Improvements in or connected with Folding Furniture.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Mar., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 28th Dec., 1896-Accepted, 30th Jan., 1897
pplication, 23 Mar., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 28th Dec., 1896-Accepted, 30th Jan., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Folding Furniture.
I, WILLIAM HENRY VAUGHAN, of Nos. 332 and 334, Old Street, in the County of
London, Cabinet Maker, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in or connected with folding furniture,"
and has for its object to obtain a chest of drawers which is capable of being readily
folded into a small compass for transport and as readily expanded into condition
for use, when it will possess the necessary rigidity and strength.
In carrying the invention into effect, the sides of the chest of drawers, which
are fixed with the top, are horizontally divided and hinged at different elevations.
so as to fold one upon the other beneath the top.
The sides of the chest of drawers upon the interior thereof are provided with
rails or ledges upon which the drawers slide and corresponding horizontal bars are
provided at the front which at their ends are received into recesses formed in the
front edges of the sides, and these recesses and the ends of the bars may be
formed dovetailed so that the horizontal bars will act as tie rods to prevent the
separation of the sides whilst they present the appearance of the ordinary fixed
shelves in a chest of drawers.
The bottom bar of the series preferably carries a rectangular frame which slides
into position in corresponding groves formed in the inner faces of the sides or it
might slide on to ledges such as those herein before described, and this frame serves
to hold the chest of drawers at the bottom in the necessary square form, whilst, if
desired, this bottom bar may carry a plinth.
The sides or ends of each drawer are hinged to the front so as to full down flat.
thereon for transport and the bottom of the drawer slides from the back of the
drawer into grooves formed in the inner faces of the sides or ends whilst the back
of the drawer is hinged to the bottom so that it may be turned up at right angles"
with the bottom and it is secured to the sides by means of suitable catches or
fastenings, whilst, when the drawer is collapsed, it may be turned upon the hinge
and folded flat upon the bottom for transport. A fastening means that is suitable for
this purpose consists of studs carried by the ends of the sides or ends of the'
drawers passing through holes in the back and engaged by hooks or catches carried
by the latter.
The back of the chest of drawers is formed of any suitable flexible material, and the
sides at the back may be held in position by means of suitable tie rods or stays.
By the means hereinbefore described, a chest of drawers is obtained which
possesses the necessary rigidity when in use, whilst it is capable of being easily
collapsed for transport.
Dated this 25th day of March 1896.
VAUGHAN & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in or connected with Folding Furniture.
I, WILLIAM HENRY VAUGHAN, of Nos. 332 and 334, Old Street, in the County of
London, Cabinet Maker, 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 said invention relates to improvements in or connected with folding furniture,"
and has for its object to obtain a chest of drawers which is capable of being re dily
folded into a small compass for transport, and as readily expanded into condition
for use, when it will possess the necessary rigidity and strength.
In carrying the invention into effect, the sides of the chest of drawers which are
fixed with the top, are horizontally divided. and hinged at different elevations, so as.
to fold one upon the other beneath the top.
The sides of the chest of drawers upon the interior thereof are provided with
rails or ledges upon which the drawers slide and corresponding horizontal bars are
provided at the front which at their ends are received into recesses formed in the
front edges of the sides, and these recesses and the ends of the bars may be
formed dovetailed so that the horizontal bars will act as tie rods to prevent the
separation of the sides whilst they present the appearance of the ordinary fixed
shelves in a chest of drawers.
The bottom bar of the series preferably carries a rectangular. frame which
slides into position in corresponding grooves formed in the inner faces of the.
sides, or it might slide on to ledges such as those hereinbefore described, and this
frame serves to hold the chest of drawers at the bottom in the necessary square
form, whilst, if desired, this bottom bar may carry a plinth.
The sides or ends of each drawer are.. hinged to the front so as to fold down
flat thereon for transport and the bottom of the drawer slides from the back of.
the drawer into grooves formed in the inner faces of the sides or ends whilst the
back of the drawer is hinged to the bottom so that it may be turned up at right.
angles with the bottom and it is secured to the sides by means of suitable catches
or fastenings, whilst, when the drawer is collapsed, it may be turned upon the
hinge and folded flat upon the bottom for transport.. A fastening means that is
suitable for this purpose consists of studs carried by the ends of the sides or ends
of the drawers passing through. holes in the back and engaged by hooks or catches
carried by the latter.
The back of the chest of drawers is formed of any suitable flexible material, and
the sides at the back may be held in position by means of suitable tie rods.or
stays.
And, in order that the 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.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1. is a front elevation partly in section representing a chest of drawers

page_text: Figure 4. is a front elevation partly in section but with the glass tie bars and
drawers removed..
Figure 5. is a rear elevation thereof.
Figure 6. is a transverse section taken on the line 1-1 of Figure 1 but with
the top drawer and glass removed.
Figure 7 is a similar view to Figure 6, but with the drawers removed and some
other parts displaced and looking towards the opposite side.
Figure 8. is a plan of one of the drawers separately.
Figure 9. is a transverse section thereof.
Figure 10. is a similar view to Figure 8. but showing the sides of the drawer
collapsed for transport.
Figure 11 is an edge view of the bottom board showing the back in its collapsed
position.
Figure 12 is a plan of the bottom frame of the chest of drawers separately.
Figure 13 is a plan of one of the tie bars separately.
Figures 14. are detail views of the catches and co-acting parts for securing the
back of the drawer to the sides.
Figures 15. are detail views of the bolt which co-acts with such catches.
Figure 16 is an edge view of the chest of drawers in its collapsed condition.
Figure 17 is an edge view of a modified form of tie bar.
Figure 18 is an underside view thereof.
Figures 19. represent respectively an edge, view and a side view of the co-acting
part of the chest of drawers.
Figure 20. is a vertical transverse section of a portion of a chest of drawers
representing a further modification.
In the several figures like parts are indicated by similar letters of reference.
Referring to Figures 1 to 16, a. represents the sides of the chest of drawers
and a represents the top thereof, and one of the sides a. is hinged at a* directly to
the top a¹ whilst the other of such sides a. is horizontally divided and the two
parts thereof are hinged together at a* and therefore at a different elevation to the
turning point a so that the sides a. will fold one upon the other beneath the top a¹
as shown at Figure 16.
The sides a. of the chest of drawers upon the interior thereof are provided with
transverse rails or ledges a preferably. fixed thereto by means of screws, and upon
these rails a the drawers b. slide, whilst at the front of the chest of drawers
corresponding horizontal tie bars c. are provided which slide into grooves a³ formed
in the sides a. in alignment with the rails or ledges a³, and at the front edge
thereof the tie bars c. are formed with lateral projections c¹ furnished with dowel
holes and the front edges of the sides a. of the chest of drawers are cut through
or notched at a to receive the projecting ends c¹ of the tie bars c. whilst the
latter are secured in position by means of bolts which engage corresponding
holes a formed in the sides a. and are there provided with pins, studs, or
dowels as to engage the corresponding holes in the tie bars c. and by these
means the horizontal tie bars will act to prevent the separation of the sides, whilst,
at the same time, they present the appearance of the ordinary fixed shelves in a
chest of drawers.
The bottom bar c* of the series preferably carries or takes the form of a
rectangular frame which slides into position in corresponding grooves a¹ formed
in the inner faces of the sides a. or it might slide on to ledges similar to those
hereinbefore described and this frame c serves to hold the chest of drawers at the
bottom in the necessary square form.
The sides or ends 61 of each drawer are hinged to the front b. so as to fold down flat
thereon for transport as represented at Figure 10, and the bottom 63 of the drawer
slides from the direction of the back into grooves 6 formed in the inner faces
of the sides or ends whilst the back of the drawer is at hinged to the
bottom & so that it may be turned up at right angles with the bottom and secured

page_text: to the sides as shown at Figure 9. by means of hooks or fastenings be carried by
the back which engage the notches 68 of bolts or studs 67 fixed to the sides 61
and which pass through holes formed in the back 6 as shown more particularly
at Figure 14. whilst when the drawer is collapsed the back 6 may be turned upon
the hinges and folded flat upon the bottom for transport as represented at
Figure 11.
It will however be understood that any other suitable fastening means may be
employed in lieu of those lastly hereinbefore referred to..
The back of the chest of drawers is formed of a piece of any suitable flexible
material a which is fixed to the top a' and sides a., and the sides a. and bottom tie bar c
at the back are held in position or pressed by means of diagonal tie rods or stays a
at a pivotally mounted upon the sides a. and at a notched to engage headed
screws a screwing into the bottom c.
The chest of drawers may if desired be surmounted by a looking glass d. supported
in a bracket or frame d' at its lower edge provided with projections or tenons d²
which slide into corresponding grooves a formed in the sides a. so that it may be
readily dismounted and packed for transport.
manner
When it is desired to collapse the chest of drawers for transport the glass d. and
its bracket d' are dismounted by lifting the latter out of the grooves all, the
drawers b. are severally removed, the hooks or catches are turned back, the
bottom together with the back is slidden out and folded in the manner
shown at Figure 11, the sides are then folded on to the front in the
shown at Figure 10 the tie bars c. are unbolted and detached from the front, the
frame is slidden out and the diagonal stays a' are detached from the screws alo
when the sides a. may be folded up underneath the top a¹ in the manner
represented at Figure 16. and the several parts may be packed together in a small
case for transport.
In the example given at Figures 17., 18. and 19., the pins or dowels as upon
the sides a. and the corresponding holes in the projecting ends c¹ of the tie
bars c. are dispensed with and in lieu thereof the notches at a in the sides a. are
formed dovetailed and the projecting ends c¹ of the tie bars c. are correspondingly
formed but this latter device possesses no particular advantage over the arrangement
herein first described except that perhaps it is more in accordance with cabinet
work and probably possesses greater strength.
In the example given at Figure 20., the bottom bar has removeably fixed
therewith a plinth which serves to close the front of the chest of drawers at
the lower part thereof and give a neat finish to the article.
By the means hereinbefore described, a chest of drawers is obtained which
possesses the necessary rigidity when in use whilst it is capable of being easily
collapsed for transport.
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 :-
1. An article of furniture, comprising a top, sides fixed with the top but
horizontally hinged at different elevations, several drawers, horizontal slats or beads
fixed to the inner faces of the sides for the drawers to slide upon, horizontal
grooves arranged in the same plane as the slats and located in the inner faces of
the sides at the front thereof, horizontal tie bars at their ends fitting such grooves
and extending across the front of the article, notches in the front edges of the
sides, projections upon the ends of the tie bars to enter the notches, dowels
dovetails or other means for fixing the tie bars with the sides against lateral
movement, horizontal grooves formed in the inner faces of the sides at the lower
part thereof, a bottom tie bar or frame slidden into such grooves and diagonal stays
for fixing the sides with such bottom tie bar or frame, substantially as heroin shown
and described.

page_text: 2. A drawer for articles of furniture, comprising a front, sides or ends vertically
hinged to fold on to the front, horizontal grooves in the inner faces of the sides, a
bottom board sliding into such grooves from the rear, a back horizontally hinged
to the bottom so as to fold thereon and fastenings for fixing the back with
the sides in the expanded condition of the drawer, substantially as herein shown.
and described.
Dated this 24th day of December 1896
VAUGHAN & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.