Improvements in Apparatus for Taking Photographic Pictures.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Oct., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 9h July, 1994-Accepted, 7th Nov., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Taking Photographic Pictures.
I, ALPHONSE ALEXANDRE FOIRET, of 11, Rue Macarani, Nice, in the
Republic of France, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to an improved apparatus for taking photographic pictures,
so constructed that all the operations necessary for taking the pictures are effected
by pressing a single button or knob, that is to say when the button is pressed the
instantaneous opening and closing of the shutter are effected, the lens is exposed,
and the changing of the sensitive plates takes place.
The improved apparatus consists of a rectangular box or camera, in which the
whole of the mechanism is coutained, but which has no external projection except a
small knob or button. The mechanism consists of a spring barrel, round which is
wound a cord the other end of which is wound round a spindle revolving in
bearings.
Upon a prolongation inward of this spindle is fixed (in the interior of the camera)
a disc which serves as a shutter the disc being provided with two opposite apertures
which pass in turn in front of the lens.
The freedom of rotation of the barrel can be regulated by a brake which is
pressed against it by an eccentric upon an adjustable lever, the other end of which
carries a stud which can be adjusted in any one of a series of holes in a guide.
The inner face of the disc is provided with two opposite projections near its edge,
which abuts against a lever worked by the knob or button described, so that by
pressing the latter, the lever is disengaged from the stop, and the disc makes a
semi-revolution, during which it uncovers the lens.
The knob or button also operates two other levers carrying a bar which is
therefore raised and lowered when the knob is pressed and released, and which
disengages the front one of a series of frames holding sensitized plates which
accordingly falls forward upon the bottom of the camera, leaving the next plate
ready for exposure.
The frames carrying the plates are supported upon strips or frames at the sides
of the camera, and are pressed forward by a plate against which presses a spring
fixed to the back.
This plate carries at its upper edge a horizontal strip projecting forward, and
marked with figures corresponding with the number of frames in the apparatus,
which figures can be seen through a small opening in the top of the camera.
Dated this 7th day of October 1893.
EDWARDS & Co.,
35, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Taking Photographic Pictures.
I ALFONSE ALEXANDRE FOIRET of 11 Rue Macarani Nice in the Republic of
France 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 :-
My invention relates to an improved photographic apparatus so constructed that

page_text: all the operations necessary for the acting of the apparatus are effected by pressing
a single button or knob, that is to say on the button being pressed the instantaneous
opening and closing of the shutter are effected, the lens is exposed and the changing
of the sensitive plates takes place.
In order that my invention and the method of carrying it into effect may be more
easily understood-I proceed to describe the same by the aid of the accompanying
drawings in which
Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the lens with the outer door open.
Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section (at the line 1-2 in Fig. 1) shewing the interior
arrangement of the apparatus.
Fig. 3 is a transverse section (at line 3-4 of Fig. 2) shewing the shutter with
its mechanism.
Fig. 4 is a transverse section (at the line 5-6 in Fig. 2) shewing the mechanism
which operates the automatic escapement of the frames containing the sensitive
plates.
Fig. 5 is an elevation side view of the frames.
Fig. 6 is an elevation side and plan view of indicator for numbering the unused
frames in the apparatus.
The apparatus consists of a rectangular box or camera a in which the whole of
the mechanism is contained but which has no external projection except a small
knob or button b (Fig. 3). The front of the apparatus containing the mechanism
for putting the shutter into motion is enclosed by the door c (Fig. 1) this mechanism
consists of a spring barrel d (Figs. 1 and 2) round which is wound a cord e (Figs. I
and 2) the other end of which is wound round a spindle revolving on bearings on
the outer extremity of which is fixed a button g on the other extremity being a
rachet wheel and pawl h. The spring barrel is wound by turning the button g.
The axis of the spindle and the barrel d are supported by the bridge piece i.
Upon a prolongation inwards of this spindle is fixed (in the interior of the
camera) a disc; which serves as a shutter to the object glass the disc being
provided with two opposite apertures which pass in turn in front of the lens.
The freedom of rotation of the barrel can be regulated by a brake m (pivoted at
point n) which is pressed against the barrel by an eccentric upon an adjustable lever o
the other end of which carries a stud p which can be adjusted in any one of a series
of holes in a guide .
To expose the object glass for the purpose of posing with this apparatus it is
necessary to stop the movement of the shutter and for this purpose the shutter is
provided with two opposite notches q, q', into these notches penetrates a pawl
(Fig. 3) worked from the outside by a small button s¹ (Fig. 1). When the pawl
engages into one of the notches one of the openings of, the shutter exposes the object
glass to view.
On the knob being lowered or raised it operates the lever b' by means of a
connecting rod. The lever b' is provided at the end with a rectangular projection
which in the first place engages the projection & prevents the disc revolving.
On the knob b being lowered, the projection t is freed and the disc makes a semi-
revolution when the stop which is at a slightly greater radius is engaged & on
the lowering of the knob being completed the projection t is freed and the lever
engages projection t*. On the knob b being raised a similar result takes place &
projections and are successively engaged and freed, during each semi
revolution.
The knob or button also operates at the same time two other levers a all
(Figs. 2. 3 and 4) connected together by an axis u (Figs. 23 and 4) the free
extremity of the said levers supports on each side a bar v which is raised and
lowered as the knob is alternately raised and lowered. Each of the bars vis
provided with two projections v¹ (Fig. 4) serving as stops to the frame a provided
with projections a¹ placed in such a manner that when the bars vare lowered the
frame which was held in position by the projections is set free and falls into at
the bottom of the apparatus leaving the next plate ready for exposure. The

page_text: frames are connected at the bottom by a strip of india rubber y passing into
eyelets z fixed to the frames so that the frames when falling open out like the
leaves of a book.
The frames carrying the plates are supported upon strips or frames at the sides.
of the camera c' and are pressed forward by a plate e operated by a spring d¹
(Fig. 2) fixed to the back.
Between the plate e and the last of the sensitized plates is carried at the upper
edge an angular bar f¹ (Figs. 2 and 6) marked on the upper part with figures
corresponding with the number of frames in the apparatus which figures can be
seen through a small opening g' in the top of the camera. This bar advances at
the same time as the frames and the figures marked thereon shew themselves before
an opening g' (Figs. 2 and 3) which allows one to ascertain the number of frames.
remaining in the apparatus.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what mauner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
1. The combination in a photographic apparatus of a barrel d with brake m and
shutter substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described.
2. The combination of a shutter supplied with stops operated by a lever b¹
and button b substantially as and for the purposes described.
3. The combination of a button b with lever a' and bars v substantially as and for
the purposes described.
4. The combination of the bars provided with projections corresponding with
the projections on the frames ¹ substantially as and for the purposes described.
5. The combination of the frames with an indicator f¹ substantially as and for
the purposes described.
Dated the 7th day of July 1801
THEO
MCKENNA,
17 and 18, Basinghall Street, London, Agent.