A NEW OR IMPROVED REST FOR SUPPORTING THE ARMS, FEET, OR BODY OF A PERSON, OR BOOKS AND OTHER SMALL OBJECTS
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Pitcairn, of No. 4, Trafalgar Square, in the
County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "A NEW OR IMPROVED
REST FOR SUPPORTING THE ARMS, FEET, OR BODY OF A PERSON, OR BOOKS
AND OTHER SMALL OBJECTS."
Sealed the 25th February 1870, and dated the 2nd September 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Pitcairn at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
2nd September 1869.
.I, ROBERT PITCAIRN, of No. 4, Trafalgar Square, in the County of
Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"A NEW OR IMPROVED REST FOR SUPPORTING THE ARMS, FEET, OR BODY OF A
PERSON, OR BOOKS AND OTHER SMALL OBJECTS," to be as follows:-
My Invention has for its object the construction of a portable rest,
principally applicable for supporting the arms of a person or a book
while reading either in a railway carriage, room, or other locality, but
which rest may also be rendered applicable as à support for the back
or legs of a person. For this purpose I construct such rest of a shaft
a

page_text: or pedestal of wood or other suitable material, by preference of a length
varying from twelve to sixteen inches, to one end, or by preference to
both ends of which two folding pieces or flaps are connected so as
when not in use to lie close against the said pedestal, and when
required for use to open out at right angles to the said pedestal, in
which position they are held by means of stays or struts either hinged
at one end to the pedestal or hinged both to the pedestal and the flaps
and made to fold together with a hinge in the middle of their length;
or the stays may be hinged at one end to the arms while the other end
slides in a groove in the pedestal, or the stays may be fixed to the arms
and formed curved, and either with a slot so as to slide over a pin on
the pedestal or on the stay to the opposite arm, or with ratchet teeth or
notches or holes into which take catches on the pedestal or on the stay
to the opposite arm. The construction of such rest may be greatly
varied, thus the pedestal may be constructed of two parts and be made
adjustable in its length either by a screw action or on the telescopic
principle, or the pedestal may be made hollow, and the arms or flaps
being arranged to fold upwards, may be made to slide up and down
inside the pedestal. Also the arms or flaps at the one end may be
made to turn horizontally upon the pedestal; they may also have other
flaps hinged to the sides thereof, so as to open out to the double width,
or flat pieces may be attached to the upper surface of the flaps, so
arranged as to be turned round at right angles thereto. In order to
secure the arms or flaps when opened out they may be acted upon by
an india-rubber or metal spring connected either to the top or side
of the pedestal, or between the meeting edges of the flap and pedestal,
or a button or catch may be employed for this purpose; or small metal
cheeks may be attached to the end or ends of the pedestal, either
having curved slots in which pins on the flaps provided with screw
nuts work, or having ratchet teeth in which pawls on the arms catch.
When folded up the arms may be conveniently held by an india-rubber
band passed over them. In applying such rest as a support for the
back I hinge to the upper end of the pedestal, at right angles to the
flaps, a stay or strut, which in being opened out to any angle will take
a bearing on the ground or other surface and maintain the rest in an
inclined position; to the lower flaps of such rest may in this case con-
veniently be attached a piece of leather, cloth, or other suitable flexible
material in a similar manner to the contrivance now well known as the
"Gumey beach seat."

page_text: In another modification in place of hinging the arms or flaps to the
pedestal they may be separate therefrom, the two arms being formed 'in
one piece provided with a projection which fits into a corresponding
recess in the end of the pedestal, when not in use the arms are placed
close by the-sides of the pedestal, the said projections fitting into recesses
in the sides of the latter.
In another modification, in place of the before described pedestal
two bars or struts are hinged at one end to the upper or lower arms or
flaps (which are formed in one piece), while the other end slides in a
groove or slot in the other arm, the two bars being arranged in
a diagonal position across each other, so as to lie flat between the arms
or rests when folded together. When opened out the bars are secured
in position by screw nuts or catches; they may also be arranged to
slide at both ends, or they may be hinged at both ends to the arms, and
be provided with a hinge joint in the middle of their length so as to
fold together.
. In another modification the before-mentioned diagonal bars or struts
are hinged together at or about the middle of their length, and in
place of the before-mentioned arms a strip or strips of leather, canvass,
or other suitable flexible material is or are attached to one or both
ends of the bars, which when not in use are folded together side
by side.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Robert Pitcairn in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 2nd March 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
PITCAIRN, of No. 4, Trafalgar Square, in the County of Middlesex,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Second day of September, in the year
of our. Lord One thousand. eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-
third year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Robert Pitcairn, Her special licence
that I, the said Robert Pitcairn, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Robert Pitcairn, my executors,

page_text: administrators, and 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 Kindgom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "A NEW OR
IMPROVED REST FOR SUPPORTING THE ARMS, FEET, OR BODY OF A PERSON, OR Books
AND OTHER SMALL OBJECTS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said Robert Pitcairn, my executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, 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 within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Robert Pitcairn, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, reference being had to the accompanying
Sheet of Drawings, and to the figures and letters marked thereon,
that is to say :-
My Invention has for its object the construction of a portable rest
principally applicable for supporting the arms of a person or a book while
reading either in a railway carriage, room, or other locality, but which
rest may also be rendered applicable as a support for the back or legs
of a person.
For this purpose I construct such rest of a shaft or pedestal
of wood or other suitable material, by preference of a length varying
from twelve to sixteen inches to one end, or by preference to both ends,
of which two folding pieces or flaps are connected so as when not in use
to lie close against the said pedestal, and when required for use to open
out at right angles to the said pedestal, in which position they are held
by means of stays or struts, either hinged at one end to the pedestal or
hinged both to the pedestal and the flaps, and made to fold together
with a hinge in the middle of their length; or the stays may be hinged
at one end to the arms, while the other end slides in a groove in the
pedestal, or the stays may be fixed to the arms, and formed curved, and
either with a slot, so as to slide over a pin on the pedestal or on the
stay to the opposite arm, or with ratchet teeth or notches or holes, into
which take catches on the pedestal or on the stay to the opposite arm.

page_text: The construction of such rest may be greatly varied, thus the pedestal
may be constructed of two parts, and be made adjustable in its, length
either by a screw action or on the telescopic principle, or the pedestal
may be made hollow, and the arms or flaps being arranged to fold
upwards may be made to slide up and down inside the pedestal. Also
the arms or flaps at the one end may be made to turn horizontally upon
the pedestal;
they may also have other flaps hinged to the sides
thereof so as to open out to the double width, or flat pieces may be
attached to the upper surface of the flaps so arranged as to be turned
round at right angles thereto. In order to secure the arms or flaps
when opened out they may be acted upon by an india-rubber or metal
spring connected either to the top or side of the pedestal or between
the meeting edges of the flap and pedestal, or a button or catch may be
employed for this purpose; or small metal cheeks may be attached to
the end or ends of the pedestal either having curved slots in which, pins
on the flaps provided with screw nuts work, or having ratchet teeth in
which pawls on the arms catch. When folded up the arms may be con
veniently held by an india-rubber band passed over them. In applying
such rest as a support for the back I hinge to the upper end of the
pedestal at right angles to the flaps a stay or strut, which in being
opened out to any angle will take a bearing on the ground or other
surface, and maintain the rest in an inclined position; to the lower flaps
of such rest may in this case conveniently be attached a piece of leather,
cloth, or other suitable flexible. material in a similar manner to the con-
trivance now well known as the "Gurney beach seat.".
In another modification in place of hinging the arms or flaps to the
pedestal they may be separate therefrom, the two arms being formed in
one piece provided with a projection which fits into a corresponding
recess in the end of the pedestal. When not in use the arms are placed
close by the sides of the pedestal, the said projections fitting into
recesses in the sides of the latter. ·
'
In another modification in place of the before described pedestal
two bars or struts are hinged at one end to the upper or lower arms or
flaps (which are formed in one piece), while the other end slides in a
groove or slot in the other arm, the two bars being arranged in a
diagonal position across each other so as to lie flat between the arms or
rests when folded together. When opened out the bars are secured in

page_text: position by screw nuts or catches; they may also be arranged to slide at
both ends, or they may be hinged at both ends to the arms, and be pro-
vided with a hinged joint in the middle of their length so as to fold
together.
On the accompanying Drawing are shewn some of the various before-
described, modifications of my Invention.
Figure 1 shews a perspective elevation of one arrangement when
opened out for use; and Figure 2 shews the same when closed up.
In this arrangement flaps a, a, are hinged to each end of the pedestal b,
and are secured in their opened out position by means of stays c, c,
hinged at one end to the under side of the flaps, and catching at the other
end into notches in the pedestal b. For folding up the rest the stays c
are turned over, as indicated by the dotted lines, and lie either flat
against the flaps or in grooves d cut therein, as shewn. In order to
render the upper flaps of the rest of sufficient width to support a book
they may either have other flaps a¹ binged to the side thereof, as shewn
in red lines, or flat strips a³ may be made to turn on a central pin on
the flap.
In order to hold the stays c securely in the notches on the
pedestal a spring action may be readily provided in the flaps a by
inserting a piece of india-rubber d (Figure 3) between the meeting edges
of the flap a and pedestal b, in which case the flaps may be rendered
capable of being raised beyond the horizontal position, as shewn.
place of arranging the free end of the stays to turn over against the flaps
for folding up they may be made to slide up and down in a notched or
stepped guide e (Figure 4) fixed against or formed in the pedestal,
or the stays may be hinged both to the flap and to the pedestal, as
at Figure 5, and be formed with a knee joint at f so as to fold
together.
In
Figure 6 shews another modification of the stay c, which is here made
to turn on a pin g at the side of the flap, and to hook with the other end
on to a stud on the side of the pedestal, or the stay may be formed
curved and fixed to the side of the flap, as at Figure 7, the free end
being made to slide in and out of a loop at the side of the pedestal, in
which it may be held in the opened out position either by a spring catch,
as indicated, or by a spring stud on the loop passing into a hole in the
stay, or by any other convenient contrivance.

page_text: Figure 8 shews an arrangement in which notched metal cheeks k
are fixed to the sides of the pedestal, into the notches of which take
spring catches on the under side of the flaps. This and the foregoing
arrangement would not be quite so compact as the others on account of
the projecting cheeks and curved stays when the rest is folded together.
In order to render the height of the rest adjustable to suit different
persons the shaft may be divided at x, Figure 8, and be provided there
with a strong screw, as shewn, fixed to the one part and screwing into
the other, whereby the length of the shaft can be increased or decreased
at pleasure.
In the arrangement shewn at Figures 9 and 10 the pedestal b is in the
form of a tube (cylindrical or rectangular) into which the flaps slide (as
for which purpose
indicated at the lower end, Figure 9) when folded up,
they are hinged to a sliding block / held in the tube by pins m passing
through them and working in slots in the tube shewn more clearly in the
closed up view at Figure 10.
Figures 11, 12, and 13 shew a similar construction to the foregoing
arranged on the telescopic principle. The pedestal is composed of two
parts b, b¹, of which 6¹ is arranged to slide in and out of b, being
adjustable to any height required either by means of a thumbscrew n
on a pin fixed to b₁ sliding in a slot o in b or by means of a spring catch
fixed to b taking into notches or holes in b¹. The upper flaps a, a, are
arranged to slide in and out of b¹, as in the foregoing arrangement, while
the lower ones a¹, a¹, are hinged to the end of b and fold up against the
sides thereof, being held in the opened position by means of stays c
arranged as in Figure 1. Figure 12 shews a longitudinal section, and
Figure 13 shews a plan of all the parts folded up together.
Figure 14 shews the same construction as at Figure 1 with an
additional side stay hinged at the upper end to the pedestal b so as
when opened out to the position shewn to serve as a support for the
back. It may also have a piece of leather, cloth, or other flexible
material attached to it, as shewn in red lines similar to the "Gurney
beach seat."
Figure 15 shews an arrangement in which the top and bottom flaps a
are formed of are niece to the lower one of which are hinged the lower

page_text: ends of two diagonal stays b, the upper ends of which slide in guides c
on the under side of the upper flap, and are secured in any required
position by means either of thumbscrews d or by a spring catch taking
into notches in the guide c. When folded up the two flaps will he close
together as indicated by red lines.
Figure 16 shews an arrangement in which the two flaps a, a, are
connected by supports 6 hinged thereto and provided with knee joints c
in the middle so as to fold up, as indicated in red lines.
Figure 17 shews another modification of the rest wherein two side
supports b, b¹, are hinged one to each end of the top rest a, b being made
to fold over the top of a and 6₁ against the under side thereof, they
are held in position by means of stays c, c, hinged at one end to the side
supports and secured at the other end by means of eyes or any other
convenient manner to a; or the supports may be arranged to fold over
each other on the same side of a.
Figure 18 shews another modification of the last described arrange-
ment wherein the top rest a is divided in the middle and provided with
a hinge so that it can fold together between the supports b, the stays c, c,
being in this case hinged at one end to a and made to catch into notches
or to slide in grooves in b, b.
The above described rest may be used either at the side or in front of
a person, or, with the modification shewn at Figure 14, it may be used
as a rest for the back.
The flaps may be either of plain or varnished
wood, or they may be covered with cloth or leather, or even be provided
with cushions if desired.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I wish it to be unsdertood that
I do not limit myself to the precise arrangements thereof herein-before
described with reference to the accompanying Drawings, as these may be
variously modified without departing from the essential feature of my 3
Invention, whereby portable rests for the arms or other parts of the body,
or books or other objects are constructed of one or more flaps or supporting
parts connected in such a manner to a pedestal or equivalent part or
parts that they are capable of being folded together into a small compass,

page_text: while when opened out they are secured in such position by stays or
other equivalent means, substantially as herein-before set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Pitcairn, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this First day of March, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.
ROB. PITCAIRN. (L.S.)