabinet is so constructed as to be available for the twofold purpose.
With this object the developing sink is contained in the well beneath the writing
slope and empties into a receptacle beneath contained in the front part of the
body portion of the Davenport whilst in the back part of the body portion of
the Davenport there is fitted to slide up and down an inner cabinet containing the
water-cistern and fitted with shelves and holders for the photographic appurtenances
and provided with a non-actinic window in the back and with a shelf behind it to
support a lamp when required, the shelf being hinged to fold within the window
aperture. The top of this rising cabinet is formed by the top of the Davenport
body and is fitted with the usual receptacles for writing materials, which when the
cabinet is lowered come into the usual position at the back of the writing slope.
The rising motion is imparted to the cabinet by mechanical means preferably by
rack and pinion or screw motions at opposite sides worked from a common shaft,
or the cabinet may be raised by cords wound on barrels and passing over pulleys,
or it may be raised directly by hand, and in any case it may be counterweighted
to facilitate the motion. The writing slope which forms the cover of the sink rises
with the cabinet to which it is hinged and suitably supported so as to form the top
of a dark tent provided with the usual means of affording light-tight access for the
operator, the tent being attached to the lid and sides of the sink-holding well 80
that when the cabinet is collapsed the tent may be collapsed within the sink well
and when elevated the tent will be distended, clamps being provided at the sides
of the cabinet for making a light-tight joint with the side edges of the tent.
Dated this 20th day of January 1897.
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.

page_text: I, WILLIAM THOMAS PRESTON TURNER of 6, Queen's Road, Kingston Hill,
Kingston-on-Thames, Clerk, 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 consists of a telescopically elevating photographic developing
cabinet adapted to be collapsed when out of use into such a form that it presents
the outward appearance of a Davenport writing desk and may be used as such,
the object being to combine a developing cabinet with an article of library furniture
in such manner as to enable photographic operations to be carried on in a sitting
room without disturbing the harmony of the furniture.
The combined developing cabinet and writing desk is illustrated in the accom-
panying drawings forming, part of this specification wherein
Figures 1 and 2 are perspective views of the cabinet in its collapsed and elevated
forms respectively, the curtain being only partially shewn in the latter figure.
Figure 3 is a part horizontal section on a larger scale to shew the gear, and
Figure 4 shews the lamp support.
Figure 5 shews one of the detents used for supporting the cabinet when mechanical
gear is not used for raising it.
A is the body portion resembling an ordinary Davenport writing desk and B is
an inner rising cabinet fitted to slide up and down within the rear part of the
body portion of the Davenport. The developing sink C is contained in the well
beneath the writing slope D and discharges into a receptacle E contained in the
lower front part of the body A. The rising cabinet B is fitted with necessary
shelves, racks, and other appurtenances, and with a water cistern F. The top G
of the Davenport body A is carried by the rising cabinet B and may be fitted
with the usual receptacles H for writing materials closed by a hinged lid. The
desk D which forms the cover of the well containing the sink, is hinged to the
top G so that it rises with the cabinet B in order that it may serve as the top of
a. dark tent formed by curtains J attached to the desk. When thus used the desk
may be raised on its hinges, as shewn in Figure 2, to afford the necessary height
and be supported by a hinged strut d carried by a bracket arm fixed to the top of
the cabinet B. The cabinet B is provided with a non-actinic window K in the
back and a shelf L is hinged so as to fold into the window aperture when the
cabinet B is lowered, the shelf resting, when the cabinet, is raised, on the top
of the body portion A for the support of a lamp outside of the window, as shewn
in Figure 4.
The rising motion may be imparted to the cabinet B by mechanical means
preferably by pairs of racks M M at each end near the corners and pairs of
pinions n n gearing therewith, each pair of pinions n n being on a common shaft N
suitably mounted within the end of the body portion A. and the two shafts N being
geared by worm wheels P with worms p on a shaft O extending along the front
or rear side of the body portion and turned for the purpose of raising and lowering
the cabinet B by means of a removable winch handle O. By thus coupling the
gearing an easy and steady raising and lowering motion of the cabinet is ensured,
the worm gear also supporting the cabinet when raised.
Instead of rack and pinion gear as above described the cabinet might be raised
by vertical screw shafts mounted in each end of the body A geared together and
worked from a single handle, the screws working through nuts on the ends of the
cabinet B. Or the cabinet might be raised and lowered by cord gear, the cords

page_text: being attached to the ends of the cabinet B at the lower part, passing over pulleys
mounted on the inner faces of the ends of the body A and down to barrels on a
common shaft extending from side to side of the body A at the lower part.
Instead of raising and lowering the cabinet by mechanical gear it may be done
directly by hand, in which case hinged stops or detents Q (Figure 5) would be
provided one at each end of the cabinet, the detents being fitted in recesses in the
cabinet and adapted to be projected outwards by springs q so as to rest on the top
of the body portion A and support the cabinet in the raised position, the detents
being adapted to be easily pressed inwards by hand in order to lower the cabinet.
The curtains J are provided with the usual light-tight means of access to the
interior and besides being fastened to the desk top D they are permanently fastened
to the ends and front of the well containing the sink and they are detachably
fastened to the ends of the cabinet B in such a way as to exclude light. For this
purpose the side edges of the curtains may be clipped between the ends of the
cabinet and hinged flaps R pressed upon by springs r acting on flats on the
flaps so as to hold the flaps in either of two positions in the manner of a penknife
joint, the curtains when the cabinet is collapsed being gathered up and stowed away
in the recess of the sink.
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. A photographic developing cabinet comprising a lower body portion containing
the sink and a rising cabinet fitted to slide in the body portion and to be raised
and supported above the same in position for use substantially as described.
2. A photographic developing cabinet comprising a lower body portion containing
the sink and a rising cabinet fitted to slide in the body portion in combination with
means of raising and lowering the cabinet substantially as described.
3. A combined photographic developing cabinet and Davenport writing desk
comprising a lower body portion containing the sink and a rising cabinet fitted to
slide in the body portion in combination with means of raising and lowering the
cabinet substantially as described.
Doted this 20th dow of March 1907
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.