IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CON- STRUCTION OF Bows USED BY ARCHERS
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Norton, of Bray, in the County of Wicklow,
Ireland, Esquire, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CON-
STRUCTION OF Bows USED BY ARCHERS."
Sealed the 23rd May 1865, and dated the 8th December 1864.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Norton at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
8th December 1864.
I, JOHN NORTON, of Bray, in the County of Wicklow, Ireland, Esquire, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
CONSTRUCTION OF BOWS USED BY ARCHERS;" to be as follows, that is to say:-
This Invention relates to certain improvements in the construction of bows
used by archers for discharging arrows, and consists in forming the bow of
two or more pieces of wood, horn, whalebone, steel, or other suitable material.
When the component parts are placed in their final relative positions, they
are bound over by twisting on them a layer or layers of india-rubber or other
elastic matter or preparation, such as elastic tape, the tension of which binds
the component parts together, so as to be sufficiently firm to be used for the
purposes herein-before mentioned.
The advantages resulting from the above-described system of constructing
bows are, firstly, the production of a bow which is more easily drawn than
those hitherto used; secondly, the non-liability to fracture by overdrawing the

page_text: arrow; thirdly, the construction of a bow which is easily taken asunder when
required for the purposes of strengthening or reducing its flexibility, and
which is again put together with equal facility.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Norton in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 5th June
1865.
A
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, Jonn
NORTON, of Bray, in the County of Wicklow, Ireland, Esquire, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of December, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-eighth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
John Norton, Her special license that I, the said John Norton, my executors,
administrators, and assigns,. or such others. as I, the said John Norton, my
executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at. all times thereafter during the term therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within
the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and
Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF BOWS
USED BY ARCHERS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John
Norton, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should par-
ticularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same was to be performed, and. cause the same to be filed in the
Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Norton, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, that is to say:
My said Invention relates to certain improvements in the construction of
bows used by archers for discharging arrows, and consists in forming the bow
of two or more pieces of wood, horn, whalebone, steel, or other suitable
material.
When the component parts are placed in their final relative positions, they
are bound over by twisting on them a layer or layers of india-rubber or other
elastic matter or preparation, such as elastic tape, the tension of which binds

page_text: the component parts together, so as to be sufficiently firm to be used for the
purposes herein-before mentioned.
The advantages resulting from the above-described system of constructing
bows are, firstly, the production of a bow which is more easily drawn than
those hitherto used; secondly, the non-liability to fracture by overdrawing the
arrow; thirdly, the construction of a bow which is easily taken asunder when
required for the purposes of strengthening or reducing its flexibility, and
which is again put together with equal facility.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of
my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or practically
carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be
novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by
the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the system or mode of
constructing bows used by archers substantially as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Norton, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this First day of June, One thousand eight hundred
and sixty-five.
JOHN NORTON. (L.S.)