IMPROVED ARRANGEMENTS OR APPARATUS CONVERTIBLE INTO A DESK, A SEAT, AND A TABLE
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to David Francis, of Birkenhead, in the County
of Chester, Builder, for the Invention of "IMPROVED ARRANGEMENTS
OR APPARATUS CONVERTIBLE INTO A DESK, A SEAT, AND A TABLE."
Sealed the 27th June 1873, and dated the 19th March 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said David Francis at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
19th March 1873.
I, DAVID FRANCIS, of Birkenhead, in the County of Chester,
Builder, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVED ARRANGEMENTS OR APPARATUS CONVERTIBLE INTO A DESK, A SEAT,
AND A TABLE," to be as follows:-
In constructing my said convertible desks I use standards which
should be made completely in wrought iron, and are to be welded and
bolted or secured together. A bar of extra strength is inserted in the
upright portion of the back to give greater strength and to form a
knuckle to which a moveable top is hinged. The moveable top is
furnished with plates or brackets formed in L iron with ratchet and

page_text: tongue worked from the solid and not welded on. Plates are secured to
the top by four strong iron screws, and to the standards by a bolt
running through the said knuckle. A longitudinal slot is provided at
the end of a tongue. The bolt has a head at one end and is secured at
the other by means of a split pin with ends turned round the bolt. By
means of the longitudinal slot at the end of the tongue the moveable
top can be moved to any angle, and secured in desired position by means
of teeth worked in the ratchet which catch in the upper portion of the
standard. The seat is secured to each standard by No. 2 flat round
headed bolts and nuts. To make the desk and seat more rigid and freer
from racking, stays are fixed to the under side of the seat and secured to
standard by bolt and nut, and to seat by bolt and nut and strong iron
screw.
The advantages intended to be attained by the above construction are
extreme lightness, simplicity in arranging the apparatus for use either
as desk, seat with back, or as table; no pins, wedges, or bolts being
required to secure same in any one of the above positions; self locking
in every position; strength and durability; the standards being in
wrought, not cast iron, are therefore not liable to be either broken or put
out of order. These desks or seats can be used in schools, churches, or
public halls, and do not exceed in price corresponding desks with cast
instead of wrought-iron standards.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said David Francis in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 18th September 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, DAVID
FRANCIS, of Birkenhead, in the County of Chester, Builder, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of March, in the year 3
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the
thirty-sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said David Francis, Her special
licence that I, the said David Francis, my executors, administrators,

page_text: and assigns, or such others as I, the said David Francis, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter, during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVED ARRANGE-
MENTS OR APPARATUS CONVERTIBLE INTO A DESK, A SEAT, AND A TABLE," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said David Francis, my executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one
of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be
performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the
said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said David Francis, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be.
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :—
In constructing my said convertible desk I use standards which
should be made completely in wrought iron, welded and rivetted or
secured together. A bar of extra strength is inserted in the upright
portion of the back to give greater strength and to form a knuckle to
which a moveable top is hinged. The moveable top is furnished with
plates or brackets formed in L iron with ratchet and tongue, which latter
is rivetted and not welded on. Plates are secured to the top by four.
strong iron screws and to the standards by a bolt running through the
said knuckle. A longitudinal slot is provided at the end of the tongue.
The bolt has a head at one end and is secured at the other by means of
a split pin with ends turned round the bolt thus
D
By means of
the longitudinal slot at the end of the tongue the moveable top can be
moved to any angle and secured in any desired position by means of teeth
worked in the ratchet which catch in the upper portion of the standard.
The seat is secured to each standard by No. 2 flat round headed bolts and
nuts. To make the desk and seat more rigid and freer from rocking,
stays are fixed to the under side of the seat and secured to the standard
by bolt and nut, and to the seat by bolt and nut and strong iron screw.

page_text: The advantages intended to be gained by the above construction aro
the following:-Extreme lightness, simplicity in arranging the apparatus
for use either as desk, seat with back, or as table; no pins, wedges, or
bolts being required to secure same in any one of the above positions ;
self locking in every position; strength and durability; the standards
being in wrought (not cast) iron and therefore not liable to be either
broken or put out of order. These desks or seats can be used in schools,
churches, or public halls, and do not exceed in price corresponding
desks with wrought instead of cast-iron standards.
The foregoing statements particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention and indicate in what manner the same is to
be performed or put in practice, and now in further compliance with
the condition in the said Letters Patent contained I will further and
particularly describe and ascertain in what manner the same is to be
performed or carried out in practice, by referring to the Drawings
accompanying these Presents.
Fig. 6, detail view of moveable head as desk (full size). Fig. 7, front
view of Fig. 6. Fig. 8, sectional view on line a, b, Fig. 6.
In these Figures A denotes the knuckle formed by the bar inserted in
the upright portion of back; B moveable top hinged to knuckle; O
plates or brackets secured to moveable top; D, the ratchet; E, the
tongue; F, bolt running through knuckle (A); G, is the seat secured
by bolts and nuts H; I, stays fixed to under side of seat and secured g
to standard by bolt and nut K, and to seat by bolt and nut L; M, M,
upper portions of standard which is caught by the ratchet (D) as
herein-before described.

page_text: 88
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature and
object of my Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed
or put in practice, I hereby declare that I claim the Invention of
Improved Arrangements or Apparatus Convertible into a Desk, a
Seat, and a Table," as herein-before set forth and described, in which
the use of wrought iron in the manner herein described and the mode of
formation herein described are important points.
In witness whereof, I, the said David Francis, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of September, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
throo
Witness,
JOHN T. CHOPPING,
12, Fitzclarence Street,
Everton,
L'pool.
DAVID FRANCIS. (L.S.)