An Improved Counter Case, or Artiole of Shop Fitting, Affording More Complete Protection for the Goods Contained, Combined with Facilities for the Sale of them therefrom.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Sept., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 3rd Apr., 1897-Accepted, 8th May, 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Counter Case, or Artiole of Shop Fitting, Affording
More Complete Protection for the Goods Contained, Combined
with Facilities for the Sale of them therefrom.
I, GEORGE LEWIS, of Clive Works, Redditch, in the County of Worcester,
trading as Lewis & Baylis, Needle Manufacturers, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
By this my invention I provide a case of wood, metal, or other suitable material,
which may either be placed upon a shop counter or form part of the shop fittings,
to serve as a receptacle for knitting needles or other bright steel goods used in
housewifery; and its measurements will be, if it is intended to contain knitting
needles of the sizes and lengths most commonly in use, about twenty-two inches
long by ten inches in width, and in depth six inches or somewhat less.
This case I make to open full length in frout, and 1 profer to attach the binges
at the top, so that this front being a hanging one, may the more easily fall down
"of this
into and remain in place when the case is to be closed. The "cut open
case may also be on the slant, so that the front when lifted up shall remain in
position without the application of the hand or finger, or I may adopt any ordinary
and well known means of obtaining the same result.
Within this case at the distance of about seven inches from the back of it
I fix an inner front pierced with circular holes, usually seven in number, and
varying in diameter from about two inches down to somewhat more than
one inch.
To fit these holes I next provide pieces of round tubing, by preference of
cardboard, though I do not limit myself to this material, but may use metal or
any material of which tubing is usually made, and these pieces of tubing especially
if made of cardboard, are lined with the purple paper commonly used in the trade
for wrapping up bright steel goods. They are moreover all closed at the bottom
end with a flat cardboard closing similarly covered on its inner face with purple
paper.
These pieces of tubing are about eight inches in length, and their external
diameter corresponds with the internal diameter of the holes in the ioner front of
the case in which they are affixed with glue or other adhesive material and by the
same means are attached to the back of the case.
Now by comparing the length of the pieces of tubing with the distance between
the back and the inner front of the case, it will bo seen that the pieces of tubing
will project about one inch beyond this inner front, and to fit upon these respec-
tive projections 1 provide a corresponding number of cap lids of about two inches
in length and of internal diameter suited to the external diameter of the ends of
the pieces of tubing upon which they have to fit.
And the diameters of these pieces of tubing are so varied that each tube shall
contain conveniently some aliquot part of a gross of knitting needles, this being a
larger or smaller aliquot part according to the quantity usually sold of the
respective sizes; and the cap lids will bear the No. and description of the goods..
To furnish this case, baving first raised the hinged front and removed the cap
lid from the tube, I take a number of kuitting needles of the size for which that

page_text: particular tube is suitable, and inserting them in the tube, replace the cap lid,
and proceed in the same manner until all the tubes are furnished. I then bring
down the hinged front of the case which may be secured with any ordinary
fastening.
And though the knitting needles may be put into the tubes loose, I prefer to
use those which are arranged in sets, secured by a metal clasp.
To use the case for the purpose of selling goods therefrom, the front being raised
I remove the cap lid from the tube containing the particular No. asked for; then as
the tubes are only eight inches in length and tho knitting needles for which they
are intended aro nine inches long, these are found to project one inch beyond the
end of the tube, thus affording a ready means of withdrawing a set of knitting
needles, with the least possible touch of the fingers, or exposure to the
atmosphere.
For knitting needles of a shorter length I, of course, provide a smaller case
furnished with shorter tubes, but the principle of the construction of the case and
arrangement for the goods contained will be the same as above described. This
smaller case may stand, or be fixed upon a larger so as to form a composite case.
Thus by means of a case or article of shop fitting mude in accordance with my
invention the bright steel goods whether they be knitting needles or other goods
used in housewifery, are completely protected at all times except during the short
period of taking out a set for sale, and even then only a minimum portion of them
is exposed to the touch of the finger, to dust, damp, gas fumes or other enemies
to bright steel goods, which is an improvement upon any other case or article of
shop fitting at present used for the purposes of sale of such goods.
I
And though I have herein described the tubular arrangement as a cylindrical
one, may, should the nature of the goods make it more convenient use tubes
square or parallelogrammic in section or otherwise; or may simply divido the body
of the case by wooden partitions projecting beyond the inner front after the manner
of the tubes, and provided with cap or hanging lids for the protection of the
ends of the goods.
And the case as above described may also be constructed in metal, soldering or
other known means of attachment being substituted for glueing.
Dated this 31st August 1896.
GEORGE LEWIS.
An Improved Counter Case, or Artiole of Shop Fitting, Affording
More Complete Protection for the Goods Contained, Combined
with Facilities for the Sale of them therefrom.
I, GEORGE LEWIS, of Clive Works, Redditch, in the County of Worcester,
trading as Lewis and Baylis, Needle Manufacturers, 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 :--
By this my invention I provide a case of wood, metal or other suitable material,
which may either be placed upon a shop counter, or form part of the shop
fittings, to serve as a receptacle for knitting needles, or other bright steel goods
of a similar kind used in housewifery, and its measurements will be, if it is intended
to contain knitting needles of the sizes and lengths most commonly in use, about
twenty-two inches long by ten inches in width, and in depth six inches or some-
what less.
This case make to open full length in front, and I in some instances attach
the hinges at the top, so that this front being then a hanging one, may easily fall

page_text: down into and remain in place when the case is to be closed. The cut-open of
this case may also be on the slant reclining to the extent of about two inches at
the top, so that the front when lifted up shall remain in position without the appli-
cation of the hand or finger, or I may adopt any ordinary and well known means.
of obtaining the same result.
In most instances, however, I prefer affixing the hinges at the bottom of the
front, which when the case is open then rests upon the shop counter, or if the
case be placed with the front flush with the edge of this or of a shelf, then hangs
straight down.
And, whether hinged at the top or bottom, the front of the case, when closed,
may be secured in that position by any ordinary and well known means.
Within this case, at the distance of about seven inches from the back of it, I fix
an inner front pierced with circular holes, usually seven in number and varying in
diameter from about two inches to somewhat more than one inch.
To fit these holes next provide pieces of round tubing, by preference of
card-board, though I do not limit myself to this material, but may use metal, or
any material of which tubing is usually made, and these pieces of tubing, especially
if made of cardboard are lined with the purple paper commonly used in the trade
for wrapping up bright steel goods. The tubes, moreover, are all closed at the
bottom end with a flat cardboard closing similarly covered on its inner face with.
the same purple paper.
These pieces of tubing are about eight inches in length, and their external
diameter corresponds with the internal diameter of the holes in the inner front of
the case in which they are to be fixed with glue or other adhesive material, by
which same means they are also attached to the back of the case and further
supported by blocks of wood.
Now by comparing the length of the pieces of tubing with the distance between
the back of the case and its inner front, it will be seen that the pieces of tubing.
will project about one inch beyond this inner front, and to fit upon these respec-
tive projections provide a corresponding number of cap-lids of about two inches
in length and of internal diameter suited to the external diameter of the ends of
the pieces of tubing upon which they have to fit..
And the diameters of these pieces of tubing are so varied that each tube shall
be able to contain conveniently some aliquot part of a gross of knitting needles,.
this being a larger or smaller aliquot part according to the quantity usually sold
of the respective sizes, and the cap-lids will bear the No. and description of the
goods.
To furnish this case with goods :-Having first opened the frout (whether hinged
at top or bottom) and removed the cap-lids from the tubes, I take a number of
knitting needles of the size for which each particular tube respectively is suitable
and inserting them therein, replace the cap-lids; and all the tubes being thus.
furnished, I then close the hinged front of the case, and secure it with any ordinary
fastening.
And though the knitting needles may be put into the respective tubes loose,.
I prefer to use those which are arranged in sets, secured by a metal clasp, or by
other means.
To use the case for the purpose of selling goods therefrom; the front being.
opened, I remove the cap-lid from the tube containing the particular No. asked
for; then as the tubes are only eight inches in length and the knitting needles for
which they are intended are nine inches long, these are found to project one inch.
beyond the front end of the tube, thus affording a ready means of withdrawing a
set of knitting-needles from the tube with the least possible contact of the fingers,.
and the shortest exposure to the atmosphere.
For knitting needles of a shorter length 1, of course, provide a smaller case
furnished with shorter tubes, but the principle of the construction of the case and
arrangement of the goods contained will be the same as above described. This.
smallor case may stand on, or be fixed upon a larger so. as to form a composite case..

page_text: Thus by means of a case or article of shop fitting made in accordance with my
invention, the bright steel goods, whether they be knitting needles or other
goods used in housewifery, are completely protected at all times, except during
the short period of taking out a set for sale, and even then only a minimuin
portion of them is exposed to the touch of the finger and thumb, to dust, damp,
gas fumes or other enemies to bright, steel goods, which is an improvement upon
any other case or article of shop fitting at present used for the purposes of the sale
of such goods.
And though I have herein described the tubular arrangement as a cylindrical
one, I may, should the nature of the goods make it more convenient, use tubes
square or parallelogrammic in section, or otherwise, or may simply divide the
body of the case by wooden partitions projecting beyond the inner front so as to
become virtually tubes, and provided with cap or hanging lids for the protection
of the ends of the goods.
And the case as above described may also be constructed in metal, soldering,
or other known means of attachment being substituted for glueing.
And the foregoing description of a counter case or article of shop fitting made
in accordance with my invention will be well understood by referring to the
illustration Fig. 1. In this the outer part of the case is denoted by the
letters A. A. A. A. A. and the front of this, hero shown as hinged at the bottom,
by B; as regards the row of cylindrical tubes, these are distinguished by the
respective Nos. upou their cap lids, except the tube C. from which the cap lid is
supposed to be removed, so that the way in which the knitting needles D. Are
stored within the tube may be seen as ready for the withdrawal of a set, while the
inner front of the case through which the tubes pass is denoted by E. E. E.
And in the manufacture of a case as above described I use no tools or processes
not commonly known to all workers in the materials enumerated.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nuture of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
The above-described method of combining and arranging in a counter-case or
article of shop fitting, a number of tubes, cylindrical or otherwise, or partitions
of wood amounting virtually to tubes, for the purpose of containing knitting needles
or other bright steel goods used in housewifery, and thus affording better means
of protecting these goods, combined with ready means of withdrawing them for
purposes of sale, all substantially as above set forth.