Year: 1885

page_text: I NATHANIEL JOHNSON of N° 490 Hudson Street, New York, State of New
York, United States of America, Manufacturer of School Furniture, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My present invention relates to that class of school desks in which one pair of
standards support a desk and a seat in front of the desk, so that the scholar's seat
is connected to the desk behind him, and my improvements relate to the standards
constructed with guards that prevent injury to the person or clothing of the
scholars when the desk top is being swung up or turned down, and also in the desk
top which is constructed in such a manner that when turned over it assumes
an inclined position and the under side of the desk top itself becomes a book
holder.
The standards are of cast metal and placed at the ends of the combined seat and
desk. The seat has end pieces and hinges by means of which it is connected to
arms formed with and upon the standards and these hinges have stops to limit their
movement. This seat can be turned up vertically out of the way.
The back is usually of wood slats, the ends of which are fastened to the
standards and there is a shelf for books having a front rail and there is a stationary
ledge for pens, ink &c, at the back of the swinging desk and between the same
and the seat back.
The standards are broadened, and extended as guards at the ends of the desk
top and between these the desk top is pivotted, these guards forming a protection
to prevent the scholar injuring his fingers or clothing when swinging the desk top.
There are shoe pieces at the ends of the swinging desk top and hinges by which
the desk top and standards are connected. The pivot pins of the hinges pass
through the respective parts of the standards and shoes and the swinging move-
ment of the desk top is limited by stops upon the hinges which stops are preferably
composed of pins in segmental slots.
The hinges or pivots at the ends of the desk top are of such form that the top
may be inverted or turned over, and assume a backwardly inclined position, the
under side of the top being thus converted into a book holder or easel having a
ledge at the lower edge upon which easel the scholar can place his book and
maintain a proper sitting position during study.

page_text: торгоѵешении Ш РОМОС возда
I, NATHANIEL JOHNSON of N° 490, Hudson Street, New York, State of New
York, United States of America, Manufacturer of school furniture 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 :-
My present invention relates to that class of school desks in which one pair of
standards support a desk and seat in front of the desk so that the scholar's seat is
connected to the desk behind him, and my improvements relate to the standards
constructed with guards that prevent injury to the person or clothing of the scholar
when the desk top is being swung up or turned down, and also in the desk top
which is constructed in such a manner that when turned over it assumes an
inclined position and the under side of the desk top itself becomes a book holder.
In the drawing
Fig. 1. is a vertical section of the seat and back and an elevation of one standard
and of the end of the desk.
Fig. 2. is a plan showing one end of the seat, the back and the desk and
Fig. 3. is a section of the desk-top.
The standards a. at the ends of the combined seat and desk are of metal and
cast with any desired ornamental open work.
The seat.b. is provided with end pieces b¹ and hinges 68 by means of which such
seat is connected to the arms a¹ of the standards a. The hinges b' are provided
with stops of any suitable character and the seat may be turned up vertically as
shown by dotted lines.
The metal end pieces b¹ are secured to the under side of the seat b. and these
end pieces are adjacent to the inside faces of the standards a. and there are
springs 63 upon the standards with eyes at the hinges to produce a friction against
the seat and prevent a sudden motion of such seat in turning it down for use.
The back is usually of wooden slats the ends of which are fastened to the
standards a. and at d. is a shelf for books; and e. is a rail in front of the books
and f. is the stationary ledge for pens, ink &c, at the back of the swinging desk
and between the same and the seat back c.
The standards a. are broadened and extended as guards k. at the ends of the
desk and between these the desk top g. is pivoted.
At each end of the desk-top there is a metallic shoe g¹ and these shoes are part
of the hinges or pivots by which the desk and standards are connected. The pivot
pins n. pass into or through the respective parts and the swinging movement of
the top is limited by stops upon the hinges. The segmental slots and pins n¹ form
convenient stops, but in order to render the desk firm when turned down, I make
the end pieces or shoes gl sufficiently long at the back ends to come into contact
with the inward projecting flanges 8. that are cast with the end frames a. and these
flanges e. also support the ledge f.
The hinges or pivots at the ends of the desk top g. are constructed so that the
top may be inverted or turned over, the front edge being swung upwardly as the

page_text: back edge moves downwardly between the guards k. and the top assumes a back-
wardly inclined position as indicated by dotted lines in fig. 1. so that the under
surface of the desk top itself becomes a book-holder or easel upon which the lesson-
book can be placed while the scholar is sitting upright and pursuing his studies.
The ledge g at the bottom of the book-holder is a strip that is introduced into a
rabbet at the back under edge of the desk top so as to be securely held in place;
but the edge of the ledge strip is not visible upon the upper surface of the desk
top to mar the appearance thereof when the desk top is in its normal position.
It will be apparent that the guards k. form a protection at the ends of the
swinging desk-top, so that the scholars fingers or clothing cannot be caught between
the parts when the desk-top is being turned over, because the guards come up even
with the surface of the desk, or nearly so, and there are no openings or spaces into
which the fingers can be inserted to come into contact with the parts of the desk-
top when being swung in either direction.
The plate springs i. are attached to the standards a. and are provided with eyes
for the pivot-pins. These springs apply sufficient friction to prevent the desk-top
moving suddenly by gravity when being swung over.
I do not claim a desk in which the back edge of the desk top is turned down-
wardly in reversing the top to use the under side as a book-rest as this has been
used with a separate brace or support that required to be put in position by hand
and the end frames were open. I am also aware that friction plates and stop
hinges for seats have before been made use of.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
First. The combination with the standards a. of the desk-top g. hinges connecting
the standards and desk-top, stop-pins on the hinges and a ledge at the under
surface of the back part of the desk top whereby the under side of the desk top
itself forms a book-holder when turned over into a backwardly inclined position,
substantially as set forth.
Second. The combination with the reversible desk-top and its end pivots, of
standards a. that are formed as closed guards k. between which the downwardly
swinging portion of the desk-top moves, so that such guards prevent injury to the
clothing or person using such desk, substantially as specified.
Third. The combination with the standards a. of the reversible desk-top, the
hinges or pivots for the same having stop-pins and the frictional springs intervening
between the metal end pieces of the desk-top and the standards, substantially as
set forth.