A Marker or Place-finder for Note, Pocket, and other Books.
Year: 1890

page_text: .Date of Application, 26th Nov., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 30th Dec., 1890-Accepted, 21st Feb., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A Marker or Place-finder for Note, Pocket, and other Books.
I, ALFRED AUGUSTUS WOODWARD, of Edgbaston Road, Moseley, near the
City of Birmingham, Manager of Works, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object, an automatic place finder in a note memorandum,
or other book, and consists in the employment of a marker, at the summit or upper
end of a pencil, which serves to indicate the last page written upon, as a person
closing the book after writing, inserts the pencil in its assigned position, and the
marker at the termination of it, passes between the pages then open.
In carrying out my invention in connection with a pocket or memorandum book,
I provide the said book with a case or sheath at the binding part, or running down
the back, and wherein the pencil is placed, point downwards, when the same is out
of use.
The extreme upper end of this pencil, or pencil case, is terminated by a narrow
hook, with the end and tip part, directed downwards, and in the same plane as the
axis of the pencil or case itself.
The said end is preferably made about a quarter to half an inch long, so as to
take properly between the leaves of the book at any position.
When in use, the pencil lies within its case rear of the binding part of the
book, and admits of freely turning therein, so that the depending tip or end part,
can be directed (by turning the pencil) to any page required.
Thus after a person has written on a certain page, he places the pencil in its
assigned position, and at the same time, the marker naturally falls into position
between the leaves opened; the user then closes the book, which when again
required, opens automatically at the last page written upon, by the marker being
itself the place finder.
Instead of the marker being carried by a pencil, it may be carried at the summit
of a peg or stalk placed and turning at the back of, or within the binding of the
book, and so arranged that the marker admits of being slightly raised or lowered,
for placing the same into, or taking it out of, position.
Or the said marker may be provided with a coiled spring, which draws it inwardly
to the page opened.
As a further modification, the leg of the marker may be made in the form of
two depending flat springs, which normally assume an opened out position, but
when the book is closed, they lie flat against each other, in manner so as not to
interfere with the proper closing of the leaves of the book.
Thus, on pressure being relieved from the sides of a book, the place finder
which is in the form of a marker, opens out the spring branches, and forces the
adjacent leaves apart at that part, thus the opening of the book where it
is wanted.
Dated this 25th day of November 1890.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A Marker or Place-finder for Note, Pocket, and other Books.
I, ALFRED AUGUSTUS WOODWARD, of Edgbaston Road, Moseley, near the
City of Birmingham, Manager of Works, 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 :-
This invention has for its object, an automatic place finding marker, for note,
memorandum, or other books, and consists in the employment of a depending hook-
shaped leg, at the summit or upper end of a pencil or carrier stem, and which leg,
when placed in position between the leaves of a book, indicates the place to be
found, or the last place written upon.
In carrying out my invention in connection with a pocket or memorandum book,
I provide the back of the said book, with a longitudinal recess, case or sheath,
wherein the pencil, or marker-carrier, is placed.
The extreme upper end of this pencil or carrier, is terminated by a depending
hook shaped leg, adapted when marking, to come between the leaves of a book, and
when no pressure is exerted upon the sides of the same, the leaves thereof are auto-
matically separated or opened out.
As the pencil, or stem, can freely turn within the back of the book, as aforesaid,
the marker can be directed or inclined to any page, as may be required.
As a modification, the marker may be made in the form of a flat and curved
ended spring, or springs, arranged to lie flat when a book is closed and held, and to
automatically open out, when pressure from the sides of the said book is relieved,
hence a spring place finder.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings, represents in side elevation, a memo-
randum book, provided with an automatic place finding marker, made according to
my invention; and which marker consists essentially of a rigid leg, depending hook-
wise from the summit of a pencil, or stem, placed at, or within, the back of the
said book.
Figure 2 represents a top side plan of Figure 1, with the book closed, and the leg
of the marker, inserted between the pages.
Figure 3 represents a top side plan, alike unto Figure 1, with the marker finding
the last place written in, or the place where the leg of the marker was inserted for
reference.
Figure 4 represents a side view of the said marker, and
Figure 5 a front view of the same.
In the marker, a is the stem of a pencil, with the point a², and its summit or
upper end provided with a marker a³, consisting of a rigid and depending leg a¹,
shaped hook-wise, and adapted to be placed between the leaves of a book, either for
reference, or to indicate the last page written upon.
The said combined pencil and marker, is placed within the back of a book, or
between the back of the cover of the book, and its back.
bare the flaps of the book or cover, 2 the back part thereof, and 63 the
divisional space between the back of the cover b, and the back of the book c, and
wherein the pencil, or stem of the pencil, is placed, by a downward and sliding
movement.
To mark a place, either for future reference, or to indicate the last page written
upon, insert the pencil within the back of the book, and place the depending leg, in
the place to be marked, as represented in Figure 1, then close the book, by applying
ordinary closing pressure to the sides of the cover.
To find the place marked, relieve pressure from the outside covers, when the book
automatically opens, at the place where the depending leg was inserted, as shown at
Figure 3.
Figure 6 represents a side elevation of a book, provided with a rear casing,

page_text: wherein the combined pencil and marker is inserted, instead of the same being
placed between the extreme back of the cover, and the back of the book.
Figure 7 represents a top side plan of Figure 6, showing the marker finding the
place.
Figure 8 represents another way in which my invention may be applied. The
pencil or stem is in this case, the marker, while the depending or hook shaped leg,
is inserted within the back of the book, and thereby keeps the lead or stem between
the
pages, and in its marking position.
Figure 9 represents partly in elevation, and partly in section, another form of my
invention, which consists of a stem or stalk, taking within the back of the book,
and with its summit provided with a hook shaped marker, while the stem is
retained, or kept in its assigned position, by an elastic or spring, connected to its
lower end.
a is a stem or stalk, a² is an eye, and d is a length of elastic passing through the
said eye, and attached at its extremities by sewing or otherwise, to the back of the
book. a³ is a marker, at the top of the stem a, and at the leg of the said
marker.
To mark a place, pull out the stem, to a height sufficient for the leg a¹ to be clear
of the pages, then by opening the book in the place required, and liberating the
marker, the same automatically places itself in position, as represented in
Figure 9.
Besides the stem a being capable of rising and falling by the extension and
contraction of the elastic d, it is also capable of a partial rotation, so as to admit of
the leg taking an angle for its insertion in any page.
Figure 10 represents a modified form of the arrangement Figure 9. In this
arrangement the stem is fixed at or within the back of a book, so that the marker
remains stationary; and in marking a place, the top edges of the leaves of a book,
are successively passed under the depending leg, and there held, or the place marked,
by the said leg coming between the pages.
a is the fixed stem, affixed within the back, or the back binding of a book, a³ the
fixed marker, and a the depending leg of the same.
Figure 11 represents a book, provided with a marker, arranged according to
another form of my invention. The pencil, to one end of which the marker is
attached, comes upon the top of the book, and slides within a sheath or case made to
receive it.
The marker consists of a cranked leg or arm.
a is a pencil or pencil case, a³ the marker, consisting of a cranked leg or arm
secured to the stem end of the pencil, and when in position, comes between the
pages of a book, hence a place marker or finder. The book is marked b, and
the sheath or case coming upon the top of it, for holding the pencil, is
marked b².
Figure 12 represents an edge view of Figure 11, showing the marker in position
between the pages of a book.
Figure 13 represents in side elevation, and Figure 14 in cross section, a further
form of my invention.
In this arrangement, the marker is secured to the side of a book, and remains
stationary with it, so that in marking a place by the depending leg, which hangs
below the top edges of the leaves, the said leaves are passed under, and at the back
or front of it, and there retained.
b is the sides of the book, a³ the marker, a' the depending leg of the same (see
Figure 14), and as, an attachment and carrying plate, for the securing of the same to
the book, by sewing or otherwise.
Figure 15 represents a book (closed) provided with an automatic opening marker,
or place finder, constructed according to another form of my invention. The leg of
the said marker in this arrangement, consists of two flat and outwardly curve-ended
springs, which when the book is closed, and retained so by gentle pressure (as in
Figure 15) the said springs straighten out, and lie flat one with another as shown,

page_text: but immediately the said pressure is relieved from a side or sides of the book or
cover, the curved ends resume their normal figure, and by so doing, separate the
leaves of the book at the place marked, as represented at Figure 16, hence an
automatic place marker or place finder.
It will be understood, that the spring marker as aforesaid, is carried or secured
to the end of a pencil, stem or stalk, as in the preceding figures, or may be attached
to, or carried by, the back or side of the book.
a is the pencil, stem or stalk, and a³ the marker, consisting of two hook shape
depending flat springs a, with their ends turned outwards, or away from each
other.
Figure 17 is a modification of the spring arrangement, Figures 15 and 16. In
this form of my invention, a single flat spring (with curved end) only is employed,
and like unto the last described arrangement, the finding of a place is performed by
the spring resuming its normal figure after the closing of the book, and after pressure
has been released from the sides of the said book.
a is the pencil, stem or stalk, a³ the marker, and at the depending spring leg,
which straightens itself in obedience to the pressure exerted upon it, on the closing
of a book, and curves itself in manner as aforesaid.
Figure 18 represents a orked spring marker, alike unto Figures 15 and 16, but
made of wire, and the branches opened out, by the coiling of the middle part of the
wire into a spring.
Figure 19 is a top side plan of the same, when in use, with a book.
a is the pencil, stem or stalk, a³ the marker, a' the legs, or depending spring
branches of the same, and as the spring coil.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
First: A marker, or an automatic place finder, for pocket, memorandum, and
other books, consisting of a leg, depending leg, hook or crank shaped branch,
directed from, or from an end of, a pencil, pencil case, stem, stalk, or equivalents,
and when in use, coming between the pages or leaves of a book, substantially as
described and set forth in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 11 and 12 inclusive.
Secondly-A marker, or an automatic place finder, for pocket, memorandum,
and other books, consisting of a hook or crank shaped leg, directed from, or
carried by the end of a stem, provided with a spring attachment, whereby the
marker or place finder is retained in position, as set forth in Figure 9.
Thirdly Providing pocket, memorandum, and other books, with permanent
markers or place finders, consisting of a hook branch or leg, secured to the back or
side of a book, as described and set forth in Figures 10, 13, and 14.
Fourthly: A marker, or an automatic place finder, for pocket, memorandum,
and other books, consisting of a spring leg or legs, depending spring leg or legs, or
hook or crank shaped spring branch or branches, directed from, or carried at an end
of, a pencil, pencil case, stem, stalk or equivalents, substantially as described and
set forth in Figures 15, 16, 17 and 18.
:
Fifthly Providing pocket, memorandum, and other books, with a spring
marker, consisting of a spring arm or arms, which automatically separates the
leaves of a book, where marked, on pressure being relieved from the sides thereof,
hence a place-finding-marker, as set forth in Figures 15 to 18 inclusive.
Dated this 29th day of December 1890.
ALFRED AUGUSTUS WOODWARD.
By Henry Skerrett,
6, Livery Street, Birmingham, Agent for Applicant.
ALFRED AUGUSTUS WOODWARD.
By Henry Skerrett,
6, Livery Street, Birmingham, Agent for Applicant.