Combined Table and Reading Desk.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Feb., 1899
Combined Table and Reading Desk.
KIRLEW BROTHERS LIMITED, of Eclipse Works, near Walsall, Engineers, and
RICHARD LEOPOLD KIRLEW, of 48, Torrington Square, London, W.C., Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The pillar, extended foot and bar are made from metal tubing. The foot rest at
base of pillar may be of tubing or if needed heavier for steadying purposes be
of cast metal or tubing filled with lead. To the pillar we attach a sliding bar
by means of a collar with thumb screw which can be fixed at any required height.
To the bar we attach a table in such a manner that it can be fixed at any angle.
At the edges of said table we fix a beading on each side on small movable
catches to be turned at right angles when used as a reading desk. Underneath
the collar of the bar carrying the table we place another loose collar with
thumb screw,
which if desired can be fixed & the top one left loose in order
that the arm with the table may be slewed round out of the way without the
removal of the stand. A stop is placed on the collars to prevent the table being
slewed round too far. The extended feet are so arranged as to avoid the possi-
bility of the table overbalancing & for the and for the purpose of easy removal
may be on castors.
The top of the pillar is finished off by a screwed terminal, which can be
removed at will and replaced by a lamp specially designed with a screwed socket
or tail piece.
י
1000
Combined Table and Reading Desk.
We, KIRLEW BROTHERS LIMITED, of Eclipse Works, near Walsall, Engineers,
and RICHARD LEOPOLD KIRLEW, of 48, Torrington Square, London, W.C.,
Engineer, 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:
This invention relates to an improved combined table and reading desk and
will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings in which:-
Fig. 1, is a front elevation, and Figs. 2 and 3 are elevations of respectively

page_text: opposite ends of one of the said improved devices, the table being shown in
a different position in each of the figures. Fig. 4, is a plan of the foot or base.
Like letters of reference indicate like parts throughout the drawings.
In carrying our invention into practice we secure the lower end of a tubular
pillar A to a foot or base B formed partly of a tubular T portion having cas-
tors b at the outer ends of the arms b¹, and partly of a preferably cast metal
tripod the whole being so arranged and of such size as to provide a suitably
rigid support for the device and one not liable to admit of the table being
readily overbalanced while, at the same time, the castors b admit of the device
being easily moved from place to place. To increase the stability of the sup-
port the tubular foot or base B may if desired be filled with lead.
To the pillar A a preferably tubular horizontal bar or arm C is adjustably
secured by means of a split collar or sleeve c having a thumb-screw c¹ by which
the said collar or sleeve c, and consequently the bar or arm C, may be secured
in any desired position of adjustment. On the bar or arm C, by means of two
brackets d, we secure a table D, pinching screws in the brackets & enabling
the said table to be secured on the bar or arm C at any desired angle or in any
desired position of adjustment; as examples of such adjustment we have shown
the table D in Fig. 1, in a vertical position, in Fig. 2, in a horizontal position,
wherein it may be used as an ordinary table and in Fig. 3, in an inclined posi-
tion that is to say as arranged as a reading desk. To the side or longer edges
of the table D we may secure beading or provide small pivotted catches (such as
are used in music desks or stands) so as to enable a book or the like to be sup-
ported when the apparatus is being used as a reading desk, or, as shown in the
drawings, we may, for this purpose provide catches E each of which is capable
of being turned into two different positions in one of which (the inoperative
position) as shown at the upper part of Fig. 1, the said catch is wholly below
the table, and in the other or operative position, a horizontal portion e, of the
said catch projects beyond and above the edge of the table D as shown at the
lower part of the said table in Figs. 1 and 3 so as to form a suitable support for
a book or the like. The two catches E are held in either of their positions by
a spring F which bears on the cranked ends e¹ of the said catches.
Immediately beneath the collar or sleeve c of the horizontal bar or arm C,
we may provide a split collar or sleeve G having a thumb-screw g by means of
which the said collar or sleeve G may be secured in any desired position on the
pillar A. When the collar or sleeve G is provided as last mentioned the collar
or sleeve c may be left loose on the pillar A so as to enable the table D to be
slewed round out of the way of the user without disturbing the stand, and to
prevent the table from being slewed round so far as to cause it to overbalance
we prefer to provide the collars or sleeves c and G with stops 2 and g¹ which
will prevent the table being slewed round beyond the limits of safety.
The top of the pillar A as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, may have fixed thereon an
ornamental terminal or finial a of not greater diameter than the pillar so as
to enable a lamp H provided with a socket h and thumb-screw h¹ to be readily
mounted on the pillar A as shown in Fig. 3. The lamp when not in use on
the pillar A as last described may be used as an ordinary table lamp by fitting
it into a stand adapted for such purposes.
By constructing the foot or base B so that it projects mostly from one side
of the pillar A as shown particularly in Fig. 1 and 4 the table is rendered
especially serviceable for invalids as it admits of the said foot or base being
pushed beneath a bed or couch while the table A extends over it to suit the con-
venience of the invalids.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said in-
vention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:-
1. In a combined table and reading dosk the combination with
11

page_text: and a bar or arm carrying the table or reading desk, adjustable thereon, of a
stop device such as the collar or sleeve G adjustable on the pillar, for limiting
the movement of the said bar or arm on the pillar substantially as herein before
described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
2. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the combined
table and reading desk substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated
in the accompanying drawings.