IMPROVEMENTS IN NAME NUMBER AND LETTER PLATES
Year: 1885

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
We HENRY FRANKLIN of 23 Pool Street Aston in the County of Warwick
Manufacturer and BENJAMIN WILLIAM HORNBLOWER of Clifton Road Aston in the
County of Warwick General Engraver do hereby declare the nature of the said
invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN NAME NUMBER AND LETTER PLATES and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement, reference being had to the drawings hereunto
annexed and to the letters and figures marked thereon :-
This invention consists in constructing Name Number or Letter-box plates so as
to enable the names or numbers to be readily removed and others inserded in their
place without altering the plate. This we effect by forming a plate of metal wood
glass or other suitable material and piercing it through with one or more slots
or openings.
These slots or openings in the face of the plate are made sufficiently wide to
shew the letters or numerals which are to be placed behind them and they are
formed with rebates or with grooves to receive the letters or numerals The letters
to be used are loose blocks carrying letters which may be either sunk or in relief.
Thus each letter or numeral being independent can be placed behind the slots or
openings so as to "set up" any required name number word or words. To keep
these letters or numerals in position (when not held in a groove) another plate is
placed behind them and screwed or otherwise attached to the front plate. When
applying this arrangement to Letter-box plates the slots to receive the letters can
be upon the plate or upon the flap itself.
To remove and alter the names & numbers the plate is taken down the back
plate unfastened, the blocks of letters and numerals removed and others inserted
in their place Or the letters and numerals may be "set up" as before described
on a separate plate and inserted from the front into a large slot or opening in the
name plate and may be either hinged or screwed thereto.
Or the letters or numerals may be slid in at the sides of the name plate and
secured by locks, screws, or other fastenings.
Referring to the drawings Fig. 1 is a front view of a combined name number and
letter-box plate and Fig. 2 a section through the same.
(a, a,) are the slots or openings in the front plate (b) rebated to receive the
letters and numerals (c) when placed in from the back, (d) is the back plate to
keep these letters and numerals in position (e) is an ordinary letter-box flap.

page_text: The drawings shew one method which we adopt for attaching the plate to a
door but we do not confine ourselves to any particular mode of attachment neither
do we confine ourselves to the particular mode shewn of fixing the back plate (d)
behind the letters and numerals as it may be hinged to the front plate or otherwise
attached or dispensed with if desired.
The mode of attachment illustrated is as follows; the front plate (b) having the
lumps (f) cast thereon which are tapped to receive the screw-pin (g) the letters
and numerals (c) being placed in the rebated slot (a) the back plate (d) is placed
over them with the lumps (f) projecting through, the cap (h) is then placed over
the lumps (f) and the nut (i) being screwed down holds the several parts together,
the nut (5) being simply for holding the plate onto the door from the back in the
usual manner.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is
Constructing name or number plates or letter-box plates so as to enable the
names or numbers upon them to be readily removed and others inserted in their
place substantially as herein set forth and specified.