AN IMPROVED METHOD OF INDEXING Booкs
Year: 1884

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
EBENEZER WILLIAM MONINGTON 7 Charing Cross Chambers Duke Street
Adelphi, London, in the county of Middlesex Public Accountant does hereby
declare the nature of his Invention for "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF INDEXING
Booкs" to be as follows:-
A novel and Simplified Ledger or Reference Book constructed so as to do away
with the ordinary index. By means of this invention all the names or titles under
each letter of the alphabet are kept together, thus forming an independent division
of the Book. Each such division is immediately found by placing the fingers upon
tabs, lettered upon both sides, which are fixed outside the Book (obviating the
necessity of cutting down the Book) and upon turning to the division wished for,
the first or opening page is the index for the letter of that division.

page_text: EBENEZER WILLIAM MONINGTON 7 Charing Cross Chambers Duke Street
Adelphi W.C Public Accountant do bereby declare the nature of invention for
AN IMPROVED METHOD OF INDEXING BOOKS and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
This invention is for doing away with the great drawback of all books of
reference which hitherto has been the index. Various plans have been devised
from time to time to improve the index, but leaving the index as still separate
from the body of the book. Other books of reference have been and are still
made by cutting the books down at the edge from division to division and lettered
on the unmutilated part loft for that purpose as in the case of an ordinary ledger
index; this plan renders the book in course of time unsightly in appearance and
liable to rapid decay from the continual turning over the pages and from one part
of the book-to-another.-
The present invention obviates all these disadvantages by dividing all books of
reference into sections, either according to the best known scale of distribution or
to individual requirement, each section lettered, alphabetically or otherwise, but
dispensing with the usual index and without mutilating the book; this is
accomplished by strong vellum tabs covered with leather lettered on both sides
and with a brass eylet at the extreme edge of each tab for the better handling
with thumb and finger, the letter and eylet part being placed outside the book at
the commencement of each section, making the opening page the index to that
section; the tabs being lettered on both sides the books can be turned backwards
and forwards, from one end to the other with ease and rapidity, and without
undue handling the pages or straining the book. Each tab is securely attached to
a sheet of calico or other suitable material, which in books of ordinary size is
simply pasted between two pages of the book (in large books the calico sheet can
be made part of the book's binding) the three forming one thick page and by this
means greatly strengthening the books, preventing their coming to pieces, keeping
each section complete and independent in itself, and the whole book retaining its
original firmness and shapeliness. Books made upon this plan will, when filled up,
always be easy for reference, not requiring the careful handling necessary with
books made on present plan.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
The method of indexing books by placing tabs outside the Books to mark the
sections and by which to turn from one section to another substantially as herein.
before described.
Dated this twenty first day of October 1884.