IMPROVEMENTS IN CONVERTIBLE DESKS OR BENCHES, SUCH AS ARE PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION USED FOR SCHOOLS, CHURCHES AND OTHER SIMILAR PURPOSES
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Banks, of Brook Street, Knutsford,
in the County of Chester, Architect and Surveyor, for the Inven-
tion of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CONVERTIBLE DESKS OR BENCHES, SUCH AS ARE
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Banks
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 16th June 1869.
I, JOHN HENRY BANKS, of Brook Street, Knutsford, in the County of
Chester, Architect and Surveyor, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN CONVERTIBLE DESKS OR BENCHES, SUCH AS ARE
USED FOR SCHOOLS, CHURCHES, AND OTHER SIMILAR PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
To carry out my Invention I use standards made of iron, wood, or any
other material in varying numbers according to the length of the bench
or desk, which standards I may make of the same shape and conformity,
as is shewn by diagrams attached to my Patent dated 1st September
1863, No. 2161, or of any other suitable form, with the material exception
that the hinge or joint that is described and shewn on the upper end of

page_text: back part of standard I by my present Invention dispense with, and
merely form that end in the shape of a bed plate or seating to which I
shall attach the board or boards, which under different circumstances is
called according to its use the connecting or bearing board, book board,
slate, or copybook shelf, or receptacle, which said board I shall again
attach or bring in contact with the board which is called under different
circumstances the desk or backboard, in such a manner that the
strength of both pieces are united, thus enabling the desk or backboard
to bear a greater weight or pressure at any point between the standards
than it otherwise would do, which will add greatly to the firmness of the
desk or bench, and will allow me to make them longer with propor-
tionately less standards, as will be fully shewn by Drawings hereafter.
And further the before-mentioned connecting or bearing board I shall
when required construct of two pieces kept apart from each other by
blockings or any other means, so as to form the before-mentioned shelf
or receptacle, as will be fully shewn hereafter.
And further I shall provide when required ink holders, in which to
place the ink pots, which holders will be made so that they can be either
pushed or turned as may be found desirable under the desk board or
into the receptacle before mentioned for safety and to keep them free
from dust, as will be fully shewn hereafter.
And further the board which forms the desk, when used for school
purposes, and the back when used as a bench, will require to be supported
in different positions. I propose to use to accomplish that purpose a
hinge formed of 3 laps and a raising catch, but as it is obvious that it
can be done in numberless different ways I do not restrict myself to its
use, although I claim the Invention of this hinge for the particular
purpose described.
And further I shall provide if required a foot or kneeling board,
which board if only used for the purpose of resting the feet upon will
be formed of a scantling of timber fixed to the standards, but if required
for a kneeling board it will consist of another piece of timber, which
will be attached to the aforesaid scantling or to the standards in such
a manner that will admit of it being turned up or down.

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 18th December 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
HENRY BANKS, of Brook, Knutsford, in the County of Chester,
Architect and Surveyor, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of June, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-
second 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, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John Henry Banks,
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 CONVERTIBLE DESKS OR BENCHES, SUCH AS ARE USED FOR SCHOOLS;
CHURCHES, AND OTHER SIMILAR PURPOSES," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said John Henry Banks, my executors or adminis-
trators, 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 :-
I to carry out my Invention do use standards made of iron, wood, or
any other material in varying numbers according to the length of the
desk or bench, which standards I may make of the same shape and
conformity as is shewn by diagrams attached to my Patent, No. 2161,.
A.D. 1863, or of any other suitable form, with the material exception
that the hinge or joint that is described and shewn on the upper end of

page_text: back part of standard I by my present Invention dispense with, and
merely form that end in the shape of a bed plate or seating, to which
I shall attach the board or boards which under different circumstances
is called according to its uses the connecting or bearing board (reference
being made to accompanying Drawings).
A, Fig. 1, book board, slate, or copy book shelf or receptacle A, Fig. 2,
which said board I shall again attach or bring in contact with the board
which is called under different circumstances the desk ar back board
B, Fig. 1, in such a manner that the strength of both pieces are united,
thus enabling the desk or back board to bear a greater weight or
pressure at any point between the standards than it otherwise would do.
which will add greatly to the firmness of the desk or bench, and will
allow me to make longer ones with proportionately less standards.
And further the before-mentioned connecting or bearing board I shall
when required construct of two pieces kept apart by blockings o, c, Figs.
2, 3, 4, and 5, or any other means, so to form the before-mentioned shelf
or receptacle. And I shall provide when required an ink holder or
holders F, Figs. 3, 4, and 5, and 10, 11, and 12, in which to place the
ink pots, which ink holder or holders I shall form of two scantlings of
timber or other suitable material, Figs. 10, 11, and 12; the bottom piece
will have holes bored in to receive the ink pots, the upper piece will be
very thin and merely used to form a cover for the ink pots, which said
piece I shall hinge to the edge of the desk or back board in such a way that
they can be turned up or down as desired, as is shown in Figs. 4, 5, and 10,
and further to keep the aforesaid ink holder or holders in a horizontal
position when required I shall use a connecting rod H, Fig. 4, and Figs.
8, 9, or a balance weight i, Figs. 3 and 5, or accomplish the same in any
similar manner, which said ink holder or holders I may make of one
continuous length or any number..
And further the board which forms the desk when used for school
purposes, and the back when used as a bench, will require to be supported
in different positions. I propose to use to accomplish that purpose a
hinge, Figs. 6. & 7, formed of 8 flaps and a raising catch, but as it is
obvious this can be done in numberless different ways I do not restrict
myself to its use, although I claim the Invention of this hinge.
And further I shall provide if required a foot or kneeling board E,
Fig. 1, which board if only used for the purpose of resting the feet upon
will be formed of a scantling of timber fixed to the standard, but if

page_text: required for a kneeling board it will consist of a broader scantling of
timber, which will be attached in such a manner that will admit of it
being turned up or down.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the
manner of performing the same, I claim,―
First. The particular disposition and arrangements of the various parts
in relation to each other.
2nd. I claim the connecting or bearing board for the purpose and use
as described.
3rd. I claim the formation of the slate pocket or receptacle, whether
constructed in the manner I describe or in any other similar manner.
4th. I claim the application of the ink holder or holders above men-
tioned in relation to school desks or any similar contrivance made in
metal or wood.
5. I claim the construction and use of the hinge.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Banks, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of December,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
sixty-nine.