Improvements in and relating to Door Plates and the like.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Feb., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Feb., 1890-Accepted, 29th Mar., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by Louis MÜLLER, of III Viaductgasse, 23, Vienna, in
the Empire of Austria.]
Improvements in and relating to Door Plates and the like.
I, FRANCOIS BOFFA, of Messrs. L. Müller & Co. or 18, The Grove, Hackney, in
the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to door plates, name plates, and the like.
The object of the invention is to provide an improved metal doorplate or name
plate intended to be attached to doors, gates, posts or other suitable parts of houses shops
or other buildings to indicate the distinctive number or name of the said house shop,
or other building, and moreover having thereon the name of the street, road, square or
other place where the said house shop or other building is situated.
In carrying the said invention into practice the improved door plate or name plate
is formed of cast metal preferably zinc of a square, oval, circular or other suitable
shape, and with a raised border which may be of any ornamental design round the
margin or edge thereof. Inside this border are formed raised figures representing
the distinctive number of the house, shop or other building, and also formed in raised
letters the name of the street road, square or other place in which the said house shop
or other building is situated. Suitable holes or apertures moreover are provided in
the plate for the insertion of screws, rivets or other means for securing the said plate
to the door, gate, post, or other convenient place.
Great inconvenience is often experienced by strangers in finding the name of a
particular street road square, or other place, more especially at night or in foggy
weather the said name being frequently troublesome to find, and often illegible, or
extremely difficult to decipher owing to defacement, being placed in an elevated
position, obscurity, or from other causes. By the use of the improved door plates
the above inconvenience is entirely obviated and any one entering a street, road,
square, or other place and being desirous of ascertaining the name of the same need
only glance at the distinctive number or namie, in order also to ascertain the name
of the said street, road, square, or other place.
Moreover although a convenient and advantageous method of carrying the said
invention into practice has been hereinbefore described it is obvious that the shape
or ornamental design of the improved door plates, or name plates, or of the figures
or letters thereon can be somewhat modified without however in any way departing
from the nature of the said invention.
Dated this 5th day of February 1890.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Door Plates and the like.
I, FRANCOIS BOFFA, of Messrs. L. Müller & Co., of 18 The Grove, Hackney in the
County of Middlesex, 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 relates to door plates, name plates, and the like.
The main object of the said invention is to provide an improved metal door plate
or name plate intended to be attached to doors, gates, posts or other suitable parts

page_text: of houses, shops or other buildings to indicate the distinctive number or name of
the said house, shop or other building. In some instances the plates also contain the
name of the street, road, square or other place where the said house, shop or other
building is situated. The said plates moreover may have advertisements, information
or other printed matter thereon.
In carrying the said invention into practice the improved door, name or other
plates are formed of cast zinc, and of square, oval, circular or other suitable shapes,
with or without raised borders which may be of any ornamental design round the
margins or edges thereof.
Inside this border are formed raised figures, letters or other signs.
In some cases letters representing the name of the street, road, square or other
place in which the said house, shop, or other building is situated, are also formed
upon the said plates. Suitable holes or apertures are provided in the plates, or in
lugs formed or cast thereon for the insertion of screws, rivets or other means for
securing the said plates in any convenient position.
The patterns for the improved plates are preferably formed out of sheets of metal
with or without an ornamental design thereon. The letters employed are also of metal
and are temporarily attached to the said sheets by means of a mixture of wax and
turpentine or other suitable composition. The impressions of the said patterns are
taken in sand or other suitable material and the zinc plates cast therefrom in any well
known manner. In some instances ornamental designs or printed matter are formed
upon both sides of the said plates.
In order to cast zine plates having ornamental designs or printed matter perforated
therein after the manner of stencil plates, the said printed matter or designs are cut
out in the pattern (from which it is intended to take the impression in the sand
or other material) in any suitable manner.
Great inconvenience is often experienced by strangers and others in finding the
name of a particular street, road, square or other place, more especially at night or in
foggy weather, the said name being frequently troublesome to find and often illegible,
or extremely difficult to decipher owing to defacement, being placed in an elevated
position, obscurity, or from other causes. By the use of the improved door-plates or
name plates herein before described containing the distinctive number or name of the
house or building and the name or designation of the street, road, square or other
place where it is situated, the above inconvenience is entirely obviated, and any one
entering a street, road, square or other place and being desirous of ascertaining the
name of the same need only glance at the distinctive number or name upon the nearest
house or building in order also to ascertain the name of the said street, road, square or
other place.
It is obvious that the shape or ornamental design of the improved door, name, or
other plates, or of the figures or letters thereon can be suitably varied without however
in any way departing from the nature of the said invention. Moreover the figures,
letters or other signs when of large dimensions may be cast separate and provided
with lugs for attaching them to any suitable surface. In some instances the letters,
figures or other signs are formed countersunk in the said plates instead of raised
thereon.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to me
by my Foreign Correspondent I declare that what I claim is
:-
The manufacture of my improved zinc name, direction and other plates, substantially
as herein before described.
FRANÇOIS BOffa.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.