Improvements in and in connection with Means for Producing Flash Light for Photographic Purposes.
Year: 1893

page_text: ate of Application, 12th Sept., 1893-Accepted, 21st Oct., 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and in connection with Means for Producing
Flash Light for Photographic Purposes.
We SYLVESTER MARCELLUS WILLIAMS of 816 Oak Street, and JOHN ALDEN
SHEPARD of 2112 Steiner Street all in the City and County of San Francisco,
State of California, U.S.A. Manufacturers, 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 flash light burners for photographic exposures, and
to a means for charging said burner, reflecting the light and arresting the smoke.
The invention consists in a novel folding and portable frame, which carries a
series of charge cups of peculiar construction, said cups being adapted to be swung,
whereby their charges of powder are thrown into adjacent flame jets.
It consists also in a novel device for charging the cups with the powder,
reflecting the light and arresting the smoke; all of which will be hereinafter fully
described by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which :-
Figure 1, is a view of the burner extended.
Figure 2 is a view of the same folded.
Figure 3 is a detail elevation showing the connections of the arm D and shafts G
with the standard.
Figure 4 is a detail plan of same.
Figure 5 is an elevation of the tripping mechanism.
Figure 6 is a view showing one form of obstruction in the path of flight of the
powder.
Figure 7 is a view of the charger, reflector and smoke arrester.
Figure 8 is a detail elevation of the charge hopper and valve.
Figure 9 is a perspective detail showing another form of powder obstruction.
A is a central hollow standard having hollow bracket connections B with end
seats, in which elbows C are fitted to turn, said elbows receiving the outwardly
extending hollow arms D, which connection enables the arms to be turned to a
position at right angles with the standard, or to be folded into a position beside it.
Those arms, on the lower half of the standard, turn upwardly beside it, and are
limited in their horizontal position by lugs c on the elbows C coming under fixed
stops a.
Those arms on the upper half of the standard fold downwardly and are limited
in their horizontal position by their stop lugs c coming under pivoted gravity
catches a', by releasing which the upper set of arms fold downwardly, and as the
lower set fold upwardly all the arms are thus folded beside the standard and
within its own length.
The arms D have holes d constituting burners for the jet flames.
Journaled in a suitable bearing E on the back of the standard are short shafts F,
to each of which is hinged at 9 a rock shaft G which extends out parallel with
and above each arm D, and is supported in an end bearing d' from the end of
the arm.
These shafts G carry the charge cups H.. A spring I controls cach short
shaft F, and each shaft has a crank f. These cranks are connected by a rod or
wire J, the lowermost crank having a push button; whereby all the cranks are
turned.
The lowermost shaft has a ratchet K with which engages a pawl L, the outer
end of which lies directly over a pneumatic plunger M having an air belt
connection m.
By the turning of the rock shafts, the charge cups H assume a horizontal

page_text: position, and the parts are held in this position by the engagement of the pawl L
with the ratchet K. The charge cups, being supplied with powder, the pneumatic
plunger M is operated, raising the outer end of pawl L, thereby releasing it
from its engagement with the ratchet K, and thereupon the springs I return the
shafts F, and the shafts G, rocking forwardly, cause their charge cups H to throw
the powder into the several flame jets of arms D whereby the flash is produced.
To support the device, there is a tripod N to one leg of which the standard A
is adjustably secured.
For this purpose, it has at its lower extremity a slide clamp O provided with the
set screw o and just above it has a sliding guide P. This enables the burner to be
raised or lowered to desired height.
The gas is supplied to the bottom of the standard by a suitable tube, and thence
passes to the several arms D.
To regulate the supply of gas, there are the screw valves Q entering through
the back of the standard, and adapted to regulate the passage into the bracket
connections B.
This regulation provides for the use of different kinds of gas, and for making the
flame jets burn equally.
It has been found that in the general discharge of the powder from the cups H,
it is necessary to interpose in the path of flight. of the powder, an obstructing piece
to act as a means for dividing up the charge before it reaches the flame.
The success of flash light exposure depends largely upon the instantaneous
ignition of the powder. No matter how combustible or explosive the powder may
be, it is easily possible to extinguish the flame by throwing the powder into it.
This must be guarded against by breaking or dividing up the charge so that it
will not reach the flame in such a solid mass as to smother it before the powder
explodes.
In Figure 9 an obstruction is shown in connection with the cup H in the shape
of a wire loop h traversing the cup cavity, though it is obvious said obstruction
may be of other character, as, for example, coarse gauze, or any suitable arm across
the cup, or as shown in Figure 6, it may be in the shape of a wire loop 'secured
to the gas pipe D, and rising just in front of the flame or jet from the burner.
In Figures 7 and 8 the charger reflector and smoke arrester is shown.
R is a standard which may represent a portion of the frame of a flash light
burner carrying the gas pipes D, with burners d, the rock shafts G, and the cups H
of the burner.
S is a reflecting plate, its top having a hood s serving as a collector and
discharger of the smoke, and which may be supposed to be in connection with a
suitable outlet.
On the back of the reflector is a supply hopper T. There may be as many of
these as may be required for the particular burner to be charged, and each is
provided with a hinged lid t.
In the throat of each hopper is an oscillating charging valve U in the shape of
a sleeve having in its surface a charging socket u. Each sleeve may have a series
of these sockets, as shown in Figure 8, of different sizes, whereby upon moving the
sleeve endwise, a socket of proper size may be brought into the hopper.
Through these sleeves or valves pass shafts V, the outer ends of which are
mounted in the end standards R of the frame, and adapted to rock therein, whereby
they turn the sleeves or valves to operate them.
The shafts V are rocked by means of pinions v with which a rack bar ol engages,
said bar being vertically moved by a crank and pinion 8. Springs on the
shafts return them to normal position.
Under the valve of each hopper is a directing spout W which passes forwardly
through the reflector, and terminates just over one of the charging cups H.
The flash powder is placed in the hoppers, and by turning the shafts V, the
valve sleeves are turned through approximately a half revolution, thereby carrying
their sockets upwardly to receive the charges of powder.

page_text: When the rack bar is relieved, the springs throw the valves back again and the
powder is delivered to the chutes.
Stops X upon the shafts limit their movement accurately and by contact in either
direction with a fixed stop bar e produce a jar advantageous in throwing the powder
out of the charge sockets.
In charging the burner, the reflector, with its attached parts, is brought up
into position for its spouts to deliver the powder into the charge cups.
When these are charged, the reflector is moved back to a proper position. The
products of combustion from the burner are arrested and directed upwardly
through the apertured hood to a proper point above.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :--
1st. A flash light burner, composed of a hollow standard, hollow arms com-
municating therewith and jointed thereto whereby they may be extended from and
folded beside the standard, said arms having flame burners, hinged rock shafts
adapted to be folded with the arms, means for rocking said shafts, and charge.
cups carried by said shafts and adapted to throw the powder into the flames of the
burner.
2nd. The central standard, the folding flame burner, arms hinged thereto, stops
for the lower set of arms adapting them to fold upwardly, and pivoted catches for
the upper set of arms adapting them to fold downwardly.
3rd. A portable folding and adjustable flash light burner composed of a tripod,
a hollow standard adjustably mounted upon one of the legs of the tripod, hollow
arms communicating with and hinged to the standard whereby they may extend
from it and be folded beside it, said arms having flame burners, hinged rock shafts
folding with the arms, means for setting, tripping and rocking said shafts and
charge cups carried by the shafts to throw the powder into the burner flames..
4th. In the flash light burner herein described, the regulating valves controlling
the gas passages whereby the jets can be made to burn equally with different
gases.
5th. An obstruction interposed in the path of flight of the powder delivered
from the charge cup to the flame jet.
6th. The swinging charge cup of a flash light burner, said cup having an
obstructing piece in its front for breaking up or dividing the powder leaving it.
7th. A charger and reflector for flash light burners composed of a reflecting
plate, a supply hopper, means for controlling the discharge from the hopper, and
means for delivering the charge to the burner.
8th. A charger and reflector for flash light burners composed of a movable
frame, a reflecting plate carried thereby, a supply hopper, a charge valve therein
and a chute to deliver the charge to the burner.
9th. The oscillatory and slidable sleeves having sockets of different capacities,
and adapted to be moved into and out of the supply hoppers.
10th. A charger and reflector for flash light burners, consisting of a movable
frame, a reflecting plate carried thereby, a series of supply hoppers on the back of
the plate, oscillatory charge valves in said hoppers, directing chutes passing through.
the plate and means for oscillating all the valves simultaneously,
Dated this Twelfth day of September 1893.
•
For the Applicants,
GEDGE & FEENY,
Agents.