IMPROVEMENTS CONNECTED WITH 65 THE MANUFACTURE OF CLOCK CASES, BAROMETER CASES, THERMOMETER CASES, AND OTHER LIKE CASES
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Matthew May, of Hatton Garden, in the County of
Middlesex, Merchant, for the Invention of IMPROVEMENTS CONNECTED WITH
65
THE MANUFACTURE OF CLOCK CASES, BAROMETER CASES, THERMOMETER CASES,
AND OTHER LIKE CASES."
Sealed the 10th July 1877, and dated the 11th January 1877.
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PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Matthew May at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 11th January 1877.
JOHN MATTHEW MAY, of Hatton Garden, in the County of Middlesex, Merchant.
IMPROVEMENTS CONNECTED WITH THE MANUFACTURE OF CLOCK CASES, BARO-
METER CASES, THERMOMETER CASES, AND OTHER LIKE CASES."
Heretofore those cases for clocks, barometers, thermometers, and the like, which
have been made of glass have been made of "pressed glass," i.e., glass pressed while
hot into iron moulds, thus rendering to such cases a clumsy and unfinished
appearance, and they have not been able to be ornamented by painting to any
degree of perfection, besides which they are very heavy. Now the objects of my
Invention are to remedy these evils, and to produce better, cheaper, lighter, and far
more effective articles, and at the same time those which can be ornamented to a
high degree of perfection by painting, staining, or otherwise.
For the purposes of my Invention I use "blown glass " instead of "pressed glass,"
that is to say, I blow the glass into wood moulds of any desired shape or form, and
when blown the mould (which may be formed in two or more portions) is opened
and the case withdrawn and allowed to cool. These cases are, of course, hollow,
and an opening is cut in them in any desired position to receive clock work or other
mechanism.
A case so manufactured has an exceedingly smooth surface, which can be
highly ornamented by being painted, stained, or gilt in exactly the same manner
and to the same degree of perfection as the Bohemian glass ware now in use. By
these means I am enabled to produce a better marketable article, and one capable of
being ornamented as desired, and at a cheaper rate than heretofore.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
said John Matthew May in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 10th July
1877.
JOHN MATTHEW MAY, of Hatton Garden, in the County of Middlesex, Merchant.
"IMPROVEMENTS CONNECTED WITH THE MANUFACTURE OF CLOCK CASES, BAROMETER
CASES, THERMOMETER CASES, AND OTHER LIKE CASES."
Heretofore those cases for clocks, barometers, thermometers, and the like, which
have been made of glass have been made of "pressed glase," ie., glass pressed while
hot into iron moulds, thus rendering to such cases a clumsy and unfinished
appearance, and they have not been able to be ornamented by painting, gilding,
staining, or cutting and engraving to any degree of perfection, besides which they
are very heavy. Now the objects of my Invention are to remedy these evils, and to
produce better, cheaper, lighter, and far more effective articles, and at the same
time those which can be ornamented to a high degree of perfection by painting,
gilding, cutting, staining, or engraving, or otherwise.
For the purposes of my Invention I use blown glass instead of pressed glass, that
is to say, I blow the glass into wood or metal moulds of any desired shape or form,
or blow it without using moulds of any sort, and in the same way as ordinary hand
inade glass goods are produced, and when blown in a mould (which may be formed
in two or more portions) it is opened and the case withdrawn and allowed to
cool; or if made without moulds it is simply blown to the judgment of the
blower, and worked into the desired shape by hand. These cases are, of course,
blown hollow, and an opening is cut in them in any desired position to receive
clockwork or other mechanism; or an opening is worked by hand if they are blown
without the use of moulds.
In some instances the mould is so constructed as to allow the opening to be
formed during the blowing process, thus obviating the cutting of the opening after
the article has been blown.
A case manufactured according to my Invention has an exceedingly smooth
surface, which can be highly ornamented by being painted, stained, gilt, cut, or
engraved in exactly the same manner and to the same degree of perfection as the
Bohemian glass ware now in use for vases, lustres, and other like ornaments. By
these means I am enabled to produce a better marketable article, and one capable of
being ornamented as desired, and at the same time at a cheaper rate than here-
tofore.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention and in what manner the
same may be performed, I declare that I claim, the manufacture of clock cases,
barometer cases, thermometer cases, and other like cases from blown glass, sub-
stantially in the manner described, and for the purposes set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Matthew May, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Ninth day of July, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-seven.
J. M. MAY. ·(L.S.) ..