Improvement in Mirrors.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 27th July, 1899-Accepted, 16th Sept., 1899
Improvement in Mirrors.
I, DONALD MORRISON CARTER, of 1410, Marquette Building, Chicago, County of
Cook and State of Illinois, United States of America, Lawyer, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:
My invention relates to mirrors and has for its object to provide a new and
improved mirror of which the following is a description, reference being had to
the accompanying drawings, wherein
Figure 1 is a plan view of the mirror;
Figure 2 shows the mirror held up to the light;
Figure 3 is a section on line 3-3, Figure 1;
Figure 4 is a view of the design plate associated with the mirror;
Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 1;
Figure 6 is a view showing the design plate used as an advertisement;
Figure 7 shows a modified construction;
Figure 8 is a view of the reverse side of Figure 7;
Figure 9 is a view of the design plate used with the device shown in Figure 7;
Figure 10 is a section on line 10-10, Figure 7;
Figure 11 is a view of the device shown in Figure 7 when held up to the light;
Figure 12 shows a modified construction similar to Figure 1;
Figure 13 is a section on line 13-13, Figure 12.
Like letters refer to like parts throughout the several figures.
I have illustrated in the drawings a simple construction embodying my inven-
tion so as to make its application clear.
Referring now to Figures 1 to 6 inclusive, I provide a plate A of transparent
material, preferably glass, provided with a mirror surface A¹ and held in a suit-
able frame A2 of any desired construction. Back of the mirror plate, I provide
a design plate B carrying some suitable design. This design may be of any
desired character, such for example as a picture or words or figures or advertising
matter or a combination of various devices, and I do not limit myself in any
manner to the material or thing or descriptive matter composing this design. The
design plate is also held in position in the frame A3. In the construction shown
in Figures 1 to 6 inclusive I provide a second mirror plate A³, having the mirror
surface A, the design plate being placed between the two mirror plates. It is
of course evident that one of these mirror plates may be omitted if desired and I
do not limit myself to the use of two such plates. When these several parts
are assembled, the device when acting by reflected light appears to be nothing
but an ordinary mirror, the design being concealed. When the device is held
up to the light so as to act by transmitted light, the design is brought into view

page_text: may
and can thus be clearly seen. When using my device as an advertising medium,
it may be desirable to place something upon the mirror plate which will be
exposed to view when the device is not acting by transmitted light, indicating
that the device is other than a simple mirror. For example, I may place upon
one of the mirror plates some such words as "Look through the glass," as shown
for example in Figure 5, for without some such indication few people would
know that the device was anything else than a mirror. As before stated,
place upon the design plate any suitable advertising matter, which may consist
of pictures or designs or may simply consist of reading matter, as shown for
example in Figure 6. The design plate B may be made of any suitable material,
as for example glass or thin paper, through which light passes, or mica or any
other suitable material, the only condition being that it is able to transmit light.
The design may be placed upon this plate in any suitable manner and I do not
limit myself to any particular method of producing this design. In
using the word design," I do not limit it to any technical
meaning, but intend by this word to cover any matter or thing
which may be placed upon this design plate or otherwise associated with
the mirror. I have described my device as having a separate plate upon which
the design is placed, but it is of course evident that this design may be placed
directly on the back of the mirror surface of the mirrored plate, thereby obviat-
ing the use of an intermediate or additional plate.
66
In Figures 7 to 11 inclusive, have shown a modified construction, wherein I
use but one mirrored plate and a design plate, the other side of the device con-
sisting of a plate C of some material adapted to transmit light. As herein
shown, the plate C, while transmitting light, is also adapted to allow a memo-
randum to be written thereon and easily erased therefrom. Any suitable material
may be used to form the plate C, such for example as celluloid, ground glass,
and the like. At the top of the mirror plate I provide an advertising space, as
shown, for a permanent advertisement. The plate C may also be provided with
this advertising space. This construction is particularly adapted for business
advertising and may be made up and given away to the customers of the adver-
tising firms. The design is normally concealed from view, but becomes apparent
as shown in Figure 11 when the device is held up to the light. The memorandum
plate is very useful and the concealed image or design makes the device interest-
ing and gives it value, even though the design itself consists of advertising
matter. The advertising space permits proper advertising without confining the
design to advertising matter.
In Figures 7 to 13 inclusive, I have shown the several plates as separated from
each other by means of cushions or washers D, so that small intervening air spaces
are provided. These washers may be of any suitable description and are prefer-
ably made so as to extend around the edges of the plates and thus not obstruct or
interfere with the view through the device when held up to the light. Instead
of having continuous washers, I may simply provide small pieces of material for
this purpose.
These washers prevent the mirrors from rubbing against the design
plate or against the backing of whatsoever nature and thus prevent injury to the
parts.
The mirror to be used in connection with my device may be made in any desired
manner. For example, a suitable mirror may be made by omitting the heavy
opaque backing usually applied to mirrors and using in its place some transparent
protecting coating, as for example shellac or the like. It is of course evident
that any suitable mirror surface may be used which will allow the design to be
seen when the mirror is held up to the light, and I do not limit myself to the
manner in which this mirror is made or to the particular construction thereof.
Neither do I limit myself to the form or arrangement of the parts herein shown
or to the use herein described, as the invention may be applied to hand mirrors
of all descriptions and to a great variety of decorative devices. Such applica-
tions will readily suggest themselves to those versed in the art.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. The mirror herein shown and described.
2. An article of manufacture, comprising a mirror plate and a design plate
associated together, the device constituting a mirror when acting by reflected
light, the design being brought into view when the device is acting by trans-
mitted light, as herein shown and described.
3. A mirror, comprising two mirror plates placed back to back and a design
plate between then carrying some suitable design, the mirror plates acting as
mirrors when viewed by reflected light, but adapted to permit the design to be
seen when viewed by transmitted light, substantially as herein shown and
described.
4. A mirror, comprising a mirror plate and a design plate associated together,
a suitable backing plate adapted to transmit light associated with the mirror plate,
intervening separating devices or washers between the plates so as to slightly
separate them and prevent injury to the mirror plate, the device constituting a
mirror when acting by reflected light, the design being brought into view when
the device is acting by transmitted light, as herein shown and described.
5. An advertising device, consisting of a mirror plate and a design associated
together, a memorandum plate associated with the mirror plate and adapted to
transmit light, the device constituting a mirror when acting by reflected light,
the design being brought into view when the device is acting by transmitted
light, all as herein shown and described.
6. The hand mirror herein shown and described adapted to both reflect and
transmit light and a design associated therewith, concealed when the device acts
as a mirror, but adapted to be brought into view by moving the mirror between
the eye of the observer and the source of light.
Dated this 26th day of July 1899
CRUIKSHANK & FAIRWEATHER,
Chartered Patent Agents, 62, Saint Vincent Street, Glasgow,
Agents for the Aplicant.