Improvements in and in connection with Means for Exhibiting the Names of Streets, and other Topographical Information.
Year: 1896

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and in connection with Means for Exhibiting the
Names of Streets, and other Topographical Information.
We, JOHN DUTTON WRIGHT, Miller & Manufacturer of 14 Stanley Road, New
Ferry, Cheshire and JOSEPH WRIGHT, Lithographic Artist of 4 Darlington Street
Egremont, Cheshire, and FRANK WRIGHT, Journalist, of 26 Monastery Road,
Anfield, Liverpool, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The names of streets are now usually affixed to the side walls of houses
& are frequently illegible even in open day & the improvements consist in making
use of a slab of pavement either of the sidewalk or of the roadway at the corners
of crossing streets & at convenient intervals in the streets themselves, such slab
bearing literal & graphic information to the way farer by any convenient means
(impressed letters, inserted metal letters, incised carved painted or mosaic letters
& figures as may be desirable) as to the name of the main street of the side
streets, of the points of the compass, distances & direction of important centres,
railway stations, post offices, public baths, cabstands, hospitals, fire stations, art
galleries, theatres, etc., comstituting the pavement itself a traveller's 'map of the
district.
The improvement consists essentially in applying the names of streets, orienta-
tion & directions to the pavement
J. D. WRIGHT.
JOSEPH WRIGHT.
FRANK WRIGHT.
Improvements in and in connection with Means for Exhibiting the
Names of Streets, and other Topographical Information..
We, JOHN DUTTON WRIGHT, Miller and Manufacturer of 14 Stanley Road, New
Ferry, Cheshire and JOSEPH WRIGHT, Lithographic Artist of 4 Darlington Street
Egremont, Cheshire, and FRANK WRIGHT, Journalist, of 26 Monastery Road,
Anfield Liverpool, 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:-
The names of streets are now usually affixed to the side walls of houses
and are frequently illegible, even in open day. The improvements under this
Invention consist in employing a slab of the pavement of the sidewalk at the

page_text: corners of crossing streets (and at convenient intervals in the streets themselves,
if desired), and providing each slab with literal and graphic information to the
wayfarer by means of letters, or letters and signs and figures, or the like, held
in and by the slab, and being indicative of the name of the main street, or side
streets, of the points of the compass, distances and directions of important centres,
railway stations, post-offices, public-baths, cab-stands, hospitals, fire-stations, art-
galleries, theatres, etc., thus constituting the pavement itself a traveller's sign,
or map of the locality or district.
A drawing illustrating this invention is hereto annexed in which two arrange-
ments and constructions of slabs according to this invention are illustrated; one,
that shewn in plan and cross section in Figures 1 and 2, respectively, being a
circular arrangement, and the other, viz., that shewn in plan and cross section in
Figures 3 and 4, respectively, a rectangular arrangement. With reference to these
drawings, generally, the white parts represent the letters, signs, and figures, and
are designated a, whilst the black part represents concrete, mosaic work, or other
suitable matrix material in which the letters, signs, and figures are set, and
held, and the colour of which is in contrast with the colours of the letters etc. As
an instance, if the letters, etc., be white, their setting material may be terra
cotta, red, or other suitable color. In the illustration, it will be seen that the
depth of the letters forms only a portion of the full depth of the slab, which,
conveniently, may have a total thickness equal to that of an ordinary paving slab.
It will be understood, of course, that where it is desired, the slab comprising the
circular arrangement shewn in Figures 1 and 2, may be made rectangular, and
practically enclosing the lettering and filling shewn in the figure.
In the centre of the arrangement, it will be seen there is provided an ordinary
direction sign, with the usual letters directing towards the north, south, east,
and west; and this, of course, in each slab will be arranged in the required and
proper position relatively with the direction of run of the street; whilst the words
specifying the names of the streets in which the slab is laid, and which lead from
it, are disposed parallel, or substantially parallel with the streets; and there-
fore, the position of the names of the streets and the sign of the cardinal points
are correctly placed in relation to each other. In addition to the main streets,
other streets, which the main streets lead to, are indicated on the slab; and these
are made in smaller type, below the main street name; and, in Figure 1, the figures
in conjunction with them indicate the distance from the slab to the places named,
while the arrows indicate the directions, the straight arrows meaning that the
direction of route is straight, and the bent arrows, that it is crooked or has turns
in it. The white marks at the periphery of the circle give the cardinal points of
the compass referred to, being in line with the points at the centre of the circle.
With regard to the rectangular arrangement, shewn in Figures 3 and 4, in this
case, the direction of the wording is in line with or parallel with the streets in
which it is laid, and which they indicate, and is, in its structure, similar to that
shewn in Figures 1 and 2.
As regards the materials of which the letters are made, and the material in
which they are set, both may be in ordinary mosaic, the letters, etc., being of
vitreous Keramic ware; or, the letters etc., may be of mosaic only, and the matrix
or setting material being concrete, suitably coloured to give a contrast with the
letters: Or, in another case, the whole of the letters, figures, etc., may be moulded
in vitreous Keramic ware, or out of a concrete made of material known as "Petri-
fite," and crushed Keramic ware, stone, or the like, set in concrete; or, other suit-
able materials may be employed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:
1. The improved street sign or label herein described, consisting of a slab or
body comprising in it words indicating the names of streets, with or without

page_text: additional data, and adapted to be placed in the pavement of the street, the colour
of the letters, or words and signs, and that of the material in which they are set,
being in contrast to each other.
2. The street sign slab, having words and signs, indicating streets, and shewing
positions, substantially as set forth, and as shewn in the Drawings hereto annexed.
Dated this 15th day of September 1897.
CHEESBROUGH & ROYSTON,
15 Water Street, Liverpool, Applicants' Patent Agents.