Improvements in and relating to Rulers.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Mar., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 11th Dec., 1895-Accepted, 18th Jan., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Rulers.
I WILLIAM JAMES Fox, of Ryefield Villas, Marple in the County of Chester,
Buyer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My said invention relates to an improved form of blotter and ruler combined,
which will facilitate the process of ruling lines on paper or the like surfaces, with
ordinary pen and ink, and whilst it will enable those who use it to rule perfectly
straight lines, it will keep the ruler clean when in use, and will absorb the
superfluous ink from the paper as required. By this means, blots will be
prevented and it will be unnecessary to wipe the ruler. For the purpose of my
invention, I employ two cylinders, one to act as ruler and the other to act as
blotter, so connected as to allow of their revolving when required. The cylinder
forming the ruler, may consist of wood, metal or other suitable material, and the
cylinder forming the blotter may be of wood, metal, cardboard or other suitable
material as a foundation, on which layers of blotting paper may be laid, or may
consist of any suitable absorbent material or substance. In the centres of the said
cylinders place strong metal wires, which may be carried through from end to
end or may be inserted a convenient distance in each end; these centres or pins
project sufficiently from each end, to allow coil springs to be attached, for the
purpose of connecting the two cylinders, thus keeping them in close contact when
The ends of the said metal pins or centre wires, running through or
inserted in the ruler and blotter, have collars attached or formed on them, so as to
retain the coil springs in position, and may be enclosed within metal or wood caps
at each end, such caps, being prepared with slots to allow of various sized rulers
and blotting rollers being used. The rulers may be modified in slight details, but
mainly I adhere to the construction herein before set forth and described.
in use.
Dated thin 10th day of March 1805
Improvements in and relating to Rulers.
I WILLIAM JAMES Fox, of Ryefield Villas, Marple in the County of Chester,
Buyer, 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:―
My said invention relates to an improved form of ruler and blotter, which will
facilitate the process of ruling lines on paper or the like surfaces with ordinary
pen and ink, and whilst it will enable those who use it, to rule perfectly straight
lines, it will keep the ruler clean when in use and at the same time absorb the
superfluous ink from the paper. By this means blots will be prevented, and it will
not be necessary to wipe the ruler.
For the purpose of my invention, I employ two cylinders, one to act as ruler the
other as blotter; so connected as to allow of their revolving as required. My

page_text: invention will be more readily understood by a reference to the annexed sheet of
drawings.
Figure I is the plan of my improved ruler and blotter; Figure III is the end
elevation of the same.
Figures II and IV shew the combined ruler and blotter having the springs and
ends of centre pins covered with a cap.
A is the cylinder forming the ruler, and may consist of wood, metal or other
suitable material, B is the cylinder forming the blotter and may be of wood, metal,
cardboard or other suitable material, as a foundation on which layers of blotting
paper F may be placed, or may consist of any suitable absorbent material or
substance. In the centre of the said cylinders A & B, I place strong metal
wires C C which may be carried through from end to end, or may be inserted a
convenient distance in each end, these centres or pins C & C₁, project sufficiently
from each end to allow spiral or other springs D D to be attached for the purpose
of connecting the two cylinders A B, thus keeping them in close contact when in
use. The ends of the said metal pins or centre wires C & C¹ are prepared with
collars attached or formed on them to retain the springs in position. Upon the
spindle C of cylinder B I use two small nuts g one at cach end to facilitate the
removal of the cylinder to allow of fresh blotting material being placed thereon all
that would have to be done would be to unscrew the nuts off from both ends slip
the collars c2 off and so release the cylinder.
These spindles, collars, nuts and springs may be enclosed within a metal or
wooden case E such as shewn in Figures 2 and 4 & in some cases these caps may
have slots made in them to allow the ends of the spindles to move in them to allow
of various sized rulers and blotting rollers A and B being used.
Instead of, using the springs D I may in cheap rulers simply use two plates of
metal at each end with holes made in them to act as bearings for the spindles the
holes being just the exact distance apart.
It will be understood that this ruler could be made reversible without departing
from the nature of my invention by adding another ruler A to the other side
of B and connecting all three in a similar manner to the single ruler before
described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
Improvements in rulers having a revolving blotter in combination with a ruler
or rulers substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth and shewn.
Dated this 10th dow of n
1008
WILLIAM JAMES FOX..