Improvements in Photographic Printing Apparatus.
Year: 1885

page_text: Improvements in Photographic Printing Apparatus.
I CHARLES DAY DURNFORD of Edinburgh in the County of Midlothian North
Britain Major and Assistant Commissary General of Ordnance do hereby declare
the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTING
APPARATUS to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to provide a convenient means for printing
Photographs without the use of the Printing Frames now employed.
The nature of the invention is as follows. Two pieces of flat wood are hinged
together so as to open out and present a flat surface of or about the size of the
Negatives from which the Prints are to be taken. The front surfaces of these
pieces of wood are covered with cloth or other soft material, the whole forming a
cushion on which the negative and prepared paper can rest. Across the back of
each half cushion is attached a metal spring such as is now commonly used for
keeping the Backs of ordinary Printing Frames in their places. At the ends of
each spring are formed or attached gripping arrangements which when drawn over
or turned over the side of the cushion clasp the edge of the front surface keeping
the spring in tension. For convenience in packing the two halves can be turned
back to back on their hinges.
The above may also be made in any convenient material other than wood; and
the number or nature of the springs is not necessarily limited to those just
described.
To use this invention place the sensitized paper or other properly prepared
material on the cushion. Upon this place the glass negative and bring the springs
into tension turning the gripping portion over the edges of the glass thus binding
the whole firmly together.
Instead of the springs for holding the glass and sensitized paper in close contact
with the cushion any ordinary mechanical locking arrangement may be employed.
CHARLES DAY DURNFORD.

page_text: Improvements in Photographic Printing Apparatus.
I CHARLES DAY DURNFORD of 1 Castle Terrace Edinburgh in the County of
Midlothian North Britain Major and Assistant Commissary General of Ordnance
do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN PHOTOGRAPHIC
PRINTING APPARATUS 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 for the purpose of providing a convenient substitute for the
printing frames commonly in use for printing photographs on sensitized paper or
other fabrics.
It is similar to the hinged back or cushion which forms a portion of the common
printing frame now in general use. Across & to the back of each portion of this
hinged cushion I firmly fasten by or near its center a metal spring of similar
material and shape to those in use with the ordinary frames, and of length nearly
equal to the breadth of the hinged-back to which it is fastened. To each end of
each such spring is hinged by its longer arm an L shaped metal clip of such a
length that the shorter arm can when the spring is in tension be turned over the
edge of the front surface of the hinged back to clasp the glass negative when in
position over the sensitized paper upon such front surface; or,-when a flexible
negative is used,-to clasp a clear glass cover to such flexible negative.
Thus the clips acted upon by the tension of the springs from the back press the
negative and sensitized surface closely against the front of the hinged cushion in a
position suitable for photographic printing.
I cover the clips with india rubber in order to protect the negatives from
injury.
I preferably use the above shaped springs and clips but it is to be understood
that many other forms of springs & gripping arrangements attached to the hinged
back could be readily applied to hold the negative against its front surface.
In order more clearly to explain my invention I refer to the accompanying
drawings.
Fig. 1 is a rear elevation of the hinged printing-back C C. A B represent the
springs made of any suitable material such as brass. D E are the clips which can
conveniently be made of wires the ends of which are bent into sockets on the ends
of the springs A B-thus forming a convenient hinge. E E E represent india
rubber tubing covering the outer end of the wire clips for the before-mentioned
purpose of protecting the glass negative from injury.
In the above Fig. three of the clips are represented as closed over the front of
the printing back and one as free.
Fig. 2 represents a section through HJ. In this Fig. as also in Fig. 3 the letters
refer to portions of the invention to which similar letters refer in Fig. 1.
The L shape of the clips D E is here more clearly shown.
Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the invention
position by the clips of one spring in tension.
showing a glass plate F G held in
The clips of the other portion are

page_text: shown as disengaged thus permitting it to be turned back as depicted in the
drawing in a position convenient for examining the progress of the printing.
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 use for Photographic printing purposes of gripping arrangements attached
to a hinged back or cushion substantially and for the purpose as herein before
described.