Albert E. Robert's 1873 School Desk and Seat Patent Model, missing back
date: label: date made
content: 1873
label: patent date
content: 1873-04-22
name: label: patentee
content: Roberts, Albert E.
label: transfer
content: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
label: inventor
content: Roberts, Albert E.
notes: label: Description
content: Albert E. Roberts from Des Moines, Iowa, received a U.S. patent for an improved school bench and desk. Patent no. 138045 was issued on April 22, 1873.
label: Description
content: The bench seat is made of wooden slats pushed together in order to create more curved back support. The wood back and flip up desk top are missing from the model. The legs are on a hinge, which enables the back to fold up. The desk was designed to be easily taken apart for packing and shipping. The designed model regulates the friction of the joints, enabling the desk to be noiseless.
label: Description
content: Albert E. Roberts (1842-1917) was listed as a manufacturer of school furniture in the 1870 US Census and a school principal for the East Side Public Schools in the 1866 City Directory in Des Moines, Iowa. He later moved to Norwalk, Ohio. This collection contains three desk patent model's Mr. Roberts.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
place: label: referenced in patent specifications
content: United States: Iowa, Des Moines
topic: label: general subject association
content: Education
label: classified
content: Patent Models
setName: label: See more items in
content: Home and Community Life: Education
label: See more items in
content: American History Education Collection
label: See more items in
content: Cultures & Communities
label: See more items in
content: Patent Model School Seats and Desks
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: CL.65.0342
label: catalog number
content: 65.0342
label: accession number
content: 249602
label: patent number
content: 138,045
label: patent number
content: 183045
objectType: label: Object Name
content: school desk
label: Object Name
content: model
label: Object Name
content: desk model
label: Object Type
content: Patent Model
physicalDescription: label: Physical Description
content: wood (overall material)
label: Physical Description
content: metal (overall material)
label: Measurements
content: overall: 9 1/4 in x 7 1/4 in; 23.495 cm x 18.415 cm