A New or Improved Portable Collapsible and Folding Board or Table or Device, specially applicable as a Travelling Table or as a Board for Games or for other purposes.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Sept., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 23rd May, 1896-Accepted, 26th Sept., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Portable Collapsible and Folding Board or
Table or Device, specially applicable as a Travelling Table or
as a Board for Games or for other purposes.
1. DAVID FOSTER of 34 Micklegate, Selby, in the County of York Merchant,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to a new or improved portable collapsible and folding
"board "
or table or device specially applicable as a travelling table for instance
for use with the now well-known "luncheon baskets" in railway trains or for
forming a table or surface for playing cards upon or again same. may be marked or
prepared on one or both sides as a board for chess or draughts or may be specially
formed and arranged as hereinafter described so as to keep the draughtsmen or
chessmen each in the desired square or position in which it is required to be kept
until the next move or otherwise prepared or used for any other games or the like
purposes or this " board
or table according to my present invention may be used
for any other purposes to which it is applicable such as for picnic purposes and
furthermore same may be furnished with legs or trestles or any other suitable
support flexibly or otherwise suitably attached thereto or entirely detached or
detachable therefrom.
"
My present invention is as follows :-
I take a number of ribs strips or pieces of wood metal cardboard composition or
any other material or materials or compound suitable for the purpose advantageously
(though not necessarily) all of the same width thickness and length and I hinge or
Alexibly join same together in any suitable manner down their longitudinal edges
but for cheapness and facility of construction I find linen cotton or other suitable
strong textile fabric such as canvas very suitable and advantageous for my purpose
or it may be a sheet or otherwise of any other suitable material either waterproof
or not as desired-for instance for producing a portable card table according to
this invention I might use green baize or plush which would thus form a very
suitable surface for this latter purpose.
The aforesaid ribs strips or pieces are attached to the aforesaid fabric or material
or means for flexibly joining same (independently of one another) in any suitable
manner for instance by glue or any other suitable adhesive material so that same
can be rolled up closely upon itself after the manner in which a sheet of paper or
fabric is rolled up.
The longitudinal side edges of these ribs or strips may be either flat or grooved
and tongued respectively or formed concave and convex or otherwise suitably
arranged respectively on their adjacent, faces to assist rigidity as desired.
For the sake of example 1 will now describe a rectangular shape " board" or
table.
The outside strip rib or piece down each longitudinal side is of such a shape and
so arranged as to form two sides of a four-sided frame to totally surround this
foldable part constructed as aforesaid and the other two sides of said frame or
surrounding edge of the table are respectively hinged one to each such side piece
but at opposite ends of the table-thus for instance that on the left is hinged at
the bottom so as to form the lower side of the frame and that on the right is
hinged at the top so as to form the top of the frame and both are so hinged as to

page_text: be capable of being laid right back parallel or nearly so with the side frame when
out of use and to be swung round on their hinges respectively until they are at
right angles to said sides (that is so that they can be swung round through 270° or
three-quarters of a circle) and thus form a four-sided frame each corner of each
of the four said sides being bevelled off or formed at each end thereof respectively
so as to butt or lie close against the corner adjacent thereto-for instance each
corner may advantageously be bevelled off at an angle of 45° respectively.
These hinged parts of the frame or surrounding wall (which for the sake of
brevity I shall refer to as the "top" and "bottom" of the frame respectively) are
each formed with a groove or channel on the inside edge thereof into which groove
or recess the top (or bottom) of the said series of ribs or strips enter when the
latter are unrolled and laid out flat so that the said top and bottom of the frame
thus overlap on both sides (or it may be on only one side-if desired) the said
series of ribs or strips forming the main surface of the "board" or table hinged
together or mounted as aforesaid and thereby same form a rigid (or practically
rigid) surface or sufficiently so for the purpose.
The free ends of the aforesaid hinged top and bottom part of the frame
respectively when thus overlapping the foldable part forming the table or "board"
can be locked or secured or fastened in this position in any suitable manner-for
instance by a catch carried thereon (or carried on the end of the side frame) which
will automatically "snap" or otherwise engage and lock the two parts together
or a hinged catch may be carried on said free end adapted to snap over or be
otherwise secured by or to a knob or other suitable device on the side frame or
vice versa.
"
Instead of hinging said top and bottom part of the frame to the side parts as
aforesaid same may be entirely detached or detachable therefrom and fixed by
catches or in any suitable manner at each end to hold the table rigid as aforesaid
but this arrangement would have the drawback that these detachable parts may
become lost or mislaid whereas when hinged as first described all the parts
forming the entire device are thus attached to one another and cannot therefore
be lost.
For some purposes legs or other suitable supports may be provided in conjunction
with this table or device for instance suitable legs or supports (advantageously
foldable or collapsible themselves and capable of being extended and fixed rigidly
when required) may be hinged or flexibly joined to convenient parts of my device
in such manner that same will fold so that legs and all can be rolled up or folded
together; or detachable legs may be provided to easily attach or trestles or other
suitable supports may be used as desired.
For some purposes such as for the game of draughts or chess I may specially
construct or arrange the surface of the "board" table or device according to my
present invention with ridges or raised surfaces in both directions or 1
may form
depressions or recesses by cutting away part of the surface or I may form or
provide same in any other suitable manner such recesses or depressions however
formed being of a size suitable for just holding a draughtsman or the bottom of a
chessman or other implement or device used in playing games to thus hold the
same in the desired position in or on the board; or 1 may form pin holes or provide
any other suitable means for quickly and temporarily attaching or retaining in
position either a chessman or any other article implement or instrument to or on
said "board" to prevent same moving or upsetting through jar or shaking while
travelling or otherwise.
1
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TONGUE & BIRKBECK,
Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: A New or Improved Portable Collapsible and Folding Board or
Table or Device, specially applicable as a Travelling Table or
as a Board for Games or for other purposes.
I, DAVID FOSTER, formerly of 34 Micklegate and now of "Burnside," Selby,
in the County of York, Merchant, 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 a new or improved portable collapsible and folding
"board" or table or device specially applicable as a travelling table for instance
for use with the now well-known "luncheon baskets" in railway trains or for
forming a table or surface for playing cards upon or again same may be marked
or prepared on one or both sides as a board for chess or draughts or may be
specially formed and arranged as hereinafter described so as to keep the
draughtsmen or chessmen each in the desired square or position in which it is
required to be kept until the next move or otherwise prepared or used for any
or table according to my
other games or the like purposes of this "board
present invention may be used for any other purposes to which it is applicable
such as for picnic purposes and furthermore same may be furnished with legs or
trestles or any other suitable support flexibly or otherwise suitably attached thereto
or entirely detached or detachable therefrom.
My present invention is as follows:-
:-
"
I take a number of ribs strips or pieces of wood metal cardboard composition
or any other material or materials or compound suitable for the purpose either of
the same or of varying width thickness and length and I hinge or flexibly join
same together in any suitable manner down their longitudinal edges but for
cheapness and facility of construction I find linen cotton felt or other suitable
strong textile fabric such as canvas very suitable and advantageous for my purpose
or it may be a sheet or otherwise of any other suitable material either waterproof
or not as desired for instance for producing a portable card table according to this
invention I might use green baize or plush which would thus form a very suitable
surface for this latter purpose.
The aforesaid ribs strips or pieces are attached to the aforesaid fabric or material
or means for flexibly joining same (independently of one another) in any suitable
manner for instance by glue or any other suitable adhesive material so that same
can be rolled up closely upon itself after the manner in which a sheet of paper or
fabric is rolled up.
The longitudinal side edges of these ribs or strips may be either flat or grooved
and tongued respectively or formed concave and convex or otherwise suitably
arranged respectively on their adjacent faces as desired to ensure rigidity when
stretched or laid out flat and there held according to my invention advantageously
stretcher bars or devices permanently connected thereto as hereinafter explained.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Referring to the accompanying drawings—I have there illustrated two alternative
ways of carrying out my present invention viz. :-
Fig. 1 is a plan and Fig. 2 a cross-sectional view on line 2-2 Fig. 1 of a
foldable board or table laid out flat and held stretched and rigid, and
Fig. 3 shows an end view of same folded or rolled up.
Fig. 4 is a plan of another arrangement of a foldable board or table laid out
flat and held stretched, and
Fig. 5 is an end view thereof folded and rolled up.

page_text: Referring now to Figs. 1 to 3 :-
The slats ribs or strips 1 to 11 are mounted (glued or otherwise) on or to the
green baize Z so that a hinged joint is thereby formed at the point where each rib
butts or lies against the next-the slats or ribs No. 1 to 11 being respectively of
the varying widths shown so that this, foldable table or board will fold or roll up
as shown in Fig. 3-No. 11 rib being of a width equal to the total width of the
parts A B & C hereinafter explained, 10 being of a width equal to the depth of
each A B or C, 9 being of equal width to 11, 8 being equal to 10 plus the
thickness thereof, 7 being equal to 9 plus the thickness thereof and so on except 1,
& 2 which latter is equal to 4 plus the thickness thereof plus the thickness of the
part D of the framing; the total width of these 11 ribs when laid out flat being
equal to their length.
A B C D are the four sides of the frame or device for stretching and holding
rigid this foldable board when laid out flat-the side A being hinged or pivoted
at A¹ to the rib or strip No. 11 and the side B being pivoted at B1 to said rib No. 11
while the side C is rigidly fixed also on to said rib No. 11 and the side D is rigidly
fixed to the rib 1.
"
The side B being swung round on its pivot B and laid parallel alongside the
fixed side C and then the side A swung round on its pivot A' is laid parallel
alongside of B thereupon the "board can be folded or rolled up into the position
shown in Fig. 1 and a band string or other suitable means may be provided to
sécure same in, such rolled up position.
If now the board is to be stretched or set up rigid for use it is first unrolled and
laid out flat the side A is then moved into the position shown in Fig. 1 (ie. at right
angles to sides C & D) and the free end of A is secured to (under or upon or
against) the side D in any suitable manner or by any suitable means advantageously
by wedging under a projecting ledge on D with an incline surface thereon so as to-
wedge said end of A tightly between same and the baize Z.
The other pivoted or hinged side B is now swung out and similarly or suitably
secured to the side D and thus the four sides A B C D make a rigid frame which
firmly holds the board rigid.
Referring now to Figs. 4. & 5 :-
The ribs or slats are shown all of equal width similarly mounted on green baize
or equivalent Z with the sides C & D rigidly fixed to the two end ribs respectively
as before while the side A is hinged at A' so as to be adapted to be turned upon
said hinge until laid right back against the outside of C and parallel therewith
while the side B is hinged at B¹ in this case to the fixed side D and adapted to be
laid back against the outside of and parallel with the said side D and the table can
then be folded or rolled up as in Fig. 5 while when laid out flat the hinged sides A
and B are swung round into the position shown in full lines in Fig. 4 (i.e. at right
angles to the sides C & D) and there secured by any suitable means such as the
hinged clasps Y to thus make a rigid frame A B C D which will hold this
"board" rigid and ready for use.
Or the sides A & B of the frame may be hinged and mounted or arranged in any
other equivalent manner suitable for the purpose.
Instead of hinging said top and bottom part of the frame to the side parts as
aforesaid same may be entirely detached or detachable therefrom and fixed by
catches or in any suitable manner at each end to hold the table rigid as aforesaid
but this arrangement would have the drawback that these detachable parts may
become lost or mislaid whereas when hinged as above described all the parts
forming the entire device are thus attached to one another and cannot therefore
be lost.
For some purposes legs or other suitable supports may be provided in conjunction
with this table or device for instance suitable legs or supports (advantageously
foldable or collapsible themselves and capable of being extended and fixed rigidly
when required) may be hinged or flexibly joined to convenient parts of my device
in such manner that same will fold so that legs and all can be rolled up or folded

page_text: together; or detachable legs may be provided to easily attach or trestles or other
suitable supports may be used as desired.
For some purposes such as for the game of draughts or chess I may specially
construct or arrange the surface of the "board" table or device according to my
present invention with ridges or raised surfaces in both directions or I may form
depressions or recesses by cutting away part of the surface or I may form or provide.
same in any other suitable manner such recesses or depressions however formed
being of a size suitable for just holding a draughtsman or the bottom of a chessman
or other implement or device used in playing games to thus hold the same in the
desired position in or on the board; or I may form pin holes or provide any other
suitable means for quickly and temporarily attaching or retaining in position either
a chessman or any other article implement or instrument to or on said "board to-
prevent same moving or upsetting through jar or shaking while travelling or
otherwise.
"
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. A portable collapsible and folding board or table formed of a series of ribs.
or strips attached to a flexible material such as baize or other suitable textile
fabric in combination with rigid stretcher bars or rods hinged or pivoted to said
ribs or strips in such manner that said stretcher bars or rods can be laid across.
said ribs and there locked in position to hold the latter rigid (when laid out flat) or
laid parallel with said ribs so as to roll up with the latter substantially as and for
the purposes set forth.
2. A portable collapsible and folding board or table combined and arranged to
act substantially in the manner and for the purposes herein before described aud
illustrated in the drawings hereunto annexed.
Dated this 23rd day of May 1896.
TONGUE & BIRKBECK,
Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,.
Agents for the Applicant.