Certain Improvements in Photographic Cameras.
Year: 1888

page_text: Certain Improvements in Photographic Cameras.
We, WILLIAM CHANNING GIBBS of No. 303 California Street, Marine Adjuster,
and GEORGE WILLIAM DORNIN, of No. 215 Sansome Strect, Insurance Clerk, each
of the city and county of San Francisco, and State of California, one of the United
States of America, 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 :-
Our Invention relates to the class of photographic cameras; and our invention
consists in the novel construction and arrangement of the inclosing case, box, or frame,
whereby its back and front plates, when dropped to expose the operative parts of the
camera, are made to serve as the supporting bed, and the focusing platform,
respectively; in the novel adjusting or focusing carriage; in the adjustable support
for the finder; and in details of construction and arrangement, all of which we shall
hereinafter fully describe.
The main object of our invention is to provide a photographic camera, which
needs no separate box or case, having within itself parts which, ordinarily essential
to its operation when in use, yet have the further function of completing a perfect
case or box, so that the camera is self-contained.
Other objects are to provide improved constructions for focusing the lens, and
supporting the finder.
Referring to the accompanying drawings,
Figure is a vertical section of our camera, showing both end-plates open and
in position for use. .
Figure 2 is a perspective view, showing the end-plates just being opened to expose
the camera-ends.
Figure 3 is a detail of latch E.
Figure 4 is a back view, showing the finder-support and the focusing carriage.
Figure 5 is a detail of the automatic catch between the two plates, C, and G.
A is the body of the camera-box or case, consisting of a four-sided, open-ended
frame inclosing the customary parts of the camera, here represented, generally, by B,
and including on one side the ground glass, on the other the front board, the lens and
its connections, and between them the bellows.

page_text: C is the back of the box or case, consisting of a flanged plate adapted to fully
cover and inclose the back of the camera.
This back plate is connected with the base of the body-frame A, by a suitable hinge-
connection, which will permit said plate to be dropped down to expose the camera
back, and to be turned up under the body-frame for the latter to rest upon.
In the present case, we have here shown the connection as being made through the
intervention of a strip D, to which it is hinged at c, said strip being itself hinged at d,
to the base of the body-frame.
Now, when the back plate is in position to cover the camera back, the strip D lies
in a horizontal position in the plane of the base of the body-frame, and the back plate
occupies a vertical position, being secured by the engagement of a pivoted latch on
its top with a small catch e on the top of the body-frame.
In uncovering the camera-back, the back plate C is dropped down to a horizontal
position, turning on its hinges c.
But to carry out the further function designed for the back, plate, its movement
does not stop here, but, the camera being lifted, said back plate is carried on down
and up again, turning with the strip D on the hinges d, to a horizontal position in the
other direction, so that it lies under and forms a bed-plate for the camera body-frame,
projecting, however, forward of said frame- for a further purpose which we shall
presently describe.
We do not confine ourselves to forming the hinge-connection between the back plate
and the body-frame by the strip D, for with suitable hinges the proper movement of
the back plate may be had without having the strip.
The back plate C is firmly set in this position, wherein it serves as a bed, by means
of any suitable connection or clamp, here shown as a thumb-screw c¹, mounted in the
back plate and engaging a threaded socket a in the base of the body-frame.,
The back plate is provided on its under surface with the plate F, having the usual
Jugs for securing the tripod legs, so that said back plate becomes the support or
foundation for the camera, and is carried by the tripod.
G is the front plate of the body-frame of the camera-box or case. It is hinged to
the base of said body-frame at g, and when in an upright position it completely
covers the front of the camera, being held by spring-catches a¹ above.
By releasing these catches the front plate may be dropped down to a horizontal
position, so that it then lies and is supported directly and firmly upon the back plate C,
which has been turned forward to serve as a bed, as heretofore described. In this
position the front plate serves as a focusing platform.
In order to hold it solidly and firmly in this position, we make use of the pivoted
latch E of the back plate, causing it to engage a catch in the front plate G.
This engagement, though it may be of any suitable character, we have here shown
as being made by a slotted plate H, with which the notch e' of the latch engages, and
is pressed thereto by a spring-actuated toe-piece h, operating behind the slot. The
engagement is, therefore, automatic, and the disengagement is effected readily by
pressing back the latch to relieve its notch of the slotted plate.
The inner surface of the front plate G, which becomes the upper surface when said
plate is laid down, carries the tracks 1, upon which the front of the camera is drawn
out for focusing, its adjustment being effected by means of the common device of
the pinion-shaft J, and the racks j.
Instead, however, of this simple form of adjustment, we would use, especially in
larger cameras, the following construction :-Upon the tracks I, is mounted and
adapted to slide a carriage-frame K, having on each end the guides k, upon which the
base of the front board of the camera is mounted, and is adjusted by means of the
pinion-shaft J on the camera, and the racks on the carriage-frame.
In the inner edges of the tracks 1, are made notches at intervals, and upon the
front of the carriage-frame are arranged the spring-controlled oppositely-working
sliding latches L, the ends, of which are adapted to engage the notches i of the
tracks in order to hold the carriage-frame solidly in position.
The latches are readily operated by means of adjacent thumb-pieces l¹.

page_text: Now, it will be seen that this construction provides for the primary or greater
adjustment of the bellows by pulling out the carriage-frame K, with the front board
and lens to about the focus, as near as can be judged.
Then the accurate adjustinent is effected by the pinion-shaft operating on the racks j.
This effects a saving of time over the ordinary method, and where the work being done
requires the same focus, the carriage may be drawn out directly to that focus at once,
and held by the spring-latches.
M are safety stops on the carriage-frame for limiting the adjustment of the camera
front on said frame.
By thus having the tracks on the front plate G, we avoid having a separate track-
frame, such as is usually employed.
P is the finder of ordinary construction. Our improvement in this connection
consists in means for mounting it, whereby it may be turned to position for a vertical
or horizontal picture.
It has secured to one of its sides a plate p, which is pivoted at pl, to a plate or arm p²,
which is itself pivoted at p³ to the camera front board.
The edge of plate p, is cut out to form terminal shoulders at p', which by coming
in contact with a fixed pin p³ in the arm p², limits the movement of the finder in
either direction, and holds it in either a vertical or a horizontal position, as it is
turned on its pivot at p¹. The turning of the arm p² on its pivot, moves the
finder down to be inclosed by the case, or up above said case for use.
In a camera,
the focusing of which is effected by the backward movement of the bellows, we have
only to reverse the plates C, and G, making the former the front plate and the latter
the back plate.
It will be seen that by the construction of the camera, as described, we provide
what we may term a self-contained apparatus that is to say, we need no separate
case or box.
"
27
The parts of the apparatus which are necessary for setting it up preparatory to its use,
are parts of the inclosing box or case, and have the double function described. There
are no separate pieces to be mislaid or forgotten; no pieces to shake loose or rattle,
but the apparatus as a connected whole is complete in itself, whether in use or
closed up.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim, is
1. In a photographic camera, a plate which, when closed, forms one end of the
camera-fraine, and so hinged thereto as to adapt it to be dropped down to expose the
camera end, and turned under to form a bed or support for the camera-frame,
substantially as described.
2. A photographic camera, having a body-frame with a hinged back plate adapted
to be dropped down to expose the camera back, and turned under to form a bed or
support for the body-frame, substantially as described.
3. A photographic camera, having a body-frame with a hinged back plate adapted
to be dropped down to expose the camera back, and turned under to form a support
for the body-frame, and a proper fastening for holding the plate steady under the
body-frame, and a fastening under said plate for the tripod, substantially as
described.
4. In a photographic camera, an open-ended body-frame, a plate forming one of its
ends and hinged thereto, adapting it to be turned down to expose the camera-end and
form a focusing platform for its adjustment, and a second plate forming the other end
of the body-frame and hinged thereto, adapting it to be dropped down to expose that
end of the camera, and turned under the body-frame to form a bed or support therefor
and for the other end-plate, substantially as described.
5. In a photographic camera, an open-ended body-frame, a plate forming one of its
ends and hinged thereto, adapting it to be turned down to expose the camera end and
forming a focusing platform for its adjustment, a second plate forming the other end

page_text: of the body-frame and hinged thereto, adapting it to be dropped down to expose that
end of the camera, and turned under the body-frame to form a bed or support therefor,
and for the other end-plate, an automatic catch-connection between the two plates to
hold them firmly together, and a fastening for holding the second plate solid under
the body-frame, substantially as described.
6. In a photographic camera, the adjustable support for the finder, consisting of the
plate secured to the finder, and having opposing shoulders by which its movement is
limited, and the arm pivoted to the front board of the camera and to the finder-
plate, and having a pin for coming in contact with the shoulders of said finder-plate,
substantially as described.
7. In a photographic camera, the focusing or adjusting mechanism, consisting of the
carriage-frame on which the camera-front is mounted and adapted to slide, the fixed
tracks on which the carriage-frame moves, the notches in the tracks, and latches on the
carriage-frame for holding said frame to the position to which it is adjusted, and
"the pinion-shaft on the camera-front, and racks on the carriage-frame for adjusting
the camera-front on said carriage-frame, substantially as described.