IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BOOKS, ALBUMS, AND PORTFOLIOS FOR HOLDING AND CONTAINING PRINTS, PHOTOGRAPHS, MOUNTED DRAWINGS, SHEET MUSIC, AND, FOR OTHER LIKE PURPOSES
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Eli Sheldon Glover, of Portland, in the State of Oregon,
one of the United States of America, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BOOKS, ALBUMS, AND PORTFOLIOS FOR HOLDING AND
CONTAINING PRINTS, PHOTOGRAPHS, MOUNTED DRAWINGS, SHEET MUSIC, AND,
FOR OTHER LIKE PURPOSES."
Sealed the 19th December 1879, and dated the 23rd September 1879.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Eli Sheldon Glover at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 23rd September 1879.
ELI SHELDON GLOVER, of Portland, in the State of Oregon, one of the United
States of America. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BOOKS, ALBUMS,
AND PORTFOLIOS FOR HOLDING AND CONTAINING PRINTS, PHOTOGRAPHS, MOUNTED.
DRAWINGS, SHEET MUSIC, AND FOR OTHER LIKE PURPOSES."
My said Invention relates to a new and useful construction of books, albums,
and portfolios for holding and containing prints, photographs, mounted drawings,
sheet music, botanical specimens, and other like matter which it is desired to bind
temporarily or detachably together. It has for its object to provide a book, album,
or folio, having adjustable and detachable leaves, mats, or card-board mounts and
covers, whereby any of the leaves or parts can be separated from the rest and
removed, or other sheets, leaves, or matter can be added, introduced and bound in
place; or the order and arrangement of the parts and contents can be changed
without affecting the completeness and appearance of the book or folio itself; also
by which one or more of the leaves, sheets, or parts can be temporarily removed
and replaced without disturbing the remaining contents, and both the covers and
any one or more of the leaves or parts can be separated and detached whenever
they become torn or defaced, and the same replaced by new parts. It consists in
a book, album, or folio, having its sheets, leaves, mats, or card-board mounts united
together and held in place by binding and locking devices which are constructed
and applied in such manner that each leaf or other part is securely bound and held
in place separately from and independently of the others, and each one has the
Din C1

page_text: quality of being separately detached and removed without disturbing the others.
It consists also in the novel construction and adaptation of locking devices which
serve to bind and secure the leaves or other like parts one to another, or each one
to a flexible stub which is itself connected with and secured to the back or covers.
It consists also in the novel construction and adaptation of locking devices which
serve both as binders for holding the leaves or other parts in place, and as hinges
for such parts to turn upon. It consists also in the novel construction and appli-
cation of an extension back which permits the removing of superfluous leaves or
parts, or the addition and introduction of others without affecting the appearance
of the book or folio.
Referring to the accompanying Drawing, which illustrates the nature of my
Invention and the application of the same :-Figure 1 shows a perspective view of
a book or album with separately detachable leaves or mats and covers; Figure 2
shows a detail view of one of the sheets, leaves, or mats and the flexible stub to
which it is attached; Figure 3 shows a portion of a book in which the binding and
locking devices that hold each of the sheets or leaves in place are made to serve or
act as hinges; Figures 4, 5, 6 show enlarged detail views of the parts of the locking
and binding devices which are used with flexible or hinged stubs and also with
inflexible stubs; Figures 7, 8, and 9 are sectional views in detail showing the
construction of the "extension" back; Figure 10 shows a book or album, having
its back formed of the stubs that hold the leaves, mats, or other parts, which stubs
are themselves adjustable or detachable.
I construct a detachable and removable sheet, leaf, mat, or mount for books,
albums, or other folios by providing and combining therewith a locking or binding
device which is composed and formed of two parts or halves, one of these parts
being fastened to or formed upon the inner edge of the sheet, leaf, or other part, and
the other part being fastened to or permanently connected with the outer edge of
a stub that is secured to or forms part of the back of the book or folio, so that
when these two parts are brought into contact and engagement with each other
they shall act to securely fasten and bind the sheet or leaf to the stub, and also
allow it to be detached and removed at any time. This stub is hinged to or
flexibly connected with the back or the covers, so that the sheets or leaves can be
turned over freely. This device for attaching the parts together I make from strips
or plates of metal, as shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the Drawing, such being the
best mode of constructing a fastening that holds securely and is separated readily
without disturbing the other leaves. One part or half A is fixed to or combined
with the stub X, and the other part A¹ is fastened to and along the inner edge of
the leaf, mat, or other part composing the book; their edges a, a, are folded over
and pressed down upon the plates nearly flat and in opposite directions to each
other, one above and the other beneath, so that when the end of one part A is
brought against and in vertical line with the other part A¹ these two folds or
laps will slide one into and upon the other, and as the leaf is pressed into place
these two parts will be in contact along the length of the leaf and a lap joint will
be formed. In order to prevent the parts from slipping upon each other in handling
the book I provide stops b, b, at each end of the plate A by turning up the edges
of the plate or by fixing small strips across the ends, and the length of the edge a
of the other plate A' is made to conform to the distance between these two stops
b, b, from end to end, so that when pressed into place the plate carrying the leaf
will rest in between these two stops. To facilitate the introduction and engage-
ment of the two laps a, a¹, I cut away or remove a portion of the edge of one at c, c,
as shown at Figure 2. The edges or laps a, a, of these plates or binding devices
I also make and form of a circular instead of a flattened shape in cross section,
as shown in Figure 24, so that one part or half can turn upon the other after
the manner of a hinge. This form and application is of value for connecting
or attaching the covers or for fastening in place leaves, mats, or other parts without
using stubs, as in the binding of large mounted photographs, engravings, or

page_text: botanical specimens, and other like heavy matter where a strong and durable
fastening and hinge is required. I also form and make these plates or binding
devices with alternate tubes d and spaces upon their edges, the spaces of one
plate corresponding and engaging with the tubes of the other plate, so that when
brought together and placed in line a pin e can be inserted and passed through both
sets of tubes and securely lock them together. This last described mode of forming
the locking edges of the plates A, A', is applicable to books, albums, and other folios
of smaller and lighter make, although these several modifications are equally
applicable to books of different sizes, and either one will act equally well with the
others as a lock and binding. I also make and provide a fastening and binding
device for leaves, sheets, mats, or other parts Y, to be detachably bound together
in any desired number and which is used without stubs. This plate or fastening A²
is formed with a double set of tubes or leaves d, d², one set turned to the right and
the other to the left, and each having spaces d³ that are arranged alternately with
its line of tubes, so that when several sheets, leaves, or other parts to the edges of
which these plates A³ are fastened are brought together, the tubes of one set upon
one leaf will engage with and fill the space upon the other leaf, and a pin f, will
then act to lock and bind one to the other. Thus one set of tubes and spaces d, d³,
serve to join the leaf to the cover or the preceding leaf and the other set d², d³,
receives the following leaf, each leaf or its plate A³ having two binding pins which
are withdrawn in detaching it from the others. This plate A2 may be used
without stubs, or it may be used both for the leaves Y and the stubs, as shown in
Figure 4 of the Drawing, in the production of an album or folio in which detachable
and additional stubs are required. In such case each stub X1 is provided with one
of these plates A2, having double sets of locking tubes, and is also provided upon
its front edge with a fastening or plate A³, having a single set or row of tubes
which receive and engage with the fastening upon the edge of the sheet or leaf Y.
Instead of employing a continuous pin f of the same length as the plate, shorter
pins may be used and combined with one set of tubes d, d³, to engage with and
lock into the opposite fastening, two of these pins f',f being fixed in the plate,
and the other one, g, being a sliding and locking pin. This construction of
adjustable and detachable stubs is particularly applicable to albums or port folios,
for large and heavy mounted pictures, and specimens where it is desired to employ
additional stubs between the leaves or mats, and where it may be necessary to
remove surplus stubs or to make additions of stubs and pictures or specimens to
the collections. The covers B, B, can also be attached by any of these constructions
of fastenings, as shown at Figures 1 and 10 of the Drawing, for the purpose of
permitting the covers to be detached, and the sheets, leaves, or other contents
separated and removed therefrom, or new covers or a part thereof to be changed
and removed whenever such become soiled, broken, or defaced. Several collections
of photographs, prints, and other matter can be used with the same covers by
removing one set at any time and substituting another.
In connection and combination with these covers of adjustable and detachable
leaved books or other folios I construct and employ an "extension" back to permit
of the removal or the addition of leaves or sheets without affecting its appearance
and the entirety of the book. This back C, I construct either of a strip of suitable
material, folded or doubled. By such construction and application of a detachable
and removable binding and fastening device for the leaves and other parts of books,
albums, and other folios, I am enabled to produce such an article in which the
leaves or other parts and the covers are detachable and removable for increasing
or diminishing the size of the book, for replacing torn or defaced parts with new
parts, and for the temporary removal of one or more pictures or specimens for
exhibition. I am enabled to produce an album or portfolio for large views,
engravings, or mounted specimens in which any required number of stubs can be
used for separating the leaves, and in which the sheets or card-board mounts can
be bound directly in the book and in a position readily changeable and detachable

page_text: .
upon itself, so that it will readily expand or contract in width as may be required
of it, or else of two separate strips or pieces C¹, C', which can slide upon each other
but are confined and held together by a slot and button h, h¹, as shown in Figure 9.
In books or other folios having the hinged detachable stubs (Figure 4) or the
hinged fastenings (Figure 6), the back may be formed directly by the edges of
the fastenings themselves as in Figure 10, and the "extension" back can be dis-
pensed with. I am enabled to produce a book or album for photographs, prints,
and like matter in which the vacant sheets, mats, or mounts can be removed and
kept out to be replaced when filled, and thus the book always kept complete and
attractive in appearance with no blank leaves or sheets. By this means also I am
enabled to provide a ready binder for sheet music, periodicals, and other matter;
for these metallic plates can be readily applied and secured to the back edge of the
sheet, and in such manner secured to and bound between proper covers, the
expense and work of providing and attaching the plates thereto being but
slight.
Having thus fully described my said Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I wish it understood that I claim,-
First. An album or other book having mats, mounts, or leaves, and its covers
separately and detachably bound or fastened together, and each one of which is
independently removable without detaching or disturbing the order and arrange-
ment of the others, substantially as hereinbefore set forth.
Second. An album or other book having its mats, or mounts, or leaves separately
and detachably connected and secured to stubs between the covers thereof by a
metallic fastening, one part or half of each of which is fixed to the edge of a stub
and the other part to and along the back edge of the said mat, mount, or leaf,
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Third. In an album or other book the combination with a stub X, X', of the
hinge fastening A², consisting of the tubes d, d³, and their alternating spaces and
the locking pins f, f, and which is adapted to receive and be engaged with a like
fastening A2 provided upon the back edge of the mat, mount, or leaf, substantially
as and for the purpose set forth.
Fourth. In an album or other book the combination with a flexible or hinged
stub X', having the rigid metallic fastening plate D of the mat, mount, or leaf, and
provided with a like metallic fastening plate A upon and along its back edge,
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Fifth. A book or album for holding prints, photographs, and like matter, having
a series of hinge studs detachably connected together and to the covers of the book,
and each of which is removable independently of the other in combination with a
series of leaves, mats, or mounts, each of which has a fastening or clasp on and
along its inner edge that engages and interlocks with a like fastening provided
for it on the front edge of the stub, substantially as herein described for the purpose
set forth.
Sixth. In combination with the stub X having the double hinge fastening
plate D upon its back edge, and the folded plate A upon its front edge, the leaf,
mat, or mount Y provided with the like plate or fastening A¹ fixed to and along
its back edge, substantially as herein described for the purpose set forth.
Seventh. In combination with the cover B, B, having the hinge binding plates D
fixed to and along their inner and back edges the series of stubs X, X, having the
like hinge plate Ď upon their back edges and the locking pins e, e, when said stubs
are adapted to receive and hold a series of leaves, mats, or mounts, as herein
described and specified, by which a metallic flexible or hinged back to the covers is
provided.
Eighth. In combination with an album or other book having detachable and
adjustable mats, mounts, or leaves, an "extension back consisting of the doubled,
corrugated, or folded flexible back piece which is secured to the covers thereof, and

page_text: is adapted to be contracted or extended by the removal or the introduction of any
number of the said mats or other parts contained between the covers thereof,
substantially as herein described and specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Eli Sheldon Glover, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fourth day of September, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.
ELI SHELDON GLOVER. (L.S.)