Improvements relating to Photographic Cameras.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Dec., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 1st Aug., 1890-Accepted, 4th Oct., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to Photographic Cameras..
I REGINALD HADDAN of the firm of Herbert & Co. Patent Agents of
18 Buckingham Street Strand W.C. in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer
do hereby declare the nature of this invention a communication to me from abroad
by the firm of C. A. Steinheil Söhne, Opticians of Munich in the Empire of
Germany to be as follows:
This invention relates to photographic cameras and consists in improved mechanism
for controlling the exposure and improved mechanism for changing the plates within
the camera.
On the inside of the front wall of the camera is pivoted a sector having a hole
male in to coincide with the opening for the lens when said sector is in a medial
position in its vibrating course. The course of the sector is limited by two stop
pieces on the wall of the camera and in its normal position of rest the sector will
be held against one or other of said stop pieces. A flat spring radiating from the
arbor of a rotary button outside the camera, passes down towards the pivotal
centre of the sector and engages in a lug on the sector near thereto.
By turning the said rotary button to the right or left and setting said button by a
catch and indicator provided tension is brought on the spring to revolve the sector in
the one or other direction. Near the rim of the sector are two projecting lugs and a
rod or finger pressed down by a spring is adapted to arrest the rotation of the sector
by engaging with the one or other of the said projecting lugs so that the sector is
held back against the action of its operating spring. The release of said finger by a
device provided will permit the operating spring to throw the sector from the one
position of rest to the other with a velocity dependent on the tension of the spring
and so give a momentary exposure by the passage of the hole in the sector across the
field of the lens.
To provide for giving an exposure which shall remain open until the operator
desires the exposure to cease; there is formed also on the sector another projection for
instance on the rim and a vibrating hook is pivoted to the case so that it may be
brought into a position for intercepting said projection which is located so that the
lens is uncovered by the sector. To permit the release of this hook after desired
exposure and consequent closing of the lens, an eccentric is mounted on an arbor
passing through the case and terminating in a button so that the turning of the button
may cause the book to be moved up out of engagement.
An adjustable finder is arranged in one corner of the camera front, suitable for
vertical or horizontal views.
The plates are supported in frames which are placed loosely in a case open in
front for the exposure, the said case is pivoted at or near the front of its base so
that it may be swung forward by a hand lever outside the case when the change
of plates is to be made. The said case is surrounded by an outer stationary frame
having at a certain position above the case two hooks or receptacles adapted to
receive and hold two lugs which are provided at the upper ends of each plate
frame. A lever in the case operates to press up the front plate frame when the
case is swung so that the upper edge of said plate frame moves up through a
slot in the upper face of the case and the lugs on the plate frame are engaged
in the recesses aforesaid. Further downward swing of the case will cause said
plate frame to be drawn out by said hooks, two lugs on the lower end of the
plate frame operating at the same time to engage to two backward running slots in
the upper face of the case so that the lower edge of the plate frame is guided over the
upper face of the case and so arrives above the other plates and on return of the case
Price R11

page_text: to its upright position said plate frame drops down again behind the other plate
frames in the case, which are pressed forward in the case by a spring.
Each such movement of the case is registered by the action of vibrating lever,
pawl and ratchet wheel operating an indicator on a dial visible outside the camera,
said dial being numbered in accordance with the capacity of the case for containing
plates.
Dated this 12th day of Domhan 1000
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to Photographic Cameras.
I, REGINALD HADDAN, of the firm of Herbert & Co., Patent Agents, of
18, Buckingham Street, Strand, W.C. London, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention, a communication to me from abroad by the firm of
C. A. Steinheil Söhne, Opticians, in Munich, Empire of Germany, 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 photographic cameras and consists in improved mechanism
for controlling the exposure, and improved mechanism for changing the plates within
the camera.
On the inside of the front wall of the camera is pivoted a sector having a hole made
in it to coincide with the opening for the lens when said sector is in a medial position
in its vibrating course. The course of the sector is limited by two shoulders on the
wall of the camera, and in its normal position of rest the sector will be held against
one or other of said shoulders.
A flat spring M radiating from the arbor of a rotary button outside the camera,
passes down towards the pivotal centre of the sector and engages in a lug on the
sector near thereto. By turning the said rotary button to the right or left and setting
said button by a catch device with indicator provided, tension is brought on the spring
to revolve the sector in the one or other direction. Near the rim of the sector are
two recesses or equivalent stops and a lever pressed down by a spring is adapted to
arrest the rotation of the sector by engaging with the one or other of the said recesses
or stops, so that the sector is held back against the action of its operating spring.
The release of said lever by a device provided will permit the operating spring to
throw the sector from the one position of rest to the other with a velocity dependent
on the tension of the spring and so give a momentary exposure by the passage of the
hole in the sector across the field of the lens.
To provide for giving an exposure which shall remain open until the operator
desires the exposure to cease there is formed also on the sector a projection for
instance on the rim, and a vibrating book is pivoted to the case so that it may be
brought into a position for intercepting said projection which is located so that the
lens is uncovered by the sector. To permit the release of this hook after desired
exposure and consequent closing of the lens, an excentric is mounted on an arbor
passing through the case and terminating in a button so that the turning of the
button may cause the hook to be moved up out of engagement.
An adjustable finder is arranged in one corner of the camera front, suitable for
vertical or horizontal views.
The plates are supported in frames which are placed loosely in a case open in front
for the exposure, the said case is pivoted at or near the front of its base so that it may
be swung forward by a hand lever outside the case when the change of plates is to be
made. The said case is surrounded by an outer stationary frame having at a certain
position above the case two hooks or receptacles adapted to receive and hold two lugs
which are provided at the upper ends of each plate frame. A lever in the case
operates to press up the front plate frame when the case is swung, so that the upper

page_text: elge of said plate frame moves up through a slot in the upper face of the case and the
lugs on the plate frame are engaged in the hooks aforesaid. Further downward
swing of the case will cause si plate frame to fall out and remain suspended on said
hooks, two lags on the lower end of the plate frame operate to engage into two
backward running slots in the upper face of the case so that the lower edge of the
plate frame is guided over the upper face of the case and so arrives above the other
plates and on return of the case to its upright position said plate frame drops down
again behind the other plate frames in the case which are pressed forward in the case
by a spring.
Each such movement of the case is registered by the action of a vibrating lever,
pawl and ratchet-wheel operating an indicator on a dial visible outside the camera,
said dial being numbered in accordance with the capacity of the case for containing
plates.
Reference being made to the accompanying drawings
Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the camera.
Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are back views of the front plate P of the camera showing the
different positions of the shutter.
Fig. 5 is a side elevation thereof.
Tis the sector-shaped shutter revolvable at pl. The shutter is provided with the
hole F, which, during exposure corresponds with the lens O in the front-wall P.
(Fig. 3).
The shutter is also provided with the two notches f¹ and f¹¹, and the peripheral
projection a, it is guided on the front wall P by the angle-shoulders G, and rests in
its end positions (Figs. 2 and 4) upon the shoulders A A on the front wall P.
1
When in one of these two positions the shutter T is fixed by a lever Z movable on a
hinge at p, said lever being continually pressed against the plate by its spring m¹
operating on the lateral pin du. Said lever is provided in front with a nose, which in
the end-positions gears into one of the two notches ff. A flat spring M, engaging
in the angle-guide g¹g on the shutter T (Fig. 5) is revolvable on the pivot p¹ in the
front wall. Said pivot is in firm connection with the vibrating button B, so that by
turning the same to the right or left the spring M is tensioned accordingly. In order
to keep it in the ten-ioned position two small holes a and y corresponding to the right
or left tensioned spring are arranged in the disc Qin the front wall and the pin B' on
the button B gears respectively into one of these holes and thus ensures the respective
position of the spring.
In order to change the positions, one need only withdraw the button, turning it and
inserting the pin B₁ into the other small hole, in which position it is held by a
spring until the next exposure.
In order to ascertain the desired position correctly and immediately during the
turning of the button, two marks corresponding with the two small holes x and y
are cut in the dise Q. and a hand corresponding with the pin is arranged on the
button B. After the spring M is tensioned in this manner, a disengaging only is
required of the nose of the lever Z from the respective notch or in order to
allow the spring M to operate and to move the shutter into the other end position.
The disengaging takes place in the following manner :—
The lever Z is provided with a projection, which generally rests upon the inner
end of a vibrating stud (Fig. 5 in dotted lines) forming the axis p" of the button B.
A pressure on this stud causes an inward movement of the lever Z and consequently
a disengaging of the nose of the said lever from the respective notch f¹ or f
The spring M in accordance with its tension now carries the shutter rapidly to the
right or left, when the hole F uncovers for an instant the lens opening Ŏ of the
camera.
The stop lever provided with the hook d' is arranged on the wall P revolvable
on p the spring m¹ presses on the one end of the lever and the other end rests
against the eccentric provided at the outside with the button &', (Figs. 1-4).
A rotation of this excentric controls the lever so that in its lower position (Fig. 3)
it lies in the path of the projection a of the shutter (moving either to the left or

page_text: right), and in consequence thereof arrests the shutter with the opening O corre-
sponding with the hole F in the plate T.
The rotation of the excentric from the position in Fig. 3 to that shown in Fig. 4,
whereby the lever arrives in the position shown in Fig. 4 is sufficient to terminate
the exposure, there being no further obstacle in the way of the continued rotation
of the shutter T by the spring M.
The view finder is arranged at S, in order to be used with vertical or horizontal
views. The mechanism for changing the plates is illustrated in Fig. 6 and 8 in side
elevation and in Fig. 7 in horizontal section. This mechanism is arranged at the
back portion of the camera in a strong frame 1 of the shape as set forth in the
drawing this frame being within the camera proper. The frame carries on the top at
both sides the angle-hooks 14, and the springs 15. Within the outer frame 1 is the
plate magazine 4 revolvable on pivots 2 and 3. The plate magazine bas the shape of
a rectangular enclosure, open at front and back, and provided in front with an
inwardly projecting edge 5 with notches 6 against which the foremost plate frame
rests.
The plate frames have the shape seen by Fig. 10 in front elevation, and Fig. 11 in
section and consist of a frame 7, with support spring 8, and projecting lugs 9, 10
and 11 at the sides. With the latter they are suspended into the guides 13 provided
with hooks 12, and arranged above on both sides on the plate-magazine; said frames
being pressed against the edge 5 by a spring fastened at the back-wall of the
camera. The upper edge of the plate-magazine is provided with an opening corre-
sponding with the foremost plate-frame whilst at the bottom of the magazine
corresponding to this plate-frame is a lever 19 revolvable on the pivot 16 and
influenced by the springs 17 and 18 as seen in the drawings (in Fig. 7 in plan, in
Fig. 9 in cross-section) the back-extension 20 of said lever gearing into the loop 21
on the stationary frame 1. The spring 22 on the magazine 4 arranged at the side
gears by means of a conical pin 23 thereon into a corresponding-notch 24 in the
frame 1, in order to keep said magazine in the position Fig. 6 against accidental
displacement.
When after the respective exposure to light of the foremost plate the latter is to be
removed, and the following plate substituted therefor, the plate-magazine is moved
down from the position Fig. 6 in the direction of the arrow by means of hand-
lever 25, the nose 23 of the spring 22 is thus disengaged from the notch 24. The
lever 19 adopts the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 9, its projection 20
moving out of the loop 21 of the frame 1 and as seen in Fig. 8 it presses the
foremost plate frame through the upper opening in the magazine, so that, when the
latter arrives in the position I (Fig. 8) the lugs 9 on the frame hook into the angle-
books 14 on the frame 1, the lugs 10 will have just risen above the edge 5 of the
magazine and the lug. 11 correspond with the notches 6 in the said edge 5, so that
at the next moment the frame falls forward out of the magazine and remains
suspended on the hooks 14 (position II). Upon the further rotation of the magazine
the same moves the frame in front of it, until the position 111 is attained. In
this position the lugs 11 of the frame engage in the hooks 12 of the magazine
(operated by the spring 15) so that the frame is suspended in the hooks 12 and 14.
The magazine is now carried back into the original position, the frame releases
itself again from the hook 14 and recedes in the magazine above the other plates,
whilst its lugs 11 run in the guides 13. When the magazine returns into the
original position (Fig. 6) the nese 23 catches again into the notch of the frame 1
and fixes the position of the magazine. Likewise the extension of the lever 19
moves again underneath the loop 21 on the frame 1, and in consequence room is
made for the next plate, which by the spring at the back surface of the case is
pressed against the edge of the magazine by means of the intervening plates.
After the exposure of this plate the above described manipulation is repeated again,
in order to expose the 3rd plate and so forth.
At the outside of the case an indicator is arranged to show the number of plates
exposed.

page_text: The drawing shows a dial 26. which on the outer surface of the case. is provided
with a corresponding handle and with a cogged-wheel 27, with as many teeth as
numbers, said wheel being moved by one tooth upon each exchange of plates by
means of a vibrating lever 28 moved by the lever 25 which operates the changing
of the plates.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
In photographic cameras
1. The construction of shutter, being a vibrating sector with orifice therein, a
spring adapted to tension the same in either direction, and lever adapted to hold
said sector with spring in tension by engagement in one of two recesses or equivalent
stops substantially as set forth.
2. The combination with the shutter T, spring M and a stop lever Z adapted to
operate substantially as and for the purpose shown; of the projection a, lever and
excentric for "time" exposure arranged substantially in the manner shown.
3. The plate changing mechanism, comprising a movable pivoted or hinged
magazine, movable plate frames with lugs thereon, stationary hooks above said
magazine adapted to lift or hold the foremost plate frame whereby the latter is
released from the magazine and retained so that it is transferred to the back of
the magazine substantially in the manner set forth.
4. The combination of a pivoted or hinged plate frame magazine with the lifting
lever and parts connected therewith, adapted on the movement of the magazine to
lift the foremost plate frame therein whereby the latter is brought into engagement
with a retaining device and freed from the front of the magazine for plate changing
substantially in the manner set forth.
Dated this 1st day of August 1800
HERBERT & Co.,
18, Buckingham Street, Strand, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.