CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS. IN HOLDERS AND CONNECTORS FOR HOLDING PAPERS AND FANCY WARES EXPOSED FOR SALE. OR FOR PRIVATE USE."
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT Myer Myers and Maurice Myers, trading under the
style or firm of Myers and Son, Steel Pen Manufacturers, of Birming-
ham, in the County of Warwick, and William Hill, Manager to the said
firm, also of Birmingham, for the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS.
IN HOLDERS AND CONNECTORS FOR HOLDING PAPERS AND FANCY WARES
EXPOSED FOR SALE. OR FOR PRIVATE USE."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Myer Myers, Maurice
Myers, and William Hill at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 16th June 1860.
We, MYER MYERS and MAURICE MYERS, trading under the style or firm
of Myers and Son, Steel Pen Manufacturers, of Birmingham, in the County,
of Warwick, and WILLIAM HILL, Manager to the said firm, also of Birming-
ham, aforesaid, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention for
"CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN HOLDERS AND CONNECTORS FOR HOLDING PAPERS AND
FANCY WARES EXPOSED FOR SALE, OR FOR PRIVATE USE," to be as follows (that
is to say):
Our Invention consists of shaping or forming from sheet steel, or partly
steel and partly metal, spring clips and hooks, suitable for holding and sus-
pending loose papers, prints, and general fancy wares, such as are generally
exhibited in shops or bazaars for sale, varying the size of such holders or
[Price 8d.]

page_text: connectors according to the description of article, they are required to hold.
And we effect this either with one or two pieces of steel, or metal, or metallic
or other loop, by clipping and piercing in such a way as, for instance, if
required for holding a watch or article of jewellery, it shall not only afford the
means of holding a ticket indicating the price, but also constructed with a spring
the article desired to be exhibited, and at the other a hook, or loop, for attaching
or other hook, or other means, at one end for attaching it to a wire, cord, or
other contrivances, as generally arranged in shop windows or other situations
for the exhibition of the articles exposed for sale; and when such articles are
of a textile quality, we purpose forming a sharp pointed hook at one
ends, as desired, for forming the attachment or connection, and at the same
time so constructing them that such holders may be provided with a spring
clip or tongue for holding the price ticket desired to be attached to such class
of goods. Thus by a variation of shape, we are enabled to provide the means
for holding specimens of various sizes, nature, and description, as also with the
means for holding the price, tickets or other labels that generally. accompany
the articles exhibited for sale.
11:01 3.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Myer Myers, Maurice Myers, and William Hill, in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 15th December 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, MYER
MYERS and MAURICE MYERS, trading under the style or firm of Myers and
Son, Steel Pen Manufacturers, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
and WILLIAM HILL, Manager to the said firm, also of Birmingham aforesaid,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing.date the Sixteenth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-third year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give. and grant unto us, the
said Myer Myers, Maurice Myers, and .William.. Hill, Her. special license
that we, the said Myer Myers, . Maurice Myers, and William. Hill;. our
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as we, the said
'Myer Myers, Maurice Myers, and William Hill, our executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, should at any time agree with,, and no others, from
time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed.
should and lawfully might make, use,, exercise, and vend, within the United

page_text: Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of
Man, an Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN HOLDERS AND CONNECTORS
FOR HOLDING PAPERS AND FANCY WARES EXPOSED FOR SALE, OR FOR PRIVATE USE,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said Myer Myers, Maurice
Myers, and William Hill, by an instrument in writing under our hands and
seals, or under the hand and seal, or hands and seals of any one or two of
us, 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 we, the said Maurice Myers. and William Hill
do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement (that is to say) :-
Our Invention has for its object the supplying of cheap, convenient, and
portable means for holding, retaining, or suspending fancy articles, such as
prints, papers, jewellery, and other such like wares required to be held or
exposed for sale, as well as the means for holding the ticket, when required,
for indicating the price of the article or articles so exposed or held, or other-
wise, as may be required. And the manner in which we purpose giving effect
to our Invention consists in forming from thin sheet steel, or partly steel and
partly brass, german silver, or other suitable sheet metal, spring clips and
hooks, so shaped and bent as to render them suitable for holding and sus-
pending prints, papers, and other general light fancy wares, such as are
commonly exhibited in shops, bazaars, markets, or fancy fairs for sale or
otherwise. And we purpose varying the size and shape of such holders or
connectors, according to the description of article or articles they may be
required to hold. And in carrying our Invention into effect, either with one,
two, or more pieces of metal, we first cut them out and pierce them by suitable
press tools, in the same way in which steel pen blanks or such like articles are
cut out and pierced, and which process or processes are well understood by
manufacturers who make such like articles, and after being so cut out and
pierced, we purpose bending them into the desired shape, as, for instance, if
required for holding a watch or other like solid article of jewellery, or other
fancy goods, we bend the lower part up into a hook for holding the article
desired, while the other end may be either pierced or also bent into a hook for
hanging or suspending it to a cord or wire, as commonly stretched across shop
windows and other show cases for that purpose, while the front of the
connector may be so pierced as to free a centre portion of it into a vertical

page_text: spring, which, by the nature of the materials used, will exert sufficient con-
tracting force to hold a ticket, on which the price of the article so exposed
ór held may be placed. But when such connectors are required for holding
prints or papers, the connection is formed with two collapsable metallic
plates or lips, which admit of being sprung open for receiving the articles
or paper desired to be held. And this description of connector will also
do for many articles of a textile nature, but where the article is bulky we
form the connection with a metal wire or fibrous loop, such as cord, tape,
or ribbon, on which we place a thin metal slide, which slide being drawn
up, expands or enlarges the loop for receiving the article to be held, and in
like manner when the article is placed within the loop, and the thin metal
slide reversed, the article or articles become firmly held. And in the centre
of the slide a portion of the metal may be so freed as before described for
forming a vertical spring for holding a price ticket; and this same principle
may be also applied when the portion intended for holding the article desired
is made of thin sheet metal. And thus by a variation of shape to suit
particular classes of articles, we are not only enabled to provide the means at
a cheap and economic rate, but also to generally construct them, when
required, with the means for holding price tickets.
But as our Invention will be more fully understood by referring to the
Drawings hereunto annexed, we will proceed to describe the same, reference
being made to the figures and letters marked thereon.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 represents a metallic hook as made of thin sheet steel, such as is
generally used for the making of steel pens or holders. A represents the
blank as cut out and pierced in the ordinary way in which steel pens are
made; B is a back view of the same, bent into the form required in a finished
state, showing that the lower hook marked a is formed from the centre tongue,
and C is a front view of B, showing that the lower part of the blank A
marked bis bent up to form a clip for receiving the price ticket, which may
be firmly held between the under side of the part b and the front of the con-
nector; while the hook a also forms a spring exerting its force outward,
thereby assisting in holding the ticket, as will be more clearly seen at D,
which is an edge view, showing the hooks and the part b bent up, as before
described.
Fig. 2 represents in the same order the blank, back, front, and edge views
of a connector, in which the part c, c, is bent down backward and reversed to
form a hook, as at e, e, the upper hook being formed of the part marked d.

page_text: The print or paper desired to be held should be placed underneath the part f,
between the centre part and sides c, c, while the part g, g, forms a spring
pressing inward on the print or paper so inserted, and the spring his for
receiving the ticket indicating the price of the articles so held.
And in like order, Fig. 3 represents a spring hook in blank, and front, back,
and edge finished views; the tongue i, as seen in the back and edge views,
forms a spring, that when the hook has passed over the cord or wire to which
it may be attached it becomes fixed there, and cannot be removed until the
spring i is pressed in. The lower hook is formed of the lower part of the blank
marked, and this part, if desired, may be protected in like manner by a centre
or additional side springs, as indicated by the dotted lines, marked in the edge
view; and in this case we purpose holding the price ticket by passing it up
in the front of the connector as at m, m, and behind the arms n, n, of the front
view E. This description of hook may be made larger or smaller, according
to the article required to be exhibited; but at all times we purpose to keep
them small, compact, and unattractive in appearance, so as not to divert
attention from the article exhibited.
Fig. 4 represents a blank, front, back, and edge view of another formed
hook, composed by bending the top part of the blank o down over the part p,
the lower extremity forming the lower hook marked q, while the upper hook
is formed of the tongue r; but before forming the hooks we purpose bending
transversely the part o and the part p into a slight curve, in the manner in
which steel pens are generally treated, which imparts additional lengthway
rigidity. The paper, print, or fabric to be held is placed between the parts p
and o; the transverse concave form of o, and the convex form of p, (or the
reverse, if preferred,) will tend to assist in holding the article required, or the
article can be held on the lower hook q, and the price ticket held, as before
described, between the part o and body p. The edge view F represents
these parts sprung open for better illustration.
Fig. 5 represents another form of holder or suspender in the blank, front,
back, and edge view. The top or parts of the blank G is intended to be bent
into a hook backward, as exhibited in the other views, and the parts marked
t, t, are bent outward for holding a price ticket, while the print or paper
desired to be held is placed up between the body u, u, u, and the parts v, v.
This makes a simple and efficient connector for holding delicate prints, and when
in use is principally concealed by the picture or thing held and the ticket of its
price, and if a hook at the bottom be considered desirable, the metal has only
to be elongated at the bottom, as exhibited in the blank G in dotted lines
marked w; I and J represent, in a front and edge view, a modified clip and

page_text: spring holder suitable for applying to the breast of a coat or waistcoat, or lady's
dress, for holding an eye-glass. The part or hook marked is for clipping
the coat or other garment at the edge of a button-hole or elsewhere, and the
part or spring x, 2, is for receiving the chain, ribbon, or cord to which
eye-glasses and spectacles are frequently connected.
Fig. 6 is but a variation of Figure 2, with a different treatment. The ends
marked x, x, of the blank H is intended to be bent into the form exhibited
in the front and edge views, also marked ¹. The part y forms the clip for
receiving a print or other such like article or thing desired to be held, and the
tongue z forms the clip for the price ticket, which may either open from the
top, as exhibited by the dotted lines at H, or be allowed to remain in the
position as shown in the blank, or bent up as exhibited in the front and edge
view marked with the same letter.
In using this
Fig. 7 represents a front and edge view of what we term a barrel connector,
which is first cut out and pierced, as exhibited in the flat or blank view, the
part a', a', forming the hooks, as exhibited in the edge view, marked with
the same letter, and the centre tongue or spring b' is for receiving the print
desired to be held, and the part c¹ for holding the ticket.
description of connector for drapery or haberdashery, the part b
may be used
for the price ticket, and the extreme ends of the part a', a', of the blank may
be extended or contracted to a point, that it may either be used as a hook, to
hook on or into any other material, or a sharp pointed hook may be formed at one
end only if so desired. And this principle of rendering the hook sharp in order
that the hook at both or either ends may hook in or on to fabrics to which it
may be desired to attach a price ticket, we have exhibited in a blank and
finished front and side view at Fig. 8. The part marked e' is for receiving the
price ticket, and may be used with the open point e¹ downward, as in the finished
front view or upward as in the side view, in either case it will possess sufficient
strength to hold and retain a ticket.
And Fig. 8A represents a front and edge view of a ticket holder, which
from its extreme simplicity and trifling cost of production will be found also
serviceable for holding the price tickets of small wares, the pointed top of
the flat view is intended to be bent back into a hook, as exhibited in the
edge view.
Fig. 9 represents a back, front, and edge view of a metallic clip, that may
be used as a book marker, or a ticket holder for boots and shoes, or other such
like articles, but principally designed for holding a railway ticket; f is the front
view, and the dotted lines marked g¹, g', etc., represent a railway ticket held up
in position by the bottom part being bent at right angles, and the back part

page_text: pressing against the front, as seen in the edge view. This simple contrivance
will be found to hold a railway ticket securely, and yet admit of its being
readily applied and withdrawn as desired; the cord or loop is for attaching
it to a button or button hole, as preferred. When using this description of
clip as a book marker, the angle at the bottom, marked h¹ will be unnecessary
and by elongating this part, as exhibited by the dotted lines at ¹, it may be
used as a knife for dividing the pages of a book. And when using this
description of clip for holding price tickets on shoes or other such like articles.
the part below i, j, of the clip may be removed, and a spring may be formed
in the top part of the front, as indicated by the dotted curved lines in the
upper part of the front view. In some instances it is desirable to exhibit
articles or small pictures in series, in which case we prefer so forming the
holder or holders that they may be connected by being looped one in the
other, somewhat like a chain, varying the size as required, providing not only
the means for holding the print, or such like article, but also the price ticket
or tickets for the same, and this principle we have exhibited at Fig. 10. I' is
a blank as cut out of thin sheet steel or other suitable metal, and J and K
represent the same as looped together, and this looping principle applies just
the same as if they were entirely reversed in position to that here shown, in
either case the centre tongues marked and will do either for holding the
ticket or the article desired to be exhibited. Nor do we purpose confining
ourselves to the shape here given, 'in carrying out this description of holder or
connector, as they may be made in the form exhibited at L. having additional
side springs or clips, and which form may be used bencficially at the lowest
end of a chain of such links, or the 'tongue m' and n¹ may be bent into
suitable hooks for suspending, as herein-before generally described, the price
ticket being held between the body o', o', and the side springs pl. p³, and if
desired for forming a continuous link, the bottom end may be slotted, as
exhibited in dotted lines marked q¹, q'. Hitherto we have represented con-
nectors and holders in various forms, as made of one piece of metal, but the
same result may be advantageously effected by suitably shaping and connecting
two pieces of metal, as exhibited at Fig. 11, in front, back, and edge view,
notwithstanding the part marked and represented detached at M may be
readily cut out with, and connected to the body or part s¹, as exhibited in
dotted lines in the front view, and after being so cut out and pierced" for
forming a centre spring it may be bent down, and the part t¹ clipped around
the side of the part s¹, as exhibited in the back view marked with the same
letter, and if desired the lower part u', u', may be bent into a hook. Or the
part marked M may of itself be made a clip, and ticket holder, by simply
-

page_text: allowing the slide to extend, as shown in dotted lines, this part will admit of
being bent around laterally into a spring hook, and so formed it will admit of
being readily applied to anything hanging pendant, such as a gold chain or
other article.
Fig. 12 is somewhat analogous to Figures 7 and 8, the tongue or spring v',
being made of a. different metal, and held in position by the metal of the body
clipping the front as shown at w, w, in the back view.
Fig. 13 is also composed of two parts united in the simplest way by
piercing and forming counterparts to pass through the piercing, and bend over
as there shown, the back or body part, marked ¹, being bent into hooks
for suspension, so that the article to be exhibited may be hung on the hook or
between the bottom of the body, and the part y', and in like manner a price
ticket may be so held, and the tongue or spring z¹ may either press inward,
and thereby assist in further holding or securing the article placed between
it and the body, or the upper end of the spring z¹ may be curved outward
as shown in the edge view also marked z' for a price ticket to be passed down
and held by it.
Fig. 14 represents a front and edge view of a spring clip. the part N we
prefer making of hard thin sheet steel, and so setting it that the two edges or
lips at the bottom marked a, a, shall meet with a sufficient amount of force
as to readily retain the article desired to be held, and to increase this
force, the part O is so connected that the nearer the bar in connection
with it (marked 61, 61, is pulled towards the swell or top part c¹¹, so the article
desired to be held is further secured, and by reversing or sliding the part O
down the slot d", d, the freedom is increased for allowing the clip N to be
more readily opened; and in order to impart rigidity to the sides of the clip,
we slightly bend the metal down as at e¹¹, ell, and f", f", the vertical tongue
of the part 0, marked g¹, is for holding a ticket when desired. and the top
part may be fashioned into a hook, or placed on or suspended from a wire or
cord, in which case the form here shown would in most cases be preferred; or a
simple clip may be formed from one piece of sheet steel or other suitable metal,
as exhibited in the front and edge view K¹ and I, the sides of the base or
back part is curved transversely as at 7, 7, to strengthen or impart rigidity,
and in like manner the thumb-bit s is also treated; the dotted part t
represents the extended form of the blank for bending into a hook, as
exhibited at 11 in the edge view.
Fig. 15 represents another configuration and construction of clip made from
two thin pieces of metal, by preference steel, united together by the top end of
the part P, pressing through a slot at the top of the part Q, bent over and

page_text: flattened down, as at i¹ of the front view, and by the two ears shown in dotted
lines marked i, j, in the same Figure, being bent around and flattened down
in like manner to clip the top sides of the part P, as shown in the back view,
also marked 1, 71. The lower jaw of the part Q is passed through a vertical
slot of the part P, and by squeezing the parts and together, the lower
extremity or mouth will be opened for the insertion of the article desired to be
held, the top part of P is bent over into a hook for suspension.
Fig. 16 is also a modification of a steel clip. R is the back, with the lower
part m serrated to form teeth, while the top part marked n is for forming it
into a hook when required for suspension; the part o" is a spring tongue that
passes through the pierce hole p" of the back or blank S, and the lower end of
the spring is passed through the slot q" and bent under, by which simple means
the two parts are united, the tendency of the spring o¹¹ to assume a flat position
with the part R affords the required force for holding the lower ends together,
as shown at R and S in the edge view, the upper ends of these parts marked
and are slightly curved transversely to produce a rigidity in order to
maintain its proper shape when pressed together by the finger and thumb.
And Fig 17 is a modification of the last Figure, the front or part T being
stamped for the purpose of strengthening it, and U is the back which
may be treated in a similar way for the same object, or be made of stouter
metal, and instead of forming the spring out of the same part, we prefer
applying a spring, as represented detached in a flat view at V, and which spring
is united to the part U by the part u passing into the slot v", and the ears
11, w, clipping the part 1, 111, and the front or part T is united to the
spring by passing the tongue y, through the pierce hole z, and further
passing the end of the tongue y" through the slot a¹¹, and bending it round
behind. W represents the spring V bent into form, and X is an edge view of
the back U and spring V, and Y is an edge view of a finished clip, or the
part U may be made very suitably of mother-of-pearl, and elongated as indi-
cated by the dotted lines; thus converting this part into a paper knife, and the
finished clip suitable for a book marker, thus combining the knife and marker
in one article.
Fig. 18 represents a further modification of a clip, represented in a top and.
side view, suitable for holding light papers. A¹ is the bottom, and B¹ the top,
which is secured to the bottom by straps, which are bent over, clipping the
edge as at 6111, 61. To the top or spring B₁ the thumb-piece or lever C¹ is
attached in like manner by being bent over and made to clip the spring B¹ at
cc or the parts may be united in any other simple and efficient way, so
as to produce the result here shown, and the top end of the part A¹ may be

page_text: pierced mito a more for suspension, or vent to a hook To the Same purpose
when required to be used in that position.
Fig. 19 represents a tweezer form of connector, which may be made in .one
strip of metal bent into the desired form, or be united, say at 1, and bent
over and clipped by a projecting part being bent over it, as shown in dotted lines
at e, or the parts may be rivetted together, as here represented; f forms
a hook for suspending it, and g is a side that is now represented elevated,
but when pushed down it has the effect of closing the lower end or mouth h
and, thereby securely holding whatever may be placed in or between the
parts for that purpose. This form of clip, like many of the others, admits of
being differently made and operated on without greatly diversifying its appear
ance or use. As for instance, Fi and G¹ is an edge and front view of a clip
made with one strip of steel, fitted with a slide marked m, m, as formed of
thin sheet metal, having a projecting spring at the top marked n, for holding
a-ticket, and on the opposite side to this part a tongue may be cut in the metal
and bent out as at o, thus forming not only the means of suspension, but will
prevent the slide m from being pulled off or disconnected.
And Fig. 20 represents a front and part side view of a holder or suspender
as made principally of wire, which may terminate at the top with a simple
loop, or united to an eye or ring as here shown. The wire loop is passed
down through holes in the metallic slide H', and which slide is so curved that
it will retain its position when placed, as for instance, if the article to be held
is bulky, the slide H¹ can be drawn to the top, thereby enlarging the bow or
loop J, and when the article is placed in the position required, the slide H
may be pushed down so as to contract the loop, and thereby securely hold the
article so placed. And as we purpose making the slide H of thin metal, a
spring tongue, as at p1, can readily be formed for holding a price ticket, or
the lower end of the slide may be left of sufficient length to be bent up for this
purpose, as shown in dotted lines in the edge view at 9. The size of this
description of connector may be greatly varied as required, and common or
silk cord, ribbon, or tape, may be used in place of the wire, the holes in the
slide through which the material passes being altered accordingly. Or, a
modification of the slide of this Figure may be made as represented in the
blank or flat view M', and front and edge views N¹ and 0¹ as suitable for
applying to gold pins or other articles having a fine wire shank, which shank
we purpose passing through the hole 1, and by pressing the back and front
together, as seen in the edge view O' down through the tubular part w11 and
and through the hole at the bottom marked y. The tubular part wis
made of the part of the blank M' marked z¹, and the part marked is made of

page_text: that part of the blank M' marked a¹; and thus by springing the back and
front together affords sufficient amount of resistance as to cause this slide to
remain where it is placed, and the price ticket we purpose holding by means
of the spring b
Having thus given a general description of our Invention, and various ways
in which the same may be carried into effect, we wish it understood that we
do not purpose confining ourselves to the shape or proportions of the various
connectors or clips, or part or parts forming the same, as the whole may be
diversified in shape and manner of construction without departing from the
spirit of our Invention; but what we claim, and wish protected by these
our in part recited Letters Patent, is, the general mode herein described
and exhibited for economically providing the means for holding wares, as
generally exhibited for sale in shops, bazaars, and other places, as well as for
holding light papers for private or other use.
In witness whereof, we, the said Maurice Myers and William Hill, have
hereunto set our hands and seals, this Thirteenth day of December, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty.
MAURICE MVERS (s)
Witness,
EDMUND HOTCHKISS,
Clerk to Mr. J. S. Cockings,
Patent Agent,
Birmingham.
WILLIAM HILL. (L.S.)