AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR EXHIBITING GOODS IN SHOPS, STORES, OR WAREHOUSES, CHIEFLY DESIGNED FOR SHEWING THE PATTERN OF CARPETS."
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Taylor, of Acklam Road, and Herbert Allan
Ridsdale, of Chiswick, both in the County of Middlesex, for an Invention of
"
AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR EXHIBITING GOODS IN SHOPS, STORES, OR
WAREHOUSES, CHIEFLY DESIGNED FOR SHEWING THE PATTERN OF CARPETS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Taylor and Herbert
Allan Ridsdale at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 20th
January 1880.
WILLIAM TAYLOR, of Acklam Road, and HERBERT ALLAN RIDSDALE, of Chiswick,
both in the County of Middlesex. "AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR EXHIBITING
GOODS IN SHOPS, STORES, OR WAREHOUSES, CHIEFLY DESIGNED FOR SHEWING
THE PATTERN OF CARPETS."
Our Invention relates to an apparatus which is chiefly designed for exhibiting
samples or patterns of carpets to purchasers or others, and which may also be
employed for exhibiting other articles.
In carrying the said Invention into practice, we provide four mirrors, that is to
say, four plates of looking glass, each of which is firmly attached to a flat piece of
woodwork entirely covering the rear or silvered portion of the glass. It is
important that this wooden backing should be of good well seasoned material to
avoid the danger of warping, and we prefer, as an additional precaution, to make
the wooden pieces with panels, as it is well known that this method of construction
tends to prevent the warping of the wood. It is essential that the glass should be
thin, otherwise it is impossible to produce the desired result, and it is important to
use only such glass as is quite free from blemishes of all kinds.
The said four mirrors with their backing of wood are placed together on their
edge upon a table or similar object in such a manner as to form a frame or box open
at the top, the surface of the table forming the bottom or floor. The mirrors are so
made as to be adjustable relatively to each other, in order that the space enclosed
thereby when they are set up for use may be greater or less to suit different
patterns, and we find that a convenient manner of providing for this adjustment is
to furnish each mirror with a flat piece of metal at one end bent to a right angle,
one portion of the metal being screwed to the top edge of the woodwork, and the
other portion projecting downward beyond the edge at a sufficient distance

page_text: therefrom to leave a space between the downwardly projecting piece and the
vertical edge of the mirror to which it is attached, wide enough to allow the edge
of the contiguous mirror to fit between them and be retained in position, also to be
passed through when it is desired to decrease the space enclosed within the mirrors.
Thus, three of the mirrors being capable of adjustment relatively to each other,
and to the fourth mirror, the enclosed space can be diminished or increased as
desired, according to the dimensions of the patterns. We find that in an apparatus
designed for exhibiting patterns of carpets, the dimensions most suitable for the
separate mirrors forming the entire apparatus are as follows, namely:-One mirror
36 inches in length by 20 inches in height; another mirror to face the first one,
36 inches in length, by 15 inches in height, the two other mirrors being each
28 inches in length, by 15 inches in height. It will therefore be seen that the first
named mirror is made higher than the others; it is placed at the rear, that is to
say, it is farthest from the spectator who looks over the front mirror into the first
named or high mirror. The mirrors are all so placed that the glass surfaces are
inside, and the wooden backing outside.
The apparatus having been set up upon a table, as above explained, a piece of
carpet is placed within the apparatus, so as to lie quite flat and even upon the
surface of the table. The sample piece of carpet is to be so cut that the four edges
will fit into recesses provided at the lower part of the mirrors, and when so placed,
the whole of the carpet which is not in these recesses, that is to say, the uncovered
portion will be one fourth part of the entire pattern. As hereinbefore explained
the mirrors are readily adjustable to suit large or small patterns. The sample
being in position, the spectator looks into the high or rear glass and sees the
complete pattern repeated a considerable number of times, and it appears to him
that he is looking at a very large surface of the carpet laid upon a floor as it would
appear when actually made up.
The advantages of this apparatus will be readily understood. It is of great
service to warehousemen and others, who instead of having to unroll and otherwise
handle many heavy pieces of carpet before the purchaser is satisfied, has only to
adjust the mirrors to suit the small samples previously cut to size, and place the
latter within the frame or box formed by the mirrors, one after the other. Moreover,
space and time are both considerably economized. The purchaser obtains an
accurate view of how the carpet will appear when made, and is much better able
to form an opinion as to its suitability than when he merely sees a strip of one, or
even several breadths, whatever may be their length.
Although designed especially for exhibiting patterns of carpets, and particularly
applicable for this purpose, the said apparatus may also be used with advantage for
exhibiting wall-paper or any similar articles. It may also be employed as a show-
case in shops, stores, or warehouses, the goods being suitably arranged within the
apparatus, and the latter being placed in the proper position, the goods will be
reflected a great number of times, and the spectator will see them in various
positions.
Although we find it advantageous to make the rear mirror, namely, the one into
which the spectator looks, higher than the others, it is not essential to do so, but
when this rear glass is of the same height as the others, it is not so convenient for
the spectator.

page_text: is attached a space wide enough to allow the edge of the contiguous mirror to fit
between them and be retained in position, also to allow the mirror to be passed
through this space when it is desired to alter the space or area enclosed within the
four mirrors. Thus three of the mirrors being capable of adjustment relatively to
each other, and to the fourth mirror the said enclosed space can be diminished or
increased as desired, according to the dimensions of the patterns. We find that in
an apparatus designed for exhibiting patterns of carpets, the dimensions most
suitable for the separate mirrors forming the entire apparatus are as follows,
namely The mirror a is 36 inches in length by 20 inches in height; the mirror c
to face the mirror a 36 inches in length by 15 inches in height, the two other
mirrors being each 28 inches in length by 15 inches in height. We wish it under-
stood however that we do not limit ourselves to these or any other precise
dimensions.
The said apparatus having been set up upon a table or other support as above
explained a piece of carpet is placed within the said apparatus, so as to lie quite
flat and evenly upon the surface of the table. The sample piece of carpet is to be
so cut that the four edges will fit into recesses g provided at the lower part of the
sides a, b, c, d, and when so placed the whole of the carpet which is not in these
recesses, that is to say, the uncovered portion will comprise as much of the pattern
as will be sufficient to ensure the exhibition of the whole of the same in the
multiple reflections of the carpet in the four mirrors. As hereinbefore explained
the mirrors are readily adjustable to suit large or small patterns. The sample
being in position the spectator standing at the front of the apparatus looks into
the high or rear glass a and sees the complete pattern reflected many times, in such
a manner as to appear like a large surface of carpet, as it would appear when
actually made up and laid upon a floor. Brackets h or other suitable devices are
provided to support the mirror a on the table or counter.
We may modify our Invention by lengthening the sides b, d, and placing the
high piece a with a mirror or looking-glass on both sides of it in the middle of the
apparatus. The said apparatus is thus made double, so that it may be used by
two persons simultaneously.
The advantages of this apparatus will be readily understood. It is of great
service to warehousemen and others who instead of having to unroll and otherwise
handle many heavy pieces of carpet before the purchaser is satisfied, have only to
adjust the mirrors to suit the small samples previously cut, and place the latter one
after the other within the frame or box formed by the mirrors. Moreover, space
and time are both considerably economized, the purchaser obtains an accurate view
of how the carpet will appear when made, and is much better able to form an opinion
as to its suitability than when he merely sees a strip of one or even several
breadths, whatever may be their length.
Although designed especially for exhibiting patterns of carpets, and particularly
applicable for this purpose, the said apparatus may also be used with advantage
for exhibiting any similar articles. It may also be employed as a show-case in
shops, stores, or warehouses; the goods being suitably arranged within the
apparatus, and the latter being placed in the proper position the goods will be
reflected a great number of times, and the spectator will see them in various
positions.
Although we find it advantageous to make the rear mirror, namely, the one into
which the spectator looks, higher than the others it is not essential to do so, but
when this rear glass is of the same height as the others it is not so convenient for
the spectator.
Having thus fully described our said Invention and shewn how the same may be
conveniently and advantageously carried into practice, we wish it understood that
we claim,-
The apparatus consisting of or provided with mirrors arranged relatively to
each other in the form of a rectangular frame, and with or without provision for

page_text: adjusting the same to alter the size of the said apparatus, substantially as and for
the purposes specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Herbert Allan Ridsdale, for myself and on
behalf of the said William Taylor, have hereunto set my hand and seal,
this Twentieth day of July, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and eighty.
H. A. RIDSDALE. (L.S.)