Year: 1886

page_text: I ALFRED NOBLE SILL of N° 1413 Hutchinson Street in the City of Phila-
delphia, County of Philadelphia State of Pennsylvania United States of America
Coal Dealer do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement:-
The object of this Invention is to construct a conveniently handled blotting pad
which will have a flexible surface for blotting and this object is attained in the
manner hereinafter described.
In the accompanying Drawing
Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating the manner of using the blotter.
Figure 2 is a side view of the same shewing the yielding blotting surface in its
normal shape, and with one of the end clamps for the blotting sheets open.
Figure 3 is a side view of a modification and
Figure 4 is a plan view of the same.
A is the handle of the blotter to be grasped by the hand of the user; and B is
an elastic or flexible plate of sheet metal or other suitable material which forms
the backing for the strips of the blotting paper. These strips which constitute
the blotting surface are confined to the flexible or elastic plate B at its opposite
ends by means of elastic clamps of any suitable construction.
In Figures 1 and 2 I have shown one form of clamp combined with the sheet
metal backing, while in Figures 3 and 4 I have shown the clamp as formed of the
bent end of the plate B.
In the construction of clamps shown in Figures 1 and 2 each end of the plate B
is bent over to form a hook a which engages with the hooked end 6 of the clamp
plate E. These hooks are of spring metal and bear on each other in such a way
that they will normally tend to cause the clamp plate to grip and hold the ends of
the blotting paper.

page_text: Each clamp plate is provided with a projection or finger by pressing upon
which the clamp may be opened as illustrated at the left hand side of Figure 2, to
release the sheets of blotting paper for removal and renewal. In the construction
of clamp shown in Figures 3 and 4 similar fingers or projections f are provided to
open the clamp for the same purpose.
I do not however claim or limit myself to any special form of clamp in my
present invention.
The main feature of my present invention consists in the connection of the
handle with the elastic backing by means of springs so that when the blotter is
pressed down onto the surface to be blotted, the plate B is at liberty to flatten
itself out over the surface as shewn in Figure 1, without requiring any rocking
motion of the blotter, and the elastic plate will with the assistance of the springs
immediately return to its normal shape shown in Figure 2 when freed from
pressure.
This connection of the handle to the plate through the medium of a spring may
be provided at one or both ends of the handle, but I prefer to provide it at both
ends as illustrated in the drawing. Although different forms of the spring con-
nection may be employed I prefer the form of spring illustrated in Figures 1 and 2.
This spring D consists of two coils, the adjacent ends of which are soldered or
otherwise connected to the handle while the opposite ends or the connecting loop
of both coils, if made of one piece of wire are adapted to a loop or hook e on the
plate so as to be free to turn therein. The same result may be obtained by the use
of one coil, but I prefer to use two on account of strength and because they have
a tendency to hold the handle in its proper central position.
In order to prevent the flexible plate B from being pressed beyond a horizontal
line to such an extent as to "buckle" or be sprung out of shape, I may use a
stop S constructed of a rod or plate crossing from one end of the handle to the
other as shown in Figure 2 this being preferably an extension of one or both of
the opposite springs.
In the construction Figures 3 and 4 the elastic connection between the handle
and plate B consists of springs D, D, connected to the plate B and to the central
web F to which the handle is secured. The web F consists in the present instance
of a continuation of the springs D, D, both springs and the web being made of
sheet metal bent to the proper shape as shewn in Figure 4 and having its opposite
ends united if desired at the point y.-A hollow web is thus formed which provides
a ready means of connecting the handle A thereto, said handle having a T head at
each end, and these T-heads being adapted to openings in the web as illustrated in
Figures 3 and 4.
The web F at the same time serves as a stop to prevent the buckling of the
plate B as above described.
I do not limit myself to the particular form of springs shewn in the drawing as
various constructions of springs may be used to connect the opposite ends of the
handle to the plate and the handle may have a rigid connection with the plate at
one end and a spring connection at the other.
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
First: A blotting pad having a handle and an elastic or flexible plate and
spring connection between the two.
Second: A blotting pad having a handle and an elastic or flexible plate and
springs connecting the opposite ends of the handle to the plate.
Third: A blotting pad having a handle and an elastic or flexible plate and a
stop to prevent the elastic plate from being sprung out of shape substantially as
described.

page_text: Fourth A blotting pad having a handle and an elastic or flexible plate, a
spring connection between the handle and plate, and a stop to prevent the elastic
or flexible plate from being sprung out of shape said stop forming an extension of
the spring connection between the plate and handle.
Fifth A blotting pad having a handle and elastic or flexible plate and double
coiled springs connecting the handle to the said plate substantially as set forth.
Sixth: A blotting pad having a handle and elastic or flexible plate, and a spring
or springs connected to the end of the handle and having a pivotal connection with
the plate.