IMPROVEMENTS IN BEADING TABLES
Year: 1846

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
RIDDETT, of Ryde, Isle of Wight, Upholsterer, send greeting.
my
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Fifth day of May, in
the ninth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said George Riddett, Her especial license, full power,
sole privilege and authority, that I, the said George Riddett, my exors,
adiñors, and assigns, or such others as I, the said George Riddett,
exors,
adiñors, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to
time and at all times during the term of years therein expressed, should and
lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the
Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BEADING
TABLES;" in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso that I, the said
George Riddett, shall cause a particular description of the nature of my saitl
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, by an instrument
in writing under my hand and seal, to be inrolled in Her said Majesty's High
Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately after
the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same,
reference being thereunto had, will' more fully and at large appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with tho said proviso, I the said
George Riddett, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention, and
the manner in which the same is to be performed, are fully described and
ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, reference being had to
the Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked thereon, 5
that is to en
Figure 1 shows a side view of a reading table arranged according to my
improvements. Figure 2 shows the upper surface of the table. Figure 3 shows
a back view of the table, and some of the apparatus connected therewith.
Figure 4 shows an edge view of the table; and Figure 5 shows the moveable
ledge for supporting a book. In each of these Figures the same letters are used
to indicate similar parts. a is the stand, which is hollow to allow of the stem b
sliding up and down within it. The stand may be made to any desired pattern
according to taste. The stem 6 is retained at the desired height by means of a set
screw c, or it might be by any other convenient means, or the stem may be at-
tached to any piece of furniture without the stand, if desired. dis the table or
surface on which the book is placed, and it will be found that owing to the
peculiar arrangement of the apparatus by which the table is connected to the
stem 6, and by which the book is retained on the table, the table will be found to
offer much greater convenience in use than those heretofore constructed. One
peculiarity of the table is that a person in a reclining position may so have the
table turned over that the book may be seen by looking in a direction upwards.
At the back of the table d is fixed a bar e, in such manner that the sliding
piece may slide from end to end, so that the table may stand on either side
of a sofa or a chair, or other seat or reclining surface, and yet be able to cause
the table to come before the person. I would remark that although I believe
the figure of the bar e, and the consequent form of the sliding pieco.f, to bo
the best for the purpose, yet the same may be varied, so long as these two
parts are so arranged in respect to each other that the table may be slided
either to the right hand or to the left of the center, and so that the table
may come before or over the person sitting or reclining, whether the table
be placed on the right hand or the left hand of the person, which is another
peculiarity of this arrangement of table. On the sliding pieco is affixed tho
circular disc g, by which the sliding piece is attached to the stem b, by means
of the pin or axis h, and the table is retained in position by the screw i, and

page_text: the sliding piece f. slides tightly on the bar e, so that it will remain in any
position to which it may be moved, and when in the center there is a hole or
recess in the bar e, into which a spring stud j enters, such stud being fixed on
the lever k, which is constantly pressed by the spring 1, so that it constantly
rests against the bar e, and when it comes opposite the hole in the centre of
the bar it enters the holc, and offers additional resistance to the sliding of the
piece f. Figure 3 shows the stem 6 in the centre, and when there the table
may be caused to assume either of the positions shown by Figure 1, excepting
that shewn by the red lines. And in order that the table may take the position
shewn by the red lines the table is to be slided in the sliding piece f till the
stem 6 comes into the position shewn by the red lines in Figure 3, when the
table may be turned over and assume the position shewn by the red lines in
Figure 1, or any other of the positions shewn by Figure 1. The ridge m is
similar to those ordinarily used for reading tables, but in place of the ordinary
studs being used to fix it to the table, spring or split studs n, n, are used, by
which these studs will allow of being compressed on entering the holes o, o, in
the table, and then expanding when in, by which they will offer greater
resistance to the ridge being moved from its position. In order to enlarge the
table d' is a sliding piece as shewn. I fix a book and hold it open by the
ordinary instruments p, p, but when it is desired that the book should be
turned over into the position shewn by the red lines in Figure 1, then I use
the cord q, which, being fixed to the upper stud r, passes down the centre of
the book on the table, and is then fastened to the lower studs, as is shewn.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the best means I
am acquainted with for performing the same, I would wish it to be understood
that I do not therefore confine myself to the details shewn, so long as the
peculiar character of my Invention be retained; and I do not claim the parts
separately. But what I claim is,-
First, the mode of combining the parts d, e, f, so that the table may
be suitable for standing on either side of a chair or sofa, and be made to
project on either side of the stem, and to turn over when desired, as herein
described.
Secondly, I claim the applying split studs n to the ledge of reading tables.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Riddett, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Third day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and forty-six.
GEORGE (L.s.) RIDDETT.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Third day of November, in the
year of our Lord 1846, the aforesaid George Riddett came before our said
Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification afore-
said, and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in form above
written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according to the
tenor of tho Statute made for that purpose.
Enrolled the Fifth day of November, in the year of our Lord Oue
thousand eight hundred and forty-six.