Year: 1887

page_text: JAMES ASHFORD 179 Aston Road Birmingham Photographic Apparatus Manu-
facturer do hereby declare the nature of this Invention to be as follows:-
-
The object of my invention is to so arrange the parts of Camera that when it is closed
up the front of Camera will fold over and cover the back of Camera in which is the
focussing screen and so protect the screen from injury. I propose effecting my
purpose as follows:-
I make an ordinary Camera base board and at one end of base board I attach the
lower edge of Camera front in a suitable manner by a hinge or hinges and in such
a way that the front of Camera and base board may be made to assume with each other
positions, either parallell, vertical or acute or obtuse angles. I cramp the front of
Camera and base board in any of these positions by suitable metal stays. Along each
side of the sliding part of base board I put metal sliding bars and between these
bars and on each side of base board I put a plate to slide along the said bars.
Between these plates and to them is pivoted at the lower edge, the back of Camera
which contains the focussing glass or screen and in such a manner that the back can
be made to assume with the base board similar positions to the front. The one end of
bellows is fastened in the back of Camera in the usual manner and the other end is
attached to a frame. This frame can be attached to and detached from the front of
Camera at pleasure. To fold the Camera up the back must be at the opposite extremity
of base board to the front. The above mentioned frame is then detached from front
and the bellows compressed to the smallest limits, the back of Camera is then turned
on its pivots (inwards) down parallell to the base board. The front can then be turned
on its hinges (inward) over the back of Camera thus covering it and thereby
protecting it from injury.
Dated this 12th day of January 1887

page_text: Improvements in Photographic Cameras.
JAMES ASHFORD 179 Aston Road Birmingham Photographic Apparatus Manu-
facturer 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 :-
The object of my invention is to so arrange the parts of the Camera that when the 5
Camera is closed up the front of Camera will fold over and cover the back of Camera
in which is the ground glass or focussing screen and so protect the focussing screen
from injury. I propose effecting my purpose as follows. I make an ordinary sliding
Camera base board. At one end of base board I attach the lower edge of the front
part of Camera in a suitable manner by a hinge or hinges and in such a way that the
front of Camera may be made to assume with the base board positions either parallel,
perpendicular or acute or obtuse angles. I cramp the front of Camera in any of these
positions by suitable stretchers or arms, and screws. Along each side of the sliding
part of base board I put metal sliding bars and between these bars and on each side
I put metal plates to slide along the said bars the one edge of plates projecting a little 1
above the base board. Between these plates and to them is pivoted at the lower edge
the back of Camera which contains the focussing glass or screen and in such a way
that the back of. Camera can be made to assume with the base board similar positions
to the front of Camera. The bellows is fastened the one end in the back of Camera
in the usual manner and the other end of bellows is attached to a frame. This frame 2
can be attached to and detached from the front of Camera at will. To fold the
Camera up the back must be at the opposite extremity of base board to the front.
The above mentioned frame is then detached from the front of Camera and the bellows
compressed to suitable limits. The back of Camera is then turned or folded inwards
on its pivots down parallel to the base board the bellows then being between the base
board and focussing screen and the focussing screen facing outwards. The front of
Camera is then turned or folded inwards over the back of Camera and focussing screen
thereby covering the focussing screen and so protecting it from injury.
LETTERS OF REFERENCE.
A. Front part of Camera to which is attached the lens.
B. Base board of Camera.
C. Back part of Camera containing focussing screen.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is
1st. The folding of the front of Camera over the back of Camera and focussing
screen thus protecting the focussing screen from injury.