Improvements in Cameras.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Dec., 1895-Accepted, 18th Jan., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Cameras.
I, HERMAN CASLER, of 208 Geddes Street, in the City of Syracuse, State of
New York, U.S.A., Inventor, do hereby declare the nature of my invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
My invention relates to photographic cameras, and particularly to hand cameras,
and my invention consists in the novel construction of the camera case, in the
novel means provided for affording access to the interior of the camera for the
purpose of loading the same or for removing the exposed negatives, in the novel
means employed for holding the lens in place, in the novel shutter used for
exposing the negatives, in the novel means employed for moving exposed negatives
out of the field of the lens and for bringing unexposed plates or sections of film into
the field of the lens, in the novel form and construction of the plate holder
therefor, whereby a number of plates may be held therein and may be brought
successively into the field of the lens for exposure, and in the novel means employed
for holding the plate holder steady within the camera, also when a roll film is used
in place. of plates, in the novel means employed for holding the roll of unexposed
film, in the novel means employed for facilitating the threading of the film through
the holder to the film reel, and in the novel combination, construction, and
arrangement of the parts of the film holder.
The objects of my invention are, first, to provide a hand camera of such size and
form that it may be readily carried in the pocket, and yet may be capable of taking
a picture of considerable size; second, to so construct this camera that it be
may
used with either film or glass negatives and may receive film carriers or plate
holders capable of holding negatives for a number of exposures; third, to so
construct the camera that the film and plate holders may be readily removed and
inserted for the purpose. of removing exposed negatives and reloading the camera;
fourth, to provide simple and efficient means for operating the film or plate holders
from without the camera so that successive lengths of film or successive plates may
be brought into the field of the lens, and to provide means for indicating the
number of exposures which have been taken; fifth, to provide a simple, efficient,
and readily operated shutter for exposing the negatives; sixth, to provide simple
and efficient means for holding the lens; seventh, to provide a plate holder for
photographic cameras, which may hold a number of plates and which when operated
will bring them successively into position for exposure, without requiring the
drawing of any slide or cover for the plate and without exposing or permitting
light to fall upon any plate but the one directly in the field of the lens; eighth, to
so construct this plate holder that it may be easily set into and removed from the
camera, and may be easily operated to bring one plate after another successively
into position for exposure; niuth, to so design this plate holder that it may be
formed by dies from sheet metal and may be strong, simple, durable, and inex-
pensive, tenth, to provide a film holder for photographic cameras, which may be
more simple than the film holders heretofore constructed, may contain fewer parts,
and may be more compact; eleventh, to provide a film holder which may be more
casily loaded than foriner film holders, and which shall be constructed to facilitate
the threading of the film through the holder; and twelfth, to so design the film
holder that it may be stamped by dies out of sheet metal.
These objects are attained in the device constructed as herein described and

page_text: illustrated in the drawings which accompany and form a part of this application,
in which the same reference numerals indicate the same or corresponding parts, and
in which :-
Figure 1 is a top view of the camera;
Figure 2 is a view of the camera inverted, with the removable bottom plate
removed to show the interior of the camera;
Figure 3 is a sectional elevation of the front portion of the camera inverted, taken
on the irregular section line r- of Fig. 2;
.
Figure 4 is a sectional elevation of the front portion of the camera inverted, taken
on the irregular section line y-y of Fig. 2, and showing particularly the shutter
mechanism;
Figure 5 is a central longitudinal section of the camera; and
Figure 6 is a detail perspective view of the shutter frame and shutter detached
from the camera;
Figure 7 is a longitudinal section of a camera with the plate holder therein,
camera and plate holder being inverted, i.e., with the bottom side upward, and the
plate holder being likewise sectioned on the center line;
Figure 8 is a bottom view of the plate holder;
Figure 9 is a side view of the plate holder inverted; and
Figure 10 shows a blank stamped out of metal sheet from which the plate holder
is formed;
Figure 11 is a plan view of such camera, the same having been inverted and the
removable bottom plate hereinafter mentioned, removed to show my film holder in
place therein;
Figure 12 is a central vertical section of the camera and film holder, the camera
being inverted as before;
Figure 13 is a central horizontal section of the film holder detached from the
camera;
Figure 14 is an end view of the reel frame, which constitutes part of the film
holder, looking from the left of Fig. 13; and
Figure 15 is a similar view of the slide, which constitutes the other portion of
the film holder.
The camera itself will be first 'described, then the plate holder and lastly the film
holder.
In Figs. 1 to 6 of the drawings is shown the camera, in which 5 is the camera
box, which preferably is stamped out of sheet metal and has a removable bottom
plate 6 covering the entire bottom of the camera box 5 and removable therefrom
for the purpose of affording access to the interior of the camera. The bottom plate
is flanged so as to fit over the camera box 5 and its shape is such as to bend
inward the sides of the camera box slightly, when in place, these sides being
springy and elastic so that there is enough pressure produced between the bottom
plate 6 and the sides of the camera box to insure that the bottom plate shall not
come off unintentionally. Upon the inside of the bottom plate 6 is a flanged
plate 7, the flange of which is adapted to fit inside of but closely to the sides of
the camera box, forming a light shield to prevent the entrance of light around the
adjacent edges of the box 5 and the bottom plate.
In the front end of the camera is a U-shaped shutter frame, secured to the top
of the camera and formed of one piece of metal bent so as to form vertical rear
and front plates 9 and 10. Front plate 10 is placed very close to the front of the
camera box and has in it an aperture for the reception of the lens and through
which light may pass. In the front of the camera is a similar aperture or lens
hele 12, seen in Fig. 5. The lens 11 is a plano-convex lens, and is placed between
the front plate 10 and the front of the camera box with its convex side inward.
To put the lens in place the front plate 10 is sprung out from the front of the
camera box slightly and the lens dropped in between the front plate and the front
The front plate is then allowed to spring back, and the lens seats
itself in the lens hole in the front plate. Worsted or other similar fibrous and
of the camera.

page_text: light proof material is wrapped around the lens when in place to prevent light from
passing out through its edges into the interior of the camera.
The front plate 10 is bent over on one side, as shown particularly in Fig. 6 at 8,
80 as to form a groove 13 into which may be placed the shutter 14, shown in
Figs. 4 and 6. The shutter is pivoted to the plate 10. It is in shape substantially
the sector of a circle but is pivoted slightly eccentrically with respect to its circum-
ference, the longest radius being at the top of the shutter in Fig. 4 and at the
bottom of the shutter in Fig. 6, in which the shutter is shown in the position which
it occupies when set and ready to be released. In the shutter is an opening 17,
so placed that when the shutter swings downward the shutter opening passes
lens hole 12 and so permits light to pass through the lens, into the interior of
the camera.
A leaf spring 15 is arranged to bear against the edge of the shutter, so as to act
as a detent to hold the shutter stationary. The spring is fastened to the camera
box on one side only and a push button 16 having a stem projecting through the
side of the camera box and bearing against spring 15 serves to lift this spring and
move it away from the edge of the shutter, thus releasing the shutter and leaving
it free to fall.
The shutter is operated entirely by gravity. In Figs. 5 and 6 the shutter is
shown in position for exposure. To expose a negative, the button 16 is pressed,
causing spring 15 to move away from the shutter, thus releasing the same and
permitting it to swing downward, the shutter opening 17 passing the lens hole 12.
Because the shutter leaf is mounted eccentrically, as above stated, with its shorter
radius uppermost in Figs. 5 and 6, as it swings downward the edge constantly
moves away from the spring 15, so that if pressure on the bitton 16 is relaxed too
soon, as is apt to be the case, the shutter will not be stopped in its downward
movement until after the shutter opening 17 has passed completely over the
lens hole 12.
To set the shutter again, the camera is inverted, with the button 16 down and
the plate 6 uppermost, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the finger or some other object
is placed over the lens hole 12, so as to prevent the entrance of light, and the
button 16 is pressed so as to release the shutter, which will again swing downward,
since the camera has been inverted. The camera is then turned over again, and
the shutter is set ready for another exposure.
If it is desired to have the shutter swing open and remain so, as when it is
desired to make a time exposure, the camera may be turned over on its right side,
and the button 16 is then pressed. The shutter will swing until it is open, and
will there remain. To close the shutter, the camera is turned back to an upright
position and the button 16 is pressed.
Mounting the shutter eccentrically not only insures that a too early release of
the button 16 shall not cause the shutter to stand open, thus over-exposing the
negative, but also makes the lower side of the shutter heavier than the upper, thus
causing greater rapidity of motion.
To the front of the camera may be pivoted a stop disk 18 having in it perfora-
tions or stops of various sizes so placed that, when the disk is rotated, one after
the other of the openings passes in front of the lens hole 12, so that by using a
stop of the proper size the intensity of illumination may be regulated.
The film holder and plate holder are so constructed that when in place within
the camera the axes of the plate holder 20 and the reel 22 of the film holder
occupy exactly the same position, so that the same means may be used for
operating both the plate holder and the reel of the film holder from the outside
of the camera. This means consists of a hand wheel 24, on the top of the camera,
and a corresponding plate 25 on the inside of the camera, having between them a
circular disk 26 which lies within a circular opening in top of the camera.
plates 24, 25 and 26 are connected together rigidly. The function of the plate 25
is to serve as a light shield, preventing the entrance of light. A central pin 27
and a shorter and eccentrically placed pin 28 project inwardly into the camera,
The

page_text: being adapted to fit into corresponding sockets in the plate holder and in the
reel 22 of the film holder, serving therefore to hold the plate and film holders in
place when within the camera and to rotate the plate holder or the reel 22 of the
film holder when the hand wheel 24 is rotated.
The hand wheel 24 has finger pieces 29, 29, by which it may be turned. It
likewise has projections, numbered 1, 2, 3 and 4, with corresponding depressions on
the inner side of the wheel, and a pin 30, projecting outwardly from the camera
box, forms a stop to indicate the proper positions of the hand wheel for exposing
negatives, the numerals being used, when the plate holder is in the camera, to
indicate the number of exposures which have been made.
In the rear plate 9 of the shutter frame is an opening 31 which serves to
confine light passing into the camera from the lens, preventing it from passing
around the sides of the plate or film holder, where it might cause fogging of
negatives.
Either glass plates or films may be used in this improved form of camera, the
box 5 being adapted to receive either plate holders or film holders of suitable
construction, and I prefer to use plate holders and film holders of the improved
form shown herein. Such plate holder is in position in the camera in Fig. 2,
and in detail in Figs. 7, 8, 9 and 10, and it consists of a prismatic body 20,
preferably cubical, and preferably formed from sheet metal. This may be done
by stamping from sheet metal a blank of the form shown in Fig. 10 having a
center 21 and four wings 19 arranged around the sides of the center 21. By
bending these wings 19 upwardly at right angles to the center 21 a cubical
hody is formed. The four wings 19 have sufficient extra width of metal at the
sides to permit of the sides being turned over, so as to form grooves 23 for the
reception of the plates. A spring flap 32 is likewise cut in each wing so as to
form a spring which will press outwardly against the plate when in place in the
grooves 23, thus holding it steady there and holding plates of different thicknesses
in registry. One wing 19 likewise has a flap 33, which after the wings have been
bent up to form the sides of the plate holder, is bent over so as to form a handle,
by which the plate holder may be grasped in order to pull it from the camera.
It also forms a spring, which by pressing against the removable bottom of the
camera holds the plate holder in place therein.
In the center of the plate holder are two holes 34 and 35, and when the plate
holder is placed within the camera the pivot pin 27 passes through the hole 34 and
the pin 28 through the hole 35, thereby securing the plate holder to the wheel 24,
so that when said wheel is turned the plate holder is likewise turned.
The plate holder is filled in the dark room by placing plates within the grooves 23
in the four sides of the plate holder.
In order to prevent light from passing through the slit which surrounds the
spring 32 and through the corresponding slit on the other side of the plate holder,
a frame 36 which may be a simple pasteboard box is placed inside the plate
holder before the spring 33 is bent over. This frame serves to stiffen the plate
holder.
It will be seen that a plate holder having a greater or fewer number of sides
than four, as herein shown may be used with equal facility.
The film holder as shown in place in the camera in Figs. 5, 11 and 12, and in
detail in Figs. 13, 14 and 15, consists of two parts separable from each other, viz.:
a reel frame 36, shown in detail in Figure 4, and a film carrier 37, shown in detail
in Fig. 5. The reel frame consists of a sheet metal frame, stamped in one piece
from sheet metal and bent to the shape shown, and carrying a reel 22 upon which
the exposed film is wound. The reel frame has a front plate 39, having in it an
opening corresponding to the size of the picture to be taken and behind which the
sensitized film is passed to be exposed, and top and bottom pieces 40 and 41, which
carry the reel 22 and are provided with circular inwardly stamped bosses 44 and 45
fitting into grooves 42 and 43 in the top and bottom of the reel, which hold the
reel in place and also serve as journals upon which it may revolve.

page_text: In the reel 22 of the film holder is an axial hole or socket 52, adapted to receive
the pin 27, and flaring at its lower end to facilitate the entrance of the pin into this
socket. Slightly to one side of the mouth of this socket 52 is a short pin 53, so
placed that when the film holder is in place within the camera with the pin 27 in
the socket 52 the pin 28, when the wheel 24 is revolved, will come in contact with
the pin 53. There is thus formed a sort of clutch for communicating the motion
of the wheel 24 to the reel 22 of the film holder, so that by turning the wheel 24
the reel 22 may be revolved and the film wound thereon.
The slide, which is arranged to slide into the reel frame behind the front plate 39,
is formed from one piece of metal and consists of a flat plate 46, over which the
film is drawn as it is exposed, having at one end a U-shaped pocket 47, which
constitutes the receptacle for the roll of unexposed film. The other end of the
plate 46 is rounded so as to afford a bearing for the film as it is drawn over the
plate 46 and on to the reel 22.
The pocket 47 (shown in Figs. 11, 13 and 15) is an important feature of this
reel holder, as it does not require the film to be mounted on a reel before being
placed in the holder as is necessary with some film holders now in use, nor is it
necessary to wind the film upon a reel in the film holder, as required in other film
holders. The film roll is simply placed within the pocket and its end drawn out
through the opening in the pocket on to the plate 46.
The reel frame is provided with two shoulders 48, turned inwardly from the top
and bottom pieces 40 and 41, and slightly behind the front plate 39, which together
with the front plate serve to hold the slide 37 in place. The slide is likewise
provided with a spring flap 49 connecting with a slight projection 50 and forming
a catch to prevent the slide from being drawn out of the frame 36 unintentionally.
The film holder is placed in the camera by removing the bottom plate 6 and
placing the film holder within the camera in such a manner that the pin 27 enters
the socket 52 of the reel 22. The film holder is placed with front plate 39 as
nearly as possible squarely in the camera, the side of the pocket 47 of the slide 37
and an overturned end in the front plate 39 abutting against the sides of the camera
box and tending to hold the film holder square. On the removable bottom plate
are two lugs 54 arranged when the bottom plate is in place to come close against
the front plate 39 near the sides thereof, so that, if the front plate be slightly
oblique, these lugs, as the bottom plate is pushed into place, will press the film
holder around into proper position. The slide 37 is separable from the reel frame,
and thus greatly facilitates the threading of film through the reel frame, as the
plate 46 supports the end of the film strip so that as this plate 46 is slid into place
in the reel frame it carries with it the end of the film strip so that all that remains
is to engage the end of the film with the catch 51 on the reel 22. Forming the film
holder in two separable parts likewise makes it possible to stamp the film holder
from sheet metal with the minimum number of operations, thus greatly lessening
the expense of making the same.
To load the film holder the slide 37 is drawn out of the reel frame 36 and a roll
of unexposed film is placed in the film pocket 47. As is well known, photographic
film is stiff when it has been rolled tightly, as is the case with the roll film used
in film holders, and resists unrolling, tending when released to roll up on itself, if the
film is simply placed in the pocket 47, the tendency of the film to roll up together
with the friction incident to passing around the curves in the film holder is
sufficient to keep the film taut and flat. After the roll of film has been placed in
the pocket 47 of the carrier its end is drawn out over the plate 46 and around the
end thereof. The plate 46 is then passed through the recl holder between the
front plate 39 and shoulder 48, the film passing behind the front plate 39, being
thus threaded throngh the frame and carried to the other side or rear of the film
holder. The end of the film is then carried around the end of the plate 46 and is
fastened in an ordinary catch 51 on the film reel 22, by the rotation of which
hereinafter described, the film is wound thereon, being thus drawn past the opening

page_text: in the front plate 39, so that successive lengths may be exposed by the action of
the shutter.
While I prefer to use in my camera the plate holder and film holder above
mentioned, I do not limit myself thereto, but may use in my camera any suitable
plate or film holder.
The operation of my camera is as follows:
To load the camera, it is inverted and the bottom plate 6 is removed. The
plate holder or film holder whichever is to be used having been previously loaded,
is then placed in the cantera, the pins 27 and 28 entering the proper sockets in the
plate holder or reel of the film holder, and the bottom plate 6 is replaced, the
bottom plate as it is pushed home springing inward the sides of the camera box
slightly so as to produce sufficient pressure to hold the bottom plate in place. The
inner flanged plate 7, the flange of which fits closely against the side of the camera
box, prevents entrance of light around the bottom plate. The shutter is then set
by placing the finger over the lens hole 12 or by turning the diaphragm until it
closes the lens opening, and then pressing the button 16, thus permitting the shutter
to fall into the position indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 4. The camera is
then turned over until the side upon which is the button 16 is uppermost, and is
then ready for an exposure. To expose a negative, the stop diaphragm is first
adjusted by revolving it until an opening of the size for giving the desired intensity
of illumination is in front of the lens hole 12, and the button 16 is then pressed,
thus causing the spring 15 to release the shutter 14 and permit it to drop. As the
shutter drops, the shutter opening 17 comes in line with the lens opening 12, and
permits light to pass into the interior of the camera and on to the negative for a
brief instant. The hand wheel 24 is then turned to bring a fresh negative into the
field of the lens.
Having now particularly described and ascertained 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 with a camera box or case open on one side, and
having spring sides, of a cover for said box or case having flanged edges arranged
to fit over the sides thereof and to spring said sides out of their normal shape,
whereby the cover is held upon the box or case by the pressure of the sides
thereof against said cover, and a light shield surrounding the adjacent edges of
the box and cover, and arranged to prevent the entrance of light into the camera,
with or without a shutter pivoted to one side of the objective lens or opening of
the camera and arranged to swing past the same by the action of gravity, whereby
said shutter may be set and operated by inverting its support, an opening for the
passage of light in said shutter, arranged to pass said first-named opening when
the shutter swings, and with or without a detent engaging said shutter and adapted
to hold the same stationary, substantially as described.
2. In a camera box as set forth, the combination with a camera box or case
having a front plate with an opening therethrough for the passage of light, of a
shutter mechanism within said box or case, a frame for supporting said shutter
mechanism having a plate located behind and in close proximity to said front plate
and having an opening for the passage of light corresponding to and in line with
said first-named opening, and an objective lens adapted to lie between said front
plate and the plate of said shutter frame, with its convex side seated within one of
said openings, with or without a shutter pivoted to one side of the objective lens or
opening of the camera and arranged to swing past the same by the action of
gravity, whereby said shutter may be set and operated by inverting its support,
an opening for the passage of light, in said shutter, arranged to pass said first-
named opening when the shutter swings, and with or without a detent engaging
said shutter and adapted to hold the same stationary, substantially as described.
3. The herein described photograpbic plate holder for cameras consisting of a

page_text: prismatic body formed of sheet metal or other material and arranged to rotate-
about its central axis, having its sides grooved for the reception of the plates, with
or without side springs arranged to press said plates outwardly in said grooves,
whereby said plates are held in registry, and with or without a light shield fitting
inside the plate holder, and arranged to prevent light from passing through the
slots about said springs to the plate upon the rear side of the plate holder,
substantially as described.
4. The herein described film holder for photographic apparatus, provided with a
frame having an opening through which the film may be exposed, a plate supported
by said frame behind said opening, but removable therefrom, by passing which
through the frame the film may be threaded through the shoulder, holders for
exposed and unexposed film, and means for drawing the film from the one holder to
the other, substantially as described.
5. The herein described film holder for photographic apparatus, having a frame
having an opening through which the film may be exposed, a plate supported by
said frame behind said opening but arranged to slide in and out of said frame, by
sliding which through the frame the film may be threaded through the holder, a
film pocket formed in the end of said sliding plate for receiving the unexposed
film, a holder for the exposed film, and a reel or other means operated from the
outside of the camera, for drawing the film from said pocket to said holder, so as to
expose the same in front of the lens or objective opening of the camera, substantially
as described.
6. The herein described film holder for photographic apparatus, having a frame,
a receptacle for the exposed film, means for drawing the film through the holder,.
and a pocket for receiving the unexposed film, having an opening through which
the film may be drawn, substantially as described.
Dated this 17th der of December 1895.
S. S. BROMHEAD,
97 Newgate Street, E.C., Agent for Applicant..