Improved Folding Desk and Seat.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Nov., 1898-Accepted, 28th Jan., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Folding Desk and Seat.
I, SAMUEL AKBROIT, of Odessa, in the Russian Empire, Schoolmaster, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
The object of the present invention is an improved piece of school furniture,
which in consequence of its special combination of a table or desk with a bench
or chair frame, admits of the adjustable arrangement of its different parts, in
such a manner that it corresponds to all scholastic and hygienic requirements.
The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing. in which
Figure 1 shews a front elevation.
Figure 2 a side elevation.
Figure 3 a section through Figure 1 on the lines r-x, and
Figure 4 an isometric view of the whole device.
The desk or table of the apparatus consists of the two pieces A and A¹ revolubly
connected by the hinges f and f¹. These parts A and A¹ are suspended to the
cross bar by means of the correspondingly bent iron bars d (Figure 3). They
consequently rest loosely upon the frame of the table, and are only prevented
from slipping off by the iron bars d. The bars d are moreover somewhat curved,
and serve to support various school implements. To the upper plate A a narrow
ridge a, and a book holder b for retaining the school books in position can be
applied. Beneath the table may be placed a rubber pouch for holding books
and papers.
The frame consists of the uprights B and B and C C¹. B B are
held together by connecting rods. Both pairs of uprights are pivotally connected
by means of the bolts h¹ so that upon folding the device together the up-
rights CC place themselves behind the uprights B B¹. The bars prevent the
unrights from spreading too far apart.
The seat consists of the pairs of uprights D D and E E¹. The uprights D D'
form at the same time the back of the seat, and are pivotally connected under-
neath by the bolts n n¹ with the uprights C C₁ of the table. The uprights D D₁
when the apparatus is folded pass behind the uprights C C¹, and are connected
together by means of the bolts o o¹. The cross bart passes through the parts F F¹
forming the seat proper, and also through the parts D D¹, and the two parts F F
are connected by means of the cross bars and r. The uprights E E¹ act as a
second pair of feet, and are connected by means the connecting bar ?.
In order to limit the extension of the uprights E E¹ and D D¹, they are
connected at their lower part by means of the folding hars q q².
As may be seen from the illustration, Figure 4. the part A A¹ has a piece cut
out so that the scholar does not rest his chest against it.
The hinges are so placed that they determine the limit of the distance
over which the writer can spread his elbows. The special hinged connection
of the table, and the seat at the points » n' serves principally to prevent the
scholar when seated thereat from pushing the whole device with the table away
from him, and then assuming a bent position. This is attained by the arrange-

page_text: ment that the weight of the user exercises a pressure upon the hinged connection,
so that the same is thereby held fast. As, however, the two pairs of uprights D) D¹
and CC are connected pivotally with the other pairs of uprights B B and E E
by means of the jointed rods and q q¹ the pushing away of the desk in the
weighted condition is impossible; on the other hand when the user rises up the
parts n n are relieved so that if the scholar raises the seat with one hand, and
causes it to revolve upon the axis t, and with the other hand pushes away the
desk A A', the apparatus is noiselessly pushed into such a position that the user
can stand upright in it and move conveniently out of it.
Owing to the special arrangement of the pairs of uprights as well as the pivotal
connection thereof by the bolts the whole apparatus can be folded together, so
that it can then be used directly as a seat, and takes up the smallest space
possible. Hereby is attained that the study room can be converted into the
schoolroom directly, because each separate scholar is able to convert the school
desk into a seat, by pushing the desk over the back of the seat, whereby the
corresponding pairs of uprights are caused to lie against the uprights of the desk,
and a very comfortable seat is produced (Figure 4). These seats can then be
placed alongside the wall so that the parts A A' rest against the wall, and the
outer ends of the uprights E E against the skirting board. The table as well
as the seat can be adjusted as may be convenient, and can be moved towards or
further away from one another by means of the special connection n n². It will
be obvious therefore from the foregoing that the whole combination can be
placed in all positions which may be required for scholastic and hygienic require-
ments.
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. A folding school desk characterized by having a desk or table which is
pivotally connected with a seat or chair in such a manner that the said desk can
be turned over the back of the chair, and in this manner the school desk can be
converted into a seat with side supports.
2. A modification of the adjustable school desk set forth in Claim 1, charac-
terized by the construction that the parts forming the seat and the desk respec-
tively are pivotally connected together in such a manner that the distance between
the scholar and the desk when seated thereat remains always that desired, and
when the scholar rises, owing to the release and folding up of the seat F and the
pressing away of the desk a free space is formed between the desk and the seat.'
3. A modification of the improved school desk set forth in Claims 1 and 2
characterized by the removal of vertical divisions in the desk, so that the attitude
of the scholar is visible at all times.
4. A constructional modification of the apparatus set forth in Claims 1, 2, and 3
characterized by the parts B B, C C, D D¹, and E E¹ which support the seat F FI
and the desk A A¹ being connected so as to fold one upon another, and which
parts are pivotally connected by bolts h h o o¹ and in which pairs of uprights
aforesaid stand in pivotal connection with one another on the parts n n.
5. In the apparatus set forth in Claim 1 the arrangements of pockets c c¹
underneath the desk or the seat in order to obviate the need for the vertical
partitions usual in school desks for holding the requisite implements, so that the
entire body of the scholar is visible to the teacher.
Dotad this Ofth day of Nozam hay 1909
W. P. THOMPSON & Co..
322, High Holborn, London, W.C.,
Patent Agents for the Applicant.