Improvements in Indicators or Check Registers for Library and other Uses.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 9th May, 1896
Complete Specification Left, 26th Aug., 1896-Accepted, 10th Oct., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Detail Improvements in Indicators or Check Registers for Library
and other Uses.
We, ALFRED COTGREAVE, Librarian of the West Ham Public Library,
London, and WILLIAM MORGAN, of Cannon Street, in the City of Birmingham,
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to detail improvements in indicators or check registers
for use in libraries for indicating the books that are out, recording overdues and
the time of issue and the whereabouts of books, and the like; also for indicating
when, trucks and carriages, barrels and cases are out and when the same are
returned, for use on railways or in breweries, factories and the like, and for
recording the issue of time keepers checks to workmen; and for other purposes
where records of a like kind have to be kept.
We will describe our improvements in connection with library indicators.
One form of indicator, known as the horizontal indicators, consists of a frame
or rack, or a series of such racks placed side by side and fitted with a number of
removable minute shelves (or shelves with the ends turned down to form stops for
the cards or the like hereafter described) upon which are arranged in numerical or
alphabetical order, small numbered or lettered cases or blocks containing or
attached to small ledgers, cards, slates or paper slips which represent articles
or individuals of whose transactions a record has to be kept. Various colored
slides, cards or slips of paper are used to denote the different periods or dates
when such transactions occur, whilst the names of the persons or articles and
other particulars, such as the date of issue of a book and the number or name of
the borrower, can be entered upon the small ledgers, cards or slates. The other
end of the date slide is colored red and shows the public that the book under it is
"out."
Another form of indicator, known as a diagonal indicator, consists of a series of
racks in which are placed movable numbered shelves of any suitable material,
arranged diagonally in slots made in the opposite sides of the rack for the
reception of their edges. In conjunction with such rack variously colored and
shaped forms or slips of paper or other material are used to make entries respecting
the issue of books or like transactions upon as in the horizontal form of indicator,
and to denote by the color or shape or peculiarly shaped colors or ends the day,
week or other period at which the particular book or other article last entered
thereon was lent out or issued, and by the entries the location and any other
information considered necessary. The name, address and number of the borrower
or consignee are written upon a slip of colored paper or card and the number of
the book removed is written across the end of same.
One form of slide for horizontal indicators consists of a strip of metal or other
material, having fore and aft or end extensions, narrower than the body of the
slide so as to form shoulders or side stops. These ends are printed with, the
numerals or colors indicative of the time of issue of a book or other article and are
turned down at right angles. Or the ends of the slide are formed square to allow
more figures thereon and have stops to regulate the depth to which the slides are
pushed into the indicator.
In a further form, I take a like slide as described with shoulders and turned
down ends and cut from out of the middle of the same, a long tongue set down
to the plane of the under edges of the turned-down ends and is for the purpose of

page_text: preventing cards, slips, slates or the like placed within the slide from rising.
Instead of employing a set down tongue for this purpose, we may employ a rib or
feather running longitudinally from end to end of the underside of the slide.
For diagonal indicators the slide has end extensions, one of which is turned up
into a lip to form shouldered stops for preventing the borrowers card or entry
slips from falling into irregular positions. The ends may be cloth or paper faced
and be printed with figures or numerals.
According to another form of date slide, the same has combined with it, a small
ledger, book, slate or plain or printed card for any entries relative to the issue of
books thereon and which is secured by turning the metal at the end of the said
slide over the adjacent end of the said book or card or the like. The front may
be provided with a turned-down plain mask lip and the other end colored red to
show to the public that the book or article is "out."
Instead of metal date slides I may use plain or printed paper slips or cards or
small slates, upon which is written the name and residence of the borrower or
consignee whilst the book or empty number is written across the end and is turned
down over the indicator number and cancels same. These papers or slips are of
various colors in order to indicate the date or week of issue.
Another modification of indicator is of that kind which only records those books
which are "out," in contradistinction to that class in which there is a separate
aperture and numbered slide for every book in the library. Our improvement
consists in a combination of a series of date slides of the types such as previously
described with numbered cards having flexible ends which can be turned down and
upon which are two numbers printed in different colors, such as red and blue. One
such combined date slide and numbered card is provided for every book in the
library. The card is inserted in a cloth pocket or other receptacle attached inside
the cover of a volume. When a book is about to be issued, the card is taken out
of the pocket and entries made thereon of the borrowers number and date of issue
and then placed with a date slide having a raised protection at one end colored to
indicate the week of issue. One hinged end of the card is placed between two
turned up ears at the colored end of the date slide and the other end falls over the
uncolored end of the said slide. The borrowers card or record book or both are
next placed hetween the slip and date slide and the whole then placed in its proper
order within a shelfless frame containing the registers of other issued books.
One
end of the register then indicates to the public that the book in question is out
and the other end indicates the same to the librarian and also tells him the date
of issue.
All these registers, when inserted, press against the glazed front or public side
of the indicator frame, thereby retaining the one hinged end down flat and in an
easily visible position. The other end at the librarians side of the indicator is
held down by coming between the turned down and colored end of the date slide
and an ear or lip cut from an adjacent part of the metal of the same.
Such indicators are specially useful in railway trucks and such like purposes
when the number of miles run is required to be known, each column being
numbered in miles 10, 15, 25 and so on.
The record books or small ledgers contained within the hereinbefore described
forms of date slides and within ordinary kinds of slides as now in use, may be
provided with a small attached marker or place finder, which is secured to one
edge of the slide and is turned over all the leaves of the book not used, so that
when the said book is opened to make an entry the proper place is readily and
quickly found, whereby a great saving of time is effected.
Dated this 8th day of May 1896.
ALFRED COTGREAVE,
WILLIAM MORGAN,
By Henry Skerrett,
Agent for Applicants.

page_text: Detail Improvements in Indicators or Check Registers for Library
and other Uses.
We, ALFRED COTGREAVE, Librarian of the West Ham Public Library, London
and WILLIAM MORGAN, of Cannon Street in the City of Birmingham, Manufacturer,
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:-
This invention relates to detail improvements in indicators or check registers for
use in libraries for indicating the books that are in or out, recording overdues and
the time of issue and the whereabouts of books, and the like; also for indicating
when, trucks and carriages, barrels and cases are out and when the same are
returned, for use on railways or in breweries, factories and the like, and for
recording the issue of time-keepers checks to workmen, and for other purposes
where records of a like kind have to be kept.
We will describe our improvements in connection with library indicators.
One form of indicator, known as the horizontal indicator, consists of a frame or
rack, or a series of such racks placed side by side and fitted with a number of
removable minute shelves (or shelves with the ends turned down to form stops for
the cards or the like hereafter described) upon which are arranged in numerical or
alphabetical order, small numbered or lettered cases or blocks containing, or attached
to, small ledgers, cards, slates or paper slips which represent articles or individuals
of whose transactions a record has to be kept. Various colored slides, cards or
slips of paper are used to denote the different periods or dates when such transactions
occur, whilst the names of the persons or articles and other particulars, such as the
date and issue of a book and the number or name of the borrower, can be entered
upon the small ledgers, cards or slates.
The other end of the date slide may be colored and shows the public that the
book under it is "out."
Figure 1 represents a front elevation of a part of such an indicator and Figure 2
a vertical section of the same upon the dotted line.
a is a frame, consisting of a series of racks a', placed side by side, the space of
each of which is fitted with a number of minute removable shelves b, with ends b¹,
turned down and numbered in order, whilst located within the insides or upon the
tops of the shelves are small ledgers, paper cases, cards, slips or equivalents c,
wherein or whereupon records relating to the issues of a correspondingly numbered
book are made. d are various colored slides or slips of paper indicative that a
book is out, and as to the date of issue of the same, whilst the name and number
Or when a
of the borrower may be entered thereon or upon the ledger or card c.
book is out, the same may be indicated by date slides e, with partly cut away
turned down and colored ends, which part mask or cover up the number on the
removable shelf.
Another form of indicator, known as a diagonal indicator, consists of a series of
racks in which are placed movable numbered shelves of any suitable material,
arranged diagonally in slots made in the opposite sides of the rack for the reception
of their edges. In conjunction with such rack variously colored and shaped forms
or slips of paper or other material are used to make entries respecting the issue of
books or like transactions upon as in the horizontal form of indicator and to denote
by the color or shape or peculiarly shaped colors or ends, the day, week or other
period at which the particular book or other article last entered thereon was lent
out or issued, and by the entries the location and any other information considered
necessary. The name, address and number of the borrower or consignce are

page_text: written upon a slip of colored paper or card or slate and the number of the book
removed may be written across the end of same, or upon a doubled-up cloth or
paper slip attached to each book in the library.
Figure 3 is a front elevation of a part of such an indicator and Figure 4 is a
vertical section thereof. No. 2010 is a ticket misplaced to show the ease of
detection where a mistake occurs.
a is the diagonal indicator consisting of side by side racks a¹, fitted with
removable diagonal and numbered shelves b, taking into opposite slits a³, in the
sides of the rack and kept from falling through by stops or ears, and having at
their front ends small turned-up stops b, for preventing ledgers, tickets, cards,
slates or other matter placed upon the shelves from sliding off, whilst the front
sides are cut away so that the same shall not overlap the sides of the rack.
Figure 5 represents one of borrowers tickets (marked d in Figures 1 and 2)
which is placed upon the numbered shelf of the indicator when the correspondingly
numbered book is issued and which has variously colored ends which indicate to
the librarian the date of such issue.
One form of slide or removable shelf horizontal indicators consists of a strip of
metal or other material, having fore and aft or end extensions, narrower than the
body of the slide so as to form shoulders or side stops. These ends which are
printed with the numerals corresponding to the numbers on the books in the
library or with colors indicative of the time of issue of a book or other article, are
turned down at right angles. The said slides or removable shelves have stops to
regulate the depth to which the same are pushed into the indicator.
Figure 6 represents a plan of such a slide or shelf, before the ends are turned
down.
Figure 7 is a topside plan of the slide in the form in which it is used and-Figure 8
is an edge view thereof.
bis the slide, 6, 6, the turned down front and back ends on which numerals (or
the like) are printed and 3 are the side stops.
Figure 9 is a topside plan of another form of slide or shelf which has a turned
down point in conjunction with a depression for preventing cards or the like placed
on the shelves from coming out of place.
Figure 10 is a cross section on the dotted line a
back end view of the slide.
Figure 9 and Figure 11 is a
bis the slide, & the turned down front end, the stop point and the
depression.
Figure 12 is a modification of the last arrangement, in which the metal is slit
into a spring tongue having a turned down point.
Figure 13 is a section of Figure 12 upon the dotted line a.
bis the slide, the cut out tongue and
the stop end thereof.
It is understood that all the apertures of the indicator wherein there is no
borrowers ticket may be filled up with blank cards which indicates that the book
is "in." When the book is "ont," the borrowers or some other ticket may be
inserted.
In a further form, we take a slide with (or without) stop-shoulders and turned
down ends and cut from out of the middle of the same, a long tongue, set down to
the plane of the under edges of the turned down ends, for the purpose of preventing
cards, slips, slates or the like placed within the slide from rising.
Figure 14 is a topside plan of such a slide and Figure 15 a section thereof on the
dotted line az'.
bis the slide, &,, the turned down ends and the cut out spring tongue.
Instead of employing a set down tongue for this purpose, we may employ a rib
or feather running longitudinally from end to end of the underside of the slide.
For diagonal indicators the slide has end extensions, one of which is turned up
into a lip to form a stop for preventing the borrowers card or entry slips from
falling into irregular positions whilst both ends bear numbers. Such slides are
shown in position in a diagonal indicator in Figures 3 and 4, whilst Figure 16 is a

page_text: plan of the blank from which the same are made; Figure 17 is a section and
Figure 18 a front end view of the slide with the front stop turned up.
b is the slide, & the side stops or shoulders, & the front stops and are the cut
away front parts for preventing the slide from overlapping the sides of the rack.
According to another form of date slide, the same has combined with it, a small
ledger, book, slate or plain or printed card on which entries relative to the issues of
books are made and which is secured by turning the metal at one end of the said
slide over the adjacent end of the said book, card or the like.
The front is provided with a turned-down variously colored mask lip and the
other end colored red to show to the public that the book or article is "out."
Figure 19 is an underside plan of such a combined date slide and ledger.
Figure 20 is a section thereof on the dotted line a, and Figure 21 a front end
view of the same.
bis the date slide, having a turned down colored front end b, and e is a small
ledger or card, in or on which entries respecting the issue of books are made and
which is secured in position by turning the back end 6, of the slide thereover.
Instead of metal date slides, we may use plain or printed paper or slips or cards
or small slates upon which is written the name and residence of the borrower or
consignee, whilst the book or empty number is written across the end and is turned
down over the indicator number and cancels same. These papers or slips, like the
date slides, are of various colors in order to indicate the day or period of issue.
Another modification of indicator is of that kind which only records those books
which are "out," in contradistinction to that class in which there is a separate
aperture and numbered slide for every book in the library. This form of our
improvements consists in a combination of a series of date slides of the types
such as previously described with numbered cards or indicator books having
flexible ends which can be turned down and upon which are two numbers printed
in different colors, such as red and blue. One such combined date slide and
numbered card is provided for every book in the library. The card is inserted
in a cloth pocket or other receptacle attached inside the cover of a volume.
When a book is about to be issued, the card is taken out of the pocket and entries
made thereon of the borrowers number and date of issue and then placed with a
date slide having a raised protection at one end colored to indicate the week of
issue. One hinged end of the card is placed between two turned up ears at the
colored end of the date slide and the other end falls over the uncolored end of the
said slide. The borrowers card or record book or both, are next put between
the slip and date slide and the whole then placed in its proper order within a shelfless
frame containing the registers of other issued books. One end of the register
then indicates to the public that the book in question is out and the other end
indicates the same to the librarian and also tells him the date of issue.
All these registers, when inserted, press against the glazed front or public side
of the indicator frame, thereby retaining the one hinged end down flat and in an
easily visible position. The other end at the librarians side of the indicator is
held down by coming between the turned down and colored end of the date slide
and an ear or lip cut from an adjacent part of the metal of the same.
Figure 22 represents a section of such a slide and flexible ended slip, with a
record book enclosed between them.
Figure 23 is an underside plan of the slide separately and Figure 24 is a view
of the back or librarians end of Figure 22.
b is the date slide, e is the slip or card, and e', e the numbered and flexible ends
thereof. is the colored turned up end of the slide indicating the week of issue,
and is a cut out ear, between which and the end 6', one hinged part el, of the
card is placed, whilst the other hinged and numbered part e, covers the uncolored
turned up end 6, of the slide. d is the record book or slate placed between slide
and slip.
Such indicators are specially useful in railway trucks and such like purpose

page_text: when the number of miles run is required to be known, each column being
numbered in miles 10, 15, 25 and so on.
The record books or small ledgers contained within the hereinbefore described
forms of date slides and within ordinary kinds of slides as now in use, may be
provided with a small attached marker or place finder, which is secured to one
edge of the slide and is turned over all the leaves of the book not used, so that
when the said book is opened to make an entry the proper place is readily and
quickly found, whereby a great saving of time is effected.
Figure 25 is a plan of a record book fitted with a marker opened out and
Figure 26 is a section thereof, with the marker in position between the leaves.
d is the record book and e the attached place finder.
Figures 27 and 28, 29 and 30 show various types of borrowers cards, or entry
slips.
The card shown in plan in Figure 27 and in section in Figure 28 is placed
within a volume when in its place upon the shelves, with the flaps f', f, clipping
the first page or fly leaf, so doing away with pockets now in use in so many
libraries. When the book is issued, the card, on which dates of issue f³ and
borrowers numbers f* are written, is placed together with or without the borrowers
ticket in the indicator. When used with horizontal indicators, the end f³, with
the number written thereon is turned down over the number of the corresponding
slide.
Q
Figure 29 is a single card, which may be used in the same way as that shown
in Figures 27 and 28, whilst Figure 30 is a borrowers ticket used in the same way.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that, what we
claim is :-
First. In library and other indicators, of both the horizontal and diagonal
types, providing the numbered slides or removable shelves with shoulders or stops
at one end, and a turned up ledges, points or stops at their other ends, substan-
tially as and for the purpose described and set forth.
Secondly. In library and other indicators, providing the number slides or
removable shelves with turned down tip or ledge and a depression or projecting,
substantially as and for the purpose described and set forth in Figures 9, 10
and 11.
Thirdly. The modified form of removable slide or shelf for library and other
indicators provided with a tongue with a turned up end, substantially as and for
the purpose described and set forth in Figures 12 and 13.
Fourthly. The modified form of removable slide or shelf for library and other
indicators provided with a spring tongue, substantially as and for the purpose
described and set forth in Figures 14 and 15.
Fifthly. The modified form of date slide or removable shelf for library and
other indicators, having a record book or equivalent secured thereto by folding
over and closing an end of the slide thereover substantially as described and set
forth in Figures 20 and 21.
Sixthly. The improved form of slide and slip with flexible numbered ends
with a record book or equivalent between them for use in library and other
indicators which only indicate books or the like which are "out" substantially as
and for the purpose described and set forth in Figures 22, 23 and 24.
Seventhly. In records books for use in library and like indicators, providing
the same with a flexible and attached place finder or marker substantially as
described and set forth.
Eighthly. In borrowers or like cards for library and other indicators, providing
the same with a space for writing a number thereon, which numbered part is
turned over or stands up and masks the front of the correspondingly numbered
slide or shelf, substantially as described and set forth.

page_text: Ninethly. In library and other indicators, masking the numbered ends of the
slides or shelves by the end or turned-down end of a folded card, carried by the
volume when in, and upon which are registered the borrowers numbers and
the dates of issues, substantially as described and set forth in Figures 27 and 28.
Tenthly. The use of colored slips for entries received which by the change
of color of those in use at various periods denote the period when any article was
issued or sent out, substantially as described and set forth.
Dated this 25th day of August 1896.
ALFRED COTGREAVE,
WILLIAM MORGAN,
By Henry Skerrett,
24 Temple Row, Birmingham, Agent for Applicants.