IMPROVEMENTS IN TOILET MIRROR HOLDERS AND ATTACHMENTS
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Melville Williams, of New York City, in the
United States of America, and at present of Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN TOILET MIRROR
HOLDERS AND ATTACHMENTS." A communication from abroad by Gurdon
H. Wilcox, of Washington, in the District of Columbia, in the United States
America.
Sealed the 25th March 1879, and dated the 2nd October 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Melville Williams at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 2nd October 1878.
HENRY MELVILLE WILLIAMS, of New York City, in the United States of America,
and at present of Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex.
"IMPROVEMENTS
IN TOILET MIRROR HOLDERS AND ATTACHMENTS.' (A communication from abroad
by Gurdon H. Wilcox, of Washington, in the District of Columbia, in the United
States of America.)
The object of this Invention is so to arrange two mirrors that a person using the
same may obtain front, back, and side views at the same time.
The Invention consists in the attachments to the backs and frames of the mirrors
and the particular construction and arrangement of the mechanism constituting the
holder.
Near the centre of the back of a small mirror is attached a screw socket or nut to
receive a screw which is jointed to a rod that is also jointed to a short arm attached
firmly to the upper or smallest section of a series of telescopic tubes, the lower or
largest section of which works in a movable socket attached to the top of the stand
of the large toilet table mirror.
Instead of a screw socket it may be smooth inside, with a space in the centre
admitting a circular milled nut, which being turned will move the end of the screw.
passing through it to or from the centre of the small mirror.

page_text: When in use the telescopic arm is extended and brought forward, and the small
mirror is suspended above and in front of the table mirror.
in
By moving its screw the centre of gravity of the small mirror is changed when so
suspended, thereby causing the glass to hang at a different and any desired angle.
The object is to adjust the angle of the small mirror easily, so that a person
looking in the table mirror may observe the back, top, and sides of the head from
reflections of the small mirror in the table mirror.
The back of the table mirror is constructed in one or more pieces in such a
manner that it suspends the table mirror at or near its centre by means of screws
passing through the stand and into the back, which screws acting as pivots permit
of the easy movement of the table mirror, or when tightened will hold the said
mirror at any desired angle.
The back also contains a receptacle for the telescopic arm when contracted, thereby
preventing the table mirror from turning.
The socket on the table mirror stand in which the telescopic arm slides is so
attached to the mirror stand, and the stand is so constructed that it will permit the
telescopic arm to be extended above and in front of the table mirror at a convenient
angle for suspending the small mirror as desired, and when the telescopic arm is
contracted it can be folded so as to bring the small mirror face to face with table
mirror, and by turning the movable legs of the mirror stand parallel therewith the
whole, including mirrors, frames, and attachments, will be closed together in a
compact form.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Henry Melville Williams in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
2nd April 1879.
HENRY MELVILLE WILLIAMS, of New York City, in the United States of America,
and at present of Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS
IN TOILET MIRROR HOLDERS AND ATTACHMENTS." A communication from abroad
by Gurdon H. Wilcox, of Washington, in the District of Columbia, in the United
States of America.
This Invention has for its object improved means of arranging and supporting a
small supplemental mirror resembling a hand mirror in connection with a toilet
table mirror in such a way that a person using the same may obtain front, back,
and side views of the head at the same time, whilst leaving the hands at liberty to
dress the hair or attend to any other operation of the toilet.
The Invention relates to the construction and arrangement of the mechanism
constituting the support or holder for the supplemental mirror, to the attachments
to the backs and frames of the mirrors, and to the construction of the stand of a
portable toilet table mirror.
In order that the Invention may be more readily understood, I will proceed
to describe it with reference to the annexed Drawings, in which Figure 1 is a
perspective view, and Figure 3 a side elevation, showing the portable combined
toilet table mirror and supplemental mirror as arranged for use; and Figure 2 is
a side view of the same closed for transport. Figure 4 is a back elevation of the
same, drawn to a larger scale, showing the telescopic tubing in section'; and Figures
5 and 6 show details drawn to a larger scale.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the Figures.
Near the centre of the back of a small oval or other shaped mirror A is attached
a screwed socket or nut C to receive a screw B, which is jointed at b to a rod D;
that is also jointed at d to a short arm E attached firmly to the upper or smallest F
of a series of telescopic tubes F, F, F, (herein-after referred to as the telescopic arm),
of which the lower or largest one F slides through a socket G jointed at g to the
arched top of the stand 0 of the toilet table mirror M. Instead of socket C
being screw-threaded as described it may be smooth inside with a space in the
centre admitting a circular milled nut C₁ (as shown in Figure 6), which on being
turned will move the jointed end b of the screw B towards or from the centre of the
small mirror A. P is a fork rising from the top of the stand for the telescopic
arm to rest in when extended and brought forward, as in Figures 1 and 3. The
mirror M is suspended by pivots L near its centre in its stand 0; the pivots may
be screws screwing in sockets L', so that by tightening them the mirror M will be
held at any desired angle, as usual. I is a sheath or socket fixed to the cross bar I'
on the back of this mirror M, in which the telescopic arm is received when con-
tracted, as shewn in Figures 2 and 4, for which purpose its lower tube F is slid
down through the socket G until stopped by a pin f, the mirror M. having first been
placed in a vertical plane, and the socket G turned back into line with the sheath I.
The mirror A is thus brought face to face with and close against mirror M, as in
Figure 2. The upward movement of tube F is limited by a pin ƒ¹.
The toilet mirror shewn in the Drawings is intended to be stood on a toilet or
other table without being a fixture thereto. The legs K of the stand O are pivoted
at the centre to the bottom of stand O, in order that they may be turned either at
right angles to the plane of stand O, as in Figure 3, to afford a firm support therefor
when in use, or into the same plane with stand O, so that the whole, including
mirrors, frames, and attachments, may be closed together in a compact form, as
shewn in Figure 2.
When in use, the telescopic arm is extended and brought forward, and the small
mirror A is suspended by the screw B above and so far in front of the table mirror
M as to be behind the head of the person looking in the table mirror M, as shewn

page_text: in Figures 1 and 3. By moving its screw B the centre of gravity of the small
mirror A is shifted, thereby causing said mirror to hang at
any desired angle. The
object is to adjust with ease the angle at which the small mirror A hangs, so that
a person in looking in the table mirror M may observe the back, top, and sides of
the head from reflections of the small mirror A in the table mirror M.
The telescopic arm and its attachments are made entirely of brass or other metal,
and small steel springs may be fitted in the telescopic tubes, to make them slide
with sufficient stiffness. The mirror stand O and the mirror frame may be
made of metal also, if preferred, or of other suitable material.
In ordinary toilet table mirrors, whether fixtures to the toilet table or not, the
mirror M is hung between two uprights or side standards, which do not extend above
the mirror. In order to apply the telescopic arm F to such a mirror it will be
necessary to provide a support such as the upright tube R represented in Figure 7,
to be screwed or otherwise fastened to the toilet table: It is placed behind the
mirror at such a distance therefrom as not to interfere with its adjustment, and
extends up behind the mirror M to a sufficient height above it. The socket G
would be hinged to the top of the tubular upright R, as shewn, and the telescopic
arm would rest in a fork P projecting forward from the top of said upright tube.
Having described the nature of the Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,—
1st. The combination of the portable toilet mirror, the telescopic arm with its
attachment and support on the frame of the said mirror, and the small supplemental
mirror with its attachment to the telescopic arm, substantially as shown and
described for the purpose specified.
2nd. The combination of the portable toilet mirror having the legs of its stand
pivoted as and for the purpose specified, the telescopic arm supporting a small
supplemental mirror, and fitted to slide in a socket hinged to the frame of the toilet
mirror, and the sheath or socket on the back of the said mirror, the whole arranged
and adapted to fold up into a compact form, substantially as shown and described.
3rd. The telescopic arm supporting at one end a small supplemental mirror, and
fitted to slide in a socket hinged to a suitable support, and the forked support for
the telescopic arm to rest in when in the extended position, the whole combined
and adapted for use in connection with a toilet mirror, substantially as and for
the purpose described.
4th. Suspending a small toilet mirror by means of an adjusting screw and nut
attached to its back at or near the centre thereof, substantially as and for the
purpose described.
5th. The combination with a telescopic arm mounted on a suitable support, and
with a small mirror hung from the outer end of said arm, of an adjusting screw and
nut connected to such arm and mirror, substantially as and for the purpose
specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Melville Williams, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Second day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand sight hundred and seventy-nine
H. M. WILLIAMS. (L.S.)