Improvements in Portable Furniture.
Year: 1897

page_text: Improvements in Portable Furniture.
I, ALICE MARTHA ELIZABETH HOUGHTON, wife of George Boydell Houghton,
of 34, Linden Gardens, Bayswater, in the County of London, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to the means of constructing tables and other articles so
that they can be packed or folded when desired into a very small space and be
easiley carried about, and to means for adapting them to serve for different
purposes that are likely to be useful to a traveller, for instance as a dressing table
or a card table or a writing table.
These means are as follows. I take a stick of wood or some light metal and
fit to it at both ends a frame work like that of an umbrella, and which acts in
the same way when opened, the upper frame work forms the support for the top
of the table, while the lower frame acts as the stand for the table in the same way
as the feet of an ordinary pedestal table, when closed, the frame work at each end
goes into a very small space round the stick like an umbrella.
I form the surface of the table of aluminium wood or some other light substance
formed in narrow strips which are fastened side by side close together on a sheet
of American cloth or any suitable material that can be rolled up, the whole thus
forming a continuous surface when spread out on the framework yet capable of
being rolled round the stick when the framework is closed. Thus the whole can
be packed in a very small space.
I hollow out the top end of the stick so as to allow a candle to be fixed in it when
it is desired to use the table for writing or as a card table in places, such as a
railway carriage, where the ordinary lighting is insufficient or is inconveniently
placed. If it is desired to use the table as a dressing table I insert in the hollow
the handle of a looking glass which may be fitted with brackets to hold candles
and a pot for water so arranged that the water is kept hot by the flame of the
candle. The looking glass may be let into the front of a shallow case or box
which can be opened and contain inside the razors scissors &c. as desired.
I also provide a special form of extinguisher which may be used for the candles,
consisting of a cap hinged to one side of a collar on the candle which can be made
to close over the candle and is held in position by a spring catch on the opposite
side of the collar.
I also provide a special kind of candle shade holder the special feature being
that I make the top ring so that it can swivel, for convenience in packing.
Dated this 22nd day of December 1897.

page_text: I, ALICE MARTHA ELIZABETH HOUGHTON, 34, Linden Gardens, Bayswater,
London, 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:-
My invention relates to the means of constructing tables and other articles so
that they can be packed or folded when desired into a very small space and be
easily carried about, and to means for adapting them to serve for different
purposes that are likely to be useful to a traveller, for instance as a dressing table
card table, writing table, or camp stool.
And in order to render my invention fully understood and easily carried out I
shall now describe it with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a table that may be used as a card table or writing
table, Fig. 2 shows the table framing in the folded position and Fig. 3 the table
top in the rolled up form. A is a stick of wood or bamboo or some light metal in
tube form or partly so. To this stick are fitted at each end frames B, B, and C, C¹,
like those of an umbrella, and acting when opened in such manner that the
upper frame B, B₁, forms the support for the table top D while the lower
frame C, C, acts in the same way as the feet of an ordinary pedestal table.
When closed as in Fig. 2 the framework B, B and C C₁ at each end go into a
very small space round the stick A like an umbrella. I form the table top D
of aluminium wood or some other light substance formed in narrow strips which
are fastened side by side close together on a sheet of American leather or other
suitable material that can be rolled up the whole thus forming a continuous
surface when spread out on the framework B B¹ yet capable of being rolled
round the stick when the framework is closed or rolled up by itself. Thus the
whole can be packed into a very small space. The top of the stick A is hollow or
hollowed out so as to allow a candle holder E see Fig. 1 (or a candle) to be fixed
in it when it is desired to use the table for writing or as a card table in places such
as a railway carriage where the ordinary lighting is insufficient or is incon-
veniently placed.
If it is desired to use the table as a dressing table I insert as shown in Fig. 4
in the hollow in the top of the stick A the handle or stem F of a looking glass G
provided with a folding hinge G and the framing H of which may be fitted with
brackets I to hold candles E E and a pot K for water preferably so arranged that
the water is kept hot by the flame of the candle. The stem F is split, where it
fits into the stick A, in a manner similar to the part E in Fig. 14. The folding
hinge G is attached thereto by a stud, passing through a hole in the said
hinge, provided with a thumb nut F¹.
The looking glass may be let into the front of a shallow box or case Figs. 5
and 6 with hinged lid which contain inside as shown in Fig. 7 razors scissors and
the like as desired.
I also provide a special form of extinguisher as shown in Figs. 1 and 4 which
may be used for the candles and consists of a cap L hinged to one side of a
collar M on the candle holder E and which can be made to close over the candle
being held in position by a spring catch N on the opposite side of the collar M.
For the convenience of packing the candle shade holder I make its top ring ()
Fig. 8 upon which the shade rests so that it can swing round on its pivots O',
as shown in dotted lines,

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. A portable stand consisting of a stick or stem A provided with frames B, B¹,
and C, C, at top and bottom respectively adapted to fold up like an umbrella
frame and on which in the expanded form can be placed a top such as D adapted
to roll up substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
2. In combination with a portable stand constructed as firstly claimed a candle
holder adapted to fit in an upper recess in the stem A, and fitted with extinguisher
and shade holder as described with reference to the drawings.
3. In combination with a portable table constructed as firstly claimed a looking
glass adapted to fit in an upper recess in the stem of the table and adapted to
receive candle holders and a shaving pot as described with reference to the
drawings.
4. In combination with a portable stand constructed as firstly claimed the
candle holder E with extinguisher clip N and swivelling shade holder O as
described with reference to the drawings.
Twander around dow of Santombar 1898
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.