Improvements in Flash-light Apparatus for Photographic Purposes.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Feb., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 3rd Dec., 1895-Accepted, 1st Feb., 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Flash-light Apparatus for Photographic
Purposes.
We, HENRY ERASTUS RATHBUN, of Pawtucket, in the County of Providence,
State of Rhode Island, Mechanic, and FREDERICK BEBBY, of No. 1 Union
Street, Pawtucket, in the County of Providence, State of Rhode Island,
Photographer, both in the United States of America, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Our invention relates to a movable apparatus in which the electric current is
employed to ignite the flashing powder, and it consists in the combination of a
movable stand provided with electric circuit wires, with a cartridge, or powder
receptacle, having included within itself an electric igniting wire, and being also
provided with means for attachment, to the circuit wires. It also consists in the
combination therewith, of a separate light diffusing screen, and an adjustable head
screen.
Dated thin 5th day of 1008
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.
Improvements in Flash-light Apparatus for Photographic
Purposes.
We, HENRY ERASTUS RATHBUN, of Pawtucket, in the County of Providence,
State of Rhode Island, United States of America, Mechanic, and FREDERICK
BEBBY, of No. 1 Union Street, Pawtucket, in the County of Providence, State of
Rhode Island, United States of America, Photographer, 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:-
Our invention relates to a movable apparatus, in which the electric current
is employed to ignite the flashing powder, and it consists in the combination of
a movable stand provided with electric circuit wires or connections with a
cartridge or powder receptacle, having included within itself an electric igniting
wine, and being also provided with means for attachment to the circuit wires or
connections. It also consists in the combination therewith of a separate light
diffusing screen, and an adjustable head screen.
In the accompanying drawings:
Fig. 1, represents a perspective view of the apparatus arranged for operation.
Fig. 2, represents an enlarged detail view of the device for closing the electric
circuit.
Fig. 3, represents an enlarged side view of the rotary electric conductors.
Fig. 4, represents a central section of the same.
Fig. 5, represents an opposite side view of the rotary electric conductors.
Fig. 6, represents a central section of the cartridge for holding the flashing
powder.

page_text: screen, by means of which the required light is thrown upon the sitter, the upper
portion a. of the screen being binged to the lower portion b, and the said upper
portion held at the required angle with the lower part by means of the braces c, c.
The flash light burner consists of the movable stand C, provided with the
central upright rod D, from which the upright rods F and Gare supported by
means of the cross pieces H, H, H, which are attached to the rod D, and to
the rod F, from which the rod G, is electrically insulated. The rods F and G,
are preferably formed of tubes, the upper portions of which are connected to
each other by means of the cross piece I made of insulating material, and the
upper ends of the said rods or tubes are provided with the heads J, J', which
are adapted to receive the screws K, K', which serve to form conical bearings,
for the rotary electric conductors L, L, which are formed at the periphery of a
continuous metal disk d, provided centrally with the projecting conical_bearing
stud e, which fits the conical recess at the end of the bearing screw K. And
to the opposite side of the disk d, is secured the disk f, made of insulating
material, the said disk being provided at its outer side with the conical bearing
stud g, which fits the conical recess at the end of the bearing screw K'. And to
the side of the insulating disk, are secured the electric conductors L', L', which
with the opposite electric conductor I, L, are adapted to clasp the shank h, of
the cartridge M, the said conductors L', L', being insulated from each other,
electric connection being formed therewith, by means of the contact spring N,
which extends upward from the bearing head J¹.
The electric conductors L, L', are to be rotated, as occasion requires, by means
of the ratchet teeth i, i, which are formed at the outer side of the disk d, the
spring actuated engaging pawl j, is pivoted to the lever k, which lever is fulcrumed
upon the stud e, and connected at its outer end with the sliding handle m, by means
of the link n, the said sliding handle being held upon the rod or tube G, and
retained thereon in proper position by means of the collars o, 0.
At the top of the bearing head J, is horizontally pivoted, the curved arm O, to
which is vertically pivoted the head screen P, which serves to screen the sitter
from the light of the flash, the said screen being adjustable to any desired
position.
To the rod or tube G, shown in Fig. 2, is secured the pneumatic piston Q, held
in the cylinder R, and to the lower end of the cylinder R, is attached the flexible
tube p, which forms a connection with the elastic bulb S, the said bulb being also
connected with the shutter of the camera A, by means of the tube 9, whereby, upon
the compression of the bulb S, the shutters of the camera will be opened, and
simultaneous electric connection will be made between the contact point r, of the
piston Q, and the contact points, an insulator 2, being inserted between the parts v
and v', of the rod G, to electrically separate the same.
The cartridge M, or receptacle for holding the flashing powder t, shown in
Fig. 6, is provided with a shank h, which is adapted to be clasped between the
ends of the conductors L, L', and is also provided with a perforation w, through
which is passed the electric igniting wire, the said wire also passing through the
flashing powder t. The flashing powder t, is retained in the cartridge, by means of
the cover y.
In preparing the apparatus for operation, the cartridges M, are to be inserted
between the ends of the conductors L, L', in such a position, that the said con-
ductors will clasp the electric igniting wire a, and the shank h, of the cartridge.
And when the conductors L, L', have each received a cartridge, the apparatus is
ready for operation; the cartridges as they are fired, being brought forward to
produce another flash by means of the ratchet mechanism.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :
1. In a flash light apparatus the combination of a movable stand provided with

page_text: electric circuit conductors, with a cartridge having included within itself an electric
igniting wire and means for attachment to the circuit conductors, substantially as
described.
2. An electric flash light cartridge, having included within itself an electric
igniting wire, and means for attachment to the circuit conductors, substantially as
described.
3. In a flash light apparatus, the combination with the movable stand, and the
rotary electric conductors, of the head-screen and the light-diffusing screen,
substantially as described.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicants.