IMPROVEMENTS IN CONVERTIBLE SCHOOL DESKS AND SEATS
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Eyre, of Codnor, in the County of Derby,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CONVERTIBLE SCHOOL DESKS
AND SEATS."
Sealed the 22nd May 1874, and dated the 13th January 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Eyre at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
13th January-1874.
I, GEORGE EYRE, of Codnor, in the County of Derby, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN CON-
VERTIBLE SCHOOL DESKS AND SEATS," to be as follows:-
:-
The object of my Invention is to enable school desks to be readily
converted into backed seats, to face in either direction when used at
lectures or in other cases, where the sitters require to face in the same
direction.
In convertible school desks, as hitherto constructed, the desk top has
usually been combined with the bench to form a single backed seat, but
by the improvement of my Invention I obtain double the amount of

page_text: sitting accommodation with great simplicity of construction; each desk
and its bench forming two backed seats instead of one only.
According to my Invention the desk top is carried on brackets pivoted
to the end standards, so that the desk top when reversed or turned down
on its centres will hang at the proper height to form the seat. A frame
is provided to serve as a back to the seat, and which is pivoted so as to
incline either way, according to the direction the sitters are to face. This
swinging frame or back is so connected to a latch or bolt, or similar
fastening, as to operate the same when the desk top is reversed to form
a seat, and the back frame is inclined in its proper position, the bolt
or fastening being caused to lock the seat securely in position. Similarly
when turned up to form a desk the swinging frame, which will then
hang beneath the desk, will shoot the bolt or fastening and fix the desk
top immediately it attains its proper position. The bench upon which
the persons using the desk sit is also provided with a swinging back,
pivoted thereto, so as to face in either direction in order to give sufficient
space between the desk and bench; when used as backed seats the bench
is made movable along the floor on rails or otherwise, and to enable
the same to be moved in, a parallel direction by one person pushing it
at one end only I provide pinions on the seat standards taking into racks :
on the floor (or vice versa), one near the foot of each end standard, the two
pinions being keyed on a shaft running from one end of the seat to the
other, so that motion imparted to either pinion by pushing the seat at
one end will be conveyed to the other end; the whole seat moving in
the same way that a parallel ruler moves upon its runners.
The bench
may also be mounted on bowls or fitted to move in dovetail grooves.
Owing to the simplicity of my Invention a large school room con-
taining a great number of desks may in a few minutes be adapted for
the reception of a large assemblage.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of January, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the
thirty-seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said George Eyre, .Her special
licence that I, the said George Eyre, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said George Eyre, my executors admini-
strators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times thereafter 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 CONVERTIBLE
SCHOOL DESKS AND SEATS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said George Eyre, 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 Seal Patent Office within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George Eyre, 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, reference being had to the two accompanying
Sheets of Drawings; and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that
is to say) :-
The object of my Invention is to enable-school desks to be readily
converted into backed seats for the accommodation of an assemblage
for the purposes of devotion, instruction, or amusement, or in other
cases where it is required that the sitters should all face in the same
direction.
In convertible school desks, as hitherto constructed, each desk top
has usually been adapted to serve as a back to its bench, the desk and
bench thus forming together but one backed seat; whereas by my
Invention I am enabled to afford double this amount of sitting accom-
modation, since each desk top is adapted to form a backed seat complete
in itself and independently of its bench, which forms a second backed
seat; both being moreover adapted to face in either direction, as
required.

page_text: In order that my Invention may be more readily understood I have
illustrated it in the accompanying Drawings, in which,―
Figure 1 shows an end clevation of the desk and bench adapted for
writing purposes; Figure 2 shows in back elevation one end of the
desk; Figure 3 is a vertical section on line 1, 2, Figure 1, of the bench
standard, showing details. In Figure 1 I have also shown in red lines
the bench and desk, as converted into two backed seats, facing towards
the left.
A is the desk top, carried at each end on a bracket or casting B,
constructed as shown, and pivoted to the upright or standard C in
such manner that the desk top when reversed or turned down on its
centres will hang at the proper height to form the seat, as shown in
red lines, Figure 1. For this purpose the bracket B is provided with a
slot D working on a stud E cast on the standard C, the whole being
secured by a screw bolt and washer F, as seen in Figure 2. The
standard C is preferably cast with a circular flange G, within which the
bracket B rotates; the said flange having recesses H at the lower part,
in which engage corresponding lugs or projections on the bracket B
in order to maintain the desk top A in whichever position it may be
placed. Thus when used as a desk or table an extension B¹ of the
bracket B takes into one or other of the recesses, as shown in black
lines, Figure 1, whilst when used as a seat two lugs K engage therein
and maintain the seat firmly in position, as shown in red lines; the
slot D being made of just sufficient length to allow the bracket B to
be raised sufficiently to disengage it from the recesses H. I do not how-
ever confine myself to this method of fixing the top or seat A. in position,
for other means may be adapted for the purpose.
L is a swinging frame forming a back to A, when used as a seat,
being pivoted thereto at M, so as to incline either way according to the
direction the sitters are to face. The end swinging frames or uprights L
are cast or provided with extensions or arms L', which serve, those on
the one side to support the back at the proper inclination, as shown,
whilst those on the other side serve as arm rests for the sitters, or
vice versa, according to the direction in which the back is inclined.
When the top A is turned up to form a desk the frame L will hang
down, as shown in Figure 2.
N is the bench on which to sit when using A as a desk. It is
similarly provided with a swinging back O jointed at O¹ to the seat N,

page_text: Having described the nature of the Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to
be protected by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
1st. Mounting the desk A so as to be reversible, to serve as a benchi
or seat, substantially as herein shown and described.
2nd. The combination with the reversible desk A of a swinging
frame L, to form a back to the same when used as a seat, substantially
as described.
5
3rd. The employment in combination with the movable bench N
of the mechanism herein described for ensuring the parallel motion of 1
the bench, substantially as herein shown and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Eyre, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Tenth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four.
TYDE
GEORGE EYRE. (L.S.)