Improvements in and relating to Photographic Cameras.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Mar., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 4th Dec., 1889-Accepted, 18th Jan., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Photographic Cameras.
I, HENRY JOHN GRAY, of 225, Piccadilly, in the County of London, Truss Maker,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to photographic cameras, and has for its object to provide an
improved camera which is especially adapted for use by detectives and which is more
compact than cameras of the same kind as heretofore constructed.
According to my said invention, the box of the camera is divided by a partition
into two compartiments, one of which forms the camera proper while the other serves
for the reception of plates, papers or other media for carrying sensitized surfaces.
The said plates or the like are arranged to lie horizontally one upon another in a
stack and are successively transferred from the bottom of the stack into position for
the exposure and thence to the top of the stack.
The transfer is effected by means of two pivotted lever carriers and a slide or
plunger. The said slide or plunger serves to push the lowermost plate of the stack
onto the first lever carrier, which latter then delivers the plate onto the second lever
carrier into position for the exposure. After the exposure, the second lever carrier
is operated to return the plate to the top of the stack.
The slide or plunger is provided with an auxiliary plunger which serves to
push the plate entirely onto the first lever carrier.
The lever carriers are provided with spring clips for holding the plates thereon.
In order to prevent the films of the plates or the like from being rubbed the
said plates or the like are carried in frames or holders.
T
1000
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
· 4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.
•
COMPLETE-SPECIFICATION.=.
==
Improvements in and relating to Photographic Cameras.
I, HENRY JOHN GRAY, of 225, Piccadilly, in the county of London, Truss Maker,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is tor
be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following:
statement:
My invention relates to photographic cameras, and has for its object to provide
an improved camera which is especially adapted for use by detectives, and which
is more compact than cameras of the same kind as heretofore constructed.
According to 'my said invention, the box of the camera is divided by a partition
into two compartments, one of which forms the camera proper, while the other
serves for the reception of plates, papers, or other media, for carrying sensitized
surfaces. The said plates or the like, are arranged to lie horizontally one upon
another 'in a stack, and are successively transferred from the bottoni of the stack
into position for the exposure, and thence to the top of the stack.
The transfer is effected by means of two pivotted lever carriers and a slide or
plunger. The said slide' or plunger serves to push the lowermost plate of the
stack onto the first lever carrier, which latter then delivers the plate onto the
second lever carrier into position for the exposure. After the exposure, the second
lever carrier is operated to return the plate to the top of the stack.
The lever carriers are provided with spring clips for holding the plates thereon.
In order to prevent the films of the plates or the like from being rubbed the said
plates or the like are carried in frames or holders.

page_text: To enable my invention to be fully understood I will describe the same with
reference to the accompanying drawings, in which-
Figure 1 is a plan or top view of my improved camera.
Figure 2 is a side elevation; and
Figure 3 is a longitudinal vertical central section of the same.
Figure 4 is a section on the line xx figure 3; and
Figure 5 is a section on the line y y figure 3.
Figure
is a front elevation of the camera; and
Figure 7 is a similar view to figure 6 but with the front part of the outer casing
removed.
Figure 8 is a side view of the front portion of the camera, a part of the outer casing
being removed to show the parts behind it.
Figures 9 to 13 are views of details hereinafter referred to.
a is the external box or casing which is divided by the partition b into two com-
partiments c, d, and provided with the doors e, f for affording access to the interiors of
the said compartments. indicates the stack of sensitized plates or the like arranged
in the compartment c, which plates are successively transferred from the bottom of
the stack through the slit in the partition into position for exposure, and then
returned through the slit 6 to the top of the said stack.
In order to prevent the films of the sensitized plates or the like from being rubbed,
the said plates are carried in frames or holders, for instance, such as are shown in
figures 11, 12 and 13 which are respectively a plan, front elevation and central section
of a holder. This holder preferably is composed of sheet metal, the side edges heing
bent over as indicated at , figure LL, so as to form grooves in which the edges of the
sensitized plate can slide. The rear edge of the holder is also bent up to form a
stop for the sensitized plate to abut against, when slid into place, a space ² being
left, however, to enable the sensitized plate to be pushed out from the holder. The
plates are introduced into this hold er so that the sensitized surface is adjacent to the
edges h, h, the latter thus forming distance-pieces for preventing the holder of another
plate from coming into contact with the sensitized surface. In order to hold the
sensitized plates firmly, each holder is slightly curved so as to press against the unsen-
sitized side of the plate, and thereby press it against the edges of the said holder.
This is clearly shown at figure 12, the dotted lines representing the sensitized plate.
The transfer of the plates from the bottom of the stack into position for exposure,
and their return to the top of the stack, is effected by means of the two pivotted lever
carriers,, and the slide or plunger k, the said slide or plunger being arranged, as
shown in figure 3, at the bottom of the chamber c. When the plunger is drawn out-
wards, it allows the stack of plates to drop, so that the lowermost plate comes in front
of the said plunger; when, therefore, the plunger is pushed back, it is obvious that
the plate in front of it, is pushed forward out of the chamber c through the slit 62 into
the chamber d.
The carriers 2, are adapted to be operated from the exterior of the apparatus, by
means of levers 1, m respectively. The carrier i, when in its normal position, is
adapted to lie with its upper surface in the same plane as the bottom of the compart-
ment c, so that, as a plate is pushed from the bottom of the said stack into the com-
partment d, it will slide onto the said carrier. This carrier, which is shown in plan in
figure, is provided at its front ends with lugs i, i, against which the plates abut
when they are moved forward by the slide, and at the sides with spring clips or
catches n, n, figures 3, 4 and 5, beneath which, the edges of the plate holder slide.
These catches are pivotted to the carrier 2, at n', n', as shown most clearly in figures 4
and 5, and each is provided on its rear side with a tappet o, which, when the carrier
is moved in the direction of the arrow 1 figure 3, to deliver a plate onto the carrier j;
impinge against lugs o³, o attached to the interior of the case a, so that the
catches i, nare disengaged from the plate, the latter being then free to be delivered
on to the said carrier j
The catches are also provided with flanges n², n², which assist in guiding the
sensitized plate when delivered onto the carrier i. In order to prevent the sensitized

page_text: plate from dropping out of the carrier i when it is moved as described, I provide two
spring catches pivotted at 1* to the said carrier, the end 3 of each of which is bent
down, so that when the carrier is in the position shown in figure 3, the said bent
ends bear upon the floor of the compartment d, and thus maintain the catches below
the level of the under surface of the plate to be introduced into the said carrier.
When therefore the carrier provided with a plate is moved, as previously described,
the bent ends of the catches are moved out of contact with the floor of the com-
partment d thereby allowing the said catches to move up behind the rear edge of the
plate and thus hold it in position. In case the carrier i should be not quite horizontal.
the catches would lie in front of the sensitized plate to be introduced, I therefore
provide for depressing the said catches by forming them with inclined surfaces
against which the edges of the plate holders impinge as they are pushed onto the
carrier.
The construction of the carrier j is somewhat similar to that of the carrier i, it being
provided at its free end with lugs (the said lugs, however, in the present case
serving to support the plate during exposure) and with spring clips or catches j³
adapted to be operated by impingement against lugs j³.
The operation of this part of my apparatus is as follows:-
Assume the compartment c to contain a stack of sensitized plates, if now the slide k
is pulled backwards sufficiently far the stack drops, so that, on the return of the said
plunger or slide, the lowermost plate will be pushed forwards onto the carrier i; the
said carrier is then moved by means of the lever l, in the direction indicated by the
arrow 1 figure 3, so that the plate is delivered onto the carrier ;, the spring catches,
which are provided with inclined surfaces j figure 4, being forced apart by pressing
the said plate against them, as shown. The carrier i is then returned to its normal
position.
After the plate has been exposed, the carrier j is moved by means of the lever min
the direction indicated by the arrow 2 figure 3, into the position indicated by the
dotted lines if now, the camera is tipped backwards, the plate will slide off the said
carrier through the slit 6' in the partition onto the top of the stack; the carrier jis
then returned to its normal position, indicated by the full lines in figure 3, ready to
receive another plate from the carrier i. The carrier ; is also provided with an
upward extension j*, which, when the said carrier is in position for exposing a plate,
_closes the slit b¹in the top of the partition_b_and_so_excludes light_from_the_com-
partment c, the said extension shutting into a rebate.
As with my improved camera it is not possible to adjust the picture on the plate in
the ordinary manner, I provide small reflectors, one on the top of the camera as in
figure 1, and one on the side as in figure 2, so as to enable me to place the picture
either lengthwise or across the plate. Each of these reflectors consists of a mirror y,
a lens q' and a screen 72, all as shown in figure 8 and as well known. ³ are sliding
shutters for covering the screens 92 when not in use.
I also advantageously provide my camera with a lens r arranged, as shown in
figures 3 and 4, behind the end of the case or box a, so that it will not be liable to
damage when being transported. This lens is carried by a sliding support 1, figures 3
and 7, which is designed to be moved to and fro for focussing purposes by means of
the screws, actuated by a knob s¹, provided with a pointer working over a dial s³,
so that the focus can be adjusted. is a sliding shutter on the exterior of the front
of the apparatus for covering the lens when not in use.
In conjunction with the lens I also advantageously arrange an "Iris " diaphragm
the ring of which is provided with teeth with which engages a pinion 2
operated by a lever ³ on the exterior of the casing, so that by rotating the said
pinion the diaphragm can be opened or closed more or less as desired. The
teeth of the pinion are made sufficiently long, as shown in figure 3, to prevent
the teeth from being disengaged from the pinion, when the lens is having the
focus adjusted.
2.
In conjunction with the lever t³ I advantageously arrange a small dial * by means
of which the diaphragm can be accurately adjusted.

page_text: In conjunction with the lens r, I also arrange an instantaneous shutter. The
shutter which I preferably employ is shown in. figures 9 and 10 drawn to an
enlarged scale, which figures are respectively a rear sectional elevation and sectional
plan of the shutter and lens combined:
u is the shutter' proper, which is connected by a rod u³ with a disc u² adapted
to be rotated from the exterior of the apparatus, through the medium of the spindle u³
provided with the knob, as shown at figure 6. In combination with the disc u²
is also arranged a spiral spring us, one end of which is attached to the spindle
of the disc and the other to a fixed point u, so that when the disc is rotated
the said spring will be coiled. On the edge of the disc is placed a pin which is
designed to impinge against a stop v to prevent the disc from being moved too far
in either direction; and in the edge of the disc is formed a notch w with which a
catch w¹, formed on a spring arm w², is designed to engage. In connection with the
end of the spring arm w² is a spring push rod z, figures 3 and 7, having an arm 2¹
designed to act upon the free end of the said spring arm w², so that when the push
rod is depressed the catch w¹ will be moved out of engagement with the notch in
the disc u.
The shutter in its normal position is located in front of the lens r, as shown in
figures 9 and 10. In order to set the shutter, the disc u² is rotated in the direction of
the arrow, figure 9; one complete revolution, so that the spring is coiled, it being held
in this position by the catch w' in figure 9, and during this rotation of the disc the
shutter is moved away from the lens and back to its normal position; if now, the
spring arm w² is depressed, by acting upon the push rod z, the spring 5 will cause
the rotation of the disc, whereby the shutter will be momentarily moved from the front
of the lens to expose the plate and then returned to its normal position.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I'claim is
1. The combination with a photographic camera, of a receptacle for containing a
stack or series of plates, and means for successively removing the plates therein from
one end of the stack into position for exposure, and then returning the said plates to
the other end of the stack, substantially as described.
- 2. In a photographic camera- provided with two compartments, one of which serves
as the camera proper, while the other serves as a receptacle for a number of sensitized
plates, the combination of a slide adapted to push the lowermost plate out of the
receptacle onto a lever-carrier, and a second lever-carrier adapted to receive the plate
from the first carrier, to hold it during the time of exposure, and then to move it into
such a position that it can be returned into the plate receptacle, substantially as
-described:
3. The manufacture and use of a camera provided with a plate receptacle as
described; and means for removing the plates from the bottom of the said receptacle,
holding them during the time of exposure and returning them again into the said
receptacle, substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
4. The combination with a photographic camera, provided with means substantially
as herein before described for operating the plates, of a lens-shutter and diaphragm,
substantially in the manner set forth.
5. The manufacture and use of the improved camera herein before described and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated the 4th day of D
1200
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.