Im- PROVEMENTS IN LOCKETS AND OTHER ARTICLES FOR THE RECEPTION OF PORTRAITS, INSCRIPTIONS, OR DEVICES.
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edmund Barker, of No. 172, New Bond Street,
in the County of Middlesex, Designer, for the Invention of “Im-
PROVEMENTS IN LOCKETS AND OTHER ARTICLES FOR THE RECEPTION OF
PORTRAITS, INSCRIPTIONS, OR DEVICES.".
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edmund Barker at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
24th November 1870.
I, EDMUND BARKER, of Number 172, New Bond Street, in the County
of Middlesex, Designer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCKETS AND OTHER ARTICLES FOR THE RECEPTION
OF PORTRAITS, INSCRIPTIONS, OR DEVICES," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists in placing and adjusting within the box or
locket proper several flat pieces or plates, which said flat pieces or plates

page_text: I term slides, and I so shape each of these slides as to make it suitable
crest,
to receive either a portrait, inscription, monogram, coat of arms,
or other device. Outside the box or locket proper I provide a knob,
catch, or handle, by the movement of which I cause, by the means
herein-after described, the said slides to simultaneously protrude through t
the edge of the locket and to take up radial positions around a centre
situated within the box or locket proper: The several slides aforesaid
are thereby partially exposed to view and exhibit around the locket the
portraits or devices which may be placed upon them.
I so contrive the mechanism in connexion with the before-mentioned
slides that by a reverse action of the aforesaid external knob, catch, or
handle the said slides are replaced into the interior of the locket proper
or box.
Having explained the nature of my Invention I will proceed to
describe the manner in which the same is performed.
I make a box of an oval, round, or other ordinary locket form, but I
fix and secure the front and back, and I make an aperture in the edge
or annular part of the box. Inside the box I place and adjust as many
slides as there are portraits or devices intended to be enclosed by the
said box. I connect these several slides together at one end by passing
a pin through them, which serves as a hinge or axis upon which they
can move. I also fix and adjust a spring or springs, which tends to
keep the slides seperated from one another radially round the said pin as
a centre. To one of the slides I fix a knob, catch, or handle, which at
all times protrudes through the before-mentioned aperture. Thus by
pulling the knob or catch the several slides are withdrawn through the
aperture, and being thereby released from their confined position within
the box are by the action of the spring or springs made to seperate
radially around the aforesaid pin as a centre, and exhibit around the
locket the portraits or devices that may be upon the slides. I make
the ends of the aforesaid pin slide in grooves made on the inner
surfaces of the front and back of the box, which grooves are but
sufficiently long to allow of the slides being drawn out to their proper
extent. By pushing the knob aforesaid the slides are forced into the
box, and at the same time they assume a compact position.
Other equivalent means to those herein-before described may be
employed to cause, by the action of an external knob, catch, or handle,

page_text: the slides to radiate simultaneously around the locket through an
aperture or apertures in the edge thereof.
The features of novelty which constitute my Invention may also be
applied to brooches, bracelets, and to other articles of jewelry, and also
may be applied to miniature frames.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Edmund Barker in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 24th May 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDMUND
BARKER, of Number 172, New Bond Street, in the County of Middlesex,
Designer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of November, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-
fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Edmund Barker, Her special licence
that I, the said Edmund Barker, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Edmund Barker, my executors,
administrators, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN LOCKETS
AND OTHER ARTICLES FOR THE RECEPTION OF PORTRAITS, INSCRIPTIONS, OR
DEVICES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Edmund
Barker, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed
in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Edmund Barker, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to

page_text: be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement:-
My Invention consists in placing and adjusting within the box, case,
or locket proper several flat pieces or plates which said flat pieces or
plates I term slides, and I so shape each of these slides as to make it
suitable to receive either a portrait, inscription, monogram, coat of arms,
crest, or other device. Outside the box, case, or locket proper I provide
a knob, catch, or handle, by the movement of which I cause, by the
means herein-after described, the said slides, simultaneously or in
succession, to protrude through the edge of the locket and to take up
radial positions around a centre or centres situated within the box, case,
or locket proper. The outer ends or portions of the several slides aro
thereby exposed to view and exhibit around the locket case the
portraits or devices placed upon them or within the frames of the
slides.
I so arrange the mechanism in connection with the before-mentioned
slides that by a reverse action of the external knob, catch, or handle
the slides are replaced or pressed back into the interior of the locket
proper, box, or case.
I make the box or case for a locket, say, of an oval, round, or other
suitable form, but instead of jointing or hinging the front cover to the
case or frame, or both the back and front covers together or to the frame,
I fit and secure together the front and back and I make an aperture
in the edge or surrounding rim or frame of the case or locket proper.
Inside the case I place, fit, and adjust in the manner herein-after
described, as many as may be convenient of the slides or sliding frames
for receiving in the face thereof portraits or devices intended to be
enclosed by the said box. I connect these several slides together at
or near to the inner end thereof either by passing a pin through them
which serves as a pivot or axis to cach, upon which they can move, or
by any mechanically equivalent means I join and connect them together.
I also in some cases fix and adjust a spring or springs for the purpose
of keeping the slides separated from one another. To one of the slides
I fix a knob, catch piece, or handle, which may either project without
the box, case, or locket proper, or I may cause the slide to enter the
case and be flush therewith by employing the finger nail to withdraw it.
Thus upon pulling the knob or catch piece the several slides are with-
'

page_text: drawn from the aperture or apertures, and being thereby released from
their confined position within the box or case are by the action of
the spring or springs made to separate radially or fan like and exhibit
around the edge of the locket the portraits or devices that may be
placed upon or within the slides or their frames. Where I employ stud
pins I either make the ends of the pins slide in grooves made on the
inner surfaces of the front and back of the box or in plates fitted therein,
which grooves are only sufficiently long to allow of the slides being
drawn out to their proper extent, or I employ rods, links, or lever arms
for connecting the moving parts. By pushing the knob of one of the
slides they are all forced into the box, and at the same time they assume
a compact position.
Other mechanically equivalent means to those herein-before described
may be employed to cause theo slides to radiate simultaneously or in
succession fan like around the locket through an aperture or apertures
in the edge thereof.
My Invention is not limited in its application to lockets, broochts,
bracelets, and to other like or similar articles of jewelery, but it may
also be applied to miniature frames and such like articles.
In the accompanying Sheet of Drawings I have shown several
arrangements and modifications of the internal mechanism for operating
the slides.
Figure 1 is an exterior view of an oval locket; Figure 2 exhibits
three slides for containing portraits as they appear when withdrawn ;
Figure 3 is a horizontal section of Figure 2 showing the interior of the
locket case and the mode in which the three slides are combined and
fitted and work together, and are caused to expand when, by means of
the knob, they are drawn out. The coil spring contained within thie
spring box on one of the slides and surrounding the common axis or
pivot causes the slides to remain firm when they are withdrawn.
Figure 4 is a vertical section of Figure 2 showing the positions of the
several slides and the interior arrangements of the locket; Figures 5, 6, 7,
and 8 are details or detached. views of the three slides and the coil
spring; Figure 9 is a sectional plan of a locket, in which there are also
three slides, as in Figures 1, 2, &c., but they are of a different shape,
and instead of a coil spring a flat bow spring is employed; Figure 10
is a vertical section of a locket; and Figures 11, 12, 13, and 14 are

page_text: details of the slides, Figure 11 being the central slide, and Figure 14
is a section through Figure 11.
Figure 15 is a sectional plan of a locket in which the slides are of
a somewhat different shape, and the two outside slides are operated
through two pins or centres of motion or movement, by reason of the
relation of the three grooves or slots within the cases of the locket, as
shewn in Figures 15 and 20; Figure 16 is a vertical section of the
locket illustrated in Figure 15; Figures 17, 18, and 19 are details of
the three slides and shew the manner in which they are centred and
operated, the central slide having a flat stud or steady piece in addition
to the common pin or stud for working in the vertical slot; Figure 20
shews the interior of the cover and the slots or grooves with the slides
removed; Figure 21 is a sectional plan view of an oval locket, similar
to the former (Figures 1, 9, and 15) in which there is a central slot,
but instead of two curved slots, as in Figure 15, radial links are sub-
stituted. These links work, at one end upon pins within the locket
case, the other end of each link being fitted upon a pin or stud
projecting from the face of the side slides (Figures 23 and 25);
Figure 22 is a vertical section (as before); Figures 23, 24, and 25 are
details of the slides and links, Figure 24 being the central slide.
Figure 26 is a sectional plan view of a circular locket having a
central slot, as before, but with links differently formed and connected,
as shewn more clearly in Figure 28, and by reference to the dotted lines
in Figures 26 and 28 respectively the position and action of the links
or lever arms and the slides will be readily understood; Figure 27 is
a vertical section (as before), and Figure 28 shews the reverse cover
of the locket case, Figure 26, with recesses sunk to receive the two
links or lover arms, which in this case are mounted behind or beneath
the slides.
Figure 29 exhibits an application of my Invention to a miniature
frame in which there are five slides. The positions of the slides in
relation to the central slot are shewn by dotted lines, and the five slides
are shewn as withdrawn upwards or from the upper edge of the
miniature frame through five openings, as shewn in Figures 30 and 31.
The central slide may be in advance and the others in the rear, or
vicê versa; Figure 30 is an exterior edge or side view of Figure 29,
and Figure 31 is a sectional plan view of the case or back portion of

page_text: Figure 29 for receiving and containing the five slides, which are all
centred together at one end on a common pin or stud sliding within
the case, and the five flat springs shewn in this view press upon their
respective studs, and when the slides are drawn out the springs keep
them expanded or extended fan-like. The upper edge of the case is
shewn as being divided into five small openings for the passage of the
slides, but these may be variously arranged and disposed.
I have not added to the several Figures in the accompanying Sheet
of Drawings any letters of reference for the purpose of distinguishing.
the several parts of the apparatus according to my Invention, or the
details of the mechanism or internal arrangements of the several
illustrations, as the respective parts and their connection with and
action upon each other can be readily understood without them, and I
have therefore preferred to shew several views of each modification
together with details relating thereto in detached Figures of such
internal working or moving parts.
Having now described my Invention of improvements in lockets
and other articles for the reception of portraits, inscriptions, or devices,
I wish it to be understood that although in the accompanying Drawings
I have shown several forms of lockets and a miniature frame and six
modifications of the mechanical arrangements for effecting the purpose
of connecting together and regulating the movement of the several slides,
I do not propose to limit myself to the number of slides therein shewn
nor to the precise form of the slots or grooves or of the levers and
springs shewn in the accompanying Drawings, as other variations in
the forms of the slides and in their numbers, as well as other mechan-
ically equivalent forms and arrangements of levers and springs, may be
substituted for the purpose of putting my Invention into practice, but
what I claim is,-
First. The improvements in lockets and other articles for the reception
of portraits, inscriptions, or devices, as hercin-before described.
Second. The modes or methods herein described and illustrated
whereby any desired number of portraits or devices may be enclosed
within a locket or other similar article that they may be simultaneously
5 withdrawn therefrom and exhibited in a radial or fan-like form and bo
replaced at pleasure.

page_text: Third. The application of the mechanical contrivances herein-before
described and illustrated in the accompanying Sheet of Drawings to
brooches, bracelets, and other similar articles of jewellery for personal
ornaments, and also to miniature frames and such like articles.
In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal, this
Twenty-third day of May One thousand eight hundred and
seventy-one.
Witness,
EDMUND BARKER. (L.S.).
HENRY HERBERT MONTAGUE SMITH..