A HYGIENIC DESK, MOVEABLE READING SLIDE, AND SEAT COMBINED
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Adolf Sonnenschein, of Number 8, Beverley Road, South
Penge Park, in the County of Surrey, Teacher, for the Invention of "A
HYGIENIC DESK, MOVEABLE READING SLIDE, AND SEAT COMBINED."
Sealed the 15th April 1879, and dated the 29th January 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Adolf Sonnenschein at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 29th January 1879.
ADOLF SONNENSCHEIN, of Number 8, Beverley Road, South Penge Park, in the
County of Surrey, Teacher. "A HYGIENIC DESK, MOVEABLE READING SLIDE, AND
SEAT COMBINED."
The object of this Invention is so to construct a school desk and seat combined,
that a pupil when seated thereat may be at a posture agreeable and healthful to
himself both when writing and reading. The desk and seat also enables a pupil to
stand up freely between the seat and the desk when required to do so, inasmuch as
the seat is so constructed as to recede a sufficient distance from the desk to allow
an upright pasture. The desk and seat and each supported by standards pre-
ferentially, but not necessarily, made of cast iron, which standards may be screwed
on to the floor, the desk and seat being fixed to the top thereof by screws. The
desk consists of a box the lid of which forms a writing slope inclined at an angle of
twenty degrees. To the top or upper part of this lid is fitted a moveable reading
slide placed at an angle of forty degrees, but I do not limit myself either to this
number or to the above mentioned number of twenty degrees. This moveable
reading slide is constructed to move so that it can be brought forward at pleasure
towards the pupil, and placed at any distance suitable to his or her eyesight. The
seat is made moveable by two upright supports on each side of its standards, by
means of which it can be moved forward sufficiently near to the desk to be con-
venient for reading and writing, and sufficiently backward away from the desk to
allow the pupil to stand upright between the desk and the seat. Inside the

page_text: standards of the seat a contrivance is fitted for lowering and raising the seat, so as
to adapt the heighth of the seat to the heighth of the pupil.
The seat is formed of board which is scooped out negatively to the form of the
pupil, and it has slits cut through it for purposes of ventilation, thus keeping the
pupil cool. The back of the scat is so inclined as to afford the pupil support to his
or her back-and-head equally when writing or reading.
The moveable reading slide and moveable seat can be either separately or both
fitted on or adapted to desks of any other design or description in use prior to my
Invention, and I accordingly clain such moveable slide and seat if necessary as
separate.and.substantive Inventions...

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Adolf Sonnenschein in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 1st
July 1879.
ADOLF SONNENSCHEIN, of No. 8, Beverley Road, South Penge Park, in the
County of Surrey, Teacher. "A HYGIENIC DESK, MOVABLE READING SLIDE, AND
SEAT COMBINED."
The object of this Invention is so to construct a school desk and seat combined,
that a pupil when seated thereat may be at a posture agreeable and healthful to
himself both when writing and reading. The desk and seat also enables a pupil to
stand up freely between the seat and the desk when required to do so, inasmuch as
the seat is so constructed as to recede a sufficient distance from the desk to allow
an upright posture. The desk and seat and each supported by standards pre-
ferentially, but not necessarily, made of cast iron, which standards may be screwed
on to the floor, the desk and seat being fixed to the top thereof by screws. The
desk consists of a box the lid of which forms a writing slope inclined at an angle of
twenty degrees. To the top or upper part of this lid is fitted a movable reading
slide placed at an angle of forty degrees, but I do not limit myself either to this
number or to the above mentioned number of twenty degrees. This moveable
reading slide is constructed to move so that it can be brought forward at pleasure
towards the pupil, and placed at any distance suitable to his or her eyesight. The
seat is made movable by two upright supports on each side of its standards, by
means of which it can be moved forward sufficiently near to the desk to be
convenient for reading and writing, and sufficiently backward away from the desk
to allow the pupil to stand upright between the desk and the seat. Inside the
standards of the seat a contrivance is fitted for lowering and raising the seat, so as
to adapt the height of the seat to the height of the pupil.
The seat is formed of board which is scooped out negatively to the form of the
pupil, and it has slits cut through it for the purposes of ventilation, thus keeping
the pupil cool. The back of the seat is so inclined as to afford the pupil support to
his or her back and head equally when writing or reading.
The moveable reading slide and moveable seat can be either separately or both
fitted on or adapted to desks of any other design or description in use prior to my
Invention, and I accordingly claim such movable slide and seat if necessary as
separate and substantive Inventions.
Having explained the nature of my said Invention I will proceed to describe
with reference to the accompanying Drawings the manner in which the same is to
be performed.
Figure 1 shews a plan of "A Hygienic Desk, Movable Reading Slide, and Seat
Combined."
Figure 2 shews a section on the line A, B, shewn in Figure 1.
Figure 3 shews a side or end view.
Figure 4 shews an elevation taken from a point of view behind the seats, one of
which seats at the left side of the Figure is omitted in order not to obscure the
view of the desk.
The same letters indicate the same parts in all the four Figures.
The letter C indicates the movable reading slide supported on upright C³, and
moving in a groove C³, C³, on each side of the desk.
Letter D indicates a framework supporting the ventilated seat D¹, such frame-
work terminating in studs D2, which studs move in slots D³. These slots D³
are in the upper part of the vertical standards D' which standards move up and
down in the sockets Ds by means of the nuts and bolts De working in slots D'
formed in the said sockets D³. The sockets D³ may be screwed to the floor or to a
nlatform prepared to receive them
Figure 3 shews a side or end view.
Figure 4 shews an elevation taken from a point of view behind the seats, one of
which seats at the left side of the Figure is omitted in order not to obscure the
view of the desk.
The same letters indicate the same parts in all the four Figures.
The letter C indicates the movable reading slide supported on upright C', and
moving in a groove C³, C2, on each side of the desk.
Letter D indicates a framework supporting the ventilated seat D¹, such frame-
work terminating in studs D2, which studs move in slots D³. These slots Ds
are in the upper part of the vertical standards D' which standards move up and
down in the sockets Ds by means of the nuts and bolts De working in slots D'
formed in the said sockets D³. The sockets D³ may be screwed to the floor or to a
platform prepared to receive them

page_text: The action of the Invention is as follows:-The reading slide C is free to move
backwards and forwards in the grooves C2, 02. By making these grooves C², C³,
more or less near to the horizontal, the reading slide C may be arrested at any
point of its course.
The
The moveable seat has two motions, one horizontal, the other vertical.
horizontal motion is shewn in Figure 1 on which to the right of that Figure the seat
is placed at its backward position, leaving space in front of it to enable the pupil to
_stand between the seat and the desk. To the left of Figure 1 the seat is placed at
its forward position. The vertical motion is obtained by loosening the nuts and
bolts De, placing the seat.at-the-height-required, and fixing-it-there-by-tightening-
the bolts and nuts De.
$
I do not confine myself to any particular form of the adjustable reading slide or
movable adjustable seat respectively.
Having now deseribed the nature of my Invention and the manner in which the
same is to be used, I wish it to be understood that I do not limit myself to the
precise details hereinbefore described, as the same may be varied without departing
from the nature of my Invention, but what I do claim is, a movable adjustable
reading slide for school or other desks, and I also claim a movable adjustable seat
with horizontal and vertical movement, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Adolf Sonnenschein, have bercunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.
Witness,
HENRY W. RYLAND,
Solicitor,
14, Lincoln's Inn Fields,
London, W.C.
A. SONNENSCHEIN. (L.S.)