IMPROVEMENTS IN MEMORANDUM TABLETS
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Browne, of the Firm of Browne and Company,
Patent Agents, of 5, Southampton Buildings, Holborn, in the County of Mid-
dlesex, for the Invention of " IMPROVEMENTS IN MEMORANDUM TABLETS."
A communication from abroad by Achille Chaumette, Joseph Delpéche, and
Jean Baptiste Fosty, all of Paris, in the French Republic.
Sealed the 20th February 1877, and dated the 22nd August 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Browne at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 22nd August 1876.
ALEXANDER BROWNE, of the Firm of Browne and Company, Patent Agents, of
5, Southampton Buildings, Holborn, in the County of Middlesex.
"IMPROVEMENTS
IN MEMORANDUM TABLETS." A communication from abroad by Achille Chaumette,
Joseph Delpèche, and Jean Baptiste Fosty, all of Paris, in the French Republic
The object of this Invention is to render tablets suitable for commercial, office, or
other memoranda, more useful and ornamental than heretofore, all as herein-after
described. For this purpose the tablet is made to fold up, being made of, say, four
parts hinged together; the outer or side flaps may be utilized on both sides; the
middle portion is preferably taken up by a thermometer, barometer, clock, or other
scientific or useful instrument; over the middle is arranged a perpetual calendar,
and the tablet is here formed with three apertures, one for showing the day of the
week, another for showing the numerical day of the month, and a third for showing
the name of the month; revolving or sliding discs, segments, or straight slides,
being mounted behind these apertures, and marked respectively with the days of the
week, the days of the month, and the names of the month.
For the days of the month a segment containing the numbers 1, 2, and 3, is
applied, together with a ring or disc containing the numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 0.
The slides are fitted with buttons or notches for facilitating the shifting of same.
The names of the months are, by preference, marked on a ring or disc.
13 •

page_text: The tablets may be divided in numbored or otherwise divided spaces containing
names, addresses, and other particulars of correspondents, official, and other persons,
or institutions, or other useful and current or other notifications,
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Alexander Browne in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 22nd 5
February 1877.
ALEXANDER BROWNE, of the Firm of Browne and Company, Patent Agents, of
"IMPROVEMENTS
5, Southampton Buildings, Holborn, in the County of Middlesex.
IN MEMORANDUM TABLETS." A communication from abroad by Achillo Chaumette,
Joseph Delpèche, and Jean Baptiste Fosty, all of Paris, in the French Republic.
The object of this Invention is to render tablets suitable for commercial, office, or
other memoranda, more useful and ornamental than heretofore.
And in order to explain this Invention more fully reference is had to the
Drawing hereunto annexed, in which A, A, are the middle portions, and B, B, the
side flaps, which latter are attached by hinges, as shown, and to fold up at night, as
shown at Figure 2; when thus folded it may exhibit nocturnal notices. The centre
space is taken up by a thermometer or barometer, as shown. The tablet is here
shown with a clock surmounting it, or it may be fitted with a perpetual calendar, or
both. The spaces A, A, B, B, are divided in spaces, numbered or otherwise, and
suitable for containing names and addresses, and other particulars of correspondents,
official, and other persons or institutions, or other useful and current or other
notifications.
The
Figure 3 represents another form of tablet which takes up less space; Figure 4,
plan; Figure 5, a vertical section; and Figure 6, a horizontal section of same.
side flaps are in this case omitted; a perpetual calendar and figures indicating the
lunar phases are arranged at the top with corresponding apertures for the indication
of the dates of the phases, A is a movable reversible flap in front of the tablet;
this flap A may on one side contain day memoranda, and on the other night
memoranda; it has a pivot L and L¹ at top and bottom respectively, and these
pivots can each slide in a groove H and H¹. To reverse the flap A turn it round a
quarter of a turn, shift it from right to left, as shown in dotted lines, and then turn
it round on its pivots.
Figure 7 shows a tablet surmounted by a sun dial.
Figures 8, 9, and 10, are sections showing modes of constructing the tablets or
flaps hinged thereon for receiving small sheet iron or other panels containing each a
notice or date, or both; these small panels may thus be separately changed or
reversed as required, Figures 3 and 4 show them applied to the flap A.
The tablet may for the perpetual calendar be formed with, say, three sets of
apertures, one for showing the day of the week, another for showing the numerical
day of the month, and a third showing the name of the month; revolving or
sliding discs, segments, or straight slides, being mounted behind the apertures, and
marked respectively with the days of the week, the days of the month, and the
name of the month
For the days of the month a segment containing the numbers 1, 2, 3, is applied,
together with a ring or disc containing the numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 0. The
slides are fitted with buttons or notches for facilitating the shifting of same; the
names of the months are, by preference, marked on a ring or disc.
These tablets are specially useful for houses to indicate names of tenants, and for
commercial purposes, and for memoranda relating to the exchange, the club, and the
market place.

page_text: And having thus fully described this Invention, I declare that I claim, the
construction of memorandum tablets with movable or changeable parts, substantially
as set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Browne, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of Feby, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
'ALEX, BROWNE. (L.S.)