IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR HOLDING TOGETHER LETTLEF, MUSIC, AND OTHER LOOSE SHEETS
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Barry Goodman, of 12, Salisbury Place, New
Road, in the County of Middlesex, Importer of Foreign Goods, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR HOLDING TOGETHER LETTLEF,
MUSIC, AND OTHER LOOSE SHEETS."-A communication.
ealed the 6th October 1854, and dated the 8th May 1854.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Barry Goodman at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
8th May 1854.
I, GEORGE BARRY GOODMAN, of 12, Salisbury Place, New Road, in the
County of Middlesex, Importer of Foreign Goods, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR HOLDING
TOGETHER LETTERS, MUSIC, AND OTHER LOOSE SHEETS" to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to an improved construction of pamphlet holder and
portfolio, and consists, first, of an outside back or bolder, into which is secured,
by screws or otherwise, the portfolio for holding the leaves, thereby forming a
temporary back or covering to the same. The portfolio, which serves to retain
the leaves or documents permanently when filled, is fitted with a series of sharp
wire prongs, on to which the documents are pushed by a sliding bar, actuated
by helical or other springs contained in a box in the outer back. This bar has
a series of holes formed in it, through which pass the prongs or wires of the
portfolio. In inserting documents into the portfolio the bar is drawn back until

page_text: the ends of the prongs are withdrawn from it, when it is caught and retained
by a spring catch; the document is then laid with one edge against the prongs,
and the spring catch or button is pressed gently, whereupon the bar is released
and slides inwards, at the same time pushing the document on to the prongs
and holding it firmly against the rest of the leaves. When the portfolio is
full it is removed from the outer backs by taking out the holding screws, and
a thin tubular bar or guard is fitted on to the ends of the prongs which
protrude through the back of. the portfolio, the guard being retained in its
place by a wire, which is passed longitudinally in the interior thereof through
transverse holes in the ends of the prongs, thereby effectually securing the
guard thereto. A pocket or slide is formed in the outer backs for holding the
guard bar until wanted, or until the portfolio is full and ready for removal.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Barry Goodman in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 1st November 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
BARRY GOODMAN, of 12, Salisbury Place, New Road, in the County of Mid-
dlesex, Importer of Foreign Goods, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the seventeenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said George Barry Goodman, Her special license that I, the said George
Barry Goodman, my my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such-others
as I, the said George Barry Goodman, my executors, administrators, or assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all
times thereafter 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 "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR HOLDING TOGETHER LETTERS, MUSIC, AND OTHER
LOOSE SHEETS," a communication from abroad, upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said George Barry Goodman, by an instrument in writing
under my hand and seal, 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 immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that 1, the said George Barry Goodman, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:
The said Invention relates to an improved construction of pamphlet holder
and portfolio, wherein a separate piece of back may be fitted with loose sheets,
which when full forms a separate and complete book in itself, and consists,
first, of an outside back or holder, into which is secured by screws or otherwise
the portfolio for holding the leaves, thereby forming a temporary back or
covering to the same. The portfolio, which serves to retain the leaves or
documents permanently when filled, is fitted with a series of sharp wire prongs,
on to which the documents are pushed by a sliding bar, actuated by helical or
other, springs contained in a box in the outer back. This bar has a series of
holes formed in it, through which pass the prongs or wires of the portfolio.
In inserting documents into the portfolio the bar is drawn back until the ends
of the prongs are withdrawn from it, when it is caught and retained by a
spring catch; the document is then laid with one edge against the prongs, and
the spring catch or button is pressed gently, whereupon the bar is released
and slides inwards, at the same time pushing the document on to the prongs
and holding it firm against the rest of the leaves. When the portfolio is full
it is removed from the outer backs by taking out the holding screws, and a
thin tubular bar or guard is fitted on to the ends of the prongs which protrude
through the back of the portfolio, the guard being retained in its place by a
wire, which is passed longitudinally in the interior thereof through trans-
verse holes in the ends of the prongs, thereby effectually securing the guard
thereto. A pocket or slide is formed in the outer backs for holding the guard
bar until wanted, or until the portfolio is full and ready for removal.
And in order that the said Invention may be more readily understood, I shall
now proceed to describe the several Figures on the Sheet of Drawings here-
unto annexed. Figure 1 on the accompanying Sheet of Drawings represents a
side elevation of the outside back with the portfolio secured therein, ready for
the introduction of loose sheets; Figure 2 is a corresponding plan of the same;
Figure 3 is a side or end elevation of a portfolio fitted with sheets and removed
from the outer backs; and Figure 4 is a plan of the screw. The rest of the
Figures are separate details of the apparatus, which will be herein-after fully
described and referred to. A is the outside back or holder, which is made of
very strong boards, the central portion B being composed of wood covered
over with leather. On to the wooden portion of the back is secured by pins;

page_text: screws, or other means the metal box C, which may be composed of thin brass
or other suitable metal. The interior of this box is shewn in detail plan at
Figure 5, and in corresponding transverse section at Figure 6, the plan repre-
senting the box as seen from the under side. Inside the box are concealed
two helical or other springs D, D, working on the fixed-slotted spindles E, E,
which serve as guides to the springs .D and curved lever arms F, F. These
arms work on fixed centres at G, G, and pass through slots in the guide
spindles E; their free ends pressing against a screw pin in the sliding pieces
H, H. The screws before referred to serve to connect the angular sliding bar
I, which is shewn in detail at Figure 7, with the sliding pieces H, and in order
to allow of the sliding of the screws to and fro with the bar, the box is slotted
at the top, as shewn at J, J, in Figures 2 and 5 of the Drawing. It will
thus be obvious that the pressure exerted by the springs D, which abut against
the lever arms F, will tend to keep the angular sliding bar I close and. firm
up against the papers or loose sheets K in the portfolio L, as shewn in
Figures 1 and 2. A projecting ledge M is formed on one side of the box-C,
and through this ledge are screwed two screws N, which pass through the
back of the portfolio L, and enter the bar O, as shewn in detail at Figure 8.
To the front of this bar are secured a number of prongs or wire points P, P,
which pass through corresponding holes Q, Q, in the sliding bar I. When it is
required to insert loose sheets into the portfolio, the sliding bar I is drawn back
by the small handles R, R, until it is caught by the spring-cranked catch S,
which takes into a slot T in the sliding bar, and holds it back free from the
prongs P, P, in the position shown by the dotted lines in Figures 1 and 2.
The sheet or sheets to be inserted are now held vertically between the points
of the prongs and the front of the sliding bar, and rests upon the top of the
box C. The spring catch S is now pushed by the thumb, and the bar being
released instantly flies forward, carrying with it the sheet or sheets that have
been-inserted, which will be pushed on to the sharp point of the prongs P,
and held hard up against the rest of the sheets in the portfolio. When the
portfolio-has-been filled it is removed from the outside backs A by unscrewing
the two screws N, N; the points of the prongs P are then pushed through
the opposite back of the portfolio, and a securing bar T (Figure 9) laid over
them; as shewn by the dotted lines in Figure 8. This bar is hollow or tubular,
and is perforated laterally to admit the points of the prongs into the interior
thereof; a transverse eye is formed in the end of each prong, and through these
eyes is threaded the thin wire slide U, which effectually secures the bar T on to
the points of the prongs. During the time the portfolio is in the outside backs
the holding or securing bar T will not be wanted, and therefore it is inserted

page_text: into a slot or pocket in the outside back, not shewn in the Drawings, for the
purpose of keeping it safe until required for use.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I would observe, in conclusion, that I do not confine or restrict
myself to the precise details or arrangements which I have had occasion to
describe or refer to, as many variations may be made therefrom without
deviating from the principles or main features of the said Invention. But
what I consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention
secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, is,
First, the general construction and arrangement of apparatus for holding
together letters, music, and other loose sheets, as herein-before described.
Second, the application and use of a sliding bar, actuated by springs in
conjunction with sharp pointed prongs, which penetrate the sheets to be
secured.
Third, the peculiar arrangement of springs and levers inside the metal box
C, as herein-before described, and illustrated by Figures 5 and 6 of the
Drawings.
Fourth, the system or mode of securing the portfolio to the outside back or
holder, as herein-before described.
Fifth, the application and use of a hollow or tubular holding bar in con-
junction with a wire slide, for the purpose of securing the prongs in the
portfolio when removed from the outside back.
Sixth, the application and use of the spring catch or detent, for the purpose
herein-before described.
Seventh, the peculiar arrangement and combination of parts for holding the
Joose sheets in the portfolio when detached from the outside back or holder A,
thereby constituting a separate and distinct book with backs or covers of
its own.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Barry Goodman, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the First day of November, One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-four.