A NEW OR IMPROVED METHOD OF MANUFACTURING LETTERS AND FIGURES, TO BE USED AS PRINTING TYPE, LETTERING FOR SIGN AND WINDOW BOARDS, AND OTHER SUCH LIKE PURPOSES
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Mavity, of Birmingham, in the
County of Warwick, Electro Plater, for the Invention of "A
NEW OR IMPROVED METHOD OF MANUFACTURING LETTERS AND FIGURES,
TO BE USED AS PRINTING TYPE, LETTERING FOR SIGN AND WINDOW
BOARDS, AND OTHER SUCH LIKE PURPOSES."
Sealed the 3rd October 1853, and dated the 5th April 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Mavity
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 5th April 1853.
I, WILLIAM MAVITY, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Electro-plater, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"A NEW OR IMPROVED METHOD OF MANUFACTURING LETTERS AND FIGURES,
TO BE USED AS PRINTING TYPE, LETTERING FOR SIGN AND WINDOW BOARDS,
AND OTHER SUCH LIKE PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists in making letters, figures, &c. in several
parts, and afterwards combining the same together, by which method
of construction great economy is effected in the manufacture of plain
and ornamental letters and figures made in moulds or dies, as well as

page_text: facilities in the production of large letters and figures in stamps and
presses. The drawing illustrates my Invention. The figure represents
the several parts of which I construct the letter represented (E). It con-
sists of five parts, marked a, b, c, d, e; it will be seen, however, that the
parts a, b, d, constitute the letter L; the parts a, b, c, e, the letter F;
the parts a, b, the letter I; and the parts a, b, c, d, (the latter being
placed at the top and on the left of a, so as to form the counterpart
of c.) the letter T. The same principle of construction applies to all
kinds of letters and figures. The advantages of my Invention are,
that the alphabet and numerals may be constructed from a compara-
tively small number of parts, combined in various ways, whereby great
economy in the moulds or dies in which the said letters and figures are
made is effected, and letters and figures made by stamping or pressing
may be readily made of a larger size than can be conveniently done in
the ordinary way, since much smaller dies and presses are required.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Mavity, in the Great Seal Patent Office,
on the 4th October 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
WILLIAM MAVITY, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Electro
Plater, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of April, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the sixteenth year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said William Mavity, Her special licence that I, the said
William Mavity, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said William Mavity, my executors, administrators,
and 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 "A NEW OR IMPROVED METHOD OF

page_text: MANUFACTURING LETTERS AND FIGURES, TO BE USED AS PRINTING TYPE,
LETTERING FOR SIGN AND WINDOW BOARDS, AND OTHER SUCH LIKE PUR-
POSES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William
Mavity, 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Mavity; do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof, reference being had to the accom-
panying drawing, and to the figures and letters marked thereon (that is
to say):
My Invention consists in making letters, figures, &c. in several
parts, and afterwards combining the same together, by which method
of construction great economy is effected in the manufacture of letters
and figures, made in moulds or dies, as well as facilities in the produc-
tion of large letters and figures in stamps and presses.
Figure 1, represents the letter E, constructed according to my Inven-
tion. It consists of the five parts a, b, c, d, e; and the junctions of the
several parts are indicated by the straight dotted lines in the said
Figure. But the same pieces of which the said letter E, is composed,
may be differently combined, so as to form several other letters; thus
the three parts a, b, d, constitute the letter L, the two parts a, b, the
letter I; the four parts a, b, c, e, the letter F; and if the parts d, e, be
removed, and the part d, be placed in the position indicated in dotted
lines at f, the letter T, will be produced. The same principle of con-
struction applies to other figures and characters; and I have represented
in the other figures several other letters constructed according to my
Invention, in which said letters I have indicated by the dotted lines,
crossing the said letters at different points the places at which the
pieces of which the said letters are composed are joined. The advan-
tages of my Invention are, that the alphabets, numerals, &c. may be
constructed from a comparatively small number of parts combined in

page_text: various ways, whereby great economy is effected in the simplicity and
number of the moulds, dies, or tools, by which the said letters, figures,
&c. are made; and letters, figures, &c. made by stamping or pressing,
may be readily made of a larger size than can conveniently be done when
the said letters, figures, &c. are made in one piece; and much sníaller
lies, tools, and presses used in the manufacture of the said large letters,
figures, &c.;, and where any injury happens to any of the dies or tools
used in making the parts of the said letters, figures, &c., the restora-
tion of the injured part or parts costs less than it would cost to restore
the dies or tools required for the making of the whole letter, figure, &c.
I do not confine myself to any particular method of dividing letters,
figures, &c., as the same must be varied to suit the letters of different
alphabets, as Roman, old English, &c.; and the method of division must
also be varied to suit the different ornamental forms which may be
given to letters of the same alphabet; neither do I confine myself to
letters, figures, &c. made in any particular material, or by any particular
process, as my Invention is applicable to letters, figures, &c. made of
glass, china, earthenware, or other vitreous or semi-vitreous substance,
metals and metallic alloys, or other material capable of being cast,
pressed, cut, or otherwise fashioned by dies, or pressing, stamping, and
cutting tools. But I claim as my Invention the making of letters,
figures, and such other characters as are or may be used as printing
type letters and characters, for sign and window boards and other
purposes, in parts, and combining the said parts so as to construct the
said letters, figures, and characters as herein-before described, and
illustrated by the accompanying drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Mavity, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-ninth day of September, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
WILLIAM MAVITY.
(L.S.)
Witness, GEORGE SHAW.