Improvements in Writing Tables.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Oct., 1897--Accepted, 20th Nov.,
1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Writing Tables.
I, FREDERICK WILLIAM GOLBY, of 36 Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by Robert
Mauck, Master Carpenter, of Lobau, Saxony, Germany; to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to a writing table of the kind having a desk, flap capable
of being lowered, the object being so to construct the table that anything standing
on the desk flap can be locked up without being removed therefrom.
The writing table constructed according to this invention differs from articles
of the kind hitherto known by having the desk-flap located in a substructure
beneath the surface of the table, so that the raising of the surface of the table
and of the desk is effected simultaneously. The raising of these two together
can be effected in various ways and may be either vertically upwards, obliquely
upwards or the surface of the table may be connected to the frame-work after the
fashion of a lid or folding cover.
In the accompanying drawings Figs. 1 to 4 show different forms of connecting
the desk flap to the table top. Figs. 5 and 6 illustrate a modification in two
different positions. All these figures are vertical sections. Figs. 7 and 8 which are
likewise vertical sections and show different positions of the moveable parts, illus
trate in combination with the plan Fig. 9 the adaptability of the form shown in
Fig. 3 to what are known as cylinder writing tables.
In the form shown by way of example in Fig. 1 the top a of the table is furnished
with perpendicular feet b. These feet, with the stays d, which are screwed in the
inside of the frame c, serve as guides. The raising is effected by means of a hand
lever e which is capable of turning on a pin f on the back part of the frame and
has in it a longitudinal slot e¹. Through this slot passes a pin g secured to one of
the feet b on the table top a. By means of a peg this lever e is firmly held in
its highest position which is such that the horizontal grooves or guides in the
substructure i of the said table top is higher than the upper edge of the frame c.
The desk flap can then be drawn out of the grooves or guides . It is understood
that the back of the desk flap k remains in the grooves or guides and the front
or fore part of the frame e serves as support for the same.
In the example of construction shown in Fig. 2 the table top a together with
the substructure and desk flap is raised in an oblique instead of a vertical direc-
tion. For this purpose the feet b¹ are fixed obliquely and slide in the obliquely
arranged stays d¹. As by an arrangement of this kind the table top a can be
raised by means of a pressure applied in a horizontal direction, there is no
necessity in this second example of construction for any raising contrivance such
as the lever e in the first described example. The fixing of the table top a with
the substructure i and desk flap k in the highest position is effected by means of
a spring plate, which is placed on one or more of the obliquely arranged feet b'
and, in the highest position of the foot, rests from above against the stay d
thonto belonging

page_text: In order to secure greater ease in the action as regards the example of con-
struction shown in Fig. 2, these obliquely standing feet are replaced by swing
arms m m as shown in Fig. 3, these swing arms being capable of moving around
horizontal pins n secured to the frame e, and being at their other ends coupled
with the table top a by means of hinges o on the under side thereof. Provided
that the swing arms m are capable of being turned back to ja sufficient extent
no special fixing contrivance is necessary under this arrangement.
The example given in Fig. 4 shows that the table top a may itself be used as
a swinging piece, the back part of the same being connected with the frame e by
means of hinges p, in such a manner that it is possible to raise the table top
after the fashion of a piano key-board cover. The table top a is retained in the
raised position by means of a support or prop g. This support must be of such a
shape that, in order to give the desk flap the necessary degree of rigidity, any
upward as well as any downward movement of the table top out of its folded
position must be rendered impossible.
Figs. 5 and 6 show a form of construction which arises out of that illustrated
in Fig. 3. In the example given in Figs. 5 and 6 a third swing piece r is provided
in addition to the swing pieces m m. The upper end of this swing piece ris
pivotally connected with the substructure i of the table plate a by means of a
pin. In addition the swing piece is connected at its other end with a slide s
which slide can be moved horizontally in the frame forwards or backwards.
The object of this third swing piece is that by suitable oblique placing of the
same a certain amount of frictional resistance may be induced between the slide s
and its guides, when the table top a with the substructure and desk flap k are
in their highest position. In this way it is possible to use the table top as a
standing desk. With the slides a nut t may also be coupled, this nut working
on a screw spindle u, which runs horizontally and is held in suitable bearings
fixed to the frame c. The screw spindle u can be rotated by means of a key,
crank, hand-wheel or the like.
In the form illustrated in Figs. 7 to 9 which, as before mentioned is derived
from that shown in Fig. 3, the back swing piece m is dispensed with and replaced
by a piece which forms the back part of a rectangular frame M when laid flat.
This back part is connected by means of hinges of with the side parts a¹ which
are firmly attached to the table top a. The side plates a¹ are thus raised with
the table top a, and the substructure for the desk-flap k, when the frame M is
folded together; at the same time however the revolving shutter which is
connected with the frame M by means of hinges 2 is pushed so far back in the
groove of the side pieces a' that the internal portion or drawer is exposed.
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:
A writing table with, a desk flap k capable of sliding in the substructure i of
the table top a which latter can be raised in relation to the frame c substantially
as described.