Improvements in or relating to Writing Cases, and Methods of and Means for Holding, Copying, and Manifolding Letters and other Documents.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Sept., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 17th Jan., 1896-Accepted, 11th Apr., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Writing Cases, and Methods of and
Means for Holding, Copying, and Manifolding Letters and other
Documents.
1, SAMUEL LEAROYD, of Sherwood House, Huddersfield in the County of
York, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to he as
follows:-
My invention relates to improvements in writing cases and methods of and means
for copying letters and other written documents.
It secures a means whereby a letter or other document can be written on writing
paper with any pen and any ink, and by which a copy or facsimile can at the same
time be produced on a stout sheet of writing paper, or on a thin tissue paper if
desired.
The letter and copies can be produced upon plain paper or papers with any
desired printed headings and the supplies of papers can be immediately renewed.
The copies produced are for all practical purposes equal to the originals.
The copy can, if desired, be fastened into an ordinary letter book, or be fastened
to the letter to which it is a reply or placed with the papers, or two copies of the
letter can with equal facility be taken, one upon thin paper to be placed in the
letter-book and the other on stouter paper to be retained with the papers, or sent
away where a second copy is desired.
It secures considerable saving of time, the letter being written and the copies
made in one operation, and involves no labour and does not require any skill.
The letters can be written and the copies taken in any colour desired, or the
letter can be in one colour and the copy in another, so as to avoid confusion. I
sometimes make the copies upon a paper of different colour from the paper written
upon, so as to avoid the danger of the copies being by accident mistaken for the
originals.
My invention provides in a neat and compact form all the necessary requisites
for conducting a correspondence and retaining copies either at home or when upon
a journey. It can be used with equal facility in the office, house or railway
carriage. The copying case is so arranged that when copies of any particular
letters are not desired to be produced, the whole of the sheets of paper, both
writing paper and the papers for copies, can be used as an ordinary writing case,
the invention thus securing the combination of a letter copying case with a writing
case.
My invention avoids the necessity for any press copy letter-book, or any water
or dampening process. It avoids the necessity of taking copies on tissue or thin
paper which soon tears and creases. It further dispenses with the use of copying
ink, avoids all danger of smearing and smudging in copying, and possesses the
advantage that the letter cannot disclose that any copy of it has been taken or
retained. The use of any stilus or pencil in manifolding is moreover avoided, and
here is no necessity to use any plate of foil or vulcanite or cardboard in producing
he copies.
The method by which I attain the object of my invention is by the combination
of a suitable thin and preferably rough surfaced writing paper which will allow of
writing on both sides of it, and a stouter or thicker faced or smooth paper to
eceive the copy together with the use of suitable carbon or copying papers and
neans by which the whole of these papers are firmly bound or held together in the

page_text: process of writing. The writing paper I prefer to use, and by the use of which
the best copies are secured, is such as is commonly used for typewriting letters,
but any other suitable writing paper may be substituted which is sufficiently thin
and rough for the purpose and yet sufficiently opaque to allow of writing on both
sides of it.
The paper I prefer to use upon which to take the copies is a thick stout white
aced or smooth paper, any other suitable paper may be used provided that the
paper used for writing upon and the paper on which the copy is to be made are
adapted to each other in the copying or manifolding process, the combination
rendering it advisable to have a thin and preferably a rough faced paper upon
which to write and preferably a thick smooth paper for the copy. The carbon or
copying papers I prefer to use are papers carbonised on one side only, and which
are used by placing the carbonised side downwards upon the paper on which the
copy is to be made and placing the writing paper at the top. By the adoption of
this course, all danger of an impression being made by the carbon or copying paper
on the under side of the letter is avoided and the letter may thus be written on
both sides of the paper.
When a carbon copy is desired to be produced, I use the well known carbon
papers carbonised on one side only.
When an ink copy is desired to be made, I use a paper in which the copying
fluid or material is ink or a logwood, aniline or other dye. I also sometimes use as
the copying paper one which is made upon a waxed paper, the copying material or
fluid being applied only to one side of it.
One advantage I secure by the use of these papers is that they allow of the
copies being press copied if desired, so that the copies retained can when desired
be press copied into a press copy letter book. This secures the advantage of
copies of letters being taken when away from home. and then afterwards re-copied
into a press copy letter book where it is desired all copies shall appear in one book.
The ink copying papers also allow of their being renewed from time to time
without the necessity of any machinery or press, and by the use of them all danger
of grease is avoided, and in these papers the copying material can be applied in
either a solid or a liquid form and to one or both sides of the paper.
When two or more copies are desired to be taken, I add a sheet of thin or
transparent or specially prepared waxed or glycerine paper, and I use carbonised
or copying papers carbonised or prepared on both sides, by which means I secure
one copy through the thin paper and a second copy on the stouter paper below.
In other cases I use a fabric carbonised or prepared on one or both sides and in
other cases, a pad of fabric or papers or sponge or other suitable material, to hold a
larger reserve of the copying material or a combination of such materials.
In other cases, I use a paper or fabric close and compact on one side and more
open and porous on the other to receive the carbcn, ink or copying material. In
others, the paper or material is, by waxing or other suitable treatment, made close
and compact on one side and more open and porous on the other to receive the ink,
carbon or other copying material, and in other cases, I glaze one side of the paper
or fabric and leave the carbonised or copying side unglazed to receive the ink or
copying material.
In cases in which a paper or material carbonised on both sides is used, I sometimes
interpose a sheet of tissue or thin paper so as to prevent an impression from the
carbon or copying paper being made on the underside of the letter paper.
To avoid all soiling of the fingers, I sometimes provide that one or more of the
margins or corners of the carbon or copying papers shall be left clean and not
treated with the copying materials, in other cases I provide a clip by which to
handle the papers without fear of soiling the hands.
I also provide in my writing case a separate compartment for my copying papers,
so that the writing papers may not be soiled by contact with them, and so as to
avoid creasing drying and evaporation and which also leaves available a variety of
copying papers and fabrics in different forms and in any varying colours desired.

page_text: It is essential the several sheets of paper should be firmly secured together in
the process of writing and that it should not be possible for them to become
detached or to slip from each other. It is also essential there should be a firm
stand or rest upon which to write.
To secure these several ends I adopt various alternatives. In one case I bind
the papers together in a frame so made as to be capable of holding a reserve of
the several papers required, or only two or three of such papers, the frame fitting
over or upon a board or stand of wood, vulcanite, celluloid, tin, cardboard, papier
maché, leather or other suitable material, and the papers being placed upon such
board or staud in the process of writing.
In other cases I bind the several papers together by a frame or holder of metal
or other suitable material fastened or held together by a spring or springs, or a
catch or catches, or holders, so prepared as to, adapt themselves to hold firmly
together a few or a number of sheets of paper.
In other cases I bind the several papers together in a tablet or pad by pasting or
cementing them together at their ends or sides or both in any of the well known
methods, the several sheets of paper being so arranged that the writing paper and
the paper on which the copy is to be made shall alternate, the carbon or copying
paper being placed between the two sheets of paper and the letter and copy then
being torn off and removed when written upon.
like manner a number of sheets of paper of the same character, capable of being
In other cases I bind together in
written upon and also of receiving and retaining the copies from the carbon or
copying papers.
The tablets or pads of writing paper I fix into the writing case in any of the
well known ways, so as to be capable of being renewed from time to time when
they are exhausted. These several papers when so arranged in a tablet form are
sufficiently rigid and compact to produce a firm stand or holder upon which to
write, but I sometimes mount these papers in tablet form upon cardboard or other
suitable backing, or in the case itself, which may be so constructed as to form a
sufficiently rigid stand.
The writing case is made in a compact form, having combined within it a stock
of writing, copying and manifolding papers, pens, penholder, ink, envelopes and
blotting paper, and the whole can be contained in a case of about one inch in
hickness. The case can be carried in the hand or in a bag, or form part of a
vriting case or general outfit. It can be made of leather, wood, tin or other
netal, or of celluloid or vulcanite or other suitable material and at a very small
It can at all times be replenished and renewed with papers simply at the
ost of the paper.
ost.
In some cases I use all and in other cases only part of the several articles and'
ppliances above enumerated.
Dated this 24th day of September 1895
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
5 Improvements in or relating to Writing Cases and Methods of and
Means for Holding, Copying, and Manifolding Letters and other
Documents.
I, SAMUEL LEAROYD, of Sherwood House, Huddersfield, in the County of
York, Gentleman, 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 writing cases and to means for holding copying and
manifolding letters and other documents.

page_text: By my invention I provide means for writing with pen and ink upon either a
thin or a thick paper capable of being written upou on both sides of it and at the
same time and in the same operation I produce a copy which if desired can be
subsequently press copied.
I can use with my process any pen and any ink thus avoiding the necessity of a
pencil or stilus for manifolding. My invention is however equally applicable for
use with a pencil or stilus if desired.
According to my invention I adopt either a thin writing paper or a rough
writing paper which will (though unappreciable to the writer in the act of writing)
bite or grip the pen and I use for receiving the copy a smooth faced paper which
will receive upon it a uniform impression. The paper to receive the copy
preferably a thick faced or cream laid paper and I do not require any thin or tissue
paper.
For the production of the copies I use highly sensitive carbon paper or paper
otherwise suitably prepared with copying fluid or material, hereinafter referred to
generally as carbon paper, and preferably paper that is carbonised or prepared on
one side only. When it is desired to retain in a press copy letter book or other-
wise a press copy of the letter I use press copy carbon papers and make the press
copy from the carbon copy. I thus avoid any smudging or disfigurement of the
original letter in copying and I provide for taking the press copy after the original
letter has been dispatched, which in many instances is very convenient, and the
original letter does not disclose that any copy of it has been taken.
In order to secure these results it is essential that the sheets of paper should
be arranged alternately, the rough or thin writing paper being arranged above
the smooth or cream laid paper, and the carbon sheet being placed between them.
It is also essential that the several sheets should be firmly held and bound
together during the process of writing. For this purpose I provide various
alternative constructions of holders and cases to hold and bind the papers, several
of such holders and cases being illustrated by way of example in the accompanying
drawings, in which
Figure 1 is a plan, and
Figure 2 is a side view of a holder consisting of a base board or plate A and
a metal frame B hinged to the base plate at C, C. D is a hook or catch for
retaining the frame pressed tightly against the papers which are thus held securely
at their side and bottom edges. The frame may be made curved as indicated by
the dotted lines in Figure 2 so that when forced down upon the papers it is
retained by the catch D at its lower edge and presses firmly on the papers at the
sides.
Figure 3 shows in plan a holder comprising a base board or plate A and a
rectangular frame B which fits over the edges of the base plate and holds the
papers by its weight or pressure. Figure 4 shows the holder in section, the two
parts thereof being separated a short distance.
Figure 5 is a plan of another form of holder consisting of a base board A and a
frame B similar to that shown in Figure 3 but hooked at its upper end on to spring
hooks F, F which are secured to the board A. G is a catch pin capable of
sliding laterally in a slot in the bottom edge of the base board. B Figure 7 is an
inclined slot in the frame B. The said slot B₁ is open at one end and closed at the
other as shown. When the frame is lowered on to the board A the pin G is passed
into the slot B¹ and is then moved laterally so as to slide up the inclined slot and
thus press the frame tightly on the papers which are between it and the board.
Figure 6 is a section of Figure 5 taken on the line x, x, and Figure 7 is a view of
the lower edge of the holder.
Figure 8 is a plan, and Figure 9 an end view of a holder consisting of a base
board A furnished with channels A' at the sides as shown to form guides for a
strip H which can be slid up and down the base board in the said channels A¹.
This strip is placed above the documents and is used to keep down the papers by
its weight and as a rest for the hand while writing.

page_text: Figures 10 and 11 are a plan and an edge view respectively of a holder con-
sisting of a base board A and a spring clip J for holding the papers at or near,
their top edges. J' is a tab to allow of conveniently raising the clip when required
for inserting and removing the papers. The raised position of the clip is shown in
dotted lines in Figure 11.
Figures 12 and 13 show in plan and side view a slightly modified form of the
holder last described. In this case the clip J is capable of turning about centres J.
and is controlled by a spring J' which operates to press the clip tightly on the
papers when the latter is in the position shown in Figure 13, and which serves to
hold the clip back when the latter is turned to the position shown in Figure 14,
which is also an edge view of the holder.
Figures 15 and 16 illustrate in plan and side view a holder in which the retaining
device is a three sided frame B connected to the base board A by springs K, K
which tend to keep the frame pressed to the board but allow of the raising of the
frame to admit of the insertion and removal of the papers. The raised position of
the frame is indicated by dotted lines in Figure 16.
Figures 17 and 18 show in plan and side view a holder consisting of a metal
plate and a rectangular frame B hinged to the plate A. at B'. The raised position
of the frame is shown by dotted lines in Figure 18.
Figures 19, 20 and 21 show in plan, and side and bottom edge views a holder
similar to that shown in Figures 5, 6 and 7 but in this instance the frame instead
of being hinged to the base board is passed under curved retaining springs F, F
which are secured to the base board and which serve to hold the frame at its upper
edge. The locking device at the lower edge of the frame is similar to that described
with reference to Figures 5, 6 and 7.
Figure 22 is a plan, and Figure 23 is a bottom edge view of another form of
holder consisting of a rectangular frame B hinged at one side to a base plate A.
E is a sliding catch for locking the frame in the closed position.
Figure 24 is a plan of a holder constructed to serve also as a writing case for
coutaining all the necessary writing materials and stationery and with a pocket
for storing the carbon papers between suitable oil sheets. The case is shown
open.
Figure 25 is a bottom edge view of the same. The papers are held upon the
base board A by a spring clip J. The board A forms the lid of a box Ĺ which
serves for storing the papers and which is fitted with a pocket to receive the carbon
papers. The latter are thus prevented from coming in contact with and soiling the
other papers. The side flaps L', L' of the case are hinged to the board A and are
adapted to fold over and cover the box L and to be secured in the closed position
by a catch or by a lock. Figure 26 is a section taken on, the lines x, x
Figure 24.
Figures 27, 28 and 29 are similar views of another slightly modified form of case
also furnished with pockets or receptacles for the carbon papers, and the stationery
and writing materials.
In some instances when the several papers are not desired to be kept loosely in
the cases I arrange them alternately rough and smooth in blocks or tablets bound
together at the top or sides by a paper or other binding or otherwise and these
blocks or tablets I mount upon cardboard or other material to form a firm pad or
tablet and I insert them in holders in the cases. To use the pads or tablets I insert
a carbon sheet below the uppermost rough sheet and above the uppermost smooth
sheet of writing paper and after writing on the uppermost sheet I tear off the letter
and the copy and place the carbon sheet below the next rough sheet and continue
as before. Such a block or tablet can be conveniently stored in a leather or other
case such as that shown in Figures 30 and 31 for example, Figure 30 being a plan
view of the case open and Figure 31 an edge view of the same. N is the
tablet, M, M are flaps for covering the carbon papers when not in use.
The flaps
are shown raised in the latter figure. A pocket is when desired provided for
storing the spare carbon papers and sometimes they are stored in cases or folds of

page_text: oiled paper or cardboard. The tablets may be held in the case in any well-known
manner.
In order to avoid soiling the hands by the carbon papers I in some cases make
the carbon papers with uncarbonized corners or margins or both to allow the
papers to be handled and placed in position by taking hold of their clean corners
or edges.
By my invention I avoid the necessity of taking press copies of letters and all
the inconveniences arising therefrom. I do not require any tissue or thin paper
nor any damping process nor any copying ink. My copies of letters are produced
upon a stout thick paper. The papers to be used can either be plain or have any
desired headings upon them and they can be renewed at pleasure. The copies
retained are for all practical purposes equal to the original letter, and the latter
does not disclose that a copy has been kept. Considerable time is saved as the
letter is written and the copy taken by the same process, which does not involve
any extra labour as compared with ordinary letter writing, nor require any special
skill. The letters or documents can be written in any colour or in varying
colours and the copies retained can by the use of coloured carbons be in any
colour. The letter and the copy can be on different coloured papers so as to avoid
confusion.
My invention provides all the requisites for conducting a correspondence at
other than the places of business. That is to say it can be used with equal facility
in an office or dwelling house or in a railway carriage, the whole apparatus being
so compact as to allow of letters being written under almost any conditions. More-
over the sheets are so arranged, that when copies are not desired to be taken every
sheet of the block or tablet can be written upon.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I make
no claim to the manufacture of the several papers but what I do claim is:-
1. A writing case containing a combination of papers so arranged as to allow a
letter or other document to be written with any pen and any ink and a copy of the
writing to be retained, substantially as described.
2. A writing case containing a combination of papers so arranged as to allow a
letter or other document and a copy of the same to be simultaneously produced
in such a manner that the copy can be press copied at a future time, substantially
as described.
3. The construction of a frame substantially as described with reference to
any one of the forms illustrated in the accompanying drawings, for the purposes
specified.
4. A block or pad of papers so arranged as to allow of letters or documents
being written and copies retained substantially as described.
5. A sheet of carbon paper with uncarbonised corners or margins or both
corners and margins, substantially as described, and for the purpose specified.
Dated this 17th day of January 1896,
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.