IMPROVEMENTS IN SCHOOL DESKS
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Horace Palmer Colman and John Glendenning, both of
Norwich, in the County of Norfolk, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN SCHOOL DESKS."
Sealed the 21st December 1877, and dated the 4th September 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Horace Palmer Colman and
John Glendenning at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 4th
September 1877.
HORACE PALMER COLMAN and JOHN GLENDENNING, both of Norwich, in the
County of Norfolk. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SCHOOL DESKS."
Our Invention relates to improvements in school desks, and is designed to furnish
the same with seats which will render these desks more convenient for the pupils or
occupants, and for school requirements generally, than other desks heretofore
furnished for such purposes.
It is very desirable that school desks should be constructed to occupy the smallest
practicable space, without obstructing the entrance or exit of the pupils, or pre-
venting their free movement in rising or sitting as required by the exercise of the
school or otherwise, and that such desks should be portable and independent of each
other.
Desks with fixed seats extending from end to end of the desk, and supported
upon two or more standards, are open to the objection that they occupy a large
area of the floor space; and if sufficient space is left between the seat and the top
or board of the desk to permit the required freedom for moving therein, the seat
will be too far from the shelf or top of the desk to permit the pupil to occupy a
favorable position for writing or other work; and these desks have been frequently
provided with seats in such a manner that they are not conveniently portable, and
not independent of each other.
It has been sought to obviate these difficulties by numerous contrivances, and
desks have been produced with seats constructed and attached to them, or con-
nected with them in various ways; but hitherto none of these desks have proved
quite satisfactory in use.

page_text: According to one part of
By our Invention we obviate these inconveniences, and provide school desks with
seats which will occupy but little space, while at the same time the desks will
be strong and durable, and will be light, portable, and independent of each
other.
our Invention, we provide school desks with seats in
such a manner that each seat
just large enough for one pupil, and is formed and
arranged as to allow the pupil to stand up and sit down, and enter and leave his
place with great convenience. For this purpose we use round seats, and support
each seat upon a single standard or upright, which is a continuation or extension of
one of the standards of the desk; that is to say, we may provide a standard
upright or bracket at each end of the desk proper or the top or shelf of the desk,
and extend the same into the proper position to support the seat. Or in a desk
for a single pupil we may support both the top and the seat on a single standard or
bracket. We make the said standards of cast iron or other suitable material, and
of such strength as will enable them to afford a firm support to the desk and seat.
If desirable or necessary, when a desk is provided with two or more seats, the said
standards may be connected by cross bars or foot rails at the front or back, or at
both the front and back of the desk. The said brackets may be constructed entirely
in one piece and rigid, so that the seats will not be moveable or adjustable. But in
some instances we form the upright portion that supports the seat separately, and
joint or pivot the same at its lower end to the other part of the standard, so that
the said seat will be movable or adjustable on its hinge or pivot, and will thereby
permit the space between the seat and the top of the desk to be reduced without
any inconvenience to the pupil, whose movements in varying his posture, that is
to say, in sitting down and rising, will effect the adjustment of the seat to its
proper positions. We prefer to provide these single or independent, seats, with backs,
and for this purpose may extend the standard upward behind the seat, and fix a
suitably formed back piece in the same.
We sometimes modify this part of our Invention as follows, that is to say:-The
desk proper or top slab or shelf in which the books or other articles are placed
while being used is supported on standards or uprights of metal or wood. The said
standards are firmly secured by screws or otherwise upon wooden feet or boards or
upon any other suitable base. In front of and parallel to the said, desk or, shelf we
arrange the aforesaid seat. This seat is supported at its ends in the top of arms or
bars, which are pivoted or jointed in blocks or bearing pieces at their lower ends
in such a manner that the said seat will be free to oscillate within certain limits
toward and from the said desk or shelf. The oscillation or to-and-fro movement in
this case, and also in the case of the single pivoted seats, is limited by stops formed
or fixed on the said blocks or other parts to which the adjustable part of the
standards is jointed. By this construction and arrangement of the seat in combination
with the desk shelf or table the said seat will be adjusted by the movements of the
pupil in rising or sitting down; that is to say, in and by the act of rising the seat
will be pushed back on its pivots, leaving a free space in which the pupil can stand
conveniently and comfortably, or can move freely in leaving the desk. On the
other hand, when the pupil sits down, the seat moves forward by the movement of
the body, and adjusts itself to the required position.
Our improved desks may be provided with a shelf below the top and with other
convenient accessories.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Horace Palmer Colman and John Glendenning in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 4th March 1878.
HORACE PALMER COLMAN and JOHN GLENDENNING, both of Norwich, in the
County of Norfolk. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SCHOOL DESKS."
Our Invention relates to improvements in school desks, and is designed to furnish
the same with seats which will render these desks more convenient for the pupils or
occupants, and for school requirements generally, than other desks heretofore
furnished for such purposes.
It is very desirable that school desks should be constructed to occupy the smallest
practicable area or floor space, without obstructing the entrance or exit of the pupils,
or preventing their free movement in rising or sitting as required by the exercises of
the school or otherwise.
Desks with fixed seats extending from end to end thereof, and supported upon
two or more standards, are open to the objection that they occupy a large area of
the floor, and if sufficient space is left between the seat and the top shelf or board
of the desk to permit the required freedom for moving therein, the seat will be too
far from the desk proper; that is to say, the shelf or top of the desk to permit the
pupil to occupy a favorable position for writing. Moreover these desks have been
usually provided with seats in such a manner that they are not conveniently portable,
and not independent of each other.
It has been sought to obviate these difficulties by numerous contrivances, and
desks have been produced with seats attached to them or connected with them
by various means; but hitherto none of these desks have proved quite satisfactory
in use.
By our Invention we obviate the above-named inconveniences, and provide school
desks with seats in a very advantageous manner, as will be seen by the following
description.
According to one part of our Invention, we provide these desks with seats which
oscillate within a limited space on pivots or axes, and which are tilted or lifted by
the pupil involuntarily or automatically by his movement when rising, and remain
in that position until the pupil returns to a sitting posture, when the seat will be
returned to its original position by the movement of the pupil in sitting down';
that is to say, the object of this part of our Invention is the production of an
oscillating seat, whose movement or adjustment is effected involuntarily by the
pupil, and this involuntary adjustability of the desk by the movements of the pupil
constitutes one of the novel and important features of our Invention. This part of
the said Invention is applicable both to desks which are screwed to the floor and to
portable desks and seats, whether seating one, two, or more pupils, and is illustrated
in Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying Drawings.
Figure 1 is a plan, and Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same.
a is the base; b is the desk proper or top slab or shelf, on which the books or
other articles are placed while being used; c is the seat. The said shelf b is
supported on standards or uprights d, preferably of metal or wood. The said
standards are firmly secured by screws or otherwise upon wooden feet or boards, or
upon any other suitable parts, forming the base a. In front of and parallel to the
said desk or shelf b, we arrange the aforesaid seat c, which may or may not be
provided with a back. This seat is supported on the top of arms or bars e, which
are pivoted or jointed in blocks or bearing pieces f at their lower ends in such a
manner that the seat will be free to oscillate within certain limits toward and from
the said desk or shelf b. The oscillation or to-and-fro movement in this case, and
also in the case of the single pivoted oscillating seats herein-after described, is
limited by projections e¹, formed or fixed on the said arms e, and arranged to come
in contact with stops or shoulders fl on the said blocks or other parts to which the

page_text: adjustable part of the standard is jointed. By this construction and arrangement
of the seat c, in combination with the desk proper or shelf or table 6, the said seat
will be adjusted involuntarily by the pupil in rising or sitting down; that is to say,
in and by the act of his rising the seat will be pushed back on its pivots at f into
the position shewn in dotted lines, Figure 2, leaving a free space between the
shelf b and seat c, in which the pupil can stand conveniently and comfortably, and
in which he can move freely in leaving the desk. On the other hand, when the
pupil sits down on the said seat, his weight, without any attention on his part,
will bring the same forward and cause it to adjust itself to the required position,
as shewn in full lines in the same Figure.
Our improved desks may be provided with a shelf g below the top, and with other
convenient accessories.
The precise construction and arrangement of parts as above described, and as
shewn in Figures 1 and 2, are not essential to our purpose, but may be modified
within such limits as will retain or include the essential feature of our Invention,
namely, the involuntary movement by the pupil or automatic adjustment of the
seat, without any special movement or attention of the pupil, as above described.
For instance, the said seat instead of being arranged as above described so that when
pushed back it will remain in this position until caused to return by the weight
of the pupil, may be so arranged or balanced on its pivots that it will return
automatically by its own weight when not held or kept back by the pupil
or otherwise. This modification is shown in Figure 2a, which is a side elevation of
a desk.
In this modification of our desk the seat or seats c are supported on rocking
arms e, which oscillate on pivots or axes at e², and have at their lower extremities a
counterweight es; and the said seat and counterweight are so balanced that the
latter will permit the seat to move back or away from the desk, as shown in dotted
lines, without any great exertion or difficulty, and will cause the said seat to return
to its original position, as shewn in full lines, when not held back.
The seat c may
in this case be of any desired length or shape; that is to say, it may be made to
seat one, two, or more pupils; and it may consist of a number of separate seats,
each supported on its own oscillating or rocking arm or arms, and capable of adjust-
ment independently of the others, automatically, as above described, and the said
seats may form to all intents and purposes one continuous seat when down or in the
sitting position; e* is a bar extending across the frame, and forming a stop and
support for the seat or seats c. This bar is not absolutely necessary in all cases, as
the seat may be stopped and supported by the iron frame; e is a small strip of
india-rubber or other suitable material forming a cushion between the seat
and bar e*.
And instead of having the adjustable seat or seats to oscillate or rock on
pivots, we may provide for their automatic or involuntary adjustability by springs
or inclines, or by other devices, so arranged as to cause or allow the seat or seats to
follow or adapt themselves to the pupils' movements or positions. It will be obvious
that in all the forms or modifications of this part of our Invention the movement of
the seat should be limited by fixed stops or otherwise, so that it can never by
accident, carelessness, or mischievousness be moved beyond the range or distance
within which its operation by the movements of the pupil will be effected as above
described.
We are aware that the known desirability of providing school desks with
adjustable seats has already led to the use of various contrivances for effecting this
object, but none of these have been such as to render the seat adjustable, automatically
or without manipulation or special movements and attention; whereas our Invention
is restricted to seats that are what may be termed automatic in their action; that is
to say, they require no adjustment by the hand of the pupil, but follow his move-
ments and adapt themselves to his position without any care or attention on his part.
Therefore our Invention is free from all the objections or difficulties that have accom-
panied the use of other adjustable seats above referred to, which, if their adjustment

page_text: is at any time forgotten or neglected by the pupil may cause him to fall or will hurt
him in the act of sitting down, or may crush or injure his fingers, and will produce
unpleasant noise and cause disturbance in the school.
According to another part of our Invention, we supply portable desks of any
desired length with a single seat or two or more seats, each of which accomodates
but one pupil, as herein-after described. Such seats, being practically separate
and independent of each other, offer no obstruction to the movements of the pupils,
and maintain a certain position in the school for each pupil. The arrangement and
configuration of these seats is such that the seat can be arranged as close to the
desk as desired, without the inconveniences to the pupil of the long rigid seats
herein-before mentioned.
This part of our Invention is illustrated in Figures 3, 4, and 5 of the
Drawings.
Figure 3 is a plan, Figure 4 is a side elevation, and Figure 5 is a back elevation
of the same.
a is the base; b is the shelf or desk proper; c, c, are the seats; a², a¹, are upright
parts supporting the said shelf; as, a², are upright parts supporting the seats;
that is to say, the desk is provided with two frames, each of which consists of a
base a and of uprights a', a², forming continuations of the said base, and supporting
the shelf and seat, as clearly shewn in Figure 4, each seat accomodates one pupil
only, and each seat is independent and isolated, except at the base, from the
other seats. The said frames may be made of iron or wood, and in one piece, as
shewn in the above Figures, or in two or more pieces, or they may be inade partly
of metal and partly of wood.
By the above description it will be seen that we support by each standard a
single fixed seat, or seat and back, of a configuration which will permit the convenient
standing of the pupil in his place, and present no impediment to his ingress and
egress. We prefer to use a nearly circular seat, as shewn, but seats of other conve-
nient forms may be used.
The desk, shown in Figures 3, 4, 5, is a "dual desk," or desk provided with two
of these independent or isolated seats. In Figures 6, 7, 8, we have shewn a single
desk and seat, that is to say, for one pupil only. Figure 6 is a plan or top view,
Figure 7 a side elevation, and Figure 8 a back elevation. It will be seen that in
this modification of our Invention the desk proper b and seat c are both supported
upon one and the same standard or frame, which may be of wood or metal, or of
both, combined in any suitable manner; but if desirable we may in some
cases give additional support to the desk proper or shelf by two light rods or
bars h.
According to another modification of our Invention we make the said standard
or frame in two parts, the part supporting the seat being pivotted or hinged in the
other part at or near the base or foot of the frane; that is to say, we combine the
above-described independent or isolated seats with a pivotted or jointed support,
on which it is free to oscillate to permit its involuntary adjustment by the
movements of the pupil, as described in connection with Figures 1 and 2 of the
Drawings; but in this case each seat is supported on a single standard or supporting
arm or bar.
Having thus fully described our said Invention and the manner of performing the
same, we wish it understood that we claim,-
First. A desk provided with a seat or seats connected or arranged in combination
with the desk, and moveable or adjustable without disconnection therefrom, and
whose movement or adjustment is effected by the pupil involuntarily or without
any special attention or exertion on his part in such a manner that the desk will
accomodate or adjust itself to the different positions required.
Second. A desk provided with a seat or seats connected with the desk by arms
or bars supported on pivots or centres, and oscillating or rocking thereon, and so
arranged that the oscillating or to-and-fro movement for the adjustment of

page_text: the said seat or seats is produced or caused automatically or involuntarily
by the pupil in his movements or changes of position, as above set forth.
Third. The modification of this part of our Invention, wherein the desk is pro-
vided with a seat or seats adjustable in one direction by the movement or change
of position of the pupil, and in the other direction by a counterbalance or weight,
as above set forth.
Fourth. A desk provided with a seat or seats, each of which is formed to
accomodate one pupil only, and is supported by one of the frames or standards that
supports the desk proper or shelf, as above set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Glendenning, for myself and on behalf
of the said Horace Palmer Colman, have hereunto set my hand and seal,
this Second day of March, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and seventy-eight.
JOHN GLENDENNING. (L.S.)