Year: 1885

page_text: I CHARLES HENRY STANBURY of 91 Fleet Street in the City of London Trank
and Portmanteau Maker do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention has for its object improvements in portable dark chambers for
photographic purposes.
For this purpose I make the framework of the chamber in a similar manner to
the framework of an ordinary umbrella and cover it with an outer covering in a
similar way except that when the frame is open I make the outer extremities of
the ribs to bend downwards somewhat more than they are made to do in ordinary
umbrellas I also for closing in the bottom of the chamber secure the edge of a
circular sheet of fabric to the outer extremities of the ribs of the frame and to the
edge of the covering which covers over these ribs. The central stick I preferably
form only of a length for the "runner" to which the stretchers of the frame are
jointed to be slidden over its end and retained to it when the frame is opened.
Between two of the ribs I form an opening in the cover and secure to the edge
of this opening the end of a tube of fabric into the other end of which the head of
the operator can be inserted and the outer end be closed in around his neck to
prevent the passage of light.
Between two ribs on either side of this opening for the head I form other
openings one for each of the operator's hands to be passed through and secure
sleeves to these openings into which the operator inserts his arms-the extremities
of the sleeves may be provided with elastic bands to close tightly over the
operator's wrists.
Between two other ribs preferably the two opposite to those between which the
opening for the head is formed is another opening covered over with red and
yellow fabric to admit sufficient light to enable the operator to see to work-the
remainder of the covering being of a fabric which excludes all light. The whole
covering also might be lined with a yellow lining.
Some of the spaces between the ribs might be covered with red or ruby and
lined with yellow or vice versa to give a subdued light for working.
Over the space opposite to the operator the outer covering might be yellow and
the inner lining red or yellow and made so that it might be turned upwards as a
I Prine Rd

page_text: curtain more especially if the chamber is to be used for developing instantaneous
plates in order that after the developing process had been carried on for a short
time and the plate had so become less sensitive these curtains might be hooked up
out of the way and more light allowed to pass into the chamber to enable the
operator to see better how the development of the plate was progressing.
A dark chamber formed in the above manner can be placed on any table or
stand or if no table or stand is available it may be placed on the ground in which
case the operator would have to lie down whilst using it.
When the chamber is out of use it can be shut up like an ordinary umbrella and
if desired placed within a tubular cover such as commonly used for putting over
umbrellas when they are closed.
AL

page_text: Improvements in Portable Dark Chambers for Photographic
Purposes.
I CHARLES HENRY STANBURY of 91 Fleet Street in the City of London Trunk
and Portmanteau Maker 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 has for its object improvements in portable dark chambers for
photographic purposes.
For this purpose I make the framework of the chamber in a similar manner to
the framework of an ordinary umbrella and cover it with an outer covering in a
similar way except that when the frame is open I make the outer extremities of
the ribs to bend downwards somewhat more than they are made to do in ordinary
umbrellas-I also for closing in the bottom of the chamber secure the edge of a
circular sheet of fabric to the outer extremities of the ribs of the frame and to the
edge of the covering which covers over these ribs. The central stick I preferably
form only of a length for the "runner" to which the stretchers of the frame are
jointed to be slidden over its end and retained to it when the frame is opened.
"
Between two of the ribs I form an opening in the cover and secure to the edge
of this opening the end of a tube of fabric into the other end of which the head of
the operator can be inserted and the outer end be closed in around his neck to
prevent the passage of light.
Between two ribs on either side of this opening for the head I form other
openings one for each of the operator's hands to be passed through and secure
sleeves to these openings into which the operato rinserts his arms-the extremities
of the sleeves may be provided with elastic bands to close tightly over the
operator's wrists.
Between two other ribs preferably the two opposite to those between which the
opening for the head is formed is another opening covered over with red and
yellow fabric to admit sufficient light to enable the operator to see to work—the
remainder of the covering being of a fabric which excludes all light. The whole.
covering also might be lined with a yellow lining.
Some of the spaces between the ribs might be covered with red or ruby and
lined with yellow or vice versa to give a subdued light for working.
Over the space opposite to the operator the outer covering might be yellow and
the inner lining red or yellow and made so that it might be turned upwards as a
curtain more especially if the chamber is to be used for developing instantaneous
plates in order that after the developing process bad been carried on for a short
time and the plate had so become less sensitive these curtains might be hooked up
out of the way and more light allowed to pass into the chamber to enable the
operator to see better how the development of the plate was progressing.
A dark chamber formed in the above manner can be placed on any table or
stand or if no table or stand is available it may be placed on the ground in which
case the operator would have to lie down whilst using it,

page_text: When the chamber is out of use it can be shut up like an ordinary umbrella and
if desired placed within a tubular cover such as commonly used for putting over
umbrellas when they are closed.
Figure 1 shows a side elevation and Figure 2 a plan of a dark chamber
constructed as above described. Figure 3 is a side elevation of the framework of
the dark chamber. Figure 4 shows separately the short central stick.
•
A are the ribs of the framework jointed like the ribs of an umbrella to a top
notch B which is held between a collar C on the stick C and a nut C2 screwed on
to the top of the stick D are the stretchers jointed to a tube E which is an ordinary
umbrella would be called the runner. The lower end of the stick has jointed to it
a short bar F which can either be turned into the position shown by dotted lines
in Figure 4 to allow of the end of the stick being passed through the runner E-
or the bar F can be turned into the position shown by full lines and then forms a
stop to hold the runner on to the stick. The stick is preferably made hollow as
shown so that a flexible tube from a small cistern of water may be led downwards
through its upper end and out into the interior of the chamber through an opening
in the side of the stick. The tube is shown to be provided with a cock at its end
to regulate the flow of water through it whenever a plate requires to be washed.
The bottom of the chamber is closed in as above described with a disc of fabric
secured to the lower ends of the ribs. The sides and top are also closed in by
fabric secured to the ribs.. G is the tube of fabric through which the head is to be
inserted G¹ are the sleeves through which the arms are to be inserted.
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
1. A portable dark chamber composed of a frame like the frame of an umbrella
covered with fabric and provided with sleeves for the hands and head of the
operator substantially as described.
2. A portable dark chamber made substantially as herein before described and
illustrated in the drawing.