Improvements in or relating to Photographic Cameras.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Oct., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 19th June, 1895-Accepted, 3rd Aug., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Photographic Cameras.
A communication from LUCIEN JOUX, of 42 Boulevard Bonne Nouvelle, Paris,
in the Republic of France.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
Chartered Patent A'gent, do hereby declare the 'nature of this invention to be as
follows: :-
The form of the apparatus comprised in this invention approximates to that of a
double or twin camera, and is constituted substantially by the combination of two
boxes or cameras, one being contained and operated within the other, after the
manner of bellows and jointed in a similar way at the upper side at the same end
as the lens, by means of a hinge with an internal shield or cover to protect it.
against any penetration of the rays of light.
The outer box is quite open on one side while the inner one being similarly open
on the opposite side thus supplies the place of the missing side of the former.
The form of the front part of the camera is that of a cone viewed in longi-
tudinal section and in it are fitted the lens, the shutter and the mechanisin operating
the latter. As these different parts may be made according to any suitable system
known, it is unnecessary to describe thein.
In continuation of the conical portion of the camera follows a rectangular part
forming, inside the inner box or camera, the magazine or plate-holder wherein the
plates are stored, each held in a separate metallic frame, their number and dimen-
sions varying of course, with the size of the apparatus.
In the outer camera box at the junction of the conical with the oblong portion,
are arranged two rods jointed to the frame and having hooks at their free ends.
These hooked rods are intended to keep well to the front the plates contained in the
magazine formed by the rectangular portion of the inner camera-box'; sufficient
play is provided therefor in the apparatus by means of recesses formed in the
longitudinal side walls of the inner box. These hooked rods are linked together
by a tie and provided each with a spring pressing with their free ends'against
suitable abutting pieces provided for the purpose in recesses; these springs are
enlarged and strengthened by suitable strips which keep them closely pressed
against the front of the first plate-holder or frame in front of the pile of plates in
the magazine.
The open surface of each side of the interior of the inner box' is fitted with
two strips united by a tie and symmetrically arranged, forming ledges which carry
the ends of the frames holding the plates and of such a length that the first or
front plate (on the side facing the lens) is free and does not rest upon them,
so as to allow of its being removed or conjured away so to speak as if by a
trick.
The front plate is maintained in position in a vertical direction, by the hooks on
the above-mentioned rods and in the horizontal direction, by two ledges or strips,
arranged symmetrically and at a suitable height on one of the side faces or jambs
of the recesses of the inner camera-box.
The back or rear end of the box has its outer side rounded to form an arc of a
circle struck from the point of oscillation as a centre, i.e. the axis of the "hinge on
which the box swings, so that the end is always hermetically closed against the

page_text: upper edge of the back of the outer camera box; the hermetic joint or closure
being formed by longitudinal pads exerting pressure by means of springs specially
arranged in grooves formed for this purpose in the inner faces of the longitudinal
walls of the outer box against the outer faces of the longitudinal walls of the
inner box; thus all access of light to the interior of the apparatus is prevented.
A transverse pad similarly supported by a spring and ledged in a suitable groove
in the inner face of the rear end of the outer box presses against the circular
outer face of the rear end of the inner box so as to make a hermetically tight
joint therewith and also thus prevent all access of light to the interior of the
apparatus.
A hook-shaped stop secured to the open surface of the interior of the inner
box at the rear end limits its movement outside the outer box; suitable plate
springs arranged symmetrically and parallel to each other on the flat inner eurface
of the back of the inner box exert a strong pressure upon the pile of plates in the
magazine formed in the rectangular part of the apparatus; two springs secured to
the back of the outer box serve, in the "trick" position, to support the plate when
removed by the "trick" action, at a proper height to enable it to be restored to its
place in the magazine, not in front this time but behind all the other plates; two
other springs, formed by flexible cheeks symmetrically arranged and lodged in
recesses cut for the purpose in the inner longitudinal walls of the outer box are
intended to guide and hold the plate passed from front to rear, in the direction of
its length, in a position adapted to facilitate its replacement in the magazine behind
the other plates.
When the apparatus is closed, or folded together, these springs are lodged in
suitable recesses prepared for them in the interior of the outer box.
The external face of the back of the outer box is provided with a door for
inspection, that of the upper side of the inner box with a ring jointed and pivotted,
and so arranged as to serve as a bolt or catch to secure the inner box when the
apparatus is closed and out of use; this ring also affords a means of handling and
manipulating the inner box relative to the outer one; a flap-door in the upper side
of the inner box enables the plates to be stored in the magazine and removed there-
from, as may be required.
Having thus described the construction and arrangement of the apparatus I will
now proceed to set forth and explain the method of its operation and use.
The apparatus being closed, the storing of the plates, in their frames or holders,
in the magazine is effected by opening the trap for the purpose and introducing
them into the magazine in the inner box; the plates are restrained by plates or
ledges in front and supported below by the ledges presenting their sensitised
surfaces on the side towards the lens.
All the plates being stored away in place and forming a block or pile supported
by the springs at the back, the first or front plate is seized on its upper edge by
the books on the rods previously described while its lower edge has passed beyond
the supports upon which the other plates rest, and is therefore free.
The first plate having received the picture the next step is to abstract it for
transfer to the back. To this end the apparatus must be opened out i.e. placed on
end with the lens uppermost and its axis vertical instead of horizontal, and this is
effected by turning the handle or ring on the upper side so as to release the catch
and unfasten the inner box, then, while holding the outer box firmly with one hand,
with the other the inner box is drawn out so that it opens by rotating on its hinge
until when fully opened it is arrested by the stop.
During and by this movement all the plates are carried along with the inner box
excepting only the first plate which has just been exposed and received the photo-
graphic image; this front plate being held by the hooks as explained and retained
by the arms secured to the stationary side of the outer camera, is gradually drawn
out from the position hitherto held by it in front of the block or pile of plates,
.sliding along the frame of the next adjacent plate until it is clear of them; the
bottom end of the plate as the motion proceeds, overbalancing the upper end and

page_text: dropping, when completely clear (i.e. when the movement is arrested) first into an
intermediate position and finally into a position somewhat slantwise on the back of
the outer box, with its sensitive film still uppermost and turned towards the lens
and sustained horizontally and vertically (or laterally) by the springs placed there
for the purpose which springs have been liberated by the-withdrawal of the inner
box, from within the outer one and have consequently resumed their normal con-
figurations and positions, in which they are adapted to hold and guide the exposed
plate in position and manner suitable for the next stage of the operation which
completes the "trick."
This final stage is effected by simply closing the inner box and restoring it to its
former position inside the outer one; whereby as it were automatically the exposed
plate is caused to re-enter the inner box at the back, to slide up the guide-springs
and thus be pushed into place bebind all the other plates with its sensitive film
towards the lens.
The inner box having thus been completely closed within the outer camera the
original relative positions of all the parts are established excepting that the plate
which was in front has undergone exposure, and is now behind all the rest, having
been conjured away so to speak and "passed" by a sleight-of-hand trick from the
top of the "pack" of slides to the bottom, by a single swing of the inner box out
and in again; while the still unexposed plate which was second, now occupies the
first or front place, ready for immediate exposure having its sensitive film turned
to the object-glass, and being like its predecessor sustained in front by the plates
or flauges carried by the hooks above unsupported by the ledges and free, after
exposure, to pass through the same process of removal from front to rear by the
so-called "6
trick" apparatus hereinbefore described.
Dated this 24th day of October 1894
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in or relating to Photographic Cameras.
A communication from LUCIEN JOUX, of 42 Boulevard Bonne Nouvelle, Paris, in
the Republic of France.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex.
Chartered Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The construction and working of the apparatus which is the subject of this
invention will be most easily understood on an examination of the ensuing
description in relation to the drawings accompanying this Specification,
Figure 1 being a vertical longitudinal section;
Figure 2 a plan, the top being supposed removed in order to enable the interior
arrangements to be seen;
Figure 3 a horizontal section showing the trick-action at the moment when a plate
is to be conjured away from the front to the back of the box.
From the drawings it will be evident that the apparatus approximates in form
to that of a double or twin camera and is constituted substantially by the
combination of two boxes or cameras A and B the latter being contained and
operated within the former after the manner of bellows and jointed in a similar
way at the upper side at the same end as the lens by means of a hinge C with
an internal shield or cover to protect it against any penetration of the rays
of light.
The box A is quite open on one side the inner one B being similarly open on the

page_text: opposite side so that the side D'of the box A.(Figure 3) thus supplies the place of
the missing side of B and vire versa, the side D₁ of B' acts as substitute for that
missing in A.
The form of the front part of the camera is that of a cone viewed in longitudinal
section and in it are fitted the lens, the shutter and the mechanism operating the
latter. As these different parts may be made according to any suitable system
known, they are not shown in the drawings.
In continuation of the conical portion of the camera follows a rectangular part
forming, inside the box or camera B the magazine or plate-holder E wherein the
plates are stored, each held in a separate metallic frame, their number and dimensions
varying of course with the size of the apparatus.
In the camera-box A at the junction of the conical with the oblong portion are
arranged two rods G G jointed to the frame at F F and having hooks H H' at
their free ends. These hooked rods are intended to keep well to the front the
plates contained in the magazine formed by the rectangular portion of the camera-
box B; sufficient play is provided therefor in the apparatus by means of recesses I l¹
formed in the longitudinal side walls of the inner box B. These hooked rods G G¹
are linked together by a tie J and provided each with a spring K and K¹ the
free ends of which press against the abutting pieces K provided for the purpose in
the recesses | I. These springs are enlarged and strengthened by suitable
strips JJ which keep them closely pressed against the front of the first
plate-holder or frame in front of the pile of plates in the magazine.
The open surface of each side of the interior of the box B is fitted with two
strips united by a tie and symmetrically arranged forming the ledges M M¹ which
carry the ends of the frames holding the plates E and of such a length that the
first or front plate (on the side facing the lens) is free and does not rest upon
them so as to allow of its being removed or conjured away so to speak as if by a
trick. The front plate is maintained in position in a vertical direction by the
hooks H H and in the horizontal direction by two ledges or strips arranged
symmetrically and at a suitable height on one of the side faces or jambs of the
recesses II of the camera-box B.
The back O or rear end of the box B has its outer side rounded to form an arc
of a circle struck from the point of oscillation as a centre, i.e. the axis of the
hinge C on which the box swings, so that the end O is always hermetically closed
against the upper edge of the back O' of the camera-box A; the hermetic joint or
closure being formed by longitudinal pads P exerting pressure by means of springs
specially arranged in grooves formed for this purpose in the inner faces of the
longitudinal walls of the box A against the outer faces of the longitudinal walls
of the box B; thus all access of light to the interior of the apparatus is
prevented. A transverse pad P' similarly supported by a spring and lodged in
a suitable groove in the inner face of the rear end O' of the box A presses against
the circular outer face O of the rear end of the box B so as to make a hermetically
tight joint therewith and also prevent all access of light to the interior of the
apparatus.
"
A hook-shaped stop Q secured to the open surface of the interior of the box B
at the rear end O limits the movement of B outside A; plate-springs R R¹
arranged symmetrically and parallel to each other on the flat inner surface O
exert a strong pressure upon the pile of plates E in the magazine, formed in the
rectangular part of the apparatus; two springs S S' secured to the back O' of the
box A serve in the " "trick position, to support the plate when removed by
the "trick" action, at a proper height to enable it to be restored to its place in
the magazine, not in front this time, but behind all the other plates; two other
springs, formed by flexible cheeks L L' symmetrically arranged and lodged in
recesses cut for the purpose in the inner longitudinal walls of the box A are
intended to guide and hold the plate "passed" from front to rear, in the direction
of its length, in a position adapted to facilitate its replacement in the magazine
behind the other plates.
1.

page_text: When the apparatus is closed, or folded together, the springs SS', LL' are lodged
in suitable recesses prepared for them in the interior of Ariz. for L L' in the sides,.
and in the back O' for S S'.
The external face of the back O¹ of A is provided with a door for inspection T,
that of the side D¹ of the box B with a ring U jointed and pivotted and so
arranged as to serve as a bolt or catch to secure B to A when the apparatus is
closed and out of use; this ring U also affords a means of handling and manipu-
lating the box B in connection with A; a flap-door V in the side D₁ of the box B
enables the plates E to be stored in the magazine and removed therefrom, as may
be required.
Having thus described the construction and arrangement of this apparatus, the
method of its operation and use will now be set forth and explained.
The apparatus being closed, the storing of the plates, in their frames or holders,
in the magazine is effected by opening the trap E and introducing them into the
magazine in box B; the plates are restrained by the plates or ledges N N' in front
and supported below by the ledges M M', presenting their sensitised surfaces on the
side towards the lens.
All the plates being stored away in place and forming a block or pile supported by
the springs RR' the first or front plate is seized on its upper edge by the hooks H H
while its lower edge has passed beyond the supports M M upon which the other
plates rest and is therefore free.
The first plate having received the picture the next step is to abstract it
for transfer to the back. To this end the apparatus must be opened out into
the position shown in Figure 3 i.e. placed on end with the lens uppermost and
its axis vertical instead of horizontal; and this is effected by turning the handle
or ring U so as to release the catch and unfasten the box B, then while holding
the box A firmly with one hand, with the other the box B is drawn out so that
it opens by rotating on its hinge until when fully opened it is arrested by the
stop Q.
During and by this movement all the plates E are carried along with the box B.
excepting only the first plate which has just been exposed and received the photo-
graphic image; this front plate being held by the hooks H H' as explained and
retained by the arms G G₁ secured to the stationary side D of the camera A is.
gradually drawn out from the position hitherto held by it in front of the block
or pile of plates, sliding along the frame of the next adjacent plate until it is
clear of them as shown in dotted lines at I, Figure 3; the bottom end of the plate
as the motion proceeds overbalancing the upper end and dropping, when completely
clear (ie. when the movement is arrested) first into an intermediate position shown
in dotted lines at 2 Figure 3, and finally into that shown in hard lines at 3, Figure 3..
In this position the plate rests somewhat slantwise, on the back of A with its
sensitive film still uppermost and turned towards the lens and sustained
horizontally by the springs S S¹ and vertically (or laterally) by the springs L L
which springs have been liberated by the withdrawal of the box B from
within A and have consequently resumed their normal configurations and positions
in which they are adapted to hold and guide the exposed plate in position
and manner suitable for the next stage of the operation, which completes the
"trick."
This final stage is effected by simply closing the box B and restoring it to.
its former position inside A; whereby as it were automatically the exposed plate
is caused to re-enter the box B at the back to slide up the guide-springs R R¹ and
thus be pushed into place behind all the other plates with its sensitive film towards
the lens.
The box B thus having been completely closed within the camera A the
original relative positions of all the parts are re-established as shown in Figures 1
and 2; excepting that the plate which was in front, has undergone exposure, and
is now behind all the rest, having been conjured away so to speak, and "passed
by a sleight-of-hand trick, from the top of the "pack" of slides to the bottom, by
".

page_text: a single swing of the box B out and in again; while the still unexposed plate,
which was second, now occupies the first or front place, ready for immediate
exposure, having its sensitive film turned to the lens, and being like its predecessor,
sustained in front by the plates or flanges N N¹ carried by the hooks H H¹
above unsupported by the ledges M M' and free after exposure to pass through the
same process of removal from front to rear by the so-called "trick-apparatus
hereiubefore described.
"
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent, I declare that.what I claim is ;-
1. A photographic apparatus consisting of two boxes or cameras one of which
is hinged to and swings in and out of the other the inner box containing a store of
sensitive plates in frames so arranged that after the exposure of the front plate by
drawing the inner box out this plate is removed by means of hooks attached to
spring controlled rods and passed to the back of the camera when by pushing the
inner box back to its normal position it is forced in at the back of the store of
plates contained in the inner box substantially as described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
2. The combination of hooks such as H H¹ mounted so as to swing in the box or
camera (A) seizing or clipping the first or front plate presented before the lens
with flanges such as N N which sustain and retain the plates in the front part of
the swinging box (B) these flanges being of such a length that when the swinging
box (B) is drawn out to its full extent so as to be free of the camera box (A) the
plate held by the hooks H H and disengaged from the flanges (N N') slides over
the surface of the pile or block of plates stored in the magazine and falls into the
space left clear in the camera box (A) for the trick action & suming a position
such as to enable it to pass into the back of the magazine behind all the stored
plates in the swinging box B when this latter is swung back to its former position
inside of the camera A substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
3. The combination of a photographic apparatus consisting of two boxes or
cameras such as A and B hinged together with springs such as S Sand L L' whereby
the sensitive plate to be removed by the trick action is so exactly placed in position
when it drops in the camera (A) that by the closing of the swinging box (B) into
its former position within the camera (A) it is caused to pass into its place behind
all the stored plates in the swinging box (B) between the bottom plate and the
supporting springs (R R') substantially as described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
4. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the complete
photographic camera substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
Dated this 19th day of June 1895.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.