Improvements in Swing Back for Photographic Cameras.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Oct., 1899-Accepted, 25th Nov., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Swing Back for Photographic Cameras.
We, WILLIAM FRANK CARLTON, and HARVEY W. LOCKE, both of 45, South
Street, Rochester, New York, United States of America, 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 is an improvement upon the swing-back mechanism set
forth in our Application for Letters Patent dated 29th August 1899 No. 17521.
In said application is described a camera having a swing back which is pivotally
connected to the camera frame in such manner that the back not only swings
so as to vary the inclination of the sensitive surface, the axis of swing being
substantially at the middle of the back but also has a movement of translation,
or an up-and-down movement, so that the swing of the back does not interefere
with the proper encasing of the camera when not in use. The present invention
consists in the improved means employed for securing the swing back of the
camera-frame so as to swing properly and so as to move up and down.
For the purpose of setting forth the improvement it will be described as applied
to a camera having an adjustable lens-holder connected with the swing back by
a bellows. The improvement is illustrated in the accompanying drawings
wherein -
Figure 1 is a side view partly in section of a camera open or extended for use.
Figure 2 is a perspective view partly in section of the camera bed, the supports
for the camera box, and the cross piece through the intermediary of which the
said bed and supports are connected. Figure 3 is a vertical section taken longi-
tudinally of the bed and showing the camera box, the camera box supports with
their cross pieces, and a portion of the camera bed. Figure 4 is a vertical section
of the camera box. Figure 5 is a face view of the camera box with the camera
front and bellows encased therein, the camera bed and its supports, with their
cross piece, being removed. Figs. 6 and 7, are detail views.
The illustrated camera comprises as its main structural features, the swing
back A, the camera bed E, the camera front C, which carries the lens, and the
bellows B, connecting the camera front to the swing back.
The camera bed E, is preferably hinged by hinges 2, to a cross-bar 4, so that
the bed may be swung upwardly to constitute a cover for the camera, when not in
use. When the camera is in use and the bed E is swung down, the cross-bar 4
constitutes essentially a portion of the camera bed. Rising from the cross-bar 4.
are vertically extending supports D, D, at opposite ends and rigidly secured
thereto, to which the swing back is hinged. The portion E of the camera bed.
which constitutes the cover of the camera when closed, is locked in its open
position so that the cross-bar constitutes a rigid prolongation thereof by means
of links F, F, which are pivotted at their lower ends to ears 10, 10, carried by
the bed E, and which are respectively provided with longitudinal slots 12, 12.
having locking notches 13 (see Figure 3) at their upper ends, said slots and
notches engaging headed pins 11. carried by the supports D D respectively.
The longitudinal slots 12 enable the cover E to be swung up and down, and

page_text: when the cover is in its open position the locking notches 13, catch upon the
pins 11, and thereby lock the cover in its open position. Springs 14, carried by
the cover E, and engaging the links F, F, cause the automatic locking engagement
of the locking notches 13, and the pins 11, when the cover is swung fully open.
The swing back A, which carries the sensitive photographic surface and which
is pivotally connected with the supports D, D, of the camera bed, is formed as a
rectangular box open at front, back, and bottom, and which constitutes a casing
The swing
for the bellows and camera front when the camera is not in use.
back, which is thus also the camera box or casing, may be constructed so as
It is shown as open in the
to carry any kind of sensitive photographic surface.
back and adapted to receive à reversible back frame A¹, for retaining photo-
graphic plate holders, said reversible back frame being shown as provided with
a spring-actuated receding and plate-holding device A², having a groove 31, to
receive a ground glass plate (not shown) and a lid or panel 44, which permits
the exposure of the ground glass plate when focussing the camera.
struction and arrangement of reversible back frame is well known in the art.
The panel 44, also constitutes a closure for the back of the camera when it is in
use. The swing back camera box A, is open at its bottom, with the exception
of the cross bar 32 at its rear which constitutes a portion of the support for the
back frame A¹.
This con-
When the camera is not in use the front of the camera box A, is closed by the
cover E, which has at its forward end a lip 15 (see Figure 1) adapted to engage
a spring catch 140 (see Figure 3) on the camera box. The spring catch is
depressed to release the cover E, by means of a pin 16, whose manipulating head is
normally covered by the usual leather or other cover of the camera box, which
is not shown in the drawings since it is too well known in the art to require
illustration. When the catch 140 is depressed and disengaged from the lip 15,
the cover E, is automatically swung out some distance by means of springs 17,
shown as carried by the cover and which engage the cross-bar 4 (or, more
accurately, the portions of the metal secured to the cross-bar from which the
supports D, are turned up) when the cover is closed.
The camera front C, connected to the swing back by means of the collapsible
bellows B, is adapted to slide along the cover E when said cover is opened, for
the purpose of securing the proper focus, said cover when constituting a portion
of the camera bed thus also constituting a focussing board. The cover E is
provided with a run-way for the camera front C, consisting of a ridge 6, and an
overhanging metal plate 5, and the cross-bar 4, is provided also with a ridge 61,
and an overhanging plate 51, constituting prolongations of the run-way on the
cover E. The camera front has claws 7, which underlie the projecting guiding
edges of the plates 5 and 51, so that the camera front may slide freely back and
forth but is prevented from accidental detachment. The camera front is clamped
in position by means of a clamping plate 8 carried thereby which is forced down
against the plates 5 and 51 by means of a clamping screw 9, provided with a
manipulating handle 91. The camera front is shown as provided with
lens
vertically adjustable
slides
carrier H, which
upon vertical
rods 39, constituting part of the
front
camera
and which can be
secured in
desired
any
position of adjustment by means of the set
screw 40. The lens carrier is shown as provided with usual devices, such as the
handle 41, for shifting the usual diaphragm which adjusts the size of the exposing
aperture a milled head 42, for setting the exposing shutter; and a handle 43,
for tripping the shutter when a picture is to be taken.
a
The swing back is pivotally connected to the supports D, D, near the upper
ends of said supports, and said supports terminate at about the middle of the
swing back so that the axis on which the swing back turns is approximately in
line with the middle line of the sensitive surface, which is desirable so as to
secure the best results. The swinging of the back is, as usual, for the purpose of
enabling a tall object being photographed to appear in the finished picture in

page_text: proper perspective, and the best results are secured by causing the swing back
to turn on an axis approximately in line with the middle of the sensitive surface
and hence in line with the middle of the finished picture.
For reasons also which will hereinafter be explained, it is desirable that the
swing back when constituting also the camera box or casing, as is here the case,
should have a bodily movement of translation, that is to say, an up and down
movement. It is also important that the camera box or swing back should be
fastened in any position of inclination to which it may be adjusted. To enable
these results to be accomplished the swinging box is connected with the sup-
ports D, carried by the camera bed, in the following manner :-
The sides of the swinging box are exterior to the supports D, and to the cross-
bar 4, so that they house and conceal them. The swinging box A, is secured
to the inside supports D, in the position to which said box may be swung, by a
double-headed screw and nut fastener G, G¹, which passes transversely through
the wall of the box A, and the corresponding inside support D, and which is
composed of the screw G, with an inside head 18 (of any suitable form) and the
nut G with an outside thumb head 19, exposed outside the camera case and of a
form to admit of ready manipulation, being provided preferably with wings 20,
formed by a diametrical rib for manipulation by the photographer's fingers.
There is a wear plate 190 on the camera box under the head 19, and the hub 21,
of the nut G¹, passes through a round hole 22 (see Figure 4) in the wall of box A,
while the portion 23 of the shank of screw G, is located in a slot 24, in the sup-
port D. In order to prevent the turning of the screw G, when the fastener is
closed or clamped, it is provided with the squared or angular portion 23, which
fits in the slot 24, so that it cannot revolve therein. By unscrewing the nuts G¹,
the fasteners are loosened and the swinging box may then be turned to any
desired position within its range of movement. By then again tightening up
the nuts G¹, the supports D are securely clamped against the inner walls of the
sides of the swinging box thus holding the swinging box in position.
The camera as thus far described possesses no novelty, being substantially
identical in construction, organization, and mode of operation, with the camera
illustrated in our above mentioned application for Letters Patent dated 29th
August 1899 No. 17521, the parts thus far described herein being designated by
reference letters and numerals corresponding to those employed in said applica-
tion.
The present invention consists in the improved means for compelling the
automatic rise and fall of the swinging box as it is tilted.
It will be noted that the cross-bar 4 constituting a portion of the camera bed
also constitutes the bottom of the camera box when it is closed. It is important
when the camera is entirely closed that it should be wholly and completely
closed with no opportunity for access to its interior. Now it is evident that in
case the swing back is so constructed as to constitute also the camera box or
casing, and in case it should be hung upon a simple pivot, it would be necessary
to leave a gap at the bottom in order to permit the swing of the box. Therefore,
that there may be a complete closure, it is necessary that there should be a
vertical rise and fall of the swinging box as it swings. By thus providing a
vertical rise and fall, the cross-bar 4, constituting the bottom of the camera box,
may be provided, as shown, with a projecting lip or leaf 36, which extends
immediately beneath the bottom of the cross-bar 32, at the lower end of the
camera box, which lip or leaf closes at all times the gap between said cross-bar 32,
and the said cross-bar 4.
In said prior Application No. 17521, such a lip or leaf is shown together with
means for automatically raising and lowering the camera box as it swings, but
the means therein shown for this purpose involve considerable friction, and
render it difficult to properly assemble the different parts of the camera.
In accordance with the present invention, links I, I, are provided at opposite
sides of the camera, each link being pivotally connected at its lower end to the

page_text: camera bed, being preferably pivotted directly to the inside of one of the sup-
ports D, near the lower end thereof by the pivot pin 45, and said link being also
pivotally connected at its upper end by pivot pin 46, to the inner wall of the side of
the camera box, being preferably pivotted to a metal plate 47, secured to the
side of the camera.
As is in the case of the camera set forth in said former Application No. 17521,
the slots 24 in the supports D, permit the vertical sliding movement of the pivotal
fasteners G, G', which are carried by the camera box.
When the camera box is tilted the links I I compel it to automatically move
bodily in a vertical direction, and by properly adjusting the pivotal points for
the links, there is always a close fit between the bottom cross bar 32, of the
camera box, and the lip or leaf 36, carried by the cross bar 4. When the upper
end of the camera box is tilted forward the upper ends of the links I are depressed
thus carrying the camera box downwardly. When, however, the upper end of
the camera box is tilted back, the upper ends of said links swing forwardly, thus
carrying the camera box upwardly. The links having simple pivots at their
upper and lower ends, secure the mechanical advantage of enabling the box to
swing easily and with little friction.
The cross-bar 4 is shown as provided with an interiorly threaded socket 37,
to enable it to be attached in the ordinary way to a tripod or other support.
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:-
1. The combination of a camera bed, a swing back pivotally and slidingly
connected therewith, and links pivotally connected at opposite ends to said camera
bed and swing back respectively, whereby said swing back moves vertically as
it swings, substantially as set forth.
2. The combination of a camera bed having vertically extending supports, a
swing back pivotally and slidingly connected to said supports at approximately
the middle line of said swing back, and links pivotted at opposite ends to said
camera bed and to said swing back, substantially as set forth.
3. The combination of a camera bed which furnishes the bottom of the camera
casing, a swing back constructed so as to form the sides and top of the camera
box or casing thus constituting a swinging box, said swinging box being pivotally
and slidingly connected with said camera bed, and links pivotally connected at
opposite ends to said bed and box respectively, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 5th day of October 1899.
CARPMAEL & Co.,
Agents for the Applicants.