IMPROVEMENTS IN ADVERTISING, AND APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Cyrus Symons, of 2, George Street,
Blackfriars Road, in the County of Surrey, Engineer, for the Inven-
tion of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ADVERTISING, AND APPARATUS CONNECTED
THEREWITH."
Sealed the 10th February 1871, and dated the 8th November 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Cyrus Symons
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 8th November 1870.
I, HENRY CYRUS SYMONS, of 2, George Street, Blackfriars Road, in
the County of Surrey, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for. "IMPROVEMENTS IN ADVERTISING, AND APPARATUS CONNECTED
THEREWITH," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists of certain novel means hereafter described to
be used either together or separately for advertising, displaying, and
indicating..
The first part refers to means for making advertisments, programmes,
and other matter more distinct than other advertisments by embossing,

page_text: stamping, perforating, or coloring that part of the sheet which contains
or surrounds such advertisments.
The apparatus I employ for stamping or embossing is as follows:-In
the space or column dividing the advertisments I fix with the type of
a printing press a metallic strip cut on its edge like an embossing die
and placed somewhat lower than the face of the type so as to just escape
the inking apparatus, and having its counterpart attached to the cylinder
of the press. By substituting stamps or punches for the above-named
embossing dies the paper or other material may be stamped, punched,
or perforated according to the pattern employed.
Sometimes to make a special and distinguishing mark upon advertis-
ments I employ the apparatus similar to that before described, or I
print it by the use of type secured not in a column, as in the ordinary
way of printing, but in a frame or number of frames making up a column
or a portion thereof so that one or more of the same may be unlocked
or removed without disturbing the adjoining, whereby a portion of the
type may be differently colored, changed, or inverted for making the
special or distinguishing mark required.
To improve the means of advertising by changeable surfaces or devices.
I employ a metallic or other book constructed by framework to hold
plates or sheets lettered on one or two sides, and capable of being turned
over like the leaves of a book. Such sheets may be suspended¸ either
horizontally or vertically by pivots, hinges, bands, or other suitable
connections on one edge so as to turn freely when pulled from one side
to the other. On being so turned, either by hand or suitable intermittent
or automatic mechanism, each page would present a new reading of the
advertisment or a separate advertisment. Or a series of words or
devices may be arranged some fixed on the frame and some on the pages.
I make another arrangement for displaying advertisments and like
matters by placing in a frame one or more swinging plates vertically,
horizontally, or at any angle according to the letters to be read and
position or place in which the frame may be fixed, for example in
a frame of a size sufficient to hold four words or lines I apply one
plate and thus provide for reading six words or lines, viz., to read
"Symons' Sewing Machines, London," changing to "Symons' Patent
Driver, London," I pivot the plate horizontally, when up it shews the
word "Patent," when lowered the word “Machines," the other words
Sewing" and "Driver" being fixed on the frame. By placing a scries
£6

page_text: of such plates acting in like manner or all in one frame a variety of
changes may be made. In some cases I employ a bellows, fan, or lazy-
tongs action so that by the expanding and contracting of such mechanism
attention will be drawn to the advertisments and like matters on the
surfaces or coverings of the bellows, fans, or lazy-tongs. In other cases
plates or devices may be caused to turn on a joint or to vibrate one
one behind another for interchanging the words or devices; or instead
of vibrating one behind another the plates may slide horizontally, verti-
cally, or at any angle one behind another; or instead of sliding may be
constructed to turn down one on the other by the action of bands. By
a proper selection of apparatus I am enabled by means of rods, poles,
frames, and the like to advertise on places not hitherto available. For
the distribution of printed matter on paper or other material I attach a
frame to any place convenient for persons to observe it.
It may be
printed in a long strip and perforated or partly cut for parting, or a
number of sheets stitched or otherwise joined together representing a
series of books. By pulling one such book from the rest it will part at
the weakest place. These books or strips are coiled upon rollers to keep
them in place, and one end passed for delivery between india-rubber
rollers, which by suitable gearing roll out just the length of one book by
the pull or turn of a handle or lever. I can then push out a book,
card, circular, or other printed matter ready prepared for taking away.
By such printed matter hanging down or lying on a shelf so as to be
easily seen and taken away, and the act of taking one away by moving
a lever forcing the next book into place, this mode of advertising is.
made attractive and economical. Advertisements for one person or
several, or devices, announcements, notices, orders, tickets, programmes,
patterns, samples, and the like may be rolled out this way with despatch
and economy.
An advertising pillar or frame made according to my Invention and
adapted to show time tables, notices, programmes, and advertisments
would be of great public utility. For example at a railway station a
pillar surmounted by a clock and a time table in connection therewith
and worked by the clock so as to bring the figures printed opposite an
opening in the pillar may shew the times for departure and arrival of
trains. As the trains pass out the figures corresponding to them will
also pass so that no figures may be seen except those for the next trains.
Thus the public may see without the trouble of search when the trains
for various places are to leave or arrive. I place on or within the pillar

page_text: any of the advertising contrivances before described, so that persons may
see the various advertisments or notices or remove them for perusal at
leisure. Where suitable, instead of time tables programmes of per-
formances or business notices may be displayed by clock motion. The
above mechanical contrivances when suitable may be carried by a man
in place of show boards, but for economy may be placed on a street
organ or like instrument, the turning of the handle giving the required
motion for displaying the advertisements; the motion may also be
obtained from the wheels of carriages by road or rail, or by the opening
or closing of doors, or by pressing the foot on a lever, the wheels of
carriages depressing a lever in the act of passing; the action of the tide,
or rivers, or of water from pipes, or steam or gas acting on suitable
mechanism will also effect the desired purpose; manual labor may be
employed to work a large number of "advertisments in a railway station
or other suitable place, or I first apply the power thus obtained to the
raising of weights or compressing of springs or air, and I regulate the
rate of expending the power thus obtained by a revolving fan by the
intermittent action of valves for air or water or by other wel known
means. The advertisements or devices may be interally or externally
illuminated.
.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
'
filed by the said Henry Cyrus Symons in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 8th May 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
CYRUS SYMONS, of 2, George Street, Blackfriars Road, in the County 2
of Surrey, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of November, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-
fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Henry Cyrus Symons, Her special
licence that I, the said Henry Cyrus Symons, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Henry Cyrus Symons,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter

page_text: during 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
"IMPROVEMENTS IN ADVERTISING AND APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Henry Cyrus Symons,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my,
or their, or one of their hands and seals, 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. Henry Cyrus Symons, 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 accompanying
Drawings and to the letters of reference marked thereon, that is to
say:
My Invention consists of certain novel means hereafter described to
be used either together or separately for advertising, displaying, and
indicating.
The first part refers to means for making some advertisments,
programmes, and other matter more distinct than others by embossing,
stamping, perforating, or coloring that part of the sheet which contains
or surrounds such advertisements, the perforations also facilitating the
removal of them.
The apparatus I employ for stamping or embossing is as follows:-
In the space or column dividing the advertisements I fix a metallic
strip, cut on its edge like an embossing die along with the type of a
printing press, the said metallic strip being placed somewhat lower than
the face of the type so as to just escape the inking apparatus and
having its counterpart attached to the cylinder of the press.
substituting stamps or punches for the above-named embossing dies
the paper or other material may be stamped or perforated according to
the pattern employed.
By
Fig. 1 shews one arrangement for carrying this part of my Invention
into effect. A is the cylinder of a printing press which has perforating
punches here shewn distributed over part of the circumference; B
represents the type. The punches may be arranged in such a manner

page_text: on the cylinder as to perforate over, across, or round, or partly round
the advertisement. Sometimes to make a special and distinguishing
mark upon advertisements I employ an apparatus similar to that before
described, or I print it by the use of type secured not in a column, as in
the ordinary way of printing, but in a frame or frames making up a
column or a portion thereof so that one or more of the same may be
unlocked or removed without disturbing the adjoining, whereby a
portion of the type may be differently colored, changed, marked, or
inverted for making the distinguishing mark required. To get the
advertisements close together when such advertisement is put in a
frame I make the latter thin on the edges, make up the strength at the
bottom, and shorten the type used in such a frame accordingly. In
order to print long bands which by means of perforations across at
certain intervals can be separated into a number of advertisments,
notices, or tickets I place the type on one cylinder and the punches on
the other. Printing in this manner is not new, but the application of
perforating instruments thereto is new to the best of my knowledge.
The application of the long bands referred to will be described with
reference to the third part of my Invention.
The second part of my Invention refers to certain mechanical con-
trivances as hereafter described for displaying and moving advertis-
ments, time tables, programmes, notices, and signboards, and consists
essentially in the application of changeable surfaces, all as herein-after
described. Fig. 2 is a plan, and Fig. 3 is a side view of a frame to
contain advertisements. It consists of plates A, A, A, hinged on to one
common rod B. The number of plates may be varied as desired; they
are capable of being turned over like the leaves of a book, and are by
preference made of thin sheet iron japanned, but they may be made of
frame or wirework suitably covered with paper or other material, or
the paper or tablets may be inserted between frames. The pages may
be removed, added to, or changed at pleasure. The apparatus may be
worked by hand or by the motors herein-after described. For this
purpose I in some cases place pulleys, on the hinge rod B, connect them
with the leaves or tablets, and transmit motion to them by means of
cams, wheel gearing, or belting as herein-after described.
Fig. 4 shews another arrangement of plates hinged at the edges.
These apparatus may be carried as may be found most convenient and
arranged either vertically or horizontally.

page_text: I would here observe that in order to avoid repetition in this
description the various parts of mechanism will as far as convenient be
described separately; their application, combination, and material will
in practice be determined by the size, position, and nature of the
advertisements or notices; special adaptations will only be described
when necessary to render the Invention more easily understood.
Fig. 5 is a front view, and Fig. 6 is a side view of an apparatus
consisting of a series (here five) of movable flaps A which are arranged
in and partly cover the space contained within a frame B. The axes of
these flaps work in bearings on the frame B, and may have pulleys to be
worked by chains or belts, or crank pins to be worked by rods; but I
prefer to arrange them as shewn, viz., having tooth wheels C which gear
into a rack D on the movable slide E, and thus receive motion from the
same. The flaps A are covered with words or devices and show different
readings when one side or the other is exposed to view, or instead of
flaps I mount a three or more sided body or frame on each axle, the
said axle having an intermittent rotary motion.
Fig. 7 is a front view, and Fig. 8 an end view of a sliding arrange-
ment. A is the sliding tablet, and B the frame on which it is free to
slide. The words or devices on the sliding tablet are always visible, but
the body of the frame covered by the tablet is hidden. The body of
the frame may be covered with words or devices. Such frames, singly
or in a series may be carried by a man instead of the ordinary boards,
or they may be displayed in suitable places, such as on omnibuses.
Fig. 9 is a side elevation, and Fig. 10 a plan of an apparatus more
particularly applicable for a signboard over a shop window or door. It
consists of a gas pipe a having a hydraulic or stuffing box joint below
where it is connected to the gas supply pipe so that it can turn on its.
axis, its upper part fitting in a bearing bracket b. It has a pulley c
which can receive an intermittent oscillating motion. It has also a
branch piped with several burners or jets in a box e, e. The sides of
this box have names or devices cut out in them like stencil plates, which
names or devices may be read by night when the gas jets are lighted.
Two slides h with differently colored glass may be raised or lowered as
regards the stencilled part of the box so as to show one or other colour
by means of rods f, f, and levers g, g. Instead of glass slides the
combustion of metals may be used inside the box to produce the.
coloring effect.

page_text: Fig. 11, represents a frame or plate having openings to correspond with
tablets A, A, and B, B, connected together by a belt or chain passing
over a pulley D. As the tablets are moved up and down they appear
in front of the openings in the frame, and thus display changing
advertisements.
Figs. 12 and 13 show in side elevation, and Fig. 14 in front view.
another apparatus for advertising purposes constructed on a principle
resembling a well-known child's toy.
A, A, A, A, are four tablets fastened along the middle by a band B,
and other two bands C, C, along each edge. A spindle d to which is
attached a crank e carries the bands and tablets. When turning the
crank in the direction shown in Fig. 12, the tablets are moved so as to
show one side of them, and when turned in the opposite direction, as
shown in Fig. 13, they show the other side. By placing advertisements
on a series of such tablets and working them by my mechanism or by
ordinary hand power such advertisements are made attractive.
Fig. 15 is a front view, and Fig. 16 a vertical cross section of another
apparatus, consisting of a sliding connecting rod A, which has inclines.
(here shown too steep for actual work) which on being pushed against
the tablets B and C, having similar inclined edges causes them to rise
and rest on the flat part of the wedge shaped top or to fall. When
pushed in the direction shown by the arrow the tablet C will be lowered
and the tablet B will be raised. The frame has openings to correspond
with the tablets and has advertisements or devices displayed on the
back D which are visible when the tablets are down. The same object
may be accomplished by cam motion instead.
Fig. 17 is a front view, and Fig. 18 a side elevation of a vibrating
table A and frame B. The former is here shown circular, and the latter
with sector shaped openings, as shown in Fig. 17. Other shaped
openings and at greater distance apart may however be used. The tablet
turns on a centre supported in or on the frame, and has a vibratory
motion imparted to it by means of a crank arm C and its connecting
rod D, whereby advertisements are suitably changed and displayed, or it
may have an intermittent rotary motion by means of ratchet wheel and
pawl. Instead of a plate-shaped tablet I sometimes use a drum or
cylinder covered by another outer drum or cylinder having slotted or
other openings therein to correspond with the position of letters or

page_text: devices in the inner drum. When illuminating this apparatus internally
I attract attention by making one of the cylinders revolve or both of
them in opposite directions.
Fig. 19 is a side view of a frame B with movable plates or tablets
A, A, clipped together and here shown suspended by a belt passing over
a pulley C. The plates A fold up so to say one behind the other.
In some
Fig. 20 represents the skeleton of an apparatus to be covered with
suitable fabric bearing the devices or advertisements. The top piece A
is a fixture, the others B, C, D, and E are movable; F, F, are pulleys
over which passes a cord G passing through A, B, C, and D, and fastened
to E. On pulling the cord G the pieces E, D, C, and B are successively
brought close to A, and vice versa. This action attracts attention by
closing or opening the advertisements displayed on the covering between
cach two pieces. The outside cords have knots on which the pieces
B, C, D, and E rest to keep them at proper distance apart.
cases I use a series of flaps or tablets hinged together at alternate edges.
A cord fastened to the uppermost and passing over a pulley forms the
means for raising or opening the series so as to form one extended
surface for displaying advertisements on the same. Or a series of boards
or tablets fitted each at its upper edge with a pulley may be raised or
lowered by a cord passing over a fixed pulley, then under the pulley
on one of the boards, then over another fixed pulley, then under the
pulley of the next board, and so on, its end being fixed. Or the boards
may be arranged and worked horizontally by having each a rope or rod
passing through rings on the upper edge.
Fig. 21 represents a folding frame. The bars A and B are connected
by joints on the lazy-tongs action. They are covered with advertise-
ments or devices, and the frame may be expanded or folded by pulling
the rod C by hand or power. The rod D passes through the hollow
pillar C; the lower end of the frame is jointed to the pillar, as shown.
Instead of having a central rod the frame may be made to slide by
means of rings on a pole.
In most of the apparatus just described the ordinary letters may be
used, but I sometimes make use of letters separate from the board to
which they are attached by pins or wires attached separately to cach
letter or passing across the series so that they can assume any desired
angle to the board in order to suit the angle of vision.

page_text: Fig. 22 represents a clock on a hollow pillar intended for a railway
station. The pillar contains a vertical slowly revolving spindle worked
by the clock, and having one or more drums with programmes for
business, or entertainments, or time tables, or figures denoting times of
departure or arrival or both of various trains marked on or attached
thereto, while the outside of the pillar contains the corresponding
announcements, or the termini, or names of trains. Thus the figures 8.5
denotes the time of departure for a train to Richmond, and the clock
indicates that it has gone two minutes ago.
Any other suitable combination to show the passenger at a glance may
be used; for instance, the names of the stations may be placed on the
revolving drum and the figures on the pillar. Such apparatus may be
made for rooms on a small scale and with magnifying glass opposite the
names or figures. The sides of the pillar may conveniently be used for
advertisements.
The third part of my Invention consists of apparatus for distributing
books, bills, notices, tickets, and the like. I make it in the shape of a
frame fitted internally with one or more rollers on which are coiled
books, bills, or other like matter connected together so as to form a band
by stitching, gumming, or other convenient means of fastening; or I
employ a band printed, embossed, or ornamented as required and per--
forated with holes or slits at intervals so as to part or break off easily.
there. When placed in a public thoroughfare or place a person passing
may easily tear a ticket or bill off the band.
Fig. 23 is a side view, and Fig. 24 is a front view of an apparatus
made according to this part of my Invention. The belt is here coiled
round a pair of rollers A, A, the end passing off between two other
rollers B and C, one or both of which may be made of or covered with
elastic material. On the spindle of the roller C there is a ratchet and
pawl lever E. On dropping the same a certain length of band is pulled
through the rollers B and C, so that a passer-by can tear off a ticket.
In some cases however the front of the box is covered by a glass slide
connected to the pawl lever in such a way that when the lever is raised
the glass slide is raised also, whereby the front is opened, and a ticket
may now be torn off. On letting go of the lever it falls, the glass slide
with it, and the ratchet wheel is turned so as to pull out another ticket,
and so on.
A spring or weight or the weight of the lever itself tends to
bring the lever down.

page_text: The fourth part of my Invention refers to motive power mechanism
for working the apparatus hercin-before described or combinations
thereof.
Fig. 25 shows a belt movement for turning the axle or spindle of
tablets, or a series of such placed either near each other or at a greater
distance apart, and either horizontally or vertically or at such an angle
as may suit the various positions in which the tablets are placed. A is
the axle for the beam B, which has a slot C for a pin on the end of a
connecting rod D to work in. On the curved end of the beam a belt or
cord is fixed passing round the pulleys E and F so as to turn them
along with the tablets connected thereto. The arrows show the direction
of the motion of one tablet G and the connecting rod C.
Fig. 26 shows a plan, and Fig. 27 a side view of an arrangement for
turning over the tablets in succession. The axle B has a tablet A and
pinions C and D gearing into wheels H and I on the spindle J. There
is here only shown one attachment E for connecting the pinion to its
respective tablet; F, F, are pins projecting above the pinion C and below
the pinion D, and worked by the toothpiece G so that the pinion C turns
as shown in the direction of the arrow. The wheels H and I have
teeth only on a part of their circumference, corresponding to a suitable
part of the circumference of the pinions, say about one half of the
latter, and the toothpiece by coming in contact with the pins F on the
pinions causes the latter to turn and then to enter into gear with their
respective tooth wheels. When a pinion has been turned the distance
measured by the toothed part of the wheel in gear with it, it comes to a
standstill while the wheel continues to turn, so that while the wheels
are in motion the pinions are sometimes at rest and sometimes in
motion. The wheel H is here shown in gear with its pinion while the
wheel I presents the plain part of its circumference to its pinion and
is out of gear with it. The wheels are fixed on a spindle J which may
be turned by a crank pin working in a slot at the end of a connecting
rod. It is here here shown as worked from a beam K receiving up and
down motion from a connecting rod L. The outer end of the beam has
a curved double slot M in which the crank pin N on the wheel H works.
The pin may be fitted with a friction roller. The consequence of this
form of slot is that the wheels are made to move more than half a turn
if desired all according to the stroke of the beam. If the slot be con-
tinued outward in a curve from the centre joint of the beam, the latter

page_text: may have a longer stroke and the pin N along with its wheel be at
rest during part of same. While the ordinary arrangement of con-
necting rod working a crank pin without a complete revolution cannot
move it one half a revolution, this arrangement gives a greater part of
a revolution and provides for a pause in the motion also.
Fig. 28 is a front view, and Fig. 29 a side view of a mechanism
intended to be worked by clockwork or other power. A is the centre
or shaft, and B the beam working round it, for instance, by means of a
connecting rod with a pin at its end to work in a slot in the beam as
shewn at Fig. 25; C is a pinion for working a tablet or tablets D, and
has pins E, E, E, gearing into teeth on the beam B. The upper pinion
G has also pins H, H, H, gearing into the teeth on the beam. When
the latter is moved down it causes the tablet D to be reversed, and then
put at rest while the beam travels on. On the return stroke the beam
will move the pinion C again and subsequently turn the pinion G, thus
turning over the tablet J which will remain at rest till the beam goes
down again, the plain part of the sweep of the beam being in the
meantime in contact with a stud on the pinion to prevent the tablet from
falling.
Fig. 30 is a part plan view of a mechanism with revolving inter-
mittent motion, shewing part of a wheel L here shown with its centre
at A, Fig. 29. The wheel has a tooth gearing into pins on the pinion M
so that the wheel makes a turn for every quarter turn of the pinion. By
varying size of wheel and pinion and the number of studs in the latter
any required pause may be obtained for exhibiting the tablets D.
'
Fig. 31 is a part view of another arrangement. The rim of the wheel
L has here two teeth P, P, gearing at the same time with studs R in
the two pinions S each having four tablets, which by having their
sixteen surfaces successively exposed present a variety of changes.
Instead of clockwork the mechanisms described may sometimes be con-
veniently worked by a "Hero's" engine by steam raised by a lamp, or
by the pressure of water in a pipe, or by a turbine, or other water wheel,
or other suitable power. When worked by a stream or tide wheel, well,
known mechanical means, such as a belt and tightening pulley, must
sometimes be applied to allow for the rise and fall. To work a series of:
them connected by belts or rods on a larger scale, or the signboard
before described, steam or other power engines may be used. When
using manual power I prefer to apply it by means of a treadle leaving

page_text: by apparatus shown at Figs. 14, 20, or 21, or supported on framework
placed above apparatus made according to Figs. 13 and 14. Thus a
great variety may be displayed all at work at a railway station, on strect
hoardings, or on poles, so as to be out of the way and worked by manual
or other power.
And having now described the nature of this Invention I declare that
I claim,-
Firstly. The application of changeable surfaces worked by hand or
clockwork or other power, substantially as and for the purposes set
forth.
Secondly. The application of apparatus for distributing books and
other matter herein-before named, substantially as and for the purposes
set forth.
Thirdly. The improvements herein set forth for rendering some
advertisements more distinct and valuable than the rest by imparting
a distinguishing mark to them, also the surrounding them with perfora-
tions to facilitate their removal and the apparatus for the marking.
Fourthly. The application of the motive power mechanisms, herein
described for working the aforesaid apparatus, substantially as described.
And, fifthly. The combination of the improvements herein set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Cyrus Symons, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Eighth day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one.
Witness,
PETER JENSEN,
Engineer and Patent Agent,
89, Chancery Lane.
H. CYRUS SYMONS. (L.S.)