IM- PROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF MODELS OF THE HUMAN AND OTHER FIGURES, TO BE USED AS TOYS, FOR TUITION, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Anton Benda, of 79, Basinghall Street, in the
City of London, Importer of Foreign Goods, for the Invention of "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF MODELS OF THE HUMAN AND OTHER
FIGURES, TO BE USED AS TOYS, FOR TUITION, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES."-
A communication.
Sealed the 12th April 1859, and dated the 13th October 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Anton Benda at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
18th October 1858.
I, ANTON BENDA, of 79, Basinghall Street, in the City of London, Importer
of Foreign Goods, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF MODELS OF THE HUMAN AND OTHER FIGURES,
TO BE USED AS TOYS, FOR TUITION, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES," (communicated
to me by a foreigner residing abroad,) to be as follows:-
My Invention consists in constructing models of the human and other
figures by forming the limbs or other parts of the same separately, and
combining them by means of india-rubber, or other elastic strings or cords
(which I prefer placing in the interior of the figures). Models constructed
in this manner are susceptible of being placed in various attitudes and
positions, and may be used for toys, for tuition, for artistic composition, and
for various other purposes.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Anton Benda in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 13th
April 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ANTON
BENDA, of 79, Basinghall Street, in the City of London, Importer of Foreign
Goods, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of October, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-second year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Anton Benda, Her special licence that I, the said Anton Benda, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Anton Benda, 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 THE MANUFACTURE OF MODELS
OF THE HUMAN AND OTHER FIGURES, TO BE USED AS TOYS, FOR TUITION, AND FOR
OTHER PURPOSES," (a communication from a foreigner residing abroad,) upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Anton Benda, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my or their, or one of their
bands 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 Anton Benda, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following state-
ment thereof, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, that is
to say :-
My Invention consists in constructing models of the human and other
figures by forming the limbs and other parts of the same separately, and
combining them by means of india-rubber or other elastic strings or cords
(which I prefer placing in the interior of the figures). Models constructed in
this manner are susceptible of being placed in various attitudes and positions,
and may be used for toys, for tuition, for artistic composition, "and for various
other purposes.
Figures 1 and 2 are representations of figures constructed according to this

page_text: Invention. The limbs A, A, and B, B, and body C, are formed in separate
pieces, holes are pierced or otherwise made through the upper parts of the
limbs and body, at a and b. The limbs are secured to the body and held
together by india-rubber or other elastic cords, passed through the holes
therein, and secured by knots, cement, by a wedge, or other suitable means.
The clasticity of the cord allows of the limbs being turned and placed in a
variety of positions, while the fastening afforded by the cord is sufficiently
strong to cause the position in which the limbs are placed to be retained. I
sometimes attach the head to the trunk by an elastic cord, which allows of the
head as well as the limbs being moved. In like manner in models of animals
having tails, I secure the tail to the body by an elastic cord, and where
desired, I unite the parts of the limbs to cach other by elastic cords, in a
manner similar to that before described, to allow of every joint being bent into
various positions, in order to obtain a correct model or representation of the
figure to be represented.
I have described the uniting of the parts as being effected by elastic strings
or cords, but they may be united and attached by means of wire or catgut.
though I consider the best and most lasting effects are obtained by the clastic
strings or cords; the wire or gut will be applied in the same manner as the
elastic strings.
And having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim,-
First, constructing models of the human and other figures, by forming the
limbs and other parts of the same separately, and in uniting and combining
them by means of elastic strings or cords.
And, second, I claim the uniting and combining the parts of such figures by
means of wire or catgut.
In witness whereof, I, the said Anton Benda, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of April, One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-nine.
ANTON BENDA. (L.S.)