Page:An Encyclopædia of Cottage, Farm, and Villa Architecture and Furniture.djvu/333

 FURNITURE FOR COTTAGE DWELLINGS, 309 card table. The top is made double, and hinged at the back, so iis to fold over, and there is a dra ver in the frame. The two legs ^ g are fixed, but the ether two, h k, are hinged, and fold out to support the folding flap. The joints, which are made in the rails of the folding legs, are of wood, as shown at t and k ; and, being put together, a piece of strong iron wire is driven down the centre of the rounded ends, and forms the axis on which they turn. This joint is technically called a knuckle joint ; and rails of tables hinged in this manner are called fly rails. Fig. 605 is a table, which, when folded up like fig. 604, has exactly the same appearance. The top is double, like the top of a card table, and turns round on a pivot /, having a fixed well, n, to answer the pur- pose of a drawer ; when the flap is opened it makes a square table with rounded corners like the other. There is a rail, m, fixed to the upper side of the frame, to receive the pivot on which the top of the tableworks, as shown in the cross section, 7j,and longitudinal section, o. Fig. 606, to a scale of half an inch to a foot, is a table on four legs, with two drawers in 606 the frame. The end flaps, p p, are made to put on or to take off as required, by means of what are called strap- hinges, which are fastened to the flaps. These hinges are shown in fig. 606, in which q is the part screwed to the under side of the flap ; and r the strap or part which is inserted under the top of the table, into an iron plate, s, screwed to the under side of the top, as shown at *. The hinge of the strap is of the knuckle-joint kind, as exhibited at u. After the flap is put in, it is supported by small fly-brackets, fig. 606, v v- This is certainly a very convenient table, and very simple in its construction : it might be made still more economically, by substituting fixed bracket-shaped iron straps to the flaps, in lieu of the strap hinges ; which would render both the latter and the brackets, V, unnecessary. The only inconvenience of this plan would be, that the flaps, when not in use, would require to be taken out and put aside. Fig. 607, p. 313, is a table on four turned legs with castors, and with the ends of the frame made to draw out to support two flaps, which may be loose, and fastened at the joints by sockets, tc, and pins, x ; or the flaps may be hinged to the ends of the top, and lift up and let down, being sup- ported, when raised, by the end frames. A shelf might be added to this table, about fifteen inches from the floor, which would be found useful for holding workboxes, books, &c. Fig. G08, p. 313, to a scale of half an inch to a foot, is a plain parlour work-table, with two drawers ; and with flaps having ruled joints to fall down, and fly brackets to support them when up. Fig. 609, p. 313, to a scale of three fourths of an inch to a foot, is a work and writing table for a cottager's wife ; for we trust that the time will soon come, when not only every cottager's wife will be able to ^-sTite as well as read, but wiU have leisure to do so. This table may be made much plainer than is here shown, and consequently cheaper. For example, if the legs were not turned, and the whole were made of common deal, it would cost little more than an ordinary table with two drawers. The bag frame, which, when economy was the object, might be made of glazed coloured calico instead of silk, is made to draw out in front, and the writing-drawer over it pulls out at the end. In this drawer there is a flap to write on, hinged to a sliding piece.