IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF LETTERS AND FIGURES TO BE APPLIED TO SHOP FRONTS AND OTHER SURFACES
Year: 1849

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
Ross ROWAN MOORE, of the Temple, Barrister-at-Law, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Fourteenth day of
March, One thousand eight hundred and forty-nine, in the twelfth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
mc, the said Robert Ross Rowan Moore, my exors, admors, and assigns,
Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said
Robert Ross Rowan Moore, my exors, adñiors, and assigns, and such others
as I, the said Robert Ross Rowan Moore, my exors, adiñors, or assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all
times during the the term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of
Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE
OF LETTERS AND FIGURES TO BE APPLIED TO SHOP FRONTS AND OTHER SURFACES;"
in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso that I, the said Robert
Ross Rowan Moore, should cause a particular description of the nature of
my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, by an
instrument in writing under my hand and seal, to be inrolled in Her said
Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in

page_text: and by the same, reference being thereunto nad, will more Tuny and at large
appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Robert Ross Rowan Moore, do hereby declare that the nature of my said
Invention, and the mauner in which the same is to be performed, are fully
described and ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, reference
being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters
marked thereon, that is to say:-
My Invention consists,―
First, of mannfacturing letters and figures by applying gutta percha in such
manufacture; and,
Secondly, my Invention consists of a mode of making ornamental letters
and figures when using gutta percha or other material.
And in order that my Invention may be most fully understood and readily
carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the means pursued by me.
It is well known that gutta percha is a substance which resists moisture, and
that when heated to a moderate degree it becomes plastic, and may readily be
moulded into various forms; and I have found that by reason of these qualities
this substance, whether alone or combined with other matters such as will not
interfere with its capability of resisting moisture, is particularly applicable for
the manufacture of letters and figures applicable to shop fronts and other
surfaces. In carrying out my Invention I prefer to use gutta percha which
has been purified as heretofore practised when for moulding other articles
therefrom; and, having prepared moulds or dies of metal or other suitable
material of a character and size suitable for forming the letters, I cause the
gutta percha, when in a plastic state, to be pressed into such moulds, and
retain the same under pressure till the letters or figures become set and cold.
I then cause any imperfections to be cut or trimmed off as when making
other moulded articles of gutta percha. If other matters be combined with
gutta percha, by kneading or masticating the same therewith, as has heretofore
been practised when for moulding and making other articles therefrom, such
matters are not to be such as materially to interfere with its capability of
resisting moisture, and such matters should be such as to aid the gutta percha
in resisting heat rather than to reduce its capability for sustaining such tem-
peratures as the letters manufactured therefrom may be subjected to; and
such letters may be painted and varnished, or the gutta percha may have color
'mixed therewith, so that the letters made therefrom being varnished may not
require to be painted.
I will now describe the second part of my Invention.

page_text: DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGU.
Figure 1 shews a letter manufactured according to this part of my Inven-
tion; Figure 2 is a section thereof; and Figure 3 is a painted or gilt border
on an open frame of metal or other suitable material. This part of the
Invention consists of using glass either of different colors and shapes, or else
having different colors behind, so as to produce varied ornamental effects, the
open or painted or gilt border frame being suitably arranged for covering
the joints of the glass or the material under the glass. The back or body
of the letter I prefer to be of gutta percha, moulded as before described, as
such material admits of the recesses being formed to receive the glass more
readily than when the letters or figures are made of wood or other material;
at the same time I would state, that, when preferred, letters may be made of
wood or other material as heretofore, so long as they are formed suitably for
receiving glass, as before explained. The Drawing shews the letter to be a
shaded projecting letter; 'but other letters may be made without shading, or
upon a flat surface, so as to represent projection. The Drawing is simply
intended as an example. The form of the letter in carrying out this part of
my Invention, and also the shapes of the different pieces of glass, and of the
ornamental materials at the back of the glass, when any such are used, may
be varied according to the taste of the persons making or designing the same.
In glazing such letters or figures care should be observed to use a waterproof
cement for filling up the joints and other parts, in order to prevent moisture
penetrating to the back of the glass. I prefer to use gutta percha cement for
this purpose; but other cement may be employed. The open frame for cover-
ing the joints I affix by pins, or when of gutta percha or other material which
will admit of it, I employ gutta percha cement for affixing such frames over
the joints in the glass.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, I would remark, that I do not confine
myself to the details as herein described, so long as the peculiar character of
either part of my Invention be retained; but what I claim is,-
First, the manufacture of letters and figures applicable to shop fronts and
other surfaces by the employment of gutta percha in such manufacture; and,
Secondly, I claim the mode of manufacturing ornamental letters and figures
applicable for shop fronts and other surfaces as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Ross Rowan Moore, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this 18th day of August, in the year of
our Lord Oue thousand eight hundred and forty-nine.
ROBT R. R.
(L.S.) MOORE.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Eighteenth day of August, in
the year of our Lord 1849, the aforesaid Robert Ross Rowan Moore came
before our said Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the
Specification aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and specified,
in form above written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped
according to the tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.