AN IMPROVED PERSONAL INDICATOR FOR OFFICES
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Steel, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain, Merchant, for the Invention of “AN IMPROVED
PERSONAL INDICATOR FOR OFFICES."
Sealed the 18th May 1873, and dated the 15th November 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Steel at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
15th November 1872.
I, JOHN STEEL, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain,
Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN
IMPROVED PERSONAL INDICATOR FOR OFFICES,” to be as follows, that is to say :—
This Invention has principally for its object to increase the utility of
personal indicators, such as are at present in use in offices for showing
whether a person is in or out at any time, and consists according to one
modification in combining with the ordinary or equivalent movable parts
showing "out" or "in,” certain additional movable or adjustable pieces
bearing numerals, whereby to indicate an hour until which the person
to whom the indicator applies is to be out, or in, or engaged.
The improved indicators may be constructed of various materials and
in various forms more or less like the existing indicators. It is however
at the same time intended to produce them in a comparatively inexpensive
although ornamental and convenient form in cardboard, pasteboard, or

page_text: similar material, the changeable indications being put on circular cards
or discs mounted behind a front card, and arranged to be turned about
their centres so as to bring the desired numerals or other indications
into positions, to be visible through openings provided for the purpose in
the front card, or the movable indicating pieces may be arranged to slide
in straight or curved guides at the back of the front card. On the front
card a space is provided for the name of the person to whom the indications
relate, or one card may be arranged to indicate for two or more persons.
Indications of other kinds besides those herein-before referred to may
also be provided for in the card or indicator; thus a person going out
may show his destination by adjusting the apparatus to indicate" bank,"
"custom house," "docks," "home," or the like.
SPECIFICATION in. pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Steel in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 14th May 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
STEEL, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Merchant,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the thirty-sixth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said John Steel, Her special licence that I, the
said John Steel, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said John Steel, my executors, administrators, and
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 "AN IMPROVED PERSONAL INDICATOR FOR OFFICES," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Steel, 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

page_text: Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the
date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Steel, 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 in writing, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawings, that is to say :-
My said Invention has principally for its object to increase the utility
of personal indicators, such as are at present in use in offices for showing
whether a person is in or out at any time, and which are sometimes
termed "
call boards," and consists, according to one modification, in com-
bining with the ordinary or equivalent movable parts showing "out"
or "in" certain additional movable or adjustable pieces bearing numerals
whereby to indicate an hour until which the person to whom the
indicator applies is to be out, or in, or engaged. Indications of other
kinds besides those already mentioned may also be provided for in the
card or indicator; thus a person going out may show his destination by
adjusting the apparatus to indicate “bank,” “custom house," "docks,"
'home," or the like.
66
My improved personal indicator or business call board may be con-
structed of various materials and in various forms more or less like the
existing indicators. It is however intended to produce them in a com-
paratively inexpensive, although ornamental and convenient form, in
cardboard, pasteboard, or similar material, the changeable indications
being put on circular cards or discs mounted behind a front card, and
arranged to be turned about their centres so as to bring the desired
numerals or other indications into positions to be visible through
openings provided for the purpose in the front card, or the movable
indicating pieces may be arranged to slide in straight or curved guides
at the back of the front card. On the front card a space is provided
for the name of the person to whom the indications relate, or one card or
board may be arranged to indicate for two or more persons.
And in order that my said Invention and the manner of performing
the same may be properly understood, I hereunto append a Sheet of
explanatory Drawings to be herein-after referred to, and representing,
by way of example, a business call board with indications of destination
and time for a single person.

page_text: Figure 1 is an edge view showing the call board as I prefer to fix it,
namely, on small studs A, so that it may stand out at a little distance
from a wall or partition; Figure 2 is a front view; and Figure 3 is also
a front view, but with the front card removed.
The call board is made up of three layers of card rivetted or otherwise
fixed together, the middle layer being cut to form recesses for three
discs B, C, D, whilst the top and bottom edges of the front and back
cards are slightly indented to expose small portions of the edges of the
discs, whereby they can be easily turned or adjusted. One disc B has
marked on it the different destinations required, and the other two 1
discs C, D, have numerals on them to indicate hours and minutes, whilst
for indicating "in" and "out" there is a small sector E centred on a
rivet, and which can be adjusted by means of a small button F projecting
through a slot in the front card.
Having thus particularly described my said Invention, and the manner 1
of performing the same, I have to state that I do not restrict myself to
the precise details herein described or delineated, but that what I believe
to be novel and original, and claim as the Invention secured to me
by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,—
1. The making of business call boards or personal indicators for 2
offices with adjustable indications of time or destination, as herein-before
described.
2. The constructing of business call-boards or personal indicators for
offices, substantially as shown in the accompanying Drawings, and
herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Steel, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of May, in the of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.
year
Witness,
EDMUND HUNT,
Patent Agent,
Glasgow.
JNO. STEEL. (L.S.)