AN IMPROVED MARK OR INDICATOR, TO BE LET OR FIXED INTO THE GROUND IN BURIAL GROUNDS AND OTHER PLACES
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Benjamin Looker, the younger, of Kingston-upon-
Thames, in the County of Surrey, Brick and Tile Manufacturer and
Potter, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED MARK OR INDICATOR, TO BE
LET OR FIXED INTO THE GROUND IN BURIAL GROUNDS AND OTHER PLACES."
Sealed the 6th June 1856, and dated the 31st March 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Benjamin Looker, the
younger, at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 31st March 1856.
I, BENJAMIN LOOKER the younger, of Kingston-upon-Thames, in the
County of Surrey, Brick and Tile Manufacturer and Potter, do hereby declare
the nature of the. said Invention for AN IMPROVED MARK OR INDICATOR, TO
BE LET OR FIXED INTO THE GROUND IN BURIAL GROUNDS AND OTHER PLACES, to be
as follows:-
This Invention consists of a mode of manufacturing clay or earthenware
marks or indicators, to be let or fixed into the ground for the purpose of
I
shewing or indicating any particular place, spot, or object on its surface.
make my improved mark or indicator of clay or earthenware, either solid or
hollow, of any required size or form, the lower part being made with orifices, or
hollow countersunk or projecting parts, so as that it may be more securely

page_text: fixed into and held in the ground. The upper part of an indicator is closed
or solid at the top, and made to slope downwards in one direction, so that any
letters or figures upon that part may be more easily perceived by a person
upon one side of the indicator. On the sloping part any letters, figures,
devices, or labels may be indented, impressed, raised, or fixed for the purpose
intended. The mark or indicator is made of clay, in a plastic or unburnt
state, by means of a mould or press, or in any other convenient manner.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Benjamin Looker, the younger, in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 26th September 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, BENJAMIN
LOOKER, the younger, of Kingston-upon-Thames, in the County of Surrey,
Brick and Tile Manufacturer and Potter, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirty-first day of March, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six, in the nineteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Benjamin Looker, Her special licence that I, the said Benjamin Looker,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Benjamin
Looker, my executors, administrators, and 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 "AN IMPROVED MARK OR INDICATOR
TO BE LET OR FIXED INTO THE GROUND IN BURIAL GROUNDS AND OTHER PLACES,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Benjamin Looker, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their,
or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be per-
formed, 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 Benjamin Looker, 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

page_text: statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings (that is to
say):-
My said Invention consists of a mode of manufacturing or making clay or
earthenware marks or indicators, to be let or fixed into the ground for the
purpose of showing or indicating any particular place, spot, or object on its
surface.
I make my improved marks or indicators of clay, earthenware, or other
similar material, of any required size or form, which can be conveniently made
in the manner herein-after described, and either hollow or partly hollow; and
I prefer to make the lower parts with orifices, or hollow countersunk or pro-
jecting parts, so that, they may be more securely fixed into and held in the
ground. The upper part of my indicator is closed or solid at the top, and
made to slope or bevil downwards in one direction, so that any words, letters,.
or figures upon the sloping or bevilled part may be more easily perceived by
a person upon one side of the indicator. The top may, however, when desired
be made with two or more of such sloping or bevilled parts, and sloping or
bevilling in different directions, so that any words, letters, or figures impressed
thereon may be perceived by persons looking towards the indicator in several
directions. On the sloping or bevilled part of an indicator any words, letters,
figures, devices or labels may be indented, impressed, raised, or fixed, according
to the purpose for which the indicator may be intended to be used. The clay
or carth, which I use in making my indicators, may be clay such as is used
in making draining tiles or pipes, or any similar material, and I give them
the requisite form in the following manner:-In order to make an indicator
hollow throughout, but closed at the end, I first make a clay tube of the
intended form and size, by means of machinery such as is ordinarily used in
making earthenware tubes; I then place the tube in a mould or box with
a mandrel or core within the said tube, and proceed to close one end of it,
either by means of any surplus material at the end to be closed, or by adding.
or inserting an additional quantity of material; I then dress the closed end
down to the required angle and shape, and put any words, letters, or figures.
upon it, as desired.
In Figures 1, 2, and 3 of the accompanying Drawings I have shewn an.
indicator of the description just mentioned; Figure 1 being a perspective
view; Figure 2, a vertical or longitudinal section, taken through the dotted
line A, B, in Figure 1; & Figure 3, a transverse or horizontal section of the
indicator, taken through the line C, D, in Figures 1 and 2. I prefer to make
the indicator with orifices such as shewn in Figures 1 and 2, in order that it
may be held more securely in the ground, and I place about as much of the

page_text: bottom part of the indicator in the ground as in Figures 1 and 2, shewn below
the line C, D.
In Figures 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 of the said Drawings I bave shewn implements
which may be used in making an indicator in this way.
Figure 4 is a view of a mould or box with the lid open, the interior being
fitted to receive a tube of the shape shewn in section in Figure 3.
Figure 5 is a transverse section of the same mould or box closed, with the
tube a, a, a, within it, and the mandrel core or splayer b in the interior of
the tube.
Figure 6 is a perspective view of the mandrel or core, the bevilled end of
which will be more clearly seen in the side view in Figure 7.
Figure 8 is a perspective view of the mould closed, with the tube or-indi-
cator and mandrel or core within it, and shewing the bevilled end of the tube
or indicator as-finished, and lettered or figured, before being taken from the
mould.
In using these implements, I first make a length of tubecof the description
shewn in section in Figure 3, and having inserted the mandrel or core into it,
I place the tube and mandrel within the box or mould, in order that the
operations upon the bevilled end, or end to be bevilled,. may not destroy the
shape of the tube, which is still in a plastic state; I then knead or bend the
projecting parts of the tube intended to be closed and bevilled, so as to form a
covering, and close that end of the tube, and this I effect by hand or any
convenient means, the bevilled end of the mandrel or core and of the mould
aiding in this operation, and enabling the workman to make the closed end of
the tube of the same bevil as the end of the mould. The: bevilled end may
then be marked or impressed with any words, letters, figures, or ornaments
in any convenient manner. Instead of using the surplus material of the
projecting end of the tube to. make the closing, the surplus parts may be
cut off, and a piece of plastic material of the proper size and shape placed
upon the bevilled end of 'the tube so as to close it, and such piece, may bo
moulded in any way so as to have words, letters, figures, or ornaments pro-
duced thereon. Indicators may of course be made of any other.shape in the
same manner, the shapes of the implements which I have described being
varied accordingly.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention and 'the manner in
which it is to be performed, I declare that I do not claim the implements
which I have described as any part of my said Invention, and that what.I
claim as my Invention is, an improved clay or earthenware mark or indicator,
as shewn and described, and the mode of manufacturing improved marks or

page_text: indicators of clay, earthenware, or similar material, in the manner I have
shewn and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Benjamin Looker, have hereunto set my
band and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
BENJN LOOKER, JUN. (L.S.)
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the within-
named Benjamin Looker, the younger, in
the presence of
W BOORMAN, Solicitor,
Kingston-on-Thames.