An Improved Apparatus for the Automatic Production of Photographs.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Jan., 1894-Accepted, 2nd June, 1894
I
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Apparatus for the Automatic Production of
Photographs.
REGINALD HADDAN of the Firm of Herbert Haddan & Co. of
18 Buckingham Street, Strand, London W.C. Patent Agent do hereby declare
the nature of this invention, a communication to me from abroad by The Societad-
Auto-fotografica of Barcelona in the Kingdom of Spain, and in what manner the
same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :—
This invention has for its object an auto-photographic apparatus for the automatic
production of photographs..
The annexed drawing shows in Fig. 1 a vertical section through the machine.
Fig. 2 a plan thereof, and in Figs. 3, 4 and 5 detail views.
The apparatus comprises a clock-work of which A is the framing, B. J. L. M.
N. P. wheels of the apparatus, C shaft for winding up, G. H I winding up
mechanism, D. E. pawl mechanism for the motor weight; T a finger actuating
the central wheel U. Y is the regulator (Fig. 5).
The photographic mechanism comprises the following parts.
1, plate which maintains the mechanism of the receivers of the bath tanks 2 in
its circuit moves the arm 47 (Fig. 3) of the form of a horse shoe. 3 finger of wire
gauze or other material which takes the plates and introduces them into the baths.
4 undulated ring. 5 the part with the friction pulley rolling on the undulated
ring 4 and having at its other extremity the toothed sector 7 which actuates
pinion 8 with a pinion which latter forces the finger 3 to dip in and come forth out
of the baths 2. 9 a projection which by action of the nose 10 causes the shaft 11
to rotate, which shaft by means of the lever 12 opens the shutter 13 so that light
may pass through the lens and the sensitive plate be exposed in the camera 15.
16 (Fig. 4) is the device which takes the exposed plate and passes it from 15 to the
finger 3. 17, toothed quadrant engaging with the pinion 18 so as to actuate 16 and
carrying the plate from 15 to 3. This movement is obtained by the projection 19
fixed at the end of arm 47 which moves the friction pulley 20 mounted in the
lever 21 which latter is pivoted on the segment 17. 22, the arrangement which
forces the plates to leave the store box 23 one by one and drops them between 15
and 16. 24 is a crank fixed on the shaft H and united with 25 and 22, this latter is
actuated by 24. 26 is a lever which releases the whole mechanism by means of the
weight of a coin or any other heavy body. 27 passage for the coin or body up
to 28, which by the aid of 29 moves 26.
30 counterweight arranged in 26 and serving to arrest the mechanism by means
of 31 and 32, 33 pawl serving to keep back the central wheel U.
34, levers which actuate 35 which latter by means of 36 and 37 open the
valves 38 in order to allow water, contained in the reservoir 39, to issue for washing
the plates. The arrangement 40 actuates 34.
41, automatic register, registering the plates used.
42 heating arrangement for heating and maintaining the
means of a floating light or other analogous means, 43, an
tanks for drawing off the liquid without lifting said tanks.
winding up the clockwork.
suitable temperature by
emptying cock for the
44 knife-46 crank for

page_text: There is only
arrangement which allows all component parts free movement.
observable at the outside the recess for the lens and the slot for the coin.
Any person placing himself or herself before the lens can be photographed when
the coin or other body is dropped in the slot. The money falls upon the lever 28
and releases the clockwork or other respective motor of the machine whereupon the
operation begins.
The shutter 13 is opened by means of the wheel B which is rotated, the plate 16
enters the camera 15 and is exposed, then passes to the finger 3 and is developed
and fixed.
The finger 3 carries the plate to the bath 2 containing the developer, the water,
fixing solution, and other necessaries according to the system used.
By means of the lever 47, and the parts 5 and 6 which move on the ring 4 the
finger 3 is immersed successively in each of the baths, stopping therein the
necessary time regulated respectively beforehand. To provide that the finger 3
produces the alternative oscillating movements such as are given by the hand of
the photographer, said finger 3 is provided with the mechanism 7 and 8 imparting
to it an alternative rocking motion, and agitating the baths in a more regular way.
After the plate has been fixed and washed it is carried to the outer drying
arrangement where it is delivered. Apart from the general movement described
there are some different and likewise important sub-movements.
First the method applied for subjecting the plate to the necessary operations so
as to pass from the store case to the camera.
The plates are piled up one over the other in a box in such a manner that their
sensitive sides lie in one direction. To cause them to come forth one by one the
device illustrated by 22 and 25 is used. The part 22 has the exact form of a plate
and possesses the same thickness as a plate so that on this part 22 leaving the case
all plates will descend while the lower one takes the place of 22.
When this part
re-enters the case it forces the last plate to come forth by taking its place and the
former goes into the camera.
The washing of the plates is effected by the mechanism illustrated by 34 to 39,
which latter arrangement forces up the valves which shut up the water contained
in the reservoir so that a sufficient quantity issues.
The arrangement of the motor must be in such a relation to the other parts of
the machine that always one revolution is required for performing all the operations
necessary for producing one photograph.
This affords an easy means for ascertaining the number of the plates used by the
simple arrangement of an automatic register by which the number of the revolutions
are counted.
Owing to the special arrangement of the slotted coin tube other articles cannot
arrive in the interior of the apparatus to damage its component parts or the photo-
graphic baths. By use of the knife 44 the coin cannot be taken out again when
fraudulently fixed on a thread etc. since this knife cuts off said thread on its return
movement.
There are usually five successive baths (or more if desired) for the development,
washing and fixing of the plates. The heating apparatus for maintaining the
appropriate heat and for drying the wet plates obviates the prejudice arising where
gas or petroleum is used as is the case in other apparatus.
If there is no
If artificial light is necessary, the electric light may be used.
electric light to be had, a suitable blast arrangement may be placed on one of the
wheels, this blast producing a draught in such a direction as to set a flame in
contact with magnesium or other luminous matter capable of replacing electric
light. Any other arrangement of producing such air draught may be employed.
Instead of using one lens 14, arranged as before described, there may also be
applied the system, already known in the photographic art, of using several lenses
at the same time, each to give a separate view.
The lens plate in the present case, has only one hole and therefore only one lens
and this latter only gives one picture upon the exposed sensitive plate. If on the

page_text: other hand this lens plate is taken away and substituted by one with two lenses,.
two pictures are obtained on the sensitive plate. Similarly, 3, 4, 6 10, 12, or any
desired number of pictures may be simultaneously obtained if the lens plate
possesses a respective number (3, 4, 6, 10 or 12) of separate lenses.
It is obvious that the pictures will be the smaller, the more the lenses are
increased in number, since on one and the same surface of the sensitive plate a
corresponding number of pictures have to be obtained.
Though this system generally is known in the art of photography, yet it has not
yet been used in automatic photography.
All movements and functions of the machinery remain the same except that the
lens plate is changed for one having the desired number of lenses.
The system used in automatic photography is based upon the use of a black
metallic plate on which the whites of the ordinary photographic negative change.
to black and vice versa; but as it is usual to have the ground of the photographs of
light colour, the following process is used for imitating the appearance of paper
photographs.
The developing and fixing baths and water are employed in the ordinary way
but afterwards the plate is immersed in a bath of bi-chloride of mercury (HgCl₂).
of a saturated solution in water.
There can also be used cyanide of potassium (KCy) 1·0, cyanide of mercury
(HgCy,) 0.5, and water 100-0 parts.
These baths change the tint of the ground of the picture to imitate the usual
paper portraits.
In order to render the photographs unalterable, they are varnished in an
appropriate bath. This bath consists of a solution of gum-lack or other resinous-
substance in an alkaline liquid, the composition being as follows :-
:—
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said'
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that.
what I claim is.
In an automatic photographic apparatus,
1. The governing of the speed of the clock-work, the motor of the machine, by
means of a regulator formed with pallets provided with hinges and spring as shown.
in the annexed drawing.
2. The employment of valves appropriately actuated so as to regulate the supply
of water for washing the plates.
3. The use of a knife or scissor blade within the slot hole for cutting off any
thread fraudently fixed on the coin for withdrawing the same.
4. The use of an arrangement with different lenses for obtaining a number of
pictures at the same time.
5. The use of a special apparatus for producing an instantaneous light sufficient
for the exposure in case sun-light is wanting.
6. A drying apparatus consisting of a floating light using oil or other combustible
for drying the plates before their delivery.
7. The mechanism formed by a pawl, a finger, and the central cog-wheel with
triangular cogs, the finger being used for actuating the wheel.
8. The use of 5 or more tanks, serving as developing, washing and fixing baths
and other necessary operations.
9. The gearing for facilitating the winding up of the clock-work.
10. The emptying cocks for the bath tanks.
11. The floating lights for maintaining the liquid in the baths at their appropriate
temperature.

page_text: 12. The special arrangement in the machine of the slot canal for the coin so that
foreign matter cannot damage the regular action of the apparatus.
13. The use of two baths for developing and fixing and one or two water tanks
with another of appropriate liquid for converting the black ground of the photo-
graph into a light ground so as to imitate the effect of photographs on sensitive
paper.
14. The use of a bath for varnishing the photographs so as to render them
unalterable.
15. The replacement of a weight motor by a spring.
16. The use of an air draught producing arrangement serving to emit an air
current in an appropriate direction so as to force a flame into contact with a
luminous body such as magnesium to produce an instantaneous light fitted for
taking the photograph.
All the above substantially as illustrated and described.
Daten say
nnno 10
R. HADDAN,
Herbert Haddan & Co.,
18, Buckingham Street, Strand, London,
R. HADDAN,
Herbert Haddan & Co.,
18, Buckingham Street, Strand, London,