A Reading and Writing Desk for Hanging Over the Shoulders.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Mar., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 20th Jan., 1900-Accepted, 17th Mar., 1900
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A Reading and Writing Desk for Hanging Over the Shoulders.
I, HEINRICH SCHNELL, Justice (retired), of 23, Rubensstreet, Cologne, in the
Province of Rhineland and Kingdom of Prussia, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
The present invention appertains to a little, plain, and light desk, which enables
the person who has it on, to read or write even during the voluntary or involun-
tary movement of the reader or writer.
It is intended to be of service to travellers during a railway journey or
carriage drive; and to this end the writing or reading materials are given a
steady support as independent as possible of the jerking during the trip, and
namely in such wise, that the distance of the reading or writing surface from
the head, i.e. the eyes, is not influenced nor altered by being continually set
aswinging by the jolting.
Then again it comes in capitally for the benefit of those who read in the open
air during a walk, or who are accostomed to read or learn by heart, or write
down their thoughts whilst wandering to and fro in their room.
It comes
therefore, a propos to schollars, teachers, men of letters, poets, speakers, and
Bo on.
The important factor of this invention consists therein, that the slab n which
serves as carrier of the actual desk, i.e. of the reading and writing articles, and
which is made of a strong and yet thin and light material, can be diagonally
hung on to the upper body,-in front of and away from the same, by tapes,
straps, belts, and the like, so that it may rest with its front or lower edge
against the breast or the waist in such a position as to be adaptable for reading
or writing; that is to say e.g. across the neck or shoulders as is represented in
Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawing.
The most practicable of these hanging-on contrivances is no doubt that,
whereby a strap, tape, or belt b is fastened with both ends to one upper and to .
one lower edge respectively of the desk slab a, that is to say so that it builds a
closed tie, whereby having regard to the position of the slab a in respect of the
body the lower tie can be somewhat shorter than the upper.
Both ties can be adaptably fastly tied together at their centres, that is to say,
where they go round the nape of the neck; for instance by being sewed on to
each other, or other means.
If on the other hand, one essays to make of carrying contrivance as yielding
against verbrations as possible i.e. as in the case of railway journeys, it may be
as well to apply two cross-bands to one of the straps at a certain distance from
each other so serve as grinding ties or loops as shown in front elevation in
Fig. 2 and on a larger scale in section in Fig. 5, and through which the other
strap, lying on the first one, passes, so that both straps more across each other
without however the one being entirely able at its centre to separate from the
other.
By the connection of these two straps in the middle, the putting-on of the

page_text: contrivance is facilitated, because all one has to do is to grasp, both ties and lift
them over one's head, and has then at once the desk before him in right position.
In order to regulate the distance of the desk from the eyes according to the
bodily structure and visual powers of the person concerned, the straps are
made adjustable in their length, with adaptable belt or strap buckles d.
Just as the cord, belt, strap, or some such thing is indispensable as a con-
trivance for hanging-on the upper edge of the desk slab, on account of the
intervening space between the upper edge and the body, so also does one require
some other suitable arrangement for supporting the under edge, such for example
as a hook in each corner of the desk, which can be hooked either in button-
holes in the jacket or waistcoat, or perhaps directly into the waistcoat pockets,
or the arrangement in each corner of small string or ribbon loops, and the like,
which can be hung on to higher seated buttons especially for this purpose and
RO OIL. Instead of applying such a.contrivance as hook and eye or a tape-made
loop to each corner of the under edge of the desk slab a, it may be found
sufficient to supply but a single one to the centre.
In cases where the reader utilizes the desk solely in his own house, courtyard,
or garden, this form of the invention as above described will fully suffice; but
for those who desire to use the contrivance out of their own, precincts, ¿e. in
other people's houses, in their walks and on their travels, this dragging about
of a comparatively large desk slab must prove cumbersome, and that form of
the invention as delineated in Figs. 2-4 must be given preference to.
In this structure, the deak-slaba is constructed of several separate pieces or
strips a, f, g, h, which can be folded together and in such wise that they are
longitudinally fastened side by side to each other by hinges or by pieces of
band or leather strips & acting as hinges in such a manner that these hinges or
bands are arranged alternately on the upper and lower surfaces of the desk
slab, and so that the entire slab may be put together in a zigzag form. Fig. 4
shows this arrangement in its folded up condition. whereas Figs. 2 and 3 exhibit
the same in opened out condition as seen from above. and below.
If after this, the bands or straps d for hanging-on are suitably wound or
fastened round the rolled-together desk slab, the entire forms a little narrow
parcel of such size as can be comfortably inserted in a coat pocket. In order
that separate parts of the slab a which are fastened by hinges or hinge-acting
strips of band have the necessary rigidity of stiffness to remain all in one plane
when the apparatus is drawn out, and that they do not of their own accord close
together especial fixing contrivances in the form of hooks or steel strips m
and the like are suitably placed on exactly the opposite side of the slab to the
hinges at the point of junction of two neighbouring parts, the one ends of which
said hooks or strips are so fastened at one end to one piece of the slab by
rivets or the like as to be able to turn, whilst their other ends are provided
with a pothook or a notch or slit which lays itself over a little button provided
with a broad flat head which is seated on the neighbouring slab-piece.
This reading and writing desk can receive a vet further development as is
likewise shown in Figs. 2-4. Namely an additional slab for resting the lower
arm can be supplied on each side of the same, which running out from the lower
corners of the desk slab, lays itself against the body.
These resting slabs can form one and the same piece with the desk slab a,
but for those slabs which can be laid together and which are made of several
strips, it better serves the purpose to make them winglike, and to the outer strips a
or h of the desk slab correspondingly foldable by special rivets or band strips
and to make them fixable by means of hooks / or steel strips or sliding keepers 'm
as is also represented in Eig. 4.
In order to be able to append these wings in the desired manner, it is
advisable, as the drawing shows, to give the lower corners above the outer slub
pieces e and bevelled edge so that the place of junction or seam between & or h
and p runs diagonally.

page_text: Of course, should it be deemed necessary, a hanging-on contrivance or tie,
running upwards, can be affixed, to the outer ends of the arm rests or wings p.
The apparatus can naturally be constructed in any shape or size and of any
suitable material, as wood, pašte-board, leather, sheet-metal, and so on.
Dated this 10th day of March 1899
I, HEINRICH SCHNELL, Justiciary (retired), of Cologne on the Rhine, in the
Province of Rhineland and Kingdom of Prussia, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particu-
larly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
The present invention appertains to a little, plain, and light desk, which enables
the person who has it on, to read or write even during the voluntary or involun-
tary movement of the reader or writer.
It is intended to be of service to travellers during a railway journey or
carriage drive; and to this end the writing or reading materials are given.a
steady support as independent as possible of the jerking during the trip, and
namely in such wise, that the distance of the reading or writing surface from
the head, .e. the eyes, is not influenced nor altered by being continually set
aswinging by the jolting.
Then again it comes in capitally for the benefit of those who read in the open
air during a walk, or who are accustomed to read or learn by heart, or write
down their thoughts whilst wandering to and fro in their room. It comes
therefore a propos to schollars, teachers, men of letters, poets, speakers, and
so on.
The important factor of this invention consists therein, that the slab which
serves as carrier of the actual desk, i.c. of the reading and writing articles, and
which is made of a strong and yet thin and light material, can be diagonally
hung on to the upper body,-in front of and away from the same, by tapes,
straps, belts, and the like, so that it may rest with its front or lower edge
against the breast or the waist in such a position as to be adaptable for reading
or writing; that is to say e.g. across the neck or shoulders as is represented in
Fig. 1 of the drawing left with the Provisional of Specification.
The most practicable of these hanging-on contrivances is no doubt that,
whereby a strap, tape, or belt is fastened with both ends to one upper and to
one lower edge respectively of the desk slab a, that is to say so that it builds a
closed tie, whereby having regard to the position of the slab a in respect to the
body, the lower tie can be somewhat shorter than the upper.
Both ties can be adaptably fastly tied together at their centres, that is to say,
where they go round the nape of the neck; for instance by being sewed on to
each other, or other means.
If on the other hand, one essays to make the carrying contrivance as yielding
against verbrations as possible, i.e. as in the case of railway journeys, it may be
as well to apply two cross-bands c to one of the straps at a certain distance from
cach other to serve as guiding ties or loops as shown in front elevation in
Fig. 2 and on a larger scale in section in Fig. 5, and through which the other
strap, lying on the first one, jasses, so that both straps move across each other

page_text: without however the one being entirely able at its centre to separate from the
other.
It is exactly by the connection of these two straps in the middle, the putting-on
of the contrivance is facilitated, because all one has to do is to grasp both ties
and lift them over one's head, and has then at once the desk before him in right
position.
In order to regulate the distance of the desk from the eyes according to the
bodily structure and visual powers of the person concerned, the straps are
conveniently suited, along their length, with adaptable belt or strap buckles d
of any construction, and at any place along them, to make them alterable.
Just as the cord, belt, strap, or some such thing, is indispensable as a con-
trivance for hanging-on the upper edge of the desk slab, on account of the
intervening space between the upper edge and the body, so also does one require
some other suitable arrangement for supporting the under edge, such for example
as a hook in each corner of the desk, which can be hooked either in button-
holes in the jacket or waistcoat, or perhaps directly into the waistcoat pockets,
or the arrangement in each corner of small string or ribbon loops and the like,
which can be hung on to higher seated buttons especially for this purpose and
so on. Instead of applying such a contrivance as hook and eye, or a tape-maile
loop to each corner of the under edge of the desk slab a, it may be found
sufficient to supply but a single one to the centre.
In cases where the reader utilizes the desk solely in his own house, courtyard,
or garden, this form of the invention as above described will fully suffice; but
for those who desire to use the contrivance outside their own precincts, i.e. in
other people's houses, in their walks and on their travels, this dragging about
of a comparatively large desk slab must prove cumbersome, and that form of
the invention as delineated in Figs. 2-4 must be given preference to.
In this structure, the desk-slab a is constructed of several separate pieces or
strips e, f, g, h, which can be folded together and in such wise that they are
longitudinally fastened side by side to each other by hinges i or by pieces of
band or leather strap & acting as hinges in such a manner that these hinges or
bands are arranged alternately on the upper and lower surfaces of the desk
alab, and so that the entire slab may be put together in a zigzag form. Fig. 4
shows this arrangement in its folded up condition, whereas Figs. 2 and 3 exhibit
the same in opened out condition as seen from above and below.
If after this, the bands or straps d for hanging-on are suitably wound or
fastened round the rolled-together desk slab, the entire forms a tiny little narrow
parcel of such size as can be comfortably inserted in a coat pocket. In order
that separate parts of the slab a which are fastened by hinges or hinge-acting
strips of band have the necessary rigidity or stiffness to remain all in one plane
when the apparatus is drawn out, and that they do not of their own accord close
together especial fixing contrivances in the form of hooks t or steel strips m
and the like are suitably placed on exactly the opposite side of the slab to the
hinges at the point of junction of two neighbouring parts, the one ends of which
said hooks or strips, are so fastened at one end to one piece of the slab by
rivets nor the like as to be able to turn, whilst their other ends are provided
with a pothook or a notch or slit which lays itself over a little button provided
with a broad flat head which is seated on the neighbouring slab-piece.
This reading and writing desk can receive a yet further development as is
likewise shown in Figs. 2-4. Namely an additional slab for resting the lower.
arm can be supplied on each side of the same, which running out from the lower
corners of the desk slab, lays itself against the body. These resting slabs can
form one and the same piece with the desk slab a, but for those slabs which
can be laid together and which are made out of several strips, it better serves
the purpose to make them winglike, correspondingly foldable, and as a continu-
ance of the outer strips e or h of the desk slab by special rivets or band strips,

page_text: and to make them fixable by means of hooks or steel strips or sliding keepers m
as is also represented in Fig. 4.
In order to be able to append these wings in the desired manner, it is
advisable, as the drawing shows, to give the lower corners above the outer slab
pieces e and a bevelled edge so that the place of junction or sean between e
or and p runs diagonally. Of course, should it be deemed necessary, a hang-
ing-on, contrivance or tie, running upwards, can be affixed to the outer ends of
the arm rests or wings p.
The apparatus can naturally be constructed in any shape or size and of any
suitable material, as wood, paste-board, leather, sheet-metal, and so on.
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:-
1). A reading and writing desk with a slab which is hung onto the upper
body at a regulateable distance from the eyes, with its lower edges resting in
front against the body, and which is slantingly directed outwards and upwards.
2). An especial form of carrying out the reading and writing desk characterised
in Claim (1), wherein the slab consists of several pieces which are bound to each
other, and can be folded up, and yet are provided with contrivances for maintain-
ing a rigidity of the entire surface when folded out so that the whole arrange-
ment can be taken about in the pocket.
3). Au especial form of carrying out the reading and writing desk characterised
in claim and can be folded up, and yet are provided with contrivances for main-
taining a rigidity of the entire surface when folded cut so that the whole arrange-
ment can be taken about in the pocket.
3). An especial form of carrying out the reading and writing desk characterised
in Claim (1), therein characterised that the slab is provided with lateral exten-
sions for supporting the arms of the reading or writing person.
Dated this 17th day of December 1899
For HEINRICH SCHNELL.
Bernh. Brockhues.