IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO DRAWING OR COPYING FRAMES OR DESKS."
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Felix McIlvenna, of Wood Street, Liverpool, in the
County of Lancaster, Manufacturer, and William Phillips Thompson, Patent
Agent and Scientific Expert, of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool aforesaid, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO DRAWING OR COPYING
FRAMES OR DESKS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Felix MoIlvenna and William
Phillips Thompson at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 26th
April 1878.
FELIX MILVENNA, of Wood Street, Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster,
Manufacturer, and WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, Patent Agent and Scientific
Expert, of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool aforesaid. IMPROVEMENTS IN
RELATING TO DRAWING OR COPYING FRAMES OR DESKS."
"
AND
This Invention has for its object the construction of a drawing frame or desk
capable of being used for tracing through thick Whatman drawing paper and the
like without special appliances as regards lighting. The apparatus consists chiefly
of four parts:
I. The drawing board, which is preferably of plate glass, embedded in a frame of
wood.
II. The shade, which can be hinged or pegged to the far end of the drawing
board, and is usually composed of two leaves, one when in position standing
upright, the other, usually a piece of black cloth or velvet, hanging down. This
shade is attached to the board and can be kept in position by a spring, peg, or stop;
but when the board is not being used, can be taken off or shut down flat against the
face of the board, keeping it clean.
III. The reflector; this could be a mirror, but we find a white surface, such as
paper, enamel, painted or chalked wood, does just as well and is cheaper.
The board is hinged to this at its near edge, and is put in position for drawing by
the fourth part or legs. These can either be permanently fixed, in which case the
I Driss G71

page_text: board becomes a desk, or, as I prefer, hinged, pivotted, or pegged to the board or
reflector, and fitting into notches or holes in the other, so that the height or slope
can be adjusted.
The black velvet and shade keep the light from the surface of the paper, but the
reflector reflects the light through the paper, so that one can trace through very
thick materials. Grooves or pockets can be placed on the top or back of the shade
or other parts for pencils and the like.
Sometimes too, though rarely, we find it useful to have a skeleton frame of zinc
or light sheet metal folding over the drawing board from the bottom, and pinned or
fastened at the top so as to hold the paper down. This frame is recessed into the
drawing board, and coming down forces the paper into the groove and so stretches
the paper and holds it without drawing pins.
The edge of the glass could if desirable be rounded, and project beyond the
drawing frame, then the metal covering frame coming down round the glass would
press back the paper, stretching it out smooth over the glass, and leaving a crease
mark to go by in cutting it for mounting. We prefer however as a rule to do
without this holding frame and use glue, paste, or drawing pins to hold the paper
down.
This Invention in large size is applicable for tracing in engineers' offices; in small
dimensions it becomes a useful toy or amusement for young people, and also to the
general public it will prove very useful as an apparatus for quickly and correctly
copying maps, plans, pictures, and on other material than tracing cloth and tracing
paper, which are expensive, unsightly, and not so lasting or agreeable as drawing
paper.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Felix McIlvenna and William Phillips Thompson in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 26th October 1878.
FELIX MILVENNA, of Wood Street, Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster,
Manufacturer, and WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, Patent Agent and Scientific
Expert, of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool aforesaid. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND
RELATING TO DRAWING OR COPYING FRAMES OR DESKS."
This Invention has for its object the construction of a drawing frame or desk
capable of being used for tracing through thick Whatman drawing paper and the
like without special appliances as regards lighting. The apparatus consists chiefly
of four parts:-
1st. The drawing board, which is preferably of plate glass embedded in a frame
of wood.
2nd. The shade, which can be hinged or pegged to the far end of the drawing
board, and is usually composed of two leaves, one when in position standing upright,
the other, usually a piece of black cloth or velvet hanging down. This shade is
attached to the board and can be kept in position by a spring, peg, or stop; but when
the board is not being used, can be taken off or shut down flat against the face of
the board, keeping it clean.
3rd. The reflector; this could be a mirror, but we find a white surface, such as
paper, enamel, painted or chalked wood, does just as well and is cheaper.
The board is hinged to this at its near edge, and is put in position for drawing by
the fourth part or legs. These can be permanently fixed, in which case the board
becomes a desk, or, as we prefer, hinged, pivotted, or pegged to the board or reflector
and fitting into notches or holes in the other, so that the height or slope can be
adjusted.
The black velvet and shade keep the light from the surface of the paper, but the
reflector reflects the light through the paper, so that one can trace through very
thick materials. Grooves or pockets can be placed on the top or back of the shade
or other parts for pencils and the like.
Sometimes too, though rarely, we find it useful to have a skeleton frame of zinc
or light sheet metal folding over the drawing board from the bottom, and pinned or
fastened at the top so as to hold the paper down. This frame is recessed into the
drawing board, and coming down forces the paper into the groove and so stretches
the paper and holds it without drawing pins.
The edge of the glass could if desirable be rounded and project beyond the
drawing frame; then the metal covering frame coming down round the glass would
press back the paper, stretching it out smooth over the glass, and leaving a crease
mark to go by in cutting it for mounting. We prefer however as a rule to do
without this holding frame and use glue, paste, or drawing pins to hold the paper
down.
This Invention in large size is applicable for tracing in engineers' offices; in small
dimensions it becomes a useful toy or amusement for young people; and also to the
general public it will prove very useful as an apparatus for quickly and correctly
copying maps, plans, and pictures, and on other material than tracing cloth and
tracing paper, which are expensive, unsightly, and not so lasting or agreeable as
drawing paper.
To attach the glass into the frame putty can be used; we prefer however a com-
position of paper pulp and glue, or a layer of thick paper glued or gummed to the
glass and glued to the wood, but there are many well-known cements for attaching
glass to wood, the main point being to get one that adheres equally well to glass
and to wood, and with sufficient body to fill the interstices.
Referring to the Drawing, Figure 1 is an isometrical view of the frame; Figure 2,
a section of the same; Figure 3, section of a variation.

page_text: A is the frame in which the glass B is embedded; the frame A is hinged to box C,
which is painted white or enamelled on its bottom, or a sheet of white paper, card-
board, or other material can be inserted; this box serves to contain paper, pencils,
et cetera, but instead of being a box a simple base painted white can be employed;
D is the shade hinged to A, as shown; it can be made by a piece of, preferably, dark
colored material over a wooden frame, but in the Drawing it is shown as a drawing
slate, E being the drawing surface.
The shade is held in position by a catch, as shown in dotted lines, and is fastened
when shut down by said catch. F, F, are the struts hinged to frame A, or they can
be attached to the base C and fit in notches in frame A, or, as in Fig. 3, they can
form part of or be attached to the shade, the edge of the frame A fitting on a pro-
jection or ledge formed by their juncture with the shade in Fig. 3; their ends are
hinged to board C; we prefer as a rule hinging the struts to frame A; it is not
absolutely necessary however to hinge at all; the legs might be permanent fixtures,
the advantage of the legs being that they can fold up.
Having described our Invention and the best mode known to us of carrying it
into effect, we wish it to be understood that what we believe to be new and
desire to protect under the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,—
1st. The tracing or copying frame or desk, substantially as herein described,
consisting of a frame (A), glass (B), box or base (C), with white or nearly white
reflecting surface, and shade (D).`
2nd. The construction of reflecting frame, substantially as described for use as
a toy or household article.
3rd. The special arrangement of details of tracing desk, substantially as and for
the purposes herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Phillips Thompson, for and on
behalf of myself and the said Felix McIlvenna, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of October, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
Witness,
JOHN O. O'BRIEN,
Clerk to the said W. P. Thompson.
Wч. P. THOMPSON. (L.S.)