Year: 1886

page_text: WARWICK
BROOKES of 350 Oxford Road Manchester in the County of
Lancaster Photographer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to an improved combination and arrangement of parts
constituting a portable photographic camera for taking instantaneous or other
pictures.
The body of the camera is in the form of an oblong box provided with a rabbet
at the back to receive the ground glass focussing frame and the dark slide. There is
a recess at the bottom of the camera to contain the focussing frame when not
in use.
The back is hinged at the top and is provided with two side pieces so that when
raised it forms a hood so as to dispense with the necessity for a focussing cloth.
The shutter of the dark slide is hinged to the frame and it is provided with a slot
and a band beneath which (as the slide is placed in the camera) the end of an arm or
lever is passed. This arm projects from a rod passing across the body of the camera
(inside) and provided with a turn button on the outside so that when the slide is
placed in position the sensitized plate can be exposed by turning this button so as to
cause the arm to open the hinged shutter inside the camera.
An opening is provided in the back through which the shutter can be fastened or
unfastened after it is placed in the camera and the back shut.
The lens is fitted to the front of the camera and the focus is taken by moving the
same to or fro by means of a turn button outside, the said button being fixed on a rod
at the other end of which is a pinion taking into the rack of the lens.
In front of the lens is a frame hinged from above and carrying the instantaneous.
shutter and when longer exposures are required this hinged frame can be opened and
closed so as to act as a cap to the lens. The instantaneous shutter is of the revolving
type and is released by a small catch underneath the camera,

page_text: The camera is fitted with a "view-finder" which consists of a hinged frame on the
top near the front and a movable arm or strip pivotted to the back and made with an
eye hole.
The hinged frame of the "view-finder" when shut lies in a recess on the top and
incloses and holds down a movable card or paper slip upon which memoranda of the
subjects and exposures can be made, and a small spring is also provided for holding a
pencil to be used for that purpose.
The camera may be held in the hand close to the cheek and by looking through the
"view-finder" the subject may be followed and the instantaneous exposure of the
plate made at the proper time by pressing the catch, or if a longer exposure is
required it is provided with a screw for attaching it to a stand.
Dated this 22nd day of October 1886
GEORGE DAVIES,
4, St. Ann's Square, Manchester,
Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Photographic Camera.
I, WARWICK BROOKES of 350 Oxford Road Manchester in the County of
Lancaster 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 :-
This Invention relates to an improved photographic camera which, when used for
taking instantaneous pictures, may be held in the hand in such a way that a moving
subject may be followed and the exposure of the plate made at the proper moment,
or which may be fixed on a stand in the case of longer exposure.
The Invention consists in certain improvements having for their object to facilitate
the focussing of the picture, the opening and closing the dark back, the finding
and following of the view, and the covering and uncovering of the lens whether for
long or short exposure.
The Invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming part of this
specification and will be described with reference thereto. Figure 1 is a perspective
view of the camera as in use for an instantaneous exposure. Figure 2 is a
longitudinal section of the camera the parts being in position for exposure of a plate.
Figure 3 is a similar view of the rear part only shewing the mode of inserting the
dark back. Figure 4 is a face view of the latter and figure 5 is a cross-section on
line 1-1 figure 2 drawn to a smaller scale.
The body A of the camera is in the form of an oblong box provided at the rear

page_text: with a rebate in which fit the dark back B and the focussing screen C. Beneath an
inner or false bottom B¹ there is a recess in which the focussing screen is contained
when not in use, a spring c being applied behind it to push it outward sufficiently to
enable the screen to be readily seized and drawn out.
The first improvement has for its object to dispense with the use of a cloth when
focussing, and ensure a light-tight closure of the camera at the back when exposing,
notwithstanding that the dark back B may fit loosely in its rebate in the body; and
this improvement consists in providing the camera with a hinged hood D formed of a
back flap d hinged to the top of the camera and two quadrant shaped side pieces d¹
attached to the Hap d and working alongside the camera (being guided by wires d²
fixed to the sides of the camera) so that when the hood is raised as shewn in figures 1
and 3, the light is sufficiently shaded from the focussing screen, to enable the picture
to be distinctly seen without covering the head with a cloth. The flap d when closed
down as in figure 2, completely encloses the back B so that no light can leak past it
into the camera.
The double dark back B is provided with hinged shutters 6 of which the innermost
one for the time being opens within the body of the camera and is operated from the
exterior by the means constituting the second improvement. These consist of a lever
arm E carried by a cross-shaft e within the body of the camera, the shaft passing
through the side thereof at one end and being provided on the exterior with a key
applied to its squared end for operating it. This lever arm is of sheet metal so that it
has sufficiently flexibility to enable it to engage under a cross band let into the face
of the shutter 6 of the double back, the said band bridging over a groove F in the
shutter b which coincides in position with the arm E so that as the double back is
pushed into the camera from the rear with the hinged edge b' of the shutter at the
bottom the lever E which is directed slightly backwards as shewn in figure 3,
will enter the groove F and take under the bridge-piece f, thereby enabling the
shutter to be opened and closed by turning the shaft e as shewn in figure 2.
The shutter bis locked by means of a rotary catch or turn button g to which
access is had through a hole G in the back flap d after the latter has been closed
down as in figure 2. The catch g passes through the frame of the double back, the
two shutters 6 of the back being hinged at opposite edges of the frame, so that each
catch will only lock its own shutter. The finger hole G is covered by an arm or
plate H pivoted at h to flap d and provided with an eye hole d¹ at one end which
when turned upwards as in dotted lines in figure 1 is used in conjunction with a
frame I hinged to the top of the camera, as a view-meter. The frame I when folded
down lies in a recess in the top of the body and serves to enclose and hold down a
movable card or paper slip upon which memoranda of the subjects and exposures
can be made, and a small spring clip K is provided for holding the pencil used for
that purpose. The eye being applied to the hole of the view finder, the camera may
be held in the hand and made to follow the subject.
The lens (not shewn) is carried by the movable front L fitted to slide to and fro
within the body for which purpose it is attached to the focussing rack with which
gears a pinion m on a cross shaft whose milled head M projects from the side of the
camera and by means of which the racking is effected. "N is an inner fixed frame to
prevent leakage of light past the movable front L.
The front end of the body is closed by a hinged cover O having a central aperture o
opposite the lens which is closed by the instantaneous shutter P. The latter is of the
revolving disc type with a segmental aperture p which as the shutter revolves, passes
over the aperture o the shutter being mounted at the inner side of the cover O upon
an axis p¹ and is actuated by an india rubber spring 9, or any other form of spring
may be used. The shutter is locked in the focussing or set positions by a spring
bolt taking into one of two holes in the shutter, said bolt being released by
means of a thumb lever R projecting from the side of the camera, the bolt and thumb
lever being situated beneath the false bottom B¹.
When a prolonged exposure is required, the hinged front O is turned on its hinges
and so acts as a cap for the lens.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is ;-
1. The herein described improved photographic camera embodying the combination
of improvements herein specified.
2. The hinged hood for shading the focussing screen of a photographic camera
when the hood is raised, without the use of a cloth, and for enclosing the dark back
when the same is inserted into the camera body from the rear, as specified.
3. In a photographic camera, the combination with a dark back having a hinged
flap shutter opening into the camera body, of the means substantially as herein
described for effecting the opening and closing of the hinged shutter after the dark
back is inserted.
4. In a box body photographic camera the combined hinged flap and instantaneous
shutter for long and short exposures respectively, the said flap enclosing the
front of the body and the instantaneous shutter being mounted thereon as
specified.
5. A box body photographic camera having a lens front or frame capable of being
racked forward or backward wholly within the body in combination with a combined
hinged flap and instantaneous shutter enclosing such lens front or frame, substantially
as specified.