Improvements in Writing-tables and Desks.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Oct., 1893-Accepted, 25th Nov., 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Writing-tables and Desks.
I, WILHELM TRIPP, of Oschersleben in the Kingdom of Prussia, Empire of
Germany, Merchant, 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 :-
My invention relates to improvements in writing-desks and tables, and is
particularly designed to facilitate the work of book-keepers in making entries in
ledgers. It is well known that, on writing at the foot of a page of a ledger, the
arm requires a support on which to rest at or about the level of the sheet to be
written upon. Portable arm-supports are known and used as a support to the
writer's arm when making entries at the foot of a page, but such supports are not,
or not sufficiently, able to compensate for the varying height of the level of the
book pages to be written upon.
My invention consists in providing means for adjustably lowering the book, as a
whole, or the right or left half of the book or ledger, so much as to bring the
surface or sheet to be written upon down to the level of the surface of the writing-
table or desk. The hand and arm of the writer rest on the surface of the table,
or desk, as if in writing on a single sheet of paper laid on the surface of
the desk.
To obtain this purpose, the top plate of the table or desk consists of a frame
with one or two panels loosely fitted thereto and arranged to be lowered down
below the surface of the frame, and raised again to become flush with the frame.
When two panels are employed, each of them may be raised and lowered independently
of the other.
In the accompanying drawings
Figure 1 is a front elevation of a desk having two panels A A³, the one (A)
being shown in the lowered position, and the other (A') flush with the frame B:
Figure 2 is a top view of the desk:
Figure 3, a section drawn to line a-x of Figure 1:
Figure 4, a section drawn to line y-y of Figure 1.
Figures 5, 6 and 7 serve to explain details of construction.
The top of the desk consists of a plate or frame B, having two panels A A¹
loosely fitted into the recess of the frame, the ledger being carried by the said
panels, which are supported by suitable mechanism, hereinafter described, to allow
of a limited downward and upward motion for the purpose of adjusting the one half,
or both halves, of the open ledger in a plane flush with the frame surface. The
construction of the desk with two panels, as shown, is preferable to that with one
single adjustable pancl, as it allows of lowering the one half of a ledger, while the
other half requires no lowering.
To the underside of frame B, brackets C are secured at suitable places, such
brackets may preferably be cast of iron or other metal. In the drawings, four
brackets are provided for supporting each of the panels A A', but more or less may
be employed according to the size of the panels.
The lower end of each bracket C has formed or secured to it a horizontally
extending arm c, having an eye or hole through which passes a stud or bar D
secured to the underside of the panel. The number and position of the said
studs D correspond to that of the brackets C.
On each stud D is coiled a spiral spring E, resting with its lower end on the
arm c or bracket C, and tending to force the panel upwards; a stop or stops are
arranged to prevent the panel being lifted beyond the plane of the frame B.

page_text: To steady the downward and upward movements of the panels, suitable guides d'
are formed or secured to the foot-plates d of each stud D, said guides d' having a
bearing surface against the vertical portion of the brackets C, and sliding along
said portion, as the panels are moving up or down.
Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional elevation of the lower part of the desk, and
Figure 6 a similar elevation of the upper part of the desk, showing the brackets C,
studs D, and guides d¹, the panel A being represented in its lowered position.
By means of this construction, the panels are lowered and raised in a straight,
vertical line.
Each panel A and A' has secured to it, at or about the middle of its underside,
a rack F, suitably fastened by a socket f screwed to the panel (Figure 7). Said
rack F passes through an aperture in the bottom of the desk (Figures 3 and 4), and
below the said bottom it is engaged by a latch g, catching into the rack by the action
of a spring g (Figure 2). The said latch may conveniently be lifted from its
engagement with the rack by means of a push-rod or lever H extending to the front
of the desk.
It will be easily understood, now, how the panels may be sunk and raised in order
to place the left or right half of the open ledger flush with the desk-frame. On
pushing the rod H, the latch g releases the rack F and the panel A or A' is forced
down by a slight pressure applied to it, sufficient to compress the supporting
springs E. When the panel has been sunk so far that the sheet to be written on is
flush with the frame B, the rod H is released and the latch g, engaging again with
the rack, stops the movement and locks the rack and panel in the desired position.
For raising the panel again, the rod H is pushed and the latch released from the
rack, whereupon the springs E automatically lift the panel.
If the frame or top-plate B is hinged to admit of the desk being opened, as usual
with writing-desks, the rack F should be hinged to the lower side of the panel and
the aperture in the bottom of the desk should leave sufficient play for the rack
describing a slight curve, when the top frame is being opened.
I wish it to be understood that my invention is not limited to the peculiar
construction, as before described, for lowering and raising the loose panels; other
means might be employed for obtaining the same result; for instance, the panels
might be supported each by a screw spindle, and a crank and bevel gear might
serve to lower and raise the panel or panels for the purpose described.
In some cases, I prefer to employ an auxiliary appliance to the table or desk,
which is represented in Figures 8, 9 and 10: Figure 8 being a sectional side
elevation Figure 9, a front elevation; and Figure 10, a detail view of one part
of the said appliance, which serves to support the arm of the book-keeper when
entering at the foot of a page, or to support the foot end of the book when the
book-keeper writes on the head of a page.
Said auxiliary appliance consists of two horizontal rods S S¹, extending across
the front side of the desk or table and supported by suitable brackets or sockets s s
secured to the desk. A plate or slab T, of wood or metal or other material, is
arranged to slide on the upper rod S, two or more hinge-bands t being secured to
the under side of said plate T, and the sleeve of said hinges engaged by the said
rod. To the underside of said plate T, another hinge-band is secured, carrying an
arm U, the free end of which carries a friction roller u, as shown in Figure 10.
When the said roller u is placed to rest upon the lower rod S', as shown in full
lines in Figure 8, the plate T is held in a position flush with the top frame B of the
table or desk, and it may be shifted on the rods S S¹ to the right or left, to take
any desired position in front of the width of the desk. If the book-keeper is
going to make an entry at the foot of a page, he shifts the plate T to the place
where his under-arm requires a support while writing. And, when he wants to
write at the head of a page, he draws the ledger forward, beyond the front edge of
frame B; the lower end of the book then rests on the support T, and the book-
keeper, standing at the side of said plate T, can easily reach the head of the page,
without being obliged to bend over the desk.

page_text: When the said support T is not used, the arm U with roller u is simply lifted off
the guide-rod S¹, and then plate T, turning on the rod S, will take the position
indicated by dotted lines in Figure 8, offering no impediment or inconvenience to
the book-keeper, while standing or sitting before the desk or table when attending
to his other duties.
This auxiliary appliance is principally destined to be applied to writing-desks or
tables provided with the movable panels described with reference to Figures 1 to 7,
but it may also be usefully employed with desks of any other ordinary kind.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A writing-desk or table having its top plate or frame provided with a loosely
fitting panel or panels arranged to be lowered and raised and adjusted at the
desired height to support the book at a convenient level.
2. A writing-desk or table having its top plate or frame B provided with a
loosely fitting panel or panels A A', supported by brackets C, studs or rods D,
guided by said brackets, and springs E surrounding said studs D, and a rack F
engaged by a latch or pawl g to lock the panel in the desired position, substantially
as and for the purpose described.
3. An auxiliary appliance to writing-desks and tables for supporting either the
arm of the book-keeper, or the foot-end of the book, said appliance consisting of a
supporting plate or slab T arranged to slide and to turn on a guide-rod S and to
be set up in the working position by a hinged arm U and friction roller u resting
on a second guide-rod S₁, substantially as described.
Dated this 19th day of October 1893.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Agents for the Applicant.