Improvements in Photographic Change-boxes for Flexible Films.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Mar., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 12th Dec., 1894-Accepted, 12th Jan., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Photographic Change-boxes for Flexible Films.
I, WILLIAM WALLACE BEASLEY, of Claremont House, Soho Park, Hands-
worth, in the County of Stafford, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows: :-
This invention consists in the hereindescribed improvements in photographic
change-boxes for flexible films, by means of which a number of cut sensitized films
suitably backed, or of films and backings disposed alternately, are caused to be
transferred from front to back of the change-box, or rice versa, in the following
manner :-
1
The films are kept pressed forward in the change-box by means of a spring or
springs. The first film, or backing, as the case may be, upon being raised by a
lifting arrangement, mechanism for which is hereafter described, drawn up and
out of the way of the succeeding film, and left in such a position as to be partly
transferred or carried over to the back, the film being bent over in so doing.
The second film, or backing, is then raised, the upper edge of which comes in.
contact with the lower edge of the bent and partly discharged film, and thus pushes
it completely over into its place in the back of the change-box; and so on with
the rest of the films in the box, each film or backing being pushed over by its
successor.
The interior of the top and back of the change-box is of such a curved or
inclined form as to guide the film in its passage over to the back, and also to keep
the edges of the two films in contact during their passage, and should preferably be
lined with a band of plush, velvet, cr other soft material, which may be wholly or
partly attached.
A suitable roof or top piece is also provided to keep the films in position in the
change-box, and may be so gauged with respect to the front as to prevent more
than one film passing at a time.
The mechanism for raising may consist of two flat metal rods each travelling up
and down its respective side of the box. Each metal rod is provided near to its
lower extremity with a tooth or projection for drawing up the film when the lifting
arrangement is raised, the upper ends of the said rods being connected together
outside the box by a suitable cross-bar or connecting piece.
Dated this 9th day of March 1894.
WILLIAM WALLACE BEASLEY.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Photographic Change-hores for Flexible Films.
I, WILLIAM WALLACE BEASLEY, of Claremont House, Soho Park, Hands-
worth, in the County of Stafford, 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 hereindescribed improvements in photographic
97
I, WILLIAM WALLACE BEASLEY, of Claremont House, Soho Park, Hands-
worth, in the County of Stafford, 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 hereindescribed improvements in photographic
FUQ1

page_text: change boxes for flexible films by means of which a number of cut sensitized films.
suitably backed, or of films and backings disposed alternately, are caused to be
transferred from the front to the back of the change box.
I will describe my invention by referring to the accompanying drawings on
which
.
Figs. 1 and 2 are side sectional elevations of a photographic change box
embodying my invention; Fig. 2 shewing two of the sensitized films in the act of
passing over to the back of the change box; Fig. 3 is a sectional plan of the same;
Fig. 4 shews the film lifter separately;
Fig. 5 is a separate view of an indicator which may be used with the said change
box;
Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the change box and Fig. 7 is a part plan of the same
and Fig. 8 is an inverted sectional view of the upper part of the change box.
The same letters of reference indicate the same or corresponding parts in all the
figures of the drawings.
A is the change box, al is the front of the same open at a³, and B is the usual
spring backboard which keeps the films pressed forward in the change box against
the front part a'. The sensitized films are shewn in position between the back-
board B and the front a¹ of the change box where three of them are respectively
marked and another of the sensitized films is also shewn passed partly over
into the back of the box and marked c'. In carrying out this invention the inside
of the upper part of the change box is made of a curved arched or inclined shape
at d so that when a film is pushed upwardly by the lifting arrangement hereinafter
described its top edge coming in contact with this curved arched or inclined part d
will be bent and guided into, or partly into, the back part of the box behind the
backboard B. This curved or inclined part is by preference lined with satin or
some other very smooth substance to reduce friction.
The film lifting mechanism consists of two flat rods marked respectively e¹ e³
arranged to move up and down in grooves in the front a' of the box each of these
metal rods being provided near its lower extremity with a tooth or projection
which projects just sufficiently far as to take under the bottom edge of the
front film when the lifter is raised as hereinafter described. The upper ends of
these rods ee are connected together outside the box by the crossbar or connecting
piece. In order to keep the films in position in the change box and allow of only
the front film passing at once there are two strips g¹g fixed in the change box at
the top of the films and forming a partial roof or top piece (or instead of two strips
a strip or plate passing over the tops of the films from one side to the other may be
used) the front edges of which are situated just sufficiently far from the inside
of the front al of the change box as to allow of only the front film passing. There
is a space between the back ends of the strips g g² or roof so as to allow of the
films passing over into the space at the back of the backboard B as hereinafter
described. 2 are two spring tongues which are provided within the box and
form the termination of the curved portion d their object being to push the
films forward as they come into the back of the box under the partial roof or top
pieces g¹ g².
The change box above described operates as follows:-The first film, or the
backing as the case may be, upon being raised by the lifting bars e' e is drawn up
completely clear of the succeeding film or backing and as the upper edge of this
first film con.es in contact with the curved top d of the change box the film is
bent and the upper edge is turned downwardly and guided into the space at the
back of the backboard B and the film ultimately rests in the position shewn by
Fig. 1 partly in the curved top and partly in the back of the box. Wnen the next
film say or opaque backing as the case may be is raised by the lifting rods el e
its upper part will be bent as aforesaid and its top edge will come into contact with
what was the lower edge of the bent and partly discharged film c' and thus the
film will be pushed forward as shewn in Fig. 2 completely over into its place at
the back of the change box the film taking its place to be pushed over by the

page_text: film and so on with the rest of the films (or films and backings) in the box each
film or backing being pushed over by its successor. It will be seen that as soon as
the film say c which is entering the space at the back of the backboard B is entirely
below the strips 919 it is pushed forward by the springs h¹h so that each film
will occupy a position bebind the former one in correct rotation in the back of
the box.
With the change box constructed as above described it will be found in many
instances that the elasticity of the films will cause them to pass right over into
position at the back of the box without the assistance of the succeeding film.
This will in a great measure depend upon the dryness or humidity of the atmo-
sphere whereby the condition of the emulsion on the film is affected and becomes
stiffer or more limp.
It will be evident that instead of pulling up the film as stated above the
lifting arrangement may be made in the same way so as to push up the film,
the position of the sliding bars el e² and crossbar e being then reversed as will
readily be understood.
It is to be understood that what I have described as the curved top d of the
change box may instead form one of the sides of the box; in this case Figs. 1 and 2
would be sectional plans of the box which will act equally well whether it is held
with the films to lift up or be pulled to one side.
In combination with my said invention as above described 1 may employ the
several adjuncts which I will now describe but it is to be understood that these
adjuncts form no part of my invention and they are only necessary for a change
box which is to be used by very inexperienced and clumsy amateurs.
One of these adjuncts consists of means for ensuring the lifting bars e¹³ and the
film being pulled upwardly exactly straight which I effect by making the lifting
bars with two parallel racks 1' 12 gearing with two corresponding pinions J both
fixed on the shaft j which is free to revolve in bearings on the change box. By
these means it is impossible for one of the lifting bars e e³ and one side of the film
to be lifted higher than the other side.
Another of these adjuncts consists of means for indicating on the outside of the
change box whether the film has or has not properly passed over into the position
shewn by Fig. 1 or into the back part of the box. This indicator consists of a
shaft K turning in bearings in the sides of the box and carrying two tongues k¹ k³
and situated just above the roof or strips gly so that these tongues in their
normal position will project forward into the face of the box as shewn in Fig. 1 and
they are held in this position by a suitable spring (not shewn upon the drawing).
The end of the shaft K is on the outside of the box provided with a pointer or
index finger (see Fig. 6). Upon raising a film the latter acts upon and lifts the
tongues as shewn in Fig. 2 turning the shaft and the pointer with it so that
the latter shews that a film is passing. As soon however as the film has been raised
clear of the front end of the tongues k¹k the latter and the shaft and indicator /
resume their normal position indicating that the film has passed clear into its proper
position.
Another of the said adjuncts consists of a safety arrangement for preventing the
accidental return of the slide whilst transferring a film which might occur with a
nervous or clumsy manipulator and thus take a second film before the first is
properly up into the position shewn by Fig. 1 or in the back part of the change box.
To obviate this I provide a pinion m' on the end of the shaft K which gears with a
rack n' outside the change box the said rack being guided so as to move up or
down; the upper end n of this rack is made as a wedge so as to press in between
the tongue O and the change box and force back the tongue at certain times as
hereinafter described so that the tooth o' on the spring tongue O will then be free
of a notch which I provide in the rack 11. The action is as follows: As soon as
the film has been lifted far enough to turn the tongue the shaft K is thereby
turned through a small angle and the pinion m' acting upon the rack n' moves the
same downwardly and the wedge shaped ends ³ from between the spring tongue O

page_text: on
Bo that the tooth o' on the latter will then bear against the rack 11. Upon now
inadvertently pushing back the slide e¹e the tooth o¹ will snap into the notch
the rack and thus hold the lifting slide and prevent the same being pushed down
far enough to engage under another film thus making it impossible to take up
another film so long as one already remains against the ends of the tongues k¹ k².
As soon however as the film which is partly passed has been lifted entirely clear of
the tongues the latter resume their normal position and the rack n' is movet
upwardly again so that its wedge shaped end n² is again inserted under the spring
tongue so as to more the tooth o' from engaging with the lifting slide allowing
the latter to descend to take another film.
In order to prevent the lifting slide e' e falling when the change box is reversed
in position an ordinary spring catch may be used.
In order to prevent the film getting between the ends of the strips g¹³ and
the front of the box when the latter is turned down as when being loaded the
tongues are by preference made long enough as shewn in Figs. 1 and 2 so as
to take into the front of the box so that when the box is reversed in position as
shewn in Fig. 8 the front film will stand upon these tongues and thereby be
effectually prevented from falling in the narrow space between the end of the
bars g g and the front of the box. The front ends 9 of these strips 91 g are by
preference rebated as shewn so as to ensure the first and second films resting on the
tongues k¹³.
When my improved change box is used with sensitized films and opaque backings
alternately the teeth or projections on the lifting bars e' e³ may either be made
long enough so as to only take one of the films or opaque backings as the case may
be, or they may be made long enough to lift the sensitized film and its opaque
backing at the same time.
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 a photographic change box for separate sensitized flexible films, or for
separate sensitized flexible films and opaque flexible backings disposed alternately,
from the front to the rear thereof, the employment of the two armed lifter or pusher
in combination with the smooth curved surface d, whereby the film or backing is
moved entirely clear of the front and is bent over and guided completely into the
back of the change box, or is guided partly into the back of the change box and
there left and then pushed on completely into the back of the change box by the
edge of the succeeding film or backing, substantially as herein set forth.
2. In a photographic change box for separate sensitized flexible films, or for
separate sensitized flexible films and opaque flexible backings disposed alternately
therein, the combination, with the two armed lifter or pusher and curved surface
arranged and acting on the films or films and backings as denoted by Claim One, of
the spring backboard B adapted to press the films or films and backings continually
towards the front of the box, and the strips g' g², or a plate across the films,
arranged to allow only one film or a film and its backing to be moved by the lifter
or pusher at one time, all substantially as hereinbefore set forth.
Dated this 11th day of December 1894.
CHARLES BOSWORTH KETLEY,
Agent for the Applicant.