IMPROVEMENTS IN EXPANDING DINING TABLES
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Guy Wilson, of 71, Market Street, in the City of
Manchester, and 8, Quality Court, Chancery Lane, in the City of London,
Mechanical Engineer and Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN EXPANDING DINING TABLES." A communication from abroad by Robert
William Ruscheweigh, of Langenvels, Silesia, in the Empire of Germany.
Sealed the 11th March 1879, and dated the 12th September 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Guy Wilson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 12th September 1878.
JOHN GUY WILSON, of 71, Market Street, in the City of Manchester, and 8,
Quality Court, Chancery Lane, in the City of London, Mechanical Engineer
and Patent Agent.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN EXPANDING DINING TABLES." A communication from abroad
by Robert William Ruscheweigh, of Langenvels, Silesia, in the Empire of Germany.
The object of this Invention is the construction of a dining table capable of
expanding to any desired length, and this without the use of the additional loose
and detachable leaves which have hitherto involved such trouble and loss of time in
putting together and taking to pieces, besides the inconvenience of having to find
storage room for such additional parts. Now this Invention consists of a table of
rectangular form which when folded up has the appearance of a simple and almost
square table, and in which the movable parts are entirely, hidden from view. In
carrying out the Invention I arrange the additional leaves of the table to slide one

page_text: under the other beneath the central portion and in two layers, one at each end of
the table, and I support these additional leaves when drawn out by employing a
series of guides suitably disposed beneath the framing which slide one inside the
other upon iron rollers running in grooves; these guides are arranged to draw out
in an inclined direction, and each is provided with a suitable prop or support so
that, as each leaf is drawn out, its support gradually rises in order to bring the
additional leaf on to the same level as the central portion of the table top.
Where a great length of table is required I then employ additional legs which are
either hinged beneath the framing or are made detachable.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent and of
an Order of the Lord Chancellor, filed by the said John Guy Wilson in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 1st April 1879.
JOHN GUY WILSON, of 71, Market Street, in the City of Manchester, and 8,
Quality Court, Chancery Lane, in the City of London, Mechanical Engineer and
Patent Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN EXPANDING DINING TABLES." A communi-
cation from abroad by Robert William Ruscheweigh, of Langenvels, Silesia, in the
Empire of Germany.
The object of this Invention is the construction of a dining table capable of
expanding to any desired length, and this without the use of the additional loose
and detachable leaves which have hitherto involved such trouble and loss of time
in putting together and taking to pieces, besides the inconvenience of having to
find storage room for such additional parts.
Now this Invention consists of a table of rectangular form which when folded
up has the appearance of a simple and almost square table and in which the mov-
able parts are entirely hidden from view. I carrying out the Invention I arrange
the additional leaves of the table to slide one under the other beneath the central
portion, and in two layers, one at each end of the table, and I support these
additional leaves when drawn out by employing a series of guides suitably disposed
beneath the framing, which slide one inside the other upon iron rollers running in
grooves; these guides are arranged to draw out in an inclined direction, and each is
provided with a suitable prop or support so that as each leaf is drawn out its
support gradually rises in order to bring the additional leaf on to the same level
as the central portion of the table top.
Where a great length of table is required I then employ additional legs, which
are either hinged beneath the framing or are made detachable.
And in order that the said Invention may be the more readily understood and
carried into practical effect, I have hereunto annexed a sheet of Drawings illustrative
of the said improvements, and upon which Fig. 1 represents a longitudinal view of
an expanding table, embracing the said improvements, and Fig. 2 is a front view of
same. Fig. 3 represents the same view as Fig. 2, but shews the centre of the table
in vertical section. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section through the centre of the table,
shewing one end partly drawn out. Fig. 5 is a sectional plan of the inclined guides
when closed up, and Fig. 6 represents a sectional plan of the same guides drawn
out to the full extent. Fig. 7 represents a longitudinal view of the same table
fully expanded, and Fig. 8 is a plan of Fig. 7. Fig. 9 shews an end view of a
pair of hinged legs for propping up the ends of the table when fully expanded.
It will thus be seen that this improved construction and arrangement of expand-
ing table forms when folded up a simple and almost square table, the inclined slides
b being hidden from view inside the framing, whilst the separate folios or leaves
a¹, a¹¹, a¹¹¹, a¹¹¹, of the table are arranged one over another in book form, in two
layers, as illustrated, and are capable of being pulled out to the right and left. The
guides or slides b, which incline slightly and slide in opposite directions, are so
arranged that if the table is pulled out the separate folios or leaves lay themselves
successively one beside the other in a horizontal line on a level with the central leaf a¹
by means of the leveling pieces c (which are fixed to such slides b), and wrought-iron
brackets d, fitted with hinges e (seen in Figs. 4, 7, and 8). The folio guides b slide
one inside the other upon wrought-iron rollers r, running in suitable grooves
(seen more clearly in Figs. 3, 5, and 6); these rollers not only ensure an easy and
frictionless motion of the sliding parts but also counteract the influence of tempera-
ture and season which would otherwise cause slides composed entirely of wood and
running in grooves of similar material to swell and become locked fast together.
The expanding or lengthening of this improved table requires no further manipu-
lation than the pulling out by means of the handle g, when the slides and leaves

page_text: adjust themselves self-actingly, whilst in pulling out the separate leaves it is only
necessary to slightly lift one folio after another at the joint or hinge e, so as to
allow the next outside leaf to be pushed underneath it. If more than two leaves
are required to be drawn out at each end, the legs f, f, connected to the slide apper-
taining to the last leaf but one have to be propped underneath, and this is effected
by drawing such legs down from the position illustrated in Fig. 1 to that shewn in
Fig. 9, until the loops fi fit the corresponding openings formed in the slide and
whereby such legs become securely fastened in the vertical position. In pushing
the table together again, when the last folio or leaf has been pushed in, these legs
are turned up on their hinges on to the swing brackets h, and are thus disposed out
of sight within the framing of the table.
It will be apparent that in accordance with this construction the number of
leaves in an expanding table is unlimited.
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said Inven-
tion, together with the best methods with which I am acquainted for carrying the
same into practical effect, I wish it to be distinctly understood that I do not confine
myself to the precise details, relative proportions, or dimensions of the various parts
of the improved expanding table herein-before described, and illustrated on the
accompanying Drawing, as the same may be considerably varied without departing
from the Invention, but what I claim as new is,―
The improved construction and arrangement of expanding tables having fixed and
separate folios or leaves which when folded up insert themselves by means of
suitable guides underneath the centre folio or leaf, and which when simply drawn
out adjust themselves to the same horizontal level as the centre folio, substantially
as herein-before described, and illustrated on the accompanying Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Guy Wilson, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this
day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-nine.
JOHN G. WILSON. (L.S.)