Improvements in and relating to Photographic Cameras.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Jan., 1894-Accepted, 3rd Mar., 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Photographic Cameras.
I, JOSEPH MATHIAS HORSCHEL, of 2 Londesborough Road, South Hornsey,
in the County of Middlesex, 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 what are known as hand or detective photographic
cameras, and has mainly for its object to construct a camera having a minimum
bulk and the greatest facility for changing the plates.
The apparatus forming my invention is represented in the accompanying drawings,
in which:-
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the camera when closed up.
Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the camera ready for use.
Fig. 3 is a sectional view showing the dark slide and operating mechanism.
Fig. 4 is a central vertical section through the apparatus.
Fig. 5 is a rear view of the same with the covering plate removed, shewing the
lever mechanism for moving the photographic plates or films and the devices for
moving the counter, either by hand or automatically, through the movement of the
lever mechanism.
Fig. 6 is a similar view to Fig. 5, but with the supporting plate carrying the
lever and the counting mechanisms removed.
Fig. 7 shows the said supporting plate.
Figs. 8 and 9 are a plan and edge view respectively of one of the lids or covers
with its securing mechanism for closing the aperture through which the sensitized
plates or films are introduced into the camera.
Fig. 10 is a sectional view illustrating the manner in which the plates or films
are moved as hereinafter described.
Fig. 1 shows a plan and an edge view of one of the metallic frames which I
preferably use for carrying the plates or films.
In carrying my invention into practise I make the camera in two portions, the
front portion carrying the lens and being collapsible in the usual manner, the lens
carrying plate a, at the front (Fig. 2), being provided with short extensions on each
side which are adapted to engage in suitable slots in hinged plates b. The latter
are intended to fold over and protect the lens when the apparatus is not in use, as
shown in Fig. 1.
The sensitized plates or films are contained in the rear portion of the apparatus.
This part of the apparatus, preferably made of metal such as aluminium or the like,
is divided into two compartments c c of equal size, one above the other, (Figs. 4, 6
and 10), and each capable of holding, for example, six plates or films, or twelve in
all. The two compartments are divided by the plate c", which leaves room between
it and plates cc respectively at the front and at the rear of the compartment for
a single plate or film to pass, as indicated in Fig. 10. c care plates forming the
side walls of the compartments c c. The compartments c c are provided with two
springs & c* c* respectively, which springs are mounted on the front and the
back platesc respectively for the purpose of pressing against the plates or films.
The latter are introduced into the compartments through suitable apertures closed
by means of lids or covers d d arranged as shown. These covers d are made some-
what larger than the apertures and overlap the edges of the latter all round,

page_text: between which edges and the covers strips of felt or cloth are employed to exclude
light. The said covers are each provided with means for securing them tightly in
place, which means comprise a shifting knob e on the outside having a stem el
adapted to move longitudinally in a slot and to which is connected a bar e. The
latter is movably connected at its extremities to the opposite ends of centrally
pivoted levers or bolts ff, which, in their open position as shown in full lines
Fig. 8, allow of withdrawing the cover, but when closed, as indicated by dotted
lines, engage beneath the edges of the opening into which the .cover fits and thus
hold the cover tight. The front plate has a large square aperture ** at the
lower compartment for exposing the plates or films, which can be closed by a dark
slide . The latter is raised or lowered by any suitable means, such as a slotted
lever, for example, connected with a handle on the front of the aperture as shown
in Figs. 3 and 4.
The plates or films are conveyed from one into the other compartment by means
of a lever mechanism which is mounted on the plate c³. Extending from side to
side in each compartment is a pusher bar g, the ends of which work in longitudinal
slots in the side plates c c Figs. 4, 6 and 10, the said bars g g being of a triangular
or wedge shaped section for a purpose hereinafter described. One end of each of
these bars is beut rearwards beyond the plate c³, where it is movably connected
to the before mentioned lever mechanism, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. In order to
ensure the proper working of said pusher bars g, I prefer to connect with. each, a
guide piece g' adapted to slide in suitable guides . The pusher bars
are moved
through the action of forked levers i i pivoted at and connected, by means of
links, to a double lever or yoke 3, which turns on a centre pin in connection
with a handle, which, for convenience, is adapted to be laid flat against the outer
casing, when not required for use.
On the plate is also mounted a counting device, which can be operated either
by hand or automatically by the movement of the slotted levers ii. The hand
arrangement comprises a straight rod k provided with a knob, on which rod is
mounted a spiral spring and carrying at its inner extremity a spring catch or
pawl which engages the teeth of a ratchet wheel connected with the counting
disc. By reference to Fig. 5 it will be seen how, by pulling the knob on the rod k
outside the casing, the counting disc is caused to turn. The automatic arrangement
comprises a slotted bar 1 moving on suitable guide pins and having a hinged
portion which forms a catch or pawl to engage with the teeth of the ratchet
wheel of the counting disc. A spring m presses the bar 7 upwards, while another
spring n keeps the catch in contact with the teeth of the said ratchet wheel.
The uppermost forked lever i strikes on its downward motion against a pin 12 on the
bar and moves the latter downward, whereby the ratchet wheel connected to the
counting disc is partly revolved.
The sensitized plates or films to be introduced into the apparatus are each placed
in a light metallic frame o (Fig. 11) for the purpose of protecting the prepared
surface of the said plates or films by preventing them coming into contact with the
surfaces of adjacent plates or films in a well known manner.
In order to describe the operation it will be assumed that the apparatus empty
and the dark slide down as shewn in Fig. 4. After having set the handle i* at
the back of the apparatus vertical, as shewn in Fig. 5, so as to bring the pusher
bars gg into their most outward positions, one of the lids or covers d, say the top
one, is unfastened by operating the button as herein before described and six plates
or films, each one in a frame o, are introduced into the compartment c¹ and the
shutter replaced in the aperture. The same operation is repeated in connection
with the compartment c.
The hinged plates at the front are then opened and
the front of the apparatus drawn out until the extensions on the front plate a
engage in the slots provided in the plates bb. The latter are made to spring
slightly so as to more effectually clamp the front plate a.. The finder, which is, of
the usual construction, is then turned into position and the dark slide c is raised by

page_text: turning the lever handle at the front. The apparatus is now ready to expose a
plate or film.
For convenience of description I have numbered the plates or films from 1 to 12
as shewn in Fig. 10. Assuming that the plate or film 1 has just been exposed, by
turning the handle a quarter of a revolution to the right, the lever mechanism is
brought into the dotted position (Fig. 5), when the pusher bars 9 are caused to
travel towards the division plate c and push each a film in front of it, as shewn
clearly in Fig. 10; that is to say, the exposed plate or film 1 is carried upwards
against the pressure of the spring into the upper compartment c', while at the
same time the film or plate 7 is caused to descend into the lower compartment c.
When the said plates or films have been pushed as far as they will go, the handle **
is turned back to the vertical or initial position, whereby the pusher bars 9 will, on
account of their triangular or wedge shape section, easily pass behind the plates or
films into their former position, when the pressure of the springs will cause the next
plate or film to come in front of the said pusher bars. The same operation is
repeated successively with each film, and as the counting disc is simultaneously
moved each time one number or division, it indicates the number of plates or films
that have been exposed.
For instantly adjusting the lens when the object to be photographed is very
close I advantageously provide the cell containing the lens with a pin on its
periphery, which pin is adapted to move in a helical groove cut in the cylindrical
part of the front plate a.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a photographic camera adapted to contain a number of sensitized plates or
films, the arrangement of two compartments for the reception of the said plates or
films in two series, edge to edge, the said compartments having openings whereby a
plate or film can be pushed from each compartment to the other compartment
simultaneously, and means for setting the plates or films in each compartment
successively into position to be removed therefrom, substantially as described.
2. In a photographic camera having two compartments of the kind herein before
described for the reception of the sensitized plates or films, mechanism substantially
as described for simultaneously removing a plate or film from each compartment to
the other compartment.
3. In a photographic camera having two compartments of the kind hereinbefore
described for the reception of the sensitized plates or films, mechanism for
simultaneously removing a plate or film from each compartment to the other
compartment comprising two pusher bars working in guides, two levera pivoted at
one end and engaging the pusher bars at the other end and two links connected at
one end to the said levers and at the other end to a double lever or yoke operated
by a handle, all substantially as described.
4. In a photographic camera of the kind herein before described, the combination
with the lids or covers of the compartments containing the sensitized plates or
films, of means for securing the said lids or covers in place, such means comprising
levers connected together by a rod, through the medium of which they are caused
to engage beneath the edges of the openings into which the said lids or covers fit,
substantially as described.
5. In a photographic camera of the kind described in the third claiming clause,
the combination with the mechanism for simultaneously removing a plate or film
from each compartment to the other compartment, of means for automatically
actuating a counting disc, such means comprising a guided bar adapted to be
operated in one direction by one of the levers of the said mechanism and by a
spring in the other direction, and carrying a spring catch or pawl for rotating a
ratchet wheel connected to the said counting disc, substantially as described.

page_text: 6. The combination of parts forming the improved photographic camera, ·sub-
stantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and operating
as and for the purposes set forth.
Dated this 26th day of January 1894.
JOSEPH MATHIAS HORSCHEL.