Improvement inTables. Page: 2 of 2
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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.
JOHN C. MELCHER, OF O'QUINN, TEXAS.
IMPROVEMENT IN TABLES.
Specification forning part of Letters Patent No. 210,183, dated November 19, 1878; application filed
September 24, 1878.To all whom it may concern:
Be it known that I, JoHN C. MELCHER, of
O'Quinn, in the county of Fayette and State
of Texas, have invented certain new and use-
ful Improvements in Tables; and I do hereby
declare the following to be a full, clear, and
exact description of the invention, such as will
enable others skilled in the art to which it
pertains to make and use it, reference being
had to the accompanying drawings, which form
part of this specification.
My invention relates to an improvement in
tables; and it consists in the arrangement
and combination of parts that will be more
fully described hereinafter, whereby the table
can be taken apart, packed in a small compass
for transportation, and then put together again
by an inexperienced hand.
The accompanying drawings represent my
invention.
a represents the two pieces which form the
feet of the table, the two pieces being crossed
at right angles to each other, and held in po-
sition by means of a recess cut in the top of
one and a recess cut in the bottom of the
other.
The leg b is made hollow, and rests upon
the top of the two pieces a, and is prevented
from turning around during the tightening
operation by the two dowel-pins c, which pro-
ject upward from one of the pieces, and enter
holes in the bottom of the leg or standard.
The upper end of this leg or standard is di-
vided into the four prongs d, which pass up
through the hole e in the center of the shelf
f; andeach prongfits snuglyin a corner formed
by the two cross-pieces g which separate the
shelf and the top it.
The two pieces g are rigidly secured to the
under side of the top, and the shelf is secured
to the lower edges of the two pieces, as shown.
Passed down through the top and shelf, the
center of the standard, and the base is the
headed screw - rod i, upon the lower end of
which is screwed the not 1.
Whenever the table becomes rickety and
loose in the slightest degree, the nut has only
to be tightened up somewhat, and the parts
will all be made firm and secure again.
In order to make the table rigid and strong,
the braces n are applied to the sides of the
standard, so that their upper ends supportthe under side of the shelf, as shown. As
these braces are liable to become loose, ahole,
o, is made through the side of the standard
for each brace, and a screw, or other equiv-
alent device, r-, is passed from the insideof tihe
boards which form the standard or leg before
they are secured together outward through
the hole into the inner edge of the brace.
The screws are not screwed up tightly
against the inner sides of the standard; but
a space is left between their heads and the
sides, so as to allow the sharp ends of the
double or pronged wedges s to be inserted
between them. By driving downward these
wedges the braces can be secured very rigidly
in position. The lower ends of the braces are
fastened to the outside of the standard by
means of screws.
As all of the parts are fastened together by
screws, it is only necessary to remove the nut
l from the lower end of the rod, withdraw the
wedges, remove the screws rand braces na when
the whole table can be taken apart, packed
into a very small space for transportation,
and then put together again by any inexpe-
rienced hand.
By dividing the upper end of the standard
into prongs d, and having the cross-pieces fit
down between them, the top and shelf are
firmly and securely braced in position, so that
even if the rod were to become loose the parts
would still be held rigidly together.
Having thus described my invention, I
claim-
1. The standard b, having the prongs d, in
combination with the shelf f, having the hole
e, cross-pieces g, top h, rod i, base a, and nut
1, substantially as shown.
2. The standard i, composed of three or
more sides or pieces, each one having a hole,
o, screw r, wedge s, and brace n, the wedges
being driven between the heads of the screws
and the inner sides of the standard, all com-
bined substantially as set forth.
In testimony that I claim the foregoing I
have hereunto set my hand this 11th day of
September, 1878.
JOHN C. MELCHER.
Witnesses:
JOHN F. MELCHEE,
MAX E. GEBERT.
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Reference the current page of this Patent.
Melcher, John C. Improvement inTables., patent, November 19, 1878; [Washington D.C.]. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth169793/m1/2/: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.