Improved Method of Preventing the Wear and Tear of Edges of Account Books, and other Books, through Frequent Withdrawal from, and Replacing on, Shelves, Safes, and the like, and in Mechanism therefor.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Nov., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 23rd Aug., 1897-Accepted, 25th Sept., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Method of Preventing the Wear and Tear of Edges of
Account Books, and other Books, through Frequent Withdrawal
from, and Replacing on, Shelves, Safes, and the like, and in
Mechanism therefor.
I, JOHN LLOYD, of 34, Moorfiolds, in the City of Liverpool, Bookbinder, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object the prevention of the wearing in the bottom of
books which takes place through their being Feraped along the bottom of safes,
book shelves and the like. With heavy account books especially which are frequently
being brought in and out from the shelves, the bottoms of the bindings and
sometimes even of the leaves themselves are rapidly worn away and it is to prevent
this that my invention is designed.
The invention consists essentially in either forming the shelf of or placing on the
shelf a framework carrying a multitude of small rollers all arranged at an even
height and their upper surfaces appearing considerably above the surface of the
framework carrying their bearings. The axes of the rollers are of course at
right angles to the direction in which the book is inserted on the shelf and where
the shelves are very wide several rollers end to end with each other are inserted
extending the whole breadth of the shelf and the various rollers extend backwards
one bohind the other from the front edge of the shelf nearly or quite to the back
wall. In some cases I may arrange only a few rollers and have an endless web or
band extending over and under them, but I do not recommend this plan and merely
mention it as an inferior method of carrying out my invention. It is obvious too
that in place of the book standing directly on the rollers it could stand on a thin
plate standing on the rollers. In that case the plate is pulled out, the book placed
on it and the plate and book rolled in. It is only in very rare cases however that it
will be advantageous to use this plate.
Dated the 20th day of November 1896.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6 Lord Street, Liverpool, Patent Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Method of Preventing the Wear and Tear of Edges of
Account Books, and other Books, through Frequent Withdrawal
from, and Replacing on, Shelves, Safes, and the like, and in
Mechanism therefor.
I, JOHN LLOYD of 34 Moorfields in the City of Liverpool, Bookbinder, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be

page_text: performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement :-
This invention has for its object, the prevention of the wearing in the bottom of
books which takes place through their being scraped along the bottom of safes, book
shelves and the like. With heavy account books especially which are frequently
being brought in and out from the shelves, the bottoms of the bindings and some-
times even of the leaves themselves are rapidly worn away and it is to prevent this
that my invention is designed.
The invention will be understood from the following description, reference being
had to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a general view of my nechanisin for preventing the wear and tear of
the edges of books through frequent withdrawal from and replacing on shelves;
Figures 2, 3 and 4 detail views on an enlarged scale.
Figure 5 a slight modification, in which the book stands on a plate instead of
direct on rollers.
The invention consists essentially in either forming the shelf A of, or placing on
the shelf a framework B carrying a multitude of small rollers C all arranged at an
even height and their upper surfaces appearing above the surface of the framework B
carrying their bearings D. The axes of the rollers C are of course at right angles
to the direction in which the book is inserted on the shelf and where the shelves are
very wide several rollers end to end with each other are inserted extending the whole
breadth of the sholf and the various rollers extend backwards one behind the other
from the front edge of the shelf nearly or quite to the back wall.
I prefer to form the rollers of inetal with an outer slecve E of rubber or other
comparatively soft or resilient material, and the surface of these sleeves may be
slightly corrugated or serrated as indicated in Figure 4, to prevent the book sliding
over the rollers without turning them. For cheapness I may make the rollers of
wood if desired mounted on steel spindles.
In some cases I may arrange only a few rollers and have an endless web or band
extending over and under them, but I do not recommend this plan and merely
mention it as an inferior method of carrying out my invention. It is obvious too
that in place of the book standing directly on the rollers it could stand on a thin
plate F standing on the rollers. In that case the plate is pulled out, the book placed
on it and the plate and book rolled in. It is only in very rare cases however that it
will be advantageous to use this plate.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The method of preventing wear and tear of the edges of books through frequent
withdrawal from or replacing on shelves, safes or the like, which consists in forming
the shelf of, or in placing on the shelf, a framework carrying a number of small
rollers all arranged at an even height and at right angles to the direction in which
the book is inserted substantially as described.
2. The appliances or fittings for use in connection with the bottom of safes, book
shelves and the like, to prevent the bottom of book from wearing, which consist in
forining the shelf of, or in placing on the shelf, a framework carrying a number of
small rollers all arranged at an even 'height and at right angles to the direction in
which the book is inserted, said rollers being arranged the whole breadth of the shelf
and in rows one behind the other from the front edge of the shelf nearly or quite to
the back wall whereby a rolling surface is provided for the books to rest on, so that
they can be inserted or withdrawn, without scraping the edges substantially as
described.
3. In combination with a shelf formed of or provided with a framework carrying
small rollers at right angles to the direction in which the book is inserted, an
auxiliary plate such as F carried on said rollers and adapted to receive the books,

page_text: whereby said plate can be pulled out, the book placed on it and the plate and book
rolled in, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 21st day of August 1897.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of Liverpool, Manchester, Birminghain and London, Patent Agents.