AN IMPROVED COMBINED BLOTTING PAD, WRITING PORTFOLIO, AND PAPER WEIGHT.
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Flack, of No. 3, Warwick Court, Holborn,
in the County of Middlesex, India Agent, for the Invention of
"AN IMPROVED COMBINED BLOTTING PAD, WRITING PORTFOLIO, AND PAPER
WEIGHT.
"
Sealed the 12th September 1871, and dated the 22nd March 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Flack at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
22nd March 1871.
I, JOHN FLACK, of No. 3, Warwick Court, Holborn, in the County of
Middlesex, India Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "AN IMPROVED COMBINED BLOTTING PAD, WRITING PORTFOLIO,
AND PAPER WEIGHT," to be as follows:-
The object of this Invention is to provide an efficient and useful
combination of a blotting pad, writing, and paper portfolio, and a paper
weight, forming a very convenient desk, office or study table requisite.

page_text: This improved combination which it is proposed to designate the
"Cambridge everlasting blotting pad" is constructed substantially as
hereafter described and may be made of any desired size, shape, or
design.
As an example I will now describe the construction of one of the
improved blotting pads. Two rectangular sheets of thin sheet metal or
of pasteboard, or other suitable durable material are first provided of
the required size, and these are covered with leather, cloth, or other
suitable covering material, and they are suitably hinged or connected
together at either the top or the bottom. The sides of the hinged sheets
are then connected by a folding strip or band of leather extending the
whole length of the sides in such a manner as to form when the sides
are opened a compartment or pocket, and thus forms the portfolio; in
which may be placed for convenience any memoranda or unfinished
papers. Above or on the top of this is hinged a rectangular frame of
sheet zinc or other suitable metal or weighty material of convenient
breadth on every side. This is hinged to the same side of the upper
one of the two sheets, as that itself is hinged to the lower one, so that
the three are all hinged together at one and the same side.
The frame is covered with leather, cloth, or other suitable covering
material and forms an efficient paper weight, it is conveniently provided
at the upper sides or surface thereof with suitable bands, receptacles, or
other appliances for holding writing or other instruments such as a pen,
a pencil, an eraser or penknife, and a paper knife or any other writing
requisites.
The blotting pad is formed by placing a few sheets of blotting paper
on the upper side or surface of the upper of the two sheets forming the
writing and paper portfolio, and to permanently keep this as a blotting
pad it is simply necessary to drop down the metal frame into its place
and so secure any paper that it may be desired to so keep, and the
blotting sheets that may have become until for further use can be
easily removed and fresh substituted, or they may be placed at the
bottom or between the other sheets so as to form a smooth and even
pad suitable for writing on.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Flack in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 21st September 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
FLACK, of No. 3, Warwick Court, Holborn, in the County of Middlesex,
India Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of March, in the
year of our Lord One thousand cight hundred and seventy-one, in the
thirty-fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said John Flack, Her special
licence that I, the said John Flack, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said John Flack, 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
65 AN IMPROVED COM-
BINED BLOTTING PAD, WRITING PORTFOLIO, AND PAPER WEIGHT," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Flack, 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 my 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 John Flack, 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, and on reference being had to the
accompanying Sheet of Drawings, that is to say :-
The object of this Invention is to provide an efficient and useful
combination of a blotting pad, writing and paper portfolio, and a paper
weight, forming a very convenient desk, office or study table requisite.
This improved combination is designated the "Cambridge everlasting
blotting pad," or the "University writing pad," and is constructed

page_text: substantially as herein-after described, and of any desired size, shape, or
design.
On the accompanying Sheet of Drawings Figure 1 represents an
isometrical perspective elevation of the "University writing pad," the
parts being closed up, and Figure 2, a similar clevation showing the
upper parts raised, so as to illustrate more clearly their construction,.
form, and use.
I will now describe the construction of one of the improved blotting
pads Two thin rectangular sheets of metal, or of pasteboard or other
- suitable durable material 1, 2, of the required size are first covered with
leather, cloth, or other suitable covering material, and suitably hinged
or connected together at either the top or the bottom. In Figure 2
this hinging is illustrated as being at the top from x to x. The sides
of the hinged sheets 1, 2, are then connected by inwardly folding strips
or bands of leather 3, 4, extending the whole length of the sides, in such
a manner as to form when the sides are opened (see Figure 2), a com-.
partment, pocket, or portfolio, in which may be placed for convenience
any memoranda or unfinished papers, and these are retained in their
proper places by means of the leather flap 5. The bottom plate 2 is
made sufficiently thick and strong, so that it can act as a sloping desk;
being provided at its under part with a hinged support q, which folds
as dotted at y, Figure 1. When it is desired to use the " University
writing pad" as a raised desk it is only necessary to drop this support,
as shown in full lines in Figures 1 and 2, and to let the whole combined
pad rest upon a table or other support. Above, or on the top of the
portfolio, is hinged a rectangular frame 6 of sheet zinc, or other metal
or weighty material, of convenient breadth on every side. This is
hinged to the same side of the sheet 1, as that sheet itself is hinged to
the sheet 2, so that the three sheets 1, 2, and 6, are all hinged together
at one and the same side X-, X.
The frame 6 is covered with leather, cloth, or other suitable covering
material, and forms an efficient self-acting paper weight requiring no side
or front catches whatsoever; it is conveniently provided at its sides
with suitable bands, receptacles, or other appliances w, w, for holding
writing or other instruments, such as a pen, a pencil, an eraser, or
penknife and a paper knife, or any other writing requisites.
The blotting pad is formed by placing a few sheets of blotting paper 7
on the top of the sheet 1 and dropping the metal frame 6 thereon,

page_text: which of its own weight also secures, any other writing or other paper 8
that it may be desired to so keep (see Figure 1). The blotting sheets,
when they become unfit for further use may be readily removed and
fresh substituted, or they may be placed at the bottom or between
the other sheets, so as to form a smooth and even pad suitable for
writing on.
Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention for
"An Improved Combined Blotting Pad, Writing Portfolio, and Paper
Weight," together with the manner in which the same is to be or may be
performed or carried into practical effect, I would remark in conclusion
that I claim as my Invention the improved combined blotting pad,
writing portfolio, and paper weight, for the purposes herein set forth,
substantially as herein-before described and as illustrated on the accom-
panying Sheet of Drawings, or any mere modification thereof either in
its construction or in its application.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Flack, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of September, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one.
JOHN FLACK. (L.S.)