New or Improved Means of Exposing a Succession of Photographic Films.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Feb., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 21st Oct., 1890-Accepted, 13th Dec., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
New or Improved Means of Exposing a Succession of Photographic
Films.
I, MARSHALL ARTHUR WIER of 3 Palace Grove Upper Norwood in the County
of Surrey Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to that class of photographic camera where a number of
sensitised films are exposed one after the other without the use of dark slides.
It consists of a rectangular receptacle or film-box for the purpose of holding
the films.
To change the films after exposure I cause the exposed film to travel from the
front of the receptacle to the rear thereof, and in order to cause this action to take
place I employ rollers which are suitably placed on the film-box or receptacle. The
rollers may be placed thus :-One on the front, one on the top, and one at the rear
sides of the film-box.
The front roller is a spring roller onto which a band or ribbon of suitable material
is wound a few times, the other end of the band being attached to the rear roller.
On the front of the film-box is placed a moveable or sliding frame against which the
edges of the films are caused to press by any suitable means.
When the film, after exposure, is to be reinoved to the rear of the film-box, the front
frame is first pushed up, this action brings one edge of the film into position between
the front roller, the band, and the middle or top roller, and upon turning the rear
roller by means of a suitable handle the band is wound upon it and the film is drawn
up, over the top roller, and down into the rear part of the film-box, the spring roller
rewinding the band back again upon releasing the hold upon the handle.
Instead of the top roller a half round fixed piece may be employed.
By means of the roller and band arrangement, the exposed films may be drawn
to any other place or position in the box by suitably adjusting their relative
positions.
The above arrangement may be fitted into a box to form a hand or detective
camera, or it may be formed into a separate narrow box so that it may be used in a
similar manner to the well known roller slide.
Dated this Thirty-first day of January 1800
MARSHALL ARTHUR WIER.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
New or Improved Means of Exposing a Succession of Photographic
Films.
I, MARSHALL ARTHUR WIER, formerly of 3 Palace Grove, Upper Norwood, in the
County of Surrey, at present of 9 Strand, London, Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of the said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement, reference
being bad to the accompanying sheet of drawings and to the letters and figures marked
thereon, that is to say :-
This invention relates to that class of photographic cameras in which a number of
sensitized films can be exposed, one after the other, without the use of dark slides, and
it consists essentially of a receptacle or box for holding the films before and after
exposure, and of means for transferring the films, after exposure, from the front part

page_text: of the said receptacle or box to the rear part thereof, where they can be stored until
required for development.
In the drawings,
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section, taken on line 1-1 of Figure 2, of the rear end
of a camera containing the aforesaid receptacle or box, and one arrangement of the
film-transferring mechanism, and
Figure 2 is a sectional elevation taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1 and looking
from left to right in that figure.
A is the body of the camera, A' a door at the rear end thereof opening on a hinge
to allow of the insertion and removal of the films, B a frame of metal, or other suitable
material, forming the aforesaid receptacle or box which takes the place of the ordinary
dark slide and is secured in the camera by screws or otherwise. C is a false back
fitting loosely into the box B so that it is free to slide forward or backward therein;
D are the films placed in the receptacle or box B. In Figure 1 part of these films
are shown in front of the false back C and part behind the same. The films shown in
front of the false back are those which have not been exposed, and those shown behind
the same are those which have been exposed and have been transferred from the front
to the back of the false back C. E is a spring roller constructed somewhat like an
ordinary spring blind roller, revolving on a spindle F fixed to the sides of the box B
and to which roller is fixed one end of a band G which, after taking several turns
round the roller E, passes over a guide roller H and thence down at the back of the
camera to a roller 1 to which it is attached. The roller I turns in bearings I¹ secured
inside the door A¹ and is furnished with a milled button or other suitable handle J
external to the body of the camera by which it can be turned in the direction of the
arrow in Figure 1. J¹ is a ratchet wheel connected to the axis of the roller I, and J2
is a retaining spring pawl taking into the teeth of the ratchet wheel J' to prevent the
backward rotation of the roller I. K is a frame sliding vertically in the box B, being
guided therein by means of slots L and guide screws M, or by other suitable guiding
devices. The lower edge of the frame K is provided with a projection or fillet N,
which, when the frame K is in its lowest position, as shown in Figure 1, comes under
the lower edge of the front film in the box B, which film is pressed against the back
edge of the frame K by means of the set screw 0, or a suitably arranged spring, as
may be preferred. The lower side B¹ of the box B is preferably provided with two
rails B2 on which the lower edges of the films D rest and slide forward as will be
hereafter explained. P is a handle by which the frame K can be pressed upwards
when required, and Q is a spring which presses the frame K downwards when the
handle P is released.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-
It will be understood that the film D', which is next the frame K, faces the lens
(not shown in the drawing but which is of course placed in the front part of the camera
as usual) and, when the shutter of the lens is operated, will be exposed to the action
of light and the picture will be formed thereon in the usual way. The set screw O, or
the corresponding spring, as the case may be, having been tightened up, preferably
before the exposure, sufficiently to secure that the edges of the film D are pressed
evenly against the back of the frame K and especially that the lower edge of the said
film shall stand over the projection or fillet N of the frame K, so that when the latter
is raised, the film D' shall be raised by and with it; the frame K is then pressed up
by the handle P, and the front film D is raised thereby so that its upper edge passes
through the slot R in the upper part of the box B and is pressed in between the milled
ends E¹ of the roller E and the surface of the roller H and between the said roller H
and the part of the band G which is passing from the roller E over the roller H. The
films behind the front one D' are prevented from rising with the latter by the upper
part B³ of the box B. The operator now slacks back the screw or spring O so as to
release the front film D' from pressure and to make room for its deposit behind the
false back C or behind the films previously placed there. He then turns the roller I
by means of the handle J so as to wind the band G on to the said roller I, unwinding
it from the spring roller E whereby the spring of the latter is wound up and the

page_text: film D is carried up over the roller H between the latter and the band G. The material
of which the film is composed which may be celluloid or paper for example, or other
suitable material, is of such a nature that it will readily bend over the said roller H.
The film is thus conducted down between the band G and the false back C, or between
the band G and other films which have been previously exposed and transferred in a
similar way from the front to the back. When the film is thus deposited at the back
of the box B, the roller I is released by raising the pawl J2 out of gear with the teeth
of the ratchet wheel J' and the spring roller E then winds the ban! G on to itself
again, and off the roller I. The operator then again tightens the screw or spring O
so as to press the films forward and to bring the next film in order against the
frame K.
On releasing the handle P the spring Q forces the frame K down again into the
position shown in Figures 1 and 2 in readiness for a fresh operation. If desired, a
catch may be arranged to hold the handle P and frame K in their elevated position
until the said catch is released. This arrangement is not shown as it is sufficiently
obvious without drawings.
When it is required to remove the films that have been exposed from the box B, or
to place fresh ones therein, the door A' is opened and the roller I, together with the
vertical part of the band G, are thereby moved out of the way so that the films can
be casily taken out of or placed in the box.
Figure 3 illustrates a slightly modified arrangement of the above described
apparatus. According to this arrangement a larger number of films can be stored in
the box B than in the arrangement shown in Figures 1 and 2, and in order to carry
the film from front to back over the broader space a second roller H is introduced
between the rollers H and I. To avoid the inconvenience of the projecting handle P
shown in Figures 1 and 2 for actuating the frame K, especially in the case of a detective
camera for example, the arrangement shown in dotted lines in Figure 3 may be
employed. P is a button or stud connected to a spring bar P¹ one end of which
engages in a notch or slot in the lower part of the frame K and the other end is con-
nected to the bottom of the camera body A. S is an elastic diaphragm which allows
of the comparatively free motion of the button P while closing the opening T so as
On pressing
to prevent the passage of dirt or light into the front part of the camera.
the button P upwards the bar P₁ is raised and with it the frame K. On releasing the
button P the spring bar P¹ presses the frame K downwards and the button P outwards
again. U is an indicator to show externally to the camera whether the film is being
carried from the front to the back of the box B or not. This is effected in the following
way: When a film is carried over the roller H, it slightly raises the blade spring V
and projects the indicator U above the top of the camera, indicating the fact that a
film is passing; but if a film fails to be carried up over the roller H, the spring Vand
indicator U are not raised and the operator thereby knows that the film is not being
transferred as it ought to be.
If desired the operation of raising the slide K may be performed automatically by
the rotation of the roller I by means of fingers W (see Figures 1 and 2) secured at
each end of the frame K and acted on by pins W1 fixed on the ends of the roller I. When
the said roller is turned in the direction of the arrow to transfer a film from the front
to the rear of the box B, the pins W take under the fingers W and raise them, and the
frame K to which they are attached, until the pins W pass the vertical centre line of
the axis of the roller when the frame K is left, supported by its frictional resistance,
in its elevated position (the handle P and spring Q being in that case omitted) until
the roller is allowed to rotate in the opposite direction, when the pins W take
over the fingers W and press them, together with the frame K, downwards into the
position shown in Figures 1 and 2. And in order to secure that the pins Whall
not fail when moving in the direction of the arrow, to take under the fingers W and
to take over them when moving in the opposite direction, the fingers W are pivottel
to the frame K so that they are free to play between two pins W (see Figure 1)
secured to the frame K, being held normally in a position midway between the said
pins W by the springs W pressing upon flats formed as shewn on the upper sides of

page_text: the fingers W. The effect of this is that when the pins W₁ press the fingers W
upwards, the latter first come against the upper pins W2, before the frame K begins
to move upwards; then the frame is moved upwards and as soon as the pins W₁ pass
in their highest position free of the fingers W the latter are returned by the spring Wa
into their normal central position between the pins W2 so that when the pins W' move
in the opposite direction, they are certain to take over the top of the fingers Win
order to press the latter and the frame K downwards. Similarly, when the pins WI
press the fingers W downwards, the latter first come against the lower pins W², before
the frame K begins to move downwards; then the frame is moved downwards, and
as soon as the pins W₁ pass in their lowest position free of the fingers W, the latter
are returned by the spring W³ into their normal central position between the pins W2,
so that when the pins W move in their forward direction, they are certain to take
under the fingers W in order to press the latter and the frame K upwards.
In Figure 3 is shown a modified arrangement whereby not only is the frame K
raised and lowered automatically by the rotation of the roller I, but the pressure on
the back of the films is also applied and removed automatically by the same means.
W is one of a pair of levers pivotted one to each side of the box B and having secured
near one end two springs Ws which bear against pins W2 fixed to the frame K. and
hold that end of the lever W normally midway between the said pins W2. The other
end of the lever W is acted on by the pin Wone the end of the roller I. The action
of the pair of levers W on the frame K is quite similar to that of finger W in
Figures 1 and 2. X is one of a pair of levers placed one at each side of the box B,
fulcrumed at X and having a cross bar X connecting the two levers X together.
Y is a pressure disc bearing on the rear of the films D, a rod Y' is connected to the
centre of this disc and is pinned loosely in a hole in the cross-bar X². A spring Y²
constantly urges the levers X and disc Y towards the front of the camera so as to
exert pressure on the rear of the films D. When the roller i is rotated (in the direction
of the arrow) the pins W' on its ends press the levers X backward, taking the pressure
of the disc Y off the films and pushing the rod Y outward until the catch Z is clear
of the hole in the door A' when the tail end of the said latch falls and the latch takes
a position across the said hole and prevents the return forward of the levers X and
disc Y until the said latch is restored into the position shown in Figure 3 when the
spring Yacts and presses both forward so as to urge the films D towards the frame K
again as soon as the roller has been returned by the roller E and band G into
the position shown.
Instead of the spring roller E, band G and roller I connected together and acting
in the manner above described, a set of plain rollers and an endless band may be
employed for effecting the transfer of the films from the front to the rear of the
box B as shown in Figures 4 and 5, the film being raised by the frame K as before
described until its upper edge passes in between the rollers E* and H, the endless
band G¹ is then set in motion by turning the roller I for example, and the film is
carried up over the roller H between it and the endless band G and is deposited at
the rear part of the box B in a manner similar to that described in reference to
Figure 1. The guide roller H³, Figure 4, or one or both of the guide rollers Hi³,
Figure 5, may be adjustable so as to tighten up the endless band G¹ when necessary.
When in this arrangement it is desired to raise and lower the frame K and to apply
the pressure to and remove it from the back of the films automatically; these move-
ments may be effected as follows:-(see Figure 5)-The roller H has a pin W
secured at each end. W is one of a pair of arins pin-jointed, one to each side of the
frame K. These arms are pressed backwards by springs W against suitably placed
stops, and each is provided at its upper end with a notch W. When the roller H is
rotated in the direction of the arrow, the pins W engage in the said notches and as the
said pins turn with the roller H they carry with them the arms W and raise them and
consequer ly the frame K until the pins W reach the highest point of their stroke,
when they quit the notches W and the frame K remains suspended by friction, having
by its upward movement raised the film next to it so as to carry its upper end in
between the roliers E* and H. When the film has been carried over the roller H

page_text: by the endless band G and has been deposited at the rear of the box B, the roller H
is turned
the opposite direction, and the pins W¹ then enter the notches W³ in the
arms W and press the latter and the frame K down into its normal position ready
for another operation. ✗ is one of a pair of links pin jointed one at each side of
the frame K. Each link is jointed at one end to a cross bar X2 the ends of which
slide in suitable guides and to the middle of which cross bar is connected the pressure
dise Y, the cross bar and disc being constantly urged towards the front by the
spring Y. When the frame K is raised by the arm W, as above explained, the front
ends of the links X are raised therewith, bringing the said links into a horizontal
position and thereby pushing the bar X2 and disc Y backwards in opposition to the
spring Y, thus taking off the pressure from behind the films in the rear of the
box B to enable a film to be introduced between the said disc and the last deposited
film. When the frame K is lowered again, the links X are restored into the position
shown in the figure and the spring Y2 presses the disc Y forward so as to force the
films against frame K again.
Figure 6 shows a film-transferring apparatus consisting of a series of rollers, only
without the transferring band G or G'. In this case a main roller H has arranged
round part of its circumference a series of guide rollers E. All these rollers turn in
suitable bearings in the frame of the apparatus, and the roller H is arranged to give
motion to the rollers E by frictional contact, by suitable toothed gearing, or other-
wise. The frame K raises the film as before described and introduces its edge
between the roller H and the first roller E. Then on turning the roller H by a
suitable handle, external to the camera, in the direction of the arrow, the film is
carried over between the roller H and the rollers E from the front to the rear of
the box B. The last roller E may carry an endless band G2 to assist in completing
the deposit of the film at the rear of the box B.
Instead of the guide roller H, as in Figures 1 and 2, or the guide rollers H and H¹
as in Figure 3, a curved fixed bar, as shown in dotted lines at H2 in Figure 3, may be
employed.
It will be obvious that by suitably arranging the guide rollers, and by increasing
their number if required, the films may be conducted into any other position in the
box B, as for example into a horizontal position, the shape, size and arrangement of
such box being varied accordingly, or the films may be conveyed away into another
receptacle. It will also be obvious that instead of the film being transferred from
the front of the camera to the back, after exposure as above described, it may be
transferred from the back to the front of the camera before exposure by suitably
arranging the parts of the apparatus. Such an arrangement is illustrated in
Figure 7 in which the frame K is at the back of the camera and is adapted to be
raised and lowered by means of the knobs P actuated from the exterior thereof.
On the frame K being so raised, the film D¹ is also raised in the manner hereinbefore
described. The roller I is then turned and the band Gis wound off the spring roller E
(whereby the spring of the latter is wound up) and the film D¹ is carried up over
the rollers and H between the latter and the band G and is deposited at the
front of the camera in position for exposure. The roller I is then released, the band G
rewound on the spring roller E as before described, and a suitable opening G³, formed
in the band G, is brought opposite to the said film so as to allow the whole or a certain
portion thereof to be exposed to the action of light when the picture is taken in
the usual way.
A double false back is preferably provided in this case as shown
and the films D are kept more or less uniformly compressed by the springs Y².
The films D are backed by sheets of non-actinic paper which serve to prevent
the passage of light through the film next behind the frame K to the film next in
order, as well as to give an additional thickness to the film to secure that the
fillet N on the said frame K shall not raise two films at once. These sheets of
backing paper are attached to one edge only of the film, namely the edge that is
first presented to the transferring rollers, because if connected to the film at other
points, it would be liable to be creased, as it and the film are bent in passing over

page_text: the transferring rollers. Similar effects may be secured by employing separate
sheets of cardboard or of opaque film interposed between or alternated with the
sensitized films. In this case two operations of the above described transferring
devices have to be made for each exposing operation, namely one to transfer the
sensitized film, and the other to transfer the interposed cardboard or opaque film.
When opaque films are alternated with the sensitized films, focussing may be performed
on their surfaces in the exact plane on which the light will strike the sensitized film
when it is being exposed. That is to say after a sensitized film has been exposed
and transferred from the front to the rear part of the box B, an opaque film will
be pushed forward into the place just vacated by the sensitized and exposed film, and
upon the front surface of this opaque film the next picture may be focussed by any
suitable means such as a mirror for example placed so as to reflect the image from
the surface of the opaque film to the eye at a conveniently placed peep hole, or
otherwise. After focussing, the opaque film is transferred to the rear of the box B
and the sensitized film behind it can then be exposed.
Similar letters of reference relate to like parts in all the figures of the
drawings.
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
First The new or improved means or apparatus for exposing a succession of photo-
graphic films, consisting of a receptacle or box for containing such films and means
for transferring each film successively from the front of such containing receptacle or
box to the back thereof, or vice versa, substantially as hereinbefore described, and
illustrated in the drawings.
Second-In a camera for exposing a succession of photographic films the com-
bination, with a receptacle or box for containing the films, of mechanism for
transferring the same from the front to the back, or vice versa, of such receptacle
or box, the said transferring mechanism consisting of a sliding frame, a spring roller,
a guide roller or rollers, or a guide bar, a winding roller, and a band, arranged and
operating substantially as hereinbefore described, and illustrated in Figures 1,2 and 3
of the drawings.
Third-In a camera for exposing a succession of photographic films the combination,
with a receptacle or box for containing the films, of mechanism for transferring the
same from the front to the back, or vice versa, of such receptacle or box, the said
transferring mechanism consisting of a sliding frame, a series of rollers and an endless
band, arranged and operating substantially as hereinbefore described, and illustrated
in Figure 4 of the drawings.
Fourth In a camera for exposing a succession of photographic films, the com-
bination, with a receptacle or box for containing the films, of mechanism for transferring
the same from the front to the back, or vice versa, of such receptacle or box, the said
transferring mechanism consisting of a sliding frame, and a series of rollers arranged
and operating substantially as hereinbefore described, and illustrated in Figure 6 of
the drawings.
Fifth In a camera for exposing a succession of photographic films, the combination,
with a receptacle or box for containing the films, of mechanism for transferring the
same from the front to the back thereof, and of mechanism for pressing the films forward
against the sliding frame of such transfer mechanism and for relieving the pressure
therefrom, substantially as hereinbefore described, and illustrated in Figures 3 and 5
of the drawings.
Sixth In a camera for exposing a succession of photographic films, the com-
bination, with a receptacle or box for containing the films, of mechanism for
transferring the same from the front to the back thereof, and of mechanism for
raising and lowering the sliding frame K, substantially as hereinbefore described, and
illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 5 of the drawings.

page_text: Seventh-The manufacture of photographic films with the backing paper attached
thereto at one edge only as herein before described, and for the purpose specified.
Dated this 21st day of October 1890.
M. A. WIER.
Per W. H. Beck,
115, Cannon Street, London, E.C., Agent.