IMPROVEMENTS IN BOOK SLIDES
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Betjemann, George William Betjemann, and
John Betjemann, all of Upper Ashby Street, in the County of Middlesex,
Desk and Dressing Case Makers, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
BOOK SLIDES."
Sealed the 9th August 1859, and dated the 12th February 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Betjemann,
George William Betjemann, and John Betjemann at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents, with their Petition, on the 12th February
1859.
We, GEORGE BETJEMANN, GEORGE WILLIAM BETJEMANN, and JOHN
BETJEMANN, all of Upper Ashby Street, in the County of Middlesex, Desk
and Dressing Case Makers, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for IMPROVEMENTS IN BOOK SLIDES," to be as follows: -
Book slides are those articles upon which books are placed back upwards,
and are generally used upon library and other tables. In the slides as at
present made, the two side supports are capable of being drawn away from
each other to afford space for a greater quantity of books than the slides would
otherwise hold, but there has been no means of returning the side supports to
the position from which they were drawn except by pushing them back by
hand. Now, our Invention consists in fitting vulcanized caoutchouc or other

page_text: springs to the under part of the bottom of slides, in such manner that the side
supports shall always return to the position from whence they have been drawn
upon the extra book or books being taken from the slide. In some slides
both side supports are capable of being moved outwards from each other, iu
others one side support only is made movable, the other being fixed. Our
Invention, it will be understood, applies equally to both forms of book slide.
Our Invention further consists in attaching friction rollers to the sido
supports to facilitate their motion under the action of the springs.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Betjemann, George William Betjemann, and John
Betjemann in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 12th August 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, GEORGE
BETJEMANN, GEORGE WILLIAM BETJEMANN, and JOHN BETJEMANN, all of Upper
Ashby Street, in the County of Middlesex, Desk and Dressing Case Makers,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Iler most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Iler Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-second year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us,
the said George Betjemann, George William Betjemann, and John Betjemann,
Her special licence that we, the said George Betjemann, George William
Betjemann, and John Betjemann, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as we, the said George Betjemann, George William Betjemaun,
and John Betjemann, our executors, administrators, and assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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
BOOK SLIDES," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said George
Betjemann, George William Betjemann, and John Betjemann, or one of us.
our executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under our or their,
or one of our or their hands and seals, should particularly 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said George Betjemann, George William
Betjemann, and John Betjemann, do hereby declare the nature of our 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, reference
being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, that is to say :-
Book slides are those articles upon which books are placed back upwards,
and are generally used upon library and other tables. In the slides as at
present made, the two side supports are capable of being drawn away from
each other to afford space for a greater quantity of books than the slides
would otherwise hold, but there has been no means of returning the side
supports to the position from which they were drawn except by pushing them
back by hand. Now, our Invention consists in fitting vulcanized caoutchouc
or other springs to the under part of the bottom of slides, in such manner
that the side supports shall always return to the position from whence they
have been drawn upon the extra book or books being taken from the slide.
In some slides both side supports are capable of being moved outwards from
each other, in others one side support only is made moveable, the other
being fixed.
Our Invention, it will be understood, applies equally to both
forms of book slide.
Our Invention further consists in attaching friction rollers to the sido
supports to facilitate their motion under the action of the springs.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of one of our book slides; Figure 2 is a
similar view of the same extended; Figure 3 is a plan of the under side of the
bottom of the slide shewn at Figure 1. a, a, are grooves formed for the
reception of springs, which we prefer to be of vulcanized caoutchouc, one end
of each spring is secured to the inner end of the groove and bottom of the slide,
the other end is attached to the outer end of one of the slabs b, b, which are
free to travel to and fro in grooves on the face or upper surface of the book
slide; c, c, are flaps connected by hinges or otherwise to the slabs b, b; d, d, are
metal end pieces to conceal the groove. In order to ensure the action of the
springs, we fix rollers at or near the outer end of the under part of the
travelling slabs or of the flaps. These rollers prevent the slabs being pressed
down out of the level with the bottom of the grooves, on which the slabs travel
by the weight of the books which may be placed upon them. We do not
confine ourselves to the employment of one spring and one roller to each slab,
as two or more springs and rollers may in some cases be applied with advantage
to each slab. e, c, are metal stops to prevent the slabs b, b, from being drawn
too far out.
And having now described the nature of our said Invention, and in what

page_text: manner the same is to be performed, we declare that we claim the employment
in book slides of springs, and of springs and rollers, substantially in manner
and for the purposes herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Betjemann, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twelfth day of August, One thousand eight hundred
and fifty-nine.
GEORGE BETJEMANN. (L.S.)