Apparatus for Holding and Distending Photographic Films and the like.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd June, 1894
Complete Specification Left, 18th Mar., 1895-Accepted, 27th Apr., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Apparatus for Holding and Distending Photographic Films and
the like.
I, AUGUST CHRISTIAN KITZ, of Frankfort on Main, in the Empire of Germany,
Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:
--
This invention is intended to provide means for overcoming the difficulties
attendant on the manipulation of photographic paper and other films in the
developing and other baths and due to the slippery and feebly resistent character
of such films and paper when moist.
For this purpose the invention consists in certain improvements in clips or holders
for such films and the like whereby they may be suitable to hold the latter when
undergoing the action of a bath.
The improvements consist in providing two clips with a connecting piece or
handle, so constructed that the clips may severally grasp the film or the like along
opposite edges and be mounted in the connecting piece or handle in such a way that
the film is kept distended yet without tension thereon or with such feeble spring
tension that it is kept spread out but is not liable to be torn or distorted, or the
said clips may be used separately.
The clips are made preferably separate from this connecting piece or handle, so
that they may be secured to the edge of the film in whatever place the latter
may lie.
Where the film is of a nature to be very easily torn, split or distorted, it may be
held in the clip together with a backing of some stronger material which would
effectually prevent any possible excessive divergence of the clips. The clips and
the connecting piece may be made in any suitable shape or size varying according
to what they are intended for.
Each of the two clips may be composed of two plates hinged together having the
sides to one side of the hinge axis pressed apart by springs so that the remainders
of the plates are pressed together to clip the edges of the film or paper between
them. The handle carries pivoted to it two socketted legs distended by a spring
engaging on pins. Into the said sockets fit the tapered ends of one plate of each
pair of plates respectively.
This combination thus forms a holder in which the edges of the film are held by
the two clips and kept distended by the spring in the handle, the clips having been
brought into the same plane with the film to grasp its edges, before they are turned
upward to be united with and by the connecting piece or handle.
Or the holding edges of the clips, which edges are of greater or less length
according to the strength of the film, may be in a plane at right or acute angles to
the steins of the clips, and the stems are made to slide in each other for bringing
the edges together. A plate spring holds the two portions of the clip together and
tends to press together their holding edges. This plate spring may as well be
replaced by a spiral spring constructed either for pressing or pulling. The one part
of the clip is provided with a finger plate and the other part with a rounded end.
By pressing this finger-plate and end together between the fingers and thumb the
clip is opened to engage the film. The connecting piece in this case is a piece of
spiral wire which may be fitted upon the ends of the clips and gives a certain
tension to distend the clips. This construction of holder permits the film to remain

page_text: without bending at its edges and is adapted to the holding of a rigid backing with
the film. It will be evident that in the case of using a sufficiently rigid backing
the before mentioned connecting piece will not be absolutely necessary as in this
case the rigid backing acts as a connecting piece; it will however attribute to the
comfort in handling.
The whole is made so that it can be readily taken to pieces for purposes of
cleaning.
The above devices may be made of sheet metal or other sheet material, but if
desired to make them of glass or similar material, the pressure of the parts of clips
may be provided for by use of elastic bands while the clips are held together by
inserting their ends in the ends of a piece of rubber tubing of convenient length.
Dated this 22nd day of June 1894.
R. HADDAN,
Agent to Applicant.
CULTIVATION.
Apparatus for Holding and Distending Photographic Films and
the like.
1, AUGUST CHRISTIAN KITZ of Klapperfeldstrasse 14, Frankfort o/M., in the
Empire of Germany, Merchant, 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 is intended to provide means for overcoming the difficulties
attendant on the manipulation of photographic paper and other films in the
developing and other baths and due to the florid (slippery) and feebly resistent
character of such films and paper when moist.
For this purpose the invention consists in certain improvements in clips or holders
for such films and the like whereby they may be suitable to hold the latter when
undergoing the action of a bath.
The improvements consist in providing two clips with a connecting piece or
handle, so constructed that the clips may severally grasp the film or the like along
opposite edges and be mounted in the connecting piece or handle in such a way that
the film is kept distended yet without tension thereon or with such feeble spring
tension that it is kept spread out but is not liable to be torn or distorted, or the said
clips may be used separately.
The clips are made preferably separate from this connecting piece or handle, so
that they may be secured to the edge of the film in whatever place the latter
may lie.
Where the film is of a nature to be very easily torn, split or distorted, it may be
held in the clip together with a backing of some stronger material which would
effectually prevent any possible excessive divergence of the clips. The clips and
the connecting piece may be made in any suitable shape or size varying according
to what they are intended for.
In the annexed drawing Fig. 1 shows the improved holder in use. Fig. 2 is a
side elevation of it. Figs. 3 to 6 are detail views of the parts of the holder shown
in Fig. 7 in position of use, the same being a modified construction to show that
this combination can be effected in various forms.
In the holder shown in Fig. 1, each of the two clips is composed of two
plates F F¹ hinged at f, having the sides d d' to one side of the hinge axis pressed
apart by springs D so that the remainders of the plates E are pressed together
at G G to clip the edge of the film or paper between them. A is a handle carrying
pivoted to it two socketted legs B B₁ distended by spring C engaging on pins CCI.
Into the said sockets fit the tapered ends d of one plate of each pair of plates F FL

page_text: respectively. This combination thus forms a holder in which the edges of the film
are held by the two clips and kept distended by the spring C, the clips having been
brought into the same plane with the film to grasp its edges, before they are turned
upward to be united with and by the connecting piece or handle.
In the construction shown in Figs. 3 to 7 the holding edges of the clips, which
edges are of greater or less length according to the strength of the film, are in plane
at right or acute angles to the stems of the clips, and the stems are made to slide
in each other for bringing the edges together. The spring I holds the two portions
of the clip together and tends to press together their holding edges. This plate
spring may as well be replaced by a spiral spring constructed either for pressing or
pulling. The part H of the clip is provided with a fingerplate H' and the part
with a rounded end J. By pressing the parts HJ together between the fingers
and thumb the clip is opened to engage the film. The connecting piece in this case
is the piece of spiral wire K which may be fitted upon the ends of the parts H H
and gives a certain tension to distend the clips. This construction of holder permits
the film to remain without bending at its edges and is adapted to the holding of a
rigid backing with the film. It will be evident that in the case of using a
sufficiently rigid backing the before mentioned connecting piece will not be
absolutely necessary as in this case the rigid backing acts as a connecting piece;
it will however add to the comfort in handling.
The whole is made so that it can be readily taken to pieces for purposes of
cleaning.
The above devices may be made of sheet metal or other sheet material, but if
desired to make them of glass or similar material, the pressure of the parts of clips
may be provided for by use of clastic bands, while the clips are held together by
inserting their ends in the ends of a piece of rubber tubing of convenient length.
I want it to be understood that I do not restrict myself to the shapes of my
device as shown in the drawings but include in my invention modifications either of
the clips or of the handle.
The handle for instance may be made out of one piece of wire bent to have a
spring action in its legs and adapted to engage with hooks er eyes on the respective
clips, which may also be made out of wire or of sheet metal.
This new apparatus may equally well be used for handling films directly by the
hand of the operator or to stretch the films over rolls or the like to rotate them
through the bath.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:
1. The combination of clips adapted to hold the edges of a photographic film or
the like with a connecting piece preferably separable from said clips, to hold the
same distended.
2. The combination of two clips adapted to receive and hold the edges of a
photographic film or the like and to be turned upward, to be fitted with their upper
or outer ends in a resilient connecting piece adapted to hold said clips distended
with suitable spring tension.
3. The construction of clips and connecting pieces substantially as illustrated
and described.
1071
Manch 1805
R. HADDAN,
Of the Firm of Herbert Haddan & Co.,
18, Buckingham Street, Strand, London, W.C.,
Agent for Applicant.