A Folding Pulpit.
Year: 1896

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A Folding Pulpit.
I, WILLIAM HARRIS, of The Norwich City Asylum, Hellesdon, in the County of
Norfolk, Medical Superintendent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
This invention relates to the construction of a pulpit with seat, step and platform,
which can be folded up so as to occupy only a small space when not in use, the parts
being so arranged and combined that the pulpit can be set up ready for use, and also
be taken down and folded up, in a very short space of time.
My improved pulpit is constructed of a panelled framing formed of a number of
sections hinged together in such a manner that they can be collapsed or opened out,
by folding them on their hinges.
In practice I find it advantageous to form the panelled framing in five sections, and
from the back or wall I hinge supports for the platform or flooring on to which the
flooring can be dropped when the pulpit is opened out, the said flooring being hinged
to the wall or back and formed in two or more parts so that it can be folded up
against the said wall or back.
To one of the floor supports is fixed a step, and to the back or wall of the pulpit I
hinge two seat supports, and also a seat and a back for the same, the whole being so
constructed that it can be collapsed and folded up so as to occupy a space of small
depth.
My pulpit is provided with a detachable desk, and one of the sections is arranged to
serve as a door.
The sections are provided with locking bolts, or other suitable devices, for securing
them to the floor.
It will be obvious that a pulpit constructed as above described is particularly
adapted for use in school rooms, assembly halls, or the like, where there is no
permanent pulpit or where a permanent pulpit is undesirable. .
Dated this 22nd day of October 1896.

page_text: and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to the construction of a pulpit with sent, step and platform,
which can be folded up so as to occupy only a small space when not in use, the parts
being so arranged and combined that the pulpit can be set up ready for use, and also
be taken down and folded up, in a very short space of time.
My improved pulpit is constructed of a panelled framing formed of a number of
sections hinged together in such a manner that they can be collapsed or opened out,
by folding them on their hinges.
In practice I find it advantageous to form the panelled. framing in five sections,
and from the back or wall I hinge supports for the platform or flooring on to which
the flooring cau be dropped. when the pulpit is opened out, the said flooring being
hinged to the wall or back and formed in two or more parts so that it can be folded
up against the said wall or back.
To one of the floor supports is fixed a step, and to the back or wall of the pulpit. I
hinge two seat supports, and also a seat and a back for the same, the whole pulpit
being so constructed that it can be collapsed and folded up so as to occupy a space of
small depth.
My pulpit is provided with a detachable reading desk, and one of the sections is
arranged to serve as a door..
The sections are provided with locking bolts, or other suitable devices, for securing
them to the floor.
To enable my invention. to be fully understood I will describe it by reference to
the accompanying drawings, in which :-
Figure 1 is a plan of a folding pulpit constructed according to my invention and
shewn open for use:
Figure 2 is a front sectional elevation of the same, the section being taken on the
line 2-2 Figure 1:
Figure 3 is a section on the line 3-3 Figure 1:
Figure 4 is an elevation of the detachable reading desk:
Figure 5 is a horizontal section of the pulpit in its collapsed or folded position,
the section being on the line 5-5 of Figure 7 hereinafter described.
Figure 6 is a front sectional elevation of the pulpit in its folded position, the section
being on the line 6-6 Figure 5; and,
Figure 7 is a section on the line 7-7 Figure 5.
In the example illustrated in the drawings, the pulpit is shewn adapted to fit into
a recess A the sides of which are not perpendicular thereto.
B, B are two supports which fit into the angles of the said recess A. and to which
my pulpit is secured in the manner hereinafter described. a, b, c, d, e, f are the five
sections of panelled framing forming the front and sides of the pulpit. The section a
is hinged at one end to one of the supports B and at its other end to one end of the
section b, the other end of which is hinged to one end of the section c which is
itself hinged at the other end to one end of the section d. The section f is hinged to
the other support B at one end and at its other end to one end of the section e, the
other end of the said section e being left free so that the section can serve as a door,
as clearly shewn in full and broken lines in Figure 1. By so hinging the sections
they can be folded up as shewn in Figures 5 and 7 so that their outer surface is
flush with the outer surface of the two supports B, B. The sections are provided
with bolts g, g whereby they can be held securely to the floor when in their opened
out position and the palpit when folded up or collapsed is covered by a top h.
i, are the two platform or floor supports which are hinged to the side supports B, B
as shewn in Figures 1, 3, 5 and 6, and j, 2 is the platform or flooring, the said floor-
ing being formed of three sections 3, 3, hinged together, the end section being
also suitably secured at its two ends to the two side supports B, B and supported by
a joist k. The construction of the floor is shewn most clearly In Figures 1 and 3 in
its opened out position and in Figures 6 and 7 in its collapsed or folded up position.
,,, are sections forming the collapsable seat, the said sections being hinged to

page_text: one another the section being also rigidly secured between the two side supports B, B.
m, m are the two seat supports or brackets which are pivotally supported between
the two fixed sections and j' so that they can be swung outwards into the position
shewn in Figure 3 for supporting the seat sections rigidly in their opened out
position. The three sections l, l, can be folded up and laid back on to the fixed
section in the manner shewn in Figure 7. n, n', n¹ are three sections forming
the back of the seat, the section n being a hinged portion of the top h of the folded
pulpit and the sections n', n being carried at the lower ends of two arms o, o
hinged to the underside of the top h as shewn in Figures 3, 6 and 7.
P, p¹ (Figure 2) are two sections forming the step for the pulpit the section
being hinged to the section p¹ which is itself hinged to a support q rigidly fixed to
one of the floor supports i, the construction of the step being such that when the
pulpit is collapsed the seat can be folded up into the position shewn in Figure 7.
ris the detachable reading desk, the said desk being hinged to two supports 8, 8
adapted to be fitted into sockets 8', 8¹ in the section c of the front of the pulpit, the
said supports 8 being provided with teeth into which struts or arins t, t hinged to the
underside of the reading desk can be caused to engage so as to enable the inclin-
ation of the reading desk to be adjusted. u, u are two sockets in the sections b and d
respectively for receiving lamps when required.
It will be obvious that a pulpit constructed as above described is particularly
adapted for use in schoolrooms, assembly halls or similar places where there is no
permanent pulpit or where a permanent pulpit is undesirable.
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 :-
1. A folding pulpit consisting of a number of sections hinged together so that they
can be collapsed or opened out, of a hinged floor provided with supports and of a
hinged seat and seat back also provided with supports, substantially as described
and illustrated.
2. The combination with a folding pulpit of the kind described in the preceding
claiming clause of a detachable adjustable reading desk and of a folding step,
substantially as described and illustrated.
3. The combination and arrangement of parts forming the folding pulpit hereinbefore
described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 10th day of July 1907
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.