An Improved Combination Reading Stand, Music Stand, and Table.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 31st Jan., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 31st Oct., 1894-Accepted, 1st Dec., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Combination Reading Stand, Music Stand, and Table.
JOHN DENNIS BATES 2 Albion Terrace Upper Bristol Road Bath Furniture
Draughtsman do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :-
An appliance for supporting articles such as books, music etc. at various elevations
and angles. A principle feature being that the article held can be extended over
the reader while sitting in a chair or reclining in bed. It is also suitable for reading
or music when the reader or musician is in a standing position.
The appliance consists of a pillar or post which is supported in an upright
position by a base with feet or claws. Underneath the claws is a slide or slides
which can be drawn out so that the extent of the base is increased; thereby
preventing the pillar losing its balance when the weight of book etc. is exceptionally
heavy.
The aforementioned pillar is in the form of a tuning fork of two prongs say with
the handle inserted in the base. Each side or prong of pillar is pierced by longi-
tudinal grooves extending to within a short distance of top of pillar and nearly to
the bottom of ditto. At right angles to the pillar is an arm which supports the
reading desk or table. The aforementioned arm at one end passes between the
prongs of the pillar and is supported by a triangular construction formed in
the following manner.
At about 4 inches from end of arm is a hole. A bolt passes through the
grooves in pillar and through this hole in arm. At the extremity of arm is
centred a stretcher or stay which is connected with the pillar at about an angle
of 45°. Another bolt passes through this stretcher and the grooves of pillar. The
latter bolt also goes through an upright strut working between the prongs of
pillar. The strut combined with the angular stretcher keeps the arm in a horizontal
position. To arrange the different elevations of arm, the nuts of bolts are
slackened, and the arm with its triangular connection can be moved up or down
the grooves in pillar. By lifting the arm at the end which supports the desk the
lower bolt descends until the arm attains an upright position when the desk can be
used by the reader while standing. When the desk is raised to the latter position
the book ledge is at the side. This can be taken out and fitted into other holes
which are now at the bottom edge of desk, or the desk may work in a centre
novement at the back. On the batten (which is connected with desk) which
revolves round the arm, a safety bolt may be applied, so that when the desk is
used as a table its stability would not depend entirely on the pressure of thumb
screw.
A modification of the triangular attachment may be constructed as follows.
Instead of the strut working upright inside the pillar, it may project from the pillar
at an angle of about 45°, and the top end fit in a slot underneath the arm thus
forming a support to the arm on the side of pillar next to the desk.
the stretcher is brought almost close to the pillar.
In this case
Another modification may also be made in place of the triangular formation as
follows. A slotted quadrant is formed on the end of arm so that when the arm is
raised the quadrant works through the pillar. A bolt passing through the pillar
and slot of quadrant secures the arm where required. In this modification the
various horizontal elevations of arm are accomplished by the pillar sliding in an
outer pillar in a telescopic manner.
Dated this 29th day of January 1894.

page_text: An improved Combination Reading Stand, Music Stand, and Table.
I JOHN DENNIS BATES of 2 Albion Terrace Upper Bristol Road Bath in the
County of Somerset Draughtsman 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 is an appliance for supporting books, music etc., at various
elevations and angles. The accompanying drawings Figs. 1, 2 and 3, show it
adjusted to various positions. Fig. in position when the reader is sitting in a
chair the desk projecting over the reader. Fig. 2 suitable when the reader or
musician is standing. Fig. 3 as a table for projecting over a bed, chair, and the
like. Fig. 4 is a sectional side elevation of desk and batten. Fig. 5 an elevation,
with the base in section, and showing the batten which is connected to desk.
Fig. 6 an elevation looking on end of arm, which carries desk. Fig. 7 is a plan of
underside of base, showing slide. Fig. 8 a modification of arm.
'
The letters refer to like parts in the different figures.
The base A is hollowed underneath to provide space for slide B, which can be
drawn out should the articles held be exceptionally heavy, and thereby cause the
pillar to lose its balance. The said slide is supported in the base A by cross
bars a, al fixed to said base. The slide is provided with a stop b, to prevent its
being drawn out too far. Near the outer end of said slide is a finger hole b¹ for
the convenience of drawing out. The pillar C for the greater part of its length
consists of two prongs c', c', and in each prong is a longitudinal pierced groove or
slot. The arm D is for part of its length of circular cross section as shown at d,
and for the remainder, the cross section is at d. The latter portion of arm D is
inserted between the prongs c¹, c¹, of pillar. A bolt H passes through the slots c², c²,
and through a hole in arm D, and also through washers h, h. The said washers
being shape in horizontal cross section; the portion compared to stem of T fits
in slots c² of pillar. A nut ¹ in the form of a knob is screwed upon the end of
bolt H, and serves to compress the washers and prongs against the arm D. In the
end of said arm is a saw kerf or recess 2 in which the end of stay E is centred
or pivottally secured by a screw or rivet e. The other end of stay E fits in a
recess in the lower end of strut G (shown by dotted lines). A bolt F passes
through the washers f, f, slots c², c², strut G and stay E, and is provided with a
nut in the form of a knob for compressing these parts. The strut G is of such
length that when its upper end is in contact with the lower face of arm D, the arm
will remain horizontal. The strut G is kept in its vertical position by a pin g
which works in one of the slots 2 of prongs c. The triangular construction
enables the arm D to be adjusted to any height (within the limits of slots c²)
between the prongs of pillar, while maintaining the horizontal position of arm.
also permits the arm D to be lifted into and maintained in a vertical position as in
Fig. 2.
The nature of the said construction is such that the arm (with desk) will
stay at any horizontal height without the knobs f' and h¹ being tightened. That
is to say, the weight of desk presses the bolt H against the side of slots next the
desk, and also causes the bolt F to press against the opposite side of slots, thus
the friction of these parts prevents the arms from sliding down the pillar. To move
the arm up or down pillar, the arm (with desk) has to be slightly raised. The
batten or block I which encircles arm D is connected to desk J by a centre, thus
allowing the desk to revolve in its own plane. The batten I is provided in the face
nearest the desk J with a recess i containing a soft wood plug on which a screw
is adapted to press. The screw presses the plug ¹ into frictional contact with
desk J, thus steading and holding the desk in the position previously given to it
with regard to batten I. The latter is provided with a cross bar 3 for the better
It

page_text: support of said desk.
At in batten I is a similar plug to which acting by
pressure given to it by the set screw secures the batten to said arm.
The set
screws and may have at their ends metal discs and 7 to prevent them entering
the plugs, the latter may be made of any other sufficiently yielding substance, but
soft wood is preferred. Likewise the various parts of this invention may be
constructed of any suitable material.
A modification of the construction of arm D may be made as shown in Fig. 8.
The arm D' has a quadrant in which is a slot d. The said quadrant takes
the place of stay E and strut G.
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 a reading stand or music stand pillar, of a base such
as A, and a slide such as B, substantially as herein set forth and shown in Figs. 5
and 7.
2. The combination with a reading stand, music stand, and the like, of a pronged
and slotted pillar such as C, substantially as herein described and illustrated in
Figs. 5 and 6.
3. The combination with a reading stand, music stand and the like, of a pillar
such as C, an arm such as D, a stay such as E, a strut such as G, bolts such as F
and H, and washers fand h, substantially as herein set forth and shown in Figs. 5
and 6.
4. The combination with a revolving desk such as J, attached to a reading stand
or music stand which has a pillar and base, of a block or batten such as I provided
with a cross bar such as 3, a set screw, plugs such as ¹and and dises such as i
and 7, substantially as herein described and for the purpose set forth, and shown in
Figs. 4 and 5.
5. The combination with a reading or music stand pillar such as C, of an arm
such as D' provided with a slotted quadrant such as d³, d, substantially as set forth
and shown in Fig. 8.
Dated this 30th day of October 1894.
JOHN DENNIS BATES.