US283383A - Books - Google Patents

Description

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H. A. DEJSILVERA.

INDEXING BOOKS.

.Paten ted Aug. 21, 1883.

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UNITED STATES PATENT Fries.

HERBERT nuns SILVEBA, on NEW YORK, n. x, nssIenoR or ONE-HALF ro POULTNEY BIGELOW, oFsAMn rnncn.

I INDEXING BOOKS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 283,383, dated August 21, 18 83.

- Application filed October 4, 18851. Model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known thatl, HERBERT A. DR SI'L- VERA, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Indexing Books; and'I do hereby declare'that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Herctofore books have been indexed by-applying to the leaves themselves at particular intervals the characters used in guiding the search of the reader.

, To carry my invention into effect I cut into i the body of the leaves of the book concave niches. The said niches form two walls, on either of which wall-surfaces characters may be impressed, which said index characters may be seen from two points of view when the vol-.

ume lies open to the reader.

The advantage obtained by placing the index characters upon both walls of the concave niche is from the fact that when the reader holds a heavy volume before him provided with this system of indexing he can refer backward as well as forward without first altering the position of his book.

The improved form of indexing is calculated to be of especial service to those who have occasion to consult dictionaries, directories, heavy counting-house volumes, ofi icial digests, records, &c,

A striking advantage of my process is, that the index characters impressed upon the concave walls of these index-niches may be made to appear either narrow or broad, according as the volume is pressed to one side or the other by the hand applied to the back of the volume. In case of a volume of moderate size this advantage becomes especially prominent. In consequence of this feature, incident to placing characters upon such concave wall, said concave space may be utilized for the purpose of placing upon its surface a larger number of characters than could be conveniently placed upon the semicircular exposed white surface opposite. In order to take advantage of this peculiarity in the action of segmental pages, the index characters are impressed when the concave wall is expanded, so as to exhibit an unusually large exposed concave surface. Being impressed under such conditions, the indexcharacters will appear unusually narrow when the volume is closed, but of ordinary size when the volume lies open.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure I represents the left section of the book open to the reader. The numerals 100, 500, 1,000, &c., are placed upon the concave walls of the niches above described, and vary in size according to the angle at which the book is opened.

Fig. II represents a closed volume with the index-niches exposed to view. The numerals I, II, III, IV, V, &c., are placed upon the concavewalls, and are all visible at one time, whether the book lies on one cover or the other.

Having thus fully described my invention,

what I desire to claim, and secure by Letters Patent, is

A book having concave niches cut into the edges of its leaves, with the index characters placed upon the concave walls of said niches, substantially as and for the purpose described.

H. A. DE SILVERA. Witnesses:

LUMAN W. JoHNsoN, AUsTIn E. PRESSINGER.

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