A Folding Table or other Article of Furniture for Domestic Use.
Year: 1898

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A Folding Table or other Article of Furniture for Domestic Use.
I, JOHN ALBERT MATTHEWS, of Llanthony Road, The Docks, Gloucester, Manu-
facturer of Specialities in Furniture, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion to be as follows;
:
An invention consisting of a folding table or other article of domestic furniture
which may be constructed of wood or metal and is made to fold up in the following
manner.
The two rails which may be hinged to any shaped top have two square legs
mortised & tenoned into each rail and a strut is secured to the outside of each
leg which is fastened to a T shaped runner and has a sliding arrangement con--
sisting of a slotted rail.
This sliding mechanism is kept rigid by two adjustment levers which are secured
to the top of the table (or other article of furniture) at one end. The levers being
made thinner in the centre gives sufficient elasticity to enable a projecting edge
at the other end of each lever to catch the runner on unfolding the table (or other
article) and making it perfectly rigid when open and quite compact & flat when,
closed.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A Folding Table or other Article of Furniture for Domestic Use.
JOIN ALBERT MATTHEWS, of Llanthony Road, The Docks, Gloucester, Manu-
facturer of Specialities in Furniture, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described.
and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
My invention has for its object to so construct a folding table (or other article
of domestic furniture) that it may be rigid when open & may be folded compactly
when not in use & in order that it may be fully understood I shall now proceed
more particularly to describe the same & for that purpose shall refer to the
figures or letters on the accompanying drawings, the same letters of reference
indicating corresponding parts in both the figures.
The said figures or drawings represent a folding table made according to my
invention, the one illustration or drawing showing it opened ready for use, the
other illustration or drawing showing it closed.
The table consists of the top or level part (B) which may be either in one solid

page_text: piece or framed up & lined with cloth or other material, the framing being
securely screwed to the underside of it.
The framing is constructed of wood or metal & the trails' marked (C) are
mortised to receive the tenons on the legs marked E the rails being hinged to
the top & the struts marked F are screwed to the legs & to the T shaped
runners marked G which slide in slotted rails marked H, these rails also being
securely fixed to the top or part B.
And in order to secure the runners G & make the article rigid when open,
the adjustment levers marked I are secured to the top B by 2 screws at one end
of the levers & in order to make them elastic or pliable, they are made thinner
in the centre & when made in wood have a hole on the underside marked (J)
so as, to admit a screw or pin to be fixed in the top marked B to prevent its
being forced beyond the required space to open it to catch the runner.
The levers have thumb shaped ends marked K in order to open them easily
when preparing the article for use or for folding it up for packing away.
The square and projecting edge of lever, at the, end marked 1 has the advan-
tage of pressing itself away when coming into contact with the runners marked G
until the runner passes the oposite end of the frame, when it catches & holds
it securely making a most rigid article when open, & very compact as all the
parts are perfectly flat on the underside when closed.
Having now described & particularly ascertained the nature of my said
invention & the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider. to be novel & original
& therefore claim as the invention secured to me by the hereinbefore in part
Letters Patent is: -
Firstly, the arrangement & combination of parts constituting a table or other
article of domestic furniture, illustrated in the accompanying drawing & herein-
before described with reference thereto.
Secondly, the application of the sliding arrangement so far as regards tables
or other articles of domestic furniture.
Dated this 31st day of October 1898.