AN IMPROVEMENT APPLICABLE TO FIRE SCREENS, MUSIC STANDS OR READING DESKS, AND CANDELABRES
Year: 1812

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
LEBERECHT STEINHOEUSER, of Piccadilly, in the County of Middlesex, Mathe-
matical Instrument Maker, send greeting.
WHEREAS His most Excellent Majesty King George the Third did, by
His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Fourth day of February,
in the fifty-second year of His reign, give and grant unto me, the said John
Leberecht Steinhouser, my exors, adiñors, and assigns, His especial licence,
full power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said John Leberecht
Steinheuser, my exors, adiñors, and assigns, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-
upon-Tweed, my Invention or Discovery of "AN IMPROVEMENT APPLICABLE TO
FIRE SCREENS, MUSIC STANDS OR READING DESKS, AND CANDELABRES;" in which
said Letters Patent there is contained a proviso that if I, the said John
Leberecht Steinhouser, shall not particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of my said Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be
performed, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, and cause
the same to be inrolled in His Majesty's High Court of Chancery within
two calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent, that then the said Letters Patent, and all liberties and advantages
whatsoever thereby granted, shall utterly cease, determine, and become void,

page_text: as in and by the same, relation being thereunto had, may more fully and at
large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
John Leberecht Steinhauser, do hereby declare that the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, are particu-
larly described and ascertained as follows, that is to say :—
My improvement doth consist of several parts or particulars of construction,
which may be used together or separately, as convenience or choice may
require.
Firstly, instead of supporting the said fire screens, music stands, reading
desks, and candelabres upon an invariable column, as has hitherto in most
instances been done, I do construct and make the principal part of the upright
support thereof of two or more tubes sliding successively, with regard or in
relation to each other, in the manner of the tubes in common use for
telescopes.
Secondly, I do fix or set fast, when occasion requires, any inner tube sliding
within an outer tube by the following means:-I do surround the mouth of
the said outer tube with a welt or projecting piece or flat ring, cut externally
into a screw, and tapered so as to be rather smaller in diameter next the mouth,
and larger behind, and I do fit a nutt or ring with an internal screw of the same
Figure to be applied thereon; and I do slit the said outer tube and external screw
on both sides, by two or more slits, to a convenient depth, and spring or bend
the same a little outwards, and then I do screw on or apply the said nutt or
ring, and the said nutt or ring when screwed downwards will tend to close the
said slit, and will cause the said outer tube to grasp or hold firm upon the
tube within, and will prevent the same from sliding until set at liberty by
turning the nutt or ring the contrary way, or otherwise I do fix or set fast
my sliding tubes, as may be required, by any of the steps or holding parts or
pieces already in common use.
Thirdly, I do introduce within the said tube or tubes a counterpoise, by
means of which the tendency of the said fire screens, music stands, reading
desks, or candelabres to descend suddenly, whenever the sliding tube or tubes
may be set at liberty, is either greatly diminished or totally obviated, and even,
if thought desirable, a tendency to ascend may be produced; and the manner
of introducing and applying the said counterpoise doth consist in suspending
the same within the lower tube or interior part of the stand by means of a
string or chain which passes over a pulley, and afterwards descends and is
fastened to the lower part of the interior tube intended to be raised or urged
upwards by means of the said counterpoise; and I do support the said pulley

page_text: upon the upper extremity of a fixed rod or strait bar or tubular piece rising
from the lower part of the stand in the middle or axis of the sliding tubes;
and in general to save room or space I do perforate my counterpoise longitu-
dinally, and do cause the same to rise and fall, leaving the said fixed rod or
strait bar or tubular piece in the said perforation. And in some constructions
I do use two pullies and strings, in order to make the action more fair and
equal on both sides of the weight. And I do prevent the said counterpoise
from turning round, by making the perforation therein (if circular) with a
side notch, and by putting a piece or making a projection upon and along the
said fixed rod, strait bar, or tubular piece, corresponding with the said side
notch, or I produce the same effect by other well-known contrivances in
common use; and I do likewise, by similar means, prevent the sliding
tube from turning upon its own axis. And in some large candelabres
intended to rise to a considerable height in elevated rooms, I do use multi-
plying pullies of the nature of a tackle, whereby, as is well known, the
descending weight may be and is made to raise or reach through a much
more extended space than would correspond with the space through which
the said weight itself could rise or fall.
Fourthly, instead of a counterpoise or weight for the above purposes, I do
in some constructions, if preferred, use a re-acting spring inclosed in a barrel,
and if need be, from length of run, regulated and equalized by a fusee. And
I do conceal or place the said spring and the fitttings thereof in some con-
venient part of the stand, and do make use of the same by means of a string
or chain and pulley or pullies as aforesaid.
Fifthly, instead of supporting the said music stand and reading desks upon
a platform, with hinges and a regulating arch, as is commonly done, I do make,
use, and apply, immediately beneath the said stands or desks, a twofold joint,
similar to that which is used to support reflecting telescopes, and consisting of
a best compass head joint, to allow and govern the vertical or slant motion and
adjustment, and a pivot or center pin joint to allow and govern the horizontal
motion. And I do settle, confine, and fix the several slant positions of the
said stands or desks by a springing catch acting in holes in the middle piece
of the said compass head joint, which moves along with the stand or desk
itself. And in fire screens, which do not require the vertical or slant motion,
but only the horizontal, I do not use the compass head-joint, but only the
pivot or center pin joint above described. And by means of the said improve-
ment great advantages are afforded for the safe, close, and convenient disposal
and package of such fire screens, music stands, reading desks, and candelabres
and for and in the use and employ of the same, without limitation as to the

page_text: height to which lights may be raised, and with great facility lowered, in order
to the adjustment, extinguishing, or management thereof in any other respects,
and for numereous other objects and purposes.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Leberecht Steinhouser, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, the Twenty-sixth day of March, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and twelve.