IMPROVEMENTS IN GEOGRAPHICAL MAPS
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Stephen Joseph Eslick, of Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN GEOGRAPHICAL MAPS."
1010
T
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Stephen Joseph Eslick at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 7th November 1878.
STEPHEN JOSEPH ESLICK, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick. "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN GEOGRAPHICAL MAPS."
The object of this Invention is to render geographical maps more useful and
interesting as an educational means or apparatus. For this purpose I mount the
map, say, of England and Wales on a wood or other substantial back, suitable for
being cut up or divided into parts, somewhat similar to the well known toy picture
puzzles, by means of a fret saw or other suitable cutting instrument. According
to this Invention however I cut up the map in such a manner as to leave the
centre or surrounding part entire, forming as it were a frame, for the inner or cut
up parts, which constitute the map of the country proper.
Thus I may divide the map of England and Wales into counties, leaving the
surrounding sea and other border parts intact. By this means all or any of the
counties may be taken out separately, and for the sake of affording instruction
or amusement put into their proper places by the pupil. Or when all the counties
have been takeout the outlines of the country may be traced on an underlying
piece of paper or slate, and when the outline part of the map has been taken off
the pupil will have to replace the counties within the said outline space.
A map constructed as above will, when placed on a temporary or other founda-
tion back, keep together in all its parts. The foundation back may form part of a
box with a sliding cover.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Stephen Joseph Eslick in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 7th
May 1879.
STEPHEN JOSEPH ESLICK, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick.
PROVEMENTS IN GEOGRAPHICAL MAPS."
"IM-,
The object of this Invention is to render geographical maps more useful and
interesting as an educational means or apparatus. For this purpose I mount the
map, say of England and Wales on a wood or other substantial back, suitable for
being cut up or divided into parts, somewhat similar to the well known toy picture
puzzles, by means of a fret saw or other suitable cutting instrument. According
to this Invention however I cut up the map in such a manner as to leave the outer
or surrounding part entire, forming as it were a frame for the inner or cut up parts,
which constitute the map of the country proper. Thus I may divide the map of
England and Wales into counties, leaving the surrounding sea and other border
parts intact.
And in order that this my Invention may be more fully understood, I will now
proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying Drawings, in
which I have represented a sample of a map constructed according to my
Invention.
Figure 1 is a plan, and Figure 2 a cross section of the frame or contour part of a
map of England. Figure 3 represents the county of Essex as a sample of one of
the cut up parts or counties; and Figure 4 represents the whole kingdom with all
the counties put into their proper relative positions in the frame or contour part.
Figure 5 is a section of a modified arrangement; and Figure 6 shows the map in
a box.
A is the frame, which may be of wood. The top or outer side of the frame A
contains a representation of the seas surrounding England, and also of part of
Scotland. Each of the counties being placed in its proper position the map of
England is complete.
In Figure 5 the frame A is glued or otherwise fastened on a foundation back B.
Figure 6 shows a map, such as represented in Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4, placed in a
box, the bottom of which forms the foundation back of the map, that is for the
loose parts or counties, and for the outer frame or contour part. By this means all
or any of the counties may be taken out separately, and for the sake of affording
⚫ instruction or amusement put into their proper places by the pupil. Or when all
the counties have been taken out the outlines of the county may be traced on an
underlying piece of paper or slate, and when the outline part of the map has been
taken off the pupil will have to replace the counties within the said outline space.
Or the outlines of the counties or parts may be traced off one after another on a piece
of paper in order thus to produce a complete drawing of the country.
A map constructed as above will, when placed on a temporary or other founda-
tion back, keep together in all its parts. The foundation back may form part of a
box with a sliding or other cover.
Having thus described and ascertained the nature of this Invention, and set
forth modes of applying the same, I declare that I am aware that it is not new to
produce maps termed puzzle maps, in which the entire map is cut up into squares
or parts, irrespective of the contours of the county or the parts or provinces of
same; I am also aware that toy pictures or puzzles have heretofore been made, in
which the entire picture is cut up into parts or sections, leaving no outer frame
part of the picture, but what I claim is,-
Constructing maps with an outer or frame part, the inner border or outline of
which has the contour of the county or part to be represented, and in which frame
sections, each representing a province, county, or other division, can be inserted all

page_text: in their proper relative positions for the purpose of affording instruction and
amusement, all substantially as described and shown.
In witness whereof, I, the said Stephen Joseph Eslick, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Third day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-nine.
STEPHEN JOSEPH ESLICK.' (L.S.)