Improvements in Books, Albums, and the like.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Nov., 1897-Accepted, 1st Jan., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Books, Albums, and the like.
I, FRANKLIN HOWARD GILSON, of Wellesley, in the County of Norfolk and
State of Massachusetts, United States of America, Manufacturer, 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:―
This invention relates to an album or other book comprising a series of leaves,
and a cover separably connected thereto. The invention has for its object to
provide an improved construction of the leaves and cover of an article of this
character, whereby the same may be readily assembled and separated, and a
collection of any desired number of leaves may be used with the same cover, the
cover being extensible so as to fit a collection of leaves of any desired thickness.
The invention also has for its object to provide an improved detachable cover or
temporary binder for other purposes, such as holding sheets or cards having
samples of cloth and other materials. The invention consists in the improvements
which I will now proceed to describe and claim.
Of the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,-
Figure 1 represents a perspective view of my improved album, showing the
back lid partially removed.
Figure 2 represents a perspective view of a portion of the album, showing the
back lid in place.
Figure 3 represents a perspective view of a portion of the album, the front lid
being uppermost.
Figure 4 represents a section on line 4-4 of Figure 2.
Figure 5 represents a section similar to Figure 4, showing a greater number
of leaves.
Figure 6 represents a perspective view of a portion of one of the leaves.
Figure 7 represents a perspective view of an album provided with a modified
form of cover and a modified form of slot in the leaves and lids.
Figure 8 represents a perspective view of the cover alone in this modification.
Figure 9 represents a perspective view of an album provided with a modified
form of back.
Figure 10 represents a plan view of another modification of the back.
The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all the figures.
Referring to Figures 1 to 6 of the drawings:-
a represents the front lid, and b the back lid of my improved album-cover.
These parts may be of any suitable construction, and made of any suitable material.
cc represent a series of leaves, which are interposed between the lids a and b,
and are connected thereto by the means hereinafter described. The front lid a
is provided with a flexible extension a', formed to extend over the back of the
series of leaves c and to project between the last leaf of the series and the back
lid b.

page_text: The front. lid a is provided, near its inner end, with orifices or openings dd,
while the back lid is provided, near its inner end, with corresponding
orifices dd, which are arranged to coincide with the orifices d d when the lids
are in place at opposite sides of the series of leaves.
The extension a¹ is provided with longitudinal slots e e, which are arranged to
coincide with the orifices' d d, dd, so that a cord f may pass directly from each
orifice d to the corresponding orifice d', through a slot e.
Each leaf chas, near its inner end, a slot c¹, said slots extending inwardly in
opposite directions, from the top and bottom edges of the leaves. The slots care
arranged so that their inner ends coincide with the orifices d d d d when the
several parts are assembled. I prefer to make each leaf of a main portion 2, of
comparatively stiff and heavy cardboard, an end portion 3 of similar material, com-
posing the inner end of the leaf, and a thinner flexible portion 4, preferably made
of one or more layers of cloth, connecting the portions 2 and 3.
cover a,
In assembling the above-described parts, I place the series of leaves on the
fold the extension over upon the series of leaves, as indicated in
Figure 1, and pass the cord f first through one of the orifices in the back lid,
the coresponding slots e and c', and the corresponding orifice d in the cover a, then
along the outer side of the cover a, as indicated in Figure 3, through the other
orifice d, the slots c¹ in the opposite edges of the leaves, the other slot e in the
extension a¹, and the other orifice in the back lid b, after which I tie together
the free ends of the cord on the back cover b, as indicated in Figure 2.
It will be seen, by reference to Figures 4 and 5, that the slots c in the back
extension a enable the cord f to pass through said back extension at various
points, so that the cover can be accommodated to any desired number of leaves c,
the number shown in Figure 5 being considerably greater than that shown in
Figure 4. It will also be seen that the slots cl in the leaves a enable the leaves
to be readily inserted and removed from any part of the pack, by loosening the
cord and slipping it out of the slots c¹.
In the modified forms of my invention shown in Figures 7 to 10, I make the
lids a a of equal length and instead of the extension, I provide a disconnected
back piece g
This back piece may be slotted longitudinally, as shown in Figure 9
or Figure 10, or it may be merely recessed at the four corners, as shown in
Figures 7 and 8. It is held in place by a binding cord f or similar binding
device, and its edges lie between the lids and the pack of leaves, as indicated by
dotted lines in Figures 7 and 9. Adjustment is effected by exposing more or less
of the back-piece g, between the back edges of the lids a b, according as the
number of leaves contained between the lids is greater or less.
I have shown in Figures 7 and 9 a modified form of slot c¹ for the leaves and in
Figures 7 and 8 a similar slot a² 62 for the lids. The sides of these slots, instead
of being straight like the sides of the leaf-slots shown in Figs. 1 to 6, are curved so
as to give the slots a widened or flaring entrance 5, a narrow neck portion 6, forming
a constricted passage for the cord, and a wider oord-receiving portion or
eyelet 7. The flaring entrance permits the cord to be easily and quickly guided
into the slot and the constricted neck-portion prevents it from slipping out easily
when once inserted, while the eyelet portion gives the cord freedom of movement
transversely of the leaves. When the lids a are provided with slots or openings,
as shown in Figs. 7 and 8, the album may be held together by a continuous bind-
ing device, such as an elastic rubber band. The eyelet portions of the slots a³ b²
constitute orifices corresponding to the orifices dd, and the rest of the slot con-
stitutes a passage giving side access to the orifice. When the lids are merely
orificed as shown in Figs. 1 to 5, and Fig. 9, the album is then adapted to be used
with a binding cord. Leaves having slots constructed as shown in Figs. 7 and 9
may, of course, be used in connection with the cover shown in Figs. 1 to 5.
My invention is not limited to photograph-albums, but may be embodied in a
separable book of any other nature, such as a sample book for holding samples of
cloth and other merchandise.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1. A book or album comprising a cover composed of two lids provided with
openings near their inner ends and a flexible back-piece having a free edge and
provided with longitudinal openings adapted to register with the openings in
the lids, a pack of leaves interposed between the lids of the cover, and a binding
device adapted to occupy the openings in the lids and back-piece, adjustment of
the cover being effected by drawing up the free edge of the back piece between the
lid and the pack of leaves so as to expose more or less of said back piece according
to the thickness of the pack of leaves.
2. A book or album cover comprising a front lid provided with orifices near its
inner end; a flexible extension or back formed thereon, and provided with longi-
tudinal slots arranged to register with said orifices; and a back lid having orifices near
its inner end arranged to register with the said slots and first-mentioned orifices
said slots and orifices being arranged to receive a cord or lacing, whereby the lids
may be connected with each other and with a series of leaves interposed between
the lids, the slots permitting said cord to pass through the flexible extension at
various points, as set forth.
3. A book of the character specified, comprising two separable lids, each having
orifices near its inner end; a flexible extension or back formed on one of said
lids, and provided with longitudinal slots arranged to register with the orifices in
the lids; a series of independent leaves interposed between the lids, and having
slots extending inwardly from their edges near their inner ends, the inner ends
of said slots coinciding with the orifices in the lids; and a lacing-cord connecting
said lids and leaves, the said cord passing through the orifices of the lids, the
slots of the back-extension, and the slots of the leaves.
4. A book of the character specified, comprising an adjustable cover, a binding
cord, and a series of leaves interposed between the lids of the cover, each leaf
having slots in its top and bottom edges formed with a constricted neck-portion, a
wider cord-receiving portion or eyelet, and a widened or flaring entrance, for the
purpose set forth.
100K
FRANKLIN HOWARD GILSON.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.