Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application (in United Kingdom), 7th Apr., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 5th Jan., 1895-Accepted, 9th Feb., 1895
We, Messrs. GUITTON DE GIRAUDY and LA SOCIÉTÉ ANDRÉ AND LIEUTIER
both of 21 Boulevard Poissonniere, Paris in the Republic of France do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in magazine photographic apparatus in
which all the operations such as changing the plates working the shutter numbering
or counting the plates etc. are performed automatically by the operation of clock-
work when a single button has been pressed, so that the manipulation of the
apparatus is extremely simple.
The apparatus consists of two chambers the one serving as the magazine for the
plates and the second enclosing all the operating mechanism of the apparatus and
capable of sliding on the former in any desired manner for focussing.
The chamber serving as the magazine is closed at its hinder part by a hinged
back which is opened for the insertion of the plates. The latter are arranged
vertically on a bridge part, the upper edge of the front plate abutting against a
screw hereinafter described. Between the hinged back and the plates a board is
inserted carrying a spring or springs of any desired shape so as to keep the plates
pressed against the screw and feed them forward one by one when the screw revolves
as hereinafter described.
Springs fixed on the two side walls of the magazine chamber serve to deaden the
fall of plates which takes place after the operation of the screw. These springs
are also utilized for retaining the plates when the apparatus is tilted. The plates
may be surrounded at each end by rubber pieces for keeping them apart and helping
to deaden their fall or metallic frames may be employed.
The screw is mounted on a spindle which may be connected with another rod
operated by clock work as hereinafter described, so that the said screw may effect
one revolution each time the objective is uncovered.
The second chamber of the apparatus coutains all the motive mechanism, it is
closed in at the back by a partition through which passes the rod of the clockwork
movement which drives the screw, and in front by a board.
The motive mechanism comprises essentially two clockwork movements viz. :-
one clockwork movement for operating the shutter and the device for numbering
or counting the plates and a second movement for operating the screw the second
movement being set in motion by the first. The shutter consists of a disc perforated
with an aperture or apertures and is provided with tappets corresponding in number
to the apertures. The axle of the shutter carries a toothed pinion gearing through
a set of toothed wheels with the main shaft of the first clockwork movement.
The

page_text: When
spiral spring of this movement is fixed on one end to any fixed point and at the
other end to the main shaft, the gear wheel is loose on the shaft and carries a spring
pawl engaging with a ratchet wheel rigidly fixed on the said shaft. The shaft
carries a key for winding and a pointer which moves over a graduated arc.
the spring is wound up by turning the key the ratchet wheel fixed on the shaft
turns without operating the pawl or the set of toothed wheels, but when the spring
is left free to unwind by means of a releasing arrangement hereinafter described it
imparts a movement of rotation to the shaft and the ratchet wheel which engages
the pawl and the set of toothed wheels and consequently the shutter. The releasing
arrangement which is employed for controlling the movement of the shutter consists
of a stop rod passing through one of the lateral walls of the second chamber and
provided with a button which stop rod is forced outwardly by a spring. This rod
carries at its other extremity two abutments arranged baffle-wise relatively to the
circular path taken by the tappets of the shutter.
In order to establish at will instantaneous working or time exposure the herein-
before described releasing device of the shutter is combined with the following
arrangement.
The front board of the apparatus is perforated by a slot in which a screw-
threaded rod can rise and fall and to which is secured a U shaped carriage, the
arms of this U shaped carriage serve as a guide to a rod which a spring tends
constantly to return towards the stop rod of the releasing device hereinabove
described. A milled screw nut carried outside by the screw-threaded rod is
employed for fixing the carriage and the rod it serves to guide either in its upper
position corresponding to the position for instantaneous working or in its lower
position corresponding to time exposure. In this last position the rod is in a line
with the stop rod. The said rod can be operated from outside by any other suitable
device than the button such for example as an air ball.
A brake may be arranged as usual to retard more or less the speed of the shutter
for instantaneous work. The following is a description by way of example of an
arrangement which we prefer to use. Through the front board passes a screw
carrying a pointer moving on a graduated arc of velocities. The end of this screw
bears on a thin bar which can turn on a hinge and carries at its other extremity a
cushion which bears more or less on the shutter according as the screw is adjusted.
A spring tends to keep the cushion free from the shutter. The clockwork move-
ment for operating the aforesaid screw comprises an ordinary barrel spring fixed at
one of its ends to a toothed barrel and at its other end to the shaft of the
winder on which is fixed a ratchet wheel which engages with a pawl. This toothed
wheel gears with two like toothed pinions of which the one is keyed on the spindle
of the screw and the other is fixed on a shaft which also carries a toothed wheel on
which is a tappet.
The mechanism for releasing the clockwork movement above described consists
of a two armed lever one arm of which has its extremity situated in the path
described by the tappets of the shutter and the other arm of which is bent at right
angles to itself so as to present its end in the path taken by the tappet on the
toothed wheel at the time of its rotation.
To retard the speed of the clockwork motion and consequently that of the screw
we employ a fly device the vanes of which beat the air which retards their speed
and that of the whole mechanism. The above described movement can be wound
up by a key.
Any arrangement desired may be employed to connect the spindle of the screw
to the spindle that transmits to it the motion of the barrel so long as the said
arrangement will permit of the movement of the chamber for focussing purposes.
The following arrangement may be advantageously employed. The spindle trans-
mitting the barrel motion terminates in a part square in cross section which fits in
a recess of the same section formed in a rod situated adjacent thereto. This rod
carries a cross pin which slides in longitudinal slots formed in a tube which is
secured to the rod carrying the screw.

page_text: A spring bearing at one end against this latter rod and at the other on the pin
tends to force one rod against the other whatever the relative positions of the two
chambers to each other may be.
The apparatus may be arranged so that the first clockwork movement can be
wound in the same direction as the second. To effect this it will be sufficient to
add a toothed wheel to the gear wheels which connect the first movement to the
shaft of the shutter.
The following arrangement may be employed for changing the diaphragms.
A disc eccentric to the axis of the objective is perforated by a series of different
sized holes with their centres situated on a circle passing through the axis of the
objective. The disc may be operated for example by means of a rod provided on
the outside of the apparatus with a button and gearing inside in any desired manner
with the disc so as to place the required hole in the diaphragm in position in front
of the objective. The position of the disc may be shown in any desired manner on
the outside.
For numbering or counting the plates a shaft for transmitting the movement of
the main spring to the shutter may be employed for fixing thereon a pointer shewing
every half revolution of the shutter on a graduated dial. For example on the shaft
which turns through a certain angle at every half revolution of the shutter there
may be fixed an indicating pointer which thus moves through one division of the
dial at every movement of the shutter or what comes to the same thing for every
fall of a plate. The number of plates that have not yet been used can be thus
readily read off without opening the apparatus.
We do not limit ourselves to the precise details of construction hereinbefore
described and our improvements may be adapted to all known photographic
apparatus. Thus our invention is applicable to apparatus with two objectives as
well as those with only one and moreover we may adopt any suitable construction
or arrangement for shifting the second chamber and focussing for the brake device
for instantaneous working and for operating the diaphragms.
Dated this 7th dor of Anvil 1004
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.
Improvements in Automatio
We, Messrs. GUITTON DE GIRAUDY and LA SOCIÉTÉ ANDRÉ AND LIEUTIER
both of 21 Boulevard Poissonniere Paris in the Republic of France do hereby
declare the nature of our invention 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 improvements in magazine photographic apparatus in
which all the operations such as charging the plates, working the shutter,
numbering or counting the plates, are performed automatically by the operation of
clockwork when a single button has been pressed, so that the manipulation of the
apparatus is extremely simple.
In order to clearly explain the nature of our invention we will describe it by
way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing in which
Figure 1 is a front elevation of an apparatus made according to our invention
the front board being supposed to be removed so as to permit the mechanism to
be seen.
Figure 2 is a side elevation of the apparatus with the rear part in section.
Figure 3 is a separate front elevation of the shutter mechanism arranged for
time exposure the operating button being pressed in.

page_text: taneous work.
section.
Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 3 the mechanism being arranged for instan
Figure 6 is a front elevation of the apparatus drawn to a smaller scale shewing
the buttons, keys pointer and sectors employed in working the apparatus and
Figure 7 represents on a smaller scale in elevation and section a plate provided
with a metal frame.
The apparatus consists of two chambers A and B the one A serving as the
magazine for the plates and the second B enclosing all the operating mechanism of
the apparatus. The chamber A is closed at its hinder part by a hinged back a
which is opened for the insertion of the plates. The latter are arranged vertically
on a bridge part a' carrying two rods or bars a³ on which the said plates rest and
slide the upper edge of the front plate abutting against an endless screw H herein-
after described. Between the back a and the plates is a helical spring a³ or it
may be of any other desired shape so as to keep the plates pressed against the
screw and feed them forward one by one when the screw revolves as hereinafter
described. Springs a fixed on the two side wails of the magazine chamber A serve
to deaden the fall of plates which takes place after the operation of the screw H.
These springs are also utilized for retaining the plates when the apparatus is tilted.
The plates are placed in metal frames y with projections y' Fig. 7 punched out or
otherwise formed thereon for keeping them apart and helping to deaden their fall.
The screw H is mounted on a spindle h which may be connected with another rod h¹
operated by clockwork as hereinafter described, so that the screw may effect one
revolution each time the objective is uncovered. The second chamber B of the
apparatus contains all the motive mechanism, it is closed in at the back by a
partition b, through which passes the rod of the clockwork movement which
drives the screw, and in front by the board bl.
The motive mechanism comprises essentially two clockwork movements viz.:-one
clockwork movement for operating the shutter and a second movement for operating
the screw and the device for numbering the plates, the second movement being set
in motion by the first. C is the shutter consisting of a disc perforated with an
aperture or apertures f (two being shewn in the drawing). The shutter is placed
behind all the actuating parts of the apparatus which are mounted on the front
board bl.
"
The disc C is provided with tappets t t corresponding in number to the apertures,
on the drawing two are shewn. The axle of the shutter carries a toothed pinion c
gearing directly with the toothed barrel or druin c of the first clockwork movement.
An ordinary barrel spring is fixed at one end to the toothed barrel and at its
other end to the axis D of the winding device on which is secured a ratchet wheel c
gearing with a pawl e mounted on the plate c³. A key screwed on the axle D
is used for winding up the spring on the barrel. The releasing arrangement which
is employed for controlling the movement of the shutter consists of a stop rod E
passing through one of the lateral walls of the chamber B and provided with a
button F and terminating at its inner end in a plate F1 against which the end of
the rod E¹ bears and which is forced outwardly by a spring. This rod is bent so
as to form two abutments arranged baffle wise relatively to the circular path
taken by the tappets tt of the shutter. A stop F carried on an axle F* passing
through the wall of the chamber is used for locking the disc F1 in one or other of
its positions. In one of these positions, that shewn in Figure 3 it keeps the shutter
open during exposure and in the other position it prevents any accidental push to
the button F.
In order to establish at will instantaneous working or time exposure the herein-
before described releasing device of the shutter is combined with the following
arrangement: The front board b¹ of the apparatus is perforated by a slot e* (Figure 6)
in which a screw threaded rode can rise and fall and to which is secured a
shaped carriage e' (Figure 3) guided on the board by two angle pieces e", the
arms of this shaped carriage serve as a guide to a rod E which a spring tends

page_text: constantly to return towards the stop rod E' of the releasing device herein before
lescribed. A milled screw nut e carried outside by the rod e is employed for
fixing the carriage and the rod E² either in its lower position I (Figure 6) corre-
sponding to the position for instantaneous working or in its upper position P
corresponding to time exposure. In this last position the rod E' is in a line with
the rod E (Figures 1 & 3). The said rod E can be operated from outside by
any other suitable device than the button such for example as an air ball.
A brake may be arranged as usual to retard more or less the speed of the
shutter for instantaneous work. By way of example we shew in the drawing an
arrangement which we prefer to use. Through the front board 6 passes a screw K
with milled head graduated for speed and carrying two stops or abutments k k².
The end of this screw bears on a lever k³ Figure 4 which can turn on an axis k³
and carries at one of its extremities a blade spring which bears more or less on
the edge of the shutter C according as the screw k is adjusted. The lever carries
at its other end a spring 4 bearing on the barrel c and tending to keep the spring k*
free from the shutter. The stops k k are arranged so as to limit the travel of the
screw K by coming in contact with the pink. The clockwork movement for
operating the aforesaid screw H like the clockwork movement previously described
comprises an ordinary barrel spring fixed by one of its ends to a toothed barrel g
and by its other end to the shaft G of the winder, on which is fixed a ratchet
wheel g¹ with which engages a pawl g² fixed on the plate supporting the device.
This toothed wheel g gears with two like toothed pinions h³ ³ of which the one h³
is keyed on the spindle of the screw and the other g³ is fixed on a shaft which also
carries a toothed wheel g' on which is a tappet g³.
The mechanism for releasing the clockwork movement above described consists
of a two armed lever one arm of which has its extremity / situated in the
path Z described by the tappets t of the shutter and the other arm l' of which is
bent at at right angles to itself so as to present its end in the path taken by the
tappet g at the time of the rotation of the toothed wheel gt. To retard the speed
of the clockwork motion and consequently that of the screw H we employ a fly
or vanes m which is or are connected with the wheel g* by means of the toothed
wheels m² m² m³ arranged so as to considerably increase the speed of the fan m
in proportion to that of the wheel 9. The vanes m beat the air which retards their
speed and that of the whole mechanism.
The above described movement can be wound up by a key gº.
The device for numbering the plates is constructed in the following manner: On
the spindle d of the wheel is mounted a second pinion d' gearing with a pinion (2
formed in one with a pinion d³ which engages with a toothed wheel de loose on the
shaft d and carrying on the outside of the apparatus a pointer d³ turning on a
dial d suitably graduated to shew the number of plates used. The gearing of the
toothed wheels d' d² ds de is such that the pointer ³ moves over one division on the
dial as the screw H completes one revolution.
The focussing of the apparatus may be effected in any desired way for example
an objective with helicoidal motion may be employed, but we have not shewn such
details in the drawings as they are not included in this invention.
We will suppose the apparatus charged with a series of plates X and that the
two clockwork movements are wound up. The first plate X is situated between
threads of the endless screw H, Figure 2, and one of the tappets t of the shutter C
bears against the abutment e³ of the releasing rod E'.
To be better understood we will describe separately the case for instantaneous
exposures and that when an exposure more or less prolonged is desired.

page_text: With the apparatus so arranged it is sufficient for making instantaneous
exposures to press the button F of the rod E and then to allow the said rod to
return to its normal position under the influence of the spring e.
C
This simple operation may be repeated as many times as it is desired to obtain
exposures without doing anything else except to refill the magazine with plates
as often as it becomes empty. The operations take place as follows. When the
rod E' is made to slide from left to right the tappet at one period of time escapes
from the edge of the abutment e³ and then the shutter being released obeys the
impulse of the barrel c and gearing c¹. The shutter than commences to turn in the
direction of the arrow X' Figure 1 at a speed which can be regulated and varied
by means of the button K controlling the brake . But the shutter is neces-
sarily arrested as soon as it has effected a half revolution because at the moment
in which the rear edge of the abutment 3 has released the tappet t the abutment e²
is already intersected by the imaginary circle Z which represents the path
traversed by the tappets. The tappet t opposite that which has just been freed is
retained without fail by the abutment e2 and the shutter can only make a half
revolution. When the button F is released the tappet at a certain period of time
is stopped by the abutment e² and releases the latter but is immediately held by the
abutment e because the imaginary circle Z always intersects one or other of the
abutments e³ and there is no space between them permitting of the direct passage
of the tappets. This refers to the statement already made that the abutments are
arranged bafflewise with reference to the tappets.
is
As the apertures f are arranged on a diameter at right angles to that which
passes through the tappets t the result is that midway of each movement of the
shutter an aperture passes before the objective o which is instantly uncovered:
at this moment one of the tappets & moves against the arm of the starting lever
of the endless screw motion so that it is sharply pushed back and the arm
depressed. The end of the said arm leaves the tappet 9 so that the
wheel g' and all the mechanism is free to turn. In any case the wheel gt can only
make one revolution since the lever having resumed its position the tappet 9³
is held by the end of the arm 12 when the wheel has made one revolution.
Consequently the shaft of the endless screw H can only make one turn at each
time of releasing since the pinions 9 and 3 have an equal number of teeth.
As the endless screw turns in the direction of the arrow its end rises above
the edge of the plate X and at this moment the spring acting on the row of plates
pushes the front one which is no longer held forward in such a manner as to
cause it to fall between the springs a which deaden its fall on.". Meanwhile
the plate X has been pushed against the rear of the endless screw and when
the screw has finished its revolution it occupies exactly the same position which the
plate occupied before the operation. It is only necessary to press again on
the button in order to obtain the same working.
It should be noted that the tappet acts on the lever to start the movement
of the endless screw only when the shutter has already uncovered the objective
(Figure 3). As in the other case the speed of movement of the endless screw is
retarded by the vanes m and the plate receives the impression before its fall which
is effected by the action of the endless screw as hereinbefore described.
The rod E2 is raised into the position shewn by Figure 3 so that it is in a line
with the rod E. To effect this it is simply necessary to tighten or clench the
screw at the top of the slot et at P.
By pressing on the button on the rod E the latter effects the starting of the
working of the shutter by releasing one of the tappets as previously described,
but a further effect is actually produced. In sliding from left to right the rod E
has drawn with it the red E which is in line therewith so as to cause it to pass
from the position shewn in Figure 1 to that shewn in Figure 3. In this last 5

page_text: position the rod Es intersects the circular path Z of the tappets. The result is
that the tappet which has just been released is stopped by the rod E when
the shutter has only made a quarter of a revolution i.e. when one of the apertures f
is exactly in front of the objective O and when the other tappet t is on the point
of touching the lever 1. The shutter will remain in this position (Figure 3) as
long as pressure is applied to the button F and the length of exposure can be
made as desired. On releasing the button E the tappet will at a certain period
of time escape from the extremity of the rod E. The shutter will then complete
its half revolution and the upper tappet will strike against the stops e and then
against the stop e³ as has been described above. In its movement this tappet t will
operate the lever 1 for starting the motion of the endless screw and the exposed
plate will fall and will be replaced by the next following.
We do not limit ourselves to the precise details of construction hereinbefore
described and our improvements may be adapted to all known photographic
apparatus. Thus our invention is applicable to apparatus with two objectives as
well as those with only one and moreover we may adopt any suitable construction
or arrangement for focussing and for the brake device for instantaneous working
and for operating the diaphragms.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is
1. An automatic photographic apparatus provided with a magazine characterized
essentially by the combination of a circular spring shutter perforated by one or
more apertures and carrying one or more tappets, of a mechanism for releasing and
arresting the shutter from the outside aud of a screw operated by clockwork which
is automatically released by one of the tappets of the shutter for every movement
of the latter the said screw permitting the fall of an exposed plate each time
substantially as hereinbefore described.
2. In an apparatus of the kind herein before claimed the arrangement of an
operating or controlling device placed bafflewise consisting essentially of a bent
spring rod operated from the outside by a button or air ball or any other mechanism
and carrying two abutments e²e acting bafflewise operating in combination with
the tappets t of the shutter substantially as herein before described.
3. In a photographic apparatus of the kind claimed under Claim 1 the
arrangement of a shutter perforated with two apertures placed diametrically
opposite each other and carrying two tappets arranged on a diameter at right angles
to the same in combination with a clockwork mechanism connected to the shutter
by a train of gearing and with an operating or controlling device consisting of a
bent rod carrying two abutments arranged bafflewise substantially as hereinbefore
described.
4. In a photographic apparatus of the kind claimed in Claim 1 the arrangement
of a clockwork movement with a fly brake, operating an endless screw for permitting
plates to fall one by one, the said movement being released by the shutter
substantially as herein before described.
5. In a photographic apparatus of the kind claimed under Claim 1 the
arrangement of an endless screw making one revolution for each operation of the
shutter, in combination with a spring arranged at the rear of the apparatus for
effecting the fall of the plates one by one contained in the magazine substantially
as hereinbefore described.
6. In a photographic apparatus of the kind claimed under Claim 1 the
arrangement of a spring rod E³ capable of sliding in such a manner as to come
either into line with the rod E' carrying the baffle abutments es e³ or out of the
path taken by the rod E' in combination with the spring shutter carrying the
tappets for arresting the tappets of the shutter for time exposure or on the other
hand for allowing the said tappets to be acted upon only by the action of the baffle
rod E¹ for instantaneous work substantially as herein before described

page_text: 7. In a photographic apparatus of the kind claimed under Claims 1 and 3 the
arrangement of a device for numbering or counting the plates consisting of a
dial da pointer d³ and toothed wheels d¹ d' d' de operated by the clockwork
motion of the endless screw H each time a plate has been exposed and discharged
from the magazine substantially as described.
8. In a photographic apparatus of the kind claimed under Claim 1 the
arrangement of the shutter brake consisting essentially of a lever k³ carrying a
spring bearing more or less against the edge of the shutter the lever being
operated from the outside by a screw K having a head graduated according to
speed substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
9. The general combination arrangement and construction of the automatic
photographic apparatus provided with a magazine, substantially as hereinbefore
described with reference to the accompanying drawing and operating as herein-
before described.
Dated this 5th day of Januar 1805
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, Agents.