IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OR CONSTRUCTION OP POCKET BOOKS, PORTFOLIOS, AND SIMILAR ARTICLES
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas John Smith and Joseph Smith, both of
Queen Street, Cheapside, in the City of London, Pocket Book Makers,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OR CONSTRUCTION
OP POCKET BOOKS, PORTFOLIOS, AND SIMILAR ARTICLES."
Sealed the 26th May 1854, and dated the 25th March 1854.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas John Smith and
Joseph Smith at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their
Petition, on the 25th. March 1854.
We, THOMAS JOHN SMITH and JOSEPH SMITH, both of Queen Street, Cheap-
side, in the City of London, Pocket Book Makers, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OR
CONSTRUCTION OF POCKET BOOKS, PORTFOLIOS, AND SIMILAR. ARTICLES" to be as
follows:-
This Invention consists in the application of elastic materials to the manu-
facture of the pockets of pocket books, portfolios, bankers' cases, paper cases,
porte monaies, instrument cases, and all cases of a similar nature in which
pockets are employed, which pockets when empty are required to be flat, so as
to occupy as little room as possible; and when any articles are placed in those
pockets, it is desired that the pocket should be allowed to expand exactly to
the extent required by the insertion of the elastic material, either in the shape

page_text: of a cord running from the back of the pocket book to the outside cover of
the gussets, or by the manufacturing the gussets themselves of an elastic
material, this object is effectually attained. It is obvious that this principle
may be employed in the manufacture of cases and boxes of all descriptions.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas John Smith and Joseph Smith in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 25th September 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, THOMAS
JOHN SMITH and JOSEPH SMITH, both of Queen Street, Cheapside, in the City
of London, Pocket Book Makers, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the seventeenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us,
the said Thomas John Smith and Joseph Smith, Her special license that we,
the said Thomas John Smith and Joseph Smith, our executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as we, the said Thomas John Smith and Joseph
Smith, our executors, administrators, or 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 Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE
OR CONSTRUCTION OF POCKET BOOKS, PORTFOLIOS, AND SIMILAR ARTICLES," upon the
condition (amongst others) that we, the said Thomas John Smith and Joseph
Smith, by an instrument in writing under our hands and seals, or under the
hand and seal of one of us, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed,
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 we, the said Thomas John Smith and Joseph
Smith do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawings and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
Our said Invention relates to the arrangement and construction, or manu-
facture of self-closing pockets in pocket books, portfolios, bankers' cases, paper

page_text: cases, porte monnaies; instrument cases, and all cases or receptacles of a
similar class in which pockets are employed by the application of elastie
materials thereto. All such pockets or receptacles when empty are required
to be flat and well closed down, so as to occupy as little room as possible, and
when any articles are deposited in such pockets, it is essentially desirable that
the pockets should expand exactly to the extent required, and thus hold the
inserted articles securely and conveniently. We effect these requirements,
either by attaching elastic material, in the shape of a cord running from the
back of the pocket book to the outside cover of the gussets, or by manufac-
turing the gussets themselves of an elastic substance.
And in order that our.said Invention may be properly understood, we shall
now proceed to describe the Figure on the Sheet of Drawing hereunto attached.
This Figure is a perspective view of an opened pocket book, such as is used
by merchants and commercial men, showing one mode of applying the elastic
material for the purpose which we have in view, with the exception of this
application of the elastic material. The pocket book which we have here selected
as our illustration example is made percisely in the manner ordinarily adopted
in such articles. It consists of a central memorandum book or diary A, a left
hand pocket B, of three expanding divisions or compartments at C, on the right
side, as here delineated beneath the central diary. The elastic material D, as
here applied to the triple pocket B, is in the form of a flat band or tape, woven
with interposed caoutchouc threads; one of these elastic bands is disposed on
each side or end of the compound pocket, one end of the band being fastened
to the outside cover by interposition between the folds or layers thereof, as at
E; the band is in each case then passed through perforations in the angular
folds of the pockets, until it reaches the outside diaphragm F, to which its
remaining end is attached in a similar manner at G. With this arrangement,
the pocket can be easily expanded to the form represented in our Drawing, for
the reception of papers, whilst it closes at once from the collapse of the bands
on the lateral distending pressure being removed. The book is fitted with an
external elastic band attached to the back for the purpose of closing the whole.
It will be obvious to the practical maker of pocket books and similar articles,
that this elastic action may be carried into practical effect in various ways, and
that the principle is capable of application to cases and boxes of various
descriptions.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of our said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect, we would observe, in conclusion, that we do not confine or restrict our-
selves to the precise details or arrangements which we have had occasion to

page_text: describe or refer to, as many variations may be made therefrom without de-
viating from the principles or main features of our said Invention; but what
we consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention
secured to us by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, is,-
First, the application and use in pocket books, cases, and articles of a like
class of elastic materials for the obtainment of an expanding and collapsing
action of the pockets thereof.
Second, the system or mode of arranging and constructing pocket books,
cases, and articles of a like class, with elastic connecting pieces attached to the
ends of the pockets.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Smith, on behalf of myself and of
the said Thomas John Smith, have hereunto set my hand and seal,
this Twenty-fifth day of September, One thousand eight hundred and
fifty-four.
JOSEPH SMITH. (L.S.)