Improvements in Photographic Dark Slides for Carrying Sensitised Out Films.
Year: 1895

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Photographic Dark Slides for Carrying Sensitised
Out Films.
I HENRY HODGETTS of 68 Clarendon Street Aston Warwickshire Photographic
Apparatus Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The herein described improvements consists in the application of certain
mechanism, applied to a photographic dark slide to carry sensitised films with the
object of transfering the films after exposure from the front to the rear.
Enlarged section of dark slide Fig. I to the lower inside edge of the exposure
shutter Fig. II, I attach an inner shutter of flexible material Fig. III so that the
action of drawing out the exposure shutter causes the inner Hexible shutter to
bend up under an arched roof provided and travel down the back. To the corners
of the lower edge of the flexible shutter I attach two peices of metal Fig. IV the
same thickness as the film to be removed, so that the action of drawing out the
shutters causes the said peices of metal to engage with the lower edge of the film
to be removed and conducting it along with the flexible shutter up under the
arched roof described. To prevent the film up under the arched roof from
returning along with the flexible shutter on its return I seperate the film from the
flexible shutter by running it in a seperate groove provided at the upper part of
the dark slide parraell to the arched roof. Near the middle of the flexible shutter
at appropiate distance I attach another peice of metal Fig. V, so that the action
of pushing the exposure shutter half way in and then withdrawing causes the said
peice of metal to engage with the edge of the film left up under the arched roof
and conduct it along with the flexible shutter into the receptacle provided at the
rear thus completing the operation of transfering the film from the front to
the rear.
I divide the inside of the dark slide by a partition the front side provided with
suitable springs to force up another film to replace the one removed.
Dated this 16th day of December 1895.
Improvements in Photographic Dark Slides for Carrying Sensitised
Cut Films.
I, HENRY HODGETTS, of 68 Clarendon Street, Aston, in the County of
Warwick, Photographic Apparatus Manufacturer, 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 dark slides as used for the purpose of photography, and

page_text: consists of improved mechanism by means of which each film is after exposure
transferred to the back or rear of the dark slide.
In order that my invention may be fully understood and ascertained I append
drawings, in which :-
Fig. 1 is a vertical section through a dark slide.
Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the shutter employed.
The dark, slide has the usual form exteriorly and consists of two sides, a front A,
the opening a of which is closed by a shutter B, a top C which is shaped of a
concave form on the interior, a back D, a false back d, a vertical partition E, and
a bottom which forms a door F swinging on hinges f, for the purpose of inserting
a fresh supply of films when they are exhausted, or removing the used films. The
films X are normally pressed forward towards the inside of the shutter B by a
spring e which is fastened to the partition E. The shutter B is capable of sliding
vertically in grooves in the slide, and to its lower edge b' is attached an inner
flexible shutter b, the lower portion of which (when the shutter B is closed) lies
flat between the shutter B and the films X while the upper portion bends round
so as to assume the shape of the interior of the arched top C. When however the
shutters B and b are raised by pulling the handle, the curved part of the
flexible shutter b is caused to slide downwards between the back D and the false
back d.
To the corners of the lower edge of the flexible shutter bare fixed two pieces of
metal, of a thickness equal to one of the films, and theso two projecting
beneath and engaging with the lower edge of the first film pushes it upwards in
the grooves 6 when the shutters B, 6 are raised. The edges of the film move in
these grooves which are separated by a partition 6° from those in which the
flexible shutter runs round the inside of the arched top, and this prevents the
return of the film when the shutters B and b are pushed downwards to return
them to their normal position. At a point near the middle of the face of the
flexible shutter I attach a projecting slip of metal or other suitable material, in
such manner that the action of pushing the shutter half way in, and then with-
drawing it causes the said projection to engage with the lower edge of the film
last lifted into the arched top C, and push it downwards into the receptacle formed
between the false back d and partition E.
In order to prevent the operator by mistake or neglect from pushing the
shutter B right home and thus on withdrawing it moving a second film into the
arched top while the first remains there, I fix a spring catch G to the top of
the dark slide in such manner that its point g being pushed forward projects under
the shoulder of the handle 6, and prevents the shutter descending far enough to
allow the parts 63 to engage the edge of the next film. The shutter B can
however be pushed right down by withdrawing the catch by means of the
handle g¹.
It will be understood that the first raising of the shutter B pushes a used film
up into the arched top, while the second upward movement carries it downwards
into the receptacle between the false back and the partition E.
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 1
claim is :-
1. A dark slide for photographic purposes, consisting essentially of two
receptacles, the front for unused and the back for used films, a shutter having a
flexible shutter attached to it, which serves by a double movement to carry a film
first from the front to the inside of the arched top, and then to the back receptacle,
substantially as shewn and described.
2. In a dark slide for photographic purposes, the combination of a box forming
a double receptacle with the arched top C and the shutter B having a flexible
shutter b, projections 6, 63, and 64 attached to it substantially as shewn and
described.

page_text: 3. A dark slide for photographic purposes substantially as shewn and described
with reference to the accompanying drawings.
4. The shutter B combined with the flexible part 6, and the projections 6 and 6ª,
substantially as shewn and described.
Dated this 15th day of September 1896.
HENRY HODGETTS.