IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY CARRIAGE AND OTHER RACKS, AND IN HAT AND COAT STANDS, SO AS TO RENDER THEM APPLICABLE FOR ADVERTISING PURPOSES
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Casper, Manager of the Mirror Advertising
Company, Limited, of Moorgate Street, in the City of London, for the In-
vention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY CARRIAGE AND OTHER RACKS, AND IN
HAT AND COAT STANDS, SO AS TO RENDER THEM APPLICABLE FOR ADVERTISING
PURPOSES."
Sealed the 13th September 1878, and dated the 11th April 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Casper at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 11th April 1878.
EDWARD CASPER, Manager of the Mirror Advertising Company, Limited, of
Moorgate Street, in the City of London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY CARRIAGE
AND OTHER RACKS, AND IN HAT AND COAT STANDS, SO AS TO RENDER THEM AP-
PLICABLE FOR ADVERTISING PURPOSES."
This Invention relates to improvements on former Letters Patent granted to
Noémi Casper and Issaac Charles Breitbart, Number 871, dated the Fifth day of
March 1877, the object of the present improvement being to adapt the method of
advertising described in the Specification of the said former Letters Patent to
railway carriage and other racks, and hat and coat stands, at the same time
improving the construction, appearance, and utility of such articles.
In carrying out my improvements in railway carriage racks, instead of employing
the usual rail and netting I employ a solid shelf fixed at each end of the carriage or
compartment, and supported by suitable brackets, the said shelf being inclined from
the back towards the front. Underneath the shelf or rack, and against the end of
the carriage or compartment, I fix a looking-glass or mirror in one piece the whole
width of the carriage, or in panels, such mirror or mirrors being somewhat higher
than the depth of the shelf or rack. The under side of the shelf or rack is constructed
so as to receive advertisements, which are drawn, written, printed, or painted back-
wards, as described in the Specification of the said former Letters Patent, and when
placed in position will be reflected in the said looking-glass, and such reflection will
thus be plainly seen by the occupants of the railway carriage, the advertisement
itself being concealed, the shelf or rack at the same time forming a receptacle for

page_text: hats and small articles of luggage more commodious and safe than the rack now
in use.
My improved hat and coat stand suitable for hotels, halls, and other public places,
consists of a hollow pillar provided with an axis or pivot at top and bottom (or
rollers at bottom only) on which it can turn. The said pillar is open or cut away at
the back, the open part facing a looking-glass, the space between each edge of the
back or open part of the pillar and the glass being filled in with a fixed frame
extending the whole height of the pillar, such frames being placed at an angle to
the glass. The interior of the said pillar is provided with any suitable number of
hat and coat pegs, and the pillar may be turned in either direction, so as to enable
any person with the greatest case to bring the open part towards him, and place
his hat or coat therein or remove it therefrom, the said pillar being provided with
balance weights, so as to bring it automatically back to its normal position directly
it is released. On the side of the said inclined frames which face the mirror adver-
tisements are placed, written backwards, as herein-before described, so that any
person approaching the said pillar seos the said advertisements reflected in the said
glass.
I thus obtain a useful, elegant, and self-closing hat and coat stand, and enable
the same to be utilized for advertising purposes in an unobtrusive manner, and in
places where advertisements would not otherwise be allowed to be exhibited.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Edward Casper in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 11th October
1878.
EDWARD CASPER, Manager of the Mirror Advertising Company, Limited, of
Moorgate Street, in the City of London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN RAILWAY CARRIAGE 2
AND OTHER RACKS, AND IN HAT AND COAT STANDS, SO AS TO RENDER THEM AP-
PIJCABLE FOR ADVERTISING PURPOSES."
This Invention relates to improvements on former Letters Patent granted to
Noéine Casper and Isaac Charles Breitbart, Number 871, dated the Fifth day of
March, One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven, the object of the present 3
improvements being to adapt the method of advertising described in the Specifi-
cation of the said former Letters Patent to railway carriage and other racks, and
hat and coat stands, at the same time improving the construction, appearance, and
utility of such articles.
In carrying out my improvements in railway carriage racks, instead of employing a
the usual rail and netting I employ a solid shelf fixed at each end of the carriage or
compartment, and supported by brackets placed above the shelf, the said shelf being
inclined from the back towards the front. Underneath the shelf or rack, and against
the end of the carriage or compartment, I fix a looking-glass or mirror in one piece

page_text: the whole width of the carriage or in panels, such mirror or mirrors being somewhat
higher than the depth of the shelf or rack. The under side of the shelf or rack is con-
structed so as to receive advertisements, which are drawn, written, printed, or painted
backwards, as described in the Specification of the said former Letters Patent, and
when placed in position will be reflected in the said looking-glass, and such reflection
will thus be plainly seen by the occupants of the railway carriage, the advertisement
itself being concealed, the shelf or rack at the same time forming a receptacle for
hats and small articles of luggage more commodious and safe than the rack now
in use.
My improved hat and coat stand suitable for hotels, halls, and other public places,
consists of a hollow pillar provided with an axis or pivot at top and bottom (or
rollers at bottom only), on which it can turn. The said pillar is open or cut away
at the back, the open part facing a looking-glass, the space between each edge of tho
back or open part of the pillar and the glass being filled in with a fixed frame
extending the whole height of the pillar, such frames being placed at an angle to
the glass. The interior of the said pillar is provided with any suitable number of
hat and coat pegs, and the pillar may be turned in either direction, so as to enable
any person with the greatest case to bring the open part towards him, and place
his hat or coat therein or remove it therefrom, the said pillar being provided with
balance weights, so as to bring it automatically back to its normal position directly
it is released. On the side of the said inclined frames which face the mirror adver-
tisements are placed, written backwards, as hercin-before described, so that any
person approaching the said pillar sees the said advertisements reflected in the said
glass.
I thus obtain a useful, elegant, and self-closing hat and coat stand, and enable
the same to be utilized for advertising purposes in an unobtrusive manner, and in
places where advertisements would not otherwise be allowed to be exhibited.
But to make my Invention better understood, I will proceed to describe the same
by reference to the accompanying Drawing, in which,-
Figures 1 and 2 are front and end elevations of a railway carriage rack för pas-
sengers' luggage constructed according to my Invention.
Figure 3, perspective view of the interior of a railway carriage provided with my
improved advertising rack.
Figure 4 is an elevation of a hat, coat, and umbrella stand constructed according
to my Invention, and suitable for hotels, halls, and other public places; Figure 5,
plan of the same, the top being removed.
In Figures 1 and 2, a, a, is the bottom of the rack formed of a solid shelf, instead
of the usual rail and netting. This shelf is placed so as to incline towards the
front, as shewn. b, brackets supporting the shelf. These brackets are fixed to the
back of the carriage or compartment and on the top of the shelf, so as not to be
visible; c, c, open canework, or its equivalent, to prevent the luggage falling off the
shelf or rack a, at the same time allowing it to be seen by the passengers; d, d, d,
are mirrors placed in suitable frames e, and fixed against each end of the carriage,
and underneath the shelf or rack a; or one mirror may be employed, passing the
whole width of the carriage. The under side of the shelf or rack a, immediately
over the mirrors d, is constructed so as to receive advertisements, which are drawn,
written, or printed backwards, and when placed in position will be reflected in the
said looking-glass, and such reflection will thus be plainly seen by the occupants of
the railway carriage, the advertisement itself being concealed, the shelf or rack at
the same time forming a receptacle for hats and small articles of luggage more com-
modious and safe than the rack now in use.
The hat, coat, and umbrella stand, shown in Figures 4 and 5, consists of a hollow
pillar g, provided with an axis or pivot h and rollers i, i, at bottom, on which the
pillar g can turn. The said pillar g is open or cut away at the back, the open part
facing a looking-glass j, the space between each edge of the back or open part of
the pillar and the glass j being filled in with a fixed frame extending the whole
height of the pillar, such frames being placed at any angle to the glass, as shewn.

page_text: The interior of the said pillar is provided with any suitable number of hat and
coat pegs, and the pillar may be turned in either direction, so as to enable any
person with the greatest case to bring the open part towards him, and place his hat
or coat therein or remove it therefrom, the said pillar being provided with a balance
weight m, passing over a pulley n and roller o, so as to bring it automatically back
to its normal position directly it is released. On the side p of the said inclined
frames which face the mirror, advertisements q are placed, written backwards, as
herein-before described, so that any person approaching the said pillar sees the said
advertisements reflected in the said glass.
I thus obtain a useful, elegant, and self-closing hat and coat stand, and enable
the same to be utilized for advertising purposes in an unobtrusive manner, and in
places where advertisements would not otherwise be allowed to be exhibited.
Having thus described my said Invention, and the best means with which I am
acquainted for carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that I do
not confine myself to the precise details herein laid down and shown in the Drawing,
as the same may be varied without departing from the peculiar character of the
Invention; but what I do claim is,--
Firstly. The construction and application to railway carriages of the improved
rack herein-before described, whereby the same is rendered suitable for advertising
purposes, as herein-before described.
Secondly. The general arrangement and construction of the improved hat and
coat stand, applicable also to advertising purposes, as herein-before described, and
represented in Figures 4 and 5 of the accompanying Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Casper, have hereto set my hand and
seal, this Eleventh day of October, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-eight.
Witness,
G. F. REDFERN,
Patent Agent,
4, South Street,
Finsbury,
London.
EDWARD CASPER. (L.S.)