AN IMPROVED DEVICE FOR HOLDING AND EXHIBITING PHOTOGRAPHS, MENU-CARDS, AND THE LIKE
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Love, of Hatton Garden, in the County of
Middlesex, and Paris, France, for an Invention of "AN IMPROVED DEVICE
FOR HOLDING AND EXHIBITING PHOTOGRAPHS, MENU-CARDS, AND THE LIKE."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Love at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 8th October 1881.
ROBERT LOVE, of Hatton Garden, in the County of Middlesex, and Paris,
France. "AN IMPROVED DEVICE FOR HOLDING AND EXHIBITING PHOTOGRAPHS,
MENU-CARDS, AND THE LIKE."
My Invention relates to an improved device or apparatus for holding and
displaying photographs, prints, menu-cards, or similar objects or articles, the object
of the said Invention being to provide a holder, which is simple in construction,
ornamental in appearance, and convenient in use.
In carrying the said Invention into practice I provide a rod or stem, preferably
of metal, to the upper part of which a spring clip is secured, within whose arms or
jaws the card, photograph, or other object to be displayed is inserted, one of the
said jaws being pivotted or hinged to the other in such a manner that it may be
raised, und being so connected with a spring that it will return to its closed
position when released. It is designed that this outer jaw or piece shall be of an
ornamental character. It may be made in the form of a crest or of a monogram, or
in any other desirable form, or it may be a piece of metal or other material of any
desired shape, the surface of which is enamelled, painted, or otherwise ornamented,
or the said jaw or piece may in some cases be perfectly plain.
The rod to which the said clip is attached is inserted within a tubular rod, and
is capable of sliding telescopically therein. In the tube there is a longitudinal slot
through which projects a small pin or stud fixed to the lower end of the inner rod,
and this pin terminates in a head or button, by moving which the inner rod, that
is to say, the rod carrying the clip, may be moved longitudinally. By reason of
this arrangement the said device or holder may be elongated or contracted to suit
the length of the card or other object to be held and exhibited. The lower end of

page_text: the tube is provided with legs or extensions to afford a wide base for the
apparatus; but the latter is not capable of standing or remaining in an upright
position until the card or picture is combined therewith, as it is designed that the
latter shall form the support on one side, the aforesaid tubular rod forming the
support on the other side.
In. using the said device the photograph, card, or other object is placed within
the two parts of the clip, the pressure of which is sufficient to hold the same
without disfiguring or making any mark thereon. The object being thus secured
the button is pushed up or down, as may be required, to cause the lower edge of
the said object to be level with the base of the apparatus, whereupon the whole
will stand firmly upon a table or other article, the picture and the holder being at
an angle to each other, and the apex of the angle at the top.
In some cases the rod carrying the clip may be tubular and slide over a solid
rod, and I may also, instead of using a single clip, employ two or more thereof
secured to a transverse rod or bar fastened to the upper end of the sliding rod.
This arrangement will be found convenient when the apparatus is designed for
pictures or prints of comparatively large dimensions.
Although I prefer to make the said holders or devices of metal, they may be of
any other suitable material. Moreover I may use any form of clip to secure the
card or other object at the top of the apparatus. I may in some cases attach to
the rear of the said apparatus a tube or holder for flowers.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Robert Love in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 8th April
1882.
ROBERT LOVE, of Hatton Garden, in the County of Middlesex, and Paris,
France. "AN IMPROVED DEVICE FOR HOLDING AND EXHIBITING PHOTOGRAPHS,
MENU-CARDS, AND THE LIKE."
My Invention relates to an improved device or apparatus for holding and
displaying photographs, prints, menu-cards, or similar articles, the object of the
said Invention being to provide a holder, which is simple in construction,
ornamental in appearance, and convenient in use.
In the accompanying Drawing I have shown one form of my improved device or
holder. In this Drawing,-
Figuro 1 is a front view, representing a menu-card insorted in and supported by
the said device, and
Figure 2 is a side view of the same.
Figure 3 is a front view of the said device or holder.
Figure 4 is a vertical section of the same on the line x, x, Figure 3.
Like letters indicate the same parts in all of these Figures.
The said improved device or holder, as shown in the Drawing, consists of a rod
or stem a, preferably of metal, to the upper end of which a spring-clip b is secured.
This spring-clip consists of two parts or jaws c, d, within which the inenu-card c,
or a photograph, or other object to be displayed, is inserted. The jaw d is pivotted
or hinged to the other jaw c, as shewn at f, in such a manner that it may be raised
or opened, as shewn in dotted lines in Figure 2, to permit the ready insertion of
the card, photograph, or other article between. the said jaws.
The said jaw d is provided with a projection or extension d¹, which is so
arranged in combination with a spring g that the said jaw will either be held in
the position shown in dotted lines, or clamped firmly upon the card, photograph, or
other article as desired. The said jaw or piece d is designed to be ornamental in
appearance, and for this purpose it may be made as a monogram, as shown in the
Drawing, or as a crest, or in any other desirable form; or it may consist of a piece
of metal or other material of any desired shape, the surface of which is enamelled,
painted, or otherwise ornamented; or the said jaw or piece may be left plain.
The rod a is inserted within a tubular rod or support h, and is adapted to slido
telescopically therein. In the said tubular rod or support I form a longitudinal
slot through which projects a small pin or stud i attached to or forming part of
the lower end of the inner rod a; this stud terminates in a head or button i³,
by moving which the inner rod a with the clip binay be raised or lowered within
the outer tubular rod h. By this arrangement the said device or holder may be
elongated or contracted to suit the length of the card or other object to be held
thereby. The lower end of the tube his provided with legs or extensions ² to
afford an extended base for the device or holder. The said device however is not
capable of standing or remaining in an upright position by itself, but when the
menu-card, photograph, or picture is clamped within the aforesaid clip on the
holder, the said card, or the like, and the holder will occupy the position shown in
Figure 2, that is to say, the legs or extensions h² of the holder will form a support
on one side, and the lower edge of the menu card or other article will form the
support on the other side.
The
In using tho said device the photograph, card, or other object is inserted
between the two parts c, d, of the clip, the pressure of which is sufficient to hold
the said card or other object without disfiguring or indenting the same.
object being thus secured in the clip, the button is pushed up or down as may
be required to bring the lower edge of the said object level with the base of
the holder, whereupon the whole will stand firmly upon a table or other article,

page_text: as shewn in Figure 2, the photograph, card, or picture, and the holder standing at
such an angle to each other as to firmly support and properly exhibit the
photograph or card without being inconveniently extended at the base.
In some cases the part d may be formed rigidly or immovably on the top of the
rod a, and provided with a slit or space into which the menu-card, photograph, or
other article may be inserted.
In some cases the rod a carrying the clip b may be made tubular and arranged
to slide over a solid rod; and instead of using a single clip, as above described,
I may employ two or more of the same secured to a transverse rod or bar fastened
to the upper end of the sliding rod a. This arrangement will be found very
convenient when the apparatus is designed for supporting pictures or prints of
comparatively large dimensions.
Moreover, in some cases the outer tube or support h may be made without a slit,
and be provided with an inwardly projecting pin or stud adapted to enter a recess
or groove in the sliding rod. In soine cases also the support h may consist of a
simple tube without any slot in or projection on the same. In such a case I
provide for the retention of the sliding rod a within the holder h, by splitting or
dividing the lower end of the said rod longitudinally, and bending the two parts
thereof slightly outward, so that when they are inserted within the tube h, they
will act as springs and exert sufficient friction upon the interior of the same to
prevent the accidental displacement of the said rod and holder.
Although I prefer to inake the said holders or devices of metal, they may bo
formed of any other suitable material. Moreover, I may use any form of clip to
secure the card or other object at the top of the apparatus. The said devices inay
also be formed in one piece instead of in two parts adapted to slide one within
the other, as abovo described. I in some cases attach to the rear of the said
apparatus a tube or holder for flowers, or I provide for the insertion of flowers
between the two branches of the sliding rod a, which are secured to the aforesaid
clip b.
Having thus fully described my said Invention and shown how the same may be
conveniently and advantageously carried into practice, I wish it understood that I
am aware that devices of various kinds have been already used for holding and
exhibiting menu-cards and similar articles in an upright or nearly upright position,
but such devices have been constructed to stand in the required position
independently of any support by the card or other articles held therein, and are
provided with frames or other appliances which present a more or less unsightly
appearance; I therefore make no claim thereto, nor do I claim broadly or generally
the employment of a clip or equivalent device mounted upon the top of an upright
frame or stand for holding and exhibiting a card or other like article, but I
claim,―
First. A device or apparatus for holding and exhibiting menu-cards, photographs,
and similar articles, in such a manner that the card or other article is held only at
the upper portion of the said device and covers and conceals the other portions of
the same, and the said device with the card or other article therein is partly
supported by the latter, substantially as set forth.
Second. The combination in the said device of the clip with the standard which
is adjustable or variable in length, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Love, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Fifth day of April, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and eighty two.