Improvements in and Connected with Photographic Cameras.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 26th July, 1888
Complete Specification Left, 17th Apr., 1899
Complete Specification Accepted, 1st June, 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and Connected with Photographic Cameras.
I, WALTER O'REILLY Manufacturing Optician of Edgware Road in the County of
Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its objects to provide a cheap diminutive simple and easy
means of producing instantaneous photographs (to be taken in the open when
necessary) and to dispense with a dark room or changing box.
Also a novel and simple instantaneous shutter.
In carrying out my invention I use for the ordinary dark-back a meta! receptacle of
a suitable size and shape to receive the sensitive plate and I attach thereto a tube or
hollow projection made of some suitable material in which, in a proper position I place
a simple or compound lens of glass or other transparent material so as to forin a sharp
image of the object to be photographed on the sensitive film.
I use for my combined cap and exposing shutter a disc closely fitting onto the end
of the tube containing the lens.
This has a motion of opening and shutting imparted to it by the combination of two
springs and a catch, i.e. the hinge of said shutter I preferably make of indiarubber
strip so that the tendency is to keep the disc shut.
The disc has attached to its edge near to the hinge a pin or projection onto which is
engaged another spring which may be spiral, loop or other form which tends to open
the shutter and it is stronger in its pull than the spring which keeps the shutter
closed.
There is a catch placed in a suitable position which prevents the stronger spring
from opening the shutter but which may be released by any of the well known
methods.
The result is that on releasing the retaining catch the shutter is pulled open by the
stronger spring but in this act the stronger spring disengages itself from the pin and
the weaker spring pulls the shutter back again.

page_text: Another feature in my invention is the mode of introducing and abstracting the
sensitive films and consists in slipping a small light proof bag containing the film onto
the mouth of the dark slide-exposing it-and re slipping the film back into the bag,
there being thus no chance of spoiling the said film by undue exposure.
While the picture is being taken the bag is held in position by two side springs or
other contrivance.
I provide for shewing which is the sensitive side of the film or plate by a mark or
projection or indent on one side of the bag.
Dated this 26th day of Inle 1000

page_text: Improvements in and Connected with Photographic Cameras.
I, WALTER O'REILLY of 399 Edgware Road in the County of Middlesex
Manufacturing Optician 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 :-
This invention has for its objects to provide an inexpensive small and simple but
effective means of producing a large number of instantaneous photographs to be taken
in the open air when desired, and to dispense with a dark room or changing box by
providing an efficient substitute. In carrying out my invention I use instead of the
ordinary dark back a shallow chamber preferably of metal forming a dark slide of a
suitable size and shape to receive the sensitive plate. To this dark slide which is
marked A in the accompanying drawings I attach the cone B terminating in the lens
tube C in which I place in proper position a simple or compound lens of glass, or
other transparent substance, so as to form a sharp image of the object to be photo-
graphed on the sensitive film.
Over the end of the lens tube C, I place the combined tube X and the well known
cap and shutter D E consisting of the cap with suitable aperture D, closely fitted on to
the end of the tube X, and outside the cap the solid disc E, which forms the shutter.
This disc has a rapid motion of opening and shutting imparted to it by the combination
of the two springs F and G with the detent catch or trigger H.
The spring F forms an elastic hingo for the shutter E by passing through it and
holding it down on to the under cap D. This spring is formed of an india rubber
thread or ring, and this thread passes through or over the cover, thus, securing it
to D, but so that it is easily opened and thrown back when required. The shutter has
attached to its edge near the elastic hinge, a pin or projection P on to which there
engages another spring G which may be spiral, looped, or of any other suitable form.
This spring I make by preference of a stout thread of india-rubber so that it is
stronger in its pull than the spring-hinge F which keeps the shutter closed.
There is also a small detent catch H on the further side of the shutter, which holds
the shutter down and prevents the stronger spring G from opening the shutter. This
catch can be released when required by any of the well known methods.
The action of the shutter takes place in this way. The detaining catch H being
released the stronger spring G immediately pulls the shutter open and uncovers the
aperture in the cap D beneath, which admits light to the lens tube. But as the shutter
opens the spring G disengages itself by slipping off the pin P and the spring hinge F
comes into play and instantaneously closes the shutter. As an instantaneous photo-
graph can only be taken in very bright sunshine I attach the instantaneous shutter to
the cap and loose tube X in such a manner that when the light is not suitable for
using the shutter the whole can be removed for hand exposure as an ordinary cap.
A front view of my improved camera will be seen in Fig. 1 and a back view in
Fig. 2.
This last has an aperture so placed that by removing the cap I and inserting
a piece of ground glass the lenses can be correctly focussed.

page_text: The ground glass or sensitive plate is kept rigidly in position by means of a small
spiral spring, or other well known means in the back of the camera as shewn in Fig. 3.
This spring S is held back by means of a wire and button T while the sensitive plate
is inserted.
Another feature in my invention is the mode of introducing and withdrawing the
sensitive films.
This is effected by employing a small opaque bag which contains the film. This
bag which can be made of any flexible and opaque material such as paper leatherette
leather rubber cloth or any combination of the same is slipped on the mouth M of the
dark slide A which is shaped suitably to receive it.
In order to secure an easy juncture of the bag to the mouth piece M I insert into
the open end of the bag two parallel metal plates which keep the mouth of the bag
stretched open and being connected by two pliable ends greatly facilitate the connec-
tion of the bag to the mouth piece. These plates serve also the further purpose of
closing the bag when folded over and so excluding the light from the plate.
distinctive mark is attached to one side of the bag so that the operator may know on
which side to keep the sensitive film.
A
The bag containing the plate is made of sufficient length to fold or lap over the
same, and the light is excluded by an elastic band placed around the folded end.
When operating the mouth of the bag is attached to the mouth piece M, the elastic
band is then removed and the sensitive plate is allowed to pass into the dark slide A.
The hinged door K Fig. 2 is then shut over the opening and the empty bag folded
behind the camera the door being kept closed by the elastic band.
The shutter E being then opened exposure takes place and a picture is received on
the film.
The plate is then returned into the bag, the end of the bag is now folded over the
plato and secured by the elastic band before the mouth is withdrawn from the slide
thus there is no chance of spoiling the film by undue exposure.
My improved camera may be made of metal, wood, vulcanite or any other suitable
material.
Having now particularly described and explained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is;
1. In a camera the combination of the shutter E, and cap D, and loose or outer
tube X, forming together the removable dark cap Z with the lens tube C, the cone B,
the dark-slide A with its door K, spring and button S T, mouth piece M and cap I, as
herein explained and set forth.
2. In a detective camera shutter the combination of the elastic hinge F, the master
spring G, and the detent catch H for the purpose of effecting the instantaneous
opening and closing of the Shutter as herein explained and set forth.
3. In a camera and adjuncts a light-proof bag to contain the sensitive films; with
mouth plates as herein described.
Dated this 16th day of April 1889.