IMPROVE- MENTS IN TABLES
Year: 1864

page_text: - LETTERS PATENT to William Halse, of Tottenham Court Road, in the
County of Middlesex, Cabinet Maker, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN TABLES."
Sealed the 25th November 1864, and dated the 30th May 1864.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Halse at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 30th
May 1864.
I, WILLIAM HALSE, of Tottenham Court Road, in the County of Middlesex,
> Cabinet Maker, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS. IN TABLES," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to that class of tables known generally as loo tables,
or the tables wherein the top is made to turn up on pins or thumbscrews
inserted into the clamps or main framing of the table top, and consists in the
employment of a novel form and arrangement of the screws and nuts.
According to this Invention the screws are made much shorter than
heretofore, and have a plain portion on the ends thereof, which plain portion
enters a metal block or socket secured into the two opposite sides of the upper
block or top of the pillar. The nuts through which the screws are inserted
are placed inside the clamps opposite to the metal blocks above referred to.
When removing the table top it is simply requisite to unscrew the two screws
until their plain ends are withdrawn from the blocks or sockets, when the top
is free to be lifted off, the screws remaining in the nuts in the clamps. By

page_text: this arrangement a much better action is obtained, as the table top turns
upon smooth pins in place of upon threaded screws as heretofore, whilst the
insertion of the pins or pivots is greatly facilitated, as they always remain in
their places in the nuts. It is obvious that this Invention may be adapted to
writing tables as well as to tables in the process of manufacture. In some
cases the metal nuts in the clamps may be dispensed with, and the screws may
be tapped into the wood of the clamp, the thread of the screws extending
either along the entire or a portion only of the length of the screws; but in
all cases it is essential that the ends of the screws shall turn freely in the
upper block.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Halse in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
29th November 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
HALSE, of Tottenham Court Road, in the County of Middlesex, Cabinet
Maker, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-seventh year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
William Halse, Her special license that I, the said William Halṣe, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William
Halse, my executors, administrators, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN
TABLES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William
Halse, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under
my hand and seal, or under the hand and seal of one of them, should par-
ticularly 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 William Halse, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-

page_text: formed, 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 that class of tables known generally as loo
tables, or to tables wherein the top is made to turn up on pins or thumbscrews
inserted into the " clamps or main framing of the table top, and into the
"upper block," and' consists of a novel form and arrangement of the screws
and nuts.
According to my Invention' the screws, which may be made much shorter
than heretofore, have a plain and' unscrewed portion on the inner ends thereof,
which plain portion enters a metal socket screwed into the two opposite sides
of the "upper block" or top of the pillar of the table. The nuts through
which the screws are inserted are fixed inside the "clamps" opposite to the
metal sockets above referred to. When removing the table top it is simply
requisite to unscrew the two screws until their plain ends are withdrawn froin
the sockets, when the top is free to be lifted off, the screws remaining in the
nuts in the "clamps." By this arrangement a much better action is obtained,
as the table top turns upon smooth pins in place of upon threaded screws, as
heretofore; the insertion of the pins or pivots is greatly facilitated, as they
always remain in their places in the nuts, and the wrenching action of the
screws which heretofore tended when tightened up to tear out the nuts from
the "upper block" in which they were fixed is entirely obviated. It is obvious
that this Invention may be adapted to existing tables as well as to tables in
process of manufacture. In some cases the metal nuts in the "clamps" may
be dispensed with; and the screws may be tapped into the wood of the
'clamps," the thread of the screws extending as before along a portion only
of the length of the screws, leaving the inner ends plain; but in all cases it is
essential that the inner ends of the screws shall turn freely in the " upper
block" in place of being tapped therein.
"
And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood, I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose I shall
refer to the several Figures on the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed, the'
same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts throughout all the
Figures.
Fig. 1 of my Drawings represents a sectional plan of a portion of the
"clamp" and "upper block" of a loo table or other table of that class, shewing
the mode of hinging or attaching the table top to the support or pillar;
Fig. 2 represents a front and side elevation of the metal nut detached, which,
according to one modification, is to be fitted into each of the "clamps" on the

page_text: table top; Fig. 3 is a side and front elevation of the metal socket detached,
which is to be fixed to the two opposite sides of the "upper block" on the
pillar or main standard or support; and Fig. 4 is a separate view of one of
the two screws or pins detached. The whole of the Figures on the annexed
Sheet of Drawings are represented full size.
A represents one of the two "clamps" of a table top, and B represents a
portion of one side of the "upper block" on the main pillar or support. Into
the inner side of each of the "clamps" A there is inserted so as to be
flush with the surface thereof a metal nut C (Fig. 2), provided with a flange
or plate D, by which it is secured to the woodwork of the "clamp" by
ordinary wood screws E, E, or otherwise. Coinciding with these nuts C there
is fixed to the two opposite sides of the "upper block" B a metal socket
piece F (Fig. 3), such socket piece being let in flush with the surface of the
wood, as shewn in Fig. 1, and secured in its place by ordinary wood screws
G, G, or otherwise; H represents one of the two thumbscrews (shewn also
at Fig. 4), their inner ends a are made for a short distance of smaller diameter
than the main stem of the screw, and have no screw thread formed upon
them at this part. When once the screws H are inserted into their respective
nuts in the "clamps" they need never be entirely withdrawn, it being simply
requisite when removing the table top to unscrew the screws sufficiently to
withdraw their plain ends a from the metal sockets F in the "upper block."
These sockets F and plain portions a of the screws when adjusted form the
working parts upon which the table top hinges or pivots. By making the
ends of the parts a of the screws conical, and bevelling the edges of the holes
in the sockets F as shewn, the screws when screwed inwards will find their
own way into the sockets without.the necessity for any nice adjustment of the
table top before commencing to tighten them up. If desired a slight taper
may be given to the whole of the part a of the screws, and a corresponding
taper made in the sockets F, so that by tightening up the screws the parts a
may be made to fit without the least play or shaking in the metal socket
pieces, thus keeping the table top perfectly firm and steady. In Fig. 5 I have
represented a sectional plan of a cheaper arrangement suitable for a lower
class of furniture. Here the metal nut C is dispensed with, and the screws H
which are formed with V threads are tapped into the wood itself of the
"clamp." The rest of the parts however are the same as in the first-described
arrangement.
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 would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel

page_text: and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
First, the system or mode of connecting table tops to their "upper blocks'
wherein the nut or internal screw thread for the screws is contained in the
"clamps" in lieu of in the "upper blocks," as herein-before described.
Second, the connecting of table tops to their "upper blocks" by means of
screws tapped into metal nuts fixed to the "clamps," or tapped into the
clamps themselves in combination with metal sockets fixed into the "upper
blocks," substantially as herein-before described.
Third, the application and use of screws having a portion of their length at
their inner ends made plain, substantially as and for the purpose herein-before
described and illustrated by my Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Halse, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Twenty-fifth day of November, One thousand
eight hundred and sixty-four.