IMPROVEMENTS IN SLATES
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Walter Alfred Barlow, of 6, St. Paul's Churchyard, in
the City of London, Patent Agent and Engineer, for an Invention of
"
'IMPROVEMENTS IN SLATES." A communication from abroad by Theodor
Finger, of Coblenz, in the German Empire.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Walter Alfred Barlow at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 11th October 1881.
WALTER ALFRED BARLOW, of 6, St. Paul's Churchyard, in the City of London,
Patent Agent and Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SLATES." A communication
from abroad by Theodor Finger, of Coblenz, in the German Empire.
This Invention relates to certain improvements in slates. The principal conditions
for a good slate are,-
1. It should not be too easily broken.
2. While being carried it should be protected against wiping out of anything
written upon it.
3. When used upon the school-desk it should not occupy too much space.
Slates have been made which may be closed in book form, and which are
protected on the outside (back) by wood or pasteboard covers, but these slates
have the great disadvantage of taking up too much room, as on being opened they
become twice as large as a common slate. For this reason such slates are in general
not permitted to be used in schools.
The improvements in slates which form the object of this Invention provides for
all the requirements above stated, and this is principally attained by the use of a
new and peculiar kind of hinge connecting two slates which are provided with
solid backs or covers; said hinge consisting of a small piece of india rubber or
other elastic tubing which passes over and connects at recesses at the edge of the
slate frames wires passed lengthways through said edges of the frames and hinge
•

page_text: pieces. These very simple and cheap hinges provide for the automatic closing
together of the two slates whenever they are faced or brought together towards a
closed position, as on account of the elastic force of the connecting rubber tube they
cannot remain in such partially open position. For the same reason these hinges
also permit of a motion or swing throughout the circle to bring either faces
together.
When being carried the sides which have been written upon may be turned to
the inside and thus protected, whilst when the slate is to be used they may be
turned around throughout the circle, so that the sides for writing upon come to the
outside, and from the folded position the slate will not in use occupy a larger space
than the single ones.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Walter Alfred Barlow in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
8th April 1882.
WALTER ALFRED BARLOW, of 6, St. Paul's Churchyard, in the City of London,
Patent Agent and Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SLATES." A communication
from abroad by Theodor Finger, of Coblenz, in the German Empire.
This Invention relates to certain improvements in slates.
The principal conditions for a good slate are,-
Firstly. It should not be liable to be broken easily; secondly, while being
carried it should be so protected that any thing written or marked thereon should
not be liable to be obliterated or wiped out; thirdly, when in use it should not
occupy too much space.
Slates have been made which may be closed in book form, and which are
protected on the outside by wood or pasteboard covers, but these slates have the
great disadvantage of taking up too much room, as on being opened they become
twice as large as a common slate. For this reason such slates are not generally
allowed to be used in schools.
In the Drawings annexed hereunto Fig. 1 is a sectional view of the improved
slate in partially closed position, and Fig. 2 is a view of one of the halves of the
slate showing the arrangement for hingeing the two parts together.
The improvements in slates which form the object of this Invention provide for
all the requirements above stated, and this is principally attained by the use of a
new and peculiar kind of hinge connecting two slates T, T, which are provided
with solid backs or covers w; said hinge consisting of a small piece of india rubber
or other elastic tubing or bands which passes over and connects at recesses a at the
edge of the slate frames wires d passed lengthways through said edges of the
frames and hinge pieces.
These very simple and cheap hinges provided for the automatic closing together
of the two slates whenever they are faced or brought together towards a closed
position, as shown in Fig. 1, as on account of the elastic force of the connecting
rubber tube they cannot remain in such partially open position.
For the same reason these hinges also permit of a motion or swing throughout
the circle to bring either faces or backs together.
When being carried the sides which have been written upon may be turned to
the inside and thus protected, whilst when the slate is to be used they may be
turned around throughout the circle, so that the sides for writing upon come to the
outside, and from the folded position the slate will not when in use occupy a larger
space than the single ones.
Having now described the nature and particulars of the said Invention, I
claim,
The improvements in slates consisting of the double folding wings or halves T
in combination with the elastic hinge pieces and wires d, constructed and operating
as and for the purpose herein specified and shown by the Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Walter Alfred Barlow, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this First day of April, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty-two.
WALTER A. BARLOW. (LS)