Improvements in or relating to Photographio Cameras.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 27th June, 1895
Complete Specification Left, 20th Mar., 1896-Accepted, 27th June, 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Photographio Cameras.
We, THE EUROPEAN BLAIR CAMERA COMPANY LIMITED, and THOMAS
HENRY BLAIR of 9 Southampton Street, in the County of Middlesex, Manu-
facturers, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object to construct a camera so as to enable portions
of a continuous sensitized film to be rapidly and successively exposed for producing
photographic negatives.
In a camera constructed according to this invention the lens is fitted at the
front of the body and the shutter at any suitable distance from the back of the
lens the space between the lens and the shutter being enclosed by a light-tight
casing.
The shutter consists of a spring-controlled plate or band having a slot of a size
suited to the amount of light required to be admitted when making the exposure.
The film extends from a supply roll to a receiving roll both of which are placed
under suitable tension to prevent the film from being unwound from the supply
roll except by the film-operating mechanism and to ensure that when it is moved
by this mechanism it will be properly taken-up by the receiving roll.
The film is held close to the shutter by suitable rollers or equivalent and both it
and the shutter, are operated by means of a spindle on which is mounted a vane,
arm or equivalent which may at its free edge or end be provided with one or more
points adapted to perforate the film and engage with a projection or slot in the
shutter so as to positively engage both the film and shutter simultaneously.
The spindle is rotated by any suitable motor and if desired may be provided with
a fly wheel.
At each revolution of the spindle the vane or arm first engages the film and
shutter and moves them along simultaneously, and then disengages them either
automatically or by other mechanism to allow the shutter to be drawn back by its
spring during which backward movement the film remains stationary and the
exposure is made, the shutter at the termination of its backward stroke again
obscuring the film.
The details of the apparatus may be modified without departing from the
essential features of the invention, for example the spindle may be provided with
two or more vanes or arms instead of one as before described so that two or more
exposures may be made at each rotation of the spindle and moreover the shutter
may be part of a flexible band which itself constitutes the spring for effecting its
return movement.
Dated this 27th day of June 1895.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicants.

page_text: improvements in or relating to Photograpnic Cameras.
We, THE EUROPEAN BLAIR CAMERA COMPANY LIMITED and THOMAS
HENRY BLAIR, of 9 Southampton Street, in the County of Middlesex, Manu-
facturers, 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 to construct a camera so as to enable portions
of a continuous sensitized film to be rapidly and successively exposed for producing
photographic negatives.
In the accompanying drawings
Fig. 1 is a view of one form of the camera, constructed according to this
invention, with one side of the casing removed and the shutter in longitudinal
section.
Fig. 2 is a transverse section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 but with the casing
complete.
Fig. 3 is a sectional view corresponding to a portion of Fig. 1 showing the shutter
partly raised or operated.
Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view of an alternative form of shutter-and-film
operating mechanism.
Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the same, and
Figs. 6 and
are perspective views of detached parts of the mechanism shown
in Figures 4 and 5.
"
Like letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.
In carrying this invention into practice we provide the camera body A at its
front with a lens B which may be of any suitable construction and at a convenient
distance from the back of the lens we provide a diaphragm A¹ in which is formed
an opening A' through which the exposure is made as hereinafter explained. The
space between the lens board or camera front A³ and the diaphragm Al is divided
by a light-tight partition A' into two chambers A' A' of which the former con-
stitute the exposure chamber; the chamber A may be fitted with a view-finder C
of any desired construction. The chamber A' at the back of the diaphragm A¹ is
also closed light-tight and contains the operative parts of the mechanism.
D is the shutter provided with the necessary exposure-opening or slot D¹ and
controlled by a spring E whose ends are connected one to the shutter and the
other to the casing A. The shutter D is formed of very thin and flexible metal or
other opaque material.
F is a table or support between which and the diaphragm A' the shutter D is
adapted to be reciprocated in the direction of its length, and G is the film which is
adapted to be moved intermittently, always in the same direction, between the
back of the shutter D and the front of the support which latter is provided with
ribs or projections which, while allowing the shutter to operate close to the film
prevent it from coming into actual contact with the film; or to prevent this
contact between the shutter and film either of these may be arranged to work in a
casing (not shown in the drawings) which would be provided with an opening
corresponding to A³.
At each end of the support F we provide a roller H over which the film G
passes on its way from the supply roll or spool G' to the receiving roll or
spool G'.
1 is a shaft or spindle extending transversely across and to the exterior of the
casing A and at one end is provided with a hand wheel I' or other device whereby
it may be rotated either manually or by a motor. On this shaft I is secured a

page_text: roller or drum 12 carrying one or more points or sets of points I' (in the drawing
two sets are indicated each set consisting of two points) these points in the
example shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 being mounted in projections I* provided on the
roller 1. The shaft I also carries a ratchet wheel J with which engages a spring
controlled or equivalent pawl J¹ pivoted to any convenient part of the casing to
prevent the mechanism being operated in the wrong direction.
The support F is provided with a slot or opening F 1 within which the outer
portion of the roller I and the projections I work so that these parts may act
directly on the film G and shutter D which latter is provided with one or more
holes D for receiving the points I³.
K is a roller free to rotate in a recess in the diaphragm A¹ and formed with one
or more annular grooves K' for receiving the points 13 after they have passed
through the film G and the shutter perforations D².
A is a recess in the diaphragm A¹ for receiving the portions of the shutter D
and film G which are deflected from the straight path as shown in Fig. 3 extending
along the support F.
The spools G' G² are loose upon their respective spindles G³ G₁ and the latter
is driven by means of a band L passing round a pulley L' secured on the shaft I
and another pulley L loose upon the epindle G of the spool G³. The pulley L'
is preferably of somewhat less diameter than the pulley L' and is in frictional
engagement with the spool. G* through the medium of a spring L³ interposed
between said pulley and spool, this arrangement being provided so that when the
oller L is rotated there will always be a tendency for the spool G³ to rotate more
quickly the film G being thereby maintained at a suitable tension which will
depend upon the pressure exerted by the spring L' upon the spool G' and
pulley L.
M is a spring or brake acting on the spool G¹ so as to prevent its being rotated
through the medium of the pulley L' and tension on the film G except when the
film is engaged by the points 1*.
The distance between the apertures D1 and D2 in the shutter D is such that the
points 13 will perforate only the parts of the film G which are between the pictures
produced on the strip, these parts corresponding with those exposed through the
opening D¹ during the forward movement of the shutter simultaneously with the
forward movement of the film.
is as follows ;-
The operation of the before described apparatus
When the camera is properly directed towards the object or objects to he
photographed, the wheel I' is rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow i in
Fig. 1 and through the pulley L' and band L, the pulley L³ is rotated and through
the spring L and spool G the film G is placed in tension, the film, and the
spools G G being then prevented from moving by reason of the pressure of
the brake M upon the spool G'. At a further part of the rotation of the shaft I
the points I bear against and pass through the film at that portion which is
immediately at the back of the openings D³, the roller K holding the shutter D
and film in position while this perforation of the film is being effected. By
further continuing the rotation of the shaft I the film G and shutter D, both now
positively engaged with the points 1³, are simultaneously moved along the spool G'
at this time taking-up the film as it is moved onwards.
During this forward movement of the film, a small portion of it, viz.; that
immediately opposite the exposure-opening D₁ is exposed but this part comes
between the pictures and is therefore no detriment to the final result it is also at
this exposed portion between the pictures, that the points 13 perforate the film.
When the film has been moved along to the extent appropriated to each picture,
the points I become disengaged, from the shutter-aperture D' and the shutter is
immediately drawn up by the spring E back into its normal position, the film G
remaining stationary during this return movement of the shutter and the necessary
portion of the film being exposed by the flight over it of the aperture D¹.
N are india rubber or equivalent buffers against which the eud of the shutter

page_text: strikes when drawn back to its normal position by the spring E, so as to absorb the
shock and prevent noise.
by the
The exposures may be made with any desired rapidity of succession according
to the speed of rotation of the shaft I. In the previous example the shutter and
film are deflected from the straight path extending along the support
bearing thereon of the projections I as shown in Fig. 3, this arrangement being
rendered necessary to allow of the film being moved sufficiently far at each
operation without the points 13 engaging so deeply with the film as to render their
disengagement therefrom difficult. To dispense with this deflection we may
provide means for regulating or equalising the extent to which the points I³
penetrate the film and for withdrawing them out of engagement therewith at the
proper time. For this purpose the points Is are radially movable in the drum I'
(which in this example may be cylindrical) and are connected to rods 15 the ends
of which project beyond the ends of the drum 12 and are adapted to engage with
stationary cams O secured to the casing A. These cams are of such form that the
points are moved outwards or projected beyond the periphery of the drum when
they are to engage with the film and drawn inwards when they are required to
disengage the film and retained in that position until again required to engage
the film.
The mechanism which is herein before described as employed for intermittently
exposing a sensitized film for taking photographs, is equally applicable for exposing
the film or ribbon after the pictures have been produced thereon as for example,
in apparatus in which the pictures are exposed in rapid succession either to the
direct view of a spectator or by projection on to say a sheet for lantern displays.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. In apparatus for successively exposing different parts of a strip of photo-
graphic film mechanism for first moving a shutter simultaneously with the strip of
film in one direction and then moving the shutter independently of the film in the
reverse direction.
2. In apparatus for successively exposing different parts of a strip of photo-
graphic film mechanism which at each cycle of operations first moves a shutter
simultaneously with and to the same extent as a strip of film in one direction and
then moves the shutter or allows it to move independently of the film in the
reverse direction.
3. In apparatus for successively exposing different parts of a strip of photo-
graphic film the combination with a reciprocable shutter such as D D' of moving
points such as I' substantially as described.
4. In apparatus for successively exposing different parts of a strip of photo-
graphic film the combination with a strip of film and supply and receiving rolls or
spools therefor and mechanism for intermittently feeding the film forward of a
brake for the supply spool and a friction driving device for the receiving spool
substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
5. The combination with apparatus for successively exposing different parts of
a strip of photographic film of a shutter in front of and in one direction moving
with the sensitized surface and means for reciprocating the shutter substantially as
described.
6. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the complete apparatus
for successively exposing different parts of a strip of photographic film substantially
as and for the purpose described and illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 of the
accompanying drawings.
7. In a photographic camera the combination with a strip of sensitized film of
revolving points such as 13 for perforating and moving the film and one or more
cams such as O substantially as and for the purpose described and illustrated in
Figures 4, 5 and 7 of the accompanying drawings.

page_text: 8. In apparatus for successively exposing different parts of a strip of photo-
graphic film withdrawing the points 13 from the film for the purpose substantially -
as described.
9. In apparatus for successively exposing different parts of a strip of photo-
graphic film the combination with the film and shutter working close to each.
other of a casing between the two substantially as and for the purpose described.
and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 20th day of March 1896.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicants..