Improvements in Drawing Boards and T Squares and Appliances Connected therewith.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Mar., 1886.
Complete Left, 8th Dec., 1886.
Complete Accepted, 14th Jan., 1887.
Improvements in Drawing Boards and T Squares and Appliances
Connected therewith.
I BENJAMIN KENT WEBBER, of Number 16, Chelmsford Street, Attercliffe, Sheffield
in the County of York, Foreman Joiner, do hereby declare the nature of my Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN DRAWING BOARDS AND T SQUARES, AND APPLIANCES CONNECTED
THEREWITH" to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to Drawing Boards and T Squares such as are used by
Engineering and Architectural Draughtsmen, and the like purposes, and the object of
my Invention is to make a Drawing Board and T Square which may be used with
greater facility and accuracy than is the case with Drawing Boards and T Squares
commonly in use, and at the same time provide the means by which the working
surfaces of both the Drawing Board and the T Square may be protected from damage.
I effect this, Firstly, by constructing a Drawing Board with a groove, at its left hand
side, such groove being made parallel to the edge of the board and consequently at
right Angles to the top and bottom. The depth and width of the groove may be
varied according to the size of the board or other circumstances, and, it may be
bevelled on one or both sides so as to resemble a dovetail in section, the widest part
being at the bottom of the groove.
Into this groove I fit the head of the T Square which may likewise be bevelled on
one or both sides, corresponding to the groove in the Drawing Board, so that the head
of the Square would fit and slide in the groove, and when so fitted the head of
the T Square may be made flush with the top of the groove, or otherwise, the blade
being fixed to the head of the square by any of the ordinary methods at present
employed in the construction of T Squares whether fitted with fixed blades or with
adjustable blades, that is to say blades which may be used at various Angles.
Secondly, as a means of securing perfect accuracy when in use, by keeping the
working edge of the head of the T Square in close contact with the working edge of
the groove of the Drawing Board. A loose slide or fillet may be fitted into the groove
extending the full length either on the left or the right hand edge or both, or along
the bottom of the groove, and behind the loose slide or fillet, or slides and fillets,

page_text: springs may be placed at intervals, and the springs may be adjusted by set screws or
their equivalents provided on the outer edge of the board or other convenient position,
and by tightening these set screws the head of the T Square may be prevented from
working too loosely in the slide, or it may be held firmly in any position in the slide,
an arangement which may be found convenient under certain circumstances when
working with a set square from the edge of the blade of the T Square.
For the convenience of moving the T Square up and down the groove, a plain
or ornamental projection may be provided on the head, or head end of the blade of the
square, or, recesses may be formed for the same purpose.
A Drawing Board and T Square thus constructed or fitted may be put away in a
rack, or reared against a wall with the T Square in position with little liability of its
becoming detached from the Board, or being damaged, providing of course that the
blade of the T Square is not longer than the board with which it is used.
Thirdly, As a modification of the means for adjusting the head of the T Square at
any desired position in the groove, and also as a means for keeping the square true up
to its working edge instead of the loose slide or fillet or slides and fillets or of the springs
and set screws herein previously described being fitted to the Drawing Board, a
similar contrivance or contrivances or their equivalents may be fitted to the head of
the T Square, and, instead of several set screws being used, one thumb screw may be
employed placed in a central position in the head of the T Square, by a slight turn of
which the contrivance or contrivances may be actuated and brought into play, and the
head may be held securely at any desired position in the groove. The head of the
thumb screw last referred to may likewise be used in moving the T Square up and
down the slide in lieu of the projection or recesses previously referred to.
The employment of the last named thumb screw in a central position in the head of
the square may be effected without interfering with the means of securing the parts
of a T Square where an adjustable blade is used.
In some cases the blade of an existing T square may be adapted to fit a specially.
constructed head fitted with an appliance or appliances as herein last described.
The improvements and appliances herein described may be carried out in existing
Drawing Boards and T Squares, or, the parts embodying the improvements may be
constructed in the form of an appliance or appliances to be adapted to, or, attached to
. existing Drawing Boards and T Squares; and such appliance or appliances may be
partly wood and partly metallic, or, metallic throughout, the latter being probably the
most convenient form when required as an attachment to existing Drawing Boards
or T Squares.
Although the foregoing Specification only describes the application of the groove to
one side of a Drawing Board it may be applied to two or more sides, and, if necessary,
may be applied to the top and bottom as well as to the two sides of a Drawing Board.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Drawing Boards and T Squares and Appliances
Connected therewith.
I BENJAMIN KENT WEBBER of Number 16, Chelmsford Street, Attercliffe, Sheffield,
in the County of York, Foreman Joiner, do hereby declare the nature of my
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN DRAWING BOARDS AND T SQUARES, AND APPLIANCES
CONNECTED THEREWITH," and in what manner the same is to be performed to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:—
My Invention relates to Drawing Boards and T Squares such as are used by
Engineering and Architectural Draughtsmen, and the like purposes, and the object of
my Invention is to make a Drawing Board and T Square which may be used with
greater facility and accuracy than is the case with Drawing Boards and T Squares
commonly in use, and at the same time provide the means by which the working
surfaces of both the Drawing Board and T Square may be protected from damage.
I effect this, Firstly, by constructing a Drawing Board with a groove, at its left
hand side, such groove being made parallel to the edge of the board and consequently
at right angles to the top and bottom. The depth and width of the groove may bo
varied according to the size of the board or other circumstances, and it may be bevelled
on one or both sides so as to resemble a dovetail in section, the widest part being at
the bottom of the groove.
Into this groove I fit the head of the T Square which may likewise be bevelled on
one or both sides, corresponding to the groove in the Drawing Board, so that the head
of the square would fit and slide in the groove, and when so fitted the head of
the T Square may be made flush with the top of the groove, or otherwise, the blade
being fixed to the head of the square by any of the ordinary methods at present.
employed in the construction of T Squares whether fitted with fixed blades or with
adjustable blades, that is to say blades which may be used at various Angles.
Secondly, as a means of securing perfect accuracy when in use, by keeping the
working edge of the head of the T Square in close contact with the working edge of
the groove of the Drawing Board, a loose slide or fillet may be fitted into the groove
extending the full length either on the left or the right hand edge or both, or along the
bottom of the groove, and behind the loose slide or fillet, or slides and fillets, springs
may be placed at intervals, and the springs may be adjusted by set screws or their
equivalents provided on the outer edge of the board or other convenient position, and
by tightening the set screws the head of the T Square may be prevented from working
too loosely in the slide, or it may be held firmly in any position in the slide, an
arrangement which may be found convenient under certain circumstances when
working with a set square from the edge of the blade of the T Square.
For the convenience of moving the T Square up and down the groove, a plain or
ornamental projection may be provided on the head, or head end of the blade of the
square, or recesses may be formed for the same purpose.
A Drawing Board and T Square thus constructed or fitted may be put away in a
rack, or reared against a wall with the T Square in position with little liability of its

page_text: becoming detached from the Board, or being damaged, providing of course that the
blade of the T Square is not longer than the board with which it is used.
Thirdly, as a modification of the means for adjusting the head of the T square at
any desired position in the groove, and also as a means for keeping the square true up
to its working edge; instead of the loose slide or fillet or slides and fillets or of the
springs and set screws herein previously described being fitted to the Drawing Board,
a similar contrivance or contrivances or their equivalents may be fitted to the head of
the T Square, and instead of several set Screws being used, one thumb screw may be
employed placed in a central position in the head of the T Square, by a slight turn of
which the contrivance or contrivances may be actuated and brought into play, and
the head may be held securely at any desired position in the groove. The head of
the thumb screw last referred to may likewise be used in moving the T Square up and
down the slide in lieu of the projection or recesses previously referred to.
The employment of the last named thumb Screw in a central position in the head of
the square may be effected without interfering with the means of securing the parts
of a T Square, where an adjustable blade is used.
In some cases the blade of an existing T Square may be adapted to fit a specially
constructed head fitted with an appliance or appliances as herein last described.
The improvements and appliances herein described may be carried out in existing
Drawing Boards and T Squares, or, the parts embodying the improvements may be
constructed in the form of an appliance or appliances to be adapted to, or, attached
to existing Drawing Boards and T Squares; and such appliance or appliances may be
partly wood and partly metallic, or, metallic throughout, the latter being probably the
inost convenient form when required as an attachment to existing Drawing Boards
or T Squares.
Although the foregoing Specification only describes the application of the groove to
one side of a Drawing Board it may be applied to two or more sides, and, if necessary
may be applied to the top, and bottom, as well as to the two sides of a Drawing.
Board.
As a further modification in lieu of the means previously described for keeping the
head of the T Square pressed to the working edge or edges of the groove, I employ
two or more Rollers which may be fitted into the head of the square so as to bear on
the bottom of the groove, and these rollers may be made with spindles and bearings
to keep them in position, the bearings of the Rollers may be actuated by metallic,
India rubber or other suitable springs, being so adjusted as to force the head of
the T square into close contact with the working edge or edges in the groove, or, in
lieu of springs acting upon the bearings the rollers themselves may be made of India
Rubber or other elastic material, in which event the spindles and bearings of the
Rollers would be made plain.
With either of the modifications herein last described the head of the T square may
be bevelled on both sides, or it may be bevelled on one side only and the other sido
may be fitted so as to work under a lip or projection on the upper part of the groove
or otherwise.
When the head of the T square is fitted with rollers as herein described a small
pressure on the upper surface of the head of the square would enable it to be moved
freely up and down in the groove, and where the pressure is removed the elasticity
of the springs or of the rollers would be sufficient to retain the head of the square in
position.
The nature of my Invention may be better understood on reference to the accom-
panying three sheets of drawings in which,
Fig. 1 Sheet, 1. Represents a portion of the top left hand corner of a drawing board
with the head of the T square and part of the blade fitted with the appliances herein
first described.
Fig. 2. Being an end elevation of the same.
Fig. 3 Being a longitudinal section. taken with the centre of the blade of the
Tsquare in line with one of the adjustable set screws.

page_text: Sheet 2, Figs. 1, 2 & 3 represent similar views of similar appliances which may bo
constructed independently of a drawing Board so as to be attached to an existing
drawing board or a board specially constructed for the purpose.
Figs. 4, 5, & 6 represent sections of some of the forms in which the groove or
grooves in the drawing board or independent appliance or appliances may be made.
Sheet 3, Figs. 1, 2 and 3 Represent similar views of a modified form of appliance
or appliances, and Fig. 4, is a further modification of the same.
The same letters of reference are used to mark similar parts throughout the several
views.
a, is a part of the drawing board, b. the blade of the set square, c, the groove, d, the
head of the T square, e, is a set screw or other appliance by which the blade of the
Tsquare may be fixed to the head and adjusted to varying Angles; f, is the working
edge or edges of the groove, g, is the loose slide or fillett, h, is tho spring and i, the
set screw or screws, j, is a metallic boss or escutcheon in which the set screw
works: k, is a washer which may be fitted to, or made independent of the set screw, 1, is
the plain or ornamental projection which may be attached to the blade of the T squaro
and by which it may be moved up and down the groove. On Sheet 3, Figs. 1.
2 and 3 m, is a roller or rollers which may be elastic or otherwise and fitted as herein
described and Fig. 4 Sheet 3 represents the further modification of the Appliance, n, is
a sot screw, and o, a washer fitted at the end of the same, p, is a metallic bush or
appliance serving a twofold purpose, first as a means of attaching or adjusting the
blade of the square to the head in conjunction with the nut e, and secondly as a
means of tightening the head of the square d, in the groove c, in conjunction with the
set screw n, and the washer o, the action of which is as follows:-
By screwing the set screw end down into the bush or appliance p, the washer o, is
pressed on to the bottom of the slide c, and the head of the square d is tightened into
the wedge shaped or dovetailed groove against the sides, ff, by which means it may
be securely held in position.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my Invention and
in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is :-
(1) The arrangement and combination of parts and appliances constituting the
improved drawing board and T Square substantially as hereinbefore described and
illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings marked Sheet 1.
(2) The arrangement and combination of parts and appliances constituting the
improved drawing board and T Square substantially as hereinbefore described and
illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, and 3 of the accompanying drawings marked Sheet 2.
(3) The arrangement and combination of parts and appliances constituting the
improved drawing board and T Square substantially as hereinbefore described and
illustrated in Figs. 1. 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings marked Sheet 3.
(4) The arrangement and combination of parts and appliances constituting the
improved drawing board and T Square substantially as bereinbefore described and
illustrated in Fig. 4 of the accompanying drawings marked Sheet 3.
(5) Improvements in Drawing Boards and T Squares and appliances connected
therewith as hereinbefore described and illustrated on the accompanying 3 Sheets of
drawings.
R. HEBER RADFORD,
Agent for the Applicant.