IMPROVE- MENTS IN TABLES
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Bradly Barnard, of Saint Paul's Road, Canon-
bury, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN TABLES."
Sealed the 29th May 1874, and dated the 30th March 1874.
X
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Bradly Barnard at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 30th March 1874.
I, BRADLY BARNARD, of Saint Paul's Road, Canonbury, in the
County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN TABLES," to be as follows:-
The Invention has for its object improvements in tables whereby they
are rendered more useful for invalids and others.
For this purpose I mount a strong frame, preferably upon two
telescopic pillars, the sliding portions of which are provided with racks
in order that by the aid of suitable detents they may, after having been
lifted, be retained at any suitable height within the range of the parts.
"When it is required to lower the table the detents are withdrawn from

page_text: the racks, as is well understood, but in order to check the fall of the
table I employ springs to act between the sliding parts of the telescopic
pillars.
On both the inside and the outside of the frame I form or fix slides
upon or in which two table tops are capable of sliding. The upper
table top is provided at each end with a writing slope, which is capable
of being raised and retained at any suitable angle for writing or reading
when in use, and of being let down flush with the table top when not
required for use. The lower table top is preferably formed with side and
end pieces somewhat in the form of a butler's tray, and both the table
tops can be slidden on the frame so as to project therefrom at cither end,
and if desired they can be completely removed therefrom. Thus, for
instance, the upper table top may be used by an invalid or other
person for books, papers, and writing materials, whilst the lower onc
can be used as a dining table, which, when the meal is finished, can
be completely removed from the frame with the various articles thereon,
thus saving to a great extent the noise and confusion consequent on
clearing a table after a meal.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Bradly Barnard in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 30th September 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, BRADLY
BARNARD, of Saint Paul's Road, Canonbury, in the County of Middlesex,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her.
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of March, in the year of
our Lord One thousand cight hundred and seventy-four, in the thirty-
seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto' me, the said Bradly Barnard, Her special
license that I, the said Bradly Barnard, my executors; adminis
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Bradly Barnard,
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,

page_text: -
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN. TABLES," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Bradly Barnard, 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 per-
formed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Offico
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the
said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Bradly Barnard, do hereby declaro
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 tho
following statement thercof, that is to say:-
:
The Invention has for its object improvements in tables whereby they
are rendered 'more useful for invalids and others.
For this purpose I mount a strong frame preferably upon two
telescopic pillars, the sliding portions of which are provided with racks
in order that by the aid of suitable detents they may, after having been
lifted, be retained at any suitable height within the range of the parts.
When it is required to lower the table the detents are withdrawn from
the racks as is well understood, but in order to check the fall of the
table I employ springs to act between the sliding parts of the telescopio
pillars.
On both the inside and the outside of the frame I form or fix slides
upon or in which two table tops are capable of sliding. The upper
table top is provided at each end with a writing slope, which is capable
of being raised and retained at any suitable angle for writing or reading
when in use, and of being let down flush with the table top when not
required for use. The lower table top is preferably formed with side and
end pieces somewhat in the form of a butler's tray, and both the table
tops can be slidden on the frame so as to project therefrom at either end,
and if desired they can be completely removed therefrom.
And in order that my said Invention may be more clearly understood
and readily carried into effect I will proceed, aided by the accompanying
Drawings, more fully to describe the same,

page_text: DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is an end view, Figure 2 is a side view, and Figure 3 is a
plan of a table constructed according to my Invention. a is a strong
frame, which is preferably mounted upon two telescopic pillars b, b, the
sliding portions 6' of which are provided with racks 62 in order that by |
the aid of spring detents ³ they may, after having been lifted, bo
retained at any desired height within the range of the parts. When it
is required to lower the table the detents * are withdrawn from the
racks as is well understood, when the table will fall by its own weight,
but in order to check the fall of the table springs may be employed to:
act between the parts b, b'. If desired, however, in order to enable a
single individual to raise and lower the table without noise I fix cords
or their equivalents to the bottom of the parts of the telescopic pillars,
and carry such cords over guide pulley's fixed on axes at the upper parts
of the stationary parts b; the cords thence pass to a wheel or barrel:
mounted in bearings fixed at the centre of the cross bar 6, such wheel
or barrel being acted upon by a handle fixed on the axis thereof or by
suitable gearing, and having in connection therewith a ratchet wheel
and detent to retain the parts in any desired position, or such wheel or
barrel may be operated by means of a worm or screw taking into a worm
wheel in connection therewith. If desired the cords or their equivalents
may pass to separate wheels or barrels geared together. I have not
thought it necessary to show these last mentioned arrangements of parts
for raising and lowering the table, as such will be readily understood by
a competent mechanic.
On the inside of the frame a I form a slide a', and on the outside
thereof I, form a slide a. In these two slides table tops c, d, are
capable of sliding. The upper table top d, as shown in the Drawings, is
formed in two halves hinged together at d', and mounted on an axis of
motion on its frame d so as to enable it to be turned round and opened
out as an ordinary card table. The upper half of this top d is provided
at each end with a writing slope e, which is capable of being raised and
retained at any suitable angle for writing and reading when in use, as
shown at Figures 1 and 2, and of being let down flush with the table
top d when not required for use. In some cases I dispense with the
folding table top d and fix a top d rigidly to the frame d*, and if desired
the table top & may be provided with only one writing or reading slope,
d

page_text: or in some cases more than two can be employed. The lower table top
c may be formed with side and end pieces somewhat in the form of a
butler's tray, and both the table tops c and d can be slidden on the
frame a so as to project therefrom at either end, and if desired they can
be completely removed therefrom. Thus, for instance, the upper table
top & may be used by an invalid or other person for books, papers, and
writing materials, whilst the lower one c can be used as a dining table,
which, when the meal is finished, can be completely removed from the
frame a with the various articles thereon, thus saving to a great extent
the noise and confusion consequent on clearing a table after a meal.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the mode
in which I carry the same into effect, I would have it understood that I
do not claim the various parts separately considered, but what I do
claim as my Invention is the novel combination of parts a, b, b¹, c, d, d*,
and e of tables arranged and operated in manner substantially as herein
shown and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Bradly Barnard, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of September,
in the year of Our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
snown and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Bradly Barnard, have here-
unto set my hand and scal, this Thirtieth day of September,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
seventy-four.