IMPROVEMENTS IN HINGES AND IN THEIR APPLICATION TO FOLDING DESKS, AND IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SUCH DESKS
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Haseltine, of the "International Patent
Office," Southampton Buildings, London, Doctor of Laws, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN HINGES AND IN THEIR APPLICATION TO
FOLDING DESKS, AND IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SUCH DESKS."-A communi-
cation from abroad by Frederick Warren Nichols, of Lynn,
Massachusetts. United States of America.
Sealed the 21st March 1873, and dated the 25th January 1873.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said George Haseltine at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and
Declaration, on the 25th January 1873, pursuant to the 9th Section
of the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
HASELTINE, of the "International Patent Office," Southampton Build-
ings, London, Doctor of Laws, send greeting.
WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN HINGES AND IN THEIR APPLICATION TO FOLDING DESKS, AND IN THE CONSTRUCTION
OF SUCH DESKS," and have petitioned Her Majesty to grant unto me,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, Her Royal Letters Patent
for the same, and have made solemn Declaration that it has been
communicated to me from abroad by Frederick Warren Nichols, of
Lynn, Massachusetts, United States of America.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George Haseltine, do hereby declare
that the following Complete Specification, under my hand and seal, fully
describes and ascertains the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed in and by the following statement,
reference being had to the accompanying Drawing forming a part of
this Specification :-
The first part of the said Invention consists in a self-supporting hingo,
one portion of which is secured to the under side of a table, desk, or other
article of furniture or to the side of a room, and the other portion to an
auxiliary leaf or shelf to be raised when required for use; one portion of
the hinge is provided with one or more projections fitting into one or
more holes or recesses; one portion of the hinge is free to slide on its
pivot, out of contact, so as to unlock it from the other portion by
compressing a spring in order to permit the leaf to be swung up or down,
the spring on being released again locking the sliding and stationary
portions of the hinge together.

page_text: of the same closed; Figure 10 is a rear elevation.
Figure 11 is a section of one of the said hinges.
Figure 12 is an elevation representing the application of the said
Invention for supporting an inclined leaf on the wall or side of a room
to be used as a writing desk.
A is intended to represent a portion of the top of a sewing machine,
desk, or table; and B a portion of an auxiliary leaf to be used when the
former requires to be extended; C, C, are two hinges connected by and
pivoted upon a rod a passing centrally through the enlarged ends 15
of the two leaves or portions b, c, of the hinge. The portion 6 of cach
hinge is secured to the under side of the auxiliary leaf to form its
extension. The face of the enlarged end 15 of each portion b on the
side next to the other portion c is provided with two recesses d, d',
crossing each other diametrically for the reception of a correspondingly
shaped projection e formed on the face of the enlarged end 15 of the
other portion. The rod a extends out beyond one of the hinges C, and
its outer end is provided with a head f, between which and a washer g is
placed a spiral spring h; the latter surrounds the rod and keeps the
sliding portions c in contact with the stationary portions b. The
projection e of one portion fitting into one of the recesses d, d¹, of the
other portion and locking the parts together.
When the leaf B is swung down in the position seen in Figure 2, and
it is desired to increase the surface of the top of the table, the leaf is
pressed to one side in the direction of the axis of the rod and against the
resistance of the spring h to separate the portions 6 from the portions c
(see Figure 4), and withdraw and unlock the projections e from the
recesses d when the leaf is free to be swung up into position seen in
Figure 1, and on releasing the spring the portions b, c, are again brought
together, and the projections e enter the recesses d, thus locking the
portions b, c, securely in place and affording a firm support for the leaf.
If desired the leaf may be swung entirely under the table, and locked in
that position by the projections e entering the recesses d' (see Figure 5).
The spring may be placed between the two hinges C, one end
bearing against the inside of one of the portions or c and the other end

page_text: bearing against a pin passing through the rod, the portions c sliding as
before described thereon.
The end of the rod opposite that surrounded by the spring may be
provided with a screw thread for the reception of a nut, by turning
which the effective length of the rod may be shortened should the
clasticity of the spring be impaired, and the nut may be removed to
withdraw the rod in order to remove one spring and substitute another if
desired.
Instead of two hinges one only may be employed for supporting a
short or narrow leaf, shelf, or bracket, in which case a pin of suitable 1
length would be used as a pivot instead of the rod a as described, a
spring being used in connection therewith to draw the sliding portion up
to the stationary portion of the hinge. It is evident that this improved
hinge may be employed for connecting an auxiliary leaf to other articles
than those above referred to, such as chairs, settees, and the liko, and also 1
for supporting a shelf (Figure 3) or inclined leaf (Figure 12) from the
side or wall of a room for temporary use as a writing desk or for other
purposes.
I will now describe the features forming the remaining portions of
my Invention, reference being had to Figures 8 to 12 inclusive. F
represents the floor to which is secured the cast-iron frames H, H; to
the latter I secure the back of the folding scat G; this seat together
with the folding leaf or desk I is secured to the frames II by my
improved hinges C slightly modified in construction. Where a scries of
these combined folding desks and scats is used the leaf I is intended to
be used by the occupant of the scat in the rear. The hinges C differ
from those first described in this respect, -Instead of a long rod a
serving as a pivot for both hinges of a pair a short rod or pin a, Figuro
11, is employed for each hinge independently; this rod or pin a has a
head 16, and passes from the outside through and beyond both portions
of each hinge; the inner end of the pin a is provided with a screw
thread, over which fits the outer end of a screw cap or thimble o, the
latter encloses a spiral spring h, the length of the thimble being less
than the inner projecting portion of the pin, one end of the spring
bearing against the hinge, and the other against the inside of the head
of the thimble; the spring serves to keep the two portions of the hinge
in contact with each other.

page_text: The end of the pin and spring being covered by the thimble all
liability of the clothes of the occupant of the desk to be torn is avoided.
The upper portion of the hinge of the seat is provided with a projection
which fits into a notch q (Figure 9) in the frame, which serves as a stop
for the seat and relieves the hinge of the weight of the occupant of the
seat.
Each frame H is cast with a slot r for the reception of a tenon & on each
end of a strip or piece of wood L, which serves as the front of the rack
or receptacle for containing the books or other articles; the object of
this arrangement being to simplify and cheapen the construction.
When the leaf or desk I is folded down it is automatically locked over
the book rack, thus protecting its contents. This improved hinge on
account of its being self-supporting is particularly adapted for folding
desks for schools and similar purposes.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the
same, I wish it understood that I claim,―
First. One or more self-supporting hinges C, consisting of the
stationary and movable portions b, c, provided with one or more
projections e, and one or more holes or recesses d, d', in combination
with the rod or pivot a and spring ŉ operating in the manner and for the
purpose set forth.
Second. The application of the within described self-supporting hinge
to a folding desk as herein set forth.
Third. The frames H with their slots for the reception of the ends
of the front L of the book rack as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Haseltine, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of January, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three.
Witness,
W. J. LOWE.
GEORGE HASELTINE. (L.s.)