IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF ARTICLES OF FURNITURE KNOWN AS WARDROBES, INCLUDING IMPROVED ARRANGEMENTS FOR ATTACHING DOORS TO THE SAME, SUCH IMPROVEMENTS IN ATTACHING DOORS BEING APPLICABLE TO OTHER ARTICLES OF FURNITURE
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Law, of Northampton, in the County of
Northampton, Cabinet Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF ARTICLES OF FURNITURE KNOWN AS WARDROBES,
INCLUDING IMPROVED ARRANGEMENTS FOR ATTACHING DOORS TO THE SAME,
SUCH IMPROVEMENTS IN ATTACHING DOORS BEING APPLICABLE TO OTHER ARTICLES
OF FURNITURE."
Sealed the 26th April 1864, and dated the 31st October 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Law at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 31st
October 1863.
I, WILLIAM LAW, of Northampton, in the County of Northampton, Cabinet
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF ARTICLES OF FURNITURE KNOWN AS WARD-
ROBES, INCLUDING IMPROVED ARRANGEMENTS FOR ATTACHING DOORS TO THE SAME,
SUCH IMPROVEMENTS IN ATTACHING DOORS BEING APPLICABLE TO OTHER ARTICLES OF
FURNITURE," to be as follows:-
Instead of constructing a wardrobe with a door or doors in front thereof I
have the door or doors at the side or sides (whether such side or sides be right-
angled or otherwise angled to the front), and the open interior area of the
wardrobe behind the front can be divided into two parts with a door opening
into each. Doors for the wardrobe or for other articles having similar doors to
those of wardrobes I should hinge not at the back edge, as usual, but should

page_text: place them upon pivots at or near the centre of the door, and so that the
door can be turned round, and the dresses or other things if secured to the
door can readily be brought to hand. To the lower part of the door a slab
can be attached moving with it. Drawers, trays, or other usual fittings may
be adopted as desired.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Law in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
30th April 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
LAW, of Northampton, in the County of Northampton, Cabinet Manufacturer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirty-first day of October, 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 William Law, Her special licence that I, the said William Law,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
William Law, my executors, administrators, 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 ARTICLES OF FURNITURE KNOWN AS WARDROBES, INCLUDING
IMPROVED ARRANGEMENTS POR ATTACHING DOORS TO THE SAME, SUCH IMPROVEMENTS
IN ATTACHING DOORS BEING APPLICABLE TO OTHER ARTICLES OF FURNITURE," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Law, 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 William Law, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:--

page_text: Instead of constructing a wardrobe with a door or doors in the front thereof
I have the door or doors at the side or sides (whether such side or sides be
right-angled or otherwise angled to the front), so that when a door or doors at
each side be adopted), the open interior area of the wardrobe behind the front
can be usefully divided into parts or compartments, with a door opening into
each compartment Doors for the wardrobe, or for other articles of furniture
I should hinge not at the back edge, as usual, but I should place them upon
pivots at or near the top and bottom of the centre line of the door, and so
that the door can be turned round, when dresses and other things if secured to
the door can be readily be brought to hand, as the interior surface of the door
will then be outwards. To the door a slab or shelf, slabs or shelves, can be
attached moving with it, which will be inside when the door is shut. For
enclosed washstands, a door attached as aforesaid would have secured the
upper part an interior projecting slab or receptacle for the basin, soap dish, or
other toilet requisites. The top of such a washstand would not on this con-
struction require to be lifted up or opened, and would form an available side-
board or table. Sideboards should have the doors provided with several trays,
some to be appropriated for glasses, others for other things. Drawers, trays,
or other usual fittings may be adopted as desired, and as taste or convenience
may demand.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, I will now proceed
to further exemplify the same, and particularly describe in what manner the
same is to be performed, which I shall do by reference to the accompanying
Drawing, by the words, figures, and letters following, that is to say :-
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Fig. 1, view of a wardrobe with a wood panel front, with the doors open
and drawers shut, one door being attached on the old plan by ordinary hinges;
Fig. 2, view of a wardrobe with looking-glass front.
A1, A2, denote the doors, and B (dotted lines) the partition dividing the
interior into two compartments, A¹ opening to one compartment and A² to
the other.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I hereby declare
that I claim the improvements in wardrobes consisting in providing them with
doors or means of entrance from the sides as distinguished from the fronts pr
backs of wardrobes or articles of furniture, which wardrobes or articles can be
divided into compartments with a door to each compartment.
Also the improved arrangement of attaching doors by central pivots, to

page_text: which doors trays and other appendages can be secured, as herein-before
referred to, such arrangements being applicable to other articles of furniture.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Law, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of April, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
Witness,
WILLIAM BLACK.
W. LAW. (L.S.)