Improved Self-adjusting Quadrants for Use on Convertible School Desks.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Feb., 1895-Accepted, 9th Mar., 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Self-adjusting Quadrants for Use on Convertible
School Desks.
We, PHILIP HENRY TAYLOR, of 122, Newfoundland Road, Bristol, School
Furniture Manufacturer, and THE SCHOLASTIC TRADING COMPANY, LIMITED,
Bridge Street Bristol, Wholesale Stationers and Manufacturers, 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 :-
Our invention relates to improvements in quadrants and their accessories for use
in the construction of convertible school desks, and has for its object to provide
means whereby the desks may be more readily adjusted to and held at any required
angle, and rigidly fixed at that angle by a simple contrivance which will permit them
to be fastened or unfastened by the single movement of a small lever.
Various methods have been employed for adjusting and fixing the bracket which
supports the desk at the right inclination to the quadrant to give the required slope
to the desk, most of these are complicated in their arrangement and action; by our
invention, the desk can be instantaneously placed at the right angle, and the arm of
the bracket can be as quickly fixed to the quadrant by the simple movement of a
lever; this is accomplished by clamping the arm to the quadrant by a spring-bolt,
and placing a circular faced lug on the side of the arm which is nearest the
quadrant, and corresponding chases in the face of the quadrant to receive the lug,
all the surfaces of the lug and chases which come into contact being made curved
or circular; so that a jerking movement of the desk will sufficiently press the
spring to release the lug from the chase, which is not possible when these are made
square or angular: when the desk is in position, a lever stop at one end of the
spring bolt is turned, which prevents the release of the spring, or any alteration in
the slope of the desk until the stop is again turned.
Our invention, and the means of carrying the same into effect, will be readily
understood by reference to the accompanying sheet of drawings, in which
Fig. 1 is an elevation, and Fig. 2 a plan of our improved quadrant, which is
attached to the ordinary desk standard ;
Fig. 3 is an elevation (with the spring bolt removed,) and Fig. 4 is a plan, of the
bracket to which the desk is fixed, and the arm by which it is attached to the
quadrant, also the spring bolt for the attachment ;
Fig. 5 is a longitudinal view of the quadrant and bracket when braced together
by the spring bolt, and Fig. 6 is an end view of the same, the dotted lines showing
the desk adjusted to form a back for an adjoining seat.
The same letters indicate the same parts in all the figures.
A is an ordinary quadrant fitted on or around the usual book shelf 5, on one face
of the quadrant two or more semi-circular or curved chases a, a', &c. are made, as
shown in Figs. 1 and 2; B is a pin cast on or attached to the quadrant; C is an
ordinary bracket to support the desk T, on the arm of the bracket (in the angle) is
a lug d made with a curved or circular face, so that it may readily engage with the
chases in the quadrant, when in proximity thereto; D is the ordinary arm by
which the bracket attached to and rotates on the pin B; E is an extension of
the bracket C, with a couple of flanges in which a bolt F is held in position by a
spiral or other spring f, a lever stop G is inserted in the bolt F to take the pressure
of the spring; when this stop is horizontal, as in Fig. 4, the lug d may be removed
from the chases a, a', by a strong jerk or movement of the desk, as the curve.l
surfaces of the lug and chases will allow the tension of the spring to yield, but

page_text: when the lever is placed downwards or vertical, as in Fig. 5, the upper end of the
stop engages in a slot in the plate E, which prevents the spring from being
compressed, and consequently the lug is firmly locked in one of the chases.
Our improved quadrant and accessories being provided as described, their action
will be apparent from the drawings; Figs. 5 and 6 showing the desk in a horizontal
position and the spring locked by the lever stop being placed vertically; by
changing the stop to the horizontal position, the spring will be liberated, and the
desk may be turned in the direction of a' to form a writing desk, and the lug & will
at once engage in the chase and be retained, while for security the lever is again
turned to the vertical position; or the desk may be turned to the inclined position
shown by dotted lines in Fig. 6, to form a back for the adjoining seat. The
chases a, a', may be repeated at any part of the face of the quadrant, if so desired,
but it is considered that the two chases, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 will be sufficient
for all practical purposes. To obtain still further results from the action of the
spring-bolt in attaching the arm of the quadrant, the end of the bolt may be
rounded, and countersunk holes may be made on the face of the quadrant which is
directly opposite the chases, which will facilitate the releasing and securing of
the arm.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is :
The construction of quadrants for use in the manufacture of convertible school
desks with round faced lugs to engage in similar chases in the faces of the quadrants,
kept in position by spring bolts and locked by turning lever stops G, substantially
as and for the purposes herein set forth and described, and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
Dated this 2nd day of February 1895
J. G. WESTLAKE,
2, John Street, Bristol, Applicants' Agent..