Improvements in Photographic Shutter Mechanism.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application. 23rd Sept., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 25th June, 1804-Accepted, 28th July, 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Photographic Shutter Mechanism.
We CHARLES HASELER, and CHARLES EUSTACE HASELER, both of
94 Bridge Street West, in the City of Birmingham, Mechanical Engineers, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in the mechanism by which photographic
shutters are operated and refers more particularly to its combination with that class
of shutter known as the "Iris" shutter.
It consists as follows:-Upon the exterior of the shutter is mounted a frame
upon which is carried a sliding retaining bolt, which is acted upon by a spring,
tending to draw it always in one direction. This retaining bolt further carries a
pivoted latch lever, having a retaining recess in its side, and whose front end or
nose is inclined or cam fashioned. Near the one end of this bolt are provided two
retaining slots (or other shape) whose function will be hereafter explained. The
said bolt is here further extended so as to afford a handle part wherewith it may
be drawn or pulled backward against the spring at will.
Upon the frame and engaging with the retaining slots upon the sliding bolt is
carried a pivoted primary lever, whose one end may pass into either of the two
said slots, being always pressed towards them by a spring. The other end of this
lever is made to engage with and be operated upon by pneumatic bellows, or it may
be operated direct by the hand &c.
Again. Lying alongside of the sliding bolt aforesaid, is a part rotative bar
which I will term the cam bar, and which is held in one direction by a spring.
Upon this cam bar and opposite to the end of the pivoted latch lever is a formation
which serves as a cam. This bar is operated at its one end in conjunction with
the primary lever, which lies below it, as follows:-The primary lever is carried
upon the one side of a vertical plate which lies at right angles to the bolt and the
bar. Upon the other side of this plate is carried a spring whose one end is fixed.
In this spring is made a trigger catch, either by slot or otherwise, which engages
with a stud upon the cam bar above it. When the spring is in its free condition
the said stud engages with and is held by the slot catch, but may be released by a
projection upon the fore end of the primary lever, which passes through a slot in
the frame plate, and impinges upon the free end of the spring so that when the
manipulative end of the primary lever is raised the spring is depressed, and the
stud released, when the cam bar is part rotated by means of its spring. At
the side of this spring and carried upon the same plate is a compound secondary
lever whose free end is secured to the primary lever (through a slot in the plate)
and is thereby raised and lowered with the said primary lever. Upon the upper
edge of this secondary lever is formed a retaining tooth, which engages with a peg
carried upon the cam bar, so that when the manipulative end of the primary lever
is raised or lowered, the secondary lever is likewise operated in the latters
raised position it retains the peg, and in its lowered position it releases the same.
A suitable handle piece is carried from the cam bar, by which it may be
manipulated.
The operation of these parts is somewhat as follows:-The sliding bolt is drawn
back until the fore end of the primary lever engages with the innermost slot, and
retains it there. The cam bar is now left free to its springs action, which presents
the cam in line with the inclined shaped nose of the latch lever. In this position
the shutter is closed, and its arm lies in the catch recess of the latch lever. Upon
moving forward the primary lever (pneumatically or otherwise) the slide is released,

page_text: and the arm carried suddenly forward, (giving exposure) until the bevilled nose of
the latch lever comes in contact with the cam, which latter pushes it away and in
so doing pushes it clear of the arm, when the latter is free to return to its closed
position. Thus rapidly giving exposure and closing in one motion of the slide.
The travel of the bolt is governed by a slot in same, in which a screw is fixed, and
determines its distance, and at the same time the fore end of the primary lever falls
clear into the second slot in the slide.
In this operation, the cam bar is fully free to the action of its rotative spring.
By rotating the said bar however until the stud is held back by the catch spring
beneath it, the cam is held up clear of the latch lever. If we again bring the slide
back into its retained position, and now again operate as before the primary lever,
the shutter is shot forward, and exposure given, but although the stud has been
released and the cam bar allowed to rotate a portion of its travel, the peg in the
bar is caught by the tooth upon the secondary lever and thereby the cam is still
kept back from the latch lever, and so the exposure continues as long as the primary
lever is held in such position. Upon loosing the primary lever however the
secondary lever drops clear of the peg and the cam falls and pushes back the latch
lever and thus releases the arm and closes exposure. Thus exposure may be kept
to any desired length of time.
In front of the cam, a locking slide is provided so that the said cam may be
locked if desired in its raised position, and thus secures the shutter in an exposed
position for focussing &c., until the bolt is drawn back by band.
A time indicator may if desired be mounted upon or attached to this our
improved mechanism.
A modification of a portion of this arrangement may be made by substituting for
the latch lever and its slide a compound lever consisting of a main portion
fulcrumed to the frame, and carrying at its front end a secondary pivoted nose part,
which when drawn back (against its spring) is held by a primary lever and resting
also in front of the shutter arm. By now moving the primary lever, the compound
lever is released and the arm carried suddenly forward, giving exposure until the
nose of the compound lever escapes past it, when it returns again to its closed
.position. This escapement occurs by reason of the arm moving in a straight line
tangential to the circular movement of the lever.
Dated this 22nd day of September 1893.
CHARLES T. POWELL,
Applicants' Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Photographic Shutter Mechanism.
We CHARLES HASELER, and CHARLES EUSTACE HASELER, both of 94 Bridge
Street West, in the City of Birmingham, Mechanical Engineers 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 relates to improvements in the mechanism by which photographic
shutters are operated and refers more particularly to its combination with that class
of shutter known as the Iris" shutter.
In order to more particularly explain this our invention, we have appended
hereunto illustrative drawings upon which are figures and numbers of reference,
similar numbers referring throughout the several views to the same thing or part.
Fig. 1, is a general view of a lens and shutter embracing this our invention.
Fig. 2, is a side view, and Fig. 3, a plan view of the same.
Fig. 4, is a front view of part of the mechanisin, with the cover removed.

page_text: g., 18 a pian view of 1g. +, snowing the mechanist as arranged ready for
the opening and closing of the shutter.
Fig. 6, is a similar view showing the mechanism when the shutter has been
opened and again closed.
Fig. 7, is a similar view of the invention as Fig. 5, but so arranged that the
opening only of the shutter takes place.
Fig. 8, is a sectional view on line A-B Fig. 5.
Fig. 9, is a sectional view on line C-D Fig. 6.
Fig. 10, is a sectional view on line E-F Fig. 7.
Figs. 11, 12 & 13, are detailed part sectional views of Fig. 4, on line G-H
showing some of the operative parts in certain positions of action.
Fig. 14, is a modification of this our invention.
It consists as follows:-15, is the lens case, 16. is the shutter case, 17, 17, are
the leaves of the shutter. Upon the exterior of the shutter is mounted a frame 18,
upon which is carried a sliding retaining bolt 19, which is acted upon by a tensional
spring 20, tending to draw it always in one direction. This retaining bolt further
carries a pivoted latch lever, 21, pivoted at 22, and having a retaining recess 23, in
its side, and whose front end or nose is inclined or cam fashioned at 24. Near the
one end of this bolt are provided two retaining slots 25 & 26 (or other shape) whose
function will be hereinafter explained. The said bolt is here further extended
at 27, so as to afford a handle part wherewith it may be drawn or pulled backward
against the spring 20, at will.
Upon the frame and engaging with the retaining slots 25 & 26, upon the sliding
bolt is carried a pivoted primary lever 28, whose one end 29, may pass into either of
the two said slots, being always pressed towards them by the spring 30. The other
end 31 of this lever is made to engage with and be operated upon by pneumatic
bellows 32, or it may be operated direct by the band &c.
Again. Lying alongside of the sliding bolt 19 aforesaid, is a part rotative bar 33,
which I will term the cam bar, and which is held in one direction by a spring 34.
Upon this cam bar and opposite to the end 24, of the pivoted latch lever 21, is a
formation or what may be better termed a cam stop stud 35, which serves as a cam
and also as a stop to the said latch lever. This bar 33, is operated at its one end in
conjunction with the primary lever 28, which lies below it, as follows:-The primary
lever 28, is carried upon the side of the vertical plate 36, which lies at right
angles to the bolt 19, and the bar 33. Upon this plate is also carried a spring 37,
whose one end 38, is fixed.
Pivoted at 39, is an arm 40, upon which is made a trigger catch 41, which
engages with a stud 42, upon the cam bar 33. Or if desired, the said catch 41,
may be made upon and form part of the spring 37, and thus dispense with the
arm 40.
When the spring 37, is in its free condition the said stud 42, engages with and
is held by the catch 41, as seen in Fig. 11, but may be released by a projection 43,
upon the fore end of the primary lever, which impinges upon the free end of
the arm (or spring) at 44, so that when the manipulative end 31, of the primary
lever is raised, the spring 37, is depressed, and the stud 42, released, when the
cam bar 33, is part rotated by means of its spring 34, see Fig. 5. Upon the upper
part of this lever is further formed a retaining tooth 46, which engages with a
peg 47, carried upon the cam bar 33, so that when the manipulative end 31, of the
primary lever is raised, it retains the peg 47, as seen in Fig. 12, and when lowered
it releases the same as seen in Fig. 13. A suitable handle piece 48, is carried
from the cam bar 33, by which it may be manipulated.
The operation of these parts is somewhat as follows:-The sliding bolt 19, is
drawn back until the fore end 29, of the primary lever 28, engages with the inner-
most slot 26, see Figs. 5 & 11, and retains it there. The cam bar 33, is now left
free to the action of its spring 34, which presents the cam stop stud 35, in line
with the inclined shaped nose 24, of the latch lever 21, as seen in Figs. 6 & 9. In

page_text: this position the shutter is," closed," and its arm 49, lies in the catch recess 23, of
the latch lever. Upon moving forward the primary lever 31, (pneumatically or
otherwise) the slide 19, is released, and the arm 49, carried suddenly forward by
reason of the spring 20, (giving exposure) until the bevilled nose 24, of the latch
lever comes in contact with the cam stop stud 35, which latter pushes it (the lever)
away, as seen in Figs. 6 & 9, and in so doing pushes it clear of the arm 49, when
the latter is free to return to its closed position thus rapidly giving exposure and
closing in one motion of the bolt 19. The travel of the bolt 19, is governed by a
slot 50, in same, in which a screw 51, is fixed in the frame, and at the same time
the fore end 29, of the primary lever 28, falls clear into the second slot in the
slide, as seen in Figs. 6 & 7.
In this operation, the cam bar 33, is fully free to the action of its rotative spring 34.
By rotating the said bar however by means of the handle 48, until the stud 42, is
held back by the catch 41, beneath it, the cam 35, is held up clear of the latch lever,
as seen in Figs. 5, 7, 8, 10 & 11. If we again bring the slide 19, back into its retained
position, as seen in Fig. 5, and now again raise the primary lever 28, the shutter
arm 49, is shot forward, as seen in Fig. 7, and exposure given, but although the
stud 42, has been released from the catch 41, and the cam bar 33, allowed to
rotate, a portion of its travel, the peg 47, in the bar is caught by the tooth 46,
upon the lever and thereby the cam 35, is still kept back from the latch lever,
so that it (the car) cannot push it away, and so the arm 49, is kept in the position
shown in Fig. 7, and exposure continues as long as the primary lever is held in its
raised position. This raised position of the lever may be maintained by retaining the
pressure given to the bellows or otherwise. Upon loosing or lowering the primary
however the tooth 46, drops clear of the peg 47, and the cam 35, falls and
pushes back the latch lever, and thus releases the arm and closes exposure, as seen
in Figs. 6 & 9. Thus exposure may be kept to any desired length of time, that
is as long as the lever 28, is retained in its raised position.
In front of the cam 35, a locking slide 52, is provided, which may be slid
forward so that its end 53, may come beneath the cam and thus the said cam may
be locked if desired in its raised position, which prevents the return stroke of the
arm 49, and thus secures the shutter in an exposed position for focussing &c.,.
until the bolt 19, is drawn back by hand.
A time indicator may if desired be mounted upon or attached to this our
improved mechanism.
A modification of a portion of this arrangement may be made by substituting for
the latch lever 21, and its slide 19, a compound lever 21ª, consisting of a main
portion 54, fulcrumed to the frame 55, and carrying at its front end a secondary
pivoted nose part 56, which when drawn back against its spring 57, is held by the
trigger like lever 58, and rests also in front of the shutter arm 49. By now
moving the lever 58, the compound lever is released to the action of its spring, and
the arm carried suddenly forward, giving exposure until the nose of the compound
lever escapes past it, when it returns again to its closed position. This escapement
occurs by reason of the arm 49, moving in a straight line tangential to the circular
movement of the compound lever 21.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is —
1. In photographic shutter mechanism the combination with a shutter having
an arm 49, of the slide 19, having catch recesses 25 & 26, and the lever 28,
engaging therewith, and the lever 21, with recess 23, and the bar 33, with cam
stud 35, and pegs 42 & 47, with catches 41 and 46 all substantially as shown and
described and for the purposes specified.
2. The modified combination with a photographic shutter having arm 49, of the
compound lever 21ª, and trigger lever 58, substantially as shown and described.

page_text: 3. The general combination and arrangement of the parts constituting these our
improvements in photographic shutters, as herein described and illustrated upon
the drawings.
Dated this 23rd day of June 1894.
CHARLES T. POWELL,
12, Cherry Street, Birmingham, Applicants' Agent.