Improvements in or relating to Photographic Cameras.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Nov., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 24th June, 1892-Accepted, 30th July, 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Photographic Cameras.
I, XAVIER GUSTAVE EDOUARD DE FAUCOMPRÉ of 33 Boulevard Haussmann
Paris, in the Republic of France, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to that class of photographic cameras in which the
sensitive film is formed by or upon a continuous web carried by rollers and adapted
for taking a number of negatives in succession, and the improvements which are
applied to the mechanism for actuating the rollers carrying the web are designed
mainly to ensure by automatic action of the various parts that it may not be possible
for the operator to make any mistake in bringing a fresh portion of the web into
proper position after taking each negative.
The apparatus is enclosed in a box which only presents externally a push button,
an eye piece, two orifices to receive keys whereby the rollers are turned and a
movable slide or screen. Between the sides of a wooden frame are placed a
number of rollers one of them the supply roller carries the web of sensitive material
unacted on and another serves as the roller upon which the web is wound as the
negatives are taken upon the sensitive film which is stretched vertically between
guide rollers. The supply and receiving rollers are alike and are interchangeable
and they may be removed and replaced. These rollers are made of wood or other
material having disc ends furnished with metal caps. The caps are slotted to
receive pins by which they are connected to gearing discs and a screw serves to
secure each cap to the end of the roller. A slot is provided into which the end of
the web is inserted and thereby secured on the roller. The receiving roller is
turned in one direction to wind on the weh by a key fitted to the end of its spindle
A disc
a pawl and ratchet serving to prevent its rotation in the opposite direction.
having a notch in it with which engages a catch upon a lever serves to stop the
movement of the rollers and other parts of the apparatus when a length of the web
has been drawn off equal to the length of negative exposed. To prevent the catch
engaging the notch in the disc when the apparatus is prepared for action a lever is
provided having at its end a catch arranged to cause the disengagement of the
first lever at a given moment. The lever first referred to has a notch wherewith
engages a hook forming the opposite end of the second lever.
A counter is placed at the centre of the apparatus and serves to register the
number of negatives exposed and drawn on to the receiving roller.
which is indicated on a dial is seen through a glazed opening in
the box.
A ratchet for actuating the counter is operated by a rod and pawl.
parts are operated by a push button or knob.
This number
the cover of
The several
The supply roller is kept stationary by a jointed catch engaging a ratchet on it
and is operated by a rod or lever. A brake is fitted to bear on the supply roller
and control the speed at which the web is unwound regulation of the pressure of the
brake being effected by a screw.
At the end of the lever first referred to is fixed a needle which pricks the
sensitive web to mark off the negative after each exposure.

page_text: The operation of the apparatus is as follows:-In order to wind on to the roller
that portion of the sensitive web that has been exposed the operator presses the
knob whereupon the lever turning on its pivot is moved a short distance and is held
by a hook. The operator may then turn the receiving roller and thus bring into
position for exposure a fresh portion of the web equal to the length of negative
exposed. During this operation the lever acted on by the knob is automatically
disengaged from the hook by the oscillation of the second lever which is acted on
at its end by a wyper. A projecting catch enters a notch in a disc and stops the
operator when the supply roller is stopped. By this time the web has traversed
the entire length of the frame. The levers have then returned to their normal
positions and the operator has only to press the knob a second time and turn the
roller to obtain a second negative and so on until the supply of sensitive web on the
roller gives out. The supply roller may then be replaced by one containing a fresh
supply of the sensitive web and the filled roller replaced by the empty one.
The construction of the interchangeable rollers permits of the replacing of the
supply roller without having recourse to the use of a dark room. At the end of
each web length is fitted a black or darkened strip which when the supply roller
is put in place covers the sensitive web and prevents the action of light upon it:
and a like strip at the other end serves to cover the exposed web.
To prevent access of light at the edges of the sensitive web a narrow darkened
border is formed on each side.
By this means one may operate in the open light.
Dated this Seventeenth day of November 1891.
CRUIKSHANK & FAIRWEATHER,
62, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Photographic Cameras.
I, XAVIER GUSTAVE EDOUARD DE FAUCOMPRÉ of 33 Boulevard Haussmann,
Paris, in the Republic of France, 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:—
This invention relates to that class of photographic cameras in which the sensitive
film formed by or upon a continuous web is carried by rollers in a slide or case
known as a roll holder and which is adapted for taking a number of negatives in
succession. The improvements which are applied to the mechanism for actuating
the rollers carrying the web are designed mainly to ensure by automatic action of
the various parts that it may not be possible for the operator to make any mistake
in bringing a fresh portion of the web into proper position after taking each
negative.
As represented in the accompanying drawings in vertical section at Figure 1, in
sectional end elevation at Figure 2 and in plan at Figure 3 the apparatus is
enclosed in a box A which only presents externally a push button or thumb lever B
operating a cam B', an eye piece C, an orifice or orifices to receive a key D
whereby the rollers are turned and a movable slide or screen E. Between the
sides of a wooden frame are placed a number of rollers. One of them, the supply
roller F carries the web W of sensitive material unacted on and another G serves
as the roller upon which the web is wound as the negatives are taken upon the
sensitive film which is stretched vertically between guide rollers H, H. The supply
and receiving rollers F, G are alike and are interchangeable and they are fitted so
as to be easily removed and replaced. These rollers are made of wood or other
material having disc ends furnished with metal caps i. The caps are slotted to
receive pins by which they are connected to the discs F', G' fitted on spindles f, g,
adapted to rotate in bearings on the side of the box A. A slot is provided into

page_text: which the end of the web is inserted and thereby secured on the roller in the usual
way. The receiving roller G is capable of turning in one direction only to wind
on the web the winding being effected by the key D fitted to the end of the
spindle with which the roller turns, a pawl g engaging with a ratchet K carried
on the disc G' serving to prevent the rotation of the roller in the opposite direction.
By turning the receiving roller G to wind on it the length of film exposed a
corresponding portion of the web is unwound from the supply roller F and when
the requisite length for a fresh negative is drawn off the supply roller is prevented
from turning further by the engagement of a pawl n with a ratchet N on the
spindle carrying the roller F. A disc I having a notch in it with which engages
a catch m upon a lever M serves as a lock to stop the movement of the parts of the
apparatus when the negative length of the web has been drawn off.
To prevent
the catch m engaging the notch in the disc when the apparatus is unlocked and
prepared for action a lever O is provided having near its end a catch o arranged
to engage a shoulder on the lever M when the thumb lever B is depressed.
A counter is placed at the centre or other convenient part of the apparatus to
register the number of negatives exposed and drawn on to the receiving roller.
This counter consists of a dial Q bearing a series of consecutive numbers on its
face and on which a single number at a time is seen through a glazed opening in
the side or cover of the box. On the spindle carrying the dial is a ratchet R which
is operated by a rod or pawl R¹ jointed to the lever M which is actuated by the
cam B' on pressing the thumb lever B, or it may be operated by a push button or.
knob.
The supply roller which as before mentioned is kept stationary by a jointed catch
or pawl n engaging the ratchet N on its spindle when the negative length has been
drawn off, is released on pressing the thumb lever B and depressing the lever M a
shoulder on which acts on an extension n' of the pawl n and lifts it out of engage-
ment with the ratchet against the power of the spring n³. A brake S is fitted to
bear on the disc F1 carrying the supply roller F and controls the speed at which
the web is unwound, regulation of the pressure of the brake being effected by a
screw s.
On the lever M is fixed a pin which acts on the forked end of a lever M¹
pivotted at m² and which is provided at its other end with a needle T which pricks
the sensitive web to mark off the negative after each exposure.
The operation of the apparatus is as follows:-
In order to wind on to the roller that portion of the sensitive web that has been
exposed the operator presses the knob or thumb lever B whereupon the lever M.
turning on its pivot at m¹ is moved into engagement with the hook or catch o.
This action by also disengaging the pawl from the ratchet N permits the operator
to turn the receiving roller G and thus bring into position for exposure a fresh
portion of the web equal to the length of negative exposed. During this operation
a registering roller H₁ over which the web passes and having on its spindle a
toothed pinion in gear with a toothed wheel on the spindle carrying the
disc effects rotation of said spindle and the cam or wiper I' on the side of the
disc acts on an arm o' of the lever O and effects the disengagement of the lever M
at the moment when the negative length has been measured off over the registering
roller H. The free end of the lever M thereupon being thrown upwards by a
spring M2 the pawl n is free to engage the ratchet N and movement of the supply
roller is stopped whilst the pulling strain is still on the negative length which is
held taut by the receiving roller which is prevented from unrolling by the
ratchet K on the disc G engaged by the pawl g. The levers having now returned
to the normal positions the operator has only to press the knob or thumb lever Ba
second time and turn the roller G by means of the key D to obtain a second
negative and so on until the supply of sensitive web on the roller F gives out. The
supply roller F may then be replaced by one containing a fresh supply of the
sensitive web and the filled roller G replaced by the empty one.
At the end of each web is or may be fitted a black or darkened strip which

page_text: when the supply roller is put in place covers the sensitive web and prevents the
action of light upon it; and a like strip at the other end serves to cover the
exposed web.
To prevent access of light at the edges of the sensitive web a narrow darkened
border is or may be formed on each side.
By this means one may operate in the open light.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I
am aware of the Specification of Letters Patent No. 8722 of 1885 granted to
Samuel Dernseith McKellen and I wish it to be understood that I do not claim
anything described and claimed therein; but what I claim is :-
1. In a roller slide for photographic cameras the combination with the rollers
carrying the sensitive web of a regulating tension brake acting throughout the
winding operation and a ratchet and pawl automatically brought into engagemènt
to lock the supply roller on drawing off a negative length substantially as
described.
2. In a roller slide for photographic cameras the combination with the ratchet
carrying discs F, G, carrying the rollers for the sensitive film of a pawl n adapted
to engage with the ratchet N on the roller disc F the lever M acted on by the
hand lever or pusher and cam B' to disengage said pawl n the hooked lever O
engaging said lever and operated by a cam 1' from a registering roller H
substantially as described.
3. In a roller slide for photographic cameras the combination of the spring
lever M and cam B' or pusher, the hook bar O engaging said lever, cam I' acting
on said lever and operated by the registering roller H' and the spring pawl n
adapted to engage with the ratchet N on the disc F1 carrying the supply roller F
substantially as described.
4. In a roller slide for photographic cameras the combination with the lever M
operated by a cam B or pusher and having on it a finger m of the 'hook bar O
cam and notched disc I operated by the registering roller H' the paw! n ratchet
N and roller disc F' substantially as described.
5. In a roller slide for photographic cameras the combination of the lever M
having the finger m the hook bar O, can I and notched disc I and the needle
lever M jointed to the bar M, substantially as described.
6. In a roller slide for photographic cameras the combination with the lever M
and cam B or pusher of the pawl R' the ratchet disc R having numerals upon its
face and the eye glass C substantially as described.
7. In a roller slide for photographic cameras the combination with the web
carrying rollers F, G and their ratchet carrying discs F', G' the registering
roller Hand the spindle ² operated thereby and having the cam I' and notched
disc I of the levers M, M' hook bar O pawl 'n and counter Q.
8. For use in apparatus of the class set forth a web of 'sensitive material formed
with darkened strips at either end and with darkened edging or borders to exclude
light substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this Twenty-third day of June 1892.
CRUIKSHANK & FAIRWEATHER,
62, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Agents.