IMPROVEMENTS IN FOLDING CAMERAS
Year: 1884

page_text: We JOSIAH THOMAS CHAPMAN of 98 Albert Square Manchester in the County
of Lancaster Manufacturer of Photographic Apparatus and THOMAS SCOTT of
56 The Park Eccles in the same County Builder do hereby declare the nature,
of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN FOLDING CAMERAS," to be as
follows:-
Our Invention relates to folding Photographic.cameras and has for its principal
object to facilitate the adjustment of the same. The hinged part which turns down
or outward to constitute the base of the camera as is usual in ordinary forms of the
folding camera is connected with the side frame or with each side of the frame by.
means of a double slotted link which is mounted upon studs which can be tightened
by means of nuts a recess near one end engaging with one of the studs when the
camera is square with the base. The front is secured in. the required position by
means of hooked bolts or catches which pass below the projecting edges of metal
alides or parts to which the front is secured or which enter undercut slots in the
base. These catches loosen their hold when the front is turned out of its square
position and tighten when the front is turned into the square position so that screws
or other ordinary fastenings are not required The front can be moved into position.
and be locked in that position very quickly. The hooked bolts may be tightened.
when desirable by turning nuts thereon or springs or other means may be adopted
for tightening or keeping tight the hooked catches. In some or in all cases the
part to which the front is immediately secured is fitted to slide in or on the base so
that the camera can be extended in length beyond the end of the base the said part
being actuated by a rack and pinion movement which also furnishes means for
adjustment. The frame to which the glass screen is hinged is secured to the camera'
by means of spring catches which engage with two studs either at the top and
bottom or at the two sides of the camera according as an upright or horizontal
picture is required but we do not confine ourselves to this construction nor to the
combination of the slotted link or links with the means for securing the camera
front in position.

page_text: "
We JOSIAH THOMAS CHAPMAN of 98 Albert Square Manchester in the County
of Lancaster Manufacturer of Photographic Apparatua and THOMAS SCOTT of
56 The Park Eccles in the same County Builder do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN FOLDING CAMERAS" and in what
manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement and accompanying drawings :-
Our Invention relates to folding Photographic cameras and has for its principal
object to facilitate the adjustment of the same. The hinged part which turns down
or outward to constitute the base of the camera as is usual in ordinary forms of the
folding camera is connected with the side frame or with each side of the framio by
means of a double slotted link which is mounted upon studs which can be tightened
by means of nuts. The front is secured in the required position by means of hooked'
catches which pass below the projecting edges of motal slides or parts to which the'
front is secured or which enter undercut slots in the base. These catches loosen
their hold when the front is turned out of its square position and tighten when the
front is turned into the square position so that screws or other ordinary fastenings
are not required. In some or in all cases the part to which the front is immediately,
secured is fitted to slide in or on the base so that the camera can be extended in,
length beyond the end of the base the said part being actuated by a rack and
pinion movement which also furnishes incans for adjustment. The frame to which
the glass screen is hinged is secured to the camera by means of entches which engage
with studs cither at the top and bottom or at the two sides of the camera according,
as an upright or horizontal picture is required but wo do not confine ourselves to
this construction nor to the combination of the slotted link or links with the means
for securing the camera front in position.
In order that our Invention may be well and readily understood we have attached
hereto a sheet of drawings to which we shall refer hereinafter, when describing our,
Invention.
In the said drawings Fig: 1 represents a Side Elevation Fig: 2 a plan and
Fig 4 a back view of a camera constructed in accordance with our invention. In
the said Figs: a is the camera body b. is the "front" c. is the hinged base and dis
the frame of the glass screan.
The base board c. is hinged or pivoted at a to the
camera body and is connected therewith by incans of the slotted link f. Through
one of the two slots in this link a screw g. passes and engages with a nut in the.
base board. A screw bolt h. passos. through the other slot and through the side of
the camera body and is provided with a milled nut. When the base board is turned
downward.or outward until the screws and bolt are at the outward ends of the slots
the base board is about "square" with the camara body. By tightening the sid
screw and nut the parts are secured in their relative positions. The lower slot in
the link is made of such a length as that when the camera is folded the link is
lifted into its position within the body by the screw g. so that the link is packed
away without requiring special attention. A corresponding link may be fitted on
the other side of the camera. The camera front is carried by a frame i which is
fitted to slide in ways formed in the base board and is provided with two spur
racks k. k. A rack pinion...gears with these racks and is provided with a milled
head whereby it can be turned. By turning this pinion the frame i can be slid out
beyond the outer end of the base board so as to extend the length of the camera,

page_text: This rack and pinion movement also furnishes means for the required delicate
adjustment of the lens so that the ordinary rack and pinion adjustment in the lens
mounting may be dispensed with the head on the pinion l. being more conveniently
accessible. The frame i. is represented in cross section in Fig: 3 which represents
the camera front in elevation. To each side of the said frame is secured a metal
strip m. which projects. over the inner edge of the frame side as shown more clearly
in Fig: 5 wherein a portion of Fig: 3 is enlarged. The front b. is formed with a
comparatively wide base at b¹ so as to impart steadiness and this base is shod with
metal and is provided at each end with a catch or projection n. these catches passing
below the metal strips m. The front b. is connected with the camera body by means
of a folding bellows as is usual and when the camera is folded passes within the
said body. When the camera is opened the front is secured in any desired position
upon the framel. This is effected by turning the front into a diagonal position as
indicated by the dotted lines in Fig: 2 the catches n then being free or disengaged
from the strips m. When the front is turned square with the frame the catches are
caused to lock or engage with the strips m. the parts being so formed as that the
front when square shall be held tightly down upon the strips m. by the pressure of
the catches upon the undersides of the said strips so that the front is secure and
firm and is brought square with the base board. The front can be shifted forward
or backward upon the slide or be disengaged therefrom by turning it into the
indicated diagonal position. Instead of the catches or hooked projections fitting
tightly when the front is brought square, hooked screw bolts or springs may be used
to tighten the front when adjusted in position. The said front is formed with a
vertical slide 2 for convenience of adjustment of the lens. The frame d. which
carries the glass screen o, is made of a square form so that it can be placed in either
of two positions the greatest length of the screen being horizontal in one position
as indicated by the full lines in Fig: 4 and vertical in the other position as
indicated by the dotted lines. The said frame rests upon a ledge a¹ on the
camera body and is kept in position therein by means of clip plates p. p. On each
of two sides of the said frame are two studs r. r. and on the top of the camera body
are hinged catches 8. 8. which are adapted to engage with either set of studs
according to the position of the frame. It will be seen that the screen can be
readily placed and secured in either position as required.
We may use the double slotted link and the adjustable self locking camera front
either together or separately in the construction of cameras not otherwise formed
in accordance with the type illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that
what we claim is
1. The combination of parts forming the complete camera constructed fitted and
acting substantially as and for the purposes set forth and indicated hereinbefore
and in the accompanying drawings.
2. In a photographic camera the double slotted link for connecting the body with
the hinged base board substantially as set forth and indicated.
3. In a photographic camera the front adjustable upon the base board or upon
a slide therein and arranged to be tightly held thereon when brought into the square
position and to become loose and to disengage when turned into a diagonal position
substantially as set forth and indicated,
201 "
T
100K