Improvements in Bulletin or Announcement Boards for Clubs, Buildings, and other purposes.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd May, 1898-Accepted, 18th June, 1898
Improvements in Bulletin or Announcement Boards for Clubs,
Buildings, and other purposes.
I, WILLIAM EDGAR BENSON, of Corner Ninth and Locust Streets, Kansas City,
County of Jackson, State of Missouri, United States of America, Secretary of the
Board of Education, do hereby declare the nature of my invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:-
My invention relates to a bulletin board especially designed for use of lodges,
clubs churches, societies and any organization having a list of members, also for
directories for buildings, telephone lists, and for other purposes, and the object
I have in view is to provide a simple and inexpensive construction by which an
alphabetical and numerical register is combined in such
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way that
it will indicate at any and all times an alphabetical list of members as well as
the numerical strength of the organization, or the like, and also to provide for
the convenient changing of the list of the members according as the number is
increased or diminished.
With these ends in view, and such other ends as pertain to a device of this
character, my invention consists of a bulletin board provided with vertical parallel
guide strips adapted to contain columns of numbers in consecutive order, combined
with one or more slidable cases or frames fitted between and within guide strips
and constructed to contain removable name slips which are adapted to be brought
opposite to the numbers in the columns on the guide strips, and suitable means
for holding the slidable cases or frames within the bulletin board.
And the invention further consists in the construction, combination and arrange-
ment of parts which will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.
To enable others to understand my invention I have illustrated the preferred
embodiment thereof in the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this
specification, and in which,
Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improved bulletin board, showing one of
the movable slip-carrying cases partially withdrawn from the board.
Figure 2 is an end view looking at the lower end edge of the bulletin board.
Figure 3 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view through a portion of the
bulletin board to illustrate the detailed construction thereof. Figure 4 is a side
elevation of the bulletin board.
Like letters of reference denote corresponding parts in all the figures of the
drawings, referring to which,-
---
A designates the bulletin board or back board proper which has its exposed face
divided to make a space for the name of the organization, as at a, and into three
vertical spaces for the reception of a corresponding number of vertically slidable
slip-containing cases B, C, 1) although the number of spaces for the slip-containing
cases may be increased or diminished according to the numerical strength of the
organization, etc. etc. This board is surrounded by moulding strips and the
vertical spaces for the slip-carrying cases are formed by and between the vertical
guide strips c, c, c, which are parallel to each other and spaced far enough apart to

page_text: accommodate between themselves the slip-carrying cases. To these vertical guide
strips care fastened the numbered strips or plates d, d, which are wide enough to
extend beyond the guide strips c, as shown by Figure 3, and on the exposed faces
of these numbered strips or plates are stencilled or otherwise inscribed the column
of numbers, as shown.
The first plate or strip d to the left is shown by Figure 1 as having a column
of figures from 1 to 25 inclusive; the second strip or plate d contains another
column of figures numbered from 25 to 50 inclusive, and so on throughout the
width of the bulletin board; but this arrangement and numbering is arbitrary and
may be varied at pleasure.'
The slip-carrying cases or frames B, C, D are so proportioned as to fit snugly
between the guide strips c and under the number strips or plates d so that the
slidable cases or frames are held and confined in place between said strips and the
back board while the front sides of such cases or frames are open and exposed to
view. I prefer to make these slidable frames. or cases of sheet metal with turned
over or flanged edges, as shown by Figure 3, but the material used and the detailed
construction of the frames or cases may be varied within wide-limits and without
departing from the spirit of my invention. Each frame is adapted to slide
vertically between and within the strips c, d, and ready access to the frame or
case can be had by withdrawing the case from the lower or upper open side of the
bulletin board. To hold the slip case in position I prefer to use a suitable form of
spring catch indicated at E as having a suitable finger piece or handle, but the
construction of this catch forms no part of my present invention and any suitable
form of catch may be adopted and used.
The names of the members, with or without their addresses, are inserted on slips
or cards indicated at F in the drawing which are fitted or sprung within the flanged
cases or frames so as 'to be held in place therein. Each card or slip F is so pro-
portioned and arranged as to occupy a position at one side of and in line with the
numerals on the strips d, and the number of slips or cards in one case corresponds
to the numbers on the strip d next to or over the frame or case so that the total number
of members of the organization can be easily ascertained by a glance at the bulletin
board. For convenience, the names of the members are arranged in alphabetical
order, and thus the total number of names and the name and address of any in-
dividual member, can readily be ascertained by consulting the bulletin board.
the name of each member is inscribed on an individual card, the cards can easily
be changed or adjusted in the several cases or frames according to changes in the
membership of the organization.
As
To protect the name slips from dust and dirt, as well as to prevent tampering
with the cards or slips, I have provided a protective glass front consisting of
panes of glass G which are fitted against the numbered strips and are held or
confined in place by means of the moulding strips H which are secured to the
strips by means of glue or by screws that pass between the edges
of the glass panes G and thus serve to clamp the glass panes securely
in position. The vertical moulding strips H are joined at top and
bottom to the horizontal mouldings, I, and these mouldings serve to impart a
finish to the exposed front of the bulletin board.
The bulletin board may be ornamented or finished in any approved style, and it
may have the eyes J or other devices for suspending it on a wall.
It is thought that the mode of using and the advantages of my bulletin board
will be readily understood and appreciated from the foregoing description taken
in connection with the drawing.
I am aware that changes and alterations in the form and proportion of parts
and in the details of construction of the devices herein shown and described as the
preferred embodiment of my invention may be made by a skilled mechanic without
departing from the spirit or sacrificing the advantages of my invention, and I
therefore reserve the right to make such modifications as fairly fall within the
scope of my invention.

page_text: While I have described the bulletin board as provided with vertically slidable
slip-carrying cases guided between guide strips as the preferred construction yet I
am aware that the slip-carrying case can be made stationary within the bulletin
board and provided with a hinged glass door.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. The bulletin board herein shown and described comprising the stationary
frame having a closed back, parallel guide strips c fixed to said back and within
the frame, number plates attached to the guide strips and inscribed with columns
of figures in consecutive order, glass front or fronts fastened to said stationary
frame and the guide strips by suitable devices, a series of vertically-slidable cases
confined edgewise between the guide strips and laterally between the back and
number plates, and name slips removably fitted in said case, a series of such name
slips being provided for each case and each slip arranged in alignment with one
figure in a column on one number plate, all arranged and combined for service
as set forth,
2. A bulletin board comprising a back, a series of guide strips attached thereto,
a series of number plates of greater width than the guide strips and fastened
to the latter to project beyond the edges thereof and serving in connection with
the back, to confine the sliding cases against lateral displacement, and the glass
front panes fastened to the number plates, combined with a series of slidable cases
fitted edgewise between the guide strips and laterally between the back and the
projecting edges of the number plates, and nanie slips or cards fitted in the slidable
cases, substantially as described.
3. A bulletin board comprising a back, a series of guide strips attached thereto,
a series of number plates of greater width than the guide strips and projecting, at
their edges, beyond the same to serve in connection with the back as guides to
confine slidable cases against lateral displacement, the glass front panes arranged
over the number plates, the moulding strips applied over the edges of the glass
front panes, and the fasteners passed between the edges of the glass front panes and
holding the mouldings, the glass panes, and the number plates on the back,
combined with a series of slidable cases fitted edgewise between the guide strips
and laterally between the back and the projecting edges of the number plates, means
for locking said cases in a detachable vertical position, and removable cards or
slips carried by the slidable cases, substantially as described.
1 1000
Dated THIS ith day U
WILLIAM EDGAR BENSON.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.