IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF OBTAINING PUBLICITY AND AFFORDING INFORMATION OR AMUSETM MENT
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MODE OF OBTAINING PUBLICITY AND AFFORDING INFORMATION OR AMUSE™
MENT." A communication from abroad by Paul Baudet, Watchmaker,
of 29, Boulevart St. Martin, Paris.
Sealed the 21st April 1868, and dated the 25th October 1867.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Alexander Melville Clark
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and
Declaration, on the 25th October 1867, pursuant to the 9th Section of
the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALEXANDER
MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, send
greeting.
WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MODE OF OBTAINING PUBLICITY AND AFFORDING INFORMATION OR AMUSEMENT,"
and have petitioned Her Majesty to grant unto me, my executors, adminis-
trators and assigns, Her Royal Letters Patent for the same, and have made
solemn Declaration that it has been communicated to me from abroad by
Paul Baudet, Watchmaker, of 29, Boulevart St. Martin, Paris.
P87

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, do hereby
declare that the following Complete Specification, under my hand and seal,
fully describes and ascertains the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, in and by the following statement
(that is to say)
:-
This Invention relates to a novel and attractive addition to be made to
skeins, balls, or reels of all kinds of threads used for sewing, embroidery,
crochet, and all the various purposes to which they are applied. In a
similar manner I apply the same attractive addition to the wrappers, cards,
or cases containing buttons and other articles used for trimmings and
such like, which addition constitutes a new product.
Hitherto the balls, skeins, or reels above mentioned have failed to present
any intelectual attraction to their purchasers, which it is the object of this
Invention to provide by introducing in said skeins or reels of thread, silk,
cotton, wool, and in the other articles above mentioned, small sheets or slips of
paper on which I print or lithograph either plain or colored advertisements of
all kiuds, biblical and moral texts, verses, mottos, rebuses, fashion plates,
charades, songs, pictures of historical personages, views, and generally any
printed information that may serve to attract, instruct, or interest the pur-
chaser. These printed sheets when suitably folded serve either as a foundation
or wrapper, or may be rolled up inside the skein, reel, or ball, or otherwise
disposed according to the form and nature of the articles. I also reserve the
right of modifying or improving tools or producing tools suitable for intro-
ducing the printed sheets either previous at the time of or after the balls,
skeins, or reels of silk, cotton, wool, or other thread are made up. I designate
the balls, skeins, reels, or other articles according to the nature of the adver-
tisements, notices, mottos, or maxims belonging thereto, one reel of a series
having a premium picture or illustration attached, while I also reserve the
right of applying this Invention to the bands or covering papers or boxes
enclosing or containing the balls, skeins, or reels of cotton, silk, wool, thread,
or cord used for the various purposes to which they are applicable. All the
above products have hitherto been designed and indicated by denominations,
initials, or figures applied to the same. My designation relates neither to the
product nor to its quality, but specially to the nature of the attractions offered
to the worker while using the reel or ball or afterwards, which is still more
useful when applied for the purpose of advertising. Thus I may use papers
of different colors for distinguishing skeins, reels, or balls, and other articles
and designate them "maxim" reels or balls, " motto "reels and so on. In
this mauner a box containing one, two, or three dozens of balls.or skeins may

page_text: contain one, two, three, four different mottos, maxims, views, portraits,
or other kinds of illustrations.
Having described the nature of this Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the improved mode herein
described of obtaining publicity or affording information and amusement in
connection with the articles relating to the trimming trade before enumerated.
In witness whereof, I the said Alexander Melville Clark, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of October,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-
seven
A. M. CLARK. (L.S.)