Improvements in or relating to Cabinets, Tables, and the like.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Mar., 1898-Accepted, 9th July, 1898
5
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Cabinets, Tables, and the like.
I, ALBERT EDWARD BATSON, of 42, Brewer Street, Golden Square, in the
County of Middlesex, Cabinet Maker, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
ion and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
-
This invention relates to cabinets or like receptacles its principal object being
to effect an improved construction of receptacle for china articles or glass, writ-
ing materials or any other objects wares or specimens of whatever kind.
A further object of the invention is the construction of an improved table
which comprises substantially the same details as the cabinet above referred to
with the exception that the hood is dispensed with.
The improved receptacle or cabinet constructed according to this invention
may be applied to any table or table-like surface such, for example, as a shelf,
or the top of a chest of drawers, or whatnot, and comprises a hood or enclosure
which can be so moved at will as to either enclose articles placed on the table
surface, or to be itself out of sight and expose the said articles to view, without
any interference with or disturbance of such articles.
In carrying out this invention the hood is connected by a hinge or otherwise
to the shelf or table or to the frame which supports it in such a manner that by
being rotated about its hinge in one direction it may be hidden from view below
the table or shelf, and when in this lower position appendages to the hood which
in its raised position form doors or shutters, may serve to afford additional table
surface; then by being similarly rotated in the opposite direction it may be again
brought into position to enclose the objects upon the table. When the hood
is in its raised position the said doors or shutters complete the enclosure of the
objects on the table-top which enclosure is partially effected by the back and
sides of the hood.
Three constructions of receptacle according to this invention are illustrated
in the accompanying drawings as applied to a fancy table,
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one construction.
Fig. 2 a perspective view of the same when closed.
Fig. 3 a section of the same on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.
Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1 of an alternative construction.
Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.
Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a further alternative construction.
As shown in Fig. 1 A¹ is the table-top of a fancy table A provided with a
drawer A² and drawshelf A³. B is the hood having sides B₁ of sector-shape and
flaps B hinged to the sides B¹. The hood B is hinged at the small ends of the
sector-shaped sides B¹ by a pivot b to the frame or platform of the table A, and
can be lowered through the slot or gap a¹ in. the table top. A handle B³ pivotted
0 at 63 is provided by which the hood can be raised and lowered and the upper end
of which is kept pressed forwards by a spring B6 so that when the hood is raised
the catch B' at the opposite end of the handle enters the recess A' in the table
frame and prevents the hood from falling or from being lowered unless the

page_text: handle B³ is pressed back. B³ is a projecting catch which prevents the hood from
being raised too high by its engagement with the under side of the top A¹ when
the hood is in its elevated position. In Fig. 3 is shown a stop block b¹ having
an inclined edge against which the edge of the side 131 rests to prevent its
being lowered too far, this inclined edge b2 is shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3
being hidden by the block a³; a³ is a block upon which the drawshelf A³ slides
and between which and the side of the table the block 6' is secured; the lower
edge of the side B as seen in Fig. 3 is partially hidden from view by the
block a³. Suitable locking devices of any construction may be provided for the
flaps B2 as shown at 64.
When the hood is in its lower position the flaps B may serve when open as
additional table surface, and when closed as an ordinary table.
The construction illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 differs from that described with
reference to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 in that the table top A¹ is pivotally attached to the
sides B of the hood by hinges A5 and falls and rises in company with the hood.
It is shown in its lower position in Fig. 5.
No drawer or drawshelf is shown in Figs. 4 and 5 although any such adjunct
might be employed below the position occupied by the table-top when lowered.
In Fig. 6 is shown a construction by which the table-top A¹ is hinged at the
front so as that it may be lifted at one edge and reversed by rotation about its
hinge. It is shown in Fig. 6 so opened and reversed and provided on that sur-
face which is, as there seen, its upper surface, with a swing tray A6. When the
table-top is turned about its hinge so as to rest on the brackets C provided for its
support when so closed, this swing-tray A6 depends from its then under-surface
by means of the supports A7 to the extremities of which the tray is pivotally
connected; the tray thus always preserves a horizontal position and may be com-
pletely hidden by the sides of the table A when the table-top A¹ is closed.
The flaps B may be connected either as before and as shown in Fig. 6 to the
hood B to form doors to the cabinet when the hood is raised, or if preferred to the
table A so as to be independent of the hood and to form only appendages to the table;
the hood may in this case be dispensed with, thus forming the improved
table referred to in the earlier part of this specification.
It will be seen that considerable modifications may be made from the herein-
before described constructions without departing from the spirit of this inven-
tion. As an example if desired the table top A¹ may be perforated so as to receive
glasses or similar objects or the rising and falling table-top may be provided
with a perforated false bottom, or may itself be perforated and in its lower
position come to rest a short distance above a second table-top. The hood B,
further, may be arranged to rotate through a greater or less angle than that
shown and to be arrested in any positions intermediate to the extremes as may be
desired; the form of hinge by which it is connected to the table or frame may
be any desired. A single flap or cover may take the place of the flaps lettered Ba
and may be hinged to the side, back or front of the hood or to the table or it
may have a sliding connection with the hood or be detachable. If desired, a tray
to contain the objects herein before referred to as being placed upon the table-
top may be employed and be of such dimensions that it can be placed within a
drawer, such, for example, as that lettered A³; it would be placed there for con-
venience when the hood is lowered.
If preferred instead of the hinged flaps Ba sliding or other shutters may be used.
The hood may be made of glass if desired in which case the fastener B³ can be
placed to one side, or two may be employed one at each side of the hood.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1. A cabinet or similar receptacle having a rising and falling hood such as B
arranged and operating substantially as described.

page_text: 2. In a cabinet or similar receptacle the combination with a rising and falling
hood such as B of one or more doors or shutters adapted to afford additional table
surface when the hood is lowered substantially as described.
3. In a cabinet or similar receptacle the combination with a rising and falling
hood such as B of a rising and falling table-top such as A' carried by it.
4. The combination with a table, shelf or other article of furniture provided
with drawers or similar receptacles of a rising and falling hood such as B, sub-
stantially as and for the purpose described.
5. In a table, shelf or other article of furniture the combination of a hinged
table-top such as A¹ and one or more flaps or shutters adapted when opened to
form additional table surface, with or without a rising and falling hood such
as B substantially as and for the purpose described.
6. The complete table and cabinet substantially as described and illustrated
in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 or in Figs. 4 and 5 or in Fig. 6 of the accompanying drawings.
Noted this 23rd day of March 1898.
ALBERT E. BATSON.
Boult & Wade,
Agents for the Applicant.