IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MECHANICAL MEANS OF VARYING THE HEIGHT OF SEATS, TABLES, AND OTHER ARTICLES."
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Dawes, of Kingston Grove, Leeds, in the County
of York, Engineer, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MECHANICAL
MEANS OF VARYING THE HEIGHT OF SEATS, TABLES, AND OTHER ARTICLES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Dawes at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 12th June 1880.
WILLIAM DAWES, of Kingston Grove, Leeds, in the County of York, Engineer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MECHANICAL MEANS OF VARYING THE HEIGHT OF
SEATS, TABLES, AND OTHER ARTICLES."
In carrying this Invention into effect, I first construct the lower or main
portion, that is, the under frame and legs, or claws of the seat, table, or other
article, in any convenient and substantial manner, and so that the said frame shall
fit and slide inside the "shrouding" which is attached to the upper adjustable
frame and the seat or table top, as the case may be; this latter being the second
portion in the order or course of construction.
I next construct a series (generally four) of vertical wedge shaped "lifters," with
a number of waved line sloping notches and hollows upon their lifting edges;
and I attach these, by preference, to the upper frame and shrouding in such a
manner that their simultaneous movement upon strong projecting pins, studs, or
surfaces firmly fixed into the lower or main frame or portion shall determine the
height of the upper frame and seat or table, the sloping surfaces in the before-
named lifters being for the adjustment, and the hollows for supporting after
adjustment.
In the construction of large oblong seats or tables I prefer generally to use four
of the wedge shaped lifters at or near the inside corners of the frames, the
simultaneous movement of these being produced by racks and pinions, spiral
grooves, or other convenient means, in connection with a revolving shaft and
milled discs or handles outside the frames.
In the construction of smaller oblong seats I prefer to construct the before-
described lifters as projecting "ribs" upon the outside of a short cylinder, so that
their top and bottom edges, seen vertically (from above or below), shall form a
circle, and the upper edge of the said cylinder having an internal flange for fitting
and working against the under side of the upper frame, the supporting pins, studs,

page_text: or surfaces, in this case being fixed radially into the lower frame and at equal
distances from each other; the movement of the before-described lifters and
cylinder in this arrangement being produced by bevelled toothed gear, with a
segmental rack in the internal flange of the cylinder.
In the construction of round or circular topped seats the entire upper frame,
shrouding, and stuffed seat may revolve together with the lifters, or the lifting
surfaces may be attached to the inside of the shrouding, and thus all further
mechanical means for actuating the lifters can be dispensed with. I also in
this arrangement of seat sometimes adopt a series of smaller ribs running
several times round the short cylinder, or the shrouding; the spaces between
these being reduced so as to resemble a multiple threaded screw.
To cause the whole to remain united whilst it is being lifted or carried by the
upper portion I construct the before-described waved line notches and hollows in
each case with an upper and lower surface parallel to each other; and I fix smaller
projecting pins or studs, agreeing with the upper line above the main or supporting
studs and thus in all positions whether being used, lifted or carried, its
predetermined height will remain unchanged unless the user should intentionally
alter the position of the lifters upon the pins or studs.
By constructing the waved line of the lifters as a groove or channel in lieu of
a rib or projection the latter described studs can be dispensed with.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Dawes in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 11th
December 1880.
"
WILLIAM DAWES, of Kingston Grove, Leeds, in the County of York, Engineer.
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MECHANICAL MEANS OF VARYING THE HEIGHT OF SEATS,
TABLES, AND OTHER ARTICLES,"
In carrying this Invention into effect, I first construct the lower or main portion,
that is, the under frame and legs or claws of the scat, table, or other article in
any convenient and substantial manner, and so that the said frame shall fit and
slide inside the "shrouding" which is attached to the upper adjustable frame and
the seat or table top, as the case may be; this latter being the second portion in
the order or course of manufacture. I next construct a number of vertical wedge-
shaped or sloping "lifters" with a series of waved line sloping notches, and hollows
upon their lifting edges; and I attach these, by preference, to the upper frame and
shrouding in such a manner that their simultaneous movement upon strong
projecting pins, studs, or other surfaces firmly fixed into the lower or main frame
or portion shall determine the height of the upper frame and shrouding and seat
or table, the sloping surfaces in the before-named lifters being for the adjustment,
and the hollows for supporting after adjustment.
In the construction of large oblong seats or tables I prefer generally to use four
of the wedge-shaped or sloping lifters, placed at or near the inside corners of the
frames, the simultaneous movement of these being produced by racks and pinions,
spiral grooves, or other convenient means, in connection with a revolving shaft
and "discs" or handles outside the frames.
In the construction of smaller oblong seats I prefer that the before-described
lifters shall consist of projecting "ribs" upon the outside of a short cylinder, so
fixed that their top and bottom edges, seen vertically (from above or below), shall
form a circle, the top edge of the said short cylinder having an internal flange for
fitting and working against the underside of the upper frame, the supporting
pins, studs, or surfaces, in this case, being fixed radially into the lower frame and
at equal distances from each other. The movement of the before described liftors
and cylinder in this arrangement being produced by bevelled toothed gear, with a
segmental rack in the internal flange of the cylinder.
In the construction of round or circular topped seats the entire upper frame,
shrouding, and stuffed seat may revolve together with the lifters, or the lifting
surfaces may be attached to the inside of the shrouding, and thus all further
mechanical means for actuating the lifters can be dispensed with. I also in this
arrangement of seat sometimes adopt a series of smaller ribs running several times
round the short cylinder or shrouding, the spaces between these being reduced so
as to resemble a multiple internal threaded screw.
To cause the whole to remain united whilst it is being lifted or carried by the
upper portion, I construct the before-described waved line notches and hollows
in each case with an upper and lower surface parallel to each other; and I fix
smaller projecting pins or studs agreeing with the upper line above the main or
supporting studs; and thus, in all positions, whether being used, lifted, or carried,
the predetermined height of the seat will remain unchanged unless the user should
intentionally alter the position of the lifters upon the pins or studs. By constructing
the waved line of the lifters as a groove or channel in lieu of a rib or projection
the latter described (upper) studs can be dispensed with.
In the accompanying illustrations Figure 1 is a portion of the waved line
notches and hollows (with the supporting and the upper pins) as a rib or projection;
Figure 2 is a portion of the same as a groove or channel, and with one pin for

page_text: both supporting and lifting; Figure 3 is a "plan" of a table or large oblong seat
with the waved line lifters at the corners; Figure 4 is a plan of a smaller oblong
stool or seat with the lifters fixed on the outside of a short cylinder, and Figure 5
is a plan of the cylinder as the shrouding of a round seat, with the waved line
lifters and the pins inside the cylinder. In all the foregoing a is the waved line
or lifter; b, the pin; c, the cylinder or shrouding; d, the longitudinal shaft, and e
the hand discs.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect, I wish it to be understood that I do not confine or restrict myself to the
precise details or arrangements which I have described or referred to, as many
modifications and variations may be made therefrom without deviating from the
principles or main features of the said Invention; but what I consider to be novel
and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before
in part recited Letters Patent is :-The application and use of a series of waved line
or sloping notches, hollows, or surfaces so constructed and arranged that projecting
pins, studs, or other surfaces fitting or sliding into them, shall be capable of both
safely adjusting and firmly supporting at any desired height the top or adjustable
portion of tables, seats, or other articles, virtually as or after the manner herein-
before explained and set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Dawes, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Tenth day of December, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty.
Witness,
HORACE DAWES,
Staveley,
Westmorland.
WILLIAM DAWES. (L.S.)