Year: 1885

page_text: I ROBERT HENRY PADBURY of Mildmay, Hilltop Road, West Hampstead in the
County of Middlesex, Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:―
The object of my invention is the construction and arrangement of reading
desks in such manner as to hold books in a convenient and secure position while
using same and so that all those leaves which are not required for use are held
firmly and securely together, while those that are to be read from or are required
for reference are loose yet under the control of the reader while provision is also
made for adjusting the angular position of the desk to suit the person using same
all as hereafter described.
According to my invention I cause the book rest or the platform on which the
book rests to slide in and out to suit the size of book to be read from whereby the
rest may be adjusted to hold a thick or a thin book, for this purpose there is a rack
on the underside of the rest and on the back a pawl with spring whereby the rest
may be pulled forward to any distance and there remain until released by pulling
down the pawl.
The stem of the reading desk is at top supported or carried by a crosshead which
latter rests and is free to turn in bearings formed by two blocks which are cast on
and in a piece with the plate to which the reading desk back is screwed; over the
block there is a forked arm or double cap hinged at back, between the forked arms,
cap or bearings of which the stem passes, this forked cap forms a lever which is
held down by a thumb screw working in a boss on the plate which when screwed
tightly down holds the crosshead tight but when loose the crosshead can move
more or less as required and with it the reading desk, and in this way the angular
position of the desk can be regulated while the screw pressure cannot be exerted
too much and the boss forms a stop for the lever through which the screw works;
if made of cast iron the cap lever cannot go down to breaking point and if of
bending material or metal it cannot be overstrained.
To the front bar of the rest I joint levers say two, one arm of each being
jointed preferably near the middle of the rest although I do not limit myself to
this position, these levers are made of zig-zag shape and form what I call leaf
controllers, their normal position is with the zig-zag above the rest the extremities
and middle portions coming against the underside of the rest which then acts as a
LD

page_text: stop to the levers, which latter are controlled by the action of a spring or springs; one
branch of the zig-zag carries a sleeve piece which can turn on the wire of which the
zig-zag levers are preferably made. When a portion of a book is to be read the
leaves required for use are selected and kept separate from the other portion which
latter is then held in position by the slide before referred to, to which a strong
spring or springs is or are connected for keeping the slide and clips against the
book or a weight may for the purpose be used instead. In this manner the leaves
that are required to be turned are left free, each leaf is lifted by the fingers and
the pressure of the leaf against the first zig-zag lever is sufficient to cause it to
descend and the same leaf coming against the second zig-zag lever, the latter also
descends to allow the leaf to pass and the same zig-zag lever returning to its
normal position prevents the leaf from returning, the first zig-zag lever keeping
back the next and other leaves and so on according to the number of leaves to
be read.
This desk may be fitted to a pedestal, Organ, Piano or other article or place as
may be required.
D
11
1
1002
I, ROBERT HENRY PADBURY, of Mildmay, Hill Top Road, West Hampstead in
the County of Middlesex, Engineer, 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:—
The object of my invention is the construction and arrangement of reading
desks in such manner as to hold books in a convenient and secure position while
using same, and so that all those leaves which are not required for use, are held
firmly and securely together; while those that are to be read from, or are required
for reference, are loose, yet under the control of the reader; while provision is also
made for adjusting the angular.position of the desk to suit the person using same,
and I also, according to this invention, cause the book rest or the platform on
which the book rests, to slide in and out to suit the size of book.to be read from,
all as hereinafter described.
And in order that my invention may be fully understood I will describe the
same with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which Figure 1 is a sectional

page_text: side elevation, and Figure 2 a front elevation of the reading desk constructed in
accordance with my invention; Figure 3 is a perspective view of the frictional
trunnion bearing by which provision is made for adjusting the angular position of
the desk, and Figure 4 is a partial sectional side view of the arrangement for
adjusting the rest to hold a thick or a thin book. Similar letters of reference refer
to like parts in all the figures.
According to my invention the stem A of the reading desk at the top supports
or carries a cross head B, which latter rests, and is free to turn in bearings formed
by two blocks C C, which are cast on and in a piece with the plate D to which the
reading desk back is screwed or fixed. Over the blocks C there is a forked arm or
double cap E hinged at the back at a between the forked arms of which cap the
stem A passes. This forked cap E forms a lever which is held down by a thumb
screw F working in a boss D₁ on the plate D, which thumb-screw F when screwed
tightly down holds the crosshead B tightly, but when loose, the crosshead B can
move more or less, as required; and with it the reading desk; and in this way the
angular position of the desk can be regulated; while the screw pressure cannot be
exerted too much as the boss forms a stop for the lever through which the screw
works. Figure 3 particularly illustrates this angular position regulator. If made
of cast iron the lever cannot go down to breaking point; and if of bending material
or metal it cannot be overstrained.
i
To the front bar G of the rest I pivot or joint levers or arms HH, say two,
preferably near the middle of the rest, although I do not limit myself to this
position. These levers or arms H, H are made of a zigzag shape such as that
shown, and form what I call, leaf controllers, their normal position is with the zig
zag above the rest, (see Figures 1 and 2) the extremities and middle portions coming
against the underside of the rest, which then acts as a stop to the levers; or other
suitable stops for these levers may be devised. The said levers H H are controlled
by the action of a spring or springs I which springs I have each one end attached
to underside of rest G and the other end attached to, or encircling, the straight
portion of the zigzag lever or arm H and thereby tending to force the arms or
levers H upwards in the direction of the arrows, shewn more particularly in
Figure 2. A counterbalance weight or other equivalent may be employed in lieu
of springs I if desired.
One branch of the zig zag levers H may if desired, carry a sleeve piece which
can turn on the wire of which the said levers H are preferably made. This sleeve
piece is not shewn in the drawings.
For the purpose of adjusting the rest to hold a thick or thin book I provide a
rack K shewn particularly in Figure 4, on the underside of the rest G; and below
the rest G attached to the back, I have the pawl L which is held in the teeth of
rack K, by means of the spring M. The rest may then be pulled forward any
desired distance, where it will remain until released by pulling down the pawl.
When a portion of a book is to be read the leaves required for use are selected
and kept separate from the other portion which latter is then held in position by
the slide or rest G before referred to, to which a strong spring or springs N is or
are connected for keeping the slide G and clips O against the book; or a weight
may for the purpose be used instead.
In this manner the leaves that are required to be turned are left free, each leaf
is lifted by the finger, and the pressure of the leaf against the first zigzag lever or
arm H is sufficient to cause it to descend, and the same leaf coming against the
second zigzag lever or arm, the latter also descends to allow the leaf to pass, and
the same zigzag lever or arm returning to its normal position by the action of the
spring I as before described prevents the leaf from returning; the first zig zag lever
or arm keeping back the next and other leaves, and so on according to the number
of leaves to be read. The dotted lines indicate at Figure 2 the lowered position of
one of the levers H.
The desk may be fitted to a pedestal, organ, piano, or other article or place, as
may be required.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is :-
First. The back plate D formed with bearings for the crosshead B attached to
the stem of the desk; and provided with the cap or lever E and its attachments,
for the purpose of regulating the angular position of the reading desk, substantially
as hereinbefore set forth, and described with reference to Figures 1 and 3 of the
accompanying drawings.
Second. In reading desks the construction and arrangement of the book rest G
and connected with springs or weights for keeping such rest and its clips O against
the book; and further provided with a rack and pawl for holding or maintaining
the rest in any desired position; all substantially as herein set forth and illustrated
in Figures 1, 2 and 4 of the accompanying drawings.
Third. In reading desks, the construction and arrangement of the arms or
levers H pivotted or jointed to the rest G and provided with springs I or their
equivalents serving to keep said arms or levers H with their bent or curved
portion above the rest; for the purpose of controlling the leaves of the book;
substantially as herein set forth and described with reference to Figures 1 and 2 of
the accompanying drawings.
Fourth. The general construction and arrangement of reading desks sub-
stantially as, and for the purposes herein before set forth, and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.