IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF COMBINEDAL
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Newell of Birmingham in the County of
Warwick Manufacturer and Thomas Tollett of Birmingham aforesaid Die
Sinker for an invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF COMBINED
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Newell and
Thomas Tollett at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th May
1882.
WILLIAM NEWELL of Birmingham in the County of Warwick Manufacturer and
THOMAS TOLLETT of Birmingham aforesaid, Die Sinker "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF COMBINED LETTER BOX AND NAME PLATES
"
Our invention has reference to letter box plates, with which name plates are
combined that is plates by which the number of the house the name and vocation
of the occupier or one or more of these, are combined and consists of the improve-
ments hereinafter described in the manufacture of the said plates whereby their
manufacture is simplified and economised.
In making a combined letter box and name plate according to our invention we
proceed as follows. We make a plate having an opening of the ordinary kind for
the passage of the letters into the letter box. This opening may have the ordinary
flap.
Over the said letter box opening we make a somewhat similar opening and
below the letter box opening we make another similar opening. Around the back
of the two last described openings we make a narrow frame of somewhat larger
size than the opening. We form by stamping casting, or otherwise, a series of
letters having square or rectangular base plates of a size suitable to fit in the
frame at the back of the combined letter box and name plate the base plate of the
letters fitting the frame and the letters occupying the opening in the combined
plate, the faces of the letters being by preference flush with the front of the
combined plate. In addition to the letters we make filling pieces of the same
depth as the base plates of the letters and of several widths so that when the

page_text: name or vocation of the occupier of the house has been built up from the separate
letters the portion of the opening not filled by the name or vocation may be filled
by the said filling pieces. After the opening has been filled by the letters and
filling pieces a plate is fixed at the back of the letters and filling pieces by screws,
cotters or otherwise. We prefer to impress the base plates of the letters and the
filling pieces with vertical lines. These lines form an ornamental ground for the
letters and conceal the junction of the letters and filling pieces.
We prefer to place the name of the occupier of the house above the letter box
opening and the vocation of the occupier below the letter box but we do not limit
ourselves to this arrangement. The number of the house may be indicated by
separate numerals and filling pieces in an opening in the flap of the letter box.
By our invention an ironmonger or shopkeeper may keep in stock, blank
combined letter box and name plates and the separate letters, numerals and filling
pieces and on the application of a customer can in a few moments supply him with
a combined letter box and name plate having his name, vocation, and the number
of his house. On the changing of the tenant of the house or of the numbering of
houses the required changes in the combined letter box and name plate can be
readily effected.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Newell & Thomas Tollett in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 3rd November 1882.
WILLIAM NEWELL of Birmingham in the County of Warwick Manufacturer and
" IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
THOMAS TOLLETT of Birmingham aforesaid Die Sinker
MANUFACTURE OF COMBINED LETTER BOX AND NAME PLATES
"
Our invention has reference to letter box plates with which name plates are
combined; that is, plates by which the number of the house, the name and
vocation of the occupier or one or more of these are combined; and consists of the
improvements hereinafter described in the manufacture of the said plates, whereby
their manufacture is simplified and economised
In making a combined letter box and name plate according to our invention we
proceed as follows. We make a plate having an opening of the ordinary kind for
the passage of the letters into the letter box. This opening may have the ordinary
flap. Over the said letter box opening we make a somewhat similar opening and
below the letter box opening we make another similar opening. Around the back
of the two last described openings we make a narrow frame of somewhat larger
size than the opening. We form by stamping, casting or otherwise, a series of
letters having square or rectangular base plates of a size suitable to fit in the
frame at the back of the combined letter box and name plate, the base plate of the
letters fitting the frame and the letters occupying the opening in the combined
plate, the faces of the letters being by preference flush with the front of the
combined plate. In addition to the letters, we make filling pieces of the same
depth as the base plates of the letters and of several widths so that when the name
or vocation of the occupier of the house has been built up from the separate letters,
the portion of the opening not filled by the name or vocation may be filled by the
said filling pieces. After the opening has been filled by the letters and filling
pieces, a plate is fixed at the back of the letters and filling pieces by screws, cotters
or otherwise
Or the letters and filling pieces may be arranged in a case and the case
containing them be fixed in the frame of the combined letter box and name plate.
We prefer to impress the base plates of the letters and the filling pieces with
vertical lines. These lines form an ornamental ground for the letters and conceal
the junction of the letters and filling pieces.
We prefer to place the name of the occupier of the house above the letter box
opening and the vocation of the occupier below the letter box opening but we do
not limit ourselves to this arrangement. The number of the house may be
indicated by separate numerals and filling pieces in an opening in the flap of the
letter box.
We will now proceed to describe with reference to the accompanying Drawing
the manner in which our invention is to be performed.
Figure 1 represents in front elevation and cross section a blank combined letter
box and name plate ready to receive the separate letters and filling up pieces, made
according to our invention; Figure 2 represents several of the separate letters and
a filling up piece; Figure 3 represents in front elevation and cross section and
Figure 4 in back elevation, the combined letter box and name plate after the top
opening in the said plate has been filled with the separate letters and filling pieces
and the said letters and filling pieces fixed in their places.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in the several Figures of
the Drawing.

page_text: a is the combined letter box and name plate and is the opening in the said
plate for the passage of the letters, the said opening b being provided with the
ordinary hinged flap c (see Figures 3 and 4). Over the letter box opening b is a
longer and narrower opening d and below the middle opening b is an opening e
similar to the top opening d. Around the back of each of the openings & and e,
a frame is made; these frames are marked respectively ƒ and g and are of some-
what larger size than the openings d. e
The separate stamped letters and filling pieces, examples of which are shown in
Figure 2, have rectangular base plates h and lip pieces i. i extend along the top
and bottom edges of the said base plates h. The said base plates of the letters and
filling pieces are of a size proper to occupy the openings d, e in the letter box
plate and the lips i, i on the said base plates are of a size proper to fit in the
frames f, g at the back of the openings de as best seen in the section Figure 3.
It will also be seen by reference to the said Figure 3 that the faces of the letters
are flush with the front of the combined plate a.
The several separate letters necessary to build up the name of the occupier of
the house to which the combined plate a is to be applied and the required filling
up pieces having been fitted in the frame and opening d. f as illustrated in
Figure 3, where the name Newell" is shown, the said letters and filling pieces
are fixed in the places by means of the fixing plate k placed at the back of the
frame f. This fixing plate is shown separately in Figure 5.
"
The
It is secured in the frame f by placing the end 1, under the snugs m, m on the
combined plate a and fixing its opposite end n by means of the screw pin p taking
into a screwed pummel in the letter box plate a as represented in Figure 4.
faces of the stamped letters and filling pieces are impressed with vertical lines as
represented for forming an ornamental ground for the letters and filling pieces and
concealing the junctions of the letters and filling pieces.
The vocation of the occupier of the house or other inscription is placed in the
bottom opening e in the letter box plate a, the letters and filling pieces being
arranged in the opening e and back frame g and fixed in their places in the
manner before described with respect to the letters and filling pieces for forming
the name in the top opening and frame d, f.
In the opening q in the jointed flap c of the letter box plate, the number of the
house may be indicated by separate numerals and filling pieces arranged and fixed
in the manner before described.
Instead of arranging the separate letters or numerals and filling pieces in a
frame at the back of the opening in the letter box plate as before described, the
said letters, numerals and filling pieces may be arranged in a case or carrying
plate and the said case or carrying plate, with the arranged letters or numerals
and filling pieces, fixed in the frame at the back of the opening in the letter box
plate.
Figure 6 represents in front elevation; edge view and cross section a case or
carrying plate containing the several letters to form the name "Tollett" together
with the necessary filling up pieces; Figure 7 represents the case or carrying plate
separately. The said case or carrying plate is marked and has trough or turned
in edges 8 s with which edges s, s the lips i, i at the edges of the base of the letters
and filling pieces are engaged by a sliding motion so as to secure the said letters
and filling pieces in the said case or carrying plate as seen in Figure 6. The case r
containing the arranged letters is placed in the frame f at the back of the opening d
in the letter box plate a in the manner illustrated in the back elevation and cross
section Figure 8, the letters contained in the said case or carrying plate passing
into the opening d and lying flush with the face of the letter box plate. The case ?
is fixed in its place by the cross screw pins t, t, t (or other fastenings) holding down
the end of the case in the manner shown in Figure 8.
The bottom opening e and the opening q in the jointed flap c may be filled
with separate letters or numerals carried by cases or plates of the kind represented

page_text: in Figures 6 and 7 and fixed in their places in the manner described with respect
to the said cases or carrying plates.
The separate letters, numerals and filling up pieces may be made by casting but
we prefer to make them by stamping.
By our invention an ironmonger or shopkeeper may keep in stock, blank
combined letter box and name plates and the separate letters, numerals and filling
pieces and on the application of a customer can in a few minutes supply him with
a combined letter box and name plate having his name, vocation and the number
of his house. On the changing of the tenant of the house or of the numbering of
houses, the required changes in the combined letter box and name plate can be
readily effected.
Having now described the nature of our invention and the manner in which the
same is to be performed we wish it to be understood that we claim as our
invention The improvements in the manufacture of combined letter box and name
plates hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawing; that
is to say, making a blank letter box plate with openings and frames of the kind
described for containing the name and vocation of the occupier and number of the
house or other inscription, the said name, vocation and number or other inscription
being built up of separate letters, numerals and filling pieces arranged and fixed in
the said openings and frames in the blank letter box plate, or arranged in cases or
carrying plates which are afterwards fixed in the said frames in the blank letter
box plate substantially as described and illustrated.
In witness whereof I the said William Newell have hereunto set my hand
and seal the thirtieth day of October in the year of our Lord one
thousand eight hundred and eighty two
Witness,
RICHARD SKERRETT
37 Temple Street
Birmingham.
WILLIAM NEWELL (L.S.)