Year: 1886

page_text: therefor.
There are many spaces, especially in public buildings, where advertisements could
be very advantageously displayed if means sufficiently ornamental or attractive
were employed therefor.
The object of my present invention is to provide such means, and to this end it
consists essentially of a frame for a mirror, picture or the like having chambers or
casings arranged around or formed integral with the said frame, the said chambers
or casings being so constructed that plates, tablets or the like upon which adver-
tisements are printed, painted or otherwise produced can be readily inserted into
and withdrawn from the said chambers or casings.
My said invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which :-
Figure 1 is an elevation of apparatus constructed according to my invention.
Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same, partly in section.
Figure 3 is a section on the line x, x Figure 1; and,
Figure 4 is a view of one end of Figure 3 drawn to an enlarged scale.
a is the frame, and b a mirror which is mounted in the same.
As shown in the drawing this frame is double, that is to say it is formed with
an inner frame c and an outer frame d.
The mirror b is carried by the inner frame c, and the space between the latter
and the frame d is subdivided by the strips or fillets e.
Each of these strips is
rabbetted or grooved upon its upper and lower sides, as shown at f in Figure 2,
and is thus adapted to receive the edges of a plate or tablet of metal or other
material upon which an advertisement is painted, printed or otherwise produced.
A back-board g is placed behind the frame a, to protect the mirror and to
retain the advertisement plates or tablets in their grooves; and glass h is,
preferably, fixed in the space between the frames c, d, in order to protect the
said plates or tablets from dust or injury. A series of chambers or casings is thus
formed around the edges of the mirror, between the back g and the glass h, which
Price dl

page_text: chambers or casings are subdivided by the strips e. Slots i are formed in the
framed to enable the advertisement tablets to be readily inserted into or with-
drawn from the grooves of the strips e. A door is provided upon each side of
the said frame d to close the said slots, to prevent the unauthorized insertion or
removal of advertisements. As shown in the drawing these doors are hinged near
the front side of the frame at k, so that when the entire apparatus is fixed against
a wall the doors can be fully opened. It is to be understood, however, that the
doors may be arranged in any other manner according to circumstances. For
instance, if the apparatus occupies the whole or nearly the whole side of a room
it will be impracticable to insert the advertisement tablets laterally. In such
cases the strips e upon the different sides of the mirror can be fixed in separate
frames, and hinged to one or other of the frames c, d in the same manner as a
door. With this arrangement it is only necessary to open these hinged frames to
enable any advertisement tablet to be inserted or removed. It may also, in some
cases, be advantageous to combine doors i and hinged frames in one apparatus, for
instance, where the length of the same is such as to render difficult the lateral
insertion into or withdrawal of the advertisement plates or tablets from the
chambers or casings above and below the mirror.
When the length of the apparatus is very great, the mirror may be formed in
sections, between each two of which is placed a chamber or casing constructed as
herein before described.
It is obvious that instead of making the apparatus of the form shown in the
drawing, it may be made of any other suitable shape to suit the space in which it
is to be located. Also the space between the frames c and d may be subdivided
according to the nature or size of the advertisements to be displayed.
Although I prefer to form the casings or chambers integral with the frame c, as
herein before described, it is obvious that they may, if desired, be made separate
therefrom and arranged around the margin of the mirror-frame in any desirable
manner.
The apparatus may be decorated or ornamented to suit the furniture or sur-
roundings of the room or place in or at which it is fixed.
I wish it understood that although I prefer to fix a mirror in the inner frame
as described, I may, if desired, substitute therefor a picture or other suitable
ornamental device.
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. The improved apparatus comprising a frame for a mirror, picture or
the like, and chambers or casings around the said frame, subdivided by strips
adapted to support plates, tablets or the like, substantially as, and for the purpose,
set forth.
Second. The above described improved method of displaying advertisements by
means of plates, tablets or the like inserted in chambers around or forming a part
of a frame for a mirror, picture or the like.