IMPROVEMENTS IN GUTTA PERCHA & INDIA-RUBBER Toys
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Stevens, of 31, Charing Cross, in the County
of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
GUTTA PERCHA & INDIA-RUBBER Toys."-A communication from abroad
by Henry Galante, of 42, Rue Laffitte, Paris, in the Empire of France
Sealed the 16th October 1861, and dated the 7th May 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Stevens at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 7th
May 1861.
I, CHARLES STEVENS, of $1, Charing Cross, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for. "Iм-
PROVEMENTS IN GUTTA PERCHA & INDIA-RUBBER TOYS," and that it has been
communicated to me from abroad by Henry Galante, of 42, Rue Laffitte,
Paris, in the Empire of France, to be as follows:-
The present Invention consists in coating india-rubber or gutta percha dolls,
the models of animals, & other similar objects with a. glue of suitable nature,
by which the hair, feathers, or other covering peculiar. to the animal intended
to be represented can be fixed to the toy instead of giving the form of the
natural covering to the india-rubber or gutta percha, & painting it to resemble
the object intended to be represented, as has been hitherto. done, & which
renders the toy dangerous to children from the propensity they often have of
placing the toys in their mouths.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Charles Stevens in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 7th
November 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
STEVENS, of 31, Charing Cross, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fourth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Charles Stevens, Her special licence that I, the said Charles Stevens,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Charles Stevens, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN GUTTA PERCHA AND INDIA-RUBBER Toys," a communication to me
from abroad by Henry Galante, of 42, Rue Laffitte, Paris, in the Empire of
France, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Charles Stevens,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or
their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same. was to be per-
formed, 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 Charles Stevens, 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, that is to say :-
My Invention relates to improvements in toys of india-rubber, gutta
percha, or of the two combined. The toys are made at present by simply
moulding the gutta percha or india-rubber into the form of the animal or
object, then painting it so as to make the resemblance more complete; this is
very injurious when the articles are intended as toys, from the habit children
have of putting their playthings in their mouths, as they suck off the paint,
which is often of a highly poisonous nature.
My Invention is as follows:-The gutta percha, india-rubber, or a com-

page_text: bination of both, is first moulded so as to resemble the object intended to be
represented; it is then coated over with a glue of suitable nature. I do not
indicate any glue in particular, as provided it be sufficiently strong, the object
is obtained. The natural covering is now given to the moulded form; thus, if
it be a bird, it is covered with feathers, which are stuck on by means of the
glue with which the form has been previously coated. For animals having
fur the operation is the same, the fur taking the place of the feathers.
The mode of proceeding is the same in all cases, the outer covering being
alone changed; skins serving for certain animals, and silk, or a similar suitable
tissue, for covering dolls. Butterflies and certain other insects are covered
with silk, lustre, or other suitable powder.
Having thus described my Invention, what I claim and desire to secure by
Letters Patent as my Invention is, covering the various forms moulded in
gutta percha or india-rubber in representation of different animals, with
natural and other coverings for the purpose and in the manner herein-before
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Stevens, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Seventh day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
CHARLES STEVENS. (L.S.)