Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Sept., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 29th June, 1899-Accepted, 29th July, 1899
I, ALBERT BARKER, of 5, New Bond Street, in the County of London, Silver-
smith and Cabinet Maker, do hereby declare the nature of this inveniton to be as
follows:-
:-
The two
These improvements are intended to render portable folding tables more useful
and convenient and more extended in application. The box shaped halves of
the table have hinged flaps forming lids and I make these lids to hinge both
in the same direction that is to say the front one (or the one nearest to the person
sitting at it) is hinged to the middle or folding part, and the back one to the
further or back edge of the table; by this construction the contents of the back
half or leaf of the table are when its lid is raised as perfectly visible and accessible
as the contents of the front half when its lid is raised. Either or both of the
flaps are held in the open backwardly inclined position by hinged folding or
stop bars. The flaps are held in the closed position by suitable spring catches,
and press buttons or equivalent means are provided by preference at each side
for releasing the catches, whereupon usual flat springs under the flap serve to
raise it sufficiently to take hold underneath it to turn it quite up.
box shaped halves of the table are adapted to contain various articles, and I
prefer to form each half with a well, one of them, say the nearest one may ter-
minate in a bag for ladies work. The other one may be fitted with stationary
and the like. The whole table may conveniently in the open position serve as
a card table, writing table, and work table or for other single or combined uses.
One half of the table may be adapted to receive sketching panels and to act as
The legs are hinged to the underside of the table halves
and crossed or otherwise to fold in any convenient manner. In order
to firmly lock the two table halves automatically when put into the open
position I provide one half underneath with arms having end catches and the
other half with locking devices to receive the catches, a push rod being arranged
on each side of the table to release the catches when the table is to be folded.
These parts may be similar to those described in my patent Specification 23575
of 1896. When applied to a bed table short legs crossing each other are hinged
thereto, or the legs may be hinged thereto so as to fold along the front and back
and to lock automatically in the extended position by means of arms and locking
devices such for instance as just described, push rods being provided for releasing
the catches.
an easel.
September
JENSEN & SON.
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Patent Agents.

page_text: Improvements in Portable Folding Tables,
I, ALBERT BARKER, of 5, New Bond Street, in the County of London, Silver-
smith and Cabinet Maker, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed to, be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:
These improvements are intended to render portable folding tables more useful
and convenient and more extended in application.
Figs. 1 to 4 are perspective views of one-form of folding table constructed
according to my invention, Fig. 1 showing it as a ladies work table and writing
table in the open position, Fig. 2 as a writing table ready for use, Fig: 3 in, the
closed position, and Fig. 4 as a card or tea table-open,
in
'
Figs. 1 and 1" are perspective views showing inodified arrangements of the
lids.
The box shaped halves A A¹ of the table have hinged flaps B B which fo
form
lids. These lids I make to hinge both in the same direction,, as most clearly
shown in Fig. 1 in their open position, that is to say the front one B (or the
one nearest to the person sitting at it) is hinged to the "middle or folding part
of the table, and the back one B is hinged to the further or back edge of the
table half A; by this construction the contents of the back half or leaf A¹ of
the table are when its lid B is raised, as perfectly visible and accessible as the
contents of the front half A when its lid is raised. Either or both of the
flaps BB are held in the open backwardly inclined position by hinged folding
bars C or other stop bars. The flaps are held in the closed position by suitable
spring catches and press buttons I) or equivalent means are provided by prefer-
ence at each side, for releasing the catches and usual flat springs may be provided
under the flap to raise it sufficient to take hold underneath it to turn it quite
up. The two box shaped halves A A of the table are adapted to contain various
articles, and I prefer to form each half with a well E as shown, one of them,
say the nearest one may as shown terminate in a bag F for ladies work. The
other one may be fitted with stationery or the like. The whole table may con-
veniently as shown in Fig. 4 in the open position serve as a card table, writing
table, and work table, or for other single or combined uses. One half of the
table may be adapted to receive sketching panels on the lid, or an easel or the
lid may form the easel and be extensible or made to fold. The legs G are hinged
to the underside of the table halves and crossed as shown, or otherwise arranged,
but so as to fold in any convenient. manner. In order to firmly lock the two
table halves automatically when put into. the open position I provide one half
with arms H having end catches and the other half. with locking devices to
receive the catches, a push rod I being arranged on each side of the table to
release the catches when the table is to be folded; these parts may be similar to
those described in my patent Specification 23575 of 1896. A spring catch is
provided for locking the two halves in the folded position and a push button K
for releasing. I fix the said arms H to the back half of the table so that the
releasing button K comes on the front half where it is readily accessible. I make
the back half of the table with a well. E which forms a background to the arms H
so that the latter are less. prominent to the view. The front half of the table
may also have a well. When my, invention is applied to a bed table, short legs
crossing each other are hinged thereto, or as shown in Fig. 5 which is a plan of
underside of table top, legs G may be hinged thereto so as to fold along the front
and back and to lock in that position, and to lock automatically in the extended
position, by the use of snap joint hinges, or by means of arms and locking devices

page_text: as described in my aforesaid specification push buttons or rods being provided
for releasing the catches.
In Fig. the lids are hinged one on one side and the other on the opposite
side of the table and in Fig. 1" the lids are hinged both on the same side. In
both cases the aforesaid object of my invention is in these ways obtained viz.
that the whole contents of the table interior are visible and accessible at the
same time. .
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 portable folding table made in two halves hinged together, one or both
being provided with wells, and provided with a spring catch for holding the
table in the closed position, with push button or equivalent means for releasing
the catches, so that the table may be turned into the open position, with spring
catches for holding the table in the open position, with a push button or equiva-
lent means at each side of the table for releasing the said catches, and with hinged
lids for the two halves, said lids being hinged in such manner that the contents
of the two halves of the table are simultaneously visible and accessible, sub-
stantially as set forth.
2. The construction of portable folding table as shown on the drawing.
Dated this 29th day of June 1899.
99.
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Patent Agents.