Year: 1898

page_text: We, FRIEDERICH WILHELM CHRISTIAN TRINKLER, Engine Fitter, and ANDREAS
FRIEDRICH MATTHIAS MÜLLER, Mechanic, both of Wexstrasse, 12, Hamburg,
Germany, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to a wall table having a table plate which folds down
automatically as soon as it is slightly raised. This is effected by the action of a
spring which has a tendency to withdraw the hinged support of the table plate
whereby pins carried by the said support, which have been previously disengaged
by the raising of the table, are caused to slide back in guide slots so as to produce
an automatic folding of the table plate.
An improved folding wall table in accordance with this invention is illustrated
by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which Figs. 1 and 2 are
side elevations respectively showing the table in its open and folded positions.
Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the folded table. Fig. 4 is a plan showing the table
opened out, and Fig. 5 another plan showing the table folded. Figs. 6 and 7
illustrate respectively in front and side elevations on a larger scale, a device which
serves to lock the stay that is hinged at one end to the table plate and at the
other end to a sliding bar of the support, and which device, when necessary,
releases the said stay automatically.
al
The table plate a may be fixed either directly to the wall or to a separate wall-
board which is suspended by means of eyes blet into its rear side from hooks
fixed in the wall, or is otherwise fixed. When a wall-board is used, as herein
shown, the table plate is connected thereto by means of a jointed bar e which is
hinged at one end to a bearing strap of the wall-board b, and at the other end to
a bearing strap of the table plate a. Upon the underside of the table plate a
there is fixed along each of its sides a longitudinal fillet d provided with a guide
slot c.
These slots e are bent somewhat at an angle or may be slightly curved
and are provided in front with rests or notches e¹ for the pins g which are arranged
at the upper end of the support f, and which are formed, for the sake of greater
durability, by a through rod which is fixed in a suitable manner to the wide part
of the support f. This support is hinged at its foot or lower end and is connected
with a spring which has a constant tendency to pull the said support f towards
the wall. The spiral spring (which may be substituted by a flat spring or other
suitable spring device) hangs in eyes h¹ of which one eye is let into the rear side
of the wall-board b, whilst the other eye is fixed on the front part of the sup-
port f. On the under side of the plate a, near its rear edge there is hinged a
stay which is movably jointed to a fillet that is adapted to slide in a guide k
in the support f

page_text: The device which effects the automatic locking of the stay i, shown in detail
in Figs. 6 and 7, comprises two legs m and m¹ which enclose an acute angle and
which are respectively pivoted at their upper ends on pins n, n¹. These pins are
fixed in a plate o let into the support f. Both legs m and m¹ are under the
influence of a spring p which has a constant tendency to move them towards each
other. In the plate o there is fixed a pin q which serves to limit the inward
movement of the legs m, m³. This device acts in such a manner that, when the
table plate
a is raised (Figs. 1 and 6), both legs bear with their lower bent ends
against the hinge of the stay i and fillet 1. In this position the fillet 7, which
can slide in the guide of the support, bears at its lower end upon an angle
piece r, so that the said fillet cannot move either upward or downward, the table
plate a being thereby held in an absolutely stable position. When the table
plate is folded down, the legs m and m¹ of the locking device have the position
shown in Figs. 3 and 7, that is to say, they are situated with their lower ends
at the sides of the hinge . This position is imparted to the legs m, m¹
by the fact that they lose their point of support whilst the support f
is being folded back by reason of beveled side portions of the hinge . The
fillet is therefore moved by the action of the pull of the stay i upwards, so that
the hinge becomes situated between the lower ends of the legs (Fig. 7). The
fillet is secured by means of the two cross straps in its guide in the sup-
port f. On the latter there is provided a knobs, fixed to a chain or cord.
Fig. 2 of the drawings shows the table in side elevation in the folded position.
If now a pull be exerted on the support f by means of the knob s the table
plate a will be gradually raised, the arrangement being such that the side pins g
provided on the upper end of the support f slide in the guide slots e in the
fillets d that are fixed to the table plate a, in a forward direction until they
reach the rests or notches e¹. In this manner a firm table is provided, which, in
addition to being supported by the support f, is further supported by the stay i
which is connected to the lower part of the table plate a, and which is now locked.
The jointed bar c that carries the table plate a is formed in such a manner that
it constitutes, as it were, an abutment for the same. The table plate thus stands
perfectly firm on its triple support. In this position the spring is strained.
If now, reversely, the plate is to be folded, it is slightly raised, whereby the
notches e are moved from the pins g of the support f the latter being then
automatically drawn back by the power of the spring h; and the table plate a
folded down compulsorily. The manipulation or operation of the herein described
folding wall-table is both simple and certain. The table-plate a is thrown up
by a slight pull on the knob s, and by an equally slight lifting of the said table-
plate the wall-table can be folded.
F. WISE HOWORTH,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C.,
Agent for the Applicants."

page_text: same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement:-
This invention relates to a wall table having a table plate or flap (hereinafter
called a flap) which folds down automatically when it is slightly raised, this being
effected by the action of a spring which has a tendency to withdraw the hinged
support of the flap whereby pins carried by the said support, which have been
previously disengaged by the raising of the table, are caused to slide back in guide
slots so as to produce an automatic folding of the flap.
An improved folding wall table in accordance with this invention is illustrated
in Figs. 15 of the drawings accompanying our Provisional Specification, and
Figs. 6-12 of the drawings filed with this specification shew to a larger scale the
device shew in Figs. 6 & 7 of the drawings of the Provisional Specification.
Figs. 1 and 2 are side elevations partly in section respectively showing the table
in its open and folded positions, and Fig. 3 is a front elevation. Fig. 4 is a
plan showing the table opened out, and Fig. 5 another plan showing it folded.
Figs. 6-12 show a device to a large scale which serves to lock the stay that is
hinged at one end to the flap and at the other end to a sliding bar of the support,
and which device, when necessary, automatically releases the said stay.
slot e.
The flap a may be fixed either directly to the wall or to a separate wall-board b
which is suspended, by means of eyes let into its rear side, from hooks 62 fixed
in the wall, or it may be otherwise suspended or fixed. When a wall-board
is used, as shown, the flap a is connected thereto by means of a jointed bar e which
is hinged at one end to a bearing strap or bracket on the wall-board b, and at
the other end to a bearing strap or bracket on the flap a. Upon the underside
of the flap a there is fixed along each of its sides a fillet d provided with a guide
These slots e are bent somewhat at an angle or may be slightly curved
and are provided at the front with rests or notches e. for the pins which are
arranged at the upper end of the support f, and which are formed, for the sake
of greater durability, by a through rod fixed in a suitable manner to the wide
part of the support f. This support is hinged at its foot or lower end and is
connected with a spiral spring which has a constant tendency to pull the said
support f towards the wall. The spiral spring (which may be replaced by a
flat spring or other suitable spring device) hangs in eyes of which one eye
is let into the rear side of the wall-board b, whilst the other eye is fixed on the
front part of the support f.
On the under side of the flap a, near its rear edge there is hinged a stay i which
is movably jointed to a fillet that is adapted to slide in a guide k in the support f.
The device which effects the automatic locking of the stay i and which is
shown in detail in Figs. 6 to 12, comprises two legs m and m¹ which enclose an
acute angle and which are respectively pivoted at their upper ends on pins nn.
These pins are fixed in a plate olet into the support f. Both legs m and m
are under the influence of a spring ? which has a constant tendency to pull
them towards each other. In the plate o there is fixed a pin which serves
to limit the inward movement of the legs m, m'. This device acts in such a
manner that, when the flap a is raised (Figs. 6 and 9), both legs bear with their
lower bent ends against the hinge of the stay and fillet 2. In this position
the fillet 1, which as before stated can slide in the guide k of the support, bears
at its lower end upon an angle piece r, so that the said fillet cannot move either
upward or downward, the flap a being thereby held in an absolutely stable
position. When the flap is folded down, the legs m and m¹ of the locking device
have the position shown in Figs. 7 and 8, that is to say, they are situated with
their lower ends at the sides of the hinge . This position is imparted to the
legs mm by the fact that they lose their support whilst the support f is
being folded back. The two lateral eyes at the lower end of the stay.i, which
in combination with the upper middle eye of the sliding fillet 7, form the hinge ",
are provided at both ends with wedge-shaped grooves (Figs. 10, 11 and 12).

page_text: When the flap is in the raised position the slide fillet 7 rests on the angle
piece and the arms m, m¹ of the locking device support themselves against the
solid part of the hinge (Figs. 6 and 9).
If, when the flap a is raised, the support f be drawn back by the pull of the
spring hand as a consequence of this the stay i be folded against the support f,
the side grooves of the hinge i come gradually opposite the arms m and m¹
and allow the hinge to slide upwards between them in the guide k until
they take up the position shown in Figs. 7 and 8 in side and front elevation.
If the folding wall table is to be again used the table plate a is first raised,
whereby the stay i and with it the sliding bar 7 is presed down until the latter
rest on the corner r. If now the support be now pulled forward again by means
of the knobs, the arms bear against the full part of the hinge .
Fig. 2 of the drawings shows the table in side elevation in the folded position.
If now a pull be exerted on the support f by means of the knobs, the flap
will be gradually raised, the arrangement being such that the side pins pro-
vided on the upper end of the support f slide in a forward direction in the guide
slots e until they reach the rests or notches e¹. In this manner a firm table is
provided, which, in addition to being supported by the support f, is further sup-
ported by the stay which is connected to the lower part of the flap a, and which
is now locked. The jointed bar that carries the flap a is formed in such a
manner that it constitutes, as it were, an abutment for the same.
The flap a
thus stands perfectly firm on its triple support. In this position the spring h.
is strained. If now, reversely, the flap a is to be turned down, it is slightly
raised, whereby the notches e¹ are moved from the pins g of the support f, the
latter being then automatically drawn back by the spring h, and the flap a folded
down.
The manipulation or operation of the herein described folding wall-table is both
simple and certain. The flap is thrown up by a slight pull on the knobs, and by
an equally slight lifting of the said flap, the wall-table can be folded.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is :-
1. An automatically-folding wall-table comprising a flap a adapted to be con-
nected by means of a jointed bar e to a wall or wall-board b and a rocking support
carrying a sliding stay and connected to the said flap a, the pins g of said sup-
port sliding, when the latter is pulled forward, in the guide slots e of the flap a
and serving to raise the flap and move into rests or notches e¹, the arrangement
being such that simultaneously therewith, a spring his strained, which, when
the pins are disengaged, automatically draws back the support f, so that the
flap a is compulsorily folded, substantially as described.
2. In the folding table specified in the preceding claim, the arrangement of a
support hinged at its lower part and having lateral pins provided at its upper
end which slide in the guide slots e of longitudinal fillets a fixed to the flap a,
for the purpose of moving the flap a up or down, substantially as described.
3. In the folding wall-table specified in Claims 1 and 2, the arrangement of a
springh between the wall-board 6 and the support f, which is strained when the
table is in its open position, but which, when the flap a is slightly raised, draws
back the support f and causes the compulsory folding down of the flap
stantially as described.
a sub-
4. In combination with the folding wall-table specified in the preceding claims,
a device for automatically locking and releasing the sliding stay i, comprising
two legs m, m³ which are acted upon by a spring and which are respectively
pivotted on pins n, n¹ the arrangement being such that the legs mm¹ bear, when
the table is in its opened position, against the hinge that connects the stay i
with the sliding fillet 1, and prevent movement of the said hinge, whilst, when
the table is being folded a bevelled portion of the hinge releases the support of

page_text: the legs m, ml so that the sliding fillet is capable of moving in a longitudinal
direction, substantially as described.
5. A folding wall table constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore
described with reference to and shown by the drawings.
Dated this 20th day of February 1899.
F. WISE HOWORTH,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C.,
Agent for the Applicants.