IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF PORTABLE ARTICLES OF FURNITURE
Year: 1852

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Archibald Douglas Brown, of Glasgow, in
the County of Lanark, North Britain, Cabinet Maker, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF PORTABLE
ARTICLES OF FURNITURE."
Sealed the 26th February 1853, and dated the 29th December 1852.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Archibald Douglas
Brown at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 29th December 1852.
I, ARCHIBALD DOUGLAS BROWN, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF
PORTABLE ARTICLES OF FURNITURE" to be as follows: -
This Invention relates to the so constructing chairs and other
articles of furniture, that they may be packed in separate pieces
within a small compass, for easy stowage and conveyance; whilst at
the same time great strength is insured at the junctions and
peculiar facilities are afforded for taking down and rebuilding or
fitting up at pleasure.
As applied to chairs, the plan consists in the adaptation of wedge
or dovetail joints, or modifications thereof, of metal to the junction

page_text: ends of the seat, frame, and tops of the legs; the socket being on
one piece, and the corresponding projection on the other, so that a
firm joint connection is easily made by slipping the corresponding
surfaces into gear. The same arrangement is obviously suited for
other articles of furniture, such as wash stands, toilet, tables, stools,
and other articles.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters
Patent, filed by the said Archibald Douglas Brown in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 28th June 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,.
ARCHIBALD DOUGLAS BROWN, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain, Cabinet Maker, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-ninth day of December, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three,
in the sixteenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said Archibald Douglas
Brown, Her special license that I, the said Archibald Douglas
Brown, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Archibald Douglas Brown, my executors, administra-
tors, or 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF PORTABLE ARTICLES OF FURNITURE," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Archibald Douglas
Brown, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal,
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

page_text: within six calendar months next and immediately after the date
of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Archibald Douglas Brown,
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, reference being
had to the accompanying Drawings, and to the letters and figures
marked thereon (that is to say):
My said Invention relates to the so constructing chairs, and other
articles of furniture, that they may be packed in separate pieces
within a small compass, for easy stowage and conveyance, whilst at
the same time great strength is insured at the junctions, and peculiar
fucilities are afforded for taking down and rebuilding or fitting up
at pleasure. As applied to chairs, the plan consists in the adapta-
tion of wedge or dovetail joints, or modifications thereof, of inctal to
the junction ends of the seat, frame, and tops of the legs; the
socket being on one piece and the corresponding projection on the
other, so that a firm joint connection is easily made by slipping the
corresponding surfaces into gear. The same arrangement is ob-
viously suited for other articles of furniture, such as wash stands,
toilet tables, stools, and other articles. The several figures on my
Sheet of Drawings represent various details of my improved ar-
rangements.
Figure 1, is a perspective view of a dining or drawing room
chair complete, showing that the adoption of the new system does
not in any way interfere with the external appearance or finish
of the work; Figure 2, is a full size elevation, looking on the
grooved face of one of the dovetail pieces; and Figure 3, is an end
view corresponding; Figures 4, and 5, are similar views of the cor-
responding dovetail projection piece; Figure 6, is a side view of
a portion of one of the back standards or leg pieces, with a side and
end view of one of the seat frame pieces; Figure 7, is an internal
view of a portion of the back and corresponding seat frame piece,
showing the dovetails for each side piece of the seat frame; and
Figure 8, is a plan of one of the scat frame corners, as disconnected;

page_text: Figure 9, is an internal elevation and side view of a chair arın; and
Figure 10, is a complete internal elevation of an arm chair; Figure
11, is a plan of a bed frame joint disconnected; Figure 12, is a plan
of the top of a table pedestal; and Figure 13, is an elevation of the
pedestal, showing the two dovetails for the adjustment of the table
top; and Figure 14, is a plan or horizontal section of the lower part
of the pedestal, showing the leg dovetails. One of the legs is repre-
sented as fitted in its proper position, and another is entirely re-
moved; and the third is shewn at Figure 15, as just disconnected
from the pedestal. Figure 16, is an inside view of one of the legs;
Figure 17, is an inside plan, and edge view of the projecting dove-
tail, as a catch for effecting the junction of the different sections of
large tables; and Figure 18, is an end view of the catch correspond-
ing; Figure 19, is a similar plan and end view of the recessed dove-
tail; Figure 20, is a plan of the upper side of the framing for
carrying the top, and attaching the legs of a washhand stand; and
Figure 21, is a plan of the table top reversed.
In constructing chairs in this way, the tops of the front legs and
the back standards have each a projecting dovetail wedge picce A,
of brass or other suitable metal, slightly sunk into the wood, and
screwed down from the face. These dovetail wedge pieces are set
with their narrow ends up, so that the two side pieces of the frame
are capable of easy connection from the top side. Each end of the
side pieces has a corresponding sunk dovetail wedge piece B, dove-
tailed also externally, and sunk to its full depth in the wood, and
secured by screws like the others. These pieces are put into their
recesses in the wood from beneath, and as they do not reach quite
through the frame piece as at C, no mark is left on the top of the
frame. The dovetail or sectional wedge thus prevents lateral sepa
ration, whilst longitudinal wedge admits of tightening up, by press
ing or gently striking the side pieces from above. This binds the
whole seat frame well together, when wanted for use, but when
wanted for conveyance, the parts are easily separated into six sepa
rate details, which can be stowed away with facility. When arins
are to be put on the chairs, precisely the same system is pursued, as

page_text: shewn at A, B, in Figures 9, and 10, each arm having of course two
dovetail connections, one at each end, for the seat frame and back.
The bed frame joint for connecting the longitudinal to the trans-
verse pieces in Figure 11, is precisely similar. In fastening the tops
of tables on to their pedestals, each top of the latter has one or more
sunk dovetail wedge pieces D, and the underside of the table has
corresponding projections, so that the top can be easily attached by
sliding it laterally, when inserting or gearing the wedges; and to
attach the feet or legs, the base of the pedestal is surrounded with
projecting dovetails E, corresponding to sunk pieces F, on the upper
inner face ends of the legs.
In Figures 17, 18, and 19, I have shewn my improved substi-
tute for the common table catch; the piece of brass G, which is
screwed to one of the table sections, has cast upon it the short
projecting dovetail H, which is made just long enough, and wide
enough at its wide face, to enter the wide end J, of the slot in the
corresponding fastening piece K. In this way the connection is
made, by first entering the projection H, into the slot J, and sliding
one of the pieces so as to bring the narrow part L, of the slot into
gear with the part H. This latter form is adopted in the washhand
table Figures 20, and 21, where the projection is screwed to the
underside of the table top, whilst the frame for carrying the legs has
corresponding sunk pieces. The legs are attached in a similar way,
and the ledge surrounding the table top is also fastened on in like
manner. It will be obvious to the practical maker that various forms
of these wedge dovetail connections may be used. Conical sockets
and pins, for example, may be adopted instead of the angular pieces
shewn in my Drawings; the essential object being the obtainment of
a secure and easily adjustable wedge action for binding together the
details of furniture.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of
my said Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be
used or carried into effect, I may observe, in conclusion, that I do
not confine or restrict myself to the precise details or arrangements
which I have had occasion to describe or refer to, as many variations

page_text: may be made therefrom without deviating from the principles or
main features of my Invention; but what I consider to be novel and
original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, is, -
First, the general arrangement and construction of articles of
furniture as herein-before described.
Second, the system or mode of connecting together the several
parts of chairs and other articles of furniture, by the use of wedge
dovetail joint pieces.
Third, the system or mode of connecting the details of chairs and
other articles of furniture by means of wedge dovetail pieces sunk
or recessed, or dovetailed, in the wood or material of the furniture.
Fourth, the application and use of the differentially slotted
dovetail connections, for the purposes herein-before described, and
as especially referred to in reference to Figures 17 to 21, in my
Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Archibald Douglas Brown, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, the Twenty-seventh day of
June, One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
A. D. BROWN.
(L.S.)