Improvements relating to Photographic Cameras.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd June, 1896.
Complete Specification Left, 10th Mar., 1897-Accepted, 24th Apr., 1897
Improvements relating to Photographic Cameras.
A communication from OSCAR RICHTER, of Mulda, Saxony, German Empire,
Manufacturer.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT, of 111 Hatton Garden, in the County of Middlesex,
Chartered Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:
In the present invention the closing of the lens is effected by the operation of
the device for changing plates in such way that at each movement of the changing
lever a spring is put into tension which afterwards, when a releasing catch is
operated, brings the shutter, containing, an exposure opening, from end position
into the other. As the spring is put in tension for only one movement of the
shutter, after a plate has been changed, the mistakes in exposing plates especially
double exposure of the same plate, will be avoided by this arrangement. Further-
more the handling of the apparatus becomes easier and simpler, as there is no
necessity for a separate winding up or setting of the device for closing the
objective.
The movements for changing plates and for winding up the shutter are made
from a lever, provided with a handle, which is fixed on the shaft supported on one-
side by the lens carrying board or plate and on the other side by the front cover
or board of the camera. The extent of movement of the lever is limited by a
segment piece, with which for that purpose co-operate stop pins. The lever which is
inclined towards the cover slides in its movement on the segment piece in order to
engage in its end positions between the edge of the segment 'and its corresponding
pin. On the shaft is mounted a bent arm and when the lever is moved it slides
over the convex part of a disc.
disc. This disc is placed tangentially to a circle baving
the shaft as a centre and is fixed in that position by a pin on the arm of a bell
crank lever, pivotted on a pin at the side of the camera. A spring tends to draw
the lever arm forwards.
ds. When, in the movement of the operating lever, the bent
arm, passes over the disc in one or the other direction, owing to the wedging 'action
caused thereby, the disc and with it the bell crank lever is pressed back against.
the action of the spring and is returned again after the arm has passed. To the
end of the lever arm is connected another arm pivotted on a shaft near the top of
the camera by means of a connecting rod. This shaft carries two fingers for
holding
and releasing the sensitised plates or films.
The plate holders are provided on one longitudinal edge with laterally projecting
pins. After the hinged back cover is opened the plate holders are introduced so
that they are directed with the sensitised side forward and rest on a bridge being
pushed forward by an arm actuated by a spring. A guide is arranged in the
lateral walls of the camera along which the plates are guided, in their movement,
by their pins. The front plate has its pins in an angle and rests at the top on
lateral projections. In the position of rest of the bell crank lever the fingers lie
in notches or recesses in the top of the camera; when the before-described
movement of the operating lever takes place-in whatever direction it be-the

page_text: fingers engage between the first and the second plate and press the first plate
forward and downward. At the same time a ledge supported by springs and
forming the outer edge of the bridge, or surface upon which the plates rest and
carrying the front plate holder yields, and the plate falls forward and in so doing
its pins are slightly drawn back by the edge of the guide way. In this way one
plate after another comes forward into position for exposure, the plates exposed
collect on the bottom of the camera. A plate counter of well-known description
can be actuated by the finger shaft; or the bent lever may be provided with an
arm and pawl controlled by a spring, this pawl engaging in a ratchet wheel which
it rotates in passing to the extent of one tooth an index being fixed outside on the
shaft of the ratchet wheel.
The means for changing plates herein before described can also be replaced by
other means.
The device for closing the lens is constituted by a shutter, one part of which is
guided straight on the lens board or carrier in any suitable manner while the other
part passes through a slot in the lens tube. These parts may be rigidly connected
to each other. As an example the objective may consist of two tubes movable
relatively to each other, each of them carrying a lens, in order to enable the
relative distance of the two lenses and therefore the focal distance to be altered as
desired; for this purpose one part with the inner lens tube is movable on pins on
the other part. The lower edge of this part is provided with two notches which
correspond to its two end positions. With these notches engages the edge of a
spring controlled lever and pawl, which can be disengaged by a yielding press knob
or button. If the shutter passes from one end position to the other, the moving of
the opening in the shutter causes the objective to be exposed-momentarily. As far
as described the shutter acts to make snap-shots or so called "instantaneous"
exposures. In order to be able to obtain time exposures, there is provided a second
spring controlled pawl or catch which can be actuated by a second yielding press
knob. When this knob is pressed a lug on this second catch or lever acts on a lug
on the first lever, so that the latter alone will be actuated. The nose or projection
on the second lever co-operates with a projection on the shutter, the position of this
projection to the two notches corresponding to the position of the opening in the
shutter. If the second pawl or catch is actuated by its knob the first pawl will
be disengaged and at the same time the projection on the second lever will come
within reach of the projection on the shutter and the shutter will be maintained in
the middle or open position-until the press knob is released; when the shutter
accomplishes the remainder. of its movement and the parts come again into
engagement.
On the operating shaft is fixed the end of a spring which engages with a notch
on the lower edge of the shutter. This spring moves the shutter alternately from
ight to left and left to right. This spring is wound up or put in tension during
the movement of the operating lever by pins on the bent arm between, which pins
the spring lies.
For instance if the operating lever is moved to the left--which at the same
time causes the changing of plates in the manner described the right-hand pin
strikes against the spring, and as the shutter is held fast by the catch the spring
is bent to the left. According to which catch is actuated, depends whether the
closing device acts for instantaneous snap-shots or for time exposures; in any
case the plate can be exposed only once, and only after changing of plates has
taken place.
+
Dated this 23rd day of June 1896.

page_text: ашрготещению голанд
TOHOTape Cameras.
A communication from OSCAR RICHTER, of Mulda, Saxony, German Empire,
Manufacturer.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 111 Hatton Garden in the County of Middlesex,
Chartered Patent Agent, 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 :-
In the present invention the closing of the lens is effected by the operation of
the device for changing the plates in such way that at each movement of the
changing lever a spring is put in tension which afterwards, when a releasing catch
is operated brings the shutter containing an exposure opening from one end position
into the other. As the spring is put in tension for only one movement of the
shutter after a plate has been changed, the mistakes in exposing plates especially
double exposure of the same plate will be avoided by this arrangement.
Furthermore the handling of the apparatus becomes easier and simpler, as there is
no necessity for a separate winding up or setting of the device for closing the
objective.
"A convenient form of the invention is represented in the accompanying drawings
in which,
Figures 1 and 2 are longitudinal sections in different planes, and
Figure 3 a front view with the cover removed.
The movements for changing plates and for setting the shutter are made by means
of a lever a provided with a handle a¹ (Figures 1 and 3), which is fixed on the shaft b
supported at one side by the lens-carrying board or plate Z & at the other end by
the front cover D. The lever passes over a segment piece e (Figures 1 and 3) and is
limited in its movement by stop pins d. The lever a which is inclined towards the cover
slides in its movement on the segment c in order to engage in its end positions between
the outer edge of the segment c and the corresponding pin d (Figure 3). Ou the
shaft & is mounted an arin e which is bent as shown in Figure 1 and when the lever a
is moved it slides over the convex part of a disc f. This disc is placed tangentially
to a circle having the shaft b as a centre (Figure 3) and is held in that position by
a pin on the arm g of a bell-crank lever, pivotted on a ping at the side of the
camera. A spring tends to draw the lever arm g forwards and so to maintain
the bell crank lever and the parts connected with it in the position shown in
Figure 1. When in the movement of the operating lever a the bent arm e passes
over the disc fin one or the other direction, owing to the pressure thereon the
disc fand with it the bell crank lever g is pressed back against the action of the
spring hand is returned again after the arm has passed. To the end of the lever
arm gl is connected, by means of a connecting rod i, an arm k pivotted on a shaft
near the top of the camera. This shaft carries two fingers m (Figures 1 and 2)
for holding and releasing the sensitised plates or films or their holders.
The plate holders P are provided on one longitudinal edge with laterally
projecting pins p. In loading, the hinged back cover H is opened and the plate
holders introduced so that they rest on the bridge n with their sensitised surfaces
forward. Being pushed forward by an arm o actuated by a spring ol, the plates (of
which only few are represented in the drawing) form a compact block. A stepped
and curved guide is arranged in the lateral walls of the camera along which the
plates are guided, in their movement, by their pins p.. The pins of the front plate-
holder are held in the angle at 2 and the holder rests at the top against lateral

page_text: projections q. In the position of rest of the bell crank lever g g' the fingers m lie
in notches or recesses in the top of the camera (Figure 1); when the before
described movement of the operating lever a takes place-in whatever direction it
be-the fingers engage between the first and the second plate and press the first
plate forwards and downwards. At the same time the spring-supported ledge n¹
which forms the outer edge of the support n upon which the plates rest and carries
the front plate holder, yields (Figure 2)-and-the plate falls forward, and in so doing
its pins p are held and guided by the edge 3-4 of the guide way. In this way
one plate after another comes forward into position for exposure and the plates
after exposure collect on the bottom of the camera. A plate counter of well known
description can be actuated by the finger shaft ; which may be provided with an
arms acting on a pawl s¹ controlled by a spring, this pawl engaging with a ratchet
wheel which it rotates, in passing, to the extent of one tooth, an index being
fixed outside on the shaft of the ratchet wheel.
The means for releasing the plates hereinbefore described can be replaced by
other suitable means.
The device for closing the lens (Figure 3) is constituted by a shutter tone
part t of which is guided on the lens board or carrier Z in any suitable manner
while t'passes through a slot in the lens tube O. These parts t and. t may be
rigidly connected to each other. In the construction shown the objective consists
of two tubes movable relatively to each other, each of them carrying a leus, in
order to enable the relative distances apart of the two lenses, and therefore the
focal distance, to be altered as desired. For this purpose t', with the inner lens
tube o, is movable on pins or guides t2 on the part t. The lower edge of tis
provided with two notches 5 and 6 which correspond to its two end positions,
With these notches engages the edge of a lever and catch a controlled by spring u
which lever can be operated by a spring press knob or button v. When the
shutter passes from one end position to the other, the moving-of.the opening 7
in the shutter t causes, the objective to be uncovered momentarily. As far as
described the shutter t t acts to make "snapshot" or so called "instantaneous
exposures. In order to be able to obtain time-exposures, there is provided a second
spring controlled lever or catch w which can be actuated by a second spring press
knob a. When this knob is pressed a lug on the second catch or lever w acts on
a lug u on the first lever u so that the latter and not w alone will be actuated.
The catch or projection w³ on the second lever w engages with a projection y on
the shutter t; the position of this projection y, relatively to the two notches 5 and 6
corresponding to the position of the opening 7 in the shutter. If the second lever w
is actuated by its knob a the first catch u will be disengaged and at the same time.
the projection w³ on the second lever will come into the path of the projection y
on the shutter and the shutter tt will be maintained in its middle or open position-
independently of its movement being from left to right or vice versa-until the
button. is released; when the shutter will perform the remainder of its movement
and the catch u will come again into engagement with the shutter.
On the operating shaft bis fixed the end of a spring F (Figures 1 and 3) which
engages with a notch or recess in the lower edge of the shutter t. This spring
effects the movement of the shutter tt, alternately from right to left aud. left to
right. The spring is wound up or put in tension during the movement of the
operating lever a by pins, 8 and 9 on the arm e, between which pins the
spring lies.
As shown in Figure 3, the shutter has passed to the right, the spring F
has become inoperative and the catch u is in engagement with the recess 5. If the
operating lever a is moved to the left-which at the same time causes the changing
of plates in the manner described-the right hand pin 9 strikes against the
spring F, and as the shutter is beld fast by the catch w the spring is bent to
the left.
By the arm a coming over the left end of c the spring is maintained in a stressed
condition. According to which catch is actuated depends whether the shutter

page_text: acts for an instantaneous or for a time-exposure; in any case the plate can be-
exposed only once and only after changing of plates has taken place.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven--
tion as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent, and in what manner the
same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is :-
1. A photographic camera in which a handle is operated to effect change of
plates by means of a series of levers acting on a horizontal shaft provided with
fingers adapted in their movement to release the foremost plate only, the movement.
of the handle at the same time effecting the stressing of a spring to set the shutter
which is held by means of a catch, on a lever actuated by a press button on the
outside of the camera this double operation by one movement of the handle ensuring
that each plate can only be exposed once, substantially as described.
2. In a photographic camera of the character described a shutter as t t
provided with mechanism for effecting time and "instantaneous" exposures by
means of two levers as u, w and catches thereon adapted to engage with corre-
sponding parts on the shutter the first lever u being operated for instantaneous..
exposures and the second lever w being operated for time exposures substantially
in the manner described.
3. A photographic camera in which changing the plates and setting the shutter
is performed by one movement of a handle by means of levers e, ff, gg¹i and k
and shaft 7 provided with fingers m for releasing the foremost plate, and spring F
and pins 8 and 9 for setting the shutter substantially as described.
4. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the complete
photographic camera, with or without the counting mechanism, substantially as..
described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 19th day of March 1897.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant...