Improvements in Brackets and Hinges for Tables and other Furniture.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Feb., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 6th Nov., 1897-Accepted, 11th Dec., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Brackets and Hinges for Tables and other
Furniture.
We, ALFRED STRINGER of Bennett Street, Hyde Road, Manchester in the County of
Lancaster, Mechanic and GEOFFREY ARTHUR MARTINEAU of New Town Row, Birming-
ham in the County of Warwick, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows
This invention relates to improvements in hinges and brackets or supports for such
tables or other pieces of furniture as are provided with folding leaves, flaps or
extensions.
The usual method of supporting such a leaf flap or extension is by means of a bar
or bracket which has to be drawn or turned out after raising the flap.
This invention is designed to provide a bracket or hinge for supporting such fold-
ing leaves which will render it unnecessary in a table or other piece of furniture to
do more than raise the flap or leaf when the supporting arm will fall automatically
into position.
The invention consists essentially of a hinged bracket with a folding supporting
flap hinged or pivoted at one side capable of folding flat upon or in the same plane
as the other part- and of falling into a position at right angles thereto to support the
table leaf when raised.
In carrying out the invention the improved folding bracket or hinge may be made
in several ways.
a. Four plates of metal jointed together by means of four hinges one pair of
hinges being at right angles to the other pair.
b. Three plates of metal jointed together by means of two hinges one hinge being
at right angles to the other.
c. Two plates of metal jointed together by a single longitudinal hinge.
In each case one part is attached to the table or folding leaf and the folding flap
of the bracket is left loose so that it may fold flat against the leaf when vertical but
when the leaf is raised to the horizontal it falls at right angles and supports the
leaf.
When the bracket is made with four plates it resembles two ordinary table hinges
(placed side by side in such a manner that the hinge pins are in the same straight
line) but joined together by hinge joints in such a manner that while not interfering
with the working of either hinge, each plate of one will fold into the same plane as
or on to the top of the corresponding plate of the other.
In fixing the bracket to the table or other piece of furniture two of the plates only
are screwed or attached thereto the other two being free to move at right angles upon
their hinges. On raising the flap or leaf that has to be supported into a horizontal

page_text: position the loose plates fall along the line of the longitudinal hinge and so forms a
supporting bracket.
When the bracket is composed of three plates only the automatic action is just the
same; but the furniture is provided with a plate or surface so that the end of the
falling plate fits close against it and wedges itself tight on lifting the leaf or flap that
has to be supported.
When the bracket is composed of two plates only, ordinary table hinges have to be
used to join the flap or leaf to the table or piece of furniture, one plate only of the
bracket is then secured to the flap or leaf, which when lifted into horizontal position
allows the other plate of bracket to drop into its position to support the leaf.
Dated this 3rd day of February. 1897.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
6, Bank Street, Manchester, Patent Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Brackets and Hinges for Tables and other
Furniture.
We, ALFRED STRINGER, of Bennett Street, Hyde Road, Manchester, in the County
of Lancaster, Mechanic, and GEOFFREY ARTHUR MARTINEAU, of New Town Row,
Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Manufacturer, 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 relates to improvements in hinges and brackets or supports for such
tables or other pieces of furniture as are provided with folding leaves, flaps or
extensions.
The usual method of supporting such a leaf, flap or extension is by means of a bar
or bracket which has to be drawn or turned out after raising the flap.
This invention is designed to provide a bracket or hinge for supporting such folding
leaves, which will render it unnecessary in a table or other piece of furniture to do
more than raise the flap or leaf, when the supporting arm will fall automatically mto
position.
The invention consists essentially of a hinged bracket with a folding supporting
flap, hinged or pivoted at one side, capable of folding flat, upon or in the same plane
as the other part, and of falling into a position at right angles thereto to support the
table leaf when raised.
It will be fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which
several ways of constructing the improved folding bracket are illustrated.
Fig 1. Side elevation of one form of the invention in position when holding folding
leaf up.
Fig 2. Front elevation of same.
Fig 3. Side elevation of same in position when leaf is down or folded.
Fig 4. Front elevation in same position.
Fig 5. Plan in position to hold leaf up.
Fig 6. Plan when raised prior to lowering leaf.
Fig 7. Side elevation of a modified form of the invention in position when holding
folding leaf up.
Fig 8. Front elevation of same..
Fig 9. Side elevation of same in position when leaf is down or folded.

page_text: Fig 10. Front elevation in same position.
Fig 11. Plan in position to hold leaf up.
Fig 12. Plan when raised prior to lowering leaf.
Fig 13. Front elevation of another modification in position when holding folding
leaf up.
Fig 14. Plan of same in same position.
Fig 15. Plan when raised prior to lowering the leaf.
Referring to Figs 1 to 6, the bracket comprises four plates of metal A, B, C and D,
hinged or jointed together at a b c and d, one pair of hinges being at right angles to
the other pair. The plate A is of L shape, the upright part 1 of which is screwed
to the woodwork of the table at E, and the flat part A under the edge of the table
top. The plate B is flat and is hinged to the plate A at a and to the plate at b,
and it is screwed to the underside of the folding leaf F of the table, and the hinge a
forms a hinge for the leaf. The plate C is flat and preferably of the shape of a
supporting bracket, and is hinged to the plate B at b and to the plate D at c. The
plate D is hinged to the plate C at c, and to the plate A at d. When the
leaf F of the table is horizontal as in Figs 1 and 2, the parts C and D fold on
the hinges and d at right angles to the plates A and B, and form a bracket to
support the leaf. When the leaf is folded the parts B and C fold down at right.
angles to the other parts on the hinges a and c. On raising the leaf F from the
vertical position in Fig 3 to the horizontal position in Fig 1, the parts fall of their
own weight to the required position to support the leaf.
Referring to Figs 7 to 12 the bracket comprises three plates of metal A, B, and C,
hinged or jointed together, the bracket being very similar to that already described
with the exception of the plate D which is dispensed with, and the plate A is made
with a flange a' against which the edge c' of the plate Crests to support the table
leaf F. The plate A is screwed to the table at E and to the underside of the table
top. The plate B is hinged to the plate A, and is screwed to the leaf F, the hinge a
forming a hinge therefor. The plate C is hinged to the plate B at b and forms a
bracket for supporting the leaf F in a horizontal position. When the table leaf is
folded, the plate B folds on the hinge a, and on the lifting of the leaf F to the
horizontal position, the plate C folds of its own weight on the hinge b, and the edge c¹
rests against the edge a' of the plate A to maintain the leaf horizontal.
Referring to Figs 13 to 15 the bracket comprises two plates of metal B and C,
hinged together by a longitudinal hinge b. The plate B is hinged to the leaf F in a
diagonal manner (as in Fig 15) so that the edge b' and c' of the two plates will be
parallel and nearly level with the edge of the leaf F when flat and so that the edge c¹¹
of the plate C will project beyond the edge of the leaf and come in contact with the
table at E, when the plate is vertical. The leaf is hinged to the table top by ordinary
hinges H. When the leaf F is folded, the plate C lies against it, and on raising it to
the horizontal position, the plate folds of its own weight at right angles to the
plate C and the edge c¹¹, rests against the table at E and supports the leaf.
In each case one part is attached to the table or folding leaf, and the folding flap
of the bracket is left loose, so that it may fold flat against the leaf when vertical, but
when the leaf is raised to the horizontal it falls at right angles and supports
the leaf.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we claim is.-
1. A hinged bracket for supporting the folding leaf of a table or other furniture
constructed with a folding supporting flap or plate, hinged along one or two sides, to
a plate to be screwed to the leaf, which will lie in the same plane as the leaf when
folded, and fall or fold at right angles thereto to support the leaf when horizontal,
substantially as described.
2. In a hinged bracket for supporting the folding leaf of a table or other furniture,
the combination with a plate A screwed to the table, of two or three plates hinged
together, one of which is screwed to the leaf, and which are capable of folding in one

page_text: direction to allow the leaf to fold, and in a direction at right angles thereto, when
the leaf is raised to support it, substantially as described.
3. A hinged bracket for supporting the folding leaf of a table or other furniture
constructed substantially as described and shown with reference either to Figs 1 to 6,
Figs 7 to 12, or Figs 13 to 15.