IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR TAKING PHOTOGRAPHIC PICTURES BY WHICH THE OPERATOR CAN TAKE A NUMBER OF PREPARED SENSITIVE PLATES AND EXPOSE THEM SUCCESSIVELY WITHOUT THE AID OF EXTRA CHANGING BOX OR BAG
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Walter Cook, of No. 22, Aberdeen Park,
Highbury, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR TAKING PHOTOGRAPHIC
PICTURES BY WHICH THE OPERATOR CAN TAKE A NUMBER OF PREPARED
SENSITIVE PLATES AND EXPOSE THEM SUCCESSIVELY WITHOUT THE AID OF
EXTRA CHANGING BOX OR BAG."
Sealed the 26th November 1869, and dated the 10th June 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Walter Cook at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
10th June 1869.
I, WALTER COOK, of No. 22, Aberdeen Park, Highbury, in the County
5 of Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR TAKING PHOTOGRAPHIC
PICTURES BY WHICH THE OPERATOR CAN TAKE A NUMBER OF PREPARED SENSITIVE

page_text: PLATES AND EXPOSE THEM SUCCESSIVELY WITHOUT THE AID OF EXTRA CHANGING BOX
OR BAG," to be as follows:-
A box is divided into 2 compartments, in each of which com-
partments a number of plates can be placed with their prepared sides
towards the lens. In front of the box (or on the side nearest the lens
there is a shutter which on being drawn out opens one of the said
compartments to the lens and the front plate receives the image, being
pushed forward in its place by means of a spring from the back. On
the shutter being closed it carries down the front plate (which has just
been exposed) with it, leaving the next plate ready for exposure. A
slide is then drawn up at the opposite end or back of the box, which
slide draws a plate from the bottom compartment to the top, and a
spring holds the plate at the top while the slide is pushed down again,
and thus the plates are kept in rotation till all are exposed. In front
of the box a camera is attached by hinges or other means and being
easily detached allows the operator to focus the picture. The plates are
kept from rubbing each other by a covering of paper, cardboard, or other
substance round the edges and at the back or not as may be thought
desirable.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Walter Cook in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 9th December 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WALTER
Сooк, of No. 22, Aberdeen Park, Highbury, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of June, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-
second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Walter Cook, Her special licence
that I, the said Walter Cook, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Walter Cook, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with and no

page_text: others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, 'use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR TAKING PHOTOGRAPHIC PICTURES BY WHICH THE OPERATOR CAN
TAKE A NUMBER OF PREPARED SENSITIVE PLATES AND EXPOSE THEM SUCCESSIVELY
WITHOUT THE AID OF EXTRA CHANGING BOX OR BAG," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Walter Cook, my executors
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or
one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was
to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal
Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after
the date of the said Letters Patent.
or
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Walter Cook, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is
ta be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement:-
This Invention consists of a box or dark slide capable of holding
several plates whose surfaces are sensitized so as to receive the photo-
graphic image. These plates have their edges covered with cardboard,
paper, or other suitable substance in order to protect the sensitive film
of one plate being scratched by that next to it, the backs of the plates
are also covered with some opaque substance so as to prevent the light
from affecting more than one plate at one time.
This box or dark slide which can be attached to a camera in the
ordinary method or otherwise as convenient is divided into two com-
partments (A and B Figure 1), each of which are filled with sensitive
plates having their prepared surfaces placed towards the side of the box
described in Figure 2. At the back or side furthest away from the
camera (Figure 1) there is a door or lid "C" on the inside of which there
is a slide or shutter "D," which can be drawn up and down from the
outside of the said box or dark slide, the lid "C" being shut. At the lower
part of this slide "D" there is a shelf or ledge E, and each time the slide
is drawn up the said ledge E catches the plate which is nearest to it

page_text: and lifts it from compartment B to compartment A, in which latter
compartment it is retained by the spring or springs in the lid C
represented at F, whilst the slide D is pushed down again ready to
receive another plate; but it is obvious if this operation should be
repeated many times compartment A would be too full, and B would be
nearly empty, this is obviated by an arrangement described in Figure 2.
In the said Figure 2 B is an aperture about the size of the picture to
be taken, which aperture is placed so that the light from the lens of the
camera can play fully upon it; A is a shutter which answers the double
purpose of closing the aperture B and at the same time pushing the
plate that is next to the window or aperture B into the lower com-
partment B, Figure 1, and from whence it has no power to draw it up
again. In the said compartment B (Figure 1) there are springs at the
side of the box or dark slide described in Figure 2. so placed that they.
cannot scratch the surface of the plates, and which yet press them
towards the lid C (Figure 1), so that the slide D has always a plate
resting on the shelf or ledge E at the lower part of it. Thus an operator.
in using the the above-described apparatus would proceed as follows:-
Having attached it to the camera so that the lens may play fully upon
the window B (Figure 2) and having previously fixed upon the picture
to be taken and focussed it upon the focussing screen in the usual
manner, he would draw up the shutter A, and thus expose the plate
next the window B to the action of the light, having exposed it
sufficiently he would then shut the shutter A, in doing which he would
not only close the aperture B but would remove the exposed plate to
the lower or B. compartment Figure 1; B compartment will now have
one more plate in it than A, to remedy this he would draw up the
slide D (Figure 1), thereby removing a plate at the back or Figure 1
side of the box from B to A compartment. This operation may be
repeated ad infinitum, thus bringing each plate before the aperture B
(Figure 2) in succession.
The advantages of this Invention are two-fold. viz.-

page_text: plate having once been exposed must go the whole round of the box.
before it can again come in front of the lens.
In witness whereof, I, the said Walter Cook, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Eighth day of December, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.
Signed, sealed, & delivered by the
said Walter Cook, in the pre-
sence of
JOHN G. BRETT,
Clerk to Messrs, Heath & Parker,
12, St. Helen's Place,
Solicitors.
WALTER COOK. (L.S.)