IMPROVEMENTS APPLICABLE TO DESKS, MUSIC
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Philip, the younger, of the Firm of
Philip, Son, and Nephew, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster,
Mercantile Stationers, Map, Chart, and Educational Booksellers,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS APPLICABLE TO DESKS, MUSIC
Scaled the 3rd October 1871, and dated the 6th April 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Philip at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
6th April 1871.
I, GEORGE PHILIP, the younger, of the Firm of Philip, Son, and
Nephew, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Mercantile Stationers,
Map, Chart, and Educational Booksellers, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS APPLICABLE TO DESKS, MUSIC
STANDS, AND SEATS FOR SCHOOL AND OTHER PURPOSES," to be as follows (that
is to say):
This Invention relates to certain improvements applicable to desks
and seats for schools, and other purposes, to music and other stands, or

page_text: other like supports, by which the position of the top may be placed
and held horizontally or at an angle thereto, that the same may be
used as a table, sloping desk, or music stand, or to form the back of
the scat.
To apply this Invention to (say) a school desk and scat, the base
and the standards which spring therefrom for supporting the seat and
top of the desk may be of timber, but it is preferred to construct them
of cast or wrought iron or other metal in one piece. The base it is
proposed should be about five inclics broad, cored out on the under side,
and with it is cast a light standard, by preference having a T head for
carrying one end of the seat which is attached thereto by nuts and bolts
passing through holes in horizontal snugs or cars found on one or both
sides of the standard, or through the ★ arm, or in any other convenient
manner.
A second standard also springs from the base, which is of the required
height for carrying the top of the desk. This standard carries on one
edge about four inches from the top, a bracket, to the top of which is
securely attached one end of a book shelf. The top of the standard is
formed with a quadrant on one side, if it is desirable that the top of
the desk should work to an angle on one side only towards the seat to
which it is attached, but if it is intended to enable the top to be placed
at an angle or to work both ways then the head of the standard is
semicircular in form. In both cases the upper edge of the standard is
divided by square notches or ratchet teeth, into which takes a coinciding
fixed tooth, as herein-after explained. The top of the desk is secured on
its under side to a transverse band, from the lower side of which pro-
jects a pair of jaws parallel to and in contact with each side of the
upright standard. The lower ends of these jaw pieces are formed with
a slot of a length equal to a fixed transverse pin which passes through
the standard and the slots, which are of sufficient length to enable the
top to be lifted up so as to take out a transverse stop or tooth formed
on the under side of the plate between the jaws.
The object of this arrangement is to enable the top to be raised and
turned to the required angle, when the stop or tooth takes into a corrc-
sponding notch. The top may then be locked by means of a sliding
block attached to a collar working longitudinally on one end of the
transverse pin, which fills up the cavity of the slot, and locks the top

page_text: securely in position until it is withdrawn. The top may be locked in
position by means of a hook jointed to one of the side jaws or pendant
lugs which takes on to the fixed pin.
At a convenient height from the floor a folding or fixed foot board
may be fitted. When a folding foot board is used it may be arranged
simply to fold up against the front of the standard or arranged to fold
over so as to form a foot or kneeling board to be used on the opposite
side.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said George Philip in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 6th October 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
PHILIP, the younger, of the Firm of Philip, Son, and Nephew, of
Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Mercantile Stationers, Map,
Chart, and Educational Booksellers, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of April, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-
fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said George Philip, my exccutors, admi-
nistrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said George Philip,
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 APPLICABLE TO DESKS, MUSIC STANDS, AND SEATS FOR
SCHOOL AND OTHER PURPOSES," upon the condition (amongst others) that
I, the said George Philip, my executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and scals,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said In-
vention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and
cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Oflice within six
calendar monthis next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.

page_text: 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 (that is to say)
This my said Invention relates to certain improvements applicable to
desks and seats for schools and other purposes, to music and other stands,
or other like supports, by which the position of the top may be placed
and held horizontally or at an angle thereto, that the same may be used
as a table, sloping desk, or music stand, or to form the back of the
seat.
To apply this my said Invention to (say) a school desk and scat, the
basc and the standards which spring therefrom for supporting the scat
and the top of the desk may be of timber, but it is preferred to construct
them of cast or wrought iron or other metal in one piece. The base it
is proposed should be about five inches broad, cored out on the under
side, and with it is cast a light standard, by preference having a T head
for carrying one end of the seat, which I prefer to construct of wood,
and which I attach thereto by screws, or nuts, and bolts passing through
holes in horizontal sungs or cars, formed on one or both sides of the
standard or through the T arm, or in any other convenient manner.
A second standard which also springs from the base and is of the
required height for carrying the top of the desk, which I also prefer
should be of wood, this last mentioned standard carries on one edge.
about four inches from the top a bracket, to the top of which I securely
attached one end of a book shelf. The top of the standard is formed
with a quadrant on one side, if it is desirable that the top of the desk
should work to an angle on one side only towards the seat to which it is
attached, but if it is intended to enable the top to be placed at an angle,
or to work both ways, then I form the head of the standard semi-
circular in form; in both cases the upper edge of the standard is divided
by square notches or ratchet teeth into which takes a coinciding fixed
tooth as herein-after explained. The top of the desk is secured on its
under side to a transverse band, from the lower side of which projects
a pair of jaws parallel to and in contact with each side of the upright|
standard, the lower ends of these jaw pieces I form with a slot of a
breadth equal to a fixed transverse pin which passes through the

page_text: When my improvements shown are to be used as a flat topped table,
as shown in the Drawing, the top is held in position by the tooth taking
into the slot e, when to be used as a sloping desk the top is lifted up
and depresses on the front edge and then allowed to descend so that the
catch tooth will take into c, as indicated by the dotted line. When
the top is to be used as a back to the seat J the top is lifted up, turned
over, and the locking tooth inserted in to the slot e³, and as a further
security to prevent the back falling out of position I have added the
stud or stop bit G. When the top is required to be used as a back for
the seat immediately in front, the position of which is shown by the
horizontal dotted line, all that has to be done is to lift up the top, and
turn it over to the position required as in the dotted line when the
lower portion will rest against the upper outer edge of the book shelf E.
The interchangable foot and kneeling board is shown in dotted line at
the foot of the standard B and folds on the joint K to the required
nocition

page_text: construction of desks, tables, music stands, or screens, seats, and backs
to the same.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Philip, the younger, have
herewith set my hand and affixed my seal, this Fifth day of
October in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and seventy-onc.
Witness,
WILLIAM WALKER,
41, Castle Street,
Liverpool.
GEORGE
(L.S.) PHILIP, JUN