Improvements in Photographic Cameras.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Aug., 1898-Accepted, 10th Oct., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Photographic Cameras.
I, PHILIP KOSSUTH STERN, of The Stern Manufacturing Company, 613 Pine
Street, Saint Louis, in the State of Missouri, United States of America, Engineer
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what mannor the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the letters
and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
This invention relates to improvements in photographio cameras, and has
reference more particularly to a camera adapted to fold together along its optical
axis, somewhat as a fan folds together.
The improved camera is divided by a folding partition into two compartments,
in one of which the exposure takes place, while in the other are arrauged rollers
for carrying the sensitized film before, and after, exposure. The parts of the
partition are adapted to lock together when folded, and a disengaging rod is
provided for releasing the lock when the camera is to be opened. The roller for the
unexposed film has a brake disc to keep the film taut, and an index wheel is
provided to show the number of exposures that have been made. The shutter is
worked by a spring arm, and means are provided for enabling either time or
instantaneous exposures to he made.
And in order that the invention may be readily understood, I will describe the
same fully by aid of the accompanying drawings, in which :-
Figs. 1 and 2 are side elevations showing the improved camera, respectively
folded, and unfolded, or open, ready for operation.
Fig. 3 is a front view of the camera.
Fig. 4 is a vertical section of the open camera, showing the interior arrangements.
Figs. 5 and 6 are respectively cross sections on the lines 5, 5, and 6, 6,
of Fig. 4.
Figs. 7 and 8 show, respectively, the folding partition, and the disengaging rod,
to a larger scale.
Fig. 9 is a plan of the interior of the camera folded, and showing the manner of
operating the index wheel.
Fig. 10 is a detail view of the brake disc for the unexposed film roller.
Fig. 1 shows the lens and its associate parts, as seen from the inside of
the camera.
Fig. 12 is a horizontal section of the lous, and Fig. 13 is a sectional view on the
line 13, 13, of Fig. 12.
Fig. 14 is a detail view of the shutter detached.
Fig. 15 is a section showing the operating arm ready to open the shutter.
Fig. 16 is a similar view showing the arm in the act of opening the shutter.
Fig. 17 shows the arm clearing and releasing the open shutter.
Fig. 18 shows the arm engaging the shutter for another operation.
Fig. 19 shows a modification of the hinged swinging frame of the camera.
Fig. 20 is a modification showing the adaptation of this camera to receive n
plate-holder.

page_text: Fig. 21 is a detail perspective view of one end of the cocking lever, hereinafter
referred to.
A and A' indicate the halves of the camera, which are arranged to fold on the
optical axis of the lens. At one side, they are hinged to each other, or to the
lens plate, so that they swing or open angularly from a fixed point. This con-
straction permits the camera to be opened and closed like a fan, as shown in
Figs. 1 and 2.
B indicates what I term the lens plate. It carries a lens tube Qiu which the
lens is litted, as hereinafter described.
C is a central frame which extends rearwardly from the lens plate, and D and
E are the outer or swinging frames of the camera. The camera bollows are connected
to these frames in any convenient manner. The swinging frames are adapted to
receive sliding plates D' and E which form two walls or covers of the camera.
These parts and their connections are made light tight for obvious reasons.
In Fig. 19, I have shown an approved form of frame D, in which the same is
folded to receive the sliding plates, the vertical or depending fold being to receive
the end of the bellows which, as will be seen, is bent upon itself; and, to prevent
it pulling out, is held in place by an angle strip."
Fand G are guide rollers for the film which are mounted on the frames D and E.
H.H, are the halves of the folding partition which are pivotted on the axles of the
rollers F and G. At the joint between the sections of this partition, a torsion
spring, or springs, I is, or are, arranged, whose tendency is to constantly keep the
same straight or open, so that the said partition nets as a brace to keep the camera
open. The contiguons edges of the partition are preferably mounted upon a pivot
rod J (Fig. 1) which forms the pivot therefor, said rod extending out at the sides
into slots or grooves C' in the central frames C to guide the partition and bring it
perpendicular to the principal axis of the lens.
To keep the camera securely closed, without the use of external fastenings, which
would be liable to catch in the carriers pocket, I arrange on the inner faces of the
sections of the partition, a lock, comprising the two parts K and K', the former
being the nose of the lock, and having formed thereon a projection with which
engages a projection on the disengaging rod I. This rod L, as shown more clearly
in Fig. 8, is mounted in the central frame C, its end projecting outside of the frame
and being provided with a winged button by which it is operated. Said rod carries a
tube or sleeve L' which is operated from it by a pin and slot conuection 1, permitting
lost motion between the parte. indicates a curved projection, tooth, or claw, on the
rod, which engages the projection & of the nose of the lock, and by a rotary movement
causes said nose to become disengaged from its eye. This is permissible by reason
of the fact that the parts of the partition are yielding, and the parts of the lock
being secured to these are easily operated, as above described. It is of course
understood that no manipulation of the rod L is necessary to cause the halves
of the partition to lock, as they do this automatically when the partition folds
together.
Projecting from the tube or sleeve L' of the rod, is a finger which is adapted
to engage an eyed on one of the parts of the folding partition to bring them into
the sanie plane, as shown in Fig. 4, or to break joint between them according to the
direction in which the rod is turned-that is, when the finger is turned towards
the front of the camera, it forces the middle portion of the partition forward and
enables the camera to be folded.
M and N are the rollers which carry the film. They are mounted in the frame C
behind the partition H, M being the one from which the unexposed film is unwound,
and N the one upon which it is wound after exposure. The roller M has a slot in
one end, as shown in Fig. 9, to receive the crosspiece of a disc M' (Fig. 10) whose
periphery is grooved, and affords a seat for an encircling spring m which acts as a
brake. This spring is flattened at its straight end so as to yieldingly hold the disc
in place and permit a lateral movement relatively to the central frame C.

page_text: The roller N is provided at one end with means for rotating the same, and it is
also provided with a ratchet and pawl mechanism n, n', to prevent a.back or return
movement of the roller, after the film' has been wound thereon.
The rollers M and N are so constructed as to be easily removed from, or inserted
in, the camera, and are provided with means for the attachment of the film.
O indicates a pointed projection secured to the central frame C, which projection,
should the camera be closed after each exposure, punctures' the film and indicates
the positions of the several exposures thereon.
To properly space the film on the partition, so that the operator can tell when the
roller N has wound up a sufficient quantity of exposed film, and also to record' the
number of exposures, I mount eccentrically on the roller F a connecting link F''
which is provided with a yielding tooth or pawl engaging teeth on a counting
or index wheel F (see Figs. 4 and 9). A second pawl d is provided on the
opposite side of the wheel to counteract the dragging effect of the pawl F". When
the exposed film is being wound up, it passes over the roller F, and rotating the
same, actuates the connecting link F which, in turn, reciprocates its tooth F and
forces the counting wheel Faround, step by step. This counting wheel is provided
with indicating marks and numbers, one mark and number of which is exposed
through an opening d*, and a corresponding opening in the plate D', and indichtes
the position of the film, as well as the number of exposures.
Secured to the side edges of the partition, the frames D' and E', and the lens
plate, are supplemental inuer walls P, which not only afford extra. protection
against the light in the front compartment of the camera (as shown in Fig. 4) but
prevent the light in the front compartment from entering the rear compartiment
during an exposure.
When the camera is closed, the 'walls P fold down over the partition, as shown
in Fig. 9, so retaining the film in place and keeping it taut.
The lens and its associate parts are illustrated more fully in Figs. 11 to 18.
Said lens is mounted in a lens holder or frame adapted to slide and telescope in the
lens tube which latter fits in a tube Q' secured in the plate B, and the lenses are
focused on the film by means of a threaded collar Q" which engages the threads in
the tube Q, as shown in Fig. 4. The foci for different distances of the object
having been previously ascertained, are marked on the sliding part of the lens
holder, and the lens is focused according to this scale. The collar Qalso serves
'to hold in position the frame or bux in which the lens and its associate parts are
'mounted.
R indicates a 'view finder.
S indicates a sliding diaphragm plate or stop provided with different sized
openings, and this plate passes through the léns tube and is held in position in
any desirable manner.
Tis the shutter which normally closes the lens tube, and is held in its 'normal
position by a spiral spring T' as shown in Fige. 11 and 12. Said shutter slides in
suitable grooves, and bas projecting from its under side a pin t.
Mounted at one side of the lens frame, is the shutter operating arm U which has
a jointed part or end u adapted to engage the pin't and force the shutter to one
side, so that it will uncover the lens tube. In this movement, the arm U is
impelled by a spring Uwhose tension. exceeds that of the spring T", and when
this arm moving'in its are, escapes the pin t, the shutter is actuated in a reverse
direction by the spring T', and closes the lens tube. It will thus be seen that the
exposure is accomplished by a rapid opening and closing of the lens tube, the
slutter moving in two'directions.
The boss of the arm which moves the shutter to open the lens, is formed with a
notch, in which a trigger V seats itself when the arm U is cocked. This trigger is
provided with a spring whose normal teudency is to force it in contact with the
arm, and said trigger is actuated by a press button V projecting through the
frame.

page_text: To set the arm U, I mount on its pivot a cocking-lever W provided with a
pin to projecting into the path of the arm, and when said cocking lever is moved
to one side, as shown in Fig. 18, the pin forces the arm towards the lens tube, as
shown. The jointed part u of the operating arm U permits the arm to escape the
pinwhen the cocking lever is actuating it. When the arm is set, and in position
to actuate the shutter, a torsion spring w' (Figs. 13 and 21) returns the cocking-
lever to its original position, and removes the pin w out of the immediate path of
the arm. To trip the arm, and actuate the shutter, it is only necessary to press
the button V and release the trigger V from the notch in the arm, when the
spring U will swing the arm on its pivot, as shown in Fig. 16, EO moving the
shutter laterally and opening the lens tube. This movement continues until
the arm escapes the projection t, at which time the lens tube is fully open, as
shown in Fig. 17. The spring T now acts upon the shutter, and closes the tube.
The operation of the shutter, as above described, is very rapid, and is used for
taking snap-shots, or quick exposures. It is, however, sometimes desirable to take
time exposures, and to do this, it is only necessary for the operator to so hold the
cocking lever W that its pin to will prevent the arm U from escaping past the pin!.
When this is done, the shutter leaves the lens tube open until the cocking-lever is
returned to its original position, when the arm U will escape the pin t, and the
shutter will close.
In Fig. 20, I have shown a slight modification of the hinged partition, so that the
camera may receive a plate holder, instead of film. In this construction, II' indicates
a guide-way hinged at its middle on a rod j which runs in a recess C in the
frame C, said guideway boing also hinged to the folding frames by rods h. The
sliding plate D' in this construction, would be formed with a slot through which
the plate-holder could be inserted or removed.
I am aware that many minor changes in the construction, arrangement, and
combination of the several parts of this invention may be made, and substituted
for those herein shown and described, without in the least departing from the
nature and principle of such invention.
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. A photographic camera adapted to fold like a fan on the optical axis of its
lens, and having a folding partition dividing it into compartments, in one of which
the exposure takes place while the other contains the film rollers, substantially as
described.
2. In a camera as above claimed, a folding partition whose parts are provided
with means for locking them together, and having a disengaging rod for unfastening
the lock and for effecting the opening and closing of the partition, substantially as
described.
3. The construction and arrangement of disengaging rod, whereby the folding
partition can be opened and held in its open position, and can also be folded or
closed, substantially as described with reference to Figs. 4, 5, 7, and 8 of the
drawings.
4. The construction and arrangement of shutter, having the jointed spring
actuated operating arm, the trigger and press button, and the cocking lever,
whereby either time or instantaneous exposures can be given, substantially as
described and as shown in Figs. 11 to 17 of the drawings.
5. In a folding camera, the combination of the folding partition, and the
supplemental inner walls for preventing accidental access of light to the film
behind such partition, substantially as described and as shown in Figs. 4 and 9 of
the drawings.
6. My improved photographic camera having its parts constructed, arranged,
and operating, and adapted either to use sensitized films, or to receive a holder for

page_text: plates, substantially as hereinbefore described and as shown in the accompanying
drawings.
Dated this 18th day of August 1896.
ERNEST DE PASS,
Chartered Patent Agent,
78, Fleet Street, London, and 54 Market Street, Nottingham,
Agent for the Applicant.