C, E, AKELEY,

FNDER FOR MOWING PICURE CAMERAS,

APPLICATION FLED JULY 23, 1918,

1,310,776. Patented July 22, 1919,

4 SHEETS-SEE 1.

es
II
R El
II

Eli
His
it

/2 INVENTOR

-
2., VA-7,
27. M --Cee-2
o EY
 C, E, AKELEY,
FINDER FOR MOVING PICTURE CAMERAs.
APPLICATION FLED JULY 23, 98.
1,310,776. Patented J uly 22, 1919,
4 SHEES-SHEET 2.

Ea
lf s
w
E.

. NVENTOR
% \V-N are 6. v-eley
BY
^*, 27t, coal-age ATTORNEY
 C, E, AKELEY,
FINDER FOR MOWING PICTURE CAMERAS,
APPLICATION FED JULY 23, 1918.
1,310,776. Patented July 22, 1919,
4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Seala

N
R.
E. IIIIn
SNS t N

a-2s
Li STI S II
S.
R
49
III
Flit is
RFTHF
in En
Fallis
i

NS. mHam is
LITUTITU
S. E:
al
I HR, I

avaraaaaaaaaaar
NS 77S

NVENTOR
é. Melce.
ATTORNEY
 C, E, AKELEY,
FINDER FOR MOWING PICTURE CAMERAS.
APPLICATION FLED Y 23, 198,
Patented July 22, 1919,
4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.
 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.
CAR. E. AKELEY, OF NEW YoRK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR. To AKELEY CAMERA. INC., OF NEW
YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION.
FINDER FOR MOVING-PICTURE CAMERAs,
1,310,776. specification of Letters Patent. Patented July 22, 1919.
Application filed July 23, 1918. Serial No. 248,280.
To all whom it may concern; may be kept in view without any material
Be it known that I, CARL E. AKELEY, change in the latter's position.
a citizen of the United States, residing at The improvement is illustrated in the ac
New York, county and State of New York, companying drawings in which
have invented certain new and useful Im Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a 60
provements in Finders for Moving-Picture camera with the improved finder attached
Cameras, of which the following is a full, thereto.
clear, and exact description. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal cross section of the
The invention, subject of this application finder tube with the finder lens attached to
10 for Letters Patent is an improvement in the same. 65
finders for moving picture cameras, and its Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the two
nature, purpose and function may be most parts of the finder in a different angular
readily comprehended from the following relation.
considerations. Fig. 4 is a view mainly in section exhibit
5 In the ordinary use of instruments of this ing an attachment to the finder for adjust 70
description a finder lens that throws the
image on a ground glass plate is usually inge objective.
ig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view of the
sufficient for all practical purposes, but prisms pertaining to such attachment in dif
under certain and more exacting conditions, ferent relative positions.
20 such simple means are totally inadequate Figs. 6, 7, 8 and 9 are diagrammatic illus 75
to accomplish the desired results. If, for trations of the optical principles involved
example, the camera is to be used for secur in the device, showing the modes of opera
ing pictures of a bird in flight or of an aero tion.
plane or other object moving through other Fig. 1 illustrates sufficiently for purposes
25 wise vacant space, the camera itself must not of this case the camera which I contemplate 80
only be capable of universal movement using and the manner of attaching the finder
about a fixed support, but a finder is very to the same. The numeral 2 indicates the
necessary which is substantially stationary cylindrical camera casing which is movable
with reference to the eye of the operator in both a vertical and a horizontal plane with
30 and which will reproduce the photographed reference to the fixed support which may be 85
object so that it may always, be readily regarded as indicated by the post or part 3.
maintained in the proper relation to the field The handle for feeding the film and operat
of vision or of the objective lens. ing the camera is marked 4.
For this purpose I have equipped my At the point 5 is pivoted concentrically
camera, which is capable of being steadil with the axis of the camera a sight tube 6 90
moved vertically when being operated, E. having a suitable eye-piece 7, the said tube
a finder eye-piece, and a finder lens of the being rigid with a plate or part 8 which has
same character as the main objective, and I its free end 9 in contact with the part 3 at
so construct the tube or passage for the rays any part of the camera stand or base so that
40 between the two that the lens-carrying por it cannot be further turned in that direction. 95
tion is movable with respect to the station 10 is a resilient plate secured to the part 8
ary eyepiece, the latter part being provided at 11 and having a stud 12 passing through
with a fixed and an adjustable prism where a corresponding hole in plate 8 and adapted
by the light rays through the finder lens will to engage with semi-circular depressions in
45 at all times be directed to the eye, in all posi an arc-shaped bar 13, secured to the side of 10
tions of the camera and to whatever point the camera and constituting a ratchet and
the objective lens may be directed. forming a semi-positive lock therewith.
By this means any object moving through The forward or lens-carrying portion of
space may be readily kept in proper position the finder attachment 14 (see Figs. 2 and
50 in the field of the finder, and in a corre 3) is secured to the side of the camera and 105
sponding position in the Rigi field, extends under the other part and is con
with the least possible difficulty, as the eye nected to its upper side by a strip of leather
piece is subjected to but slight movement 15, or other flexible connection, so that when
and that horizontally only, and the object, the camera is turned in a vertical plane the
55 whether overhead or below the operator, angle between the two parts of the finder 10
 2 - 1,810,776
/
may be varied at will. This is clearly shown in the direction which is normally opposed
in the figures under consideration.
In the rear or normally stationary part by the ratchet 13 the stud 12 may be lifted
of the sight tube, 6 is a fixed prism 16 and to permit this to be done without difficulty.
supported concentrically with the pivotal nother feature of improvement which
characterizes this device is a means for se- 70
point. 5 is a revoluble prism, 17. To one guring a direct view of that portion of the
side of the tube 6 is pivoted a cam lever 18, film upon which the image is cast by the
having a rounded surface that bears upon a objective or generally of such image, in
stud or pin 19 set in the lens-carrying tube
10 14, and the upper edge of this lever is prop order to determine more perfectly the light
erly fashioned to engage with a pin 20 on the effects,
the
and adjustment of the apertures and 75
like. For this purpose a prism 23 is
support for prism 17, so that as the part 14 placed opposite
moves relatively to the part 6 the prism 17 ately back of theanpassage opening in and immedi
24 through which
is turned about its axis to receive the light
15 rays from the finder lens 21, and direct them the film is fed in the field of exposure, and
at changing angles through the prism 16 this rectly
prism receives the rays of the image di- 80
from and through the objective lens
and directly to the eye-piece 7 or axially
through the section 6 of the finder tube. angles. directs them horizontally at right
ly 22 and
The stationary prism is preferably carried Beside the prism 23 is another prism 25
20 by an arm 31 attached to an opaque backing
pivoted at one corner 26 and having art 85
which in turn is mounted on the side wall opaque backing 27, which normally consti
of section 6 by four screws 32 passing
through the latter and holding the spring 28 back light-proof
tutes a closure for a chamber
against a rounded point 83. This accords a of the field of exposure. When it
is so desired
25 ready and convenient means of adjusting the tube 14 and attacheda rod 29 extending out through
at its inner end 90
the prism to exactly its proper position. to the opaque backing of the prism 25 is
The optical principles involved in this drawn out and this swings the
operation are well understood, but for con pivotal support to the positionprism on its
shown in
venience they are illustrated diagrammati
30 cally in Figs. 6 and 7. In the former of Fig. 5 against the force of a spring 30.
When in this position the prism locks the 95
these figures the two parts of the sight tubes spring
are in exact alinement and the lines indi which itunder tension and the light rays
receives from the prism 25 are di
cate the path of the rays through the finder rected axially through the sight tube to the
lens 21 through the two prisms to the eye eye-plece. .
35 piece 7. In Fig. 7, on the contrary, where By this means the image as projected 100
the angle between the two parts 6 and 14 upon the film may be inspected with no ap
is less than 180 the rays reaching the prism preciable damage to the film by light, and
17 are deflected to prism 16 and thence the apertures or other parts adjusted ac
transmitted to the eye-piece. cordingly. When this examination has been
40 The use of the device involves. no diffi
culties or complications. The normal posi made the prism 25 is forced back by the rod 105
tion of the camera and its attachment is 29 and the light-tight compartment 28 back
shown in Fig.1. The two parts of the sight of the field of exposure effectively closed
tube are in alinement, and the plate 8 in and sealed. The optical result of shifting
45 engagement with the part 3. These rela the position of the lens 25 for this purpose
tions are not changed unless the objective is shown in the diagram of Figs. 8 and 9 110
lens is moved upward from the horizontal, which are self-explanatory.
when the stud 12 slips over the indentations A camera equipped with this invention
in the ratchet bar 13 and the other opera is capable of use under all imaginable con
50 tions above set forth take place. ditions with the minimum of trouble and
difficulty. An aeroplane may be photo 115
Assume, however, that the operator is in graphed in flight from a trench, a street
an elevated position and desires to photo scene may be photographed from a win
graph objects below or beneath him. In dow, or similar operations performed with
55 greatercaseor helessturns
such the camera through a
angle and brings the eye out requiring the operator to assume incon
piece as near the vertical as need be when venient
pose of and difficult
keeping the attitudes for the pur- 120
objects photographed
it will be locked by the stud 12 against down in the center of the field of vision.
ward movement. By then looking down into What I claim is:-
the eye-piece an object may be followed 1. The combination with a motion picture
from a point nearly vertically, below to a camera movable in a vertical plane about a 125
point horizontally in front, as the neces fixed point of support of a finder tube com
sary movement of the camera is permitted posed of two sections one stationary and the
by the ratchet bar 13 without any change other movable with the camera, and means
in the position of the eye-piece. It will be
65 understood that if the camera is to be moved therein for deflecting the light rays from
and through the finder lens at angles vary- 130
 1,310,776
ing with the vertical displacement of the plane with reference to a fixed point of sup
two sections relatively to each other and port, of a finder tube composed of a section
airly through the stationary section. normally stationary but capable of adjust
2. The combination with a moving picture ment in a vertical plane, and a section flexi
camera capable of movement in a vertical bly connected therewith but movable with
plane about a fixed point of support of a the camera, a stationary prism mounted in
finder tube composed of two sections one the first-named section, a rotatable prism
stationary the other movable with the also mounted therein and means for turning
camera, and a fixed prism and an adjustable the rotatable prism in proportion to the rela
10 prism in the stationary section to direct the tive vertical displacement of the two sec 40
light rays from the finder lens in the mov tions, whereby the light rays received by it
able section at angles corresponding to the from the finder lens and through the mov
relative vertical displacement of the two able section will be deflected at correspond
sections and axially through the stationary ing angles axially through the stationary
it section. section. 46
3. The combination with a moving picture 5. The combination with a moving picture
camera capable of movement in a vertical camera of a finder lens and tube and an ob
plane with reference to a fixed point of sup jective lens, a stationary, prism back of an
port, of a finder tube composed of a station opening in the film guide and field of ex
20 ary section and a section movable with the posure, a pivoted prism normally closing 50
camera, a stationary prism and a movable light-tight a compartment containing the
prism in the stationary section, and means stationary prism and means for shifting the
dependent upon the relative movement of same into the finder tube whereby the rays
of light received by the stationary prism 55
the two sections for turning the movable
25 prism so that the light rays received by it through the objective lens will be directed
through the movable section from the finder upon the piyoted prism and by the other de
lens, therein
axially willthebestationary
through at all times flected axially through the finder tube.
deflected section.
In testimony whereof I affix my signature.
4. The combination with a moving picture
30 camera capable of movement in a vertical CARLE, AKELEY.