IMPROVEMENTS IN NEEDLE CASES
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Henry Yeomans, of Astwood, Redditch,
in the County of Worcester, Needle Manufacturer, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN NEEDLE CASES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Henry
Yeomans at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 1st December 1873.
I, WILLIAM HENRY YEOMANS, of Astwood, Redditch, in the County
of Worcester, Needle Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN NEEDLE CASES," to be as
follows, that is to say :-
I form an outer sheath, case, or tube of metal or other suitable
material with a perforated top or cap; within this outer sheath, case,
or tube is fitted a sliding needle holder or inner case containing a
suitable number or quantity of needles arranged upon or in the holder,
which has a telescopic action within this outer sheath, case, or tube;
the end of the needle holder or inner case is prolonged as a propeller
or thumb piece below the outer case, and a helical or other suitably

page_text: shaped spring is arranged between the two cases so as to keep the
needle holder or inner case down in position in the outer sheath, case,
or tube.
I prefer to make the cases round in section, but they may be oval,
oblong, or nearly flat if preferred.
To extract a needle from the case the propeller or thumb piece is
pressed upwards; this action will push out the needles through the
perforations in the cap or top sufficiently far for extraction; to retire
the needles into the outer case the propeller or thumb piece must bo
released, when the tensile force of the spring will take back into position 1
the inner case.
And I sometimes form the needle holder sufficiently large to contain
needles of varying sizes, the outer cap having slots cut in its face, and
the spring being either between the two cases, or contained in the
needle holder, so that by pressing upon the top of the cap and depressing 1
it the needles will appear through the slots for extraction. Or I arrange
a suitable number or series of the needle cases formed as described in
one outer cover, sheath, or holder of any convenient form.
By another method I propel the inner case or needle holder by
forming upon it a pin or stop fitting into a spiral slot in the outer 2
case, so that by a turn of the propeller of the inner case the needles
will be pushed up and exposed as already described, and if preferred
the pin or stop may be on the inside of the outer case, and the spiral
slot cut in the inner case or needle holder, instead of the perforated
top or cap to the outer case; or in combination therewith I purpose 2
using a loose, hinged, or other suitable cap if required.
E
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Henry Yeomans in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 30th May 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM 30
HENRY YEOMANS, of Astwood, Redditch, in the County of Worcester,
Needle Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her

page_text: 1
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the thirty-
seventh year of Her reign, did, for. Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said William Henry Yeomans, Her special.
licence that I, the said William Henry Yeomans, my executors, admini-.
strators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Henry.
Yeomans, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree, with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter.
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,..
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN NEEDLE CASES," upon the condition (amongst others).
that I, the said William Henry Yeomans, my executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their
hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of
the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed,
and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Henry Yeomans, do hereby.
declare the nature of my said Invention; and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the Drawings here-
unto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to
say:―
I form an outer sheath, case, or tube (a), as shewn in the Drawings, :.
of metal or other suitable material with a perforated top or cap (b),;
seen more clearly in plan, Figures 4 and 5, within the outer sheath,
case, or tube (a) is fitted a sliding needle holder or inner case (c) con-
taining a suitable number or quantity of needles arranged upon or in
the holder, which has a telescopic action within the outer sheath, case,
or tube (a), the end of the needle holder or inner case (c) is prolonged
as a propeller or thumb piece (d) below the outer case, a spring (e)
formed of metal, india-rubber, or other suitable material being arranged
between the two cases so as to keep the needle holder or inner case
down in position in the outer sheath, case, or tube (d). .
I prefer to make the cases round in section, but they may be oval,
chlong or nearly flat if preferred and the holes (f) or slots

page_text: perforated caps, Figs. 4 and 5, may be arranged for one or more needles
to pass through each hole or slot, as in Figs. 4 and 5.
To extract a needle from the case the propeller or thumb piece (d)
is pressed upwards; this action will push out the needles through the
perforations or slots in the cap or top (6) sufficiently far for extraction;
to retire the needles into the outer case (a) the propeller or thumb
piece (d) must be released when the tensile force of the spring (e) will
take back into position the inner case (c).
And I sometimes form the needle holder sufficiently large to contain
needles of varying sizes, the outer cap having slots cut in its face, and
the spring being either between the two cases, or contained in the
needle holder, so that by pressing upon the top of the cap and depressing
it the needles will appear through the slots for extraction. Or I arrange
a suitable number or series of the needle cases formed as described in
one outer cover, sheath, or holder of any convenient form.
By another method I propel the inner case or needle holder by
forming upon it a pin or stop fitting into a spiral slot in the outer
case, so that by a turn of the propeller of the inner case the needles
will be pushed up and exposed, as already described, and if preferred
the pin or stop may be on the inside of the outer case, and the spiral 2
slot cut in the inner case or needle holder instead of the perforated.
top or cap to the outer case; or in combination therewith I purpose
using a loose, hinged, or other suitable cap if required.
Having thus described the object and nature of my said Invention,
and the manner in which the same is to be carried into effect, I claim, 2
without limiting myself to these precise details, the improvements in
needle cases, substantially in manner as herein more fully set forth and
specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Henry Yeomans, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of May, a
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
WILLIAM HENRY (L.S.) YEOMANS.