IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF BENCHES OR DESKS FOR SCHOOLS, CHURCHES, AND OTHER SIMILAR PURPOSES
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Banks, of Radnor Street, Hulme, in the
City of Manchester, Church Furniture Manufacturer, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF BENCHES OR DESKS FOR SCHOOLS,
CHURCHES, AND OTHER SIMILAR PURPOSES."
Sealed the 19th February 1864, and dated the 1st September 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Banks
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
1st September 1863.
J, JOHN HENRY BANKS, of Radnor Street, Hulme, in the City of
Manchester, Church Furniture Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF BENCHES OR.
DESKS FOR SCHOOLS, CHURCHES, AND OTHER SIMILAR PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in the construction of a bench, the back of which
can be thrown over in a backward direction, as clearly shewn by the dotted
lines on Drawing, Fig. 1, and made to rest in an horizontal or any diagonal.
position required, thus forming a desk which may be used for other purposes..
Upon the board forming the back a, a, Fig. 1, are screwed two or more iron
straps B, the ends of which straps project from its upper edge and are so
shaped that they form part of a joint the corresponding parts of which joint are
formed on the upper extremity of the standards C, thus allowing the back to.
be thrown over as described, which will be clearly seen on. reference to.the

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Henry Banks in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 29th February 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
HENRY BANKS, of Radnor Street, Hulme, in the City of Manchester, Church
Furniture Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the First day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-seventh
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said John Henry Banks, Her special licence that I,
the said John Henry Banks, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said John Henry Banks, my executors, admi-
nistrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from
time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of
Man, an Invention for." IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF BENCHES OR DESKS
FOR SCHOOLS, CHURCHES, AND OTHER SIMILAR PURPOSES," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said John Henry Banks, my executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be
filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Henry Banks, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, that is to
say:
This Invention consists in the construction of a bench and standard for the
same, the back of which bench can be thrown over in a backward direction as
is clearly shewn by the dotted lines on Drawing, Figure 1, and which back is
made to rest in an horizontal or any diagonal position required, thus forming a

page_text: desk or table capable of being converted into a bench or table for general use
without any trouble, and will be found suitable for schools, churches, and other
similar purposes.
Figure 1 on the annexed Drawings represents side elevation of standards,
the dotted lines shewing the position of back when used as a desk; upon the
board forming the back a, a, are screwed two or more iron straps B, the ends
of which straps project from its upper edge and are so shaped that they form
part of joint, the corresponding parts of which joint are formed upon the upper
extremities of the standard C, thus allowing the back to be thrown over, as
described and shewn on Drawing, Figure 1. Figure 2 shews part of front
elevation of bench; Figure 3 elevation of iron strap before referred to; and
Figure 4 side elevation of same.
I do not confine myself to the precise shape of standard. shewn, as I may
find it necessary to modifiy same as circumstances may require without
departing from the principle of my Invention.
Having thus described the nature and object of this Invention, and the
manner in which the same may be carried into effect, I declare that what I
claim, and desire to be secured by the herein-before in part recited Letters
Patent is, "the improvements in the construction of benches or desks and
standards for the same for schools, churches, and other similar purposes, sub-
stantially as herein-before described and illustrated on Drawings, or any mere
modification thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Banks, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, the Twenty-ninth day of February, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
D
JOHN HENRY BANKS. (L.D.).