IMPROVEMENTS IN GRADUATED OR MEASURING RULES OR SCALES
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields,
in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention of
** IMPROVEMENTS IN GRADUATED OR MEASURING RULES OR SCALES."—A
communication from abroad by Messrs Hastings and Johnson, of
Granby, County of Hartford, State of Connecticut, United States of
America.
Sealed the 10th August 1875, and dated the 6th April 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 6th April 1875.
I, JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County
of Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN GRADUATED OR MEASURING RULES OR
SCALES," a communication to me from abroad by Messrs. Hastings
and Johnson, of Granby, County of Hartford, State of Connecticut,
United States of America, to be as follows:-
The object of this Invention is economy in the consumption of ivory
in the manufacture of graduated or measuring rules or scales, and thus

page_text: object is attamed by so uniting comparatively narrow strips of that
material, or by so combining such narrow strips with suitable hard wood
or hard rubber that the rule (for example) while it is much cheaper than
one made entirely of single wide strips of ivory possesses all the advan-
tages of the same as regards distinctness of the graduations and figures,
and hardness at the parts most liable to be worn.
As an example of the mode of carrying out this Invention the rule
may be made in four sections connected together in the usual manner
by one main central joint and two intermediate joints, but each section
instead of being made entirely of a single strip of ivory consists of
narrow strips of that material, or the said strips may be partly of wood
and partly of ivory
For example, each of the end sections may consist
of a central strip and two exterior strips, the three strips being connected
together and further secured by two or more transverse rivets, and the
section being provided at its outer end with the usual metal tip. The
central sections of the rule may consist of but two strips, both of ivory,
or one of wood, and the other of ivory. When cach section is thus
composed of but two strips, one of wood and the other of ivory, the
latter should be on the outside, as the most important graduations are
on the outer edge and can be exhibited more distinctly on ivory than on
wood, the outer edge is more liable to be worn moreover than the inner
edge, and should therefore be of the hardest material. The whole of the
sections may be made in any one of the ways herein-before mentioned,
or varied as found desirable
Heretofore strips of ivory of the size required in making the improved
rule have been discarded as of little use for manufacturing purposes, and
have been converted with other scrap ivory into ivory black to be used
as a pigment. The utilizing of these narrow strips in the manner
described results in cheap measuring rules possessing the advantages of
those made of single wide strips of ivory as regards hardness and
distinctness of the graduations
Although ebony and other hard wood, as well as hard rubber, may be
combined with ivory in the manner described, it is preferred when
materials other than ivory are used to employ boxwood as the most
appropriate material for the purpose.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 4th October 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, John
HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of
Middlesex, Gentleman, sond greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of April, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, i tho
38th year of le reign did, for Herself, le heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Jolm Henry Johnson, Her special
license that I, the said John Henry Johnson, my executors, admını-
strators, and assigns, or such others as 1, the said John Henry
Johnson, 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, with the United Kingdom of Great Britam
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN GRADUATED OR MEASURING RULES OR SCALES," a communi-
cation to me from abroad by Messieurs Hastings and Johnson, of Granby,
County of Hartford, State of Connecticut, United States of America,
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Henry
Johnson, my exccutors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to bu
performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Goat 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 Пemy Johnson, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner tho
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement, reference being had to the accom-
panying Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that
is to say
-
The object of the said Invention is economy in the consumption of
Ivory in the manufacture of graduated or measuring rules or scales, and

page_text: used as a pigment The utilizing of these narrow strips in the manner
described results in cheap measuring rules possessing the advantages of
those made of single wide strips of ivory as regards hardness and
distinctness of the graduations.
Although ebony and other hard wood as well as hard rubber may be
combined with ivory in the manner described, it is preferred, when
materials other than ivory are used, to employ boxwood as the most
appropriate material for the purpose.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is, or may be used,
or carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider
to bo novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to
me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, a measuring
rule or scale composed of strips of ivory secured permanently together,
or of strips of hard wood or hard rubber combined with ivory, as herein
before described.
In witness whercof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have to
this my Specification set my hand and seal, the Fourth day of
October One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five
before described.
In witness whercof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have to
"this my Specification set my hand and seal, the Fourth day of
October One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five.
J. HENRY JOHNSON. (L.S.)