Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Apr., 1895-Accepted, 18th May, 1895
A communication from BARONESS STEPHANIE VON CERRINI DI MONTE VARCHI,
Lady of the Court, 15 Reichstrasse, Dresden, Saxony, German Empire.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
Chartered Patent Agent, 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 :-
This invention relates to collapsible tables such as drawing tables intended for
out-door or open-air work, as for example, for the use of engineers, surveyors,
artists or military officers.
The table, which folded, forms a compact flat article of luggage, closed on all
sides, can hold or carry, on the writing-table plate, all necessary articles of utility,
such as paper, cardboard, case of drawing instruments, and other writing, colouring
and drawing materials, under lock and key. A plate applicable as a drawing-
board is pushed into a groove formed in three-sided border of the writing-table
plate, the fourth or open side being closed by a transverse border secured to such
drawing-board, so that by means of any ordinary locking device the package can
be closed fast and made safe.
The table rests upon two pairs of trestle-shaped legs crossing each other, each
consisting of two parts whereby they can be folded up, inasmuch as the parts are
free to turn upon a common rod uniting the two pairs of cross-legs. When folded
up, the parts lie flat against the under side of the table, in which position they
may be maintained and held fast by straps buckled round the whole, or other the
like means, so that the whole table forms a flat package which can be handled
quite conveniently.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings represents (in isometric perspective)
the table, opened out and set up, the closing or cover plate being removed;
Figure 2 is a side view of the table, the closing or cover-plate being partly
drawn out;
Figure 3 is a similar view of the upper part of the table showing the cover-
plate reversed and pushed into the groove, so that the cover-plate can be used as a
drawing-board for drawing or writing, the contents of the table remaining accessible
at the same time.
Figure 4 shows the table in the folded position as seen from below; and
Figure 5 shows an end view of the same, folded.
The table-platform a is provided on three sides-i.e. on the two short sides and
the rear long side-with a border-wall 60 in which a groove c is cut for the drawing-
board d (serving as a cover) to slide in. This latter (d) is provided on one of its
longer sides, with a border-wall or ledge b', which when the closing-plate d is
pushed into the groove closes the fourth side of the table, so that a box or case,
closed on all sides, is formed. By means of a lock e arranged in the border-wall b¹,
with its bolt, engaging in a striking-plate in the table-plate, the table-box can be
secured against any unauthorised opening.
On the table-plate a are arranged various pockets for the reception of cards
or cardboard, writing and drawing material, as well as writing materials, inkstand,
and a variety of other writing, drawing and painting instruments, appliances and
requisites. These fittings may be almost infinitely varied according to the

page_text: requirements or object in view or the personal tastes and predilections of the
owner; and they may be mounted or carried upon a separate, loose, platform of
card-board or other backing, lying loosely on or affixed to the table-plate or flat
bottom of the box, so that the entire outfit may if required be taken out of the
box or case.
The closure plate d can also be reverse for insertion in the groove c of the
border 6° of the table so that its rectangular border as shown in Figure 3 is at the
front or inside and turned upwards (instead of at the outside and turned downward)
in such manner that it may be used as a drawing-board or writing table while the
contents of the case are accessible through the opening.
Of the two pairs of trestle like crossed-legs of the table, the legs g are secured
by the bolt to the piece screwed to the underside of the table a, being rotatable
on the said bolt ; the other pair k is joined by a bar 7 (Fig. 3), which when the
legs are used to support the table lies flat against an angle-piece l' secured to the
underside of the table and may be fastened to the underside by means of
the thumb-screw m. At the place where the table legs cross each other, there is
a rod n running through both pairs, from one side to the other, so that they can
rotate thereon. The whole of the four legs are divided in the centre in such
manner as to be secured together by pins p thrust through a hole in the end of the
one leg projecting beyond the pivot pin or bar n, and through the wood of the
contiguous leg. By undoing these fastenings, that is to say by extracting or
withdrawing the said pins, the lower halves of these legs, which also rotate on the
pivotting pin or bar n may be folded up and so laid side by side with the upper
halves as to lie flat therewith against the underside of the table as shown in
Figs. 4 and 5.
The collapsible or folding table may it is obvious with small changes be easily
adapted to or employed for any other useful purpose, without departure from the
scope or principles of this invention: for example as a painting table, in which
case the box would be provided with a simple folding easel stand or frame whereon
when unfolded and set up the drawing board may be mounted with its border-wall
turned downwards and outwards so as in fact to give a small, sloping artists
easel.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent, and in what manner the
same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is ;-
1. The collapsible or folding work-table characterised by a platform such as d
serving as a drawing board and inserted in a groove such as c running round the
border-wall such as of the table-head or plate such as a in such manner as to
form a box or case for preserving or keeping instruments and appliances for writing
drawing and painting and which box is closed by the border wall such as attached
to the said platform d substantially as described.
2. In the work-table described in Claim 1 the arrangement of collapsible or
folding legs in the form of trestle-like frames whereof one part is mounted so as
to pivot on the underside of the table (a) and the other part releasable therefrom
can fold against a fixed reception plate (1) secured to the underside of the table
while the halves of the legs which may be joined together by means of suitable
pins rotate upon the common pivot pin or rod (n) and may be laid flat side by side
against each other on the underside of the table substantially as and for the purpose
described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 17th day of Auril 1895
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.