An Improved Photographic Background Stand.
Year: 1899

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Photographic Background Stand.
GEORGE HOUGHTON, Photographic Dealer, 88 & 89, High Holborn, W.C.,
WILLIAM SALMON, Photographer, 103, High Street, Bedford, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows: :-
Our object is to provide a photographic background stand on which a number
of backgrounds can be stored, and either one be brought into use at will, with
the expenditure of very little trouble.
In carrying out our invention, we provide an upright rectangular frame of
wood (hereinafter call the frame) of sufficient dimensions to receive the largest
background that may be required. The said frame is strutted at each corner to
ensure strength, and is furnished with cross feet on the bottom rail, to which
are fixed castors to enable the stand to be moved about freely. On the lower
inner surfaces of the uprights of said frame we fix a series of brackets for the
purpose of storing the backgrounds (which are fixed on rollers) when not in use.
Each roller is provided at one end with an ordinary roller pivot and into the
other end is fixed an iron pin of square section forming a shank, on the free end
of which is turned another pivot.
The said shank being of the required length for the purpose hereinafter des-
cribed. The aforesaid uprights are slotted in the upper part to receive a sliding
rail which is sufficiently long to extend across the frame between the uprights and
to engage in the said slots in which it is made to run up and down freely by
means of a double cord running over pulleys, fixed in the top rail of frame, in
the manner of venetian blinds. The said double cord being operated from one
side of frame, where it engages on a stud to retain rail in the required position.
The aforesaid sliding rail is provided with a bracket near each end, made on the
usual plan of a slot and hole and placed at the proper distance apart to receive
pivots on background roller, and being branched outwards to allow backgrounds
to run free when in use.
We next provide a loose pulley available for use with either roller and con-
structed as follows.
To either end of a hollow cylindrical boss of suitable length is attached a flange
plate one of which is drilled to receive end of winding cord. The said boss has
a square section hole running through its length, of suitable size to slip freely over
the square shank of either roller. The winding cord on leaving the said loose
pulley passes upwards to another, ordinary pulley, (which is fixed to a bracket
attached to the top rail of frame) then downwards on the same side of frame as the
double cord that operates the sliding rail. The method of operating is as follows.
The end of roller, on which the required background is fixed, is lifted from the
rack, the loose pulley is slipped over the square shank, which prevents its turning
except with the roller.
The roller is then wholly lifted from the rack and placed on the branched
brackets of sliding rail. The winding cord is then pulled taut. This, together
with the double cord of rail is pulled downwards, causing the rail and background

page_text: to rise to the required position for use. On freeing the winding cord, an iron
rod which should be hemmed into the bottom edge of background, causes the
latter to unwind and at the same time wind up cord on loose pulley. The double
cord of rail is now slipped over the aforesaid stud and the background is ready
for use.
The reverse of this process is obviously necessary when it is desired to remove
background and store it in the rack. The backgrounds are prevented from
unwinding when so stored, by means of a stud fixed in one end of roller and
forming a stop by contact with metal work of rack. The bracket on rail is so
constructed that the stud meets with no obstruction in turning.
G. HOUGHTON.
WILLIAM SALMON.
GEORGE HOUGHTON, 88 & 89. High Holborn, W.C., Photographic Dealer, and
WILLIAM SALMON, 103, High Street, Bedford, 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 object is to provide a photographic background stand on which a number
of backgrounds can be stored and either one be brought into use at will with
the expenditure of very little trouble.
In carrying out our invention we provide an upright rectangular frame of
wood, a. a. Figs. 1 & 2, hereinafter called the frame, of sufficient dimensions to
receive the largest background that may be required.
The said frame is strutted at the lower corners to ensure strength, and is
furnished with cross feet, b, b, Figs. 1 & 2, to which are fixed castors to enable
the stand to be moved about freely. On the lower inner surfaces of the uprights of
frame we fix fillets of wood c. c, Figs. 1 & 2, to which we screw series of
brackets d, d, d, , Figs. 1 & 2, hereinafter called the rack, for the purpose of
storing the pivoted rollers e, c, Figs. 1 & 2, to which the backgrounds are attached.
The said uprights are slotted in their upper parts f, Fig. 2 to receive a sliding
rail g, g, Figs. & 2 which is sufficiently long to extend across and through the
irame and to engage in the said slots, in which it is made to run up and down
freely by means of a double cord iii Fig. 1 running over pulleys j, j, j, Fig. 1
in the manner of venetian blinds. The friction being reduced by sash rollers
inserted in sliding rail. The aforesaid double cord being operated from the
side of the frame where it is made to engage on a stud & Fig. 1, to retain rail in the
required position. The aforesaid sliding rail is provided with a bracket at
each end, 1, 1, Figs. 1 & 2 placed at the proper distance apart to receive pivots on
background roller, and are branched outwards, as shown in Fig. 2 to allow
background to run free when in use.
The method of operating is as follows. The roller on which the required back-
ground is fixed, is lifted from the rack and placed on the brackets of sliding
rail. Each roller being furnished with a winding cord (not shown in drawings)
which runs on the pulley m, Figs. 1. This cord is passed under a tension
platen, Figs. 1 & 2 which exerts just sufficient pressure on it to prevent
background from unwinding before required.
The double cord is now pulled, causing the rail to rise to the position shown by

page_text: dotted lines Figs. 1 & 2 where it is retained by twisting said cord round stud k
Fig. 1.
Each background is weighted by having an iron rod hemmed in its lower
border.
On releasing winding cord from tension plate the background may be lowered
or raised at will in the manner of an ordinary blind.
When it is desired to remove background and store it in the rack, it is first
wound on roller and the winding cord held in one hand, whilst the double cord
is released from stud, and the rail lowered with the other.
The background is then lifted from the rail brackets and placed in the rack
where it is prevented from unwinding by means of a stud (fixed in upright) which
engages in one of the slots cut in flange plate of roller as shown in Fig. 3, a
stud being provided for each roller. It is obvious that modifications in the
foregoing method of construction may be adopted without materially altering
the principle of our invention which essentially consists of a ready means
of storing and placing backgrounds in position for use by means of a sliding
rail or equivalent device and being well under the control of a single operator.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is ;-
A photographic background stand containing rack for storing a
series of backgrounds, fixed on pivoted rollers and provided with a sliding rail
operated by a double cord substantially in the manner described.
A photographic background stand such as claimed in Claim 1, provided
with rollers having a slotted flange plate substantially for the purpose and
in the manner described.
A photographic background stand such as claimed in Claim 1, provided
with a tension plate substantially for the purpose and in the manner described.
ALL
1000
Witness-
B. WILCOX,
Clerk to said G. Houghton.
Witness to Wm. Salmon's Signature:-
NELSON JENNINGS,
Assistant to said Wm. Salmon.
G. HOUGHTON,
WILLM. SALMON,