AN IMPROVED WRITING DESK OR TABLE
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine,
Lake, & Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for
the, Invention of "AN IMPROVED WRITING DESK OR TABLE."-A com-
munication from abroad by William Stubbs Wooton, John Gurley
Blake, and Harmon Healy Fulton, all of Indianapolis, Indiana,
United States of America, Gentlemen.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 1st May 1875.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co.,
5 Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED WRITING DESK OR
TABLE." a communication, to be as follows:—

page_text: other, each part being provided with compartments or pigeon holes
suitable for storing books, papers, and the like, and the two lesser parts
being hinged to the central or greater part to serve as doors. The
central part is provided with a board, which forms the writing surface,
and is so hinged as to fold upwardly within the desk when it is desired
to close the same. One of the lesser or outer parts is provided with a
spring catch, which bites upon a keeper within the central part only
when both of the outer parts are closed. Another keeper is made in
one outer part to receive a bolt from a lock on the other outer part. A
spring catch is fitted in the edge of the folding desk for holding it in
place when closed. The said desk is provided with suitable legs or
supports.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 19th October 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most. Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the First day of May, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the thirty-
eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said William Robert Lake, Her special licence
that I, the said William Robert Lake, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said William Robert Lake, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with,
and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during
the term therein expressed; should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"AN IMPROVED WRITING DESK OR TABLE," a communication to me from
abroad by William Stubbs Wooton, John Gurley Blake, and Harmon
Healy Fulton, all of Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America,
Gentlemen, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
William Robert Lake, my executors or administrators, by an instru-

page_text: ment in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and
seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed,
and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Robert Lake, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawing forming a part of this Specification:-
This Invention relates to an improved writing desk or table con-
structed in three parts, two of which are together equal in width to the
other, each part being provided with compartments or pigeon holes
suitable for storing books, papers, and the like, and the two lesser parts
being hinged to the central or greater part to serve as doors. This
central part is provided with a board, which forms the writing surface,
and is so hinged as to fold upwardly within the desk when it is desired
to close the same. One of the lesser or outer parts is provided with a
spring catch, which bites upon a keeper within the central part only
when both of the outer parts are closed. Another keeper is made in
one outer part to receive a bolt from a lock on the outer part. A spring
catch is fitted in the edge of the folding board for holding it in place
when closed.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the said invention when open; and
Figure 2 is a horizontal section on a line immediately below the said
folding board or desk.
The desk or table A is composed of three parts B, C, and C¹. The
parts C and C' are together equal in width to the part B, and are hinged
thereto to serve as doors for the desk or secretary. Each part B, C, and
C' is provided with compartments or pigeon holes D suitable for receiving
and storing books, papers, and the like. The part B is provided with a
folding board E so hinged thereto as to fold upwardly within the
secretary when it is desired to close the same. The part C is provided
with a spring catch F, which bites upon the keeper G within the part B

page_text: only when both of the parts C and C¹ are closed. A keeper H is made
in the part C to receive the bolt from a lock on the part C. I is a
spring catch in the edge of the folding part E for holding it in place
when closed; J, J, are the legs or supports, upon which the desk table
or secretary, rests.
Having thus fully described the said Invention, as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the
same, I wish it understood that I claim, a desk table or secretary con-
structed in three parts, two of which are together equal in width to the
other, each part being provided with compartments or pigeon holes
suitable for storing books, papers, and the like, and the two lesser
parts being hinged to the greater part to serve as doors, as above set
forth.
In witness whereof I, the said William Robert Lake, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of October, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
five.