IMPROVE- MENTS IN COMBINED TABLES AND READING DESKS OR EASELS
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Parsons North, of Birmingham,.in the
County of Warwick, Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN COMBINED TABLES AND READING DESKS OR EASELS."
Sealed the 6th June 1873, and dated the 24th December 1872.
PROVISIONAL SECIFICATION left by the said Edward Parsons North
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 24th December 1872.
I, EDWARD PARSONS NORTH, of Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN COMBINED TABLES AND READING DESKS OR
EASELS," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists in constructing and arranging in the manner
herein-after described the parts of combined tables and reading desks or
easels. Upon the vertical pillar supporting the combined table and
reading desk or easel a horizontal arm slides, the connection of the said

page_text: arm to the pillar being effected by a tubular socket which may be fixed
at any desired height by means of a set screw. The table or desk or
easel is connected to the end of the horizontal arm by means of a pivot
or joint which permits the table, desk, or easel to rotate upon the said
arm.
The position of the table, desk, or easel is fixed by a set screw. The
said combined table and desk or easel supported by the arm described
consists of a rectangular frame within which a rectangular board or flap
is situated, one side of the said board or flap being hinged to the said
frame. When this board or flap is turned down it lies flush with the
frame described, and constitutes with the said frame a small flat table
which may be used for supporting a tray containing food, a book, or
other article. In order to convert the small table into a reading desk or
easel the rectangular board or flap is turned upon its hinge and raised
into an inclined position, and fixed at the required angle by means of a
prop or strut at its back being engaged with a toothed rack crossing the
opening in the frame of the table. When in use the table or reading
.desk or easel may be turned upon its central pivot or joint, so as to
bring the tray or articles carried upon the table within reach of the
person using it, or the reading desk or easel at the desired angle with
respect to the person using it.
The horizontal arm of the table or desk or easel may either be made
in one piece or in two pieces jointed together by a joint which permits
the table, desk, or casel to have a lateral motion given to it in addition
to the rotation upon the central pivot or joint described.
My Invention is particularly applicable for use at the bedside for
supporting articles required by an invalid or other person, but may also
be used as a table, or reading desk, or easel for general purposes. It
may also be applied to a chair or sofa, in which case the stand or foot
is dispensed with, and the pillar is shortened and clamped to the chair
or sofa.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Edward Parsons North in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 18th June 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWARD
PARSONS NORTH, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Manu-
facturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of December, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the thirty-
sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Edward Parsons North, Her special
license that I, the said Edward Parsons North, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Edward Parsons
North, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN COMBINED TABLES AND READING DESKS OR EASELS,” upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Edward Parsons North,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my,
or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great
Scal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately
after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Edward Parsons North, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement thereof, that is to say :-
My Invention consists in constructing and arranging in the manner
herein-after described the parts of combined tables and reading desks or
easels. Upon the vertical pillar supporting the combined table and
reading desk or easel a horizontal arm slides, the connection of the said
arm to the pillar being effected by a tubular socket, which may be fixed

page_text: •
at any desired height by means of a set screw. Or a rod sliding in a
tubular pillar may be used. The table or desk or easel is connected to
the end of the horizontal arm by means of a pivot or joint which permits
the table, desk, or easel to rotate upon the said arm.
The position of the table, desk, or easel is fixed by a set screw. The
said combined table and desk or easel supported by the arm described
consists of a rectangular frame, within which a rectangular board or flap
is situated, one side of the said board or flap being hinged to the said
frame. When this board or flap is turned down it lies flush with the
frame described, and constitutes with the said frame a small flat table,
which may be used for supporting a tray containing food, a book, or
other article. In order to convert the small table into a reading desk or
easel the rectangular board or flap is turned upon its hinges and raised
into an inclined position, and fixed at the required angle by means of a
prop or strut at its back being engaged with a toothed rack crossing the
opening in the frame of the table. When in use the table or reading
desk or easel may be turned upon its central pivot or joint so as to bring
the tray or articles carried upon the table within reach of the person
using it, or the reading desk or easel at the desired angle with respect to
the persons using it.
The horizontal arm of the table or desk or easel may either be made in
one piece, or in two pieces jointed together by a joint which permits the
table, desk, or easel to have a lateral motion given to it in addition to
the rotation upon the central pivot or joint described.
My Invention is particularly applicable for use at the bedside for
supporting articles, required by an invalid or other person, but may also
be used as a table or reading desk or easel for general purposes.
Having explained the nature of my Invention, I will proceed to
describe, with reference to the accompanying Drawing, the manner in
which the same is to be performed.
Figures 1 and 2 represent elevations of combined tables and reading
desks or easels, the parts of which are constructed and combined
according to my Invention; Figure 3 is a plan of Figure 2; Figure 4
represents in cross section the combined table and desk or easel detached
from its supporting arm; and Figures 5 and 6 are parts of the apparatus a
detached

page_text: In Figure 1 the horizontal arm supporting the table, desk, or casel is
made in one piece; and in Figure 2 the horizontal arm is made in two
pieces to permit of the table, desk, or easel having a lateral motion
given to it.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in the several
Figures of the Drawing.
c, Figure 1, is
This arm cis
a is the tubular pillar in which the vertical rod b slides, the said rod
being fixed therein after adjustment by the set scrow a².
the horizontal arm supporting the table, desk, or casel e.
shown separately in Figure 5; the said arm c has at its ends tubular
sockets marked respectively d and d³. The socket & takes upon the rod b,
and is fixed by the set screw f. The other socket is for the purpose
of receiving the pivot g on the under side of the middle of the table (see
Figure 4). By introducing the said pivot into the socket & of the
horizontal arm c the table, desk, or easel is connected to the end of the
said arm by a joint which permits it to rotate upon the said arm.
position of the table, desk, or easel is fixed by the set screw h.
The
When in addition to the rotation of the table, desk, or easel upon the
arm c it is wished to give the said table, desk, or easel the power of
moving laterally, a supplementary arm is jointed to the principal arm c,
as illustrated in Figures 2 and 3. This supplementary arm is marked k,
and is shown separately in Figure 6; it has at one end a pivot or joint ɩ,
which engages in the socket ď³ of the arm c, and at the other end a
socket m, the said socket m receiving the pivot or joint 7 of the table,
desk, or easel. By means of the supplementary arm k the table, desk,
or easel e is capable of a lateral motion, for the purpose of adjusting its
position, and at the same time is capable of rotating on the central pivot
or joint at g. The arm k is fixed by the set screw h, and the central
pivot g is fixed by the set screw n.
The combined table or reading desk or casel is constructed as follows:
-It consists of a rectangular frame e, to which a rectangular board ‘or
flap p is hinged at q, q. When the flap p is turned down it lies flush
with the frame e, and constitutes with the said frame a small flat table.
To convert the said table into a reading desk or easel the board or flap p
5 is turned on its hinges q, q, and raised into an inclined position, as
represented in the Drawing. The said board or flap p is fixed at the

page_text: required angle by the hinged prop or strut ŕ at its back being engaged
with a toothed rack s. The bar from which the rack 8 is made is fixed
on the under side of the frame e (see Figure 4), and crosses the opening
in the said frame.
A small circular table may be used in combination with the table,
desk, or easel e, as illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, where the additional
table is marked t; the said tablet being screwed upon the top 6º of the
pillar or rod b. The said additional tablet is particularly useful for
supporting colours, pencils, an inkstand, or other articles during the use
of the table, desk, or easel e, but the said table t may be used for other
purposes. The apparatus represented in Figure 1 may also carry a small
table at b³.
My Invention may be applied to a chair or sofa, in which case the
stand or foot and tubular pillar are dispensed with, and the rod b is
shortened and clamped or otherwise fixed to the chair or sofa; and
instead of using a tubular pillar a to receive the rod b, as represented in
the Drawing, the rod 6 itself may constitute the pillar, and be connected
directly to a foot or stand. The adjustment of the height of the table,
desk, or easel is in this case effected solely by the sliding of the socket d
the now fixed rod b.
upon
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I do
not limit myself to the precise details herein described and illustrated, as
the same may be varied without departing from the nature of my Inven-
tion; but I claim as my Invention of improvements in combined tables
and reading desks or easels,-
Firstly. Connecting the table, desk, or easel to the end of the horizon-
tal arm of the apparatus by means of a pivot or joint which permits the
table, desk, or easel to rotate upon the said arm, the parts being
constructed and combined, substantially as herein-before described and
illustrated in the accompanying Drawing.
Secondly. Jointing to the horizontal arm of the apparatus an additional
or supplementary arm for permitting the table, desk, or easel to have a
lateral motion given to it, substantially as herein-before described and
illustrated in the accompanying Drawing. .

page_text: Thirdly. The construction and, arrangement, substantially as herein-
before described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawing, of the
parts of the apparatus, whereby the said apparatus may either be used
as a table or as a reading desk or easel, and the combination therewith
of a supplementary table carried by the vertical pillar or rod of the
apparatus.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Parsons North, have hereunto
set my hand and scal, this Seventeenth day of June, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.
EDWARD PARSONS NORTH. (L.S.)
10
10
Witness,
RICHARD SKERRETT,
Clerk to George Shaw,
Birmingham.