Improvements in Changing Boxes for Photographic Cameras.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 14th June, 1895
Complete Specification Left, 9th Mar., 1896-Accepted, 11th Apr., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Changing Boxes for Photographic Cameras.
I, WILLIAM STANBURY, of 12 Charterhouse Street, in the City of London,
Wholesale Optician, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention has for its object an improved method of changing the plates or
films in photographic cameras.
For this purpose I fit to the camera a box or chamber the front side of which is
left open.
Fixed to this box or chamber and at a slight distance above the bottom thereof
are two or other number of metal blades or fingers extending nearly its whole
length. Sliding within this box or chamber is another having its front also left
open and capable of holding the desired number of plates or films. The plates or
filins contained in suitable holders are inserted into this box the pile being
supported by suitable springs.
Attached by one of its euds to the outer box and by its other end to the inner
box is a bellows like chamber or flexible bag capable of being expanded or
contracted.
In its normal position the pile of plates is in the camera the top one of the pile
being ready for exposure, when this has been done and it is desired to bring a
fresh plate into position the bellows like chamber is drawn out bringing into itself
the box containing all the plates except the one that has been exposed this being
hell back by a suitable stop or stops.
'
When the bellows like chamber has been fully expanded the exposed plate drops
onto the metal blades or fingers before referred to. The bellows like chamber is
now pushed in or contracted carrying with it the box containing the pile of plates,
this when fully completed brings a fresh plate into position ready for exposure.
The plate previously exposed is caused to be replaced at the bottom of the pile in
the following manner. At this time it is supported by the metal blades or fingers
at the bottom of the outer box or chamber; upon the pile of plates being pushed
in the plate previously exposed is caused to ride up the springs supporting the pile
its front end inserts itself between the bottom plate of the pile and the springs (the
springs yielding to allow of this) it then forms the bottom plate of the pile and the
top one of which is the new plate in position for exposure.
Dated this 14th day of June 1895.
I WILLIAM STANBURY of 12 Charterhouse Street in the City of London,
Wholesale Optician 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 has for its object an improved method of changing the plates or
films in photographic cameras.

page_text: For this purpose I fit to the camera a box or chamber the front side of which is
left open.
Fixed to this box or chamber and at a slight distance above the bottom thereof
are two or other number of metal blades or fingers extending nearly its whole
length. Sliding within this box or chamber is another having its front also left
open and capable of holding the desired number of plates or films.
The plates-or
films contained in suitable holders are inserted into this box the pile being
supported by suitable springs.
.
Attached by one of its ends to the outer box and by its other end to the inner
box is a bellows like chamber or flexible bag capable of being expanded or
contracted.
lu its normal position the pile of plates is in the camera, the top one of the pile
being ready for exposure, when this has been done and it is desired to bring a
fresh plate into position, the bellows like chamber is drawn out bringing into itself
the box containing all the plates except the one that has been exposed this being
held back by a suitable stop or stops.
When the bellows like chamber has been fully expanded the exposed plate drops
on to the metal blades or fingers before referred to. The bellows like chamber is
now pushed in or contracted carrying with it the box containing the pile of plates,
this when fully completed brings a fresh plate into position ready for exposure.
The plate previously exposed is caused to be replaced at the bottom of the pile in
the following manner. At this time it is supported by the metal blades or fingers
at the bottom of the outer box or chamber; upon the pile of plates being pushed
in the plate previously exposed is caused to ride up the springs supporting the pile
its front end inserts itself between the bottom plate of the pile, and the springs (the
springs yielding to allow of this). It then forms the bottom plate of the pile and
the top one of which is the new plate in position for exposure.
Figure 1. is a front elevation and Figure 2 an end elevation of my improved
changing box. Figure 3 is a horizontal section and Figure 4 is a transverse
section of the same.
Figure 5 is a vertical section showing the plates in their normal position.
Figure 6 is a similar section showing the parts of the apparatus in position for
changing the plate.
I would here state that I prefer to use an odd number of plates, say 13 and this
odd plate is an opaque one forming a light-tight cover to the pile of plates when
changing one box for another.
a is the outer box or case, b is the inner box or case which carries the pile of
plates 6 each of which is contained in a suitable holder. The front side of each
of these boxes is left open as shewn in order that the top plate of the pile may be
exposed to the light. The two boxes are connected together by a flexible bellows
or bag c which when drawn out forms a dark chamber into which the inner box b
and pile of plates b₁ may be drawn. d is a cover or door through which the pile
of plates is inserted into the inner box and withdrawn therefrom. The door is
secured in place by the turn buttons e e. The pile of plates is supported and
pressed upwards by the flexible springs 9 g one end g' of which is loose. hh are
the two metal blades or fingers carried by the outer box or case onto which the
plate last exposed falls when it is desired to change the plate.
The operation of changing a plate after it has been exposed is as follows. The
inner case is drawn outwards bringing with it all the plates except the top one
which has been exposed-this is kept back by coming against the stop i.
When
the inner box or case has been fully withdrawn into the flexible bellows or bag-
like chamber c as shewn by Figure 6. the top plate falls into and is supported by
the fingers hh. The inner box and plates carried thereby are now pushed into the
outer box to their fullest extent, to bring a fresh plate into position for exposure-

page_text: at the same time the exposed plate carried by the fingers h h rides up the
springs g g and is inserted during the inward movement of the inner box between
the underside of the pile of plates and the flexible springs gg it then forms the
bottom plate of the pile. When the whole of the plates have been exposed it
will be seen that the opaque plate before referred to has returned to the top of
the pile thus preventing any light acting on any of the other plates of the pile
and forming a light tight cover to the box. This changing box is applicable
to all forms of cameras but is more particularly applicable to binocular and hand
cameras.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what I
claim is
1. A changing box for photographic cameras consisting of an outer and inner
box the one sliding within the other and connected together by a flexible bellows
or bag the same when drawn out forming a dark chamber into which the pile of
plates less the plate to be changed is received.
2. Change boxes for photographic cameras substantially as described and shewn
by the drawings.