Improvements in Storing and Exposing Films in Magazine Cameras
Year: 1897

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Storing and Exposing Films in Magazine Cameras,
FRANCIS LIDDELL, 157, Whitfield Street, London, W., in the County of Middle-
sex, Photographic Apparatus Manufacturer, and ALFRED MORALT DILLON,
Academy House, Edleston Road, Crewe, in the County of Chester, Bar Student,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Our invention relates to a mechanical device whereby a number of films may be
stored in a magazine camera in such a manner that each successive film may be
automatically pressed against a glass partition during exposure and then conveyed
to a suitable chamber when it becomes automatically released from the mechanism
which has carried it into position thus obviating the necessity of bending the
films or winding them round a roller.
The mechanism we employ for this purpose consists of a pleated band which may
be of linen, paper or other suitable material in the fold or pleats of which prepared
photographic films may be inserted.
Each of the folds or pleats of the band is provided with suitable lugs or pro-
jections to engage with the films and keep them in position.
When the pleated band is charged with the required number of films it may be
inserted in a magazine and compressed against a glass partition by means of a
spring or any other suitable device.
That end of the band which carries the first film to be exposed is carried round
and affixed to a suitable roller which when set in motion winds up the band and in
so doing carries with it the film which is engaged with the lugs herein before
described, but in order that the film may not be coiled up with the band, a bar or
plate of suitable shape is fixed across the machine in such a manner that it
intervenes between the film and the band causing the film to travel in one direction
while the band travels in another, the film being carried by the lugs or projections
before mentioned when it automatically falls into a dark chamber prepared for its
reception.
From this it will be seen that the films are kept apart when in the magazine by
means of the pleats in the band, that each successive film is automatically pressed
against the glass partition when required for exposure and that when it is desired
to replace the film exposed by a successor the roller is set in motion and caused
to revolve until one pleat of the band is coiled round it when the exposed film will
have travelled across the surface of the glass partition and become deposited in
the dark chamber before mentioned.
FRANCIS LIDDELL.
ALFRED MORALT DILLON,

page_text: Improvements in Storing and Exposing Films in Magazine Cameras.
We, FRANCIS LIDDELL, 157, Whitfield Street, London, in the County of Middle-
sex, Photographic Apparatus Manufacturer, and ALFRED MORALT DILLON,
Academy House, Eddleston Road, Crewe, in the County of Chester, Bar Student,
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:
Our invention relates to a mechanical device whereby a number of photographic
films may be stored in a magazine camera in such a manner that each successive
film may be automatically pressed against a glass partition during exposure, and be
then conveyed to a storage chamber into which it is automatically released from
the contrivance which has carried it into position, thus obviating the necessity of
bending the films or winding them around a roller.
Our apparatus comprises a camera of similar outward appearance to the hand
cameras usually in use, but differing essentially from these in several of its internal
arrangements. The films, sensitized ready for use, are packed in the folds of a
folded or pleated band of strong paper or other suitable material, provided with
lugs or projections which hold the said films securely in place as long as this is
needful. The substance we at present prefer to make use of, for the band, is a
pegamoid coated cloth or linen fabric of suitable strength and non actinic colour.
The said folded band containing the sensitized films is packed in a magazine or
container which may suitably be made of tin plate. This magazine
has an aperture cut in its centre at the back, and may be provided
the back
metal plate at
of the films against which
with
a
3.
coiled spiral spring presses. This spring can pass through the aperture
in the back of the magazine to a greater or less degree. Two flat springs, one at
each side, attached to the back of the camera exercise a constant pressure upon the
magazine forcing it forwards against the glass plate in front of it. The pleated
band is provided with lugs or projections, and so folded as to hold a single film in
each fold as will be hereinafter more fully described. It is also provided with
consecutive marks or letterings which become visible to the operator through
a hole glazed with ruby, yellow or other suitable glass or material arranged at
the top of the camera. The front end of the pleated band is pressed by the spring
aforesaid against a suitable glass partition. This glass partition may of course be
of various kinds, adapted to the special purpose for which the camera is to be
used. When the apparatus is operated the end of the band which carries the first
film to be exposed is drawn through a slot in that part of the camera in which the
magazine is situated, and is carried over rollers, and attached to a winding drum
or roller provided with suitable means for rotating and holding the same in
position. The pleated band thus being withdrawn is arranged to travel in such a
manner as to bring the films which it successively carries with it into position for
exposure, after which it is wound up and comes in contact with a curved plate or
guide, which plate or guide separates the film from the band, and directs the same
over a suitable roller into a dark storage chamber preferably situated above the
exposure chamber. This storage chamber is preferably made detachable or inter-
changeable for the purpose of day-light changing. When the film has passed into
this dark storage chamber it falls downwards by its own weight, and remains
superposed upon previous films delivered into the said chamber until the operator
desires to remove the exposed films for the purpose of further treatment.

page_text: It will be seen that the films whilst in the magazine are kept from contact with
one another by the folds of the band, that each successive film is automatically
pressed against the glass partition forming the back of the exposure chamber in
the camera when it is required to be exposed, and that when it is desired to
replace the film exposed by a successor the roller is set in motion and caused to
revolve until the respective pleat of the band is coiled round it, when the corre-
sponding film having been exposed will have travelled across the surface of
the glass partition, and be deposited in the dark storage chamber as aforesaid.
In order to more fully set forth our invention we have illustrated the same in
the accompanying drawing, in which:-
Figure 1 is a view of a camera with the improved apparatus in longitudinal
section.
1
Figure 2 is a plan view of the same, half the lid having been removed.
Figure 3 is a view of a portion of a pleated band shewing lugs or projections
for holding the films in place.
Figures 4, 5, and 6 illustrate the details of the film guide, and
Figure 7 shews an isometric view of the paper winding roll.
Figure 8 shews in section an alternative construction of detachable magazine
and storage chamber.
In these drawings the same parts are indicated by similar letters throughout.
The camera, (Figures 1 and 2) is divided into the camera chamber proper 1, the
dark storage chamber 2, the magazine chamber 3, the winding chamber 4 and the
chamber 5 containing view finder and shutter.
The glass plate A against which the films are pressed may be a plain glass screen
or it may be an isochromatic screen. The plate A slides in grooves cut in the
walls of the camera, (see Figure 1), and the corners of the locking plate hereinafter
described hold the same in position. The folded band B containing the films C is
placed within the magazine D. The said magazine preferably may be made of
tin plate in which the folded band containing the films ready for use may con-
veniently be placed. A convenient length of band will contain 40 films.
The magazine is preferably covered with a paper or other wrapper which can
readily be torn off by the operator, and the magazine can then be inserted into
the camera. At the front top edge of the said magazine when in position we fix a
bead or projection d which has for its object to hold back the remaining pleats or
folds and films other than that ready for exposure. When the exposure has taken
place the band is drawn upwards, its free end having been previously passed over
the rollers bb and engaged in a slot of the roller e preferably as shewn in Figure 1.
This roller e is actuated by the handle E at the outside of the camera, and in order
to prevent any springing back in consequence of the elasticity of the band when
the operator lets go of the handle E, we provide a simple friction or ratchet device,
such as the segment & devised so as to rest upon the grooved or toothed edge of a
wheel on the roller e and prevent it revolving except in the forwards direction and
under the pressure of the handle. In order to expedite the winding of long rolls
in the larger sized cameras, the roller may be caused to revolve more quickly by the
aid of gear wheels. As the band is thus drawn out of the magazine in the manner
above described, the film which has been exposed passes along with it until it
reaches the point immediately beneath the guides F, at which point it parts from
the pleated band, and passes over the roller G into the storage chamber 2, and
finally being released from the lugs of the pleated band, falls into the said chamber.
Through the aperture K the operator can conveniently read the consecutive numbers
or other indications of the band which will shew him at each operation the number
of the film next to be exposed, and thus how many films remain unexposed in the
magazine, and also the exact position of the film with regard to the lens, the printed
marks on the band being arranged for this purpose. The method we prefer for
5 forming the lugs or projections on the band is by punching the same in the form
and position shewn in Figure 3. By this means the films are firmly held behind

page_text: the lug which may be of any convenient shape, preferably circular at their lower
edges, whilst the upper edge of the film almost abuts against the fold of the band,
rendering it impossible for any film to be displaced whilst the band remains
folded.
The guide plate F forms a part of the mechanism F1 shewn in detail in
Figures 4, 5, and 6, and its object is to secure the smooth and regular automatic
removal of the film from the travelling band and its deposit in the dark storage
chamber 2. The glass screen A is shewn in the drawing as sliding in grooves
in the walls of the camera. It may, however, be supported otherwise, and the
provision of the loose magazine D aforesaid enables us to fix the glass, or a supple-
mentary glass, in the front of the said magazine. In this case we may have one
or more pieces of glass, one or any of which may have a'design or be vignetted or
otherwise differentiated.
The alternative construction of the detachable magazine and storage chamber
combined shewn in Fig. 8 enables us to combine all the film-holding parts of
the camera into one easily removable receptacle, which may be readily inserted
or withdrawn at the back of the camera, means being adopted (such as a sliding
shutter) to cut off the light from the unexposed film during the operation.
The magazine D contains the folded band B carrying the films, the first one of
which is pressed against the glass plate A as already described. The band passes
upwards over the top roller G and then downward through the storage chamber
and finally coils around the drum e; the film detaches itself in passing over G, and
is deflected by the curved top or otherwise, and falls down into the storage
chamber 2.
The spiral spring L may be variously constructed. In our present construction
this consists simply of a coil of wire arranged to pass through the hole at the back
of the magazine and exercise the requisite pressure on the loose plate forming the
backing plate of the folded band and films. Finally, the lens of the camera may
be of any usual construction adapted to cameras of this type. Any suitable
instantaneous or time exposure shutter may be used.
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. In a photographic camera the improved method for storing and consecutively
exposing a number of photographic films separately inserted and supported by
lugs between the folds of a pleated band, in combination with means for removing
each film successively after exposure, and conveying it into a fixed or detachable
storage chamber with simultaneous winding up of the pleated band on to a roller
substantially as described.
2. In combination with a folded or pleated band of paper or other fabric having
-lugs cut therein a detachable magazine constructed substantially as described with
reference to the accompanying drawings.
3. In combination with a camera, the device for drawing out and coiling around
a drum the pleated band conveying the photographic films substantially as
described and illustrated in Figure 1 of the accompanying drawing.
4. The improved method of holding a number of unexposed films ready for use
which consists in firmly securing the same between the folds of a pleated band
placed within a detachable magazine or box protected against the admission of light
constructed substantially as described.
5. In a photographic camera the detachable dark storage box for the reception
of the films after exposure, substantially as described and shewn.
6. In a photographic camera the combination of a detachable magazine for
the unexposed films with one or more glass screens substantially as described.
7. In a photographic camera, a detachable combined magazine, storage chamber,
and winding mechanism for the film band, substantially as described and illustrated
in Figure 8 of the accompanying drawings.

page_text: 8. The combination of parts forming the improved photographic camera and
filin holders, constructed substantially as described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
Dated the 2nd dow of August 1898
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
322, High Holborn, London, W.C., Patent Agents for the Applicant.