IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF HAND OR TOILET MIRRORS
Year: 1871

page_text: Filed 21st April 1874.
In the Matter of the Letters Patent granted to PETER JOEL
LIVSEY, of the City of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster,
Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF HAND OR TOILET MIRRORS,"
-A communication from abroad by "The Florence Manu-
facturing Company," Florence, County of Hampshire, and
State of Massachusetts, United States of America, bearing date
the 15th day of May 1871.
DISCLAIMER AND MEMORANDUM OF ALTERATION proposed to be
entered and filed by George Augustus Scott the Assignee of the above
Letters Patent, to portions of the Specification of the said Letters
Patent, according to the Statutes in that case made and provided.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
AUGUSTUS SCOTT, of Florence, in the County of Hampshire, in the
State of Massachusetts, and United States of America, Gentleman, send
reeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria by Her
Royal Letters Patent, bearing date the 15th day of May 1871, did grant
unto the above-mentioned Peter Joel Livsey, his executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, the sole privilege to make, use, exercise, and vend,
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF HAND OR TOILET
MIRRORS," within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and the Isle of Man, during the term of 14 years, then
next ensuing :
And whereas the said Peter Joel Livsey, on the 31st day of October
1871, within the time prescribed by the said Letters Patent, caused a
Specification in writing under his hand and seal to be filed in the Great
Seal Patent Office:
And whereas by an Indenture of Assignment bearing date the 27th
day of August 1871, and made between the said Peter Joel Livsey of
the one part, and myself of the other part, and duly registered at the
Great Seal Patent Office, the said Letters Patent and Invention were
duly assigned and are now vested in me for all the residue of the said
term of fourteen years:
And whereas after the date of the application for the said Letters
Patent, and since the filing of the Specification in pursuance thereof, I
have ascertained and been advised that the description of the said
Invention therein contained is too broad, and contains matter which
was not new and original at the date of the application for the said
Letters Patent, particularly the matter secondly described in the said
Specification.
and
And in order to render the said Specification more definite, clear,
distinct, I propose to make the several alterations, erasures, and cor-
rections therein as herein-before contained.
NOW KNOW YE, THEREFORE, that I the said George Augustus Scott,
by and with the leave of Her Majesty's Solicitor-General, do hereby for
the reasons aforesaid, and in order more clearly to define and limit the
true nature of the said Invention and the means for carrying it into
practical effect, make the following alterations and erasures in the said
Specification, that is to say:-
I strike out at lines 26 and 27, page 3, of the Blue Book of the said
Specification, as printed by Her Majesty's printers, the words "but part

page_text: of the improvements are applicable when the backs or handles are
formed of wood," being the whole of the sentence from the words
"plastic composition."
"
I strike out the whole of the paragraph commencing with the word
Secondly," and ending with the words "allow for shrinkage" con-
tained in the lines 35, 36, 37, and 38, of page 3, and the lines 1, 2, 3, 4,
5, and 6, of page 4, of the said Blue Book, as printed by Her Majesty's
printers.
And I strike out the word "Thirdly," at the beginning of line 7,
page 4, and substitute for it the word " Secondly," and I strike out in
the same line the word "the" and substitute for it the word "a." And
in the two following lines, viz., lines 8 and 9, of the same page, I strike
out the words, "when formed of wood this is done by suitable
" cutters. When formed." And in the latter line 9 I also strike
out the word "it" and substitute for it the word "and," so that the
commencement of the said paragragh when amended as aforesaid, shall
read as follows:-"Firstly-The-forming-of-the-" Secondly. The Invention
relates to a mode forming the bevelled or under cut cavity of the
handles of plastic composition and consists in, &c."
In line 11, page 5, of the said printed Blue Book, I insert the words
"hand or toilet" between the words "handles of "and" mirrors," so
that the said line when so amended shall read as follows:-"Firstly. The
forming of the backs or handles of hand or toilet mirrors out of, &c."
In line 14, page 5, of the said printed Blue Book, I likewise insert the
words "hand or toilet" between the words "handles of" and "mirrors,"
so that the said line 14 when so amended shall read as follows:-
Secondly. The forming of the backs or handles of hand or toilet
"mirrors of plastic, &c."
"
"
I strike out the whole paragraph beginning with the word, "Thirdly
and ending with the word "described" contained in the lines 17, 18,
and 19, of page 5, of the said printed Blue Book.
And I strike out at line 20, of the said page 5, the word " 'Fourthly,"
and substitute for it the word "Thirdly." I insert in the said line the
words "hand or toilet " between the words, "handles of" and "mirrors,"
and in the next line 21, of the said page 5, I strike out the word
substantially," so that the whole paragraph or claim when so
amended shall read as follows:-"Thirdly. The mode of moulding the
"

page_text: ows:-
“SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters
"
Patent, filed by the said Peter Joel Livsey in the Great
"Seal Patent Office on the 31st October 1871.
" TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, PETER
" JOEL LIVSEY, of the City of Manchester, in the County of Lan-
"caster, Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent, send greeting.
"WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by
"Her Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of May, in
"the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one,
" in the thirty-fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs
" and successors, give and grant unto me, the said Peter Joel Livsey,
"Her special license, that I, the said Peter Joel Livsey, my
"executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to-time and at all times thereafter
"
66
or such others as I, the said Peter Joel Livsey, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
A
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 THE CONSTRUCTION OF HAND OR
" TOILET MIRRORS,' a communication to me from abroad by the
"Florence Manufacturing Company,' Florence, County of Hamp-
shire, and State of Massachusetts, United States of America,
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Peter Joel
Livsey, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal,
"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.
$6
66
66
"
66
"NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Peter Joel Livsey, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described

page_text: " and ascertained in and by the following statement and the
"accompanying Drawings (that is to say) :-
"The improvements refer mainly to the construction of hand
"mirrors, the handles or backs of which are formed of plastic
" composition.
"Firstly. The Invention consists in forming the back or handle
"of a composition of shellac and woody fibre similar to that used
"for making buttons, which will harden under pressure, which
"composition is moulded in suitable dies to the required shape,
" and with the required ornamentation and then hardens, a skeleton
" of wood or metal being embedded in the plastic composition to
impart strength to the handle.
"
"Secondly. The Invention relates to a mode of forming the
"bevelled or undercut cavity in the handles of plastic composition,
" and consists in using an upper and lower die for the back and front
" of the handle; the upper die has three or more parts connected
" with it by pins or other means for forming the bevelled or under
"out cavity; these parts are left in the composition when the upper
"die or mould is removed. The centre of the three parts is first
" removed as the parts are suitably bevelled to allow of this; then
"the two remaining parts are easily withdrawn, being first moved
"laterally.
"Figure 1 is a flat view of the hand mirror; Figure 2 is a longi-
" tudinal section; and Figure 3 is a cross section of the same.
$
a is the glass forming the mirror; b, the ledge upon which it
"rests in the back or handle c, there being a shoulder all round to
**
65
.<
prevent it from moving; and d is the bevelled strip of wood that
secures the glass in the recess, the two ends of which abut upon
" each other at d. A skeleton of wood or frame of wire or metal
"
may be embedded in handles formed of composition for the pur-
pose of adding strength, as shown by e in Figure 3.
"Figure 4 is a plan of the lower mould used for moulding the
"backs or handles of mirrors with the upper part of the mould
" removed, and showing the moulded handle with the pieces to
" form the undercut recess left in the composition.

page_text: $5
"
Figure 5 shows a section through the mould when all the parts
are together in their proper places, and the composition has been
"inserted. Both the upper and lower moulds are shaped or engraved
" to give the required form and ornamentation, and they are held
correctly in their places when together by four pins at the corners 5
" of the upper mould f which enter corresponding holes g¹ in the
"lower mould g. There is a groove or channel h all round the cavity
"for the plastic composition in each half of the mould into which
"the surplus composition can escape when the upper mould is pressed
upon the lower mould. The recess with the proper ledge and 1
" shoulders is formed by three pieces j and j³, each of which has
"two projecting pins that fit holes in the upper mould f, but so
" that when this mould is lifted the three pieces will be left as shown
"in Figure 4. The edges of the three pieces where they join to-
gether are bevelled so that the middle piece; can first be withdrawn
" and then the two pieces ¹, these being first moved towards each
"other laterally at that end where the space is left between them
"
«
[6
«
by the removal of the middle piece before being withdrawn;
e represents the skeleton embedded in the composition.
"I have now particularly described the nature of the Invention 2
" communicated to me and the manner of carrying the same into
effect, and claim as secured to me by the in part recited Letters
"Patent,-
"
"6
Firstly. The forming of the backs or handles of hand or
"toilet mirrors out of compositions of shellac and woody fibre 2
"similar to that used for making buttons, substantially as herein-
"before described.
"Secondly. The forming of the backs or handles of hand or toilet
" mirrors of plastic composition with a skeleton of wood or metal to
"strengthen the same, substantially as herein-before described.
"
$5
Thirdly. The mode of moulding the backs or handles of hand
or toilet mirrors with undercut recess, ledge, and shoulder, as
" herein-before described.
"In witness whereof, I, the said Peter Joel Livsey, have here-
"unto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of
"October, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
"hundred and seventy-one."
PETER J. LIVSEY. (L.S.)

page_text: And I, the said George Augustus Scott, do hereby further and
lastly declare that the above written Disclaimer and Memorandum of
Alteration is not, nor is any part thereof, respectively intended to extend
the exclusive right granted by the said Letters Patent, and that
these Presents shall not extend the said exclusive right in any way
whatever.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Augustus Scott, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of March,
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four.
To the Commissioners of Patents for inventions.
I hereby grant my fiat giving leave to the above-named George
Augustus Scott, of Florence, in the County of Hampshire, in the State
of Massachusetts, United States of America, to file in the Great Seal
Patent Office, with the Specification to which the same relates, the
above-written Disclaimer and Memorandum of Alteration.
Dated this 18th day of April 1874.
RICHARD BAGGALLAY,
Solicitor-General.

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Peter Joel Livsey, of the City of Manchester,
in the County of Lancaster, Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF HAND OR
TOILET MIRRORS." -A communication from abroad by "The Florence
Manufacturing Company," Florence, County of Hampshire, and
State of Massachusetts, United States of America.
Sealed the 31st October 1871, and dated the 15th May 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Peter Joel Livsey at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 15th May 1871.
I, PETER JOEL LIVSEY, of the City of Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF
HAND OR TOILET MIRRORS," a communication to me from abroad by “The
Florence Manufacturing Company," Florence, County of Hampshire
and State of Massachusetts, United States of America, to be as
follows:-

page_text: part of the improvements are applicable when the backs or handles are
formed of wood.
Firstly. The Invention consists in forming the back or handle of a
composition of shellac and woody fibre which is moulded in suitable dies
to the required shape and with the required ornamentation, and then
hardens, a skeleton of wood or metal being embedded in the plastic
composition to impart strength to the handle.
"
Secondly. The Invention relates to a mode of arranging and securing
the mirror, and consists in forming the cavity in the back or handle
with a recessed ledge all round for the edge of the mirror to rest upon,
so that the "silver upon the back of the glass will not touch the back
or handle except at the margin, and in forming the cavity with a
bevelled or under cut edge, so that when the mirror is in its place it
may be secured by a narrow strip of wood bevelled to agree with the
edge of the cavity. This narrow strip of wood is sprung in so that its
two ends abut against each other, and they secure the mirror and allow
for shrinkage.
Thirdly. The Invention relates to the mode of forming the bevelled or
under cut cavity in the handles. When formed of wood this is done by
suitable cutters. When formed of plastic composition it consists in
using an upper and lower die for the back and front of the handle, the
upper die has three or more parts connected with it by pins or other
means for forming the bevelled or undercut cavity, these parts being left
in the composition when the upper die is removed, and the centre of
the three parts is first removed, being suitably bevelled to allow of this,
then the two remaining parts are easily withdrawn, being first moved
laterally.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Peter Joel Livsey in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 31st October 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, PETER
JOEL LIVSEY, of the City of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster,
Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of May, in the year of

page_text: our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-
fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Peter Joel Livsey, Her special license
that I, the said Peter Joel Livsey, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Peter Joel Livsey, 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
THE CONSTRUCTION OF HAND OR TOILET MIRRORS," a communication to me
from abroad by "The Florence Manufacturing Company," Florence,
County of Hampshire, and State of Massachusetts, United States of
America, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Peter
Joel Livsey, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, 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 Peter Joel Livsey, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement and the accompanying Drawings (that is to
say)
The improvements refer mainly to the construction of hand mirrors,
the handles or backs of which are formed of plastic composition, but
part of the improvements are applicable when the backs or handles are
formed of wood.
Firstly. The Invention consists in forming the back or handle of a.
composition of shellac and woody fibre, similar to that used for making
buttons which will harden under pressure, which composition is moulded
in suitable dies to the required shape and with the required orna-
mentation, and then hardens, a skeleton of wood or metal being
embedded in the plastic composition to impart strength to the handle.
Secondly. The Invention relates to a mode of arranging and securing
the mirror, and consists in forming the cavity in the back or handle,
with a recessed ledge all round for the edge of the mirror to rest upon,
so that the silver upon the back of the glass will not touch the back

page_text: or handle except at the margin, and in forming the cavity with a
bevelled or under cut edge, so that when the mirror is in its place it may
be secured by a narrow strip of wood or other suitable material bevelled
to agree with the edge of the cavity. This narrow strip of wood is
sprung in so that its two ends abut against each other, and they secure
the mirror and allow for shrinkage.
Thirdly. The Invention relates to the mode of forming the bevelled or
under cut cavity in the handles. When formed of wood this is done by
suitable cutters. When formed of plastic composition it consists in
using an upper and lower die for the back and front of the handle; the 1
upper die has three or more parts connected with it by pins or other
means for forming the bevelled or under cut cavity; these parts are left
in the composition when the upper die or mould is removed. The centre
of the three parts is first removed as the parts are suitably bevelled to
allow of this, then the two remaining parts are easily withdrawn, being
first moved laterally.
Fig. 1 is a flat view of the hand mirror; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal
section, and Fig. 3 is a cross section of the same. a is the glass forming
the mirror; b, the ledge upon which it rests in the back or handle c,
there being a shoulder all round to prevent it from moving, and d is the
bevelled strip of wood that secures the glass in the recess, the two ends
of which abut upon each other at d. A skeleton of wood or frame of
wire or metal may be embedded in handles formed of composition for
the purpose of adding strength, as shown by e in Fig. 3.
Fig. 4 is a plan of the lower mould used for moulding the backs or
handles of mirrors with the upper part of the mould removed and
shewing the moulded handle, with the pieces to form the under cut
recess left in the composition. Fig. 5 shews a section through the
mould when all the parts are together in their proper places, and the
composition has been inserted. Both the upper and lower moulds are
shaped or engraved to give the required form and ornamentation,
and they are held correctly in their places when together by four pins
at the corners of the upper mould f which enter corresponding holes g¹
in the lower mould g. There is a groove or channel h all round the
cavity for the plastic composition in each half of the mould, into which
the surplus composition can escape when the upper mould is pressed
upon the lower mould. The recess with the proper ledge and shoulders
is formed by three pieces ; and j', each of which has two projecting

page_text: pins that fit holes in the upper mould f, but so that when this mould
is lifted the three pieces will be left as shown in Fig. 4. The edges of
the three pieces where they join together are bevelled, so that the middle
piece can first be withdrawn, and then the two pieces j³, these being
first moved towards each other laterally at that end where the space is
left between them by the removal of the middle piece before being
withdrawn. e represents the skeleton embedded in the composition.
I have now particularly described the nature of the Invention com-
municated to me, and the manner of carrying the same into effect, and
claim as secured to me by the in part recited Letters Patent,―
Firstly. The forming of the backs or handles of mirrors out of com-
positions of shellac and woody fibre, similar to that used for making
buttons, substantially as herein-before described.
Secondly. The forming of the backs or handles of mirrors of plastic
composition with a skeleton of wood or metal to strengthen the same,
substantially as herein-before described.
Thirdly. The mode of supporting and securing the glass in the handles
or backs of mirrors by means of an under cut recess and bevelled strip
of wood or other material, substantially as herein-before described.
Fourthly. The mode of moulding the backs or handles of mirrors
with under cut recess, ledge, and shoulder, substantially as herein-before
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Peter Joel Livsey, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of October, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
one.