DESCRIPTION OF THE CONSTRUCTION OF ARCHER'S REGISTERED FOLDING CAMERA.

THIS camera, when folded up, is a box 13 in. long, 13 in. deep, and 8 in. wide; this is the smallest size constructed. It opens out into a camera 13 in. wide, 13 in. deep, 21 in. long (the length being the sum of the width and the depth). Externally the front of the camera is furnished with a sliding piece, into which the lens is fastened; the back has an opening cut in the hinged door, against which the face is placed when operating. The sleeves have an elastic band passing through the two upper sides, and spring over the end of the camera, thus forming a dark chamber.

The sleeves are permanently fixed by the two other sides to the main box, and the bottom of the expanded camera. Yellow light is admitted through an opening in the top of the main box, into which yellow glass is fixed; a hinged door closes over the outside of this opening. The folding part of the camera is composed of three framed boards, hinged to each other and to the main box, the part forming the back of the camera when closed lets down, and forms the continuation of the bottom of the camera. The back is hinged to the bottom, and opens outwards; the top is hinged to the upper part of the back, and is firmly fixed to the upper part of the main box with two brass catches.

The bottom of the camera, at the back, has a bag inserted to hold the two baths. The interior is fitted up with a shelf for the lens, and cells for the bottles placed in front, underneath the opening for the lens. It is furnished with a sliding door over the yellow glass, to admit light when necessary; also a door to close over the eye-opening. The side pieces into which the sliding bar runs are grooved, and are fastened to the sides of the main box; they are divided and hinged within the main box, so as to fold up when the camera is closed. The left-hand side piece has two grooves; in the lower one a running nut is placed, furnished with a lever, which fixes it at any point along the side when the focus is obtained.

The sliding bar to hold the paper frame, focussing glass, or prepared collodion plate, runs from one end of the camera to the other; it is not fixed at any point, to preserve the focus, but is free to move forward from the focus, when the picture is to be developed and it is necessary to have all the available space within the camera; but the running nut is fixed as long as the same focus is to be repeated. One great advantage in the above method of folding up the camera is, that, if required longer, it need not be when closed a wider box; the principal difference will be in the height.

I must remark, that this camera will not take a picture so large in proportion to its size as the ordinary camera; but when it is considered that the camera is constructed to do away with the necessity of carrying a tent to develope the picture in, the small additional size of the box will not be thought of much consequence. A camera of the size above given will take a picture 91/2" x 71/2", and any smaller size.

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