Improvements in and relating to Advertising.
Year: 1896

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Advertising.
I HENRY BEVIS, of 140 Pentonville Road in the County of London, Bazaar
Builder and Decorator do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in relating to advertising & my
invention consists in an improved construction or method of forming advertise-
ments to be displayed say in fields or open places or elsewhere. In carrying out
my invention I employ separate letters or devices of any required dimensions
adapted to be arranged so as to form an advertisement and each of said letters or
devices is provided or formed with a suitable standard or standards or equivalent
adapted to be firmly placed into the ground and the advertisement may be stayed
from the top by means of wire ropes or lines.
The said letters or devices may be formed of wood or metal either solid per
forated or made of slats or the letters or devices may be cast stamped or otherwise
made & may be made of any suitable material & the especial advantages
appertaining to my invention as compared with painted boardings are that
(1) there is less resistance offered to the wind (2) that the letters of one advertise-
ment may if required be used for another (3) the cost of transporting an advertise-
ment is less (4) my improved advertisement is more distinctly visible than a
painted boarding (5) an advertisement can be much more quickly prepared as
there is no necessity to specially paint a boarding but merely to take the required
letters which may be kept in stock.
Letters or devices constructed in the manner aforesaid can be adapted to
perambulating street advertisements the standards or equivalents being supported
in a frame or belt carried by the men.
Standards fitted with collars to prevent sinking or setting in the ground which
would make letters uneven can be made of such dimensions to be readable within
1000 yards, they can be placed further afield and consequently at less rent.
Dated this 17th day of October 1896.
I, HENRY BEVIS of 140-142 Pentonville Road in the County of London Bazaar
Builder and Decorator, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
[Price 8d.]

page_text: manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:
This invention relates to improvements in out door advertisements and my
invention consists in an improved construction or method of forming advertise-
ments to be displayed in fields open spaces or elsewhere.
In order that my invention may be readily understood reference is made to the
accompanying drawings wherein like letters of reference indicate corresponding
parts throughout the several figures and in which:
Fig. 1 shows part of an advertisement constructed or formed in accordance with
my invention.
Figs. 2 and 3 show a front and end elevation respectively, of one of the letters
forming an advertisement and
Figs. 4 & 5 show alternative methods of forming or constructing the letters.
In carrying out my invention I employ separate letters or devices A of any
required shape and dimensions each letter being provided or formed with one or
more standards B adapted to be firmly entered into the ground each of such standards
being preferably provided with a collar or equivalent b said collars serving to
prevent the standards B from sinking too deeply into the ground as otherwise one
or more letters may sink so as to be out of the perpendicular and also out of the
alignment with the rest of the letters forming the advertisement which would be
detrimental to the appearance of the advertisement. In order to enable the letters
to be readily adjusted in proper alignment and also parallel to each other even if
the ground is uneven I prefer to form the standards with screw threads the collars
being adapted to be screwed either higher up or lower down as found requisite and
us indicated in Fig. 1, but I do not confine myself to this method of rendering the
collars badjustable on the standards B. Or the standards may be fitted with feet
placed on the ground.
Each letter or device may be stayed or guyed or otherwise secured in
position by means of a wire, wire rope or equivalent stays c from the back and
front the letters or devices being for this purpose preferably provided with suitable
eyes and when the whole of the letters or devices forming the advertisement
have been adjusted and fixed in position as described they may be further secured
by lateral ties d connecting said letters or devices together.
The letters or devices may be made of wood or metal either plain say as shown
in Fig. 2 or in outline as shewn in Fig. 1 by the letter E or made of slats, laths,
battens or strips as shown in Fig. 4 or they may be perforated preferably so as to
form a design say as indicated in Fig. 5. Or the letters and devices may be cast,
stamped or otherwise made and if desired the letters or devices may be ornamented
by inlaying or inserting suitable material.
Special advantages appertaining to my invention as compared with painted show
boards, sign-boards and similar advertisements are
1st. There is considerably less resistance to the wind.
2nd. In case of accident any letter or part of a device that may sustain injury,
or require repair, can be removed and a fresh one substituted without affecting
the remaining portion of the advertisement.
3rd. The letters which have been used for one advertisement may, if and when
required, be used for some other advertisement or additional letters may be placed
add to or alter the advertisement as first arranged.
4th. The cost of transporting an advertisement composed of single letters is
less than that of solid boards of the same dimensions and the letters or devices can
be moved from place to place much easier, and compactly.
5th. My improved advertisement is more distinctly visible and at a greater dis-
tance than an advertisement painted on boarding.
6th. An advertisement constructed in accordance with my invention can be much
more quickly and readily prepared and delivered than by the old system of paint-
ing in several coats first the ground work of solid boarding and then two or more

page_text: coats of paint for the letters-as the letters or devices can be made and kept in
stock in desirable sizes and shapes or patterns.
7th. Separate letters or devices constructed in the manner aforesaid can be
adapted for perambulating street advertisements and any similar use, the standards
or equivalents carrying each letter being supported by or attached to a frame or
belt carried by each man employed for the purpose.
An advertisement consisting of a series of letters or devices can be arranged to
extend to any required length by merely placing the letters further apart or closer
together so that the whole space hired can be utilized to advantage."
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. An improved advertisement consisting of separate letters or devices or both
formed or provided with standards adapted to be placed on or fixed into the ground
substantially as set forth.
2. An improved advertisement consisting of a series of separate letters or devices
such letters or devices being formed or provided with standards, such as B having
collars or equivalents b all for the purposes and substantially as set forth.
3. An improved advertisement consisting of a series of separate letters or
devices or both formed or provided with standards adapted to be placed on or fixed
into the ground, and which letters or devices are provided at their upper parts
with stays (e) or equivalents all for the purposes and substantially as set forth.
4. An improved advertisement for use in streets or other places, consisting of a
series of separate letters or devices or both, provided with suitable standards for
insertion in frames or belts for the purpose of carrying all for the purposes and
substantially as set forth.
5. An improved advertisement consisting of a series of separate letters or devices
or both formed or provided with standards such letters or devices being formed of
separate pieces of material as strips, slats, battens or any similar contrivance for
forming the required shape or shapes or such letters being perforated or such
letters being formed by laying on or inserting any ornamental substance all for
the purposes and substantially as set forth.
Dated this 16th, day of July 1897.