IMPROVEMENTS IN ADJUSTABLE SCHOOL DESKS AND SEATS OR FORMS
Year: 1884

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
I ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of the said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN ADJUSTABLE SCHOOL DESKS AND SEATS OR FORMS," (a communication from
Johannes Pedersen of Copenhagen in the Kingdom of Denmark) to be as follows:-
་
Hygiene nowadays requires that the height of the seat in a "form" for schools
above the footstool and the position of the back shall be adapted to the height or
Bize of the pupil, in the same way the height of the desk or table must also be
adjustable. Hitherto however a simple and inexpensive construction for largo
schools and answering the above mentioned requirements whilst affording room
for a greater or less number of seats has been wanting.
The constructions hitherto used have fulfilled some of the conditions but none
has answered all requirements and more especially none of these constructions
assures the correct distance of the seat-back from the desk under varying adjust-
ment. They moreover suffer from other disadvantages rendering the same
unsuitable for use in large schools partly because each " form" only affords one
or at most two seats partly because they are too expensive and complicated so
that their adjustment requires some time inasmuch as each separate part has
to be released adjusted and fixed again by screws, pins hooks or the like which
operations the children can hardly carry out themselves.
These difficulties are obviated by the construction hereinafter described.
In a bench or form which, with the exception of the seat and back is entirely
of iron, the seat is fixed on a chair or frame which in front rests upon step-like
supports of a fixed base and at the back is supported by a bolt in the recesses of the
seat back. There are four "steps" and four recesses so that the seat can be placed
at four different levels to each of which a certain position of the back corresponds
as the hole moving in a slot of the back, compells the back to swing round a pivot.
When the seat is placed at a higher level the back is compelled by the shape of the
fixed base to approach the desk. Suitable adjustment of the back as well as the
obtention of what is termed the "minus-distance" (viz the position of the desk
front below the level of the rear of the desk) is thus automatically obtained the

page_text: entire adjustment being obtained by bringing the seat to a higher or lower step.
For the footrest corresponding steps are provided in the base. A "form" made of
wood with the exception of the back has the seat fixed on a sliding oblique support
which is guided by a spring on the rigid base; at the back it is carried when in-
one position by the rigid base in the other positions by a pin which takes into
recesses of the back which turns round a pivot.
A portion
A hanging bracket is placed under the top of the desk or table.
turns round a pin and a slot into which takes a projection of the bracket.
The bottom of the slot serves as a stop when the reading desk is raised up.
By thus mounting the reading desk its presence is not at all noticeable on the
top plate nor is there any hole or recess to be seen which could tempt children to
cut into the plate or otherwise to damage it.
The above constructions which entirely harmonize with the principles recom-
mended by physicians are applicable for children of all ages and tall ones and
little ones are raised to the same height so that they can be more readily super.
intended from the teachers place. The adjustment can be readily effected by
anybody.. The form may be made to seat either a single pupil or several say
up to six.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION,
"
I ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the county of Middlesex
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
ADJUSTABLE SCHOOL DESKS AND SEATS OR FORMS (a communication from
Jobannes Pedersen of Copenhagen, in the Kingdom of Denmark) and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :—
Hygiene nowadays requires that the height of the seat above the foot rest in a
school desk, form, or bench, and the position of the seat back shall be adapted to
the stature of the pupil or user. It is likewise required that the distance of the
top of the desk or table should be varied. Hitherto however no simple and
economical construction for use in large schools bad been devised which would
fulfil these requirements and which would allow the forms to have a greater or
less number of seats according to requirement.
The constructions heretofore known have fulfilled some of the requirements
above indicated none however have satisfied all the given conditions and they
are specially wanting in the proper adjustment of the distance between the back
and the desk or table-Moreover they mostly present other defects which render
them unsuited for use in large schools-Some because each bench or form affords
but one of two seats, some because they are expensive and complicated so that
their adjustment takes some time inasmuch as each part has to be released adjusted
and fixed again by screws, pins, hooks or the like, which operations can hardly be
carried out by the children themselves.
These defects are obviated by the construction represented in the accompanying
Drawings in which;
Figure 1 shows a desk, form or seat which may with the exception of the support
for the seat back be entirely constructed of wood-The seat is fixed on a chair or
frame c which in front rests on a fixed support or foot g whilst at the back it is
supported by a pine which enters recesses or notches in the back-support-There
are four steps in the foot and four recesses in the back support so that the seat
may be adjusted to four different heights-To each position of the seat a certain
position of the back corresponds as the engagement of the pin e will when the seat f
is raised and by reason of the construction of the foot is brought nearer to the
desk compel the back support to swing on the pivot d.
Suitable position of the seat back as well as the so called minus distance (viz:
the distance of the front edge of the seat from the perpendicular drawn from the
edge of the table or desk) are thus automatically obtained and the whole adjust-
ment is effected by simply raising or lowering the seat-For the footboard steps
are provided on the desk foot or base and these correspond to the varying positions
of the seat as will be apparent from the Drawings.
In Figure 2 the inner side of a similarly constructed seat or form is shown.
Figure shows a bench or seat which may be made wholly of iron with the
exception of the seat and back-This being substantially the same in construction
as that above described calls for no fuller description,

page_text: The construction above explained perfectly agrees with the principles laid down
by medical inen and is applicable for children of all ages.
Tall and short pupils
are raised as nearly as may be to the same height so that they may be more readily
overlooked from the teachers desk; the adjustment can be effected by anyone with
facility and the desk may have from one up to say six seats.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
An adjustable desk, form, bench or seat for use in schools and the like
comprising,
(a) The combination of the seat proper with the foot or base in such a manner
that the seat frests in front on a chair or frame c firmly connected therewith and
which base is bevilled or inclined to match the lower frame g so that the seat is
guided in an oblique direction whilst being supported at the back by the pin c
resting in the recesses of the back support this latter being capable of rotation on
the pivot d whereby the proportional forward and backward movement of the back
is effected.
(b) The arrangement of the foot rest capable of adjustment on the step-like
portions of the foot or base and of the seat.