AN IMPROVEMENT OR IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF THIMBLES
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Iles, of Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, Manufacturer, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVEMENT OR
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF THIMBLES."
Sealed the 29th January 1858, and dated the 4th August 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Iles at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
4th August 1857.
I, CHARLES ILES, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Manufacturer,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVEMENT OR
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF THIMBLES," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists in lining or coating the insides of metallic thimbles
with a non-metallic lining, so as to prevent the finger in wearing the thimble
from coming in contact with the metal of which the thimble is made. I
prefer to carry my Invention into effect by the use of vitreous or semi-vitreous
materials applied to and fused upon the interior of the thimble (or upon the
interior of a metallic lining for the thimble) or made to adhere thereto by
heat.
I sometimes, however, carry my Invention into effect by the use of
other materials, such, for example, as Keene's cement, or gutta percha, or

page_text: other non-metallic composition or mixture which is capable of being readily
applied to the interior of the thimble, and forming thereon a firm and smooth
coating. Thimbles made according to my Invention do not soil the finger
when worn, and have a more ornamental appearance than thimbles of the
ordinary manufacture.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Charles Iles in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
1st February 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
ILES, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Manufacturer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twenty-first year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Charles Iles, Her special licence that I, the said Charles Iles,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Charles Iles, 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 "AN IMPROVEMENT OR
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF THIMBLES," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Charles Iles, 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 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 Charles lles, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement
thereof, that is to say:-
My said Invention consists in lining or coating the insides of metallic
thimbles or the insides of metallic linings of thimbles with a non-metallic

page_text: lining or coating for the purpose of preventing the finger in wearing the
thimble from coming into contact with the metal of which the thimble is
made. I prefer to carry my Invention into effect by the use of vitreous or
semi-vitreous materials applied to and fused upon the interior of the thimble
(or upon the interior of the metallic lining of the thimble) or made to adhere
thereto with only partial fusion by heat. I sometimes, however, carry my
Invention into effect by the use of other materials, such, for example, as the
composition known as Keene's cement, or gutta percha, either alone or
hardened by admixture with earthy or hardening ingredients, or any other
non-metallic composition or mixture which is capable of being readily
applied to the interior of the thimble, and forming thereon a firm and smooth
coating.
When I carry my Invention into effect by the use of vitreous or semi-
vitreous materials, I use any of the mixtures or compositions which are now
commonly employed for coating hollow vessels or other articles, and which
are called enamels. As the method of compounding and applying the said
enamels are well known and commonly practised, I do not think it necessary
to describe the same.
When I carry my Invention into effect by the use of Keene's cement or
other plastic material or composition, I prefer to press the said cement or
composition into the interior of the thimble by means of a punch working in
a press, the said punch being sufficiently small to leave a proper coating of
the cement or composition inside the thimble. The thimble may be after-
wards polished and finished in any required manner.
When I carry my Invention into effect by the use of gutta percha, or
compounds consisting mainly of gutta percha, I prefer to use a punch, as last
described, the composition and the thimble being heated to such a temperature
as is necessary to give the required plasticity to the gutta percha or gutta
percha compound.
I sometimes carry my Invention into effect by inserting into the thimble
a lining of ivory in place of the metallic lining sometimes placed in thimbles.
Although I prefer the methods herein-before described of carrying my
Invention into effect, yet I do not limit myself thereto, as any non-metallic
substance which can be conveniently used for coating or lining the interior
of thimbles, and which is sufficiently hard to be capable of having a smooth
surface imparted thereto, may be employed in carrying my Invention into
effect.
I claim as my Invention coating or lining the interior of metallic thimbles

page_text: or the interior of the metallic linings sometimes used in thimbles with a non-
metallic substance or composition, so as to prevent the metal of the thimble
from coming into contact with the finger on which the thimble is worn.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Iles, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Thirtieth day of January, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight.
Witness,
RICHARD SKERRETT,
Clerk to George Shaw.
CHARLES ILES. (L.S.)