Improvements in Tables, Cabinets, Desks, and similar Articles."
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Mar., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 13th Dec., 1899-Accepted, 10th Mar., 1900
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
" Improvements in Tables, Cabinets, Desks, and similar Articles."
I, LEONARD HAYWOOD ELLINGTON trading as Ellington and Company of 38 Broad
Street Golden Square London, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows.
According to my invention and with a view to ensure a soft and easy descending
motion to rising and falling platforms employed in the construction of tables, cabinets
desks and similar articles I employ what is called a dashpot or cushioning arrangement
of such a nature as to check the platform evenly in its descent and to lose its checking
action when the platform has fully descended. Springs have heretofore been proposed
for this purpose, but obviously a spring retains its spring action when compressed or
extended by the descent of the platform. The dash pot may suitably be made in the
form of a cylinder with an easily fitting piston, or with a bottom provided with one or
more minute holes for gradually letting out the air compressed in the descent of the
piston; or I provide in the bottom of the cylinder a small valve which is opened by
contact with the piston in its descent and closed automatically in its ascent. Or I may
empty bellows provided with a similar fine air escape device.
This apparatus is applicable as stated to all kinds of tables, cabinets desks and
similar articles provided with rising and falling platform, the latter being generally
used for containing spirit bottles, tea services, liqueur bottles, games, ladies work, type
writers or writing materials.
A specially advantageous application is that of the table or cabinet described in my
Patent Specification No 1631 of 1896. In that instance I connect the upper end of
the piston rod (or the rod from the bellows or other equivalent device to the pin which
joins the diagonal lazy tongs bars that support the platform. In this way the stroke
of the piston is only that of the said joint pin, which is half of that of the platform
itself.
But it may also be applied to rising and falling platforms in such a way as to
partake of the whole stroke.

page_text: invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:
The object of my invention is to ensure a soft and easy descending motion to
rising and falling platforms employed in the construction of tables, cabinets desks
and similar articles of the character described and claimed in my Patent Specification 5
No. 1681 of 1896. For this purpose I employ what is called a dash-pot or other
suitable cushioning arrangement of such a nature as to check the platform evenly
in its descent and to lose its checking effect or sufficiently so when the platform
has fully descended. Springs have heretofore been proposed for this purpose, but
obviously a spring retains its spring action when compressed or extended, and they
have been so arranged that their spring action or resistance was gradually increased
when compressed or extended by the descent of the platform. My object is to arrange
the cushioning in such a way that the platform while being checked in its descent
shall come to rest gradually.
Fig. 1 of the drawings is a vertical section through a cabinet constructed according
to this invention and arranged with a platform or table holding bottles and glasses
shown in the raised position. Fig. 2 a section showing the platform in the lowered
position Fig. 3 a sectional part view showing the platform in an intermediate
position and Fig. 4 a plan view. Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation showing a modi-
fied arrangement.
The platform A works up and down in the box or cabinet B and is connected with
the two flap lids C by the links D, the lower ends of which work in guide grooves E.
"The platform is guided by the parallel motion bars F as described in my Patent
Specification No 1631 of 1896.
To the central joint F¹ is connected a rod G the lower end of which is jointed to
'the piston H that works easily in the cylinder I; the latter is hung from a cross bar
K fixed to the cabinet. The cylinder bottom is formed with one or more minute holes
for gradually letting out the air compressed in the descent of the piston, and thus
checking the descent of the platform. Or I provide in the bottom of the cylinder a
small valve which is opened by contact with the piston in its descent and closed auto-
matically in its ascent.. Or I may employ bellows provided with a similar fine air
escape device.
Instead of one set of such parallel motion bars I may also as
shown in Fig. 5 use two sets of parallel motion bars F arranged lazy tongs fashion
'whereby I reduce the stroke of the central joint F by one half so that the cylinder I
is made so much shorter.
In Fig. 6 is shown an equivalent cushioning device. The platform in its descent
comes against the lever L which by a rod M is jointed to one arm N of a double
armed lever N. O, the other arm of which is formed or provided with a weight
Oi. Towards the end of the descent of the platform the weight Ol gradually rises and
finally assumes such a position as to lose inuch of its effect, and the platform will
therefore come gradually to a state of rest, its weight being just counterbalanced or
nearly. so by the weight O' in its final position.
In order to prevent noise I prefer to provide one or two rubber pads P. Instead of
"lever gear with the weights Of with gradually diminishing effect,
may employ lever
gear with helical springs 02 shown in dotted lines attached under tension to the lever
arm N, the lever arm Ŏ being dispensed with which springs in one part of the descent
of the platform oppose their full strength the same as the weights, being in a more
or less upright position and towards the close of the descent are gradually turned
into a slanting position at an increasing angle with the lever N whereby they offer
a gradually decreasing resistance.
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 ]
claim is.
1. In tables, cabinets, desks, and similar articles having a platform with rising and
falling motion of the character described and claimed in my Patent Specification
No. 1631 of 1896. the application and use of a cushioning device which checks th

page_text: platform in its descent and loses its checking effect or sufficiently so by the time the
platform has fully descended, so that the platform with its contents descends
without shock noise or chance of damage and comes to rest gradually substantially
as set forth.
2. In articles as firstly claimed the application and use of a dashpot offering a
gradually decreasing resistance to the descent of the platform substantially as
described and shown.
3. In articles as firstly claimed the application and use of lever gear with weights
(or springs) offering a gradually decreasing resistance to the descent of the platform,
substantially as described and shown.

page_text: -
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Tables, Cabinets, Desks, and similar Articles.
I, LEONARD HAYWOOD ELLINGTON, trading as Ellington and Company, of
38A, Broad Street, Golden Square, London, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
According to my invention and with a view to ensure a soft and easy descend-
ing motion to rising and falling platforms employed in the construction of
tables, cabinets desks and similar articles I employ what is called a dashpot or
cushioning arrangement of such a nature as to check the platform evenly in its
descent and to lose its checking action when the platform has fully descended.
Springs have heretofore been proposed for this purpose, but obviously a spring
retains its spring action when compressed or extended by the descent of the
platform. The dashpot may suitably be made in the form of a cylinder with
an easily fitting piston, or with a bottom provided with one or more minute
holes for gradually letting out the air compressed in the descent of the piston:
or I provide in the bottom of the cylinder a small valve which is opened by
contact with the piston in its descent and closed automatically in its ascent.
Or I may empty bellows provided with a similar fine air escape device.
This apparatus is applicable as stated to all kinds of tables, cabinets desks
and similar articles provided with rising and falling platform, the latter being
generally used for containing spirit bottles. tea services, liqueur bottles, games,
ladies work, type writers or writing materials.
A specially advantageous application is that of the table or cabinet described
in my Patent Specification No. 1631 of 1896. In that instance I connect the
upper end of the piston rod (or the rod from the bellows or other equivalent
device to the pin which joins the diagonal lazytongs hars that support the plai-
form. In this way the stroke of the piston is only that of the said joint pin,
which is half of that of the platform itself.
But it may also be applied to rising and falling platforms in such a way as to
partake of the whole-stroke.
Dated this Thistoonth day of March 1800
Improvements in Tables, Cabinets, Desks, and similar Articles.
I, LEONARD HAYWOOD ELLINGTON, trading as Ellington and Company, o
SA, Broad Street, Golden Square, London, Manufacturer, do hereby declare th
[Price 8d.]

page_text: 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 object of my invention is to ensure a soft and easy descending motion to
rising and falling platforms employed in the construction of tables, cabinets
desks and similar articles. For this purpose I employ what is called a dash-
pot or other suitable cushioning arrangement of such a nature as to check the
platform evenly in its descent and to lose its checking effect or sufficiently so
when the platform has fully descended. Springs have heretofore been proposed
for this purpose, but obviously a spring retains its spring action when com-
pressed or extended, and they have been so arranged that their spring action or
resistance was gradually increased when compressed or extended by the descent
of the platform. My object is to arrange the cushioning in such a way that
the platform while being checked in its descent shall come to rest gradually.
Fig. 1 of the drawings is a vertical section through a cabinet constructed
according to this invention and arranged with a platform or table holding bottles
and glasses shown in the raised position. Fig. 2 a section showing the platform
in the lowered position. Fig. 3 a sectional part view showing the platform in
an intermediate position, and Fig. 4 a plan view. Fig. 5 is a sectional eleva-
tion showing a modified arrangement."
The platform A works up and down in the box or cabinet 13 and is connected
with the two flap lids C by the links D, the lower ends of which work in guide
grooves E. The platform is guided by the parallel motion bars F as described
in my Patent Specification No. 1631 of 1896.
To the central joint F¹ is connected a rod G the lower end of which is jointed
to the piston H that works easily in the cylinder I; the latter is hung from a
cross bar K fixed to the cabinet. The cylinder bottom is formed with one or
more minute holes for gradually letting out the air compressed in the descent
of the piston, and thus checking the descent of the platform. Or I provide in
the bottom of the cylinder a small valve which is opened by contact with the
piston in its descent and closed automatically in its ascent. Or I may employ
bellows provided with a similar fine air escape device. Instead of one set of
such parallel motion bars I may also as shown in Fig. 5 use two sets of parallel
motion bars F arranged lazy tongs fashion whereby I reduce the stroke of the
central joint F by one half so that the cylinder I is made so much shorter.
In Fig. 6 is shown an equivalent cushioning device. The platform in its
descent comes against the lever L which by a rod M is jointed to one arm N
of a double armed lever N, O, the other arm 0 of which is formed or provided
with a weight 01. Towards the end of the descent of the platform the weight 01
gradually rises and finally assumes such a position as to lose much of its effect,
and the platform will therefore come gradually to a state of rest, its weight
being just counterbalanced or nearly so by the weight 01 in its final position.
In order to prevent noise I prefer to provide one or two rubber pads P. In-
stead of lever gear with the weights 0 with gradually diminishing effect, I may
employ lever gear with helical springs 02 shown in dotted lines attached under
tension to the lever arm N, the lever arm 0 being dispensed with which springs
in one part of the descent of the platform oppose their full strength the same
as the weights, being in a more or less upright position and towards the close
of the descent are gradually turned into a slanting position at an increasing
angle with the lever N whereby they offer a gradually decreasing resistance.
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—
1. In tables, cabinets, desks, and similar articles having a platform with
rising and falling motion the application and use of a cushioning device which
checks the platform in its descent and loses its checking effect or sufficiently so
by the time the platform has fully descended, so that the platform with its con-

page_text: tents descends without shock noise or chance of damage and comes to rest
gradually substantially as set forth.
2. In articles as firstly claimed the application and use of a dashpot offering
a gradually decreasing resistance to the descent of the platform substantially
as described and shown.
3. In articles as firstly claimed the application and use of lever gear with
weights (or springs) offering a gradually decreasing resistance to the descent of
the platform, substantially as described and shown.
Dated this Thirteenth day of Donamban 1900
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Patent Agents.