CERTAIN IMPROVE- MENTS IN BOOKS
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Charles Mitchell, of Belfast, in the
County of Antrim, Ireland, for the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVE-
MENTS IN BOOKS."
Sealed the 5th July. 1870, and dated the 16th March 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Charles
Mitchell at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 16th March 1870.
I, WILLIAM CHARLES MITCHELL, of Belfast; in the County of
Antrim, Ireland, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention of
"CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN BOOKS," to be as follows, that is to say:-
:-
This Invention of improvements in books is applicable to books of all
kinds, and it consists in the special arrangement or construction of
some parts thereof so that reference to any part is greatly facilitated,
and the advantage results from placing the index marks at the margins
of the parts of the books indexed, and not merely at the beginning or at
the ends of books as is the case with ordinary indexes.

page_text: The Invention is carried into practice as follows:-In the printing
of all books intended to have this improved index the titles, names,
numbers, or subjects of the chapters, sections, divisions, or other parts of
the book are printed in the margin of any number of pages at or near
the beginning of such chapters or other parts of the book, or the index
marks may be added after the book is printed by being affixed on paper
or other material. Each leaf is cut away in such manner as to expose
the name of the following chapters or sections, the projecting part of the
leaf being left square, semicircular, or of other suitable shape, and in
cases where constant use of the index is probable the projecting parts
of the leaves may be strengthened by an additional layer of paper or
other material, and some of those leaves not having index marks upon
them may be cut away to allow space for the thickness of material
attached, and the entire edge of the index leaves may be so strengthened
if necessary. The index may be formed so as to be read from the
beginning, the middle, the end, or any other suitable part of the book,
and it may be read either backwards or forwards if desired.
In cases
It is to be
the top or
where the index is made so as to read from the middle or other division
of the book a projecting leaf of paper or other material is left or inserted
to indicate the place from which the index is to be read.
understood that the index may be arranged or placed at
bottom of the book, in cases where such may be most suitable, and when
required the cover of the book, at the end from which the index reads
may be made smaller so that the index may be read without opening
the book.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
.
filed by the said William Charles Mitchell in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 8th September 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM "
CHARLES MITCHELL, of Belfast, in the County of Antrim, Ireland, send 30
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of March, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the 33rd
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and 35
grant unto me, the said William Charles Mitchell, Her special license

page_text: that I, the said William Charles Mitchell, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Charles Mitchell,
my executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any time agree with,
and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during
5 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 “CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN Books," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said William Charles Mitchell, 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 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Charles Mitchell, do
hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the 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:
This Invention of improvements in books is applicable to books of all
kinds, and it consists in the special arrangement or construction of some.
parts thereof so that reference to any part is greatly facilitated, and the
advantage results from placing the index marks at the margins of the
parts of the book indexed and not merely at the beginning or at the ends,
of books as is the case with ordinary indexes.
The Invention is carried into practice as follows:-In the printing of
all books intended to have this improved index the titles, names,
numbers, or subjects of the chapters, scctions, divisions, or other parts of
the book are printed in the margin of any number of pages at or near
the beginning of such chapters or other parts of the book, or the index
marks may be added after the book is printed by being affixed on paper
or other material. Each leaf is cut away in such manner as to expose
the name of the following chapters or sections, the projecting part of
the leaf being left square, semicircular, or of other suitable shape,'
and in cases where constant use of the index is probable the projecting
parts of the leaves may be strengthened by an additional layer of paper

page_text: upon
may
be cut
away
or other material, and some of those leaves not having index marks
them
to allow for the thickness of material
space
attached, and the entire edge of the index leaves may be so strengthened
if necessary. The index may be formed so as to read from the beginning,
the middle, the end, or any other suitable part of the book, and it may be 5
read either backwards or forwards if desired. In cases where the index is
made so as to read from the middle or other division of the book a
projecting leaf of paper or other material is left or inserted to indicate
the place from which the index is to be read. It is to be understood
that the index may be arranged or placed at the top or bottom of the 1
book in cases where such may be most suitable, and when required the
cover of the book at that end from which the index reads may be made,
smaller so that the index may be read without opening the book.
And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood I
now proceed more particularly to set forth the system, mode, or manner 1
in or under which the same is or may be used or practically carried into
effect, that is to say :--
On Sheet 1 of the Drawings hereunto appended Figures 1 and 2
represent different views of a book shewing one modification of my
improved index applied thereto. Under this modification the index is 2
made to read from the centre or towards either end of the book, and in
order that the book may be opened at the proper place for exposing to
view the full index at both divisions of the book one of the leaves is
made to project, as shown at a, or such place may be marked or indicated
in any other suitable manner. The index is printed on those parts of 2
the margins of the leaves marked 6 on Figure 2 at the beginning of
each chapter or subject, and the margins of the remaining leaves which
refer to that chapter or subject are so cut away as to expose to view the
index to the following chapter or subject, as shown more particularly at
Each successive index 3
the edge view of the book closed Figure 1.
reference may
be placed either above or beneath the preceding reference
according as the indexes are read from the top or bottom of the page.
At Figures 3, 4, and 5, which represent a book of tables with the
improved index applied, is shown another modification of my Invention.
In this instance the index is placed at the top, bottom, and side margins.
of the leaves, as more particularly shown at Figure 4, that portion of the
index which refers to the number in the first part or beginning of the
book being placed at the bottom, as shown at A, the index referring to

page_text: the central part of the book on the side margin B, and that which refers
to the latter part on the top margin C, or the arrangement of the several
parts of the index may be reversed or differently arranged. The cover
of the book at that end from which the index reads may be made smaller
than the remainder of the book, as shown at A, Figures 1 and 2, Sheet 2,
so that the index may be read without opening the book.
In cases where the book to be indexed is divided into a number of
parts, these parts being again subdivided into or comprised of several
chapters or sections, such, for example, as directories or dictionaries, a
double index for each part may be used, as shown at Figures 1 and 2,
Sheet 3, and more particularly at Figure 2 thereof. This double index
consists of a title index A referring to the various parts or divisions of
the book. The index to each part or division is placed lower or nearer
the bottom of the book than the index to the preceding part or division, so
that the title indexes of every part or division of the book are exposed to
view at the same time, and on the book being opened at any one of
these parts or divisions the sub-index 6 of that part or division (that is,
the index which refers to the several chapters or sections of which the
division is composed) is exposed to view. The title index a is caused to
project over the sub-index 6, as more particularly seen at Figure 2, and
such title index may be placed either at the beginning or end of the
part or division to which it refers.
It is to be understood that I do not confine myself to the particular
arrangements of indexes herein-before described and shown on the
several Sheets of Drawings hereunto appended, as such arrangements
may be still further modified.
In conclusion I desire to observe that I am aware marginal indexes
have previously been applied to one part of a book cither at the
beginning or termination, the index references of which have been to
facilitate reference to the main index, and to this I make no claim; but
what I do consider novel and original, and therefore claim as my
Invention is,
-
First. The application of marginal indexes throughout a book, and in
substitution of or in addition to full page indexes in the margin, as
herein-before set forth and shown on the accompanying Sheets of
Drawings.
Second. The employment of any required number of projecting leaves,
as shown at a Figures 1 and 2 Sheet 1 of the accompanying Drawings.

page_text: and which projecting part of the leaves may be placed at the side as well
as at either end of the book.
Third. The employment of a double index consisting of a title index
and sub-index, as herein-before described in reference to and shown on
Sheet 3 of the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Charles Mitchell, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Fifth day of August One
thousand eight hundred and seventy.
WILLIAM CHARLES MITCHELL. (L.S.)