Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1885-11-05
AN ELECTRIC TABLE.
A COntriyance Which Threatens
Waiterdom.
81 Franclsco Chronicle.

waiterdom.
San Francisco Chronicle,
The vocation Of the waiter is imper-
illed, that which threatens his liveh-
hood IN the lower ranks of waiterdom
being an invention styled the electric
aining-table. The inventor of this
machine, for il is as much a machine
as table, is German, and, having
put up one OF his contrivances, he has
invited all those who are interested in
such matters to come and see it. On
entering the room iu which the elec>
trio dining table has been erected there
is seen double row Of small, flat, desk
like tables, set back to back, and diyid-
ed one from another by brass railing.
The tables, or compartments, do not
touch esen other AT the back, being
separated by raised shelf about three
feet wide, On sitting down each diner
finds himself given space of about
three feet square, with portion of the
raised shelf on which to place his
empty dishes. bottles, etc. On sitting
bill Of fare and punch like those
used by railroad conductors The bill
OF fare is divided into three columns
the first containing the dish, the
second the price, aud the third
series of blank spaces. across which
are printed the dire ctions t o please
punch in this space whatever you
want to ORDER Giving punches for
plate of soup, steak, and glass of
wine, the customer next turns over"
the bill Of fare, according to foot
note, and finds further directions to
put it, when punched, in front of
him and push the button to his right.
He does so, an electric bell is heard
tlukling in the kitchen, and then, as
if by mage, the table slips noiseless-
ly away, glides under the raised shelf,
aad runs kitehenward. The time for
filing the order elapses, and then,
slipping out from under the shelf,
comes the table once more, laden now
with the soup, steak, and wine, and
settles itself in front of the customer
The bill Of fare is there also, and, as
the customer knows exactly what he
punched and what he has eaten, he
takes the bill of fare to the counter as
check and pays the amount due.
If the customer were allowed into
the kitchen he would find boy seat
ed on a bench having in front of him
spoked wheel like that of a rUdder
Over the wheel is placed a series of
sixteen numbers covered with black
shades, while beside il are two handles
like levers. Another customer Is
heard entering the restaurant; he sests
himsei at a table, punches out what
he wants, and presses the electric but
ton at his side. Down falls the shade
| from over No. 2 the wheel. The boy
pulls out a connecting switch marked
No. 2, gives haul at one of the
levers, and turns the wheel. The haul
at the lever pulls the No. table under
the shelf and places it on a well-oiled
tramway, and the turns of the wheel
bring the table along the tramwsy
until it reaches the kitchen. On the
table the cook places the order, The
boy reverses the wheel, this time keep
ing his eye on pliable fat wire which
runs around the hub of the wheel and
which is marked with numbers up TO
sixteen. AS soon as No. 2. marked on
this band reaches an index, the wheel
is stopped, the lever reversed, and the
customer is served. All the tables can
be moved at once by the transfer of
the switches, or as many order as
come from the dining room.
What is claimed by the inven-
tor is economy of time 10 the
customer, expense to the proprietor,
the avoidance of com plant, the alb,
sence of noise, and a strict check on
the kitchen. Several restaurant-ksep.
ers have been to see the machine, but
all hesitate TO use it for fear it might
prove a failure and OF the boycotting
by the discharged walters. a physi-
clan of the French hospital, however,
who has no such fear before his eyes,
has given his approval to the contri-
vance and will recommend its adoption
at that institution.