Improvements in Parallel Rulers.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Oct., 1859-Accepted, 9th Nov., 1889
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Parallel Rulers.
We WILLIAM BRADWAY BLACKHALL, Manufacturing Stationer, of 30 High Street
in the City of Toronto in the County of York, in the Province of Ontario, Canada,
THOMAS R. GLOVER, of 192 McCaul Street, Toronto, Accountant and JACKSON
BLIZARD of 19 Borden Street, Toronto, Printer, 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:-
Our invention relates to improvements in parallel rulers for the use of book keepers
accountants and in fact all who have need of rulers where accuracy is required and
the objects of our invention are first, to provide a parallel ruler which always
presents one and the same surface for ruling along thereby ensuring parallelism of
the lines ruled or drawn along the same: Second to provide a ruler that will cause
no trouble from the roller becoming inked and transferring the ink to the paper or
staining the hands of the operator third, to provide for the better adhesion of the
ruler to the paper or other material thereby lessening the liability of the ruler moving
or altering its position except at the will of the operator and fourth, to provide
ruler that without additional parts (other than former improvements necessitate) will
embrace a scale convenient for measurement, the edge of which can be used as a paper
cutter.
a
We attain these objects by the device illustrated in the accompanying drawings in
which―
Fig. 1. is a perspective view.of our.improved parallel ruler shewing the means of
holding and operating the same.
Fig. 2 is a plan of the under or reverse side of our improved ruler to more fully
illustrate our improvements.
Fig. 3 is a transverse section of the same.
Fig. 4 is an alternative form.
Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the Specification and drawings.
The roller, A, which we employ is very similar to the ordinary round ruler now in
use, having only the essential difference of having in the first place screw pivots, a, a,
in each end to serve as a means of securing the roller, A, in the framework and in
the second place of having at the center and at each end bands, a', of rubber or other
suitable adhesive material which will grip the paper and prevent the roller from
moving or shifting its position, except at the will of the operator.
By means of the pivots, a, a, in the centres of the ends of the roller, A, the said
roller is secured into a shield, B, of the form shown covering about two-thirds of the
roller, A, allowing ample space for the free and easy working of the said roller inside
the shield, B, and the the pivots, a, a, in the end caps or journals, b, b, which form part
of the shield and are turned down for that purpose.
The portion, C, of the shield, B, in front of the roller, A, is employed as a ruling
edge along which the lines are ruled instead of along the roller, A, thereby preventing
the ink which remains on the ruler being transferred to the paper, as in the case of
the ordinary rulers where the roller becomes inked and transfers the same to the paper
or the hand of the operator.
The shield, B, covers the roller, A, at the rear, from which the finger-rest, d, extends
at a right angle as shown, having a raised rib, e, forming a groove which exists
between, the rib, e, and the shield, B, into which the operator places his finger-ends
to guide and steady the instrument in its movements over the paper.
On examination it will be, noticed that the rib, e, depresses somewhat lower at the
rear than at the front side for the purpose of forming a rest or ledge, f, extending
outward in a plane parallel to that of the finger-rest, d, but slightly lower for the
purpose of resting on the paper and acting as a guide to the ruler in its movements,
and also for the purpose of relieving or elevating the finger-rest, d.

page_text: The ledge, f, is sufficiently wide to have a scale graduated thereon. The edge of
this scale along the ledge, f, may be used as a paper cutter when required.
Having thus fully described our invention what we claim as new and desire to
secure by letters patent, is-
1st. A ruler consisting of a roller suitably journalled in a framework having a
fixed ruling surface in front of the roller substantially as and for the purpose set
forth.
2d. A ruler consisting of a roller fitted with bands of rubber or other suitable
adhesive material suitably journalled in a framework having a fixed ruling surface in
front of the roller substantially as and for the purpose specified.
3d. A ruler consisting of a roller suitably journalled in a framework having a
fixed ruling surface in front of the roller and a finger-rest behind to guide and steady
the instrument substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
4th. A ruler consisting of a roller fitted with bands of rubber or other suitable
material suitably journalled in a framework having a fixed ruling surface in front of
the roller and a finger-rest behind substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
5th. A ruler consisting of a roller fitted with bands of rubber or other suitable
adhesive material suitably journalled in a framework having a fixed ruling surface in
front of the roller and a finger-rest behind having a graduated scale and a paper
cutter thereon substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 8th day of October 1889.
HUGHES, ELI & HUGHES,
76, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.