Improvements in and in connection with Photographic or Camera Guns.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Nov., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 12th Aug., 1891-Accepted, 10th Oct., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and in connection with Photographic or
Camera Guns.
I, CLIFFORD LAWRANCE 141 Fulham Palace Road S.W. Photographic
Apparatus Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:
This invention consists in the construction and arrangement of a photographic or
camera gun, so that, when the said camera gun is pointed towards a bird on the
wing, or other moving object, the same may be photographed on a suitable film or
plate, by operating a trigger attached to the butt of the said camera gun, or such
similar device; thus exposing the plate or film and the same is carried out in the
following manner.
To a suitably shaped butt carrying the trigger mechanism which consists of
suitable levers or such like means I hinge or otherwise connect the camera or box,
containing the plates or films.
"
According to this particular arrangement I arrange the plates or films in book
form, each plate or film being retained in a zinc or other suitable frame; these
frames being bound or hinged together at one of their sides or ends, preferably at
one side, but in such a manner as will allow them to fold over freely, and be
exposed respectively. This book of frames containing the plates or films is
provided with an outside cover, as in an ordinary book. The book containing the
plates or films is supported in the camera box or "breech on a partition or other
support, their bound or hinged sides resting on the support. These frames are
pressed against four or more clips or stops in the camera box, by means of a spiral
or other spring. In the opposite ends of these said frames, I cut alternate and
corresponding slots, the said four or more clips or stops corresponding with the
same. These clips or stops are connected by means of levers, cords, or such
suitable means to a thumb piece or knob operated from the outside of the camera
body. When it is desired to change a plate or film, the thumb piece or knob is
moved which operating the levers, rods, or cords, brings the four or more clips or
stops opposite corresponding slots on the frames containing the film or plate, and
owing to the pressure of the aforesaid spring and the said frames, one frame,
containing a plate or film, folds over, and thus exposes a fresh surface plate or
film. This is continued until all the plates or films have been exposed, and the
book exhausted. I provide suitable springs which are fixed in the body of the
camera box, so as to break the fall of the frames and plates or films as aforesaid,
and prevent same from folding back, should the camera gun be inverted. In
conjunction with this apparatus I use a suitable shutter consisting of wings
operated by means of a clock spring & toothed wheels, which operate a revolving
disc through the medium of convenient levers. I also provide an arrangement
operated by knobs for enabling me to give an instantaneous exposure, or one
of any desired duration. This shutter is placed between the camera box and
a barrel containing the lens. This barrel is graduated so that the focus of
the lens may be adjusted readily, to suit the various distances between the object
to be photographed and the said lens. I provide suitable sighting mechanism on
the said barrel. If desired I may attach an indicator which is operated by the
falling over of the said frames thus registering or indicating on a suitable dial the
number of plates exposed. It will be readily understood that by connecting
the knob operating the shutter mechanism to the trigger on the aforesaid butt that
when the camera gun is held in the same manner as an ordinary gun the trigger
may be operated and the plate or film thus exposed. The lens is adjusted in the
barrel by a suitable rack and pinion motion. I may also if desired attach a

page_text: finder
to my said apparatus. I do not confine myself to the precise details of
construction of the camera box or to the method of changing the plates therein, as
it will be seen that any convenient means of so doing may be used in conjunction
with my butt shutter & barrel containing the lens as herein described.
Dated this 12th day of November 1890.
CLIFFORD LAWRANCE,
141, Fulham Palace Road, S.W.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and in connection with Photographic or
Camera Guns.
I, CLIFFORD LAWRANCE 141 Fulham Palace Road London S. W. Photographic
Apparatus Manufacturer, 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 consists in the construction and arrangement of a photographic
camera gun, so that when the said camera gun is pointed towards a bird on
the wing or other moving object, the same may be photographed on a suitable plate
or film by operating a trigger attached to the butt of the said gun or such similar
device, thus exposing the plate or film and the same is carried out in the following
manner, reference being made to the annexed drawings in which―
Figure 1 shows a side elevation of camera gun exhibiting the internal
arrangements.
Figure 2 side elevation of a book of 8 frames.
Figure 3 front elevation of same.
Figure 4 plan of same.
Figure 5 enlarged view of rod carrying levers actuating stops.
Figure 6 perspective view of internal arrangement of camera gun.
Figure 7 shows in plan a modified arrangement of shutter.
Figure 8 side elevation of same.
Figure 9 view in plan of my shutter mechanism.
Figure 10 detached view in section of drum for operating shutter through the
medium of the wheel and levers.
Figure 11 view of device for indicating the number of plates exposed.
Referring to Fig. 1. To a suitably shaped butt, a, carrying the trigger, b,
which operates the shutter mechanism through the medium of levers, c, c, &
bell crank, d, the chain, e, passing over the pulley, f, and after passing through the
tube, g, is attached to the lever Lat L' I attach the camera or box, h, containing
the plates, i. According to this particular arrangement I arrange the plates
in book form each plate, i, being contained in a zinc or other suitable frame, j,
these frames,j, being bound or hinged together at one of their ends or sides in such a
manner as will allow them to fold over freely and be exposed respectively. The
book of frames, j, containing the plates, i, is provided with an outside cover, k.
This book of frames, j, is supported in the camera box, h, on partition, l, or other
support, their bound or hinged edges resting upon the support, l. The frames, j,
are pressed against four or more stops, m, in the camera box, h, by means of the
spring, n. In the opposite ends of these frames, j, I cut alternate and corresponding
slots, o, the said stops, m, corresponding with the same. These stops, m, are
secured to a plate, p, working in a slot in the side of the camera. The plate, p, is
connected at to the lever, r, attached to the rod, s, running across the camera.
The levers, r, are operated by a lever, t, connected to a knob, u, outside the camera.
When it is desired to change a plate the knob, u, is moved in the direction of the
arrow, 1, thus bringing the stops, m, opposite the slots, o, in frames, j, thus
allowing a frame and plate to fold over in the direction of the arrow 2. The
frame is prevented from returning should the camera be inverted by means of the

page_text: projection v, on the side spring . This operation is continued until the book is
exhausted. In conjunction with this apparatus I use a shutter shown in Fig. 9.
The wings, x, are secured respectively to the levers, y, which are pivoted at 2.
These levers, w, are connected to the sliding piece, A, by means of the levers, B,
at 4 & 5. The sliding piece A which slides on the shaft 6 is connected to the
wheel C (shown in Fig. 10) by rod, D, which is pivoted thereto. This wheel, C, is
attached to the axis of the drum. E, which contains an ordinary clock spring.
This drum is carried on a suitable plate or collar, F, which engages with the
rim, G, the whole being carried on a suitable bed or base plate, H. A stop
piece, I, is attached to the wheel, C. Two rods J and K are pivoted to the
lever, which is pivoted in turn at M. It will be seen that when the lever, M, is
moved in the direction of the arrow 3 that rod, J, is withdrawn from the
stop piece, I while rod K is projected so as to engage with the stop piece when it
has completed one revolution, the spring, K', bringing them to their initial position
again. In an alternative arrangement, if desired, I may dispense with the wings
and employ a circular disc having one or more apertures in same of a suitable size;
which is revolved by the clockwork when desired thus giving the exposure through
the said aperture.
The levers & sliding piece are not required in this case,
any suitable gearing being employed to connect the disc with the clockwork,
as shown in Figure 12. 18 is the disc, 19 the aperture. If desired I may dispense
with the tube, N, carrying the lens, O, and use an ordinary lens in its place
in which case I prefer to employ the shutter shown in Fig. 7 this shutter being
operated by the knob, P. The knob, Q, is for enabling a time exposure to be
made by arresting the stop piece after it has made one-half revolution when the
wings are open.
In this case I multiply the speed of the wheel, C, by gearing it
to the drum by means of toothed wheels if desired as shown. The shape of
the wings in this arrangement being slightly modified as shown. The lens, O,
is adjusted in the barrel or tube, N, by means of an ordinary rack and
pinion, R.
Referring to Fig. 11. The toothed wheel, S, carries a dial on which say
12 indications are made, these iudications corresponding in number with the
teeth, T.
A spring, U, controls the movement of this wheel, S at V. The
lever, W, pivoted at W' is also acted upon by this spring. This device is placed
so that the frame, j, in falling over operates the end of the lever, W, in its passage
and moves the wheel, S, round one tooth thus indicating through an opening in the
side of the camera on the dial that a plate has been exposed.
Referring to Fig. 5. In order that the rod, s, may be easily removed I form
this hollow, the two pivot points 7, 7, being withdrawn from the holes in the side of
the camera by approaching the clips 8, 8, thus compressing the controlling
spring, 9, in same and allowing the whole to be removed from the camera when
desired.
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 what
I claim is :-
(1) In photographic camera guns the combination and arrangement of the
various parts, substantially as described and shewn.
(2) In camera bodies, the arrangement of the plates and frames in book form
and the mechanism for operating same substantially as described and set forth
herein.
(3) In shutters, the construction and arrangement of the mechanism for
operating the shutter substantially as described and shown in the annexed
drawing.
Dated this 12th day of August 1891.
CLIFFORD LAWRANCE,
Applicant.