Improvements in and relating to Combined Tables and Desks.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Nov, 1888
Complete Specification Left, 7th Aug., 1889-Accepted, 21st Sept., 1839
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Combined Tables and Desks.
I, JOHN ROBERTSON, of Reiziehill, Airdrie, Lanarkshire, Joiner, do hereby declare
the nature of my invention to be as follows:-
This Invention has reference to and comprises a new or improved construction, or
arrangement and combination of the parts of a combined convertible table and desk,
suitable as a portable flat table for playing games on, and other general useful
purposes, and capable of being easily converted into an angled duplex desk for
reading or writing.
According to one simple construction, the new or improved combined table and
desk, would consist of two longitudinal rectangular boxes or cases, each fitted with
drawers for holding papor, pens, and other utensils. These box or caso parts would
be placed parallel some distance apart, and have covers or thin flat boards hinged at
their outer longitudinal edges, and these boards would be hinged to each other at
the centre, so that when folded down flat, with the case or box parts at their outer
travel, the top covers would form a horizontal or flat table; but when the case parts
are moved towards each other, as will hereinafter be described, the top cover parts
will be folded up on their hinges at an angle, and thus the table will be converted
into an angled or roof-shaped duplex desk. The whole would be supported on four
legs, preferably placed diagonally in pairs at each end, hinged to the under surface of
the box parts, with a longitudinal horizontal rod connecting the pairs where the legs
cross each other, and preferably having rollers or casters on the bottom of the legs
for moving the table about. The mechanism for operating and converting the table
into a desk, and vice versa, would under one arrangement consist of a transverse
horizontal screwed spindle working through screwed eyes or bracket bearings
secured to the centre of the under surface of the box parts, so that when the screw
is turned by a handle these box parts are screwed to their inmost position towards
each other, and the top cover parts would then fold up on their hinges and form a
roof or angled shaped duplex desk for reading or writing purposes; and vice versa
when the screw was turned by the handle in the opposite direction the box parts
would travel parallelly out from each other, and the cover parts would then fold
down on their hinges to rest on the box parts and thus form the top of the flat table.
A central transverse slide would preferably be fitted on the upper surface of one of
the longitudinal box parts, and extend over and travel in guides in the other box
part, so as to steady those parts when moving from the one position to the other.
Under another arrangement of my combined table and desk, the box parts
would be made stationary, and the hinged cover parts would be raised to form the
roof shaped or angled duplex desk, by means of a vertical screwed spindle working
through screwed eyes or guide brackets in the centre, so that when turned by a hand
wheel this spindle would move the cover parts upwards, to form the desk part; and
when the vertical spindle was turned in the opposite direction, the cover parts would
be moved downwards to rest on the box parts and form the flat table.
Under another arrangement of my improvements, the box or drawer part would be
made in one piece, with hinged cover parts on top, and hinged or secured at the one
end to the side of the drawer part, and having the other end or hinged part sliding
in guides on the box part, so as to slide out and fold down when to be used as a
table, and slide in and move upwards with the centre hinges, to form the roof or
angled shaped duplex desk, the slides being retained in this position by pinching
screws or other securing device.
ADA

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Combined Tables and Desks.
I, JOHN ROBERTSON, of Reiziehill, Airdrie, Lanarkshire, Joiner, do hereby declare
the nature of my invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed to
be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement in
writing, reference being had to the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
This Invention has reference to and comprises a new or improved construction, or
arrangement and combination of the parts, of a combined convertible table and desk,
suitable as a portable flat table for playing games on, and othor general useful
purposes, and capable of being easily converted into an angled duplex desk for reading
or writing.
And in order that my said Invention and the manner of performing or carrying
the same into effect or practice may be properly understood, I have hereunto
appended an explanatory Sheet of Drawings in which the same reference letters are
used to indicato corresponding parts in all the figures where shown.
Figures 1 and 2 are an end elevation and transverse section respectively of one
simple arrangement of combined table and desk constructed in accordance with my
improvements, Figure 2 showing the table as raised in the desk form. Figure 3 is
a perspective view of this arrangement corresponding to Figure 2 but to a smaller
scale. Figure 4 is a detail section of the transverse slide 6, 6, and screw brackets("
for actuating the top folding table part. Figures 5, and 6, are an end elevation
and transverse section respectively of another arrangement of combined table and
desk constructed in accordance with my improvements, Figure 6 showing the top
of the table raised to the desk form. And Figure 7 is a perspective view of this
latter arrangement corresponding to Figure 6.
Referring first to the latter arrangement and Figures 5 to 7, according to this
simple construction, the new or improved combined table and desk consists of two
longitudinal rectangular boxes or cases A, A², which may be each fitted with drawers
opening from the sides at A" for holding paper, pens, and other utensils. These
box or case parts A, A1, are placed longitudinally parallel to each other some
distance apart when the table is to be used in the flat form as shown at A2 Figure 5,
and have covers or thin flat boards A³, A, screwed to the outer longitudinal edges
of these boxes by hinges a preferably near the ends, and these boards A', A¹¹, are
hinged to each other at the centre joint, by like hinges a' over the space A³ between
the boxes A, A1, so that when folded down flat, with the case or box parts A, A',
at their outer travel, the top covers A A¹¹¹ form a horizontal or flat table; but
when the case parts A, A¹, are moved towards each other, as shown in Figures 6
and 7, and as will hereinafter be described, the top cover parts A³, Al, will be
folded up on their hingos a, a' at an angle, and thus the table will be converted into
an angled or roof-shaped duplex desk, as seen particularly in these two latter
Figures. In this arrangement the whole parts are supported on four legs B, pre-
ferably placed diagonally in pairs at each end, and secured at top to the under
outer surface of the box parts A¹, A, by hinges b, with a longitudinal horizontal
stay B' connecting the pairs B, where the legs cross each other and oscillate on the
ends of this cross stay B¹, formed as or with metal screw pins at B" for this
purpose, and preferably having rollers or castors fitted on their lower ends or feet
at B, for moving the table on. As in other desks, fixed or portable strips at A*
may be secured along the lower edges of the top parts A³, A for holding books
or papers on these when in the angular position. The mechanism for operating and
converting the table into a desk, and vice versa, under one arrangement consists of
a transverse horizontal screwed spindle C, working through a screwed eye C¹, and
bracket boarings C, C, the two former ("C" being secured near the centre of the
under surface of the box parts A', A, the head of the screw C projecting outwards
through the journal bearing bracket C near the outer edge of the box top A, with a
square head so that when the screw spindle C is turned by a handle C³ inserted on

page_text: the square head, these box parts A, A¹ are screwed from their outer to their inmost
position towards each other, as indicated respectively in Figures 5 and 6, and the top
cover parts A³ A would then fold up on their hinges a, a, and form a roof or angled
shaped duplex desk for reading or writing purposes, as shown in Figures 6 and 7,
this screw arrangement enabling the desk to be raised and retained at any angle
desired as shown dotted in Figure 6; and vice versa when the screw spindle C was
turned by the handle in the opposite direction, the box parts A, A¹, would travel
parallelly out from each other, and the cover parts A³, A1, would then fold down
on their hinges to rest on the top of the box parts A A¹ and thus form the top of the
flat table, as shown in Figure 5. A central transverse slide 6', analogous to that
shown in Figure 4, might be fitted on the upper surface of one of the longitudinal
box parts A or A' and extend over and travel in guides or a slotted recess 6 in the
other box part, so as to steady these parts when moving from the one position to
the other, although this is not absolutely necessary, as the spindle C maintains these
box parts A, A, parallel in line while oscillating on their cross legs B, B. In this
arrangement the table is raised a few inches while being transformed from the flat
table to the desk form.
Referring to Figures 1 to 4, under this arrangement of my combined table and
desk, the box part is made stationary in the form of one box or frame A with fixed
legs A at the corners and with drawers A" either on one or both sides, and the
hinged cover parts A³ A" would be raised to form the roof-shaped or angled duplex
desk by their hinges a travelling inwards on slides 61, 61, working in groove guides b²
as seen particularly in Figures 2 and 4, and dotted-in in Figure 1, these slides being
drawn inwards by a right and left handed screw C, working through screwed
brackets C², C", secured to the slides 63, 6", and turned by a handle C³, as shown
dotted-in in Figure 2, either to raise the top A³ A¹¹¹, to the position shown in this
Figure, or lower it to the position shown in Figure 1. The screw C in this arrange-
ment is also susceptible of raising the table part A A¹¹ to any desired angle and
retaining it there as dotted in in Figure 6. In this arrangement curved brackets b³
are preferably secured on the under outer ends of these tops A³, All, working on
rollers secured on studs on the ends of the frame A at A11 to assist in raising
the top A³, A, at the first starting of the screw C for that purpose, and a small
folding handle & might be fitted near the centre joint part a' for assisting to start
the raising of the leaves A³ A111. Instead of this scrow C being placed horizontally
it may be arranged vertically in the centre as dotted-in in Figure 2 to raise and
lower the top cover parts A³ A".
Under another arrangement of my improvements the box or drawer part A
would be made in one piece, with hinged cover parts A³, A¹¹¹, on top, and hinged
and secured stationary at the one edge to the side of the frame or drawer part A,
and having the hinges a of the other edge or movable part sliding in guides as 61, 63,
on the box part A, which slides might be actuated by the screw C, as described, or
by hand without a screw, so as to slide out and fold down when to be used as a
table, and slide in and move upwards with the centre hinges a¹ to form the roof
or angled shaped duplex desk, the slides 61, 63, being retained in this position by
pinching screws or other securing device.
As shown in perspective elevation in Figure 3A, the top of this form of table
shown in Figures 1 to 3, might be made as office desks are made with level parts A*
at each end of the desk, and only the centre parts A³, A", hinged to fold up and
be traversed by the screw C otherwise substantially as described in reference to
Figures 1 to 4, except that the outer ends of the raising desk top parts A³, A,
might be made with pivot pieces to slide in grooves at a on the inner edges of
these flat table parts A.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
At The nonatruation AN ANNE ZAment and combination of the parts of the frames.

page_text: and tops of tables fitted so as to be transformed into an angled desk substantially as
and operated in the manner herein described, in reference to and shown in the
accompanying Drawings.
Second. A combined table and desk comprising a lower duplex box fraine
part A, A¹ which when moved inwards raises an upper duplex cover part AA,
hinged along the edges and centre, into the form of an angled desk, and vice versa
when moved outwards lowers the upper hinged cover part A' All to form a flat
table, the parts being actuated by a transverse screw or other equivalent substantially
as herein described, in reference to and shown in Figures 5 to 7 of the accompanying
Drawings.
Third. A combined table and desk, comprising a lower stationary frame part, and
an upper movable part hinged at one, or both sides, and in the centre, and which
when placed horizontal forms a flat table, but when moved upwards forms an angled
desk part, and actuated by a screw or other equivalent substantially as herein
described, in reference to and shown in the accompanying Drawings.
Dated the Sixth Avanst. 1889
W. R. M. THOMSON & Co.,
96, Buchanan Street, Glasgow, Agents.