Year: 1888

page_text: Rigidity when erected.
Easy manipulation.
Portability.
And a minimum of parts for given requirements.
All of which I have endeavoured to combine in my improved camera.
Fig. 1 is a front view of camera erected ready for use."
Fig. 2 is a side view of same.
Fig. 3 is a front view of camera closed.
Fig. 4 is a section through sliding tail board & base of camera
My improvements more particularly consist of―
1. The hinge pieces c c, that can be folded down one over the other when not in
use (Fig. 3). When in use they support the rising front a, which is adjusted in a
vertical direction by the screws bb bb, which also clamp the pieces e e firmly to the
front a.
2. The pinion p capable of sliding in its bearings (Fig. 4) so that when not in
use the head p' may be pushed back, so as to abutt against the base k (Figs. 1 & 3) or
preferably into a recess in the base k, the outside of the head p¹ then being flush with
the outside of the base k.
3. The pieces e e fixed to the sliding tail board f & preferably projecting over the
guiding strips m. The pieces e e forming pivots for the arms d d which adjust the
swing back which is hinged to the tail board f by the hinge j.
4. The tail board capable of adjustment either backwards or forwards from its
When the tail
position when camera is closed, by the pinion p & the racks r r.
board is moved in a forward direction it projects under the front a.

page_text: I CHARLES HENRY GALE, of 38 Scarsdale Villas, Kensington W. Civil Engineer
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 an improved photographic camera; and has for its
object to combine portability, rigidity, ease of manipulation, simplicity of con-
struction, and fewness of parts for given requirements, all of which are essential
qualifications of a camera for general purposes.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this
specification, wherein figure 1 is a front elevation, and figure 2 a side elevation,
of the camera as erected ready for use. Figure 3 is a front view of the camera
closed. Figure 4 is a cross-section through the sliding tail-board and base; and
figure 5 is a plan view of a pivoted plate which provides for the sido swing.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the figures.
The camera is of the bollows type, the rising front a being supported and ver-
tically adjustable in position for use by being clamped by two screws b at each
side thereof between uprights c. These uprights c are metal plates vertically slotted
to receive the screws and hinged at c to other plates which are fixed upon
the front end of the base board k, at either side thereof. The slots open out at
the upper ends of the uprights, in order that the rising front a may be readily
lifted out of the uprights which are so hinged and are of such length that when
not in use they may be folded down the one over the other transversely across
the front end of the base board k, as shewn in figure 3. This part upon which
the plates are fixed, is preferably a bridge piece beneath which the tail board f
can slide, as shewn.
The tail board slides in rebated guides m in the base board k, and the pinion P
which gears in the usual way with the racks on the underside of the tail-board f,
has its journals made of sufficient length to enable it to slide longitudinally in
its bearings so that when not in use the head p¹ of the pinion may be pushed
home into a cavity made in the edge of the base board k, as shewn, or drawn
out for use. The pinion is situated at about the middle of the base board, so that
the tail board f may be adjusted either forwards or backwards from the position
it occupies when the camera is closed, the tail board when moved forwards, passing
under the bridge piece above mentioned.
The swing back g is hinged at its lower front edge to upwardly projecting ears 7, and
is supported by struts d pivoted to other ears e, the struts d being connected to the
back by clamping screws i which are adjustable in vertical slots g in metal side
plates h, in order to permit of the forward swinging adjustment of the back q
The lateral or side swing is regulated by the clamping screws s passing through
horizontally slotted upwardly projecting curved segments o and screwing into. the

page_text: lug on the piece t which is attached to the tail-board. The ears e, j, and the
segments o are all formed on the same plate u which is centrally pivoted by a
screw to the sliding tail-board f to which the segments o are curved concentrically.
The screws which secure the piece t to the tail-board pass through slots in plate u
which slots are concentric with the pivot v, to admit of the movement of the
plate u.
The cars e and segments o are not in the same longitudinal plane with
the ears j, but are farther from the sides of the camera, so that when folded down
the sides will pass outside of the ears e. The ears e project over the rebated
guides m, so that the struts & which are pivoted to the ears may be clear of the
bellows-body.
n is the reversing back carrying the focussing screen. It projects beyond the
sides which, being of metal, are very thin so that the heads of the screws i
do not project beyond the edge of the screen n, or base board k.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed. I declare that what I
claim is ;
1. In a photographic camera, the improved means of supporting the rising front,
consisting of slotted uprights and clamping screws, the uprights being hinged to the
base board, so as to fold down when not in use, substantially as specified.
2. The focussing pinion mounted to slide longitudinally in its bearings, in com-
bination with a recess in the base board to receive the head of the pinion, sub-
stantially as specified.
3. Supporting the camera-back on struts connected to the back by clamping
screws adjustable in vertical slots and pivoted to ears which project over the rebated
guides of the tail board so as to be clear of the bellows-body, substantially as specified.
Dated this 27th day of October 1888.
C. H. GALE.
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London,
Patent Agents.