Improvements in or relating to Cabinets, Tables, or the like.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 13th July, 1899
Complete Specification Left, 10th Mar., 1900-Accepted, 21st Apr., 1900
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Cabinets, Tables, or the like.
1, MIDDLETON CHAPMAN, Trading as Chapman, Son & Co., 2, Charterhouse
Buildings, Goswell Road, E.C., in the County. of London, Dressing Case Manu-
facturers do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
6
My invention refers to improvements in or relating to cabinets, tables or the
like, and has special reference to what are known as automatic surprise"
tables, which are tables in which an inner case or tray is concealed below two
hinged flaps forming the top of table which flaps on being opened cause the
case or tray to rise automatically, exposing contents.
With these tables, as usually constructed, great care has to be exercised in
raising the flaps evenly, so as to avoid tilting or jamming by reason of one side
rising before the other, thereby preventing an easy motion, and endangering
contents. Also with these tables when being closed there is a risk of the inner
case or tray running down too quickly in consequence of the weight of contents.
My invention is intended to obviate these difficulties and to preserve a perfectly
level and even movement in action; either rising or closing; and a complete
check against accident when closing the flaps without any care on the part of
the operator.
For this purpose I attach to the inner case or tray, in the centre on the under
side, a metal rod; round, square, sexagonal or other shape; which is fitted into
a metal tube of same shape, fixed upon a tray or shelf secured to the legs of the
table & some distance below the body of the table, or the tube may be fixed to
the bottom of body of table. When the flaps are opened the rod on the inner
case or tray is guided in its ascent by the tube in which it moves like a piston
rod, making it impossible to deviate from a perfect level.
For ensuring a perfect & steady descent, I place a cap on the bottom end of
tube with a small hole in the centre, so that the air which fills the tube when
rod is drawn up can only gradually escape when rod descends, effectually pre-
venting the too rapid descent of the inner case of tray.
In order further to facilitate the raising of the inner case or tray, I put a
spiral spring at the bottom of the tube which will assist in forcing up the rod
as soon as the flaps are raised.
.
Obviously however, two or more such arrangements might be applied in any
convenient positions, for example at each end, or at each corner of case or tray.
This invention can be applied to any existing cabinets, tables or the like.
Dated this 18th day of July 1899.
Pattu
AIN & TO ARD TIGE SITTA
1033.
MIDDLETON CHAPMAN.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
:.
Improvements in or relating to Cabinets, Tables, or the like.
I, MIDDLETON CHAPMAN, Trading as Chapman, Son & Co., of 2, Charterhouse
Buildings, Goswell Road, E.C., in the County of London, Dressing Case Manu-
[Price 8d.1

page_text: facturers, 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:-
Reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and
figures marked thereon, that is to say.
My invention refers to improvements in, or relating to cabinets, tables or the
like, and has special reference to what are known as "automatic surprise"
tables, which are tables in which an inner case or tray is concealed below two
hinged flaps forming the top of the table, which flaps on being opened cause the
case or tray to rise automatically exposing contents. With these tables as
usually constructed great care has to be exercised in raising the flaps evenly so
as to avoid tilting or jamming by reason of one side rising before the other,
thereby preventing an easy motion, and endangering contents. My invention
is intended to obviate these difficulties and to preserve a perfectly level movement
when in action, either rising or closing, and a complete check against accident
when closing the flaps, without any care on the part of the operator.
For this purpose I attach to the inner case or tray in the centre, on the under
side, a metal rod, either round, square, sexagonal or other shape, which is fitted
into a metal tube of same shape, fixed upon the bottom of outer case, or fixed
to a tray or shelf secured to the legs of the table, and some distance below the
body of the table.
In order that my invention may be readily understood, I now describe the
same fully with reference to the accompanying drawings in which
Fig. 1 is a vertical section of an "automatic surprise" table constructed accord-
ing to my invention, and provided with a sliding rod moving in a tube the parts
being shown in the positions they occupy when the table is closed.
Fig. 2 is a corresponding sectional view showing the parts in the positions they
occupy when the table is open, the flaps being broken away.
Fig. 3 shows the application of a spring in the tube.
A is the body of the "automatic surprise" table. B is the inner case or tray;
and CC are the flaps forming the top of the table, which are connected in the
usual manner with the inner case or tray by the arms or levers 1) 1) so that when
the flaps are opened the inner case or tray is raised to it's full height and remains
secure.
E is the metal rod, round, square, sexagonal or other shape, fixed in the centre
of under side of the inner case or tray B. F is the metal tube of same shape
fixed on the bottom of outer case of table G, or fixed to a shelf below the bottom of
table H.
When the flaps of the tabe C C are opened the rod E on the inner case or
tray B is guided in it's ascent by the tube F in which it moves like a piston rod,
making it impossible to deviate from a perfect level.
Obviously however two or more such arrangements might be applied in any
convenient position, for example, at each end, or at each corner of the inner case
or tray.
In order further to facilitate the raising of the inner case or tray, I put a
spiral spring J, at the bottom of the tube F, or tubes, which will. materially
assist in forcing up the rod or rods, so soon as the flaps C C are raised, and so
reduce the weight of the inner case or tray. This invention can be applied to
any existing cabinet, table or the like, having an inner case or tray.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:―
1. In a cabinet "automatic surprise" table or like article, the means for en-
suring the perfectly level movement of the case or tray, and to avoid the tilting
or jamming of the same on raising or closing the flaps, substantially as described.
2. In a cabinet "automatic surprise" table or like article, the combination

page_text: with the inner case or tray, of a sliding rod arrangement, substantially as de-
scribed and shown, and for the purposes set forth.
66
3. In a cabinet automatic surprise" table or like article the combination.
with a sliding rod arrangement of a spiral spring to assist the ascent of the inner
case or tray substantially as described.
Dated this 10th day of March 1900