An Improved Method of Quick Word Finding to be used for Dictionaries, Catalogues, or other similar Works.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Dec., 1897-Accepted, 29th Jan., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Method of Quick Word Finding to be used for
Dictionaries, Catalogues, or other similar Works.
We, EDWARD AUGUSTUS FERGUSON, of Woolloowin, Brisbane, Gentleman,
DENNIS O'DONOVAN, Parliamentary Librarian, Brisbane, and GEORGE JACKSON,
Gentleman, Parliament House, Brisbane, all in the Colony of Queensland, 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:
-
Our invention relates to an improved method for facilitating the finding of
words quickly in dictionaries catalogues and works of reference and consists in a
single and double letter index and a signal line as shown in drawings. Figs. 1&2
represent the pages of a dictionary with a few words filled in by way of explanation.
Fig. 3 view of pages of book opened out at letter B.
Fig. 4 front edge of book showing notches cut out of same.
The single index is similar to that used for ledgers &c. and is printed in black
on the outer portion of the margin of the page the double index is printed on the
inner portion of the margin and gives the first and second letters of a word such as
AB. AC. NU. shown in drawings and is preferably printed in red, a signal line
also preferably in red is printed above the word containing the first and second
letters represented in the double index this instantly shows where the words
beginning with the double index letters commence.
For large sized books where the thickness will permit we employ thumb notches
cut into the edge of the book diagonally, for the single index as shown in Fig. 4,
the notches for the first half of the alphabet being cut the reverse way to the
notches for the second half, or they may be cut the same way, the first half of
the alphabet is also printed on the inside of the front cover & the second half on the
inside of the back cover, at each notch is printed on the leaf the indicating letter
& the cross lines shown in Fig. 4 from the notches to the covers are directed to
the same letter on the covers.
The notches for the double index letters are cut straight through the leaves of
the book as shown in Fig. 3 & 4 or diagonally as in single index, portion only of
these being shown in drawing.
To find a word by our method first turn up the first letter of the word in the
single index then refer to the margin for the double index letters & on the first
page on which the 2 required letters occur the signal line heads the 2 first letters
of the word sought for. For example in referring to the word nymph shown in
drawings first turn to N in the single index then to NY in the double index
next look for the signal line & the word wanted will then be easily found.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is:-
1. In an improved method for quick word finding in books of reference a double

page_text: letter index in combination with a single letter index as herein described and
illustrated by drawings.
2. In an improved method for quick word finding in books of reference the
notches on the edge of the leaves of a book for the double index letters in com-
bination with the thumb notches for the single index letters as herein described.
Dated this 20th day of December 1897.
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
322, High Holborn, London, W.C., Patent Agents for the Applicant.