Advertising apparatus cousisting of transposable metal letters and figures attached to a magnetised metal surface.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Feb., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 11th Nov., 1895-Accepted, 14th Dec., 1895
BATES WILLIAM BOTT c/o Miss Lord 45 Queensgate Claremont Park
Blackpool Actor do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Advertising apparatus cousisting of transposable metal letters and figures attached
to a magnetised metal surface.
Date Wuch f Fab 1905
I, BATES WILLIAM BOTT formerly of No. 45 Queensgate Claremont Park
Blackpool in the County of Lancaster, but now of No. 124 Holte Road Aston
near Birmingham in the County of Warwick Actor do hereby declare the nature of
this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to an improved means for advertising and consists of an
arrangement or arrangements by which transposable metallic letters, figures,
punctuation marks, and other symbols, or words are magnetically fixed to a
magnetized metal surface or surfaces. I will proceed to describe one of the
arrangements I adopt which may be a wooden or other frame having a glass front
and a hinged back wherein bars of magnetized metal are attached and upon which
the metallic letters or figures are placed and securely retained in position by the
sole means of the magnetic attraction and adhesion.
In order that my invention may be fully understood I append the accompanying
sheet of drawings which taken with this Specification will clearly demonstrate the
principle.
Similar letters of reference denote similar parts on the figures.
Figure 1 represents a back view of a frame open to illustrate the magnetized
metal bars and the manner of applying the metallic letters.
Figure 2 represents a front view of a frame with the advertisement seen through
the glass front.
Figure 3 shews the metallic letters alone.
Figure 4 shews larger metallic letters having a border thereon.
The magnetized metal bars A. are attached by screws B. or other suitable
means to the hinged or otherwise connected back board or support C. of the
frame D. these metal bars A. may be disposed at a suitable angle as shewn, or
otherwise, the one overlapping its neighbour, a certain space being allowed
between each magnetized bar to obviate polarisation the metallic tablets (prefer-
ably of block tin or the like) upon which are the letters E and of suitable depth.
and width are placed upon the magnetized bars A. contiguous to each other and
arranged according to the requirements of the advertisement, the metallic tablets
may be enamelled on the face in white, black, or any desired colour to throw
27

page_text: out the letters in relief. The advertisement having been thus set up, the hinged
back C. is closed down to the frame D. with its glass D¹ and secured by the
catches F. on the sides and ends thereof or by other attachments the complete
frame and advertisement can be then hung up by the cord G. or other means.
By my application of the magnetic medium for retaining the metallic letters and
figures it will be readily seen that they can easily be transposed and arranged at
will, moreover the fact of their closely adhering to the magnetized bars, and the
hinged back tightly fitting into the frame the bars are protected from exposure to
atmospheric influences thus causing them to retain their magnetisin for a very long
period. When necessary it becomes a very simple matter to re-magnetize them by
the usual well known means.
Although for the purpose of illustration I have shewn and described my invention
principally as relating to this particular arrangement, there are many other ways
by which the same result can be obtained such as attaching the magnetic bare at
the top and bottom of a back support which may be of any suitable material for
the purpose other than wood as described.
Sometimes I may use a strip of material having magnetized bars thereon, each
lettered tablet E in this case may be provided with a border or frame H. thus
rendering a receiving frame and glass front superfluous, see Figure 4.
Or I may cut out the letters so that light can be reflected through same which will
admit of the advertising means being equally well adapted by gas or electric light,
the tablets containing the letters will be placed upon the magnetized bars situated
at the top and bottom of a support or frame.
As a convenient and readily adjustable method for displaying all kinds of
advertisements and notices in shop windows and other situations my improved
system will be found of great advantage as an almost endless variety and cous-
bination of words etc. can obviously be set up to suit immediate requirements as the
case may be and the advertisements re-arranged as often as necessary, as
immediately the tablets touch the bar, or bars, they are fixed and remain so at
the will of the manipulator.
Any tablet may be changed without disturbing the rest, and there is no super-
fluous material as the same letters can be used over and over again in the
various combinations.
Many appliances have been devised in the endeavour to realize the advantages
claimed by my invention but they have uniformly been found defective principally
on account of the tedious method of securing the letters and figures.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is.
Firstly. The improved means for displaying advertisements, or notices, consisting
of a frame having a glass front, a hinged back to which is attached a series of
magnetized mctal bars, which receive metallic tablets upon which are the letters or
figures, all arranged in combination and operating in the manner, or other similar
manner for the purpose as herein set forth and described.
Secondly. I claim as my invention the introduction and use of magnetism, that
is to say the principle of magnetizing the metal bars, or a metal surface or surfaces
as a means for holding and retaining by the attractive force of the magnetic
influence the metallic letters or figures thereon for the purpose of displaying
advertisements or notices in any shape or form that may be required.
Dated this 9th day of November 1895.
EDWD. J. PAYNE & SON,
104 Colmore Row, Birmingham, Patent Agents for the Applicant.