Year: 1886

page_text: I, THOMAS ROBB, of Glasgow in the county of Lanark, Foreman Joiner, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention has reference to an improved construction or special arrangement
and combination of the main parts of a writing cabinet and book stand combined
(or escritoir) which will be more moderate in price and more convenient for the
dwelling houses or offices of small tradesmen or merchants than such articles of
furniture have been heretofore.
The nature and novelty of my said improvements consist of a piece of portable
furniture, having the appearance of a small book case or chiffonier, for standing
generally with its closed back against the wall at any convenient part of the room
where it is to be used. The back is made to extend the full width and height to
give strength to the whole, preferably framed and filled in with close panels or
boarding. It is made in the form of two main close cases, having strong close
vertical framed ends all secured by horizontal top and bottom ends to each case,
but left open in front to be closed in by movable doors to each as follows. The top
case, which is the escritoir or writing cabinet proper, has the front and end edges
of the top projecting and run with moulding as a light cornice, with light fretwork
at the ends and back on top, to act as a shelf for laying books or other articles on.
The bottom of this upper case is also run with moulding projecting over the frame
of a drawer; which extends nearly the whole length in front. This drawer when
closed gives the effect of a strong plinth to the whole cabinet, but when drawn out
forms the rest for the writing desk, which is formed by folding down the front door
of the case in a slanting manner on the top of the open drawer. The front door is
framed, and panelled on the out-side, but the inside face is flat and covered with
leather or cloth as a writing desk or surface, and it is so hinged at and a little
above its lower ends by pivot or equivalent hinge or joint mounting to the front
end stiles of the frame as to fold down at an angle as stated; and when closed up
would be locked under the centre of the top. The interior of this case which
would be fitted with the ordinary requisites of a writing cabinet, could be
arranged in any manner required by the persons ordering, as for example leaving
a central space below for the ink-stand, pens, and other writing requisites, which
might either be of the ordinary inserted, or portable character, having a row or
rows of pigeon holes above for holding writing paper and letters or documents, and

page_text: vertical end divisions for setting the ledgers, or other business books on end as
usual. The lower case for holding books or other articles would be fitted with a
top and cornice, in the form of shelfed chambers, or presses, preferably much wider
below (out from the back) than at the top, which would be left so much below the
bottom frame and drawer of the upper case as to form a space or table for laying
loose books or other articles on, and open in front, but having turned or other
ornamental fret ends supporting the drawer frame and upper case on the top of the
lower one.
The open curved front of this lower case would be closed in by a
vertical sliding door or screen, made of a width of strong cloth or flexible material
covered with narrow lathes outside the whole length of the case, and made to slide
in curved grooves in the inner face of the two ends of the case; when opened up
this screen would slide down its grooves close to the upper part of the back of the
case, and would close down in front on to the bottom of this case, to which it
might be snecked or locked. This lower case might either be fitted with a plinth
frame at bottom or not as desired, but when this is added it could have a lower
drawer fitted in front of this frame, and might be fitted with ordinary framed feet
or turned feet either with casters or not for carrying the whole with easy power of
removal from place to place. The central space between the upper and lower cases
might be made of various heights according to the height of the writing desk
desired, and might have a narrow shelf behind for small books or articles as in
chiffoniers. The fronts and ends of the two cases might be ornamented by carving,
or inlaid work in the various ways common to chiffoniers according to the price to
be charged for the article when finished.

page_text: Improvements in Writing Cabinets.
I, THOMAS ROBB, of Glasgow, in the county of Lanark; Foreman Joiner, do
hereby declare the nature of my invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described ascertained in and by the following state-
ment in writing, reference being had to the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, and
to the letters and figures marked thereon; that is to say:-
My said Invention has reference to an improved construction, or special arrange-
ment and combination of the main parts of a writing cabinet and book stand
combined (or escritoir) which will be more moderate in price, and more convenient
for the dwelling houses or offices of small trades-men or merchants than such
articles of furniture have been heretofore.
And in order that my said Invention, and the manner of performing or carrying.
the same into effect or practice, may be properly understood, I have hereunto
appended a sheet of explanatory Drawings in which Figure 1 is a perspective view
of my new or improved writing cabinet in its closed or folded up position.
Figure 2 is a similar view showing the writing, cabinet in its open position when
in use. While Figure 3 is'a transverse section of the cabinet taken on the line 1---1
Figure 1.
Referring to these Drawings the nature and novelty of my said improvements
consist of a piece of portable furniture having the appearance of a small book-case
or chiffonier, for standing generally with its closed back A against the wall at any
convenient part of the room where it is to be used. The back A is made to extend
the full width and height to give strength to the whole, and which might either
be made solid or framed and filled in with close panels or boarding and veneered in
the inside. It is made in the form of two main close cases B, C, having strong
close vertical framed ends B¹, C¹, all secured by borizontal top and bottom
ends B, B, and C, C¹¹, to each case, but left open in front to be closed in by
movable doors B, C, to each as follows. The top case, which is the escritoir or
writing cabinet proper, has the front and end edges of the top projecting and run
with moulding as a light cornice, with light fretwork D on top, at the ends and
back, preferably strengthened with ornamental screwed on metallic ends D¹ in
front, and so as to act as a shelf B2 for laying books or other articles on.
bottom B of this upper case B is also run with moulding projecting over the
frame of a drawer E; which extends nearly the whole length in front, with folding
or other handle E¹ for drawing it out. This drawer E when closed gives the effect
of a strong plinth to the whole case B, but when drawn out forms the rest for the
writing desk, which is formed by folding down the front door B of the case in a
slanting manner on the top of the open drawer E. The front door B is framed,
and panelled on the outside, but the inside face is flat and covered with leather or
cloth as a writing desk or surface, and it is so hinged at and a little above its
lower ends by a pivot or equivalent hinge or joint b secured on the inside of the
door B, mounted to swivil in the front end stiles of the frame so as to fold down
at an angle as stated; and when closed up would be locked by the spring catch
and key securing lock b¹, b, under the centre of the top B and provided with a
The

page_text: folding handle 611 for opening and closing the desk door B by. The interior of this
case B would be fitted with ink bottles and the ordinary requisites of a writing
cabinet, in the centre at B³ and could be arranged in any manner required by the
persons ordering, as for example leaving a central space Bs below for the ink-
stand, pens, and other writing requisites which might either be of the ordinary
inserted, or portable character, having a row or rows of pigeon holes B' above for
holding writing paper and letters or documents, and vertical end divisions B³ for.
setting the ledgers, or other business books on end as usual. The lower case C for
holding books or other articles would be fitted with a top and cornice C2, and
internally in the form of shelfed chambers or presses C³, C preferably much wider
below (out from the back) at the bottom C than at the top C, which would be
left so much below the bottom frame and drawer E of the upper case B as to form
a space F above the table C2 for laying loose books or other articles on, and open
in front, but having turned ornamental work at the ends c, c¹, or it might be other
ornamental or fret-work supporting the drawer frame and upper case B, B¹, E on
the top of the lower one, with strong pillars c at the ends. The open curved front
of this lower case C would be closed in by a vertical sliding door or screen C, made
of a width of strong cloth or flexible material covered with narrow laths c² outside
the whole length of the case, and made to slide in curved grooves c³ in the inner
face of the two ends C¹, of this case C; when opened up this screen C, c² would
slide down its grooves c³ close to the upper part of the back A of the case at A¹,
and would close down in front on to the bottom Cof this case C, to which it
might be snecked or locked. This lower case C is fitted with ordinary framed
feet C high enough for the feet of the person sitting at the desk to pass under, or
it might be fitted with turned feet and either have castors or not for carrying the
whole with easy power of removal from place to place. Instead of leaving so much
room below the case C for the foet, an ornamental plinth frame might be fitted
either with a drawer or not as desired. The central space F between the upper
and lower cases B, and C, might be made of various heights according to the height
of the writing desk desired, and might have a narrow shelf behind for small books
or articles as in chiffoniers. The fronts and ends of the two cases may either be
panelled as shown or they might be ornamented by carving, or inlaid work in the
various ways common to chiffoniers, according to the price to be charged for the
article when finished.
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 general construction, or arrangement and combination of the parts and
fittings, of writing cabinets, substantially as herein described, in reference to and
shown in the accompanying Drawings.
Second. The combination of an upper writing cabinet or desk B, with supporting
drawer E, and a lower case C, with vertical sliding front and with book shelf
space F between the cases B, C, all substantially as herein described, in reference
to and shown in the accompanying Drawings.
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