IMPROVE-, MENTS IN ADJUSTABLE TABLES AND SEATS
Year: 1884

page_text: I, JOHN GLENDENNING, of Thorpe Hamlet Cottage Norwich, in the County of
Norfolk, Salesman, do hereby declare the nature of said invention for "IMPROVE-,
MENTS IN ADJUSTABLE TABLES AND SEATS" to be as follows:-
My invention relates to tables and seats of various kinds, and is designed to
provide simple and efficient means whereby such articles may be readily adjusted
to different heights to suit different persons or circumstances, the construction
being such that the necessary rigidity or firmness is not in any way impaired.
In carrying the said invention into practice I employ vertical supports connected
by cross pieces, within which supports the pieces to which the top of the table or
seat is secured are arranged to slide vértically by means of racks and pinions, or
springs.
In constructing a table according to my invention I proceed as follows, that is to
say, I provide two strong pillars or supports which are placed in a vertical position
and are attached at their lower end to. suitable foot-pieces to give an extended
bearing surface on the floor, the said supports being firmly braced together by
transverse bars. Each of these pillars or supports has, cut within it (on the inner
side) a wide parallel groove extending from the top very nearly to the bottom,
and in these grooves the vertical pieces to which the table-top is secured are
placed in such a manner that they will slide vertically to adjust the said table-top
to a higher or lower point as may be desired. The said sliding pieces are made
with a long central groove on one side of which a toothed rack is fastened extending
from end to end of the said slot. A horizontal tubular rod passes completely
across from one pillar to the other near the top, and bears at each end a pinion
which gears with the rack, and close to the pinion there is, on the said rod, at each
end thereof, a collar. At one end of the rod, within the space enclosed by the
pillars, and near to one of the latter, I provide a wheel of suitable diameter which
is designed to be turned by hand whenever it is desired to raise or lower the table-
top. Another rod passes completely through the tubular rod, the pillars, and the
sliding pieces, the latter being provided with a long slot for this purpose This
inner rod is furnished at one end-outside the pillar-with a stop piece and at the
other end with a screw-threaded thumb-nut which works upon the said end, the
latter being also screw-threaded. The object of this rod and nut is to provide

page_text: means for firmly securing the table top in any position to which it may have
been adjusted by the rack and pinion device. When a person wishes to adjust
the table-top to a different position (higher or lower) he first slightly unscrews the
said nut which has the effect of relieving the pillars of the pressure existing so
long as the said nut was screwed up tightly. The wheel is then turned by hand
which causes the tubular rod and the pinions thereon to revolve, and the pinions
gearing in the racks cause the latter, and consequently the sliding pieces, to which
they are secured, to rise or descend, carrying with them the table-top. When the
latter has reached the desired position the nut is again tightened and the whole is
thereby firmly secured in that position. It is obvious that the table top may be
furnished with a lifting piece to enable it to be used as a desk, or with any other
devices to fit it for any special purpose for which it may be desired.
Instead of the rack and pinion arrangement, I may use spiral springs placed
within suitable cavities in the pillars and so arranged as to press upon the sliding
pieces and force them up-together with the table top-when the thumb-nut is
released.
Although I have described my invention as applied to a table it is obvious that
the said invention may, with equal advantage, be used for music and other stools,
chairs, and like scats.
A convenient arrangement for a music-stool is as follows, that is to say, two
cavities are provided in the lower part of each pillar and in each cavity there is
a spiral spring the upper part of, which springs exerts pressure upon the base of
the sliding pieces. The latter are provided with vertical slots to permit them
to slide over the ends of the inner rod as they rise or fall..
[
Any slight modification of detail necessary for adapting my invention, to tables
ör seats of different kinds will be readily understood without special description.
:
Dated this 29th day. of February 1884.

page_text: I, JOHN GLENDENNING, of Thorpe Hamlet Cottage, Norwich, in' the County of
Norfolk, Salesman, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVE
MENTS IN ADJUSTABLE TABLES AND SEATS" and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:--
.
My invention relates to tables and seats which are capable of adjustment to
increase or diminish their height. It is chiefly designed to provide simple and
efficient means whereby the top of a table or seat can be simultaneously secured
to, or released from, two legs or supports by the movement of a lever, a thumb-nut
or equivalent device. My said invention, moreover, comprises various improvements
as hereinafter set forth.
In the accompanying drawings.
Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of a table made in accordance with
my invention.
Figure 2 is a section on the line x, x, Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a vertical central section of a music-stool made according to my
invention.
Figure 4 is a section on the line y, y, Figure 3.
Figure 5 is a side elevation of another music-stool or chair made according to
my invention.
Figure 6 is an elevation thereof, partly in section on the line z, z, Figure 5, and
Figure 7 is a horizontal section on the line 1, 2, Figure 6.
Like letters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings,
a,
a are the two legs or supporting pieces, which are connected by one or more
cross-bars b, and within which the rods or pieces c, c¹ attached to the top of the
table or scat are arranged to slide vertically. The legs or supports a, a¹ are
provided at their lower ends with foot-pieces d.
In the table shewn in Figures 1 and 2, each leg or support has formed in its
inner side a wide parallel groove a² extending from its upper, nearly to its lower
end. In these grooves the vertical pieces c, c¹ attached to the table-top e are fitted
to slide, to permit the vertical adjustment of the said table-top. Each of the said.
sliding pieces is made with a central groove or channel c², in which a toothed
rack for f, extending from end to end thereof, is firmly secured; it is, moreover,
formed with a slot c³.
g is a tubular rod, which is placed between the legs or supports a, a¹ near their
upper ends, and is provided at its extremities with the pinions h, h¹ and the fixed
collars or flanges i, i. These pinions gear with the racks f. f'. The rod g is also
provided near.one of its extremities with a wheel j for turning it by hand to raise
or lower the table-top. A rod or bolt k having a head k¹, is passed through the
tubular rod g and through the slots c³ in the sliding pieces c, c', and also through
metal plates a³ fixed in the supports a, a¹ to form bearings for the said rod. This
rod or bolt is screw-threaded at one extremity and furnished with a thumb-nut m.
By tightening this nut, the sliding piece c will be gripped between the head ¹
and the collar i, and, at the same time, the sliding piece c¹ will be gripped between
the nut m and the collar 2. It will therefore be readily understood that only
a simple movement of the thumb-nut m is necessary to secure the table-top to, or
J
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page_text: release it from, both of the legs or supports a, a¹, that is to say, to prevent or
permit the movement of the sliding pieces in the said supports.
When it is desired to raise or lower the table-top, the nut m must first be
slightly unscrewed to release the sliding pieces c, c¹; the wheel j is then turned by
hand to rotate the rod g and pinions h, h¹ in the desired direction. When the
table-top has been adjusted to the desired position, the nut m is again tightened to
simultaneously secure the same to the two legs or supports a, a³.
The table-top is shown in the drawing furnished with a movable portion n
hinged at n¹, so that the table can be used as a desk, but, this movable portion
may, if desired, be dispensed with. Any other devices may, moreover, be provided
to adapt the table for any special purpose for which it may be required.
Instead of employing racks and pinions as above described, I sometimes use
spiral springs placed within suitable cavities in the legs or supports and so arranged,
that they tend to press the top of the table or seat upward, when it is released
from the legs or supports.
in
A music-stool constructed in this manner. is illustrated in Figures 3 and 4.
Each of the supports a, a¹ of this music-stool has two cavities at formed in its
lower part, and in each of these cavities there is a spiral spring o placed upon
a fixed pin or rod o¹. The upper ends of these springs enter recesses or cavities in
the lower ends of the sliding pieces c, c¹, which the said springs tend to press
upward. e indicates the top or seat of the music-stool. The tubular rod
this case, serves merely as a distance-piece or stay between the supports a, a¹, so
that, when the thumb-nut m is tightened, the sliding piece e is firmly held between
the said nut and one end of the rod g, while the sliding piece c¹ is held between
the other end of the said rod and the head of the rod or bolt . Both sliding
pieces can, therefore; be secured or released simultaneously by simply turning the
said thumb-nut in one direction or the other.
In Figures 6, 7 and 8, I have shown a music-stool, the top or seat e³ of which is
provided with a back e³. I sometimes provide this back with an adjustable
cushion e¹. In this music-stool, the supports a a¹ are tubular, and spiral springs o
are placed therein. The sliding pieces c, c¹ consist of round bars or rods, which
are secured to the top or seat e2 and fit into the said supports. Two metal
pieces s, s are placed between each of the supports a, a¹ and the corresponding
sliding piece, to clamp the latter as hereinafter explained. These clamping-pieces
are semi-circular, or nearly so, in transverse section and have holes through which
passes the rod k, which also passes through the slots c³ in the sliding pieces.
Instead of employing a thumb-nut as above described I fit on the end of the
rod a handle or levert arranged to act as hereinafter described upon two pins or
rods inserted in the leg or support a and bearing against the corresponding
clamping piece 8. This lever is formed with recesses or cavities t' which are
concentric with the rod %, and the bottoms of which are inclined so that, when the
said lever is in the position shewn in full lines in Figure 5 it presses upon the pins
or rods u and causes the clamping. pieces to firmly grip the rods c, c¹; and, when
moved from this position to that shown in dotted lines in the said figure, it
will release the pins or rods u and permit the raising or lowering of the top or
seat of the music-stool. The springs o are made sufficiently strong to automatically
effect the raising of the said top or seat.
By constructing tables or seats as above described, I provide for their adjustment
without impairing their necessary rigidity or firmness.
•
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:
.:
.'
First. The improved means substantially as described with reference to either of
the forms or modifications shewn in the accompanying drawings for simultaneously.
securing the top of the table or seat to the two legs or supports, or releasing it
therefrom
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and for
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page_text: Second. The improved adjustable table consisting of the parts constructed and
combined substantially as described with reference to Figures 1 and 2 of the
drawings.
Third. The improved adjustable music-stool consisting of the parts constructed
and combined substantially as described with reference to Figures 3 and 4, or to
Figures 5, 6 and 7, of the drawings.