AN IMPROVED SHOW-CASE, CHIEFLY DESIGNED FOR EXHIBITING NEEDLES
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for the Invention of
"AN IMPROVED SHOW-CASE, CHIEFLY DESIGNED FOR EXHIBITING NEEDLES.”
A communication from abroad by Oliver Howard Blood, William Mills, and
Thomas Bate Mills, all of Brooklyn, New York, United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 3rd June 1879.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "AN IMPROVED SHOW-CASE, CHIEFLY DESIGNED
FOR EXHIBITING NEEDLES." [A communication from abroad by Oliver Howard
Blood, William Mills, and Thomas Bate Mills, all of Brooklyn, New York, United
States of America.]
This Invention relates to a show case for needles in papers, which case is con-
structed or provided with a series of open cells or compartments for containing
papers of needles of various sizes or grades, each of said cells or compartments being
of sufficient capacity to contain a convenient number of papers of needles arranged
one above another, and each having within it a spring for the purpose of pressing
upwards all the so arranged papers, and keeping the uppermost one in contact with
one or more retainers, consisting of plates or strips which partly overlap the open
top of the cell or compartment, but which leave the label on the uppermost paper
exposed to view. By this action of the spring, whenever the uppermost paper of
needles is withdrawn by a person's fingers from under the retainer or retainers, its
place is caused to be taken by the one which was immediately below it, and so long
as any papers of needles remain in the cell or compartment one is always at the top
in convenient position to be slid or pulled out. In order to facilitate the removal
of the papers from such a case containing several rows of compartments, the upper
surface of the interior of the case may be in the form of a series of steps, with a
row or tier of cells or compartments in each step.

page_text: the said Williain Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 3rd
December 1879.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "AN IMPROVED SHOW-CASE, CHIEFLY DESIGNED
FOR EXHIBITING NEEDLES." A communication from abroad by Oliver Howard
Blood, William Mills, and Thomas Bate Mills, all of Brooklyn, New York, United
States of America.
This Invention relates to a show-case for exhibiting needles in papers, which
case is constructed with or divided into a series of cells or compartments for
containing papers of needles of various grades or sizes; each of the said cells or
compartments is of sufficient capacity to contain a convenient number of papers of
needles arranged one above another, and each has within it a spring for the purpose
of pressing upwards all of the so arranged papers, and keeping the uppermost one
in contact with one or more retainers consisting of plates, flanges, or strips, which
partly overlap the open top of the cell or compartment, but which leave the label
on the uppermost paper exposed to view.
In the accompanying Drawing,-
Figure 1 represents a perspective view of a show case embodying this
Invention.
Figure 2 represents a transverse section thereof; and,
Figure 3 represents a longitudinal section of a portion of the same.
Similar letters indicate corresponding parts throughout the Drawing.
A designates the body of the case, and B a cover therefor, hinged at one side, and
preferably glazed, so that the contents of the case can be inspected without raising
the said cover.
The body A. of the case is represented as formed from a solid block of wood,
which is recessed or mortised to form cells or compartments of different dimensions
to hold papers of needles of different sizes and grades.
As here represented, the case contains three rows or tiers of cells or compartments
C, C¹, C, separated from each other by partitions, but it might contain any other
convenient number thereof.
Each of the said cells or compartments contains a spring D, shewn as of spiral
form, whereon is placed a follower E, which by the action of the said spring is
pushed upwards.
F, F, designate retainers which are placed at the top of the cells or compartments,
and consist of plates, flanges, or strips overlapping the edges of the cells or com-
partments.
A convenient number of papers of needles being placed in the cell or compart-
ment above the follower E, these papers, by the action of the spring D, are raised
and clamped between the said follower and the retainers F. As fast as the papers
are withdrawn those remaining in the cell or compartment are raised until all of the
papers are removed.
To facilitate the removal of papers from each row or tier of cells or compart-
ments, they are preferably arranged on different levels or stops, as clearly shewn in
Figure 2.
The level or step G¹ containing the cells or compartments C¹ is higher than the
level or step G, containing the cells or compartments C, and the level or step G²,
containing the cells or compartments C, is higher than the level or step G², con-
taining the cells or compartments C. This arrangement enables a paper of needles
contained in a cell or compartment in the upper row to be drawn out horizontally
over the top of the next.row or tier of cells or compartiments.
Though the cells or compartments are here shewn as hollowed or recessed out of
the solid wood, and the retainers F as detachably secured at the top of the said

page_text: cells or compartments, the case might be divided by removable partitions to form
cells or compartments, and in such case the retainers might be made of the same
material and in one piece with the said partitions.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondents, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it under-
stood that I claim,―
First. For exhibiting needles in papers a show case, having partitions by which
it is divided into compartments, and having retainers which partly overlap the
said compartments, and provided with springs in the said compartments for holding
the papers of needles up to the said retainers, substantially as herein described.
Second. The arrangement of the compartiments of such needle show-case in levels
or steps, with a row or series of compartments in each level or stop, substantially as
herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Third day of December, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.
W. ROB. LAKE. (L.S.)