SCHOOL FURNITURE
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George William Butler, of Sparkbrook, in the County of
Warwick, Clerk in Holy Orders, for the Invention of
SCHOOL FURNITURE.”
IMPROVEMENTS IN
Sealed the 29th July 1879, and dated the 17th April 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George William Butler at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 17th April 1879.
GEORGE WILLIAM BUTLER, of Sparkbrook, in the County of Warwick, Clerk in
Holy Orders. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SCHOOL FURNITURE."
This Invention refers to improvements in school desks and seats, by which they
may be easily convertable into backed seats by the turning over of the desk to the
back of the seat.
With this view I construct a desk on brackets or standards curved in form, so as
to make standards for the desk, and when turned over arms for the backed seat.
These standards are hinged to the standard supporting the seat at a point below the
seat, or to the curb or stretcher piece. A foot board is provided extending from
bracket to bracket, and this foot board when not in use as a foot board is carried to
the underside of the seat. By the turning over of the desk, and by means of a
bolt or fastening of any suitable kind, the foot board is locked to the seat and
secures all parts together.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said George William Butler in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
16th October 1879.
GEORGE WILLIAM BUTLER, of Sparkbrook, in the County of Warwick, Clerk in
Holy Orders. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SCHOOL FURNITURE."
This Invention refers to improvements in school furniture, useful also in lecture
theatres, restaurants, or other institutions in which a desk or table combined with
a seat is sometimes required, and at others a backed seat only. Hitherto this
Paine A71

page_text: object has been attained by reversing the desk portion in such manner as to
form a back to the seat; consequently the position of the sitter must be changed or
the furniture turned round, whilst by my Invention the furniture is convertible
without altering the position of the sitter or of the seat.
This will be more clearly understood on reference to the annexed Drawings, which
represent in end elevation several modes in which this object may be effected, the
dotted lines representing the lines of traverse of the various parts. (Figures 1
and 2) shew ends of a reversible desk seat thus constructed. (a) is the seat hinged
at the back to its standard (a), and furnished if required with a book trough
extending from standard to standard; (b) is the desk hinged at (c) to its standard (b¹),
and capable of being turned in the direction of the dotted lines from (d to e); (f) is
a stretcher footboard secured to the standards (6'). There are of course a pair of
each of the standards to each seat. (g) is a narrow board acting as a rest to the
desk (b) when in the position seen in (Figure 1), and as a bookboard when the
parts are turned over, as seen in (Figure 2). (h) is the pin or joint upon which
the desk with its standards can be turned over when the parts assume the position
seen in (Figure 2). The seat (a) can be secured to the edge of the book trough
underneath by a spring bolt or any other suitable fastening; in this form of desk
it is always horizontal. If an inclined one be required, I construct it upon the
modified form shewn in (Figures 3 and 4), in which the desk is constructed to work
upon a quadrant guide (2) working in a slot () in the head of the standard, its
position being fixed by a thumb piece and screw (¹), or the quadrant guide may
be formed as a toothed rack engaging in a catch or stud upon the standard.
(Figure 3) shews this arrangement as a desk, and (Figure 4) in its reversed position
as a seat back. (Figures 5 and 6) shew another form of my Invention, in which
standards in two parts are employed for the desk, the smaller one (7) working in
a sinking (¹) in the larger one (m), this sinking affording a stop for the two parts
of the standard, and keeping them steady at the points at which they are required
to rest. (Figures 7 and 8) shew another modification, in which also the desk
standards are composed of two parts held together, but free to work independently,
by the clip (o), and thus sufficient play is afforded to the two parts to enable them
to assume the positions shewn in the Drawings. (Figure 9) shews a modification,
in which in place of a stretcher board from standard to standard of the seat two
iron crossed rods are used, and the ends of these rods are received in and work in
slots in the seat standards, as seen at (p).
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be carried into effect, I wish it to be understood that I do not
confine myself to these precise details, but that which I claim is the within described
improvements in the construction of convertible furniture, or any mere modification
of the same involving the same principles, and adapted for schools, lecture rooms,
and for other similar purposes, by arranging and combining the parts in such
manner that neither the position of the scat nor of the sitter requires to be
changed when the use of the article is varied, as herein more fully set forth and
specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said George William Butler, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of October, in the year of our Lord One
GEORGE WILLIAM BUTLER. (L..S.)