Improvements in Photographic Detective Cameras.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Oct., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 1st July, 1891-Accepted, 1st Aug., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Photographic Detective Cameras.
I, WILLIAM JAMES LANCASTER of Colmore Row in the City of Birmingham,
Manufacturing Optician, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows: :-
This invention relates in the 1st part, to the construction of the camera box;
in the 2nd part, to the feeding of the sensitive plates to the camera. In the 3rd
part in feeding the said sensitive plates as required from a pile. In the 4th part,
to means for effecting the removal of exposed plates, so as never to have more than
one plate in camera box at the same time.
The body of the camera, is of the form of an elongated rectangular shaped box,
open at top and back, and with the front enclosed and fitted with an inside lens.
Exposure is cut off by a blind, diaphragm, or other device, brought or coming
in front of the lens aperture.
The open top of the camera box, is provided with a rectangular shaped feed
well, with a flap bottom or trap door, upon which the sensitive plates to be fed to
the interior of the camera, as hereinafter described, are placed.
The well or feed box, is of the shape of the plates, whilst the hinged bottom or
trap door, inclines, when open, upwardly from the rear, so that a plate fed to the
camera, slides down the said bottom into position, when the same is placed, or falls
to an angle of about 45° degrees.
Jointed to the bottom of the camera box, immediately under the opening end of
the flap bottom, or trap door, is a lifting arm, preferably made in the form of a
frame, which when in its upright position, comes underneath the said flap bottom,
or trap door, and supports the same, after the introduction of a plate into the
camera, but immediately the said arm is turned from back to front by a milled head
or turn upon its axis, the same allows the said flap bottom or trap door to descend
to a limiting angle of about 45 degrees, hence the plate slides down the same to
the back of the camera, when the placing of the arm or frame again into an erect
position, lifts the flap bottom or trap door, and also places vertically against the
end of the camera, the sensitive plate thus fed.
The end of the camera, is enclosed by flexible panelling, or a rolling blind,
working within races, and directed to close the said open back of the camera box,
and run to the underside of the same.
To remove an exposed plate, run the blind horizontally under the bottom, when
the space vacated by it left open.
The back may if necessary, be furnished with a flexible bag, to prevent ingress
of light to the plate being removed.
To remove the plates one at a time from a pile, I provide the feed well, or feed
hox (which is enclosed as may be desired) with a cam-shaped spring catch, having
a stud upon one side, against which the opening side of the flap bottom or trap
door, impinges, and takes the said spring catch out of its holding position.
Thus, the turning of the axis of the arm, and the consequent lowering of the
flap bottom or trap door of the feed well, frees the said catch, which springs
outwardly, and comes under the bottom plate but one, thus suspending the pile
above it, but allowing the bottom plate, to slide down the incline thus formed.
The transposition of the parts again to their former positions, now takes the
spring catch back out of the range of the plates, whose bottom one is now allowed
to rest upon the top side of the bottom or trap door, as aforesaid.
Instead of taking the spring catch or catches out of its, or their holding positions,
by the flap or trap door, the same may be accomplished by the lifting arm.

page_text: Instead of supporting the pile of plates on the removal of the lower one, by
catches as aforesaid, I may employ a sliding false bottom, to the well or plate
receptacle.
OPERATION.
Assuming the plates to be in position within the feed receptacle, turn from left
to right the lifting arm, when the flap bottom or trap door descends to an angle
upon its hinge joint, down which a plate slides to the bottom of the back of the
camera. By now reversing the motion of the lifting arm, the flap bottom or trap
door, is raised and supported, and the sensitive plate elevated and held in position
against the now enclosed back of the camera box. The releasing of the shutter
before the lens, allows the exposure aperture to be momentarily uncovered, hence
an instantaneous picture.
The sensitive plates are preferably carried within light metal frames, whilst the
back of the camera may be enclosed by a solid panel, instead of a flexible one.
Dated this 30th day of September 1890.
WILLIAM JAMES LANCASTER.
By Henry Skerrett,
Agent for Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Photographic Detective Cameras.
1, WILLIAM JAMES LANCASTER of Colmore Row, in the City of Birmingham,
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 relates to magazine photographic cameras, or detective hand
photographic cameras, and consists in the construction of the same, and in providing
means for feeding the plates from the store to the camera, for exposure, and then
removing the exposed plate, to a rear chamber, provided for that purpose.
The camera is divided essentially into 3 chambers, viz. :-the camera proper, the
magazine, and the exposed plate chamber; the latter is separated from the first
named by a removable flexible panel or roller blind, while the magazine part is
separated from the said camera part, by a flap or trap-door, which opens inwardly,
and forms an inclined plane, down which the plates fed one by one, slide, to be
placed into position, by a jointed arm, which supports both the bottom of the
magazine, and passes the plates into an erect position, ready for exposure.
The magazine, is provided with means for releasing the plates one by one only,
as the bottom of the said magazine is lowered, or allowed to fall upon its joint
inwardly.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings, represents in perspective, partly in
section, and upon a reduced scale, a magazine photographic camera, or a magazine
detective-hand camera, constructed and arranged, according to my invention.
The parts of the said camera, which are shown cut away, shows the interior of
the body of the same, and also the back chamber, wherein the exposed plates are
deposited, after exposure; and further it shows the magazine, and a pile of plates
within it; thus the camera has three chambers, riz. a body chamber, a back
chamber, and a magazine chamber, each of which is light-proof.
In the said view, a plate is shown being exposed, and with a series of previously
exposed plates, lying behind the flexible screen, or roller shutter.
The parts of the camera, are so arranged, that one plate only, at a time, can be
exposed.
Figure 2 represents the said camera, with a plate in the act of being transferred
from the magazine, to the back of the interior body-part of the camera, for

page_text: exposure, it also shows, the flexible roller or shutter screen, coming between the
back chamber and the camera proper.
Figure 3, represents in longitudinal section, a full sized view of the said camera,
and with the parts in the positions which they assume, in Figure 1.
Figure 4, shows a like view of the camera, as Figure 3, but with the parts in the
positions, which they respectively occupy, as seen in Figure 2.
Figure 5, represents the lower portion, of the magazine part of the camera,
showing the plate holding, and releasing means.
Figure 6, represents a topside plan, of the floor, or flap bottom of the magazine,
showing the dispositions of the holding, and releasing catches, whereby the lowest
plate, of a pile is released, while those above it are supported. The said view
besides being
a topside plan, is also a horizontal section, on the dotted lines A B
Figure 3, while Figure 7 is a horizontal section on the dotted C. D of the said
Figure 3.
The same letters of reference indicate like parts in the several figures.
a is the body of the camera, consisting of a long rectangular shaped box, having
at top, an unexposed-plate chamber b, hereinafter called the magazine, and at the
extreme back, is a second chamber, into which exposed plates, from the camera
are automatically transferred, and there stored, by the act of subsequently feeding,
or transferring other plates into position in the camera.
The top of the camera, is closed by a trap door or flap a², which besides forming
the inside top of the camera, forms the bottom to the magazine, and upon the top
of which, the plates in the said magazine, rest, as the same are liberated successively
from the pile.
The front part of the said trap door or flap, is jointed by a flexible hinge a¹,
connected to an outstanding bracket u³, directed from the inside walls a', of the
front of the camera, which carries the lens d, provided with "See-Saw
shutter, so arranged as to obtain instantaneous or time exposure.
"
or other
The said lens and shutter, are contained within a fore chamber e, formed between
the back partition a', and the back of the outside shell as, having an exposure
aperture a, within it. f is a finder, disposed on the side of the front part of the
said camera, and above the lens, and by means of which, the object to be photo-
graphed is found.
The bottom of the camera, has a recess or hollow a', wherein the flexible panel,
or roller blind g, takes, or is drawn, by a stud or block g², working within a
longitudinal and open slot as, running along the middle of the underside of the
bottom of the said camera, so that when the flexible panel or roller blind is not
required, the same is drawn or passed within the recess or hollow by the drawing
of the block or stud g², in the direction indicated by the arrow.
This flexible panel or roller blind, consists of a series of transversely directed
strips or laths, united together by flexible connections, hence a panel or blind,
which admits of travelling within grooves, and vanishing within recesses made to
receive it.
The back chamber e, has a groove ², within its opposite sides, wherein the panel
or blind g, moves, or runs, and has also a recess c, within the top c', wherein the
outer edge, of the said panel or blind, takes, so as to make that end of the camera,
light-proof.
Working within the interior of the camera, and upon the inside of the panel or
shutter
g, is an arm h, made in the form of an open frame, having top, bottom, and
side-bars, and with the upper part fitted with a forwardly directed and curved top
and shelf-like rest ², upon which the front part a³ of the trap door, rests, when the
parts are in their normal positions.
The rear inside of the arm, has a flat spring h³, which keeps the plate i, shown in
dotted lines, up to the front of the panel, by yielding pressure, while the lower
part of the said arm, is jointed or has an axis, around which a coiled spring
encircles, and which axis is provided at its outer end with a milled head or turn 46,
(coming outside the camera) by the rotation of which in one direction, the arm is

page_text: directed inwards into the camera body, and when rotated in the reverse direction,
the upper part of the said arm, acts upon a depending spring catch or catches,
which release the plates one by one, as they are required, so as to bring the same
upon the top of the trap-door or flap, prior to the lowering of the said trap-door
.or flap.
The inward and angular movement to be made by the arm, is limited by a
stop, abutting against a shoulder a¹0, and further, the spring 5, with one end
secured to the camera body, and the other end connected to the arm, is for the
purpose of bringing back the arm to its normal and erect position, as represented
in Figures 1 and 3.
The magazine b, and also the back chamber c, are fitted with lids b¹ and c
respectively.
jare hanging and spring arms, working within recesses in the back of the
magazine, and with the upper parts of them, jointed at 2, whilst the lower and free
ends hang below the rear side of the top of the arm, and also below the trap
door a², and with the inner side provided with shelf-like catches or rests j, upon
which the rear ends of the plates, respectively rest, before the same are allowed to
drop upon the top side of the trap door, which is inwardly hinged and falls by
gravity and its own weight, as its support, to wit, the arm, is lowered into position
as represented in Figures 2 and 4.
The space between the underside of the said shelf-like rests or catches jt, and
the rear top side of the trap door or flap, is the thickness of a single plate, so that
as the spring arms are deflected outwardly, the catches are removed clear of the
plates, so that the pile drops, as shown in Figure 5, and on the spring arms being
liberated, the catches pass between the bottom plate, and the one above it, and
which one above it, and the remainder of the pile, are supported, hence the feeding
of the plates one by one from the pile, as occasion requires.
The plates i, have carrying frames or carriers, and are arranged within the
magazine with the consitized fance of the plates turned downwardo
Assuming that a pile of plates are within the magazine, and with the fore end
of the bottom one of them resting upon the front part of the bottom of the magazine,
adjacent to the flexible hinge, whilst the rear of the said plate, is resting upon the
catches, of the spring arms j.
The turning of the milled head 46, from left to right, forces the top of the arm h,
in the direction indicated by the arrow, near the top thereof, and thereby forces
outwardly the spring arms j, and takes the catches, beyond the range of the edges
of the plates, as represented in Figure 5, when the pile falls.
The releasing of the said milled head or turn, allows the arm to resume its
normal position, by the spring action of its joint, and as the spring arms are now
free, they react, and force the catches 9', of them, between the lowest plate, and
the one above it, hence the supporting of the pile, and the freeing of the bottom
plate.
By now turning the milled head from right to left, the arm is turned inwardly,
to an angle of about 45 degrees, and with it, the trap door or flap a², falls, hence
the making of an inclined plane, down which the liberated plate under the pile
slides partly into the position, as represented in Figure 4.
The turning of the milled head or turn, besides operating the arm for releasing
the hinged bottom of the magazine, and bringing down a plate, compresses a spring
around its turning axis, so that on the said milled head being released, the arm is
brought back, the fed plate turned up on end, its sensitized surface presented
inwardly, and its carrying frame pressed against the inside face of a panel, as
represented in Figure 3.
The plate thus fed is now exposed as usual, and after exposure, the plate is
removed to the back chamber, by running down the panel into the hollow bottom,

page_text: and then shaking the plate, or allowing it to drop into the back chamber c, by
turning the camera up on end.
This done, run back the panel to its former position, cutting off the camera
proper, from its back chamber, then repeat the operation as before described.
It will be understood that the reaction or back movement of the arm, lifts the
flap bottom a², and keeps the same closed, until the said arm makes another angular
and inward movement.
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 :-
First: In a magazine photographic camera, or a detective hand-photographic-
camera, consisting of, an exposure chamber, or camera proper, with a magazine at
top, and an exposed-plate chamber at rear, all arranged and combined, substantially
as described and set forth.
Secondly In a magazine photographic camera, making the top of the camera,
the bottom of the magazine, and which bottom is jointed forwardly, and adapted to
turn and fall inwardly and downwardly, and then take an angle which forms an
inclined plane, down which the plates from the magazine, successively slide, partly
into position, substantially described and set forth.
Thirdly-In a magazine photographic camera, separating the rear of the
exposure chamber, or the camera proper, from the exposed-plate chamber, by a
flexible panel or roller blind, working within races, and taking or running within
recesses, or boxed in-parts, substantially as described and set forth.
:
Fourthly In a magazine photographic camera, securing, or holding the bottom,
or the hinged bottom of the magazine, in its upward position, lowering the same
for feeding the plates into the camera, and also keeping the said bottom in an
inclined position, for the plates to slide down, by a jointed arm or arms, or by a
jointed frame, mounted and operated, substantially as, and for the purpose, as set
forth.
Fifthly :- An arm or frame, mounted and fitted with parts h2, h3, h4, h³ and hº,
substantially as described and set forth.
Sixthly Fitting the arm or frame, or the axis of it, with a spring, for
automatically returning the said arm to an erect position.
Seventhly: In the magazine plate releasing mechanism, consisting of a depending
arm or arms, or a spring arm or arms, with a catch or catches, upon which the rear
ends of the plates rest, substantially as described and set forth.
Eighthly In magazine plate releasing means, whereby the bottom plate is
released, and the other or others of a pile supported, and which said parts, are
constructed, arranged and operate, substantially as described and set forth.
Ninthly: In a magazine photographic camera, or a magazine hand detective
camera, the general construction and arrangement of the parts, as described and
set forth.
Dated this 30th day of June 1891.
WILLIAM JAMES LANCASTER.
By Henry Skerrett,
6, Livery Street, Birmingham, Agent for Applicant.
WILLIAM JAMES LANCASTER.
By Henry Skerrett,
6, Livery Street, Birmingham, Agent for Applicant.