IMPROVE- MENTS IN PORTFOLIOS, WRITING DESKS, WRITING CASES, AND OTHER SIMILAR APPARATUS
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Stephens, of 24, Great Rider Street, St.
James', in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN PORTFOLIOS, WRITING DESKS, WRITING CASES, AND OTHER SIMILAR
APPARATUS."
Sealed the 8th May 1866, and dated the 18th November 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Stephens at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 13th
November 1865.
I, JOHN STEPHENS, of 24, Great Rider Street, St. James', in the County of
Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN PORTFOLIOS, WRITING DESKS, WRITING CASES, AND OTHER SIMILAR
APPARATUS," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in portfolios, writing desks,
writing cases, and other similar apparatus. In constructing portfolios,
writing desks, writing cases, and other similar apparatus I form the surface.
on which the paper is supported, whilst writing of leather, parchment, or
other suitable flexible material, which is kept distended by springs made by
preference of vulcanized india-rubber. This flexible material is fastened at one
of its edges to the back or other part of a portfolio, or to the front edge of a

page_text: writing desk, or writing case, or like article, and the opposite edge of the
flexible material is fastened to a bar to which the springs of india-rubber are
attached. When out of use the flexible material will simply act as a cover to
the recess in which the writing paper is contained, but when in use for
writing the flexible surface is, by raising the bar to which it is attached, caused
to assume an inclined position, and by the springs is held more or less under
tension. It is preferred that the raising of the bar, together with the end or
edge of the flexible surfaces should be effected by an instrument hinged to the
desk or similar apparatus, and having the springs attached to it at one end, so
that by raising or turning the instrument on its hinges it will elevate the bar,
and such instrument with the bar is retained in any position to which it is
raised by stops or catches. And according as the bar is raised, more or less,
so will the flexible material be more or less distended, hence the person
using such apparatus will be able readily to adjust the degree of tension of
the surface according to what is found most agreeable to the user.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Stephens in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 12th
May 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
STEPHENS, of 24, Great Rider Street, St. James', in the County of Middlesex,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-ninth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said John Stephens, Her special licence that I, the said John Stephens,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said John Stephens, 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
"IMPROVEMENTS IN PORTFOLIOS, WRITING DESKS, WRITING CASES, AND OTHER
SIMILAR APPARATUS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
John Stephens, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly

page_text: 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 inmediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Stephens, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say :-
This Invention has for its object improvements in portfolios, writing
desks, writing cases, and other similar apparatus. In constructing port-
folios, writing desks, writing cases, and other similar apparatus I form
the surface on which the paper is supported whilst writing of leather,
parchment, or other suitable flexible material, which is kept distended
by springs, made by preference of vulcanized india-rubber. This flexible
material is fastened at one of its edges to the back or other part of a
portfolio or to the front edge of a writing desk or writing case, or like article,
and the opposite edge of the flexible material is fastened to a bar, to which
the springs of india-rubber are attached. When out of use the flexible
material will simply act as a cover to the recess in which the writing paper
is contained, but when in use for writing the flexible surface, is, by raising the
bar to which it is attached, caused to assume an inclined position, and by the
springs is held more or less under tension. It is preferred that the raising of
the bar, together with the end or edge of the flexible surfaces should be
effected by an instrument hinged to the desk or similar apparatus, and having
the springs attached to it at one end, so that by raising or turning the instru-
ment on its hinges it will elevate the bar; and such instrument with
the bar is retained in any position to which it is raised by stops or catches,'
and according as the bar is raised more or less so will the flexible material be
more or less distended, hence the person using such apparatus will be able
readily to adjust the degree of tension of the surface according to what is
found most agreeable to the user.
Having thus stated the nature of my Invention I will proceed more fully
to describe the manner of performing the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 shows a plan, and Figure 2 a section of a portfolio or writing
case, having a flexible writing surface arranged as above described. a, a,
is the solid side of the portfolio or case over which is applied a surface of
leather or parchment or other suitable material b, which is fastened at one

page_text: edge b', 6', whilst at the other or upper edge 62, 62, it is fastened to a bar c,
and to a piece of vulcanized india-rubber d, which india-rubber is fixed to
the hinged bar e, e. The sides of the material 6 are turned down and fixed
to the part a, these turned down sides being creased or folded to allow of
their contracting or expanding. When free the parts b, c, d, e, lie evenly
over the part a, a, and the part 6 then serves as a cover to any papers
slipped in between it and the part a, but when in use as a writing table the
part b is cause to assume an inclined position, as shown in the Drawing, and
this is effected by turning up the binged bar to a greater or less extent
by pulling on the tang e¹ of leather or other material, and by supporting the
bar in this raised position; this supporting of the hinged bar e, is accom-
plished by hinged props f, f, which are retained by notches g, g, in the part a.
Figure 3 shews a section of a similar arrangement of flexible writing
surface combined with a case or desk fitted with a drawer, in this arrange-
ment the hinged bar e is raised by screws h, h, the heads of which are formed
to receive a key.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood that what I claim is, the
combination of the parts b, c, d, e, together with suitable means for supporting
the part e, with the lid or frame or other part of a portfolio, writing desk or
case or other similar apparatus.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Stephens, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Tenth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
JOHN STEPHENS. (L.S.)