Improvements in School and other Desks.
Year: 1892

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in School and other Desks.
1, ARMAND MAUCHAIN, of 28 Grand-Quai, Geneva, in the Republic of
Switzerland, Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The invention is designed to provide a school desk, which is, of course, liable to
be used in offices or other places, constructed so as to be easily adjusted either for
standing or sitting working (writing, drawing, etc.). The same is moreover con-
structed so as to form a horizontal table, which is very useful in professional schools
for instance for cutting clothes, boarding and the like.
In the accompanying drawings
Figure 1.ista front view of my improved adjustable desk in its elevated position.
Figure 2 is a section through -y of Figure 1, the desk being supposed lowered
into its lowest horizontal position.
Figure 3 is a section through y, of Figure 1.
In all the figures the same letters of reference refer to the same parts.
The side-walls A B of the desk are connected to one another by means of a
back-board 'C and by means of a front-board" F. This part of the construction is.
the same as in most of the usual school-desks and from this it appears that the
improvements described below may easily be combined with any existing school-
desks in view of rendering the latter adjustable.
To the back-board C there is connected, by means of a hinge e, a frame D which
is approximatively of the same dimensions as the top-board H. To said frame D
there are rigidly affixed two bowed racks E E formed each of a properly made
toothed rack and of a side-wall'e' intended to prevent the accidental engagement
of the fingers into the teeth of the rack e¹.
To the front-board F, connecting the side-walls A and B with each other, there
is affixed by means of a hinge, a narrow board G intended to play.like a click click
in engaging into the teeth of the racks E (see Figure 3). Said narrow board G is
made to project with its both ends on the left and on the right over the side-
walls A, B of the desk. The projecting ends of said board G may moreover be
provided with suitable handles y intended to facilitate its up-and-down motion (or
oscillation) when the person using the desk desires to disengage by hand the board G
out of the teeth of the rack e¹ and to engage it with another of said teeth. If one
lifts the front of the frame D the racks are automatically disengaged from the
board G and if one abandones said frame D to itself the said racks, auto-
matically re-engage with said board and bear with one of their teeth upon the
said board G.
To the front edge of said frame;D, there is hinged a top-board or plate H to
which are rigidly fixed two racks I constructed exactly like the above described
racks 'E. There is further provided a narrow board,J,,hinged to the back-edge of
the frame D and playing with regard to the racks I exactly like the narrow
board G plays with regard to the racks E. Thus it is evident that by means of

page_text: those racks E, in combination with the board G, the front edge of the top-board H
may be adjusted at suitable height and by means of the racks I in combination with
the board J the back-edge of said board H may also be adjusted at any suitable
height whatever.
The racks E and I may moreover suitably be provided with a series of holes e or i,
combined with corresponding figures, in view of allowing those racks E and I to be
further fastened to the side walls A, B by means of a nail or other suitable pin
engaged into a suitable hole of said side-walls A, B, and into one of the holes of
said racks E and I.
The latter are furthermore provided at their lower ends with suitable projections Ex
and I intended to limit the stroke of those racks by striking suitable catches and 8,
provided to the said side-walls A and B.
M is a book-case constructed between the two walls B (Figures 1 and 2) and K
is a separate room formed at each end of the desk between the walls A and B and
intended to receive the racks E and I as shown in the Figures 1 and 3. The
room L may also be used as a book-case.
Dated this 9th day of March 1892
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in School and other Desks.
I, ARMAND MAUCHAIN, of 28 Grand-Quai, Geneva, in the Republic of
Switzerland, Merchant 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 :—
The invention is designed to provide a school desk, which is, of course, adapted
for use in offices or other places, constructed so as to be easily adjusted for working
either in a standing or sitting position as when writing or drawing.
The said desk is moreover constructed so as to form, a horizontal table, which
is very useful in professional or technical schools for instance for cutting clothes,
boarding or the like.
In the drawings left with my Provisional Specification,
Figure 1 is a front view of my improved adjustable desk in its elevated position.
Figure 2 is a section through a y of Figure 1, the desk being supposed lowered
into its lowest horizontal position.
Figure 3 is a section through y, z of Figure 1.
In all the figures the same letters of reference refer to the same parts.
The side walls A B of the desk are connected to one another by means of a
back-board C and by means of a front-board F. This part of the construction
is the same as in most of the usual school-desks and from this it appears that the
improvements described below may easily be combined with any existing school-
desks with the object of rendering the latter adjustable.
To the back-board C there is connected, by means of a hinge c, a frame D which
is approximately of the same dimensions as the top-board H. To said frame D
there are rigidly affixed two bowed racks E E formed each of a toothed rack e¹ and
of a side-wall e intended to prevent the accidental engagement of the fingers into
the teeth of the rack e¹.
To the front board F, connecting the side-walls A and B with each other, there
is affixed by means of a hinge f, a narrow board G intended to play like a click in
engaging into the teeth of the racks E (see Figure 3). Said narrow board G is
made to project at both ends both on the left and on the right over the side
walls A, B of the desk. The projecting ends of said board G may moreover be
provided with suitable handles y intended to facilitate its up-and-down motion (or
I

page_text: oscillation) when the person using the desk desires to disengage by hand the
board G out of the teeth of the rack e¹ and to engage it with another of said
teeth.
If the front of the frame D is lifted the racks are automatically disengaged
from the board G and if the said frame is then released the said racks auto-
matically re-engage with said board and bear with one of their teeth upon the said
board G.
To the front edge of said frame D, there is hinged a top-board or plate H to
which are rigidly fixed two racks I constructed exactly like the above described
racks E.
There is further provided a narrow board J, hinged to the back-edge of the
frame D and acting with regard to the racks I exactly like the narrow board G
acts with regard to the racks E.
Thus it is evident that by means of these racks E, in combination with the
board G, the front edge of the top-board H may be adjusted at a suitable height
and by means of the racks I in combination with the board J the back-edge of said
board H may also be adjusted at any suitable height whatever.
The racks E and I may moreover be suitably provided with a series of holes e ori³,
(having corresponding figures,) for the purpose of allowing these racks E and I to
be further fastened to the side walls A, B by means of a nail or other suitable pin
engaged into a suitable hole of said side-walls A, B, and into one of the holes of
said racks E and 1.
The latter are furthermore provided at their lower ends with suitable pro-
jections E and I intended to limit the stroke of those racks by striking suitable
catches r and s, provided to the said side-walls A and B.
M is a book-case constructed between the two walls B (Figures 1 and 2) and K
is a separate space formed at each end of the desk between the walls A and B and
intended to receive the racks E and I as shown in the Figures 1 and 3. The space L
may also be used as a book-case.
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 :-
An adjustable desk for schools or other purposes, essentially characterized by
the frame D having its front edge hinged to the top-board H of the desk and its
back edge hinged to the back-board Cof said desk, in combination with racks E,
composed of a toothed portion e¹ and of a side wall the latter being provided with
a series of holes e³, said racks being rigidly fixed to said frame D and combined
with a board G hinged to the front-board F of the desk and with racks I, con-
structed like the racks E and combined with a board J hinged to the back edge of
the frane D, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
Dated this 9th day of December 1892.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.