An Improved School Desk.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 24th June, 1889
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Mar., 1890-Accepted, 26th Apr., 1890
PROVISIONAL, SPECIFICATION.
An Improved School Desk.
I, ALFRED JAMES Box, of 32 Queen Square, in the city and county of Bristol,
carpenter, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:
This invention relates to desks for use in public and other schools and is designed
to make the same more rigid, durable and convenient than heretofore.
According to this invention the desk top is supported on standards, preferably
tubular, each surmounted by a jaw in which is received a tongue formed by grooving
the end of the desk top. The jaw extends along the desk top and is set at the
same angle of inclination therewith. At or about midway between the ends thereof
the jaw is attached to the desk by a screw or otherwise. The jaw holds the desk
top firmly and its adoption permits the use of unseasoned or other wood having a
tendency to warp or split, inasmuch as the jaw prevents either of these objections
arising.
In dual" and other desks of the short kind the standards are situated at the
extremities of the desk top and are, consequently, out of the way of those sitting at
the desk. In long desks an intermediate standard of any usual kind may be employed
between the jaw standards.
Dated this 22nd day of June 1880
NICHOLAS WATTS,
Applicant's Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved School Desk.
I, ALFRED JAMES Box, of 22 Queen Square, in the city and county of Bristol,
carpenter, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:
This invention consists in an improved desk for use in public and other schools.
The table or top of the desk is supported on standards, preferably tubular, each
standard being provided at the top with a jaw preferably cast in one piece with the
standard.
At each end the desk top is grooved and the lower tongue resulting from so
grooving the desk top is slid into the jaw provided, as aforesaid, on the standards.
The lower limb of the jaw extends inwards under the desk top and is secured thereto
by a screw, bolt or equivalent device.
In the appended drawing Fig. 1 represents an end view of part of a school desk
fitted in accordance with my invention.
Fig. 2 is a partial longitudinal section through the table or top of the desk.
The top a of the desk is grooved at each end, the groove extending from the front
to a point near the back.
The lower tongue c, formed in the top a by grooving the desk, is received in an
elongated jaw b forming part of or attached to the standards d of which there is one
at each end of the desk. The tongue c is slid into the jaw 6 from the front, and by a
screw e, passed through its lower limb, or by other suitable means, the jaw b, is
secured to the desk top.
The jaw prevents warping and splitting in unseasoned wood and permits the use of
birch wood for school desks, a wood which by reason of its hard nature is specially
suitable for such desks.

page_text: In "dual" desks, that is to say, desks of a length sufficient to accommodate two
students, the jaw standards are situated at each extremity and are consequently clear
of the legs of the students. In longer desks, however, an intermediate standard of
the usual kind may be employed between the jaw standards at the ends.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
:-
The use for supporting and holding the top of a desk for public and other schools
of a metallic jaw such as b provided at the top of each end standard d and either cast
in one piece therewith or fixed thereon, into which jaw is slid the lowermost of two
tongues formed by grooving the ends of the desk top, substantially as hereinbefore
described with reference to the accompanying drawing.
Dated thi011 J
1 1000
NICHOLAS WATTS,
Bristol Bank Buildings, Bristol, Agent.