Improvements in or relating to Photographic Cameras.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Jan.. 1890
Complete Specification Left, 18th Aug., 1890-Accepted, 4th Oct., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Photographic Cameras.
A communication from FRANK A. BROWNELL, of the City of Rochester, County of
Monroe and State of New York, United States of America.
1, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex, M.I.M.E.,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :-
The present invention has for its object to provide a camera that can be folded
within small compass for carrying and can be so extended as to take quite a large
picture and it further has for its object to provide said cameras with means for
utilizing roller holders for flexible film thereby providing a comparatively small
detective camera which is not only capable of taking large pictures but also of con-
taining sufficient material for a large number of them, these being the objects most
sought after in articles of this description.
The camera body consists of a main frame open at the rear and closed at the front
by a door hinged to the bottom of the frame and when folded down constituting the
bed on which the camera front slides. The bottom of the frame is extended to the
rear and forms a support for a casing preferably enclosing the rear of the camera,
while the top is protected by a cover hinged at the forward portion and fastened at
the rear by a lock or catch being capable of being lifted to expose the top of the
A suitable
roller holder and permit access to the back of frame when desired.
carrying strap is passed around the camera body being confined by loops and a handle
is secured to the top.
The camera front carrying the lens and shutter is connected to the inside of the
frame by the bellows and is arranged to slide in ways or guides on the base of
the frame when within the camera casing and upon the upper side of the door when
the latter is down. While this way or guide may be of any desired construction
it is preferably formed of plates connected to the door and base respectively small
grooves being formed for the accommodation of the flanges or ears formed upon
guiding and clamping plates mounted on the sides of an extension of the camera
front. The clamping plates are provided at the top with flanges and are secured to
the sides of the extension by screws passing through elongated slots and entering
said extension.
Pivoted upon the upper side of the extension is a plate having an operating
projection or handle and bent up at diagonally opposite corners to form cam ears over
which flanges project so that when said plate is turned on its pivotal pin or screw
said cams will engage and raise the plates clamping the lens carrying front to one or
other of the before mentioned way or guide plates said plates therefore constituting
guide and clamping plates as will be understood so that the camera can be readily
focussed by turning the plate to loosen the clamping plates then adjusting the front on
its ways and turning the plate to clamp it firmly to its support. As it is designed
to use this as a detective camera dispensing with a ground focussing glass a suitable
index plate is provided on the inside of the door and au index is provided on the
camera front co-operating with it so that the distance of the object to be photographed
being known or approximated the appropriate focus can readily be had.
The door is held in proper position when open by suitable slotted links pivoted
to it and co-operating with stop pins secured to the case through the slots. At the
inner ends the slots in these links are slightly enlarged, and secured to the frame
are springs normally pressing said links so that when the door is open they will be
moved so that the before-mentioned stop pins will enter the recesses at the ends,
thereby preventing the closing of the cover without first pressing said links so as to
remove the recesses from engagement with the pins. When the door is closed it is

page_text: fastened by a spring catch at the top engaging a pin thereon, the operating end of
the pin being beneath the cover but capable of operation therethrough, and said door
may be forced open when released from the catch by springs.
The parts so far described are capable of use upon any of the ordinary folding
cameras now in use whether closed at the rear or not, but as it is desirable to use a
roller holder for film in the present camera and further to have it covered and
capable of insertion and removal there is provided at the back of the frame a chamber
in which is located the roller holder.
The roller holder casing contains the ordinary film holding and feeding devices and
is provided with the operating handle of the winding reel, projecting to the outside,
and upon the lid or cover of the camera case is a button or disc projecting through
and having on its inside a slot which co-operates with said handle so that the film
may be fed forward without opening the cover. The indicating device for notifying the
operator when an exposure of film is wound forward may be of any description either
arresting the winding devices or it may be one of the audible kind, making a sharp
click for each or any number of the revolutions of the measuring roller.
The front of the holder casing is provided with a bead which it is desirable to
have fit against or into the back of the camera frame so that there will be no possibility
of light leaking in and spoiling the film and for the purpose of providing means
for inserting the roller holder from the top and of moving it in squarely with the
bead in the recess in the frame there are provided on each end arms pivoted to the
frame, preferably curved and having slots on their outer portion with which co-operate
pins on the holder ends, the parts being so arranged that the holder can be placed
in the case with the pins in the slots and when the plates are turned up the holder
will be pressed up light tight in proper position. The upper ends of the last mentioned
arms are provided with projections co-operating with suitable recesses in the sides of
the frame when the holder is in proper position preventing its accidental removal
and said arms are sufficiently elastic to hold the projection normally in engagement.
The extreme ends project above the casing in convenient position to be manipulated
by the operator to insert and remove the roller holder when desired.
In cameras employing roller holders not having covering slides or plate holders
which are applied before. the camera is focussed, it is difficult to employ bellows
between the lens frame and holder for the reason that when the bellows is rapidly
drawn out it will collapse, there being no aperture for admitting air to its interior
save through the interstices between the holder and camera back, which are exceedingly
small in a properly constructed instrument. This objection is of course, more apparent
in a folding camera where it is necessary to draw the lens out quite a distance in
order to obtain the first focus and for the purpose of overcoming it there is provided
a channel or passage open to the external air from the interior of the camera which
will permit the ingress of air without admitting light to fog the plate or film. If the
roller holder has a large space behind the film support it is preferred to form an
opening in the bottom which when the holder is in proper position registers with a
channel connected by other channels with suitable apertures in the base beneath the
bellows or at any other point. By this arrangement the camera front can be extended
or closed within the casing without liability of the bellows collapsing or getting out of
shape by the pressure of the air.
Pivoted to the door is a finder consisting of a casing with a lens, mirror and
ground glass as usual, the supporting brackets being preferably located at one corner
of said casing whereby it can be turned' so as to present the ground glass upwards
or so as to present it at the side if the camera is supported on a tripod as may be
done by a securing screw entering a nut or socket in the camera base. A spring
secured to the door operates on a pin on the finder casing to hold it against the door
in whichever position it may be adjusted.
The shutter employed may be of any desired construction but it is preferably such
as will not open the lens opening while being set, as there is no slide interposed
between the latter and the film though of course, a suitable slide could be employed
if desired.

page_text: The manner of using the camera will be apparent to those skilled in the art and no
further description is therefore necessary.
The before described apparatus is capable of being modified in many ways without
departure from the spirit of this invention.
Dated this 8th day of January 1890.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Photographic Cameras.
A communication from FRANK A. BROWNELL, of the City of Rochester, County of
Monroe and State of New York, United States of America.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex, M.I.M.E.,
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 present invention has for its object to provide a camera that can be folded
within small compass for carrying and can be so extended as to take quite a large
picture and it further has for its object to provide said cameras with means for
utilizing roller holders for flexible film thereby providing a comparatively small
detective camera which is not only capable of taking large pictures but also of con-
taining sufficient material for a large number of them, these being the objects most
sought after in articles of this description.
To these and other ends the invention consists in certain novelties of construction
and combinations of parts all as will be hereinafter described.
In the drawings
Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the camera ready for transportation.
Fig. 2 a perspective view of the camera extended, the casing at the rear being
broken away to show the construction of the parts.
Fig. 3 a longitudinal sectional view of the camera extended.
Fig. 4 a sectional perspective view of the bottom of the camera, and
Fig. 5 a cross sectional view showing the manner of locking the camera front to
the bed.
Fig. 6 a view of one of the door supporting links, and
Fig. 7 a view of the finder.
Similar letters of reference in the several figures indicate similar parts.
The camera body consists of a main frame A open at the rear and closed at the front
by a door B hinged to the bottom of the frame and when folded down constituting
the bed on which the camera front C slides. The bottom A¹ of the frame A is
extended to the rear as shown and forms a support for a casing D preferably enclosing
the rear of the camera while the top is protected by a cover E hinged at the forward
portion and fastened at the rear by a lock or catch E¹ being capable of being lifted
as shown in Fig. 2 to expose the top of the roller holder and permit access to the
back of frame A when desired. A suitable carrying strap F is passed around the
camera body being confined by loops f, and a handle F¹ is secured to the top as
shown.
The camera front C carrying the lens C and shutter 02 is connected to the inside
of the frame A by the bellows G and is arranged to slide in ways or guides on the
base of the frame A when within the camera casing and upon the upper side of the
door when the latter is down. While this way or guide may be of any desired con-
struction it is preferably formed of plates H H' connected to the door and base
respectively, small grooves a being formed as shown for the accommodation of the
flanges or ears 6 formed upon guiding and clamping plates c mounted on the sides

page_text: of an extension C³ of the camera front C. The clamping plates c are provided at the
top with flanges d and are secured to the sides of the extension (3 by screws e
passing through slots p and entering said extension.
Pivoted upon the upper side of the extension C³ is a plate J having an operating
projection or handle and bent up at diagonally opposite corners to form cam ears
over which flanges d project so that when said plate is turned on its pivotal pin or
screw i said cams will engage and raise the plates c clamping the lens-carrying front
to one or other of the before-mentioned way or guide plates H H' said plates therefore
constituting guide and clamping plates as will be understood so that the camera can
be readily focussed by turning the plate J to loosen the clamping plates c then
adjusting the front on its ways and again turning the plate J to clamp it firmly to
its support. As it is designed to use this as a detective camera dispensing, with a
ground focussing glass a suitable index plate K is provided on the inside of the door B
and an index K₁ is provided on the camera front co-operating with it so that the
distance of the object to be photographed being known or approximated the appropriate
focus can readily be had.
The door B is held in proper position when open by suitable slotted links L pivoted
to it and co-operating with stop pins L' secured to the case and passing through the
slots. At the inner ends as shown in Figs. 3 and 6 the slots in these links are
slightly enlarged, and secured to the frame A are springs L2 normally pressing said
links L so that when the door is open they will be moved so that the before mentioned
stop pins L' will enter the recesses at the ends, thereby preventing the closing of the
cover without first pressing said links so as to remove the recesses from engagement
with the pins. When the door B is closed it is fastened by a spring catch g at the
top engaging a pin g¹ thereon the operating end of the pin being beneath the cover
but capable of operation therethrough, and said door may be forced open when
released from the catch by springs M secured to the frame A.
The parts so far described are capable of use upon any of the ordinary folding
cameras now in use whether closed at the rear or not, but as it is desirable to use a
roller holder for film in the present camera and further to have it covered and capable
of insertion and removal there is provided at the back of the frame A a chamber in
which is located the roller holder.
The roller holder casing N contains the ordinary film holding and feeding devices
and is provided with the operating handle N¹ Fig. 2 of the winding reel, projecting to
the outside and upon the lid or cover E is a button or disc N2 projecting through and
having on its inside a slot which co-operates with said handle so that the film may be
fed forward without opening the cover. The indicating device for notifying the
operator when an exposure of film is wound forward may be of any description either
arresting the winding devices or it may be one of the audible kind, making a sharp
click for each or any number of the revolutions of the measuring roller.
0
The front of the holder casing is provided with a head n which it is desirable to
have fit against or into the back of the camera frame A so that there will be no
possibility of light leaking in and spoiling the film and for the
means for inserting the roller holder from the top and of moving it in squarely with
purpose of providing
the bead n in the recess in the frame there are provided on each end, armis pivoted
to the frame A preferably curved as shown and having slots or recesses O' on their
outer portion with which co-operate pins on the holder ends, the parts being so
arranged that the holder can be placed in the case with the pins in the slots and when
the plates are turned up to the position shown in Fig. 2, the holder will be pressed up
light tight in proper position. The upper ends of arms are provided with pro-
jections 02 co-operating with suitable recesses in the sides of the frame A when the
holder is in proper position preventing its accidental removal and said arms are
sufficiently elastic to hold the projections normally in engagement. The extreme ends
project above the casing A in convenient position to be manipulated by the operator
to insert and remove the roller holder when desired.
In cameras employing roller holders not having covering slides or plate holders

page_text: which are applied before the camera is focussed it is difficult to employ bellows
between the lens frame and holder for the reason that when the bellows is rapidly
drawn out, it will collapse, there being no aperture for admitting air to its interior
save through the interstices between the holder and camera back which are excedingly
small in a properly constructed instrument. This objection is of course more apparent
in a folding camera where it is necessary to draw the lens out quite a distance in
order to obtain the first focus and for the purpose of overcoming I provide a
channel or passage open to the external air from the interior of the camera which will
permit the ingress of air without admitting light to fog the plate or film. If the
roller holder has a large space behind the film support it is preferred to form an
opening P in the bottom which when the holder is in proper position registers with a
channel P¹ connected by other channels P2 with suitable apertures in the base
beneath the bellows as shown or at any other point. By this arrangement the camera
front can be extended or closed within the casing without liability of the bellows
collapsing or getting out of shape by the pressure of the air.
Pivoted to the door B is a finder R consisting of a casing with a lens mirror and
ground glass as usual the supporting brackets being preferably located at one corner
of said casing whereby it can be turned as indicated in Fig. 2 so as to present the
ground glass upwards or so as to present it at the side if the camera is supported
on a tripod as may be done by a securing screw entering a nut or socket $ in the
camera base as in Fig. 3. A spring T secured to the door B operates on a pint on
the finder casing to hold it against the door in whichever position it may be adjusted
as in Fig. 7.
The shutter employed may be of any desired construction but it is preferably such
as will not open the lens opening while being set, as there is no slide interposed
between the latter and the film though of course a suitable slide could be employed if
desired.
The manner of using the camera will be apparent to those skilled in the art and no
further description is therefore necessary.
The before described apparatus is capable of being modified in many ways without
departure from the spirit of this invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. In a photographic camera the combination with a camera body or frame and an
enclosing casing therefor having a lid at the top, of a door forming when closed a
part of the casing and when open a support for the camera front and a chamber
within the casing accessible from the top and a holder for sensitized material con-
tained in said chamber substantially as described.
2. In a photographic camera the combination with a camera body or frame an
enclosing casing having a chamber at the rear and a lid or cover therefor, of a holder
for sensitized material adapted to be applied to the back of the frame, and a support
or supports for securing said holder and moving it squarely against the back of the
frame substantially as described.
3. In a photographic camera the combination with a camera body or frame of a
holder for sensitized material and a support therefor movable toward and from the
camera body substantially as described.
4. In a photographic camera the combination with a camera body or frame of a
holder for sensitized material and the pivoted arms constituting a support for the
holder and movable toward and from the frame substantially as described.
5. In a photographic camera the combination with a camera body or frame of a
holder for sensitized material having the bead thereon and the pivoted arms consti-
tuting a support for the holder movable toward and from the frame substantially
as described.
6. In a photographic camera the combination with a camera body or frame, of a
holder for sensitized material, pivoted arms such as O constituting a support for the

page_text: morder and spring catches for holding said arms in position substantially as described
and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
7. In a photographic camera the combination with the camera body or frame of a
holder for sensitized material having pins o thereon and arms such as O pivoted to
the frame having slots or recesses O constituting supports for said holder and movable
toward and from the frame substantially as described and illustrated in the accom-
panying drawings.
8. In a photographic camera the combination with the camera body or frame of a
holder for sensitized material having pins o thereon and curved arms such as O
pivoted to the frame having slots or recesses O¹ and catches at the ends substantially
as described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
9. In a photographic camera the combination with the way or guide of a camera-
front sliding thereon, plates c at the sides having flanges d and b on top and bottom
cam plate such as J pivoted on the camera front adapted to engage one of the
flanges d and clamp the other to the way substantially as described and illustrated in
the accompanying drawings.
10. In a photographic camera the combination with a plate constituting a way of a
camera front sliding thereon, guiding and clamping plates such as chaving the
flanges engaging the lower side of the way and a cam such as J on the front for
causing the clamping of the plates and way substantially as described and illustrated
in the accompanying drawings.
11. In a photographic camera the combination with a plate constituting a way, of a
camera front sliding thereon, two guiding and clamping plates such as c arranged on
opposite sides having flanges d and 6 on top and bottom and a cam plate J pivoted to
the front having cams such as ; on opposite sides for engaging the upper flanges d
and causing the lower ones to clamp the way plate, substantially as described and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
12. The combination with a camera casing having a hinged lid or cover such
as E of a roller holder located within said casing having an operating handle N and
a button or handle such as N2 secured to the casing cover co-operating with the one
on the holder when said lid is closed, substantially as described.and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
13. In a photographic camera the combination with a back or frame, a front carry-
ing a lens and relatively movable thereto, and a holder for sensitized material fitted to
said back of a circuitous passage such as Q P P P for admitting air to the interior
of the camera when the front is adjusted but preventing the access of light substan-
tially as described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
14. In a photographic camera the combination with a camera back or frame a
front carrying a lens connected to the back by a bellows and relatively movable
thereto and a holder for sensitized material applied to the camera back, of a circuitous
passage such as QP2 P¹ P for admitting air to the interior of the camera when the
front is adjusted but preventing the ingress of light substantially as described.
15. In a photographic camera the combination with a camera back or frame an
adjustable front carrying a lens and connected to the back by a bellows of a holder
for sensitized material fitted to the back having an aperture such as P therein and a
circuitous air passage such as Q P P in the camera back communicating with the
aperture in the holder when the latter is in position substantially as described and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
16. In a photographic camera the combination with a camera casing of a door
such as B hinged thereto and forming a support for the camera front links such as L
pivoted to said door having slots and the recesses at their ends pins L' in the
slots and springs such as L2 operating said links laterally substantially as described
and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
17. The combination with a photographic canera of a finder such as R pivoted
thereon at one corner and a spring such as T co-operating therewith for holding it
in two positions substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.

page_text: 18. The combination with a photographic camera of a finder such as R having
a rectangular casing pivoted to the camera at one corner and having a pin t thereon
and a spring such as T co-operating with said pin for holding the finder in either
of its two positions substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
Dated this 18th day of August 1890.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.