A New or Improved Portable Writing Table or Desk Appliance.
Year: 1895

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Portable Writing Table or Desk Appliance.
I, GRACE INDIA THOMSON, of North Lodge, Ascot, Berkshire, Married
Woman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention has for its object to produce an apparatus which, while it is
applicable for use upon an ordinary table as a fitted writing table or desk, is
capable of ready conversion into a portable receptacle for papers, writing materials
and the like, affording a convenient means of carrying those articles while
travelling.
My invention consists essentially of a series of shelves, cupboards, pigeon-holes,
and the like resting on and attached to a flat surface or base which can be set
upon any ordinary table or other place. The whole of the apparatus may be made
of wood or other suitable material, the shelf or pigeon-hole part being preferably
made rectangular in plan and the surface or base being suitably hinged or con-
structed to fold so as to form a total or partial lid, cover, or protection to the
said shelves cupboards or pigeon-holes. If preferred, the said surface or base
may be arranged to form a writing slope in front of the shelves cupboards or
pigeon-holes or it may be arranged to lie horizontally on the table upon which it is
opened.
When folded or closed, the apparatus can be locked, strapped, or otherwise
secured thus forming a box-like structure capable of being easily transported from
place to place without disturbing the contents of the shelves, cupboards or pigeon-
holes.
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$11002
A. F. SPOONER,
124, Chancery Lane, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.
A New or Improved Portable Writing Table or Desk Appliance.
I, GRACE INDJa Thomson, of North Lodge, Ascot, Berkshire, Married
Woman, 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 :-
a
My invention has for its object the production of an apparatus which, whilst
applicable for use upon an ordinary table as a fitted writing table or desk, is likewise
capable of being readily converted into a portable receptacle for papers, writing
materials, and the like, so as to afford a ready means of carrying those articles
whilst travelling.
In the accompanying drawing

page_text: Figure 2 is a front elevation, and
Figure 3 is an end view showing one form of my improved portable writing table,
desk appliance, or cabinet.
Like letters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings.
A is the body or outer casing of the writing table, desk appliance, or cabinet,
which is of an elongated rectangular form. A is the lid, flap, or cover thereof,
which is preferably in two parts and hinged or jointed together as indicated at A³,
so that when shut, or folded up, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 3, it will form
the front and top of the desk appliance or cabinet and completely close the same;
or when open, as shown in full lines in the drawing, will form a suitable surface or
table upon which to write or for other purposes. B, B' are cupboards having
suitable doors and fitted internally respectively with pigeon holes and shelves as
indicated by the dotted lines in Figure 2. C is a stationery rack or cabinet which
is normally closed by a sliding door or cover, removed in the drawing for convenience
of illustration. D is a space fitted with one or more shelves D', and intended to
contain papers, ink bottle, gum, pen tray, and other paraphernalia usually to be
found upon a writing desk or table.
It is obvious however that I can arrange the interior fittings of my writing table,
desk appliance, or cabinet in any other suitable or convenient manner. For instance
may substitute for the cupboard B a paper or letter file, in which case I prefer to
use a file of that kind or class commonly known as the Ceres," and which is
described in the Specification of Letters Patent granted to T. Bowater Vernon,
No. 793 of 1891. I may likewise employ in lieu of the stationery rack or cabinet C,
a stationery rack or cabinet substantially similar to that described in the Specifi-
cation accompanying Letters Patent No. 18903 of 1894, granted to the same
inventor. In this latter case I prefer to dispense with the space D and shelf
or shelves D¹, and to fix the said stationery rack next the said "Ceres'
or other
paper or letter file which, as above mentioned, may take the place of the
cupboard B.
"
My improved writing table, desk appliance, or cabinet may be constructed wholly
or partly of wood, metal or any other suitable material, and may be of other
convenient shape, than that shown, in transverse section, the bottom thereof being
however preferably flat so as to enable it to rest evenly upon a table or other
supporting surface. I usually so arrange the lid, flap, or cover A¹ that when
opened it will lie horizontally on the said table or other supporting surface, if
preferred however it may be so constructed as to form, when open, a writing
slope.
Instead of being formed in two parts or portions hinged together as shown, the
lid, flap, or cover A¹ may be so constructed that the one part will slide relatively
to the other, so that when shut or closed it will only fold over one side of the desk
appliance, or cabinet. When open however the one portion of the said lid or flap
may be pulled or slid out relatively to the other, so as to render the surface afforded
thereby sufficient for writing and other purposes.
When folded or closed, the apparatus can be looked, strapped, or otherwise
secured, and being then of a box-like form is capable of being easily transported
from place to place without any disturbance or disarrangement to the contents
thereof.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
First. A writing table, desk appliance, or cabinet, having suitable internal fittings,
and a lid, flap, or cover so arranged that it can be either folded or shut up so as to
completely enclose one or more sides of the former, and which when opened out
will form a convenient table or surface for writing or otherwise, substantially as and
for the purposes specified.
Second. The combination, with a writing table, desk appliance, or cabinet such

page_text: as that specified in the first claim, of internal fittings comprising a paper or letter
file, and stationery rack, or either of them, substantially as specified.
Third. The writing table, desk appliance, or cabinet, constructed substantially
as described and illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 24th day of January 1896.
A. F. SPOONER,
124 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.