Improvements in School Desks, and Chairs or Seats to be Used in connection therewith.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Sept., 1895
Complete Specification Left. 12th May, 1896-Accepted, 25th Sept., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in School Desks, and Chairs or Seats to be Used in
connection therewith.
I, ISIDOR WURM Dr. Med. of Berlin, Ritterstrasse 81 do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows: :-
This invention relates to improvements in school-desks, and its object is to
provide a "child's adjustable school-desk and chair combined," which not only
answers to the hygienic requirements, but which also, by making use of the space
over the seat in a peculiar way, takes up the smallest imaginable room; at the
same time being easily transportable: besides this, the fact that desk and chair
may be used conjointly or each of them separately, makes it possible to convert
them into five different articles of school-furniture.
It must be considered as hygienically important, that the new desk is adjustable
in accordance with the size of every child from the smallest to the biggest; an
erect position of the child when writing, being the principal object in view.
To enable children to sit up straight, when engaged in writing and thereby to
prevent short-sightedness and eventually crooked or "curved" spine, chair and
table which they make use of ought to suit their size, and chair and table should
be in the right proportion and relation to each other. The necessary extent or
overlapping distance required on hygienic grounds is supposed to be 2 inches.
That is to say, the desk must be fixed in such a manner that it overlaps the front
edge of the chair by two inches; it is further possible, by adjusting the seat, to
establish permanently such a perpendicular distance between the desk and the
chair so that the elbows of the child-supposing an upright attitude-take a
horizontal position.
The back of the seat having a convex shape towards the front side is also
adjustable in two directions:-it can be raised more or less, and more or less
pushed backwards, so that it may fit exactly into the natural concavity of the
bottom part of the spine, and thus always presents a suitable support to the back
of the child. The footboard too, being adjustable, gives a firm support to the feet
of a child of any size.
The before mentioned five different articles of school-furniture are formed as
follows:-
1. The desk and chair combined at its normal fixture, as used for general
purposes and more particularly for writing.
2. As two distinct articles, by using the desk separately on a table, and the
chair closely drawn to the table.
.3. As reading-stand, most preferable for smaller children, who often become
tired from sitting too long in school.
4. As an infant's chair for children of about one year and a half, by taking off
the desk and reversing the two wings of the chair, thus preventing the baby from
falling out.
5. As an orthopedic chair for the cure of a spine beginning to grow crooked or
"curved," by adjusting the sides of the chair in positions of different height,―thus
providing an oblique seat.
The construction of the new desk with chair combined may be shortly described
as follows:-It is composed of a chair frame having two wings turning upon
hinges; and, of an ordinary desk. In the lower part of the frame—as will be seen

page_text: in the accompanying drawing a seat a is fitted so as to be free to move to and fro
in two guides b, b, through which pass two metal set-screws held by nuts c c. By
means of these screws the seat a may be raised or lowered for any position between
O and 4 inches. Also, both the guides bb can be adjusted at different levels, so
that an oblique seat (Fig. 4) is obtained, said guides b, b being connected with seat a
by hinges d, d. In the front of the chair a scale of measurement is found. This is
inches long and being divided into parts of inches, indicates accurately the
various heights on both sides of the seat. The latter is provided with a back rest f,
the precise back g of which, is adjustable in the horizontal and vertical directions;
it may be fixed in position by screws h, h at the rear. The rest slides in two
dovetailed grooves, lined with iron, which are found in the upper part of seat a.
Below the seat, a drawer i for the reception of books, and an adjustable footboard k,.
make parts of the chair frame. This board is movably attached on the front legs
of the chair between two racks 1, 1, the notches of which turn downwards (Fig. 5).
Rod m engaging with these notches maintains the footboard in position and by
rails n n, the racks may be closed at will, so that the board is prevented from
slipping out of place. By this arrangement the footboard may be raised about
10 inches from the floor.
On both sides of the chair, two wings o, o are attached by hinges and are free
to turn towards the front. Being in a position closed to the chair (Fig. 3) they
are kept in place by two spring bolts found at the front legs of the chair. At the
top of the right wing another spring bolt is added, which conjointly with a rail r at
the left wing, engaging with a strengthening piece of the desk, holds the latter in
position. The connection between desk and the two wings is arranged in such a
manner, that the child may be enabled to loosen it, when necessary.
For facilitating the transport of the desk and chair combined, two castors t, t are
provided in such a way, that the turning over of the chair may be prevented though
the child treads on the footboard.
The desk itself consists of an oblique plate u and two ledges; one of the latter
fits into the iron rail r, the other is enclosed by the left wing of the chair, with
which it is connected in the way already described. An ink stand and other
accessories may be added to the desk. Pegs H are provided to maintain the
horizontally overlapping distance of 2 inches mentioned above, in case the desk
is used separately on a table (Fig. 3).
Dated this 24th day of September 1895.
FRÉDÉRIC D'ALLESINA,
Civil Engineer, 7 Quality Court, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agent for Applicant.
Improvements in School Desks, and Chairs or Seats to be Used in
connection therewith.
I, ISIDOR WURM Dr. Med. of Berlin, Ritterstrasse 81, Empire of Germany, do
hereby declare the 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:-
This invention relates to improvements in and relating to school-desks and the
like and my invention consists in a school desk having normally combined therewith.
an adjustable seat the whole being constructed substantially as hereinafter
described whereby the seat may be adjusted relatively to the desk so as to be
suited to give the best results hygienically as well as being thereby rendered. more,
confortable. Further advantages appertaining to my improved desk and chair
are that the whole occupies a comparatively small space and is easily portable.

page_text: In order that iny invention may be readily understood reference is made to the
accompanying drawings whereiu like letters of reference indicate corresponding
parts throughout the several figures and in which :-
Fig. 1. shows my invention in side elevation the desk-which is in section-and
chair being arranged to be used in the ordinary manner.
Fig. 2. shows my invention in side elevation when converted into a standing or
reading desk.
Fig. 3. shows the desk supported by a table the chain being separated
therefrom.
Fig. 4. shows the chair-having its seat a adjustel obliquely-in front elevation
the desk being removed or omitted.
Figs. 5 and 5 show on a larger scale in side and front elevation respectively,
the foot board with its adjustable means of support, and
Fig. 6 is a front sectional elevation of the chair the section being taken on the
line X-Y Fig. 1.
In carrying out my invention I construct a chair A having a seat a and
provided at its front with two opposite and hingedly supported wings or the like o.
Said wings are for the purpose of supporting a desk u said desk being preferably
removably fixed to said wings o say by pins, (not shown) projecting from the top
of the wings o and adapted to enter corresponding holes on the underside of the
desk; this is only one well known manner in which the desk and wings may be
connected or fastened together and I do not confine myself thereto. Or, if desired
the desk may simply rest on the wings and one or both wings may be provided with
a guide or the like which permit endway but prevent sideway movement of the
desk therein.
0
The seat a is hingedly supported on opposite and vertically adjustable slotted
bars or the like c which are capable of being clamped by means of set or clamping
screws or equivalents c' at any desired necessary height, the hinged connection at d
permitting the seat to be adjusted obliquely. Each of the opposite cross-bars c
which are situated on the top of the slotted bars and on which the seat a is fixed-
is provided with a scale e by means of which the height of the seat on both sides
is indicated. The seat a is also provided with a back-rest f the cushion or
equivalent g of which is adjustable in a vertical direction by means of a set or
clamping screw and the back-rest f itself is also adjustable horizontally in the
direction indicated by the back-rest drawn in dotted lines, said back-rest being
also clamped in position by means of set or clamping screws or equivalents h¹.
Below the seat a the chair is preferably fitted with a drawer i and the front
lower part of the chair is provided with a foot rest k which is adjustably supported
in about the following manner. The front legs of the chair are provided on their
rear side with preferably segmental racks 1, the oue opposite the other, and the
foot board k is hung on a bar m by means of suspension rods the said bar m. being
adapted to engage at it ends with, and to be supported by, any two oppositely
situated teeth of the said racks l. For the purpose of keeping the foot board level
or at its proper angle of inclination, said foot board rests at the sides against the
front legs of the chair as at k', and in order to prevent the bar m from being
accidently disengaged from the racks I provide each of said racks with a pivotally
supported covering-strip n which can be swung away from the rack as shown in
Fig. 54 to permit the footboard being adjusted, said strip n being then swung back
so as to cover the rack and thereby prevent the rod m disengaging with said
ruck.
I
may secure the
In order to permit a child to readily enter between the wings o
desk u at one side only, say to the right hand wing, the opposite wing being capable
of being swung open for the purpose described said wing when closed under the
desk acting as a support, and if desired, the desk may then be fixed to said lastly
referred to wing o by means of a spring bolt or other suitable and well known
meaus.
For the purpose of facilitating the transport of my improved chair and desk

page_text: I provide the frame with horizontal extensions s reaching under the footboard k and
provided with castors t, said extensions with their castors serving not only as a
ready incans for moving the whole apparatus from place to place but also acting as a
support to prevent the apparatus tilting over should the weight of the child be on
the footboard, as, say, when the apparatus is used as a reading desk as shown
in, Fig. 2.
The desk may be provided with an inkstand w and other accessories and I
prefer to provide the underside of said desk with a peg or pin H one on each. side
so as to prevent the desk being pushed too far when placed on a table as shown in
Fig. 3, as for hygienic reasons it is necessary that the said desk should project a
distance of two inches more or less over the front of the seat a.
If desired the wings o may be capable of being locked by means of spring bolts
or other well known means, either in the extended position as shown in Fig. 1 or
in their reversed position as shown in Fig. 2.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A combined chair and desk said desk being readily detachable so that both
the desk and the chair may be used separately substantially as described and
illustrated.
2. The combination with a detachable desk, of a chair, the seat a, back rest f,
cushion or equivalent g and foot-rest k of which are adjustable all for the purposes
substantially as described and illustrated..
3. The combination with a chair of hingedly supported wings o adapted to
support a desk for the purposes and substantially as described and illustrated.
4. The combination with a chair having an adjustable seat and back of an
adjustable foot rest for the purposes substantially as described and illustrated.
5. In a chair such as described a seat a hingedly supported on opposite and
vertically adjustable slotted bars or the like c capable of being clamped by means
of set or clamping screws c¹ at any desired height and provided with a scale e
all for the purposes and substantially as described and illustrated.
Dated this 9th day of May 1896.
ISIDOR WURM, Dr. Med.,
By Horn, Son & Co.,
151 Strand, Agents for the Applicant.