IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED IN ORDER TO FACILITATE THE TEACHING OP WRITING AND DRAWING
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Frost, of Gravesend, in the County of Kent,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS TO BE
EMPLOYED IN ORDER TO FACILITATE THE TEACHING OP WRITING AND
DRAWING."
Sealed the 1st March 1867, and dated the 3rd September 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Frost at the
Office of tho Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
3rd September 1866.
I, RICHARD FROST, of Gravesend, in the County of Kent, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS TO
BE EMPLOYED IN ORDER TO FACILITATE THE TEACHING OF WRITING AND DRAWING,"
to be as follows:-
The Invention has for its object improvements in means or apparatus to be
employed in order to facilitate the teaching of writing and drawing, and
relates, firstly, to the employment of a tablet, which may be made of cardboard
or other suitable material, and of any suitable size. This tablet is provided
with a rectangular or other suitably shaped aperture, which when the tablet is
placed over the paper, slate, or other material in use exposes the desired
amount of surfaco either for a drawing or for a line of writing. Copy models
for writing or drawing are fixed by pins or other suitable means to the upper
portion of the tablet, or may be printed thereon. This portion of the tablet iu

page_text: some cases may be in the same plane as the lower portion thereof, whilst in
other cases it is raised slightly above, and either parallel or inclined to the
surface upon which the writing or drawing is about to be made. By these
means the person using the apparatus will have only the required amount of
surface exposed for one line or more of writing, and at the same time will
have the original from which he is copying always at about the same distance
from the line he is writing, whilst the lines or most of the lines previously
written will be out of sight and protected by the upper portion of the tablet.
In the case of using the tablet for teaching drawing the aperture therein will
correspond in form and size with the original drawing or with a border line
thereon, and may be formed in a separate piece of cardboard or other suitable
material capable of being turned round so as to present the aperture therein
in different directions corresponding with the shape of the original drawing or
a border line thereon. The original drawing may be printed on or fastened
to or laid upon the upper portion of the tablet as desired. Sheets of paper or
sketch books may be provided having rectangular or other suitable forms
printed thereon to correspond with the aperture in the tablet, thereby enabling
the student to retain the papor in the desired position.
If desired the tablet used for teaching writing may be provided with rollers
around which a number of copy models on paper or other suitable material
are passed; by turning the axes of these rollers different copy models may be
presented to the pupil as desired. The tablet may also be provided with a
frame in which a number of sheets of paper may be fixed, the frame being
provided with notches into which a spring stop passes, thereby enabling the
amount of motion given to the paper after each line of writing is completed
to be regulated; or instead of employing a frame in which to fix the sheets of
paper, such sheets of paper may be loose or formed into a book and provided
with spots or lines at the edges at suitable distances apart to correspond with
lines or spots on the sides of the aperture in the tablet, in such manner that
when a line has been written and the space for a fresh line is required the
paper is passed up until the next spots or lines on the paper coincide with the
spots or lines on the tablet. A pen or pencil rest may be attached to the
tablet if required.
The Invention also relates to improved means of teaching the correct
position in which to hold a pen, and consists in employing a guide which
may be formed of two wires between which the upper part of the holder of
the pen passes; the penholder being flattened prevents the possibility of the
pen being twisted out of position; other suitable means may, however, be
employed for this purpose.

page_text: The Invention also consists of improved means of teaching the pupil how
to make straight strokes. For this purpose I employ a ruler which is capable
of sliding upon oblique guides when pressed upon by the pen or pencil, and is
caused to return to its original position by a spring or springs; by theso
means the pupil is taught to make straight strokes at a given angle. Similar
apparatus may be employed for teaching how to make straight lines in drawing
by having the ruler to act in a perpendicular or other direction. The pen
guide and oblique ruler may be used in combination with the tablets beforo
referred to or separately therefrom.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Richard Frost in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
2nd March 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, RICHARD
FROST, of Gravesend, in the County of Kent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Third day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the thirtieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Richard Frost, Her special licence that I, the said Richard Frost,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Richard Frost, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED IN ORDER TO FACILITATE THE
TEACHING OF WRITING AND DRAWING," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Richard Frost, my executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment 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 imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Richard Frost, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following

page_text: statement, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, in the
various Figures of which similar parts are marked with similar letters of
reference :-
The Invention has for its object improvements in means or apparatus to be
employed in order to facilitate the teaching of writing and drawing, and
relates, firstly, to the employment of a tablet, which may be made of card-
This tablet is
board or other suitable material, and of any suitable size.
provided with a rectangular or other suitably shaped aperture, which when
the tablet is placed over the paper, slate, or other material in use exposes the
desired amount of surface either for a drawing or for a line of writing. Copy
models for writing or drawing are fixed by pins or other suitable means to the
upper portion of the tablet, or may be printed thereon. This portion of the
tablet in some cases may be in the same plane as the lower portion thereof,
whilst in other cases it is raised slightly above, and either parallel or inclined
to the surface upon which the writing or drawing is about to be made.
Figure 1 is a plan, and Figure 2 is an edge view of a tablet constructed as
above referred to. a, a, is the body of the tablet, which is placed in position
over the slate, paper, or other material in use; 6 is an aperture therein,
through which a portion of the slate, paper, or other material is exposed
sufficient for one line of writing; the upper portion a' of the tablet serves to
cover the writing previously executed, whilst the lower portion a³ serves to
cover that portion of the slate, paper, or other material upon which tho
writing is yet to be executed; c is a copy model which, as shewn in the
Drawing, may be secured thereto by spring clips or pins, or other suitable
means may be employed, or such copy models may be printed upon the upper
portion of the tablet; I prefer to construct such tablets of cardboard or mill-
board, but other suitable material may be employed.
Figures 3 and 4 show two similar views of a tablet, in which the upper
portion thereof is raised above the surface upon which the tablet rests, in order
that when a line of writing has been completed and the tablet is arranged for
another line of writing the previous writing shall be protected from smearing
by the upper portion of the tablet and at the same time hid from viow. The
full lines in Figure 4 represent the upper portion of the tablet as parallel to
the material on which it is supported, whilst the dotted lines represent it as
inclined, by which means the copy model is placed at a better augle to be seen
by the pupil.
Figures 5 and 6 shew a slight modification of the tablet last described, in
which the upper portion of the tablet a' is made separate from the lower part
thereof, and is connected therewith, when desired, by spring clips a³ or other

page_text: suitable means.
The copy
model may be printed on the upper portion a¹ of
the tablet or may be secured thereon in any suitable manner. By these means
the person using the apparatus will have only the required amount of surface
exposed for one line or more of writing, and at the same time will have the
original from which he is copying always at about the same distance from the
Jine he is writing, whilst the lines or most of the lines previously written will
be out of sight and protected by the upper portion of the tablet.
.
:
In the case of using the tablet for teaching drawing the aperture therein
will correspond in form and size with the original drawing or with a border
line thereon, as shewn at Figures 7 and 8. If desired the aperture may bo
formed in a separate piece of cardboard or other suitable material capable of
being turned round so as to present the aperture therein in different directions
corresponding with the shape of the original drawing or a border line thereon.
The original drawing may be printed on or fastened to or laid upon the upper
portion of the tablet as desired.
Figures 9 and 10 shew two views of a tablet in which the aperture 6 is
formed in a separate piece of cardboard or other suitable material which is
capable of being turned round as above described, so as to present the aperture
therein in different directions to suit the drawing about to be copied. Sheets
of paper or sketch books may be provided having rectangular or other suitable
forms printed thereon to correspond with the aperture in the tablet, thereby
enabling the student to retain the paper in the desired position. If desired
the tablet used for teaching writing may be provided with rollers, around
which a number of copy models on paper or other suitable material aro
passed; by turning the axes of these rollers different copy models may be
presented to the pupil as desired.
Figures 11 and 12 shew two views of a tablet thus constructed. d, d, aro
two rollers upon which a number of copy models mounted on a suitable web
or sheet & are wound, by turning the axis of either of these rollers different
copy
models may
be brought to the upper side of the tablet, there being two
slits a' in the upper portion of the tablet to permit of so doing. If desired a
single roller having a number of copy models mounted thereon may be
employed, there being a suitable aperture in the tablet to permit of only one
copy model being seen at a time, as desired; or two rollers may be employed
placed in the reverse position to that shewn in the Drawing, and acting so as
to draw the copy models off from one side to the other of the tablet ; the
lower portion a* of this tablet is, as shewn, formed into a case in which a
number of sheets of paper may be placed, and thereby to a great extent pro-
tected from dirt and dust; the tablet may also be provided with a frame in

page_text: which a number of sheets of paper may be fixed, the frame being provided
with notches into which a spring stop passes, thereby enabling the amount
of motion given to the. paper after each line of writing is completed to be
'regulated.
Figures 13 and 14 shew two views of a tablet having a frame as above
described in which sheets of paper are fixed; f,f, is the frame in which a
number of sheets of paper may be fixed; on one side of such frame a number
of notches are formed, so that when a line of writing has been completed the
frame with the paper therein may be passed up the distance of one notch,
and thereby present a fresh portion of the paper to the pupil; a spring catch
g takes into these notches, so as to stop the frame in the desired position. By
pressing upon the handle g¹ the catch is withdrawn from the notches in the
frame, and thereby permits of the frame being. readily moved as desired.
Instead however of employing a frame in which to fix the sheets of paper,
such sheets of paper may be loose or formed into a book and provided with
'spots or lines h at the edges at suitable distances apart to correspond with
lines or spots i on the sides of the aperture in the tablet, in such manner that
when a line has been written and the space for a fresh line is required the
paper is passed up until the next spots or lines h on the paper coincide with
the spots or lines i on the tablet. A pen or pencil rest may be attached to
the tablet if required, as shewn at j, Figures 13 and 14.
'
The Invention also relates to improved means of teaching the correct
position in which to hold a pen, and consists in employing a guide which may
be formed of two wires, between which the upper part of the holder of the
pen passes; the penholder being flattened prevents the possibility of the pen
being twisted out of position; other suitable means may, however, be employed.
for this purpose.
.
Figure 15 is a plan, and Figure 16 is a sectional end view of a tablet having
a pen guide applied thereto; k, k, are uprights or standards, to each of which
a wire guide ¹ is affixed; k are two guide wires connected together at their
ends so as to be capable of being adjusted upon the guides ¹ to any desired
position. The penholder is flattened, as shewn, and is passed between the
wires so that the pen may be guided in the correct position. If desired
only one wire k may be employed, and the penholder may be provided with
eyes or slots, so as to pass over the single wire and permit of its being guided
thereby, as will be well understood.
The Invention also consists of improved means of teaching the pupil
how to make straight strokes ; for this purpose I employ a ruler which is
capable of sliding upon oblique guides when pressed upon by the pen or

page_text: pencil, and is caused to return to its original position by a spring or springs ;
by these means the pupil is taught to make straight strokes at a given
angle.
is the
Figures 17 and 18 shew two views of a ruler thus constructed;
ruler which, as shewn, is capable of sliding upon suitable guides formed on
or affixed to a suitable tablet or plate a, having an aperture 6 formed therein,
as sbewn; springs serve to return the ruler to its normal position when
released by the pupil removing his pen therefrom. Copy models may be
connected in any of the modes previously described to the upper portion a¹ of
the tablet or plate. The pupil in using this ruler will place his pen or pencil
in the position shewn in Figure 18, and will, by pressing upon the ruler at
the same time that the point of the pen or pencil is in contact with the slate,
paper, or other surface in use, be guided by the ruler and produce lines to the
angle desired.
Similar apparatus may be employed for teaching how to make straight lines
in drawing by having the ruler to act in a perpendicular or other direction.
The pen guide and oblique ruler may be used in combination with tho
tablets before referred to or separately therefrom.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the mode
in which the same may be carried into effect, I would have it understood that
I do not confine myself to the precise details herein shewn and described, as
such may be varied without departing from the peculiar character of my
Invention; but what I do claim is the improvements in means or apparatus
to be employed in order to facilitate the teaching of writing and drawing,
substantially as herein shewn and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Richard Frost, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
RICHARD FROST.
(L.B.)