AN IMPROVED SEAT AND DESK FOR USE IN SCHOOLS AND OTHER PLACES
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Wreghitt Connon, Architect, of Dewsbury,
in the County of York, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED SEAT
AND DESK FOR USE IN SCHOOLS AND OTHER PLACES."
Sealed the 28th November 1873, and dated the 17th September 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Wreghitt Connon
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 17th September 1873.
I, JOHN WREGHITT CONNON, Architect, of Dewsbury, in the County
of York, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"AN IMPROVED SEAT AND DESK FOR USE IN SCHOOLS AND OTHER PLACES," to be as".
follows:-
My Invention consists of improvements in seats and desks for use in
schools and other places, whereby the seat and desk are so combined
and arranged as to be capable of forming, without the intervention of
loose or extra parts, a seat with a flat or inclined desk in front, adapted

page_text: the seat by a spring bolt or other fastening. This fastening is shewn
in Fig. 5. The desk B is hung by the axis or pivot E to the desk
frame, and is secured in its different positions by spring bolts or catches,
working in the holes marked G. The pivot upon which the desk
revolves is not placed in the centre of its width, but nearer to one end,
as shewn on the Drawing.
To form a flat table or desk adapted for writing, the desk and desk
frame are fixed in the position shewn on the Drawing.
When more room is required between desk and seat for standing,
the desk frame is allowed to swing forward until it rests upon the stud
or projection I, and the desk is adjusted to the required position.
To form a back seat facing the opposite way to the desk, the desk
frame is fixed in the position shewn on the Drawing, and the desk is
swung round to the position marked H.
To form a backed seat facing the same way as the desk, the desk
frame is swung until it rests on the stud or projection J, the desk being
turned to the position marked K.
Figs. 2 & 3 shew the plate, which is fixed to the end of desk; and
Fig. 4, the plate of iron or other material which is fixed on the edge of
desk to stiffen them when made in long lengths.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Wreghitt Connon in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 8th January 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
WREGHITT CONNON, Architect, of Dewsbury, in the County of York,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of September, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the thirty-
seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said John Wreghitt Connon, Her special

page_text: is turned on its axis and secured to the frame in the required position,
whether with flat or inclined top, by a pin or catch.
If space is required for standing between the desk and seat, the desk
frame is swung forward on its axis until it rests upon a stud or pro-
jection on the foot of the seat frame; the desk top may then be fixed in
any required position, and a wide space be obtained between the seat and
desk.
To form a backed seat facing in the same direction as the seat and
desk, the desk frame is swung on its axis until it rests upon another
stud or projection on the seat frame, the desk top being swung on its
axis to the required position for forming the back.
If it is desired to have the back facing in the opposite direction, the
desk frame is secured in the position as used for writing, and the desk
top turned to the required position.
And in order that my Invention may be better understood and more
readily carried into effect, I will now proceed to describe the Drawings
hereunto annexed; similar letters refer to similar parts in all the
Figures.
Figure 1 shews an end view of the desk and seat in its various
positions.
Figure 2 is a plan of one end of the desk top shewing the method of
locking-to the frame in the various positions.
Figures 3 and 4 are sections of the end of the desk top.
Figure 5 shews a front and end elevation of the spring catch for
holding the desk standard in a vertical position.
The seat A is supported on a standard or frame of cast iron or other
material, the front portion of which is projected in front of the seat to
form the part marked D, and carrying the projections I and J. The
seats with the frame or standard are fixed, having no change of position,
the whole of the different movements being made by the desk B, and
the standard or frame supporting it. The frame supporting the desk is
hung upon an axis or pivot C to the frame supporting the seat; this
desk support is held in its vertical position, as shewn on the Drawing, by
a spring catch or bolt, shewn at Figure 5. The desk B is hung by the
axis or pivot E to the desk frame, and is secured in its different positions

page_text: by spring bolts or catches sliding or springing into the holes marked G.
The pivot upon which the desk revolves is not placed in the centre of
its width, but nearer to one end, as shewn on the Drawing.
If it is required to form a seat and desk for writing, the desk support
is fixed in a vertical position, as shewn on the Drawing, being held in 5
that position by the spring catch; the desk top is swung round to a
position, giving the proper amount of inclination, and fixed by allowing
the bolt to spring into one of the holes in the frame marked G. .
If a table with a flat top is required, the top is put in a horizontal
position and the bolt put into the proper hole for that position.
If space is required for standing between the desk and seat, the desk
support is swung forward, as shewn by dotted lines on the Drawing, until
it rests upon the projection I, the desk top being at the same time
adjusted to the required position.
1
1
If a backed seat is required facing in the same direction as the desk,
the desk support is swung over, as shewn by dotted lines on the Drawings,
until it rests upon the projection J, the desk top is then turned upward
and fixed in the required position for forming a back to the seat A,
in the position marked K. This back may be padded if desired without
interfering with its use as a desk, the padded part being the under 2
side of the desk top.
If it is required that the seat should face in the opposite direction, the
desk support is fixed in its original vertical position, and the desk top
turned into the position marked H, forming a back on the opposite side
of the seat A.
If great length is required between the supports, the desk top is
stiffened by means of metal plates along the edge or under side, as shewn
in Figure 4.
2
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my
Invention and how the same is to be carried into effect, I would have it 3
understood that I do not restrict myself to the precise details of con-
struction as herein-before described, as the same may be varied in many
ways without departing from the principle of my Invention, but what I
claim and desire to secure by the herein-before in part recited Letters
Patent is,
3

page_text: Firstly. The arrangement by which the desk support is made to swivel
on an axis or pivot fixed to the base of the seat standard, or the pivot
may be on the desk support and swivelling in the seat standard for the
purpose of allowing the desk support to be fixed in any required position
as described and illustrated by the accompanying Drawing.
And, secondly. The arrangement by which the desk top is hung to
the desk support by an axis or pivot out of the centre of its width, so as
to allow the desk top to be fixed in any required position, and to allow
the under side of desk top to be padded, so as to form a padded back to
the seat, as described and illustrated by the accompanying Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Wreghitt Connon, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Seventh day of January,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
four.
JOHN WREGHITT CONNON. (L.S.)