Improvements in Extension Tables.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Dec., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 1st Sept., 1893-Accepted, 28th Oct., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Extension Tables.
1, FRIEDRICH WOLTER of Helmstedt in the Province of Brunswick in the
Empire of Germany, Joiner, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
In all extension tables which have been invented up to the present, the sliding
arms to which the extending leaves are attached, and by which they are slid
backwards and forwards, are placed one beside the other.
In my improved table I lay the sliding arms one over another which ensures a
much simpler construction than the old side grooves belonging to the method above
mentioned.
My improvement allows the table to be extended with one effort to its utmost
capacity, for, by my system when drawing out the lowest leaf on which the others
are lying, the upper leaves will be left behind one after another, as soon as they
have reached their proper position in connection with the leaf behind them.
The upper leaves of my extension table are drawn out with the under leaf and
remain piled one over another until one by one the topmost leaf reaches its position
on a level with the table proper, when it stops and allows the next under leaf to be:
drawn out in a similar manner and so repeat the process until all are on one plane.
In order to facilitate this action, I have contrived a peculiar balancing hook or
catch which holds the leaves together while being drawn out, and automatically
releases them directly the moment comes when the upper leaf has reached its
position and must stop while the leaves below have to slide out from underneath it.
This contrivance consists of an oblong or nearly oblong piece of metal pivoted in
the middle and having on the front end a hook or catch which engages with the
rear end of the leaf which it is its duty to hold until the leaf above it is in position.
As soon as one leaf is in position the leaf following the same, which had become
tilted at one end by the action of the next leaf sliding from underneath it, falls into
the horizontal plane again, and falling strikes the rear end of my catch, whereby
the hook in the front end of the catch is elevated and disengaged from the under
leaf and the latter slides forward into its position.
This catch pivoted to a guide, the lower end of which is firmly attached to the
lowest sliding arm, while the upper end is turned so as to embrace the sliding arm
above, and guide it surely and evenly backwards and forwards.
Another improvement which gives my table considerable advantage over other
tables is the arrangement which allows the extra supporting twin legs to lower or
raise themselves automatically as the extension leaves are drawn out or pushed in.
This is contrived by means of a horizontal inwardly projecting arm or bar
attached to the underside of the lowest and therefore when drawn out, the outermost
leaf.
The extra legs which hinge on the inside of the end cross bar of the sliding arms
supporting the lowest and outermost leaf, have in the middle of their cross
connecting bar, a broad piece of metal curving upwards, against which the said
inwardly projecting bar strikes when the leaves are pushed together.
On the said bar striking this curved plate the legs are lifted up until they lie
against and parallel with the underside of the leaf underneath, and remain so until
the table is pulled out again, when the pressure from the bar on the plate is with-
drawn and the legs fall into their vertical position.
As it has been found necessary to provide a support for the legs when in their
vertical position, in order to keep them from slipping backwards or forwards,
I have arranged a broad strong wooden hook or bar with a downward pointed nose,

page_text: which is attached to the underside of the last and outermost leaf, and projects
inwardly beyond it, so that when the table is fully extended, the downward
projecting hook is pulled forward, and presses the connecting bar between the two
legs firmly against the cross beam at the end of the sliding arm, to the inside of
which the legs are hung, as before-mentioned, and thus holds it tight and immovable
so long as the table is fully extended.
Dated this 6th day of December 1892 ··
S. S. BROMHEAD,
97, Newgate Street, London, E.C., Agent for Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Extension Tables.
FRIEDRICH WOLTER of Helmstedt in the Province of Brunswick in the Empire
of Germany, Joiner, 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 extension tables wherein the slides supporting the
extension-plates are placed vertically above each other and arranged to guide each
other reciprocally.
Hooks are provided in a peculiar manner for drawing along the upper plate,
when the lower plate is pulled out, which hooks engage in the plates and are.
secured to the slides, while they are disengaged by the weight of the respective
plate, when drawn out. Hinged supplementary legs, secured to one plate, serve to
support the same in extended position, by falling automatically under the plate;
by pushing the table together these legs return automatically into their raised
position.
In the accompanying drawings one of my tables is shown, having two extension
plates on each side, and
Figure 1 shows a vertical longitudinal section, the plates being drawn out at the
right hand side, and in position under the main plate at the left.
Fig. 2 is the top view on Fig. 1, the plates being taken off, and only indicated in
outlines by dotted lines.
Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section on the line x-y Fig. 1.
Fig. 4 represents the slides, the plates and legs in the extended position.
Fig. 5 is a similar sectional view, the parts being only partly extended.
Figs. 6 and 7 represent the coupling hook in two views.
قانون
A is the main plate of the table, which is not extensible but can move slightly
up and down, being guided by tenons a' of its cross bar a (Fig. 1) in holes a² (Fig. 2)
of the cross-piece c, being a part of the frame C of the table. A and A2 are
extension plates on both sides; A' is connected with the lower slide B by means of
a strap, bent of flat iron a³ (Figs. 6 and 7) and A2 is secured on slide B₁ by means
of screws, nails, glue or in any other way.
The slide B has in the rear an upturned end b (Figs. 4 & 5) which abuts against
and under the cross-piece c when the table is extended, so that the slide is prevented
from tilting over. The slide B is provided besides with a cleat 6 (Fig. 4) passing
under a plate of sheet-metal c' secured to the cross-rail c² of the frame C when
plate A is drawn out to full extent. To the front end 62 of slide B the legs D are
hinged at 3, carrying the laterally projecting arm d. The strap a³ supports the
hook which is pivoted on a pin c³ riveted into said strap, (Fig. 7). The upper
slide B' rests on B and is prevented from running out any farther, when plate A² is
drawn out to full length, by pins (Figs. 4 & 5), projecting laterally from B
which engage in notches 6 of metal-plates fastened to slide B (Fig. 4). In this.
position the ends of slide B' are still under the straps a³, while pins are in the
notches, thus B' is prevented from tilting... The drawings show that the slides.
7

page_text: are arranged in an inclined position, and consequently make a rising motion, when
they are drawn out. Slide B' carries moreover an arm e with finger el which abuts
against the cross rail d' of the legs D and maintains. them in vertical position,
(Fig. 4).
The strap a³ is worked out at its top into a flat plate a', which is fastened to the
edge of plate A by screws, (Fig. 6) the opposite edge of A¹ rests loosely on
slide B' in the fully extended position (Fig. 4).
In the plate A2 a small space as is provided in its rear edge, directly behind the
plates a, so that hook et can enter with its front end, (being heavier than its back
end) thus catching behind said plate, (Fig. 7). The plate A is provided at its
outer edge with a handle a' or suitable means to be grasped for extending the table.
The border of the table a³, uniting the two slide bars B carries an arm a³, which
strikes against the arm d when A is pushed inwardly. When a table should have
more than two extension plates, the mechanism of the hook c is to be repeated
correspondling, in order to couple the extension plates with the slides.
The mode of operation of the described table is the following: The handle a' of
plate A is taken on a forward pull exerted on the plate, so as to move it outwardly
with the slide B. The traction on A will be transferred also on hook c* being
engaged by its heavier end in the plate A2 which consequently will follow the
outward pull, and will draw along the strap a³ and slide B, being in rigid connection
with the same. The inclined position of the slides produces a certain rise of the
main table plate A, while the extension is effected. As soon as plate A' has passed
from under the main plate, the latter is free to descend and falls with its whole weight
upon the rear ends of hook c, so as to disengage its front end from the plate a in
the extension plate A2, and thus liberating the latter. At the same time b' has
come under (Fig. 4) thereby arresting the slide B. Now the plate A' and
slide B' alone will be able to move on, and the arms a' and d will part from each
other, so that the legs are free to go down by their weight and swing around
the hinges 63 into a vertical position. Finally the finger e strikes against the
cross rail d' of the legs D pressing it against the cross rail, thereby securing
their vertical position. At this time the table is drawn out to its full length
(Fig. 4) and the pins have reached the notches 6 thus limiting any further
outward pull of the plate A and slide B'. The described operation is repeated in
the same way at the other end of the table. In order to push the table together
again, plate A2 is pushed inward after having lifted the outer edge of plate A¹.
The slide B' in following the inward motion, strikes with its arm a³ against the
arm d of the legs, which have been set free by the back motion of finger e'. The
legs are thus swung back on their hinges into horizontal position and maintained in
the same as shown on left side of Fig. 1. When A has been fully returned
under A', the main plate A is lifted a little and both extension plates with the
slides are pushed under it into the original position. By lifting up the plate A. the
hook c is allowed to catch again behind the plate 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 :
1. The combination with the frame of a table, of legs hinged thereto, an arm d
connected to said legs, an arm a attached to the outer extension plate and engaging
said arm d substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
2. The combination with the frame of a table, of slides B B', plates A' A³, the
support a attached to slide B, a hook c mounted on said support, a catch on
plate A engaging said hook supporting legs for said plates and means for auto-
matically raising and lowering said legs as the plates are drawn or closed,
substantially as set forth.
3. The combination with the frame guides and top plates of a table, of legs
hinged to said frame an arme attached to one of the top plates, a finger el mounted
on said arm, a cross tie d¹ which said finger engages to force said legs into a vertical

page_text: position an arm a³ attached to the outer extension plate and an arm d mounted on
cross tie d¹ and engaged by arm a to lift the legs when the plates are being closed,
substantially as set forth.
4. The combination with the frame and top plates of a table, of slides B B¹
arranged one above the other, a support a³ attached to the former and guiding the
latter, slide legs for supporting said top plates and means for automatically raising
and lowering said legs as the plates are drawn or closed, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 1st day of September 1893.
S. S. BROMHEAD,
97, Newgate Street, E.C., Agent for Applicant.