A Portable Magazine Camera for Taking Photographs.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Feb., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 3rd Nov., 1891-Accepted, 5th Dec., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A Portable Magazine Camera for Taking Photographs.
CHARLES RICHARD BEAUMONT, Dentist, No. 2 Whitehall Street, Rochdale,
Lancashire, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This camera is of rectangular shape, and is divided into two compartments, an
upper, and a lower one. The upper chamber or compartment is for the purpose of
storing the prepared plates, both before and after exposure. The lower chamber
or compartment is for the purpose of exposing the plates to the light acting:
through the lens, while taking the photograph. The upper chamber is fitted with
a grooved plate carrier, for containing any convenient number of plates. This
grooved plate carrier is constructed to slide or travel within the chamber, over a
slit cut in the division, between the two compartments. Motion is imparted to the
travelling plate holder, preferably by means of a rack and pinion.
A screw or ratchet motion may also be used for this purpose.
Fitted on each side of the exposure chamber, opposite the slit in the division,
are grooves, for the purpose of sliding the plates from the carrier to the place_of
exposure, and vice versa." The plates are brought into opposition successively with
the slit in the division of chambers, by means of a milled nut, on the outside right,
hand of camera.
An indexed wheel visible on the outside of camera, and engaging
in the rack pinion, serves to indicate the number of plate or plates exposed. The
grooves in which the plates slide to and from the storage, to the exposure:
chambers, are fitted with a bar of brass, or other suitable metal; for the purpose
of lowering or raising the plates, to and from the exposure chamber. The ends
of said bar are fitted so as to slide freely in grooves; the plates resting on the
bar while being lowered from, or raised to the storage chamber. This sliding bar
is actuated by means of two steel arms, the ends of which are made to fit loosely
in holes at each end of bar.
These arms are attached to an axle, fitted across the back central portion of
exposure chamber. The said axle projects through the right hand side of camera,.
and is revolved by a small lever handle, having a catch, for retaining the bar at
its highest position, after each plate has been returned to the carrier. The slit
through which the plates pass in division of chambers is closed so as to exclude:
light from the plates, by means of a metal plate, sliding within the exposure
chamber.
This metal plate is actuated by means of a rod attached, which projects, through.
the back of camera, and terminates in a milled button. On the said metal plate
are fitted side supports, for carrying the focussing screen.
The frame of focussing screen has slots, two on each side, about quarter of an
inch long, by which the screen is mounted, on pins screwed into the side supports.
These slots allow the focussing screen to move backward, and forward, in a
horizontal direction on the pins.
The focussing screen is held in proper position, and focal register, by means of
springs; one on each side, attached to the metal plate. The sensitive plate
chamber is fitted with a sliding lid, for the purpose of putting in, and taking out
the plates. On this lid is placed an arm, of suitable length, made from steel or
other metal.
The said arm is mounted at right angles on an axle, and moves in an are line,
towards slit in division of chambers; and when at. rest is directly over, and in a
line with the sensitive plate, resting on the moving bar. The said axle terminates
at the rear of camera in a small key handle, and is for the purpose of pushing the
plates out of the plate carrier into the exposure. chamber, when the camera is

page_text: being used on its side. The end of arm which presses against edge of plate is
made of letter U shape, and is fitted with a small roller, for minimizing friction.
The arm is also fitted with a spring for returning it to its original position after
being used.
Dated this Second day of Wahwow 1001
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A Portable Magazine Camera for Taking Photographs.
I, CHARLES RICHARD BEAUMONT, Dentist, of No. 2, Whitehall Street,
Rochdale, Lancashire, 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 a portable magazine photographic camera of that class
in which the store of plates are contained in grooves in a sliding magazine whence
they are transferred to position for exposure and to which they are returned after
exposure, this sliding plate magazine being contained in an upper compartment
divided from the camera proper by a division through which the plates are passed
from and to the magazine.
The invention relates particularly to the means whereby the transfer of the
plates is effected; to the mode of mounting the focussing screen; to the means
of preventing the passage of light from the camera proper to the plate magazine
during an exposure; to the means of operating the sliding plate magazine; and
to sundry other details as hereafter described with reference to the accompanying
drawings forming part of this Specification, wherein
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of the camera shewing the improvements.
Figure 2 is a vertical transverse section on line 1-1 Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a similar section on line 2-2 Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a side elevation of the index mechanism.
Figure 5 is a sectional plan on line 3-3 Figure 4.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the figures.
A is the camera proper provided with the usual lens mounted on a sliding front
adjusted by a rack and pinion focussing motion. B is the magazine chamber
made in one with the camera but separated therefrom by the longitudinal
division C. D is the magazine fitted to slide in chamber B and being a box open
at bottom provided with internally grooved sides to receive the plates. The
magazine and contained plates slide preferably upon metal rails c', the magazine
being operated by a rack and pinion dd from a knob 3 for bringing the plates
contained in its grooves successively opposite to the slot c in the partition C,
accurate register of the grooves d of the magazine D with the slot c being ensured
by a stud carried by a spring H fixed to the side of the camera, passing through
the latter and engaging in holes in the side of the magazine D opposite the
grooves d. The stud is preferably bevelled so as to permit of the magazine
being freely moved by the rack and pinion motion only in one direction except the
stud be wholly disengaged by raising the spring. An index wheel I gears with
the pinion and bears figures visible at the side of the camera indicating the
number of plates that have been exposed.
At the sides of the camera A in alignment with the slit c are a pair of grooves a
for receiving the plate during exposure, the transfer of the plate from and to the
magazine D being effected by means of a bar E sliding freely in the grooves a
said bar when in its raised position entering the slot c and entirely closing it so
as to prevent a plate accidentally catching in the slot c when the magazine is
moved over it. The bar E is moved up and down in its grooves by a rock shaft e
mounted within the chamber A at the rear end and provided with a pair of arms e
entering holes in, or connected by links to, the ends of the bar E so as to permit

page_text: of the angular motion of the arms e¹ being converted into a rectilinear sliding
motion of the bar E. The shaft e is operated by a thumb lever e² projecting at
the rear end of the chamber A a catch e being provided to engage therewith for
the purpose of retaining the bar E in its highest position in the slot a.
The
focussing screen F is carried by a plate G fitted to slide in guides in the chamber A
just beneath the partition C the said plate being operated by a push and pull
rod projecting from the rear of the camera and being adapted when in its forward
position to cover the slot a and prevent the passage of the light from the chamber
to the plate magazine whilst the focussing screen presses against the plate to be
exposed and holds it firmly in position for exposure, the screen F being for this
purpose attached to plate G by a yielding connection formed by arms fi attached
to the screen, sliding in eyes in brackets g fixed to the plate G the screen being pressed
forward by springs g' which hold the screen up to the plane of exposure whilst
focussing.
The chamber A is closed at back by a hinged door A' and the camera is provided
with a lid-like front J hinged to the camera body and containing at the part
opposite the lens a Kershaw's Patent or other instantaneous shutter and at the
upper part a view finder Kk of the usual kind, the lens of the view finder being
carried by a sliding shutter L working in front of the instantaneous shutter and
operated by a knob and slotted lever arm connected with the shutter by a
stud working in the slot.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1. A photographic camera divided by a longitudinal partition into two chambers
communicating by a slot and having a plate magazine fitted to slide in the upper
chamber so that its grooves may be made to register successively with the slot in
the partition, as described.
2. In the herein-described camera, the combination, with the sliding plate
magazine enclosed within the camera body and with its rack and pinion gear, of
the index wheel for denoting the position of the magazine, as specified.
3. In the herein described camera, the combination, with the sliding magazine
working within a closed chamber, as described, of the spring latch and rack for
ensuring accurate register of the grooves of the magazine with the communicating
slot between the two chambers, as specified.
4. In a camera of the kind described, the combination, with the sliding plate
magazine enclosed in a chamber separated from the camera by a slotted division.
of the bar E in the camera chamber and its operative mechanism for transferring
a plate to and from position for exposure, as described.
5. The combination, with the herein described camera, of a sliding plate adapted
to cover the communicating slot and of a focussing screen carried by yielding
supports on said plate, as and for the purpose specified.
Dated this 3rd day of November
801.
Patch viu u
C. R. BEAUMONT,
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53. Chancery Lane London Chartered Patent Accents