US400871A

US400871A - William h

Info

Publication number: US400871A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1889-04-02
Anticipated expiration: 1906-04-02

Description

(No Model.)

' W. H. PORTER.

TOP FOB. DESKS.

PatentedApr. 2, i8 89..

fly-l.

M INI M dillllll UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WVILLIAM H. PORTER, OF IVASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

TOP FOR DESKS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 460,871, dated April 2, 1889.

Application filed July '7, 1888- Serial No. 279,300. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. PORTER, of the city of WVashington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Manufaci u: e of Tops for Desks, of which the following is a specification, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings.

The object of my invention is to provide means for economically and securely fastening a cloth upon a desk or table top.

Ordinarily desk-tops are composed of framepieces for the edges of a central panel, which is covered with green baize. oil-cloth, leather, or some such fabric. The cloth or other covering material is glued to the central panel and usually covered at its edges with a binding which is liable to get loose. I provide a different means of fastening, and I also make my central panel in a different way from what has heretofore been practiced, as I will now proceed to explain in detail.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure I is a perspective view of a part of a table-top made according to my invention. Fig. 2 is a section of one side, showing the rib and cloth in place. Fig. 3 is a sectional View showing a formal modification with the rib and cloth left out.

A indicates the frame-work of a desk-top forming its edges, consisting of four pieces mitered or otherwise united at the corners in the usual way.

B indicates the central panel. This panel I prefer to form by securing together pieces of matched stuff until the proper size of the panel is attained. I then form a tongue all around the edge of the panel, and upon the side which is to be the upper surface of the panel and receive the cloth coverI preferably make the cut deeper or widersay about one-fifth of an inch-than upon the lower side, as shown in cross-section in Fig 2. I form the groove D in the frame-pieces in the usual manner to fit the tongue upon the panel. After the panel has been fixed in place in the frame composed of the edge pieces, there will be left a groove,

E, all around the upper part of the panel. I could form the groove E by cutting away the upper wall of the groove in the frame, as shown in Fig. 3; but that is not preferable. I then place the cloth cover in position, preferably smoothing it out and securing itby glue or paste to the panel, and cut it all around its edges to the proper size by running a cutter in the groove E. This leaves the edge of the cloth projecting out all around over the groove more or less, according to the place of the cut, as may be desired. I then force the cloth into this groove by means of a close-fitting rib, F, which, when in place, forms an ornamental bead around the margin of the frame resembling a bead made upon the frame-pieces by a suitable tool. The rib may be glued in place; but generally it is sufficient to secure it with very small brads, or leave it snugly fitted without fastening, so that it can be removed easily whenever it is desired to remove the cover and renew it.

This construction is very cheap to manufacture, and it affords a very neat and excellent fastening for the cloth cover of the desk. 1

I am aware that a rib as a holder, broadly considered, is not new, and that a groove and rib have been used in chair-bottoms, for example, and my invention does not consist, broadly, therefore, in the use of a groove and a rib; but

WVhat I claim to-be new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

In the manufacture of a desk-top, the combin ation of the grooved frame A and the panel B, tongued all around its edges, the wood being cut away on the upper side, as described, so that when the panel is in position in the frame a rib-recess will be left between the frame and panel for fastening the cloth cover in place, substantially as set forth.

In testimony of all which I have hereunto subscribed my name.

WVILLIAM I-I. PORTER.

Witnesses: Y

MARCUS S. HOPKINS, O. P. ELWELL.