Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Aug., 1886.
Complete Left, 26th May, 1887.
Complete Accepted, 12th July, 1887.
RESERVE
I WILLIAM GEORGE STONEHAM of Pear Tree Court, Farringdon Road, in the
County of Middlesex, Manager to William George Stoneham and Co. Limited,
Wholesale Booksellers and Bookbinders, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to produce book covers, photograph frames portman-
teaus and other articles usually made of leather or partly of leather in a stronger better
and more economical manner than heretofore.
In manufacturing the above named and similar articles some stiffening material
is required such stiffening material usually taking the form of millboard straw-board
and similar material and also in some cases wood.
Most of these materials break readily and are also absorbent of moisture which
causes them to "blow" and deteriorate very rapidly.
Now according to my invention I overcome these difficulties by employing thin
sheet metal preferably zinc as the stiffening material and to this metal I may cause
to adhere by any suitable adhesive material leather, leather cloth, bookbinders
cloth, silk or any other material to form the covering of the article being manu-
factured.
Thus in making a book cover I form the sides and back of pieces of sheet metal
which will be secured together in any convenient manner and will be then covered
with any desired material be it leather, cloth, or paper.
This material may be caused to adhere entirely to the stiffening metal; or the edges
only, which will be turned over the metal, will be caused to adhere, the rest of the
covering material being loose.

page_text: In this manner I obtain a novel and extremely attractive form of book binding
which gives the appearance of a limp cover with the advantage that the cover
lies flat and the corners do not turn up as in limp covers generally.
The turned in edges of the covering material I "tool" or ornament in any other
manner and I complete the cover in the usual way by pasting on the inside a piece of
paper or other material.
This mode of forming the cover readily admits of embossing as well as "tooling"
the embossing being effected in a suitable press. In this case I place a second and
flat piece of metal at the back of the embossed sheet and by these means I produce a
handsome, stiff, light and economical cover. This form of cover also lends itself
readily to the formation therein of a frame for a photograph. Photograph frames will
be produced in a similar manner as well as other articles such as card and other
trays.
In manufacturing portmanteaus the metal stiffening will preferably be sewn to the
leather or other material or between the leather and the lining.
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: improvements in Covers for DOOKS, PHotograpи Frames, Fortman-
teaus, and other Articles Usually Made of Leather.
I WILLIAM GEORGE STONEHAM of Pear Tree Court, Farringdon Road in the
County of Middlesex, Manager to William G. Stoneham & Co. Limited, Wholesale
Booksellers and Bookbinders do hereby declare the nature of this invention and
in what manner the saine is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:-
•
The object of this invention is to produce book covers, photograph frames,
portmanteaus, and other articles usually made in leather, or partly of leather, in a
stronger, better, and more economical manner than heretofore.
In manufacturing the above named and similar articles, soine stiffening material is
required, such stiffening material usually taking the form of millboard, strawboard,
and similar material, and also in some cases, wood. Most of these materials break
readily, and are also absorbent of moisture, which causes them to "blow," and
deteriorate very rapidly.
Now my invention consists in the combination with a covering material, of a
stiffening piece or backing of sheet metal having varying thickness, according to the
purpose for which it is required.
In the accompanying drawings, I have shown various articles made according to my
invention. Thus, Fig. 1 shows in plan view an open book in which a photograph
frame is combined with the cover.
Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the same; and
Fig. 3 is a similar view, showing how the invention is applied to an open back
book, such for instance as an account book.
Fig. 4 is a view of part of the back and sides of a ledger, with a portion of the back
removed; and
Fig. 5 is a partial view of the inside of a book cover with the printed matter
removed.
Fig. 6 represents a double photograph frame constructed according to my
invention, and
Figs. 7 and 8 are respectively a sectional and front view of a single photograph
framo.
In carrying out my invention with respect to book covers, I take two sheets of
metal A, of the requisite size and thickness, and I secure thereto, by means of any
suitable adhesive substance, the covering material, such as leather, bookbinder's cloth,
or paper B, and I turn over the edges of the covering material in the usual manner.
1 may also cut the metal sheets somewhat larger than the size of the cover, and turn
the extra portions of the sheet back upon itself, thus prosenting a double thickness
at the edges all round, which will effectually prevent the metal cutting through
the covering material, should there be any tendency to do so (see Fig. 2º).

page_text: The back I may form in the usual way, strengthened with strips of metal C
(see Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5), which may also be made to serve the purpose of the ordinary
tapes (see Fig. 4) by which the printed matter is secured together; or I may insert
in the back a strip of metal D, Fig. 3, the whole length of the back; or I may use
both the metal tapes and the metal strip for the back.
The metal strips C and D I prefer to form of thin brass of the length required,
and of a width sufficient to double over from both sides and meet in the middle, by
which means I obtain a strong, flexibe strip with rounded edges, which will not cut
through the covering material, nor the sewing thread, nor break from the continual
opening of the book.
In making covers for ledgers and similar heavy books, I prefer to employ two sheets
of metal A, the inner sheet being somewhat larger than the outer sheet, so that the
- exposed edges may be turned over the outer sheet, and rivetted or otherwise secured
thereto after the covering material has been applied, as shown in Figs: 3 and 4. In
this class of book, I find it convenient to use both the metal strips C and the metal
back D, and to provide "springs" in the cover to hold the ends of the tapes, of the
form shown at Figs. 4 and 5. The "spring" consists of a sheet of paper of suitable
length and width, which is folded in half longitudinally two or three times, as shown
at E. In the final fold I place a strip of metal F, between which and the upper fold of
the paper E, the ends of the strips Care secured by sewing, rivetting, or in any other
convenient manner.
The "spring" is then secured to the cover in any manner bost suited to give
stability.
For ordinary books, the "springs" will be unnecessary, the strips C being
secured to the cover in the ordinary way. In this case, also, the metal the full
length of the back will be unnecessary, the metal strip Ċ serving the same
purpose.
The cover will be "tooled" in the ordinary way, or instead of the "tooling," I may
emboss it, which 1 effect by means of a suitable embossing press, both the metal A
and the covering material B being embossed. In this case, I place by preference
a second flat and thin sheet of metal inside the main sheet, secure the two
together in any convenient manner, and cover them with paper, as usual, on the
inside.
Photographic frames will be produced in a similar manner. The metal is first
prepared with an oval or other shaped opening, and the leather or other covering
material is then applied. In the best form of photograph frame, when expense is no
object, I may place a second sheet of metal at the hack, as above explained; or I may
take a sheet of metal of twice the required size, and fold it back on itself, and
cover it on both sides with the covering material, or with a piece of leather,
cloth, or other suitable material between; or I may employ a single sheet of metal,
and attach to the back two or more clips G, to maintain the photo in place, as seen in
Figs. 6, 7 and 8.
In this case, I may coat the metal back with some suitable varnish or other material.
The front of the frame may of course be ornamented by "tooling" or embossing, as
before explained, if desired.
I may sometimes combine a photograph frame with a book cover. In carrying out
this combination, which is clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2, I prefer to cut the covering
material of such a size, that it will not only cover the book, but, when turned in, will
also cover the photo frame, the free edge of the covering material being sewn,
or otherwise secured to the back of the cover. If desired, however, the photo
frame may be made separate from the book cover, and secured thereto in any
convenient manner. This latter arrangement has one advantage, that the color
of the covering material for the book and the frame need not be the same.
When a photograph frame is combined with a book cover, means for holding the
photograph in place will be unnecessary, and the clips G may therefore be dispensed
with.
In place of securing the covering material entirely to the stiff metal, I may secure

page_text: the edges only. By this means I obtain a loose binding, which has an extremely
attractive appearance, and when made with thin flexible metal, has the effect of a limp
cover, with the advantage, that the corners do not turn up, but the whole cover
lies Hat.
The limp cover may also be made by causing the covering material to adhere to the
whole surface of the thin flexible metal.
Table mats will be produced from a disc of metal covered with leather or
other suitable material, the back being covered with baize or similar soft
material.
Card and other trays will be formed in a similar manner, but the combined materials
will be subjected to pressure, to produce the tray form.
Book covers and other articles, when produced as above described, will be practically
indestructible, besides being stronger and lighter than when made with millboard,
strawboard and similar materials, which materials are highly susceptible to the effects
of damp, become mildewed, and otherwise deteriorate very rapidly.
The metal which I prefer to use for the stiffening piece is zinc, as being less
oxidizable than most other metals, but I would have it understood that I do not
confine myself to such metal. The thickness of the metal employed will depend
upon the size of the book and the character of the binding required. When
a metal which is liable to rust is employed, I prefer to cover it first with paper
or some other suitable material, and then apply the leather or other covering
material.
In constructing portmanteaus, portmonnaies, and similar articles, I form the
stiffening pieces of metal in the same way, such pieces being sewn, rivetted, or
otherwise secured to the leather or other covering material. I may also use for
portmanteaus, metal angle pieces inside the covering material, which pieces
will be sewn or otherwise secured to the covering material as before described.
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:-
1. In the manufacture of book covers of all kinds, photograph frames, table mats,
card and other trays, portmanteaus, and similar articles, the combination of metal
stiffening pieces or backing, with a suitable covering material, substantially as set
forth.
2. The manufacture of a combined book cover and photograph frame, substantially
as set forth.
3. The manufacture of covers for books of all kinds, substantially as herein shown
and described.
4. In the manufacture of covers for books, the use, in the backs, of metal stiffening
pieces, as C, which may also serve in place of the ordinary tapes, substantially as set
forth.
Dated this 26th day of Mov 1887