CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OF OR APPARATUS FOR HOLDING OR FILING RECEIPTS. INVOICES, AND OTHER PAPERS OR TICKETS, AND WHICH SAID MEANS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE FOR HOLDING OTHER ARTICLES, SUCH AS FANCY OR OTHER WARES REQUIRED TO BE HELD
Year: 1861

page_text: ETTERS PATENT to Joseph Starling Blake, of Portsea, in the County of
Hants, Shopkeeper, and George Calley Lingham and Joseph Nicklin,
trading under the style or firm of Charles Rowley and Company, Button
Manufacturers, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, for the
luvention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OF OR APPARATUS FOR
HOLDING OR FILING RECEIPTS. INVOICES, AND OTHER PAPERS OR TICKETS, AND
WHICH SAID MEANS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE FOR HOLDING OTHER ARTICLES, SUCH
AS FANCY OR OTHER WARES REQUIRED TO BE HELD."
Sealed the 9th August 1861, and dated the 13th February 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Starling Blake,
George Calley Lingham, and Joseph Nicklin at the Office of the Com-
missioners of Patents, with their Petition, on the 13th February 1861.
We, JOSEPH STARLING BLAKE, of Portsea, in the County of Hants, Shop-
keeper, and GEORGE CALLEY LINGHAM and JOSEPH NICKLIN, trading underthe
style or firm of Charles Rowley and Company, Button Manufacturers, of
Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, do hereby declare the nature of our
said Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OF OR APPARATUS FOR
HOLDING OR FILING RECEIPTS, INVOICES. AND OTHER PAPERS OR TICKETS, AND WHICH
SAID MEANS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE FOR HOLDING OTHER ARTICLES, SUCH AS FASCY OR
OTHER WARES REQUIRED TO BE HELD," to be as follows (that is to say):-
Our Invention consists of forming from or principally of wire the articles

page_text: we desire to make, in such a way that the point or extremity (over which the
article or articles are passed that may be desired to be held) shall be
protected by a part of the wire forming the same article, or an equivalent,
being bent around for forming a clip for holding the point securely in place,
so that the papers or articles held cannot be removed until the point is
liberated. Files for papers, or point-protected hooks for hanging watches,
jewellery, or other fancy articles in windows we purpose terminating at the
part of suspension with a safety or other hook or loop, as circumstances may
require, as for instance, if used as a paper file, the top part may be formed
into a loop for passing over a nail or hook, and if used in shop windows they
may terminate with a hook for clipping a wire rod, and it required for holding
a price ticket or label for woven fabrics, they may terminate at the part of
suspension with a sharp point.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent;. filed
by the said Joseph Starling Blake, George Calley Linguam, and Joseph
Nicklin, in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 13th August 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we JOSEPH
STARLING BLAKE, of Portsea, in the County of Hants, Shopkeeper, and GEORGE
CALLEY LINGHAM and JOSEPH NICKLIN, trading under the style or firm of
Charles Rowley and Company, Button Manufacturers, of Birmingham, in the
County of Warwick, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fourth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the
said Joseph Starling Blake, George Calley Lingham, and Joseph Nicklin,
Her special licence, that we, the said Joseph Starling Blake, George Calley
Lingham, and Joseph Nicklin, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as we, the said Joseph Starling Blake, George Calley Lingham,
and Joseph Nicklin, our 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
"CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OF HOLDING OR FILING RECEIPTS, INVOICES.
AND OTHER PAPERS OR TICKETS, AND WHICH SAID MEANS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE POR

page_text: HOLDING OTHER ARTICLES, SUCH AS FANCY OR OTHER WARES REQUIRED TO BE HELD,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said Joseph Starling Blake,
George Calley Lingham, and Joseph Nicklin, by an instrument in writing
under our hands and seals, or either one of us,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 Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of
the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Joseph Nicklin, do hereby declare the
nature of our said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement (that is to say) :-
Our Invention consists, firstly, of forming from or principally of wire the
articles we desire to make in such a way that the point or extremity (over
which the article or articles are passed that may be desired to be held or filed)
shall be protected by a part of the wire forming the same article, or an
equivalent, being bent around for forming a clip for holding the point securely
in place, so that the papers or articles held cannot be removed until the point
is liberated. Files for papers or point-protected hooks for hanging watches,
jewellery, or other fancy articles in windows, we purpose terminating at the
part of suspension with a safety or other hook or loop, which may be protected
at its termination or point in like manner, as the point of the part over which
the article to be exhibited or held is placed, or otherwise, as circumstances
may require,as for instance, if used as a paper file, the top part may be formed
into a loop for passing over a nail or hook, and if used in shop windows, they
may terminate with a hook for clipping a wire rod or cord, and if required for
holding a price ticket or label for woven fabrics, they may terminate at the
part of suspension with a sharp point; and if used for suspending prints or
pictures in shop windows or otherwise, we prefer so bending the wire forming
the same, that a loop may be formed at the top for suspension, terminating
with hooks at the bottom, on which the print or picture rests, the two wires
being united near the top loop by a metal or wire clip, which may be raised
or lowered for suiting different sized pictures, a part of which we intend to
overlap the picture for the purpose of preventing it from falling. And this
same result may be obtained by so bending a piece of wire,that hooks may be
formed at the ends for clipping the picture, and eyes formed for receiving a
cord, to which it is intended to be suspended,the cords terminating in a loop
at the top, and united by an adjusting slide.
But as our Invention generally will be beat understood by referring to the

page_text: DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 represents a front view of our point-protected "commercial and
domestic bill file," the loop A affording convenience for hanging the same on
a nail when out of use. This file is made from one piece of wire, commencing
with the point a passing down forming a bow, and ascending to form the loop
and terminating by a hook at b¹.
Fig. 2 is a side view of Figure 1, showing the point a laying in and held
back by the hook 6. The dotted lines marked c', c', represents the part
when free of the hook 6', the position required when papers are to be filed or
removed. In a general way we prefer planishing the loop as at A, for the
purpose of flattening the part and receiving the name or trade mark; and the
part of the hook b¹ clipping the point a' may also be planished, if desired.
Fig 3 is simply a modification of Figure 2,drawn for the purpose of showing
a diversification of form.
And Fig. 4 represents another modification, which may be made of any
desired size, large or small, the points and e' being protected by the same
hook, the top one being represented pressed back and secured by the hook,
and the lower one left free. The loop represented in dotted lines may be
formed when necessary for suspending the file so constructed when required.
Fig. 5 represents a pedestal file made on our improved plan from one piece
of wire, in a state of expansion for receiving papers, commencing at the point
f',and terminating by being inserted and secured to the base B, which may be
of wood, dead, iron, glass, or other suitable material, the wire in contact,
forming the upright, we prefer uniting together, which may be done by metal
clip, or with wire, as here represented at g', g'. The loop C permits this file
to be hung up or suspended from a nail when desired,and the dotted lines',',
represent the position of the points when secured back and protected by the
hook i¹.
Fig. 6 also represents a pedestal file, which may also be formed (but not
necessarily so) of one piece of wire, and may be united to the base or stand in
any suitable convenient way,but we have represented it as being laid in sand,
and having had the base or bottom (represented in section marked D,D,) cast
on to it. The points of the wire marked and are represented free for
receiving papers, but their positions when secured and held by the hooks
and m³, are represented by dotted lines. The tops may terminate in the
double loops exhibited at E and F, or in one loop, as represented in dotted

page_text: lines at G, or otherwise, as preferred, and for the sake of affording strength,
and holding the wires together where they come in contact, we prefer securing
them together, as described at g'. g', Figure 5, with a metal clip or binding
wire, as here shown at n', n.
Fig. 7 represents a small point-protected hook suitable for holding and
suspending fancy articles in shop windows. The loop H may be sprung open
for passing over a wire or a cord, or for tying up or suspending, as desired,
while the article desired to be exhibited may be pierced through by the pointo',
which must be first freed from the hook g', when the article to be exhibited
will be suspended from the part p'. The point o' may be returned and held
by the hook 7', as here represented.
Fig. 8 is identical with Figure 7 with the exception as to the form of the
hook for attaching or suspending, and we prefer making them of this shape
when intended to hold price tickets on woven fabrics, as the point r' will
readily puncture the fabric (like a pin) without injuring it, and hold the price
ticket from the part s', as described in Figure 7.
Fig. 9 represents a side view of Figure 8, with the exception that the hook
as exhibited at Figure 8 is formed with a loop placed at right angles with the
other part, for the convenience of suspending it from a unil or small fixed hook,
as desired. And in this Figure 1 have represented a price ticket sus-
pended to it.
Fig. 10 represents a frout and edge view of our improved point-protected
hooks where the hook is intended to be free for passing over a cord, wire, or
into woven fabrics, and then secured and the lower part coiled up, which
being made from hard wiro, will expand so as to permit a price ticket being
inserted between the coils. These kinds of lock or protected hooks may be
used either way, as will be seen by referring to Fig. 11.
Fig. 12 represents our improved arrangement, which may be carried out on
any size or scale for holding and exhibiting large prints, drawings, public
notices, or small and minute price tickets for miniature pictures or other
objects desired to be suspended for inspection, and consists in a wire bent up
and flattened or planished at each end, as at t' and u', and extended up at the
back of the picture in the direction of the dotted lines, terminating in a loop
as at J; or if preferred, to facilitate suspension, the loop J may be attached to
another loop formed of wire or metal, as here exhibited at K. L is a metal
slide, the parts pierced out at v', u', being bent around as shown in an end
separate view at Fig. 13, for clipping the wire. This clip is intended to slide
up or down, as exhibited in dotted lines at M, according to the size of the
picture, cardor other suitable thing desired to be held by such means, such

page_text: picture or card being held within the hooks t' and ' at the bottom, and
partially behind the slide L at the top.
And Fig. 14 represents our arrangement for the same object as at
Figure 12, with the exception that we form the hooks for holding the picture
at the bottom, as exhibited at N, N, the picture resting, as the dotted lines
indicate, within the hooks w', w', and the card being passed through the
loops ¹, a, are united by a wire slide in the form of a serpent, as at P, the
head of which projects down in front of the picture or card desired to be held,
but which may be raised or lowered as required, the card forming a loop at
the top for suspension to an ordinary nail or otherwise, as desired.
Having thus described our Invention, and the manner in which the same
may be carried into effect, I wish it understood that we do not purpose
confining ourselves to any particular size or to the exact shape, form, and
arrangement herein described and exhibited, as the same may be diversified
generally, and more or less ornamented, without departing from the spirit of
our Iuvention, nor to any particular use or appliance to which our improve-
ments are applicable; but what we claim and wish to protect by these our in
part recited Letters Patent, is the means herein described and exhibited for
confining and partially protecting the points of bill and other files and hooks,
and means for suspending and holding fancy articles exhibited for sale or
otherwise, as may be required.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Nicklin, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twelfth day of August, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
Witness,
JAMES S. COCKINGS, C.E.,
Patent Agent,
Birmingham.
JOSEPH NICKLIN. (L.s.)