CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN BINDING OR COVER- TWO Books
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederick Arnold, of Park Road, Barnsbury,
for the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN BINDING OR COVER-
TWO Books"
A
Sealed the 29th July 1853, and dated the 3rd May 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederick Arnold
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,. with his Petition,
on the 3rd May 1858.
I, FREDERICK ARNOLD, of Park Road, Barnsbury, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN BINDING
OR COVERING BOOKS" to be as follows (that is to say):
My Improvements, which have for their object the construction of
bindings or covers that may be more readily and expeditiously secured
to books than hitherto, and may be transferred from one book to
another without causing any difficulty in the opening or shutting of
the said books, consist in fastening each of the covers of the book to

page_text: a hinge, which is also secured to the body of the book each way by
rivets, over which a slip of paper may be gummed, the hinge bolt being
made removable on unscrewing a nut at the bottom.
I claim the fastening of bookbindings or covers in the manner
described and set forth, and the removable hinge when applied for this 5
purpose.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Frederick Arnold in the Great Seal Patent Office,
on the 2nd November 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
FREDERICK ARNOLD, of Park Road, Barnsbury, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Third day of May, 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 the said Frederick Arnold, Her special licence that
1, the said Frederick Arnold, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said Frederick Arnold, my executors, admi-
nistrators, 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 Chan-
nel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
BINDING OR COVERING BOOKS," upon the condition (amongst others) that
I, the said Frederick Arnold, 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 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 Frederick Arnold, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the

page_text: same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement, that is to say:
My Improvements, which have reference to the construction of bind-
ings or coverings which may be temporarily or permanently attached
to books, portfolios, manuscripts, albums, ledgers, account books, copy
books, and the like, consist in a mode of securing the said bindings or
coverings to the bodies of the said books, or the like, in such a manner
as to enable them to be opened and shut with more ease, and to remain
open more permanently, and in a more commodious position, than those
of which the bindings or covers are secured in any of the ordinary
methods. And the mode in which I propose to carry out the said
improvements is by fastening or securing a hinge or hinges to each of
the covers of the book or volume, or to the back thereof between the
covers; the said hinge or hinges being secured to the body of the book
or volume by means of rivetts or otherwise. The hinge bolt may be so
formed or fitted as to be easily removed at pleasure, and secured by
means of screws and nuts at either end; or the said hinge bolt: may be
rendered permanent, or immovably attached to the hinge or hinges
by any of the usual methods. The whole hinge may be concealed by
a slip of paper, plain or ornamented, which may be gummed or other-
wise secured over it, or it may be left open, as shall be thought proper.
Books constructed in this manner are found to open and shut much
more readily, and present a more level surface (to the great con-
venience of the writer or reader), than those at present in use; at the
same time that the facilities which they will afford for transferring the
bindings or covers of old and disused books, periodicals, or copy and
account books, and the like, to new volumes during the time they
remain in habitual or in frequent use, will enable large classes of
persons, such as merchants, bankers, and tradesmen, and government
offices, to effect a considerable saving in this department of their
expenses.
But in order that these my said improvements may be more
fully understood and readily carried into effect, I will now proceed
to describe the accompanying Drawings, reference being had to the
letters and figures thereon marked, that is to say:-Fig. 1, represents a

page_text: side view of a ledger or account book closed; Fig. 2, the same, with
the cover open or thrown back; Fig. 3, a cover detached from the
body of the book; Fig. 4, a back view of the book or body thereof;
Fig. 5, the hinge bolt or pin, shewn separately; Figs. 6, 7, and 8, end
elevations, corresponding to Figs. 1, 2, and 4; Fig. 9, a perspective
view of another description of binding, in which my improved hinge is
fitted or secured to the outside of the covers of the book, the said hinges
being so constructed as to supply the usual ornamental mounting or
metals, as shewn; Figs. 10, and 11, are separate views of the orna-
mental side and central hinges detached; Fig. 12, shows another
description of binding, in which the hinges and ornamental portions
thereof are attached to the insides of the covers; the Figs. 13 and 14
being also separate views of the metals or hinges before described. In
cach figure the same letters of reference denote similar corresponding
parts. A, A, the covers; B, B, body of the book or volume; C, C,
metallic hinges; D, D, hinge bolt or pin, fitted with a plain milled or
an ornamental head E, E, and tapped at the lower end F, F, for the
purpose of screwing into the hinge; G, G, studs or rivets, for the pur-
pose of securing the hinges to the covers or the body of the book.
It may here be necessary to remark that although I have shewn but a
few variations in the mode of attaching the hinge or hinges, externally
or internally, to the covers or the centre of the book, body, or both,
yet the same admits of many other modifications, without departing
from the general principle of my improvements, and may be con-
structed with moveable or immoveable head; nor do I confine myself
to any particular form or pattern for the hinges or metals, but adopt
that which may be most suitable to the binding of various descriptions
of books, to secure the advantages of lightness, durability, or clegance,
as each may most particularly require.
Having now fully described the nature of this my said Invention, and
the mode in which the same is to be performed, I would have it clearly
understood that I by no means confine myself to the precise details
herein-before described, as the same might be varied without departing
from the general character of these my said improvements. But that
which I do claim as new, and of my said Invention, is the mode or

page_text: modes of constructing and applying metallic or other hinges to the
covering or binding of books, manuscripts, and other volumes, as herein-
before set forth and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frederick Arnold, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of October, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
FREDERICK ARNOLD. (L.S.)