IMPROVED TABLE
Year: 1885

page_text: I, JAMES HARROWER of Preston Crescent, Inverkeithing, in the County of Fife,
North Britain, Engineer do hereby declare the nature of the said invention for
AN IMPROVED TABLE to be as follows:-
This Invention, which relates to an improved table, has for its object to enlarge
or reduce the size of a table from time to time as required. For this purpose one,
two, three or four sides of the table, according to the shape thereof, is fitted with
a series of strips of wood or other material of the requisite shape and size connected
together at their underside hinge-ways. At the centre of the underside of the
table one or more pinions capable of being revolved by a handle or equivalent
means is or are situated and into such pinion or pinions there is or are geared, as
the case may be, one or more horizontal toothed racks having a bar projecting
from the outer end thereof, which bar as the pinion or pinions are rotated, is
drawn inwards or outwards under the joint strips of wood or other material and
according to the distance to which such bar or bars is or are moved inwards or
outwards so the strips are supported horizontally on the underside and the size of
the table varied accordingly.
J. H. JOHNSON, DAY & JOHNSON,
Petitioner's Agents.

page_text: I, JAMES HARROWER of Preston Crescent, Inverkeithing, in the County of Fife,
North Britain, Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my invention for
AN IMPROVED TABLE and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
My Invention, which relates to an improved table, has for its object to enlarge
or reduce the size of a table from time to time as required. For this purpose one,
two, three or four sides of the table, according to the shape thereof, is fitted with
a series of strips of wood or other material of the requisite shape and size
connected together at their underside hinge-ways. At the centre of the underside
of the table one or more pinions capable of being revolved by a handle or
equivalent means is or are situated and into such pinion or pinions there is or are
geared, as the case may be, one or more horizontal toothed racks having a bar
projecting from the outer end thereof, which bar as the pinion or pinions are
rotated, is drawn inwards or outwards under the joint strips of wood or other
material and according to the distance to which such bar or bars is or are moved
inwards or outwards so the strips are supported horizontally on the underside and
the size of the table varied accordingly.
In order that my said Invention may be properly understood and readily carried
into effect, I will now proceed to describe the drawings hereunto annexed.
Figure 1, is an elevation of a square table constructed according to my present
Invention and when certain parts of such table are in their extended condition.
Figure 2, is a plan of the same.
Figures 3, to 8 (inclusive) are views of detached portions of the same all
hereinafter more particularly described.
Figure 9, is a side elevation of au oblong table constructed according to my
present Invention and when with certain parts thereof in their extended condition.
Figures 10 and 11 are plans respectively of the upper and under sides of
the same.
In the table which I have represented on sheet, 1, of the annexed drawings the
strips a, are so arranged that the said table is capable of being extended corner-
wise by means of the bars or supports b. The said strips a, at each such corner
are all connected together by means of the continuous hinges c, which are secured
by the screws d, or otherwise to the underside thereof. At the inner or rear ends
of the bars or supports b, are formed the toothed racks e, which racks are
represented in dotted lines at Figures 2 and 3 of the annexed drawings. The
teeth of these racks e, engage with the toothed pinions f, g, h, and i, respectively,
the pinion f, of which is secured upon the central or solid vertical shaft j, while
the pinions g, h, and i, are secured upon the vertical tubular shafts k, l, and m,
respectively as shewn in vertical and horizontal sections at Figures 3 and 4 and in
elevation at Figures 5, 6, 7, and 8. The bars or supports b, and their connected
racks e, are guided in and by the framing n, and, by the pins o, which are secured

page_text: in the underside of the table top p, and which pins o, pass down into the grooves q
as represented in dotted lines at Figure 2. The before-mentioned pinions f, g, h,
and i, as shewn more particularly at Figure 3, are arranged upon different levels
and at the lower end of their respective shafts are secured the worm wheels r, s, t,
and u, respectively. The tangent screws v, engage with the before mentioned
worm wheels and the shafts w, of the said tangent screws are carried in the sides of
the case or box x, which is supported by the disc y, secured to the lower end of
the shaft j, as shewn at Figure 3. The outer ends of the tangent screw shafts w,.
are squared so that they may be engaged with by a handle (not represented upon
the annexed drawings) or the equivalent thereof at the time when it is desired to
extend such table at any one or more of its corners or to lower any such parts
which have been previously extended. When such handle is applied and one of
the tangent screws v, thereby rotated, the particular worm wheel with which the
said screw is geared, is caused to rotate horizontally and at the same time to rotate
that particular pinion to which the vertical shaft of such worm wheel is secured.
By thus operating the before described mechanism one of the bars or supports b, is
forced outwards and thereby raised and supports the strips a, in the manner
represented at Figure 1.-As an example of such operation, let it be supposed that
the tangent screw v, which engages with the worm wheel r, is rotated in the
before mentioned manner, then the pinion f, by means of its shaft j, which is
connected therewith is also rotated and the rack e, with which the said pinion f
engages, is forced outwards and the corresponding corner of the table thereby
raised. When it is desired to raise or lower all of the corners of the table
similtaneously this may be effected by rotating the box or case x, under which
circumstances the tangent screws, being engaged with the worm wheels, and being
themselves carried round by the box or case x, rotate the said worm wheels, and
consequently cause all the bars or supports b, to be extended or withdrawn
according to the direction in which the said box or case x, is rotated.
In the table which I have represented at Figures 9, 10 and 11, the strips a, are
arranged at the ends of the said table so that the dimensions thereof may be
increased in the direction of its length. The strips a, as in the foregoing example,
are all connected together by the continuous hinges c, and capable of being raised
and supported upon the racks a¹. The outer ends of the racks a¹, are secured in
and to the transverse bar or lath b¹, at the ends of which lath b¹, the rollers c¹,
are carried and free to rotate.-The inner ends of the racks a³, are supported and
guided at the interior of the table frame d¹, and with these racks the teeth of the
pinions e, engage. These pinions e¹, are secured upon the shafts f¹, which are
supported transversely in and by the table frame d', and the squared ends of which
shafts pass outward through the said frame d¹, and thereby admit of a handle or
the equivalent thereof being applied for the purpose of rotating such shafts. By
the shafts f, and their toothed pinions e¹, being so rotated, the racks a¹, according
to the direction of such rotation, are moved inwards from or outwards into their
extended position, that is to say, such position as that in which the racks a¹, are
represented at the right-hand side of the table as shewn at Figures 9 and 11.
When the racks a', are being moved outwards, the rollers c¹, bear against the
underside of the strips a, and cause them to be brought to their horizontal position,
in which position they are afterwards supported by the upper surface of the
said racks.
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:
First. The improvements in tables consisting of the strips a, connected together
by the continuous hinges c, and capable of being raised corner-wise into their
horizontal position by the bars or supports b, which are moved outwards by means
of the racks e, toothed pinions f, g, h, and i, worm wheels r, s, t, and u, and tanget

page_text: screws v, all substantially as and operating in the manner hereinbefore set forth
with reference to Figures 1 to 8 (inclusive) of the annexed drawings.
Second. The improvements in tables consisting of the strips a, connected together
by the continuous hinges c, and capable of being raised by the rollers c¹, or their
equivalents which are moved in the direction of the length of the table by means
of the racks a¹, and toothed pinions e¹, all substantially as and operating in the
manner herein before set forth with reference to Figures 9, 10 and 11 of the
annexed drawings.
J. H. JOHNSON, DAY & JOHNSON,
Applicant's Agents.