AN APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY EXPOSING BODIES OR ARTICLES TO THE ACTION OF THE SUN'S BAYS OR TO LIGHT OTHERWISE PRODUCED.
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Cooke of 43 Southampton Buildings, Holborn,
•
in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer and Patent Agent, for an
Invention of AN APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY EXPOSING BODIES OR
ARTICLES TO THE ACTION OF THE SUN'S BAYS OR TO LIGHT OTHERWISE
PRODUCED. Communicated to him from abroad by Richard Schlotterhoss of
Vienna in the Empire of Austria, Engineer,
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Cooke at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 18th April 1883.
WILLIAM COOKE of 43 Southampton Buildings, Holborn, in the County of
Middlesex, Civil Engineer and Patent Agent, AN APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY.
EXPOSING BODIES OR ARTICLES TO THE ACTION OF THE SUN'S RAYS OR TO LIGHT
OTHERWISE PRODUCED, & communication to me from abroad by Richard
Schlotterhoss of Vienna in the Empire of Austria, Engineer,
The object of this Invention is to expose materials or bodies, whether solid,
flexible, or elastic, more especially material which has been rendered sensitive
such, for instance, as prepared papers, tissues, gelatinous membranes, and such like,
to the action of the sun's rays, or other kind of light.
The said object is attained by an arrangement of mechanism, operated either by
hand, electricity, or other motive power. The time intervals, for the exposition of
the said materials, being of great importance, can be determined by clock-work, or
a train machinery set in motion therewith.
My apparatus consists of a box or case, in which one or more springs press a
horizontal plate against the underside of the cover of the said case. The negative
matrices or moulds rest upon ledges or bearings under the said plate. Between
the said Matrices and pressing plate, the material to be exposed or acted upon is
moved as hereinafter described. When such material is flexible, it is wound round
a roller, fitted in a case or chamber, on one side of the moving apparatus. The said
Price 6d1

page_text: material is passed over the pressing plate and wound upon a reel on the opposite
side. An opening is made in the cover of the apparatus for admitting the sun's
rays or other light; which opening can be closed by a shutter or valve. In
addition to such shutter, a slide may be fitted between the negative matrix and
the sensitive material, to enable such matrix to be changed without injuring the
sensitive material from temporary exposure while such change is effected.
In operating the apparatus, the handle of the reel is turned to the left, which
operates a disc and levers whereby the said shutter is raised and the exposing of
the material to be acted on is commenced; the said shutter is closed by continuing
the same motion, by means of a projecting pin on the said disc operating a lever
which closes the said shutter. By continuing the said motion still further, the
pressing plate is drawn down and the exposed material is set free. It is then
moved forward a regulated space by a projection on the periphery of the said disc
engaging on the spindle of the said reel, and thereby winds thereon that portion of
such material which has been acted on, and exposes a fresh portion to be similarly
treated. Meanwhile the material to be acted on is pressed close to the cover by
the pressing plate and the shutter opens for exposing the said material; by which
the continued operation of the apparatus is effected. A trigging apparatus is
fitted to prevent the reeling spindle taking a backward motion.
When the object is exposed by a camera, the apparatus supplies the place of the
box; and the object chamber, when needed, takes part in the movement.
For automatically driving the apparatus, it is fitted on a stand, and the said
handle is turned by suitable driving power, say by a weight descending inside a
pipe. The said weight is connected by a rope to a pulley and is wound thereon, so
that such weight shall rotate the said reel as required.
A suitable break mechanism, or flyers, is also fitted to regulate the descent of
such weight. The revolution of the said shaft can be arrested, when required, for
exposing the material to be acted on, by fitting a disc on such shaft, having small
projections resting on a tooth fitted on an armature, which armature is fixed and
released, as required, by an electro-magnet, and by another electro-magnet acting
on the said small projections. The said electro-magnets are connected with
batteries; the contact being made and broken by clock-work, as required, by the
hand thereof, which moves over a dial plate marked by current and insulating
spaces. Thus the automatic opening and closing of the shutter, with the other
movements of the apparatus, is effected. The dial is removeable, so that any dial,
with properly divided spaces for current and insulation, may be used for any
time-intervals as required.
1
I also fit the said pipe, at the regulated distances required, with contact screws
which, by the descent of the said weight in such pipe coming in contact with
such screws, the electric current is regulated for operating the shutter and other
parts The said screws are connected by wires with the said batteries.
I fit a tell-tale at or near the bottom of the said pipe to indicate when the weight
has completed its descent and requires rewinding up. This may be done by electric
contact to ring a bell.
:
Instead of the said weight and pipe, I may use any kind of coiled spring
which, by being wound up and released, shall accomplish the same end, as
Janinad

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Cooke in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 17th October
1883.
WILLIAM COOKE of 43 Southampton Buildings, Holborn, in the County of
Middlesex, Civil Engineer and Patent Agent, "AN APPARATUS FOR AUTO-
MATICALLY EXPOSING BODIES OR ARTICLES TO THE ACTION OF THE SUN'S RAYS
OR TO LIGHT OTHERWISE PRODUCED;" a communication to me from abroad by
Richard Schlotterhoss of Vienna in the Empire of Austria, Engineer,
The object of this invention is to expose flexible or elastic bodies, principally
such as are sensitive to light-as, for example, prepared papers, textures, or
gelatine films to the influence of rays or other agents-as, for example, an aniline
atmosphere in aniline printing-in such a manner that, by the operation of a
prime mover, by hand or otherwise, all the functions required for the exposition
will be accomplished.
The invention consists in the novel combination of parts hereinafter described
and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which
Fig. 1 represents a side view of the apparatus, partly in section. Fig. 2
represents a side view of the apparatus. Fig. 3 represents a plan view, partly
broken open. Figs. 4 and 5 show a side view and a front view of the apparatus
mounted on a stand; Fig. 6, a modification of the means employed for moving the
sensitized paper or other body; Fig. 7, a detached view of the insulating disc; and,
Fig. 8, a sectional and end view of the box or case, showing a modification in
which a slide is used to cover the sensitized paper while a negative is being placed
in position. Similar letters indicate corresponding parts.
In the casing or box a, figs. 1, 2 and 3, is a retaining device, the spring b of
which has a tendency to force the press-table c (preferably cushioned) toward the
upper part of the apparatus. In large apparatuses several springs b may be
employed.
For the purpose of exposing behind negatives, matrices or stereotype-plates, the
latter (indicated by the letter d, fig. 1) are placed on the lasts or frame e e. To
accommodate various sizes of plates, the lasts ee are made moveable or removeable.
Between the press-table c and the negative body u to be exposed is shown as
stored up at one end of the apparatus—for example, in a receiver or case, ƒ, pro-
vided with an outlet passage or slot and at the other end such body may be
wound up on a spool or grasped by rollers, which may be provided on the surface
with grooves, rings, or pins to insure a hold upon the body. By means of this
mechanism the body may be drawn over to one side of the apparatus, and be there
stored up.
The cover p of the apparatus is provided with an opening, which may be provided.
with frames or a diaphragm, so that the size of such opening may be increased or
diminished. In this opening a glass plate q, may be fastened, if desired. The
cover p can be secured in place by nuts 8, which screw into swinging arms which
pass into slots t, fig. 3, in the cover p.. When firmly in place, the cover p prevents
the matrices or stereotype-plates d from coming out of their proper positions. For
the purpose of gaining access to the matrix or plate d, and to insert another one
without placing the apparatus in a room free from daylight, the slide Z, fig. 8, is
provided, which slide can be moved inward to cover the sensitized paper or other
body, which is directly under the matrix or plate, in which position the slide will.
be between the body u and the matrix or plate. The opening in the cover p may
be closed, if desired-as, for example, by the cover r swinging on the axis h, or by.

page_text: a slide which may be operated by a rack and pinion, or by a curtain which wind
up on a roller, or by any other desired means. An elastic band v, fig. 2, or a
spring or weight, may assist in raising the cover r. When the cover p is in place,
and the handle i, connected with the disc l, is turned in the direction of the arrow,
shown on the disc in fig. 2, the stud k¹, figs 2 and 3, on the said disc l, strikes one
arm of the three-armed lever m, turning on the pivot m², thereby throwing back
the cover by the action of said lever m on one arm of the fork ml ml on the
axis h. At this moment the exposition begins. If the same is to cease, the
handle is turned further in the direction of the arrow; the stud k strikes against
another arm of the lever m, and, by the action of said lever m on another arm of
the fork m, causes the cover to swing over the opening in the cover p and close
the same, as will be readily seen. At the same time the cam o strikes against the
lever n, and, pulling down the press-table cleaves the body u free to move, while
the toothed sector on the disc l catches into the toothed wheel g¹ on the axis of the
receiving roll and causes that part of the body u, which has been lying under
the plate d, to move on and a fresh part of said body u to occupy said place. A
detent; g, prevents the wheel g¹ from turning in the wrong direction. Upon the
cam o releasing the lever n, the press-plate c presses. upon the body u, and the
opening in the cover p is again opened, and the operation proceeds as before.
.
: For exposing in a camera, the apparatus may take the place of the box, and the
lens cover may be operated in connection with the remainder of the apparatus, if
desired.
The apparatus may be operated by hand, if desired. For the purpose of making
the same operate automatically, the apparatus, if desired, in connection with the
camera, may be placed on a stand; A, figs. 4 and 5, and held in a holder, V; at any
desired inclination, with the handle i clutched by the forked end of the axle B.
Upon turning the axle B the apparatus will operate. This turning may be effected
by any suitable device-for example, by clock-work, by a spring or weight; or by
any other means. For a very large apparatus, for example, it would be advantageous
to provide a permanently revolving wheel, which at certain intervals would come.
into gear with the axis B and turn the same, and at other periods would be out of
gear with such axis. In the case illustrated, a weight C is employed, which slides
quite snugly in a tube R, filled with air, water, oil, or other suitable substance,
retarding the motion of the weight C. This weight pulls on a cord or chain
passing about a roller or spool, D, secured to the axle B, thus tending to revolve
said axle. As shown in the drawings, the revolution of the axle B may be stopped
in two positions by the fluke or detent B' of the anchor Bu coming into engagement
with one of the notches a¹ all on the roller or spool D. One of these positions, a",
corresponds to that arrangement of the apparatus in which the cover is closed;
the other, a', to that in which it is opened. If at the proper moment a current,
flowing about the electro-magnet E, is interrupted or broken, the apparatus will
operate. These current connections and interruptions are brought about by the
frictional contact of the hand S of a clock-work or motor F; or they may be made
by hand. In the case illustrated a permanent current flows .about the electro-i
magnet E; which, in connection with the spring d', draws or forces the anchor or
detent toward the magnet. If the current is broken, the spool D, actuated by the
weight C, presses back the anchor and its detent B', as the spring d' is too weak to
resist the strain, and the axle B revolves until the current is again closed, and the
detent B¹ engages with one of the notches a' a".
In the drawings two batteries are shown. The current from the battery A¹
passes through one of the contact-screws el el into the contact-screw d", thence
about the electro-magnet E, and back, to the battery. The current of the battery B¹
flows to the clock-work or motor F, thence through the friction-contact S on to the
insulated dial-plate S, thence about the electro-magnet G of the contact-armatured",
and back to the battery. If upon the dial-plate S₁, an insulated disc, Pl, fig. 7,
which may be of paper, is attached, such disc P¹ being provided' with cuts or.
openings, over which the frictional contact-arm S has to glide; the contact-anchor d"

page_text: will be alternately attracted and released by the resulting closing and breaking of
the current, and such anchor or armature d" will oscillate from one contact-screw, e¹¹,
to the other, e', and back; thus interrupting the current of battery A' about, the
electro-magnet E, for a sufficiently long period to allow the axle B to free itself and
turn until the succeeding notch a¹ or all is caught by the detent B. The division
of the insulating-disc P¹ by the cuts thus corresponds to the duration of the periods
of exposition and with the movements of the apparatus, and any desired period of
exposition can be attained.
In fig. 7, S¹ represents the dial, and P¹ the insulating disc, in which are cuts,
through which the dial S¹ is exposed. The hand or circuit-marker S, in revolving,
comes into contact at certain periods with the dial S¹ through the cuts in the
disc P¹, thus making the circuit. As about equal periods of time are consumed in
the functions of the apparatus, the cuts in the disc P' may be made with one and .
the same instrument-as, for example, a punch or die-care having simply to be
taken to measure the duration of exposition, or the distance from the end of one.
cut to the beginning of the next cut. When the detent B¹ engages the notch a¹
that is, when the cover of the apparatus is closed-the insulated contact-
spring H is in contact with a projection on the spool D. The chain or cord,
connecting the weight C and spool D, is in this instance made of material which
conducts electricity, so that the spring H, spool D, and weight C are in electrical
connection; also the tube R is provided with insulated contacts T, any one of
which may be adjusted sufficiently far in the tube R to stop the weight C in its
descent. A part of the current from battery A¹ may now take this additional
circuit; from the battery through the electro-magnet E, the contact-spring H,
spool D, and through the cord or chain to the weight C. When the weight C
strikes one of the contacts T (as shown in the drawings the lowest one is adapted
to form connection,) the current just described passes to an alarm or signal, K, and
thence to the battery A'. Thus, after the apparatus has operated for a certain
time, and a certain number of expositions have taken place, and the weight C has
run down, the cover of the apparatus will remain closed, and the alarm K--which
in the example is a bell-alarm will operate, while the current of the electro-
magnet E remains closed until the weight C is again wound up or raised. While
winding up the weight C, the current of battery A' may be cut off; a circuit-
breaker, L, being provided for this purpose. Of course various ways may be devised
for stopping the apparatus, which may readily suggest themselves to one experienced
with the device.
If a considerable number of rapidly succeeding expositions are to take place-as,
for example, in working with highly sensitive paper--the arrangement shown in
fig. 6 may be employed, where the weight C communicates motion to a press or
friction roller, y, between which and the press or friction roller x the sensitized
paper passes. The result of this arrangement is that, while a large amount of the
body or sensitized paper may be stored up in the apparatus, the amount of the body
passed between the rollers x, y and exposed at stated periods will always be equal.
In the case of large dimensions the case a, shown in figs. 1, 2, and 3, may be
replaced by a sort of closet, which may, at the same time, replace the stand A,
figs 4 and 5.
The exposition periods may always remain constant if the intensity of the rays
or agents are regulated according to circumstances-for instance, if the illumination
is varied according to the varying densities of the negatives.
In operating a very large apparatus, instead of using a darkened room, the light
in the room containing the apparatus may be correspondingly tempered.
What I claim as new, and desire to secure by the hereinbefore-mentioned, in
part recited Letters Patent, is :—
Firstly The combination of the retaining or holding device c, the covering
device r, and mechanism connected with the covering device for opening and
closing the same, substantially as described.
Secondly-The combination of the retaining device c, the covering device 7,

page_text: and mechanism for opening and closing the covering device, and moving the
retaining device from action on the sensitized paper or other body, substantially as
described.
Thirdly The combination of the receivers f, g, the retaining device c, the
covering device r, the prime mover i, and means connecting the said mover with
the retainer and the cover; to open and close the cover, and move the retainer
from action on the sensitized paper or other body, substantially as described.
Fourthly The combination of the covering device r, the fork m" m", the
lever m, the disc 1, having studs k¹ and ³, and means for turning the disc to
open and close the covering device, substantially as described.
Fifthly The combination of the covering and retaining devices r and o, the
fork mm, the lever m, the disc l, having studs k¹³, the prime mover i, having
the cam o, and the lever n, for opening and closing the covering device and moving
the retaining device from action on the sensitized paper or other body, substantially
as described.
Sixthly The combination of a covering device, r, a retaining device, c, and
mechanism for automatically opening the covering device to expose the sensitized
paper or other body to the influence of light or other agents, substantially as
described.
Seventhly The combination, with an exposer provided with a covering device, r,
a retaining device, c, and receivers f, g, of an electro-magnet and a circuit-breaker
for rythmically or intermittently actuating said parts, substantially as and for the
purpose set forth.
Eighthly-The combination, with an exposer provided with a covering device, r,
a retaining device, c, and receivers f, g, of an electro-magnet, a circuit-breaker, and
an alarm, K, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Ninthly The combination, with an exposer provided with a covering device r,
a retaining device, c, and receivers f, g, of an electro-magnet, and an adjustable
insulator, P¹, for regulating the operation of said parts, substantially as and for the
purpose set forth.
In witness whereof I, the said William Cooke, have hereunto set my hand and
seal this eighth day of October in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred
and eighty-three.