AN IMPROVED METHOD OF INDICATING PLACES, DIVISIONS, OR CONTENTS IN DIRECTORIES
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward John Montagu Archdeacon, of Gravel
Lane, in the Borough of Southwark, for the Invention of "AN
IMPROVED METHOD OF INDICATING PLACES, DIVISIONS, OR CONTENTS IN
DIRECTORIES."
Lane, in the Borough of Southwark, for the Invention of "AN
IMPROVED METHOD OF INDICATING PLACES, DIVISIONS, OR CONTENTS IN
DIRECTORIES."
Sealed the 21st April 1854, and dated the 24th October 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward John
Montagu Archdeacon at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents, with his Petition, on the 24th October 1853.
I, EDWARD JOHN MONTAGU ARCHDEACON, of Gravel Lane, in the
Borough of Southwark, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF INDICATING PLACES, DIVISIONS, OR
CONTENTS IN DIRECTORIES" to be as follows:-
My Invention consists of the application of improvements to direc-
tories, so that the book may be opened at the particular portion of the
contents desired to be referred to without the trouble of looking at the
table of contents. This is accomplished in the following manner :-The
first and last pages of the different divisions of the book are left blank,

page_text: and between them is placed a slip of leather, leaving a loop projecting
beyond the edge of the pages, which are then pasted or otherwise
secured together. A slip of wood is placed within the loop and glued
to the leather. Either upon the stud thus made or on the edges of the
leaves is printed or embossed the names of the divisions of the directory,
as "court," "legal," "commercial," "trades," &c., so that the work may
be opened at the part desired without trouble or loss of time. This
improvement has never been used for directories or other books in the
manner above described.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Edward John Montagu Archdeacon in the Great
Scal Patent Office on the 24th April-1854-
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
EDWARD JOHN MONTAGU ARCHDEACON, of Gravel Lane, in the Borough
of Southwark, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of October, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the
seventeenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Edward John Montagu Arch-
deacon, Her special licence that I, the said Edward John Montagu
Archdeacon, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Edward John Montagu Archdeacon, my executors, admi-
nistrators, 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 "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF
INDICATING PLACES, DIVISIONS, OR CONTENTS IN DIRECTORIES," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Edward John Montagu
Archdeacon, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Inven-

page_text: tion, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the
saine to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar
Imonths next and immediately after the date, of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Edward John Montagu Arch-
deacon, do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and in-what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained.in and by the following statement:
The object of this Invention is, to provide a ready means of turning
to. any particular portion or division of directories, which works are
usually divided into distinct parts, as the court, the legal, the com-
mercial, and trades directory, &c. There is a 'considerable loss of time
and. much trouble in turning over the leaves of such works to find the
particular information sought for, or else reference must be had to the
table of contents which from its length is equally troublesome to wade
through... By the improvements herein-after described any division of
the book may.be referred to without loss of time or uncertainty, and
this is effected by fastening a series of studs or knobs to the leaves of
the book, and in such manner as to project beyond the surface of the
.edges; these studs or knobs are lettered to indicate, the portion of the
book to which they refer, or the edges of the leaves may be lettered
opposite to each of the studs. I propose to secure the studs to the
leaves in the following manner: The last but one and last pages of
each division are to be left blank, so that when fastened together the
paging may run consecutively. To one of the blank pages of each
division is fastened a slip of leather, parchment, vellum, or, other suit-
able material; a small stud or knob of wood is then glued to the slip
of leather or parchment, and the slip turned over to form a loop, the
free end of the slip being glued down upon the part already fastened to
the paper. The other blank page is now to be pasted or otherwise
secured to the one having the stud affixed to it, by which arrangement
the stud is firmly secured to the leaves and the paging uninterrupted.
A stud fastened in like manner to the foregoing is to be attached to the
last page of every division of the directory, and the stud lettered with
the title of the succeeding portion of the book, or, if preferred, the title
5 or lettering may be printed, or otherwise impressed or marked across

page_text: the edges of the leaves, care being taken to place such marking or
lettering opposite or close to its approximate stud to avoid confusion.
When it is desired to open a directory furnished with this improved
external index it is only necessary to glance down the front edges of
the book, place the thumb upon the stud opposite the part required (as
indicated by the lettering), open the work, and the first page of the
division will present itself, the different parts of the directory may thus
be referred to with great ease and facility.
Having described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in
which the same may be carried into effect, I wish to be understood
that I do not confine myself to any particular material for making
or manner of covering the studs herein-before described, or to any
particular shape of the same, or to the particular pages to be left blank;
but what I claim as my Invention, and desire to secure by these Letters
Patent, is, the application of external studs, knobs, or projections to
directories for the purpose of indicating the contents thereof, and facili-
tating reference thereto, in the manner herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said E. J. M. Archdeacon, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, the Twenty-fourth day of October,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-
four.
MONTAGU ARCHDEACON. (L.S.)