AN IMPROVED TABLE OR ARTICLE OF FURNITURE
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Luck, of Mabledon Place, Burton Crescent,
in the County of Middlesex, Cabinet Maker, for the Invention of "AN
IMPROVED TABLE OR ARTICLE OF FURNITURE,"
Sealed the 28th June 1861, and dated the 5th January 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Luck at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 5th
January 1861.
I, WILLIAM LUCK, of Mabledon Place, Burton Crescent, in the County of
Middlesex,Cabinet Maker, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "AN IMPROVED TABLE OR ARTICLE OF FURNITURE," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to the construction of a table or article of furniture,
fitted internally as a bagatelle board, or with various other desired arrange-
ments, and its object is to construct such table or article so that it shall open
and expose to view those fittings or arrangements when required, but shall be
capable of closing in such manner as to conceal them and present the appear-
ance of an occasional or other description of table. For this purpose I hinge
or connect the top of the table, which I call the overlying part, in such manner
that it may close down upon or lie over the part or arrangements to be con-
cealed, which I call the underlying part, but may turn on its hinges when
required to open the table and expose the underlying part, which latter is'so
contrived that it rises up when the overlying part is offit, but is depressed or
[Price 8d.]

page_text: sinks back again when the said part is on it; the underlying part being for
that purpose rendered capable of suitably sliding or moving up and down by
means of springs concealed in the legs, supports, or framework of the table,
acting on slides or pieces of or connected with the underlying part,so that the
latter is forced up when the weight of the overlying part is off it, but is allowed
to sink down again when such weight is on it.
When the table is arranged for bagatelle, the overlying part turns on its
hinges and opens to form an extended top surface to the table, the underlying
part rising level with it, so that the two together constitute the bagatelle board,
the partsbeing fitted upaccordingly. Theoverlyingpart is preferablysupported
in that position by a telescope slide and an additional leg or support, which,
when not in use, folds away under it.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
.1
by the said William Luck in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 5th
July 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
LUCK, of Mabledon Place, Burton Crescent, in the County of Middlesex,
Cabinet Maker, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of January, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fourth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
William Luck, Her special licence that I, the said William Luck, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William
Luck, 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 night 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 TABLE
OR ARTICLE OF FURNITURE, "upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said William Luck, my executors or administrators, by an instrument 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Luck, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and to
the letters and figures marked thereon, (that is to say:-
This Invention relates to the construction of a table or article of furniture,
fitted internally as a bagatelle board, or with various other desired arrange-
ments, and it has for object to construct the table so that it shall open and
expose to view those fittings or arrangements when required, but shall be also
capable of closing in such manner as to conceal them and present the appear-
ance of an "occasional" or other description of table. For this purpose I
hinge or connect the top of the table, which I call the overlying part, in such
manner that it may close down upon or lie over the part or arrangements to
be concealed, which I call the underlying part, but may turn on its hinges
when required to open the table and expose the underlying part, which latter
is so contrived that it rises up when the overlying part is off it, but is
depressed or sinks down again when the said part is on it; the underlying
part being for that purpose rendered capable of sliding or moving up and down
by means of springs concealed in the legs, supports, or framework of the table,
and acting on slide pieces appertaining to or connected with the underlying
part,so that the latter is forced up when the weight of the overlying part is off
it, but is allowed to sink down again when such weight is on it.
When the table is arranged for bagatelle, the overlying part turns on its
hinges and opens to form an extended top surface to the table, the underlying
part rising level with it,so that the two together constitute the bagatelle board,
the parts being fitted up accordingly. The overlying part is preferably sup-
ported in that position by a telescope slide and an additional leg or support,
which, when not in use, folds away under it.
Having thus set forth the nature of my Iuvention, I proceed with reference
to the Drawings particularly to exemplify in what manner the same may be
carried into effect.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings is a longitudinal clevation of a
bagatelle table constructed according to my said Invention, and shewn as
closed; Figure 2, longitudinal elevation of the same, open; Figure 3, end
view of the table, open, partly in section; Figure 4, plan of the framing and
telescope slide.
A is the framing; A, A, the legs or supports; B is the underlying part,
which, in this instance, forms a sort of obloug tray, having three upright sides
,there being no such upright side on its fourth side or end d; the surface b

page_text: part
is fitted up to form one half of a bagatelle board, and cross bars bare screwed
to its under surface one at each end; to each bar be is attached a vertical bar C,
capable of sliding up and down in a mortice E in the end A', and resting on a
spring F, the lower end of which rests on the bottom of the mortice; of course
there is a sliding piece C, mortice E, and spring F in each end A¹ of the
table; G is the overlying part; this part is hinged to the sides b of the B
at the end d (the hollow allowing for its turning freely on its hinges). The
inner surface g of this part G is fitted up to form the other half of the baga-
telle board. H,H, are two bars fitted in mortices in the framing; these bars
form and act as what is commonly known as a telescope slide.
I is a jointed
cross piece attached to their outer ends, and so shaped as to form one end
piece of the table when closed, as presently explained. J is an additional or
extra leg or support hinged to the cross piece I.
When the table is to be opened, the telescope slide H is drawn out and the
hinged leg is let down so as to rest on the floor, and the part G is opened
back and lies upon the slide H, as shewn in Figure 2, being supported by the
leg J. The weight of the part G being thus removed from the springs F,
those springs rise and cause the sliding pieces C to slide upward in their guide
mortices E at both ends of the table, thereby raising the part B and-bringing
its surface level with the surface y of the part G; the two surfaces thus
placed together in the same plane forming the complete bagatelle board. K is
a screw (not shewn in Fig. 1),fitted in the framing and abutting attop against
the under surface of the part B. It is turned, when desired, by a detachable
handle L, to adjust the part B to the exact level to a nicety, and steady it
there.
When the table is to be closed, the part G is closed down upon the part B,
as shewn in Figure 1, its weight overcoming the resistance of the springs F
and causing the sliding pieces C and part B to sink down to their previous
position; the moveable leg J is then folded away, that is to say, it is turned
up, its extremity describing the arc shewn by dotted lines, Figure 2, and the
telescope slide H being next pushed back into its mortices, the leg J lies out
of the way under the part G, as shewn in red lines, Figure 1; the outer por-
tion of the cross piece I, which had dropped so as to lie horizontally when the
slide H was drawn out as in Figure 4, is raised into a vertical position, so that
the whole piece I closes up the opening left at d between the ends of the parts
B and G, and there forms an end to the table, as shewn in Figure 1. The
feet M, M, of the table are balls with threaded shanks screwed more or less
up into the legs, to adjust the level of the table to uneven floors; the top edge
of the framing can be used as a marking board.

page_text: I do not restrict myself to the precise form of spring shewn.
Instead of fitting the surfaces and g for bagatelle, they may be otherwise
arranged; for example, a nest of drawers may be fitted in the part B, so as
rise and be exposed to view when the table is open,and be depressed and con-
cealed when the same is closed, as before explained, or the part B may be
furnished with various other fittings.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same may be performed, I declare that I do not restrict myself to the
exact details shewn in the Drawings, as the same may be varied without
departing from the method of construction and action or nature of Invention
herein set forth; and I declare that I claim,-
First, the arrangement and combination of parts, whereby what I call an
underlying part is caused to rise and sink, substantially in the manner herein-
before described.
Second, the arrangement and combination of parts forming the improved
table,represented in the accompanying Drawings, and herein-before described.
Third, the employment of the additional or extra leg or support forsupport-
ing what I call an overlying part when opened, arranged, and acting as
herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Luck, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fifth day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
Witness,
M. HENRY, Patent Agent,
S4, Flect Street,
London.
WILLIAM LUCK. (L.S.)