Patent number on table and chairs

Hi.. I am new to the board.. I purchased a table and chairs from a yardsale.As I pulled the sections apart to paint it , I see a PROV.PAT no13754 on a medal plate and the no 648 engraved in the wood.. Can anyone tell me what this means? thanks

 

Welcome, Kelly! I'm not a furniture person myself, but we have plenty who can advise you. Pictures of the plate and carved number as well as an over all picture of the table would help them answer your question.

 

I'm going to take a wild-eyed guess but . . . I wonder if "PROV.PAT" refers to a "provisional patent" (sort of like an interim state of "patent-hood" (that's a made-up word by the way) before the final paperwork is filed and a full-fledged "Patent" is issued).

I'm not going to take a guess (wild-eyed or otherwise) on the number "648" carved in the wood.

 

The provisional patent number probably relates to the slide mechanism and not the table itself. The incised number is probably a part or model number that could relate to either.