AN IMPROVED COLUMN FOR EXHIBITING NOTICES AT RAILWAY STATIONS AND OTHER PUBLIC PLACES
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Snow, of the Inner Temple, in the
County of Middlesex, Barrister-at-Law, for the Invention of "AN
IMPROVED COLUMN FOR EXHIBITING NOTICES AT RAILWAY STATIONS AND
OTHER PUBLIC PLACES."
Sealed the 6th May 1870, and dated the 12th November 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Snow at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
12th November 1869.
I, THOMAS SNOW, of the Inner Temple, in the County of Middlesex,
Barrister-at-Law, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "AN IMPROVED COLUMN FOR EXHIBITING NOTICES AT RAILWAY STATIONS AND
OTHER PUBLIC PLACES," to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to an improved construction of notice column,
by which the notices to be exhibited thereon may be altered or varied
as required with facility and without expense. The column consists of
a suitable base or pedestal; upon which I mount an octagonal or
polygonal framework, upon the sides of which the notices are to be
exhibited. This column is carried on a central pivot, on which it is free
[Price 8d.]

page_text: to be rotated by any suitable mechanism, and may be surmounted by
a fixed cap or dome. The framework consists of a number of vertical
angle ribs carried on arms radiating from a central boss, which ribs may
be connected at top and bottom by a hoop or band. The ribs which
form the angles of the octagonal or other shaped column are further
connected by cross bars forming a series of openings, each of which is
closed by a sliding plate or panel of semi-transparent material, such as
ground or other suitable glass or porcelain for instance. Each of these
panels slides in grooves in the cross bars, between which it is placed by
passing through a slot in one of the angle pieces, all the panels being
inserted in the same direction. On one surface of these panels I form
horizontal dovetailed grooves, in which movable letters or type are placed
to form words and sentences as required. These letters I shape out of
metal or other opaque material, and mount such letter on a rectangular
backing or plate of glass fitting into the dovetailed grooves in the panels
before mentioned. As the column is illuminated at night by a gas or
other light placed within it the notices will be rendered perfectly visible.
In order to change the notice it is simply necessary to withdraw the
semi-transparent panel through the corresponding slot in the angle of
the framework, when the letters may be re-arranged in the grooves and
the panel replaced as before.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Thomas Snow in the Great Seal. Patent Office
on the 12th May 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
SNOW, of the Inner Temple, in the County of Middlesex, Barrister-
at-Law, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of November, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-
third year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Thomas Snow, Her special licence that I,
the said Thomas Snow, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said Thomas Snow, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from

page_text: time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein ex-
pressed, 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 "AN IMPROVED COLUMN POR EXHIBITING
NOTICES AT RAILWAY STATIONS AND OTHER PUBLIC PLACES," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Thomas Snow, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one
of their hands and seals, 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 I, the said Thomas Snow, do hereby declare
the nature of my 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 Sheet of Drawings
hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that
is to say):-
My Invention relates to an improved construction of notice column
by which the notices to be exhibited, thereon may be altered or varied
as required with facility and without expense. The column consists of
a suitable base or pedestal, upon which I mount an octagonal or poly:
gonal framework, upon the sides of which the notices are to be exhibited.
This column is carried on a central pivot, on which it is free to be
rotated by any suitable mechanism, and may be surmounted by a fixed
cap or dome. The framework consists of a number of vertical angle
ribs carried on arms radiating from a central boss, which ribs may be
connected at top and bottom by a hoop or band: The ribs which form
the angles of the octagonal or other shaped column are further connected
by cross bars forming a series of openings, each of which is closed by
a sliding plate or panel of semi-transparent material, such as ground or
other suitable glass or porcelain for instance. Each of these panels
slides in grooves in the cross bars, between which it is placed by passing
through a slot in one of the angle pieces, all the panels being inserted
in the same direction. On one surface of these panels I form horizontal
dovetailed grooves, in which movable letters or type are placed to form
words and sentences as required. These letters I shape out of metal
or other opaque material, and mount such letter on a rectangular

page_text: backing or plate of glass fitting into the dovetailed grooves in the panels
before mentioned. As the column is illuminated at night by a gas or
other light placed within it the notices will be rendered perfectly visible.
In order to change the notice it is simply necessary to withdraw the
semi-transparent panel through the coresponding slot in the angle of
the framework, when the letters may be re-arranged in the grooves and
the panel replaced as before.
Figure 1 represents an elevation of a revolving column for exhibiting
notices constructed according to my Invention;. Figure 2 is a horizontal
section of same taken on line 1-2, Figure 1; whilst Figures 3 and 4
are detail views of parts on a larger scale.
a are the ribs of the polygonal framework constituting the upper part
of the column on which the notices are to be exhibited. This frame-
work is supported above a suitable base or pedestal 6 by a central shaft c
firmly secured at the base. The ribs a are of angular form, as shown in
plan Figure 2, and are united at top and bottom to an angular frame d.
The lower frame d is provided with a central boss e suitably bushed
encircling the shaft c, while the upper frame d has a central pivot f
which is received in a corresponding socket in the top of said shaft, on
which centre f the framework or column rotates. The clockwork or
other mechanism for rotating the column may be disposed within the
base b, and gears with a spur wheel 9 carried on the base of the rotating
framework. The angle ribs a are connected by horizontal bars h form-
ing a series of open frames, each of which is filled by a sliding plate or
panel of semi-transparent material, such as opal or ground glass for
instance, one of which is shown in place in Figure 1. The cross bars h
are grooved, as shown in dotted lines (and more clearly in Figure 3), for
the reception of the glazed panels, which are inserted through slots i in
the angle ribs a. These slots i are made alternately in either face of
the angle ribs, as shown, the panels in each horizontal row being all
inserted in the same direction.
g
Figure 4 shows details of the semi-transparent panels or tablets k.
I form horizontal grooves on one side of the panels k for the reception
of the movable letters or words of the notice, as shown at m. These
letters or type I shape out of some opaque material, each letter or series
of letters being preferably mounted on a transparent backing or plate m

page_text: sliding in the grooves formed in the panel k, as before mentioned, or
the letters may be slightly flattened at top and bottom and inserted in
said grooves without any backing. In either case they may be retained
in the grooves by making the latter of dovetailed form, the backing or
the letters themselves being bevelled to fit accurately therein. Instead
of dovetailing the grooves a second thickness of glass may be employed
to retain the letters in the grooves this latter arrangement being shown
nt o, Figure 4. The column is illuminated by gas jets placed within it
on the central shaft c, through which the gas is conducted to the
burners. For open air situations the column would be surmounted by a
cap or roof to protect it from wet.
Having described the nature of my Invention, and the mauner of
performing the same, I declare that what I claim as my Invention to
be protected by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the
construction of revolving notice columns herein-before described and
illustrated in the accompanying Drawings for facilitating the removal
and replacement of the tablets or notices, as also the improved methods
of securing the movable letters or type in the tablets shown and
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Snow, have hereunto set
my band and seal, this Twelfth day of May, in the year of our
Lord. One thousand eight hundred and seventy.
THOMAS SNOW. (L.B.)