Improvements in Domestic and Office Furniture.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Feb., 1899
Complete Specification Left. 30th Oct.. 1899-Accepted. 23rd Dec.. 1899
Improvements in Domestic and Office Furniture.
I, WILLIAM HORSFALL, of 67, Downing Street, Ardwick, Manchester, in the
County of Lancaster, Furniture Dealer, do hereby declare the nature of this in-
vention to be as follows:-
My said invention relates to a combined table and writing desk which can be
readily converted from one form to the other as required.
The essential feature of my invention consists in so constructing the usual flat
top of a table that it can, when required, be raised to a suitable angle so as to
form a writing desk, part of the table top being hinged and arranged to form a
flat portion at the head of the slope to accommodate the ink stand, books, papers
and the like.
The method whereby this can be effected may vary in point of detail but I
will describe a means which I have devised and found suitable although I do not
confine myself to this exact form.
I hinge the front of the table top to the body of the table and preferably
form the top in two portions, a larger portion, which is intended for the slope
of the desk, and a smaller hinged portion designed to form a flat surface when
the desk is in use. The space below the table top is boarded over to exclude
dust and dirt from the drawer or drawers when the hinged top is raised.
I provide the lower surface of the hinged top with brackets to which are pivot-
ted levers passing through recesses in the under cover of the table.
When in use as a table the hinged top is locked.
This may be effected by means of a pendent rod projecting below the table
and engaging with a projection or part on the drawer although this may be varied.
When it is desired to convert the table into a writing desk the locking means
are disengaged, which may be effected by opening the drawer slightly to dis-
engage the projection thereon from the catch rod. The table top is then raised
until the pivotted levers engage with recesses, being pulled therein by the action
of suitable springs, the levers sustaining the table top in its raised position. The
larger hinged portion is thus disposed at a suitable angle for writing
purposes, the smaller portion falling back on its hinges and maintaining a hori-
zontal position. To drop the table top again to its horizontal position means are
provided to disengage the sustaining levers from their notches so that the top
collapses.
or other
I may form the table in such a manner as to provide two angular sloping sur-
faces with a central horizontal portion thus doing duty as a double desk.
In this case the table top is formed in three portions one of which is hinged
at the end of the table, and two portions are intended to do duty at times as
two angularly arranged desks, a central hinged portion being arranged as a hori-
zontal surface between them.
As before, the top of the double desk is preferably locked in its horizontal
position by means of the drawers engaging with pendent rods. When the top
s unlocked it can be raised the central hinged portion remaining horizontal and
the flaps at each side thereof assuming an angular position. As the top is raised
spring actuated levers come into action to support it, the levers being withdrawn

page_text: by means of cords, connecting rods or levers when it is desired to convert the
double desk into a flat topped table.
Dated this 2nd day of February 1899.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Domestic and Office Furniture.
1, WILLIAM HORSFALL, of 67, Downing Street, Ardwick, Manchester, in the
County of Lancaster, Furniture Dealer, 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 and accompanying
drawings:
My said invention relates to a combined table and writing desk which can be
readily converted from one form to the other as required.
The essential feature of my invention consists in so constructing the usual flat
top of a table that it can, when required, be raised to a suitable angle so as to
form a writing desk, part of the table top being hinged and arranged to form a
flat portion at the head of the slope to accommodate the ink stand, books, papers
and the like.
The method whereby this can be effected is shown in the accompanying two
sheets of drawings although the same may vary to some extent in point of detail.
In the said drawings.
Figs. 1 to 4 on Sheet 1 show in perspective view two methods of carrying out
my invention.
Fig. 5 on Sheet 2 is a plan view of a combined table and desk constructed in
accordance with my invention.
Fig. 6 is an end view of same partly in section.
Figs. 7 to 9 are detail views.
Fig. 10 shows my invention applied to form a double slope or desk.
Fig. 11 is an end view of same and
Fig. 12 is a cross sectional view.
Referring in the first place to Figs. 1 and 2 and 5 to 9; I hinge the front of
the table top at a¹ to the body of the table 6 and preferably form the top in
two portions, a larger portion which is intended for the slope of the desk, and
a smaller portion a hinged at designed to form a flat surface when the desk
is in use as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 6. The space below the table top is
boarded over as shown in Fig. 6 to exclude dust and dirt from the drawer or
drawers when the hinged top is raised.
I provide the lower surface of the hinged top a with brackets which I screw
to the flap, and pivot levers or struts d thereto passing through recesses d'in
the under cover of the table. The bracket c. and pivotted strut d are shown in
side and front elevation respectively in Figs. 7 and 8.
When in use as a table, as shown in Figs. 1 and 5, the hinged top is locked.
This is effected by means of pendent catches c projecting below the table top
and engaging with projections or parts e¹ of the drawer f although this may be
varied.
This arrangement is shown more clearly in the detail view Fig. 9.
The projections, el engaging with the catches e resist any attempt to raise the
table top a. When it is desired to convert the table into a writing desk the lock-
ing means are disengaged, which is effected by opening the drawer slightly to

page_text: being
disengage the projections e¹ thereon from the catch rods e. The table top is then
raised until the pivotted struts engage with recesses or the teeth of racks
pulled therein by the action of suitable springs the struts thus sustaining the
table top in its raised position as shown in Fig. 2 and more clearly in Fig. 6.
The larger hinged portion is thus disposed at a suitable angle for writing or
other purposes, the smaller portion falling back on its hinges and maintain-
ing a horizontal position. To drop the table top again to its horizontal position
means are provided to disengage the sustaining struts from their racks or
notches so that the top collapses.
This is effected as follows. To the struts d I secure wires or cords which in
turn are connected to a cross rod arranged below the table top.
Access to the rod jis had by opening the drawer f. When it is desired to
lower the table top the rod is pulled towards the operator thus withdrawing
the struts from the racks g. The table top is held by one hand and allowed
to gently collapse into a horizontal position.
may form the table in such a manner as to provide two angular sloping sur-
faces with a central horizontal portion thus doing duty as a double desk, as shown
in Figs. 4 and 11.
In this case the table top is formed in three portions a, a, a² one of which a
is hinged at at the end of the table, and two portions a' are intended to do
duty at times as two angularly arranged desks, the central portion hinged
at to the portions a, a being arranged as a horizontal surface between them.
The central portion is provided with brackets carrying hinged struts d
as before which on the table top being raised engage with racks y through the
action of springs h.
As before the top of the double desk is preferably locked in its horizontal
position by means of projections el carried by the drawers engaging with the pen-
dent catches e. When the top is unlocked it can be raised the central hinged
portion remaining horizontal and the flaps at each side thereof assuming an angu-
lar position, as shown in Figs. 4 and 11. As the top is raised the spring actu-
ated struts come into action to support it as will be apparent from the foregoing
description.
to
The pivotted struts are connected to wires i secured to a double lever i
mounted on a bracket 2. The double lever is actuated by means of a rod
withdraw the pivotted struts & from engagement with the racks as already
described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is;-
1) Forming the flat tops of tables in two or three portions hinged together so
that the table top can be raised or converted when required to form a single or
double desk slope with a head or central flat portion in the manner, by the means
and substantially as described.
2) The improved combined table and desk consisting of the flat top formed in
two or three parts hinged together and sustained in an elevated position by means
of pivotted struts engaging with racks or recesses to form a single or double desk,
with means for withdrawing the pivotted struts from the racks or supports and
for locking the table top when collapsed all arranged and acting substantially
as described and illustrated.
Dated this 28th day of October 1899.