Improvements in Folding Cupboards and Whatnots or like Articles of Furniture.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 21st July, 1887.
Specification Accepted, 23rd Aug., 1887
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Folding Cupboards and Whatnots or like Articles
of Furniture.
1, IDA FRANZISKA CLASEN Merchant of 37 Muskauerstrasse Berlin in the Kingdom
of Prussia and German Empire Invention 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 :-
The object of this invention hereinafter described is a folding cupboard or whatnot
which occupies a small space when folded and hence is easily transportable. In the
two constructions described and illustrated the same principle is carried out and
consists in the parts of the piece of furniture being rendered movable in a suitable
manner by means of hinge joints and so arranged as to be easily folded upon one
another.
The accompanying drawing illustrate the manner in which this invention is carried
out in the construction (1st) of a cupboard and (2nd) of a whatnot. Figure 1 shews
a sectional side elevation of the cupboard unfolded or open Figure 2 being a longi-
tudinal sectional elevation, and Figure 3 a plan of the same. Figure 4 is a
longitudinal sectional view in elevation of the folded cupboard Figure 5 being a plan
of same and Figure 6 a horizontal section on line A. B. of Figure 4. Figure 7 is a
sectional side elevation of the folded cupboard. Figure 8 is a perspective view of a
whatnot intended to be fixed to a wall or other support. Figure 9 shews a similar
article of furniture in which the connection of the various shelves to one another is
modified. Figure 10 is a perspective view of a folded whatnot designed to stand
without support Figure 11 showing same set upright and unfolded.
The essential arrangement of the folding wall, cupboard is such that the side parts
of the same are folded inwardly, while the bottom and the top thereof are both
folded upwardly. For this purpose the back piece A is provided with two small
flaps or sides A¹ (Figures 5 & 6) whose width is such that the folding top and
bottom D and D₁ have room in the space formed by the said flaps or sides A¹.

page_text: The sides or parts B B₁ fold together by means of hinge pieces fixed to the back
and front so as to enable these sides (they being joined by means of hinges) to
fold inwardly. The front side walls B are also connected with the front C of the
cupboard by hinge pieces the front C. being provided in the usual manner with doors
leaves or flaps. Figures 4 to 7 show the cupboard folded:
The top and bottom pieces D and D¹ are connected with the rear or back A by
means of hinge pieces or joints and in order to be able to move them evenly when folding
or setting up the cupboard they are connected by means of two bars E E' (Figure 4)
which are jointed at both ends to the bottom or to the top or cover in such a manner
as to be capable of turning. The top cover or shelf D rests against the projections or
ledges (Figures 1 & 2) upon the upper surface of the front and the
sides B B B B', while the bottom D¹ finds a resting surface upon the bar F
(Figures 6 & 7) when the cupboard is unfolded. The above described cupboard can
be easily set up or unfolded within the shortest possible time.
In the whatnot shewn in Figure 8 the folding of the various shelves K is effected
in such a manner that the latter are provided at the sides with grooves or slots 61
formed in suitable material and in which slide pins c. forming the common pivot of
the stays or bolts a and of the connecting or upright rod f.
When the shelves K are
in a horizontal position the pins c bear against the inner ends of the slots b¹ and when
the shelves are raised up in order to close or fold the whatnot the pins c travel along
the slots 6' up against the outer ends thereof owing to the second pivoting point a
of the stays or bolts a being placed above the pivoting point of the shelves K.
Figure 9 shews a simplified modification of the whatnot. In this case the supports
for the shelves consist only of two upright connecting rods m m whose pins or
pivots care guided in the grooves or slots 6" formed in the two upper shelves K so
that when the whatnot is unfolded these rods rest after the shelves have been let down
to a horizontal position against the brackets. n. These connecting rods are in such a
position when the whatnot is folded up that the pivots m² m² m³ are at different
distances from the pivoting points 23. Upon the lowest shelf K (pivoting direct
upon the rods m at e³) are arranged the connecting rods m which are capable of
rotating and when the said shelf is folded these rods are raised upwardly.
The folding and standing or self supporting whatnot shewn in Figures 10 and 11
consist of the two legs or supports p connected together in any well known manner
at pl so as to move upon one another. The extent of the opening of the said legs is limited
by bolts or stay bars each consisting of two parts, connected by hinges or joints q q¹.
Upon the part q' are rivetted or otherwise fixed the two lower shelves r r.
The upper
shelf pivots upon the connecting or stay rods and rests upon a second rods and
when the whatnot is folded its two lower shelves are laid parallelly to the legs in
consequence of the bending of the binged stay bars q g' while the top shelf is raised
up and folded (turned right over) upon the rods Figure 10. This whatnot when
folded takes up a very small space as shown in Figure 10.
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 folding cupboard in which the sides B B₁ are capable of being folded inwardly
and are connected together and also to the front c and back A by means of suitable
hinge joints while the top and bottom D and D' respectively are connected together
by the rods E E¹ and can be folded upwardly all substantially in the manner and for
the purposes hereinbefore described and represented in Figures 1 to 7 of the drawings
annexed.
2. A folding whatnot or table in which the shelves K are provided with slots b' at
their sides in which move the pins c of the stays or belts a which are connected
together at c by a common connecting rod substantially in the manner and for
the purpose hereinbefore described and represented in Figure 8 of the drawings
annexed.
3. A folding whatnot or table in which the stay rods m connecting the several
shelves K rest when the whatnot is unfolded upon brackets n fixed to the frame of

page_text: same substantially in in the manner and for the purpose herein before described and
represented in Figure 9 of the drawings annexed.
4. A folding and standing whatnot in which the lower shelf (or shelves) is firmly
connected to the part q' of the folding stay bolts q q' and is arranged upon the legs
or supports ppl so as to turn thereon while the upper shelf is moveable upon the
connecting rod s substantially as hereinbefore described and represented in
Figures 10 & 11 of the drawings annexed.
5. The improved general arrangement, construction and combination of parts of
folding cupboards and whatnots all substantially in the manner and for the purposes
herein before described and represented in the drawings hereto annexed.
Dated this 21st day of July 1887.
TONGUE & BIRKBECK,
34, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.
TONGUE & BIRKBECK,
34, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.