A New or Improved Article of Furniture.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 5th July, 1890
Complete Specification Left, 31st Mar, 1891-Accepted, 2nd May, 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Article of Furniture.
I, WALTER FFRENCH GIBBS, of Crown Street, Darlington, in the County of
Durham, Cabinet Maker, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to a new or improved article of furniture, which may be
used either as a seat or a table and for other additional purposes.
In carrying my invention into effect, I construct a seat with uprights or legs at
each end of the seat proper and with arms connecting the tops of each pair of legs
or uprights; I also enclose the space beneath the seat proper so as to form a box,
to which the seat serves as a lid, or I employ a fixed seat and utilize the space
beneath for holding drawers, cases, or trays, to draw out at either the front, back,
or ends, or such space may be constructed as a cupboard or cupboards provided
with doors or not, as desired.
According to my invention, I so construct and mount the back that it may be
used either as the back of the seat or as a table top. For this purpose I form in
cach of the seat arms, a slot or groove extending from about the centre of the
length thereof to back end, and I fix to each end of the back, a pivot to fit in one
of such slots or grooves, by which means the seat back when turned to a horizontal
position, can have its pivots slidden along to the forward ends of the slots or
grooves in the arms, so as to rest firmly as a table top on the tops of the arms, or
of the four supports or legs of the seat. When used as the back of the seat, the
pivots thereof are pushed to the back ends of the slots or grooves and the back
turned thereon to a vertical or nearly vertical position.
LANIL
WALTER FF. GIBBS.
By Harris & Mills,
23, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Article of Furniture.
I, WALTER FFRENCH GIBBS, of Crown Street, Darlington, in the County of
Durham, Cabinet Maker, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to a new or improved article of furniture which may be
used either as a seat or a table, and for other additional purposes.
In carrying my invention into effect I construct a seat with uprights or legs at
each end of the seat proper and with arms connecting the tops of each pair of legs
or uprights; I also enclose the space beneath the seat proper so as to form a box
to which the seat serves as a lid, or I employ a fixed seat and utilize the space
beneath for holding drawers, cases, or trays, to draw out at either the front, back,
or ends, or such space may be constructed as a cupboard or cupboards provided
with doors or not as desired.
According to my invention I so construct and mount the back that it may be
used either as the back of the seat or as a table top. For this purpose I form in
each of the scat arms, a slot or groove extending from about the centre of the
length thereof to the back end, and I fix to each end of the back, a pivot to fit in

page_text: one of such slots or grooves, by which means the seat back, when turned to a
horizontal position, can have its pivots slidden along to the forward ends of the
slots or grooves in the arms so as to rest firmly as a table top on the tops of the
arms or of the four supports or legs of the seat. When used as the back of
the scat, the pivots thereof are pushed to the back ends of the slots or grooves
and the back turned thereon to a vertical or nearly vertical position.
And in order that my said invention may be more clearly understood and readily
carried into effect, I will proceed aided by the accompanying drawings more fully
to describe the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a front elevation and Figure 2 is an end view showing my improved
article of furniture used as a table.
Figure 3 is an end view showing said article used as a seat.
Figure 4 is a cross section of Figure 3 showing the lid of the box open.
Figures 5 and 6 are detail views.
In all the figures like parts are indicated by similar letters of reference.
In carrying my invention into effect I construct a seat with uprights or legs a, a,
at each end of the seat proper b, and with arms c connecting the tops of each pair
of legs; I also enclose the space beneath the seat proper b so as to form a box & to
which the seat & serves as a lid as shown in the drawings, or I may employ a fixed
seat and utilize the space beneath for holding drawers, cases, or trays, to draw out
at either the front, back, or ends, or such space may be constructed as a cupboard
or cupboards provided with doors or not as desired.
According to my invention I so construct and mount the back e that it may be
used either as the back of the seat, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, or as a table top,
as shown in Figures 1 and 2. For this purpose I form in each of the seat arms c,
a slot or groove c' extending from about the centre of the length thereof to the
back end. I fix at each end of the back e, a clamp or guide e', which serves to
keep the table top firm and on each of the inner sides of such clamps or guides e',
I fix a stud or pivot e which fits into one of the grooves c¹ in the arms c.
By these means the seat back or table top e, when turned to a horizontal position,
can have its studs or pivots & slidden along to the forward ends of the slots or
grooves c¹ in the arms c, as shown in Figure 2, so as to rest firmly as a table top on
the tops of the arms c or of the four supports or legs a, a, of the seat.. When used
as the back of the seat, the studs or pivots & are pushed to the back ends of the
slots or grooves c' and the part e turned thereon to a vertical or nearly vertical
position, as shown in Figures 3 and 4.
In Figure 3 I have shown in dotted lines, the back e in the act of being turned
upon its studs or pivots into a horizontal position, and I have also shown the
back e in a horizontal position before the studs or pivots e' have been slidden along
the grooves c.
Figure 4 shows the seat b thrown back upon its hinges b¹ to enable anything to
be placed in or withdrawn from the box d.
In Figure 5 I have shown one of the arms c in section to an enlarged scale, and
in Figure 6 I have shown the table top e resting upon the arm c and the stud or
pivot in the groove or slot c¹. It will be seen that the clamp or guide e fits
closely against the arm c and so helps to prevent any slight motion of the table top
when in use.
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. An improved article of furniture constructed substantially as herein shown
and described and capable of being used either as a table or as a seat.
2. An improved article of furniture having four legs or supports carrying two

page_text: arms provided with grooves, and a back or table top provided with studs or pivots,
which fit into and are capable of sliding in the grooves, thereby enabling said
back or table top to be placed in position for use either as a seat back or as a table
top, substantially as herein shown and described.
WALTER F. GIBBS.
By Harris & Mills,
23, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents.
ALHO THYTAT
MOTO O na