Improvements in and relating to Tables and similar Articles of Furniture.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 31st Jan., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 29th Nov., 189)-Accepted, 3rd Jan., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Tables and similar Articles of
Furniture.
1, ALFRED THEODOR HEYMANN, of 42 Neuerwall, Hamburg, in the Empire of
Germany, Cabinet Maker, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:
This invention relates to that class of furniture, such as tables, which are provided
with flaps or covers and which present a plane surface or leaf for various purposes
when the cover is opened; and the object of my said invention is to impart an
ascending and descending motion to the said leaf arranged within the frame of
the table in order to lock the said leaf together with any articles which may he
placed thereon by means of the cover so that the articles will remain in their
position and will be again presented in the same order after reopening the
said cover.
For this reason I provide a frame which is adapted to be put in any con-
venient article of furniture, with a swinging cover or flap serving to operate a
leaf of a table within this frame in such a manner, that on opening the cover or
flap by turning the same about its pivots the said leaf is caused to ascend to the
desired height, or, when closing the cover, the latter recedes to the desired degree
within the frame that the articles placed on the said leaf will not be touched by
the cover when locked.
I effect this ascending and descending motion of the said leaf by means of an arm
or branch at the rear end of the said cover or flap engaging with one or more pairs of
levers arranged crosswise like a pair of scissors the ends of which are adapted to
operate the said ascending and descending leaf. The fulcrums of these levers are
placed close to the bottom of the frame, so that when the said leaf has entirely
receded and it is occupying the lowest possible position within the frame, the said
levers are placed in line close to one another, while they will turn up and raise the
said leaf of table according to the position of the operating cover or flap of
the frame.
When the said leaf has occupied its highest position either horizontal or inclined
like the flap or cover of a desk, it may be arrested by the operating mechanisms
themselves or by means of a separate device independent from the former. In
this latter case I prefer the employment of a pair of bolts forming a kind of knee
lever, engaging close underneath the raised leaf into suitable slots of the sides of the
frame under the tendency of a spring which acts upon a rod connected to the bolt,
which forms the joint of the said arresting bolts. If it is then intended to release the
said leaf the said bolts may be disengaged from the slots in the sides of the frame by
withdrawing the said rod by hand against the tension of the spring and turning the
flap or cover so that it will close the opening previously occupied by the simultaneously
descending leaf.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Tables and similar Articles of
Furniture.
I, Alfred TheoDOR HEYMANN, of 42 Neuer Wall, Hamburg, in the Empire of
Germany, Cabinet Maker, 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 :-
This invention relates to that class of furniture, such as tables, which are provided
with flaps or covers and which present a plane surface or leaf for various purposes
when the cover is opened, and the object of my said invention is to impart an
ascending and descending motion to the said leaf arranged within the frame of the
table in order to lock the said leaf together with any articles which may be placed
thereon by means of the cover, so that the articles will remain in their position and
will be again presented in the same order after reopening the said cover.
I attain this object by the mechanisms illustrated in the accompanying drawing in
which
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a toilet or dressing table provided with my
improvements and showing the cover opened and the ascending and descending leaf
raised up to the level of the table plate;
Figures 2, 3 and 4 are vertical cross sections of the same table showing the cover
and the mechanism connected to the same in different positions.
Figure 5 is a vertical cross section of a table top in which the movable leaf is
somewhat inclined like a desk when in its highest position.
Figure 6 is a similar view of a table top showing a modification and
Figure 7 is a top view of the same.
Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.
I provide a frame A which is adapted to be put in any convenient article of
furniture such as a table (Figure 1) with a swinging cover or flap c, serving to
operate a leaf m of a table within the frame A in such a manner, that on opening
the flap or covere by turning the same about its pivots d the said leaf m is caused to
ascend to the desired height (Figures 1, 4, 5, 6) or when closing the cover, the latter
recedes to the desired degree (Figures 2 and 3) within the frame A, so that
the articles placed on the said leaf m will not be touched by the cover c when
locked.
1 effect this ascending and descending motion of the said leaf m, by means of an
arm or projection at the rear end of said cover or flap c acting upon a corresponding
arm or arms of one or more pair of levers 3 and I placed at the sides of the frame A
and arranged crosswise like a pair of scissors (Figures 4, 5 and 6) the ends of which
are adapted to operate the said ascending and descending leaf m which rests thereon.
The fulcrums & and of these levers are placed close to the bottom of the frame A,
so that when said leaf m has entirely receded and it is occupying the lowest possible
position within the frame A, the said levers are placed in line close to one another
(see Figures 2 and 3) while they will turn up and raise the leaf m according to the
position of the operating cover or flap c.
When the leaf in has occupied its highest position either horizontal (Figures 1, 2, 4
and 6) or inclined like the flap or cover of a desk (Figure 5), it may be arrested either
by the operating arm or arms which engage into a convenient recess k³ (Figures 3
and 4) of the arms of the levers 2, or by means of a separate device independent
from the operating mechanism. In this latter case I prefer the employment of a pair
of bolts n n (Figures 6 and 7) forming a kind of knee lever, engaging close under-
neath the raised leaf m into suitable slots n n of the sides of the frame A, under the
tendency of a spring ", which acts upon a rod p connected to the pin pl, which forms
the joint of said arresting bolts n', n'. If it is then intended to release the said
leaf m these bolts n' n¹ may be disengaged from the slots n, n, in the sides of the
frame A by withdrawing the said rod p by hand, against the tension of the spring"

page_text: and turning the flap or cover c so that it will close the opening previously occupied
by the simultaneously descending leaf m.
In this position the cover or flap c may be locked by an indented falling latch a
engaging into a corresponding notch a' of said flap, Figure 2, this latch a being con-
structed so as to yield when the leaf m raises under the action of the flap c (see
Figures 4 and 5). Instead of the former a simple latch a² may be employed, this
latter being arranged so as to recede against the action of a spring, when the leaf m
raises and to support the latter in this position (Figure 6). This latch a² may also be
connected to the rod p, in order to operate the bolts n n at the same time.
The levers and are connected by means of a bolt which engages into a slot 1³
of one of these levers in order to enable the same to assume the various positions
illustrated. When it is desired to raise the leaf m so that it occupies an inclined
position like the cover of a desk (Figure 5) the position of the bolt 12 connecting the
levers and and of the corresponding slot have only to be altered, so that the
arms of the pair of scissors become of unequal length.
According to the position of the pivot d the rear side of the flap or cover c when
opening the same will enter more or less into the frame A and consequently the actual
height of stroke i.e. the vertical motion of the leaf m may be varied accordingly.
When the pivot d is placed at the sides of the cover a close to its rear border a pair of
arms or branches are mounted on the said sides which arms engage by means of a
pin with the forked shaped ends of the levers and thereby actuating the same
together with the lovers in the desired manner (Figure 6). If the pivot d is placed
apart from the rear side of the cover (Figures 2-5) the latter will act directly upon
the levers through the medium of the projections hand and a pair of arms c²
which engage by means of a bolt or roller i underneath the arm k of the lever /² so
as to raise the same when the flap c is closed and to cause thereby the leaf m to
descend.
In order to reduce the height which the cover or flap e will occupy when in an
m, the
upright position without simultaneously diminishing the width of the leaf
former is made of two parts c c* connected to each other by suitable joints. In
writing tables these parts may be made in form of casings of which the front part co
may be adapted for the reception of postcards, letter paper, envelopes and the like
while the other part ex may serve as a file for letters or papers or for the reception
To the part cx may also be pivotted a sort of a handler which
under the action of a spring tends to lock the entry to the hollow space and thereby
to arrest the article received therein.
of the same.
The hereinbefore described invention may be also advantageously utilized in the
form of an attachment for the various other articles of furniture which are to present
a plane surface or leaf for various purposes without departing from the nature of this
invention.
Having now particularly described the nature of my said invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is :-
First. An attachment for articles of furniture such as tables, consisting of a frame
provided with a cover or flap and enclosing a leaf of a table to which an ascending
and descending motion is imparted through the medium of suitable mechanism by
opening and closing the said cover or flap substantially as and for the purpose
specified.
Second. As an improvement in tables and similar articles of furniture the com-
bination of a movable cover or flap with an ascending and descending leaf and levers
or any equivalent device actuated by the said cover or flap substantially as and for the
purpose set forth.
Third. As an improvement in tables and similar articles of furniture the com-
bination of a movable cover or flap with an ascending and descending leaf levers
arranged crosswise like a pair of scissors and connected by means of a bolt sliding in
a corresponding notch substantially as and for the purpose specified.
Fourth. As an improvement in tables and similar articles of furniture the

page_text: combination of a movable cover or flap with an ascending and descending leaf and
bolts or branches connected so as to form a knee lever which may be actuated by
a spring substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore describe 1.
Fifth. As an improvement in tables or similar articles of furniture the com-
bination of a movable cover or flap with an ascending and descending leaf and an
indented latch for locking said flap, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 29th day of November 1890.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co..
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.