A. NEW OR IMPROVED CARD OR LABEL FIXER FOR RAILWAY TRUCKS AND WAGONS
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Henderson, of the Town and County of Stirling,
North Britain, Engineer, for the Invention of "A. NEW OR IMPROVED CARD OR
LABEL FIXER FOR RAILWAY TRUCKS AND WAGONS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Henderson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 17th November 1877.
JAMES HENDERSON, of the Town and County of Stirling, North Britain, Engineer.
" A NEW OR IMPROVED CARD OR LABEL FIXER FOR RAILWAY TRUCKS AND
WAGONS."
This Invention has reference to a new or improved construction of gripper for
fixing or holding the address or other cards to the sides of railway trucks and
waggons, and which is more simple and efficient than those heretofore in use.
And the nature and novelty of the Invention consist in fixing on the side of the
truck or waggon a wooden or metallic bar, preferably placed vertically, with a groove
close to the side of the truck, into which one edge of the cards or labels are inserted
close up to the bar; a flat blade spring being ranged some inches out from the
grooved side of the bar, secured close against the side of the truck at its upper and
lower ends through grooved holdfasts screwed to the side of the truck, and with
turned up ends which retain it in position, while allowing it to move longitudinally
when drawn out by a knob at the centre from the surface of the truck, so as to
admit of the insertion of the card or label between it and the truck right back into
the groove of the holding bar before mentioned, and when the knob is let go the
blade spring tightens back against the card and holds it firmly in position in the
grooved bar, so that it cannot be removed by wind or the shaking of the truck or
waggon. And for greater security one or more sharp points or projections may be
formed or fixed on the inner face of the blade spring, or on the point of the knob
already referred to, which would pierce the card through to or against the surface
[Price 6d.1

page_text: of the truck, and so hold it more securely than by the mere strength and friction or
gripping action of the spring only. And to prevent the card being destroyed by
rain a projecting bar or other equivalent might be secured to the side of the truck
above the level of the card or the bar and spring of the fixer.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
said James Henderson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 17th May 1878.
JAMES HENDERSON, of the Town and County of Stirling, North Britain, Engineer.
" A NEW OR IMPROVED CARD OR LABEL FIXER FOR RAILWAY TRUCKS AND
WAGGONS."
My said Invention has reference to a new or improved construction of gripper for
fixing or holding the address or other cards to the sides of railway trucks and
waggons, and which is more simple and efficient than those heretofore in use.
And in order that the nature, novelty, and mode of performing my said Invention
may be properly understood, I shall now proceed to describe the several Figures
on the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, which I have hereunto appended for
that purpose, the same reference letters indicating the same parts in the several
Figures.
Figure 1 is a side section of a portion of the side woodwork of a truck or
waggon, showing my improvements applied thereto; while Figure 2 and 3 are
respectively a cross section and plan of the same.
Reffering to these Figures my said Invention consists in fixing on the side of the
truck or waggon A a wooden or metallic bar B, preferably placed vertically, with
a groove C close to the side of the truck into which one edge of the cards or labels Z.
or addressed envelopes with invoices are inserted close up to the bar, as indicated in
dotted lines a---a, in Figure 1. A. flat bladespring E being ranged some inches out
from and opposite to the grooved side of the bar B, secured close against the side of
the truck A at its upper and lower ends through grooved holdfasts F, secured by
nails or screws to the side of the truck, and having turned out ends e which retain
it in position, while allowing it to move longitudinally when drawn out by the knob
or ring G or other equivalent at the centre from the surface of the truck, so as to
admit of the insertion of the card or label between it and the truck right back into
the groove of the holding bar B before mentioned; and when the knob or ring G is
let go the blade spring E tightens back against the card and holds it firmly in
position in the grooved bar B, so that it cannot be removed by wind or the shaking
of the truck or waggon. And for general security one or more sharp points or
projections may be formed or fixed on the inner face of the blade spring E or on the
point of the knob already referred to, as shown particularly at g in Figures 2 and 3,
which would pierce the card through to or against the surface of the truck A, and
so hold it more securely than by the mere strength and friction or gripping action
of the spring only. And to prevent the card being destroyed by rain a projecting
bar or other equivalent, not shown in the Drawings, might be secured to the side of
the truck above the level of the card or of the bar and spring of the fixer.

page_text: Having now described the nature of my said Invention and the manner of per-
forming the same, I have to state that I do not confine myself to the precise details
herein described or delineated, but what I consider novel and original, and therefore
claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters
Patent is,―
First. The general construction, arrangement, and combination of addressed
envelope or card holder for railway trucks, waggons, or vehicles, substantially as
herein described in reference to and shown in the accompanying Drawings, or any
mere modification thereof.
Second. The forming of an address envelope or card holder for railway trucks,
waggons, or vehicles, of a simple grooved bar B and a blade spring E, all substantially
as and for the purposes herin described in reference to and shown on the accom-
panying Drawings, or any mere modification thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Henderson, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Fifteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-eight.
Witness,
JOHN BBOWN,
Patent Agent,
Glasgow.
JAS. HENDERSON. (LS.)