US1023182A - Caster raising and lowering means for stands, &c. - Google Patents

Description

J. F. L. UHL.

CASTEE RAISING AND LOWERING MEANS FOR. STANDS}.&0.'

APPLICATION FILED JULY 17,1911.

Patented Apr. 16,1912.

JOSEPH F. L. UI-IL, OF TOLEDO, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE TOLEDO METAL FURNITURE COMPANY, OF TOLEDO, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

CASTER RAISING AND LOWERING MEANS FOR STANDS, 8w.

Application filed July 17, 1911.

To all whom it may concern."

Be it known that I, Josnrrr F. L. UHL, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Toledo, in the county of Lucas and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Caster Raising and Lowering Means for Stands, &c.; 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 appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to articles of furniture, and particularly to adding machine stands, tables, stools and other articles for.

which it may be adapted. I

The object of my invention is the provision, in combination with an article of the character described, of improved and efiicient means which is easily and quickly operable to raise or lower the leg casters of such article relative to the floor to provide a firm support for the article when its casters are raised, or to permit it to be freely moved from place to place when the casters are lowered, and which is also simple, strong and inexpensive in its construction.

The invention is fully described in the following specification, and while in its broader aspect it is capable of embodiment in numerous forms a preferred embodiment thereof is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, which is a perspective View of an adding machine stand embodying my invention with the casters thereof raised from contact with the floor.

Referring to the drawing, 1 designates the legs of a stand, stool or the like, which are shown in the present instance as being four in number and as cooperating with the top connecting frame or rim 2 .and with the subjacent leg bracing frames 3 to form an adding machine stand having cups or sockets 4 at the corners of the top frame 2 in which the feet of a machine may rest. Casters 5 of any suitable form are carried by the legs 1 at their lower ends in a manner to cause them to be raised from the floor when the legs are raised for such purpose.

An angled lever 6 is fulcrumed in the present instance to each of the legs 1 adjacent Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 16, 1912.

Serial No. 638,882.

to its lower end, as at 7, and has one arm thereof angling outward and downward from its fulcrum, and its other arm contlnuing inward to a point substantially central,

of the legs where it is pivotally connected with the inner ends of the other levers to the lower end of a bar 8. This bar extends upward from its point of connection to the levers 6 through the frame parts 3 and has its upper end attached to a crank-shaft 9, the ends of which are journaled in bearing lugs 10 projecting from one of said frames, as shown. One end of the crank-shaft 9 is bent without its bearing lug to form a crankhandle 11, which coacts with the associated frame part 3 to limit the oscillatory movements thereof. The crank and handle of the shaft 9 are preferably disposed at substantially right angles to each other so that when the crank is at the limit of its upward or downward movements the handle 11 will coact with the associated frame part 3 to hold the shaft against turning in one direction from such positions. The pivot pin 12, which connects the lower end of the bar 8 to the inner ends of the levers 6 works through registering longitudinally extending slots 13 in theinner ends of the levers. The inner ends of the levers 6 are shown as being bent in parallelism to adapt them to lap each other in pairs at opposite sides of the bar 8.

It is apparent with this construction that upon a turning of the crank-shaft 9 to the position shown the bar 8 is raised and the levers 6 are oscillated in unison to effecta =lowering'of their outer ends to engage the floor or other supporting object and raise the legs 1 and casters 5 to withdraw the casters from contact with the fioor, the throw and length of the angled outer ends of the levers 6 being suflicient for such pur pose, thus providing a firm sub-base or sup port for the stand. Upon a throwing of the crank-handle 11 in the opposite direction, the bar 8 is lowered and the attached levers 6 oscillated a suitable distance to lower the casters 5 into contact with the fioor and to raise the feet of the sub-base levers from contact therewith thus enabling the stand to be freely moved upon its casters to any desired position.

'While the levers 6 may be of any suitable construction they are shown in the present instance as having their feet or outer end portions 6 drawn in channel form from sheet-metal with the upper ends of the webs or channel walls thereof extended inwardly therefrom, as at 6 to form a fork which straddles the lower end portions of the legs 1 with the free ends thereof riveted to an interposed bar 6, which forms the inner end portion of the lever.

It is apparent that I have provided a simple and efficient sub-base for stands or the like which is capable of being easily and quickly operated to raise the stand casters from or lower them into contact with the floor as it may be desired to firmly anchor the stand in adjusted position or to move the same upon its casters from place to place.

I wish it understood that my invention is not limited to any specific construction or arrangement of the parts except in so far as such limitations are specified in the claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is,

1. In an article of the class described, the combination of main supporting legs, a frame connecting and rigidly bracing said legs and having an opening therein, casters for such legs, an angled lever pivoted to each leg adjacent to its lower end and being operable to raise or lower the main legs,

' the inner ends of said levers being bent to stand side by side in substantial parallelism, a bar rising through the opening in said frame with its lower end attached to the inner ends of said levers, and a crank shaft journaled in said frame with its crank attached to the upper end of said bar and op erable to raise or lower the bar.

2. The combination with the legs of a stand, of leg raising and lowering levers pivoted to the legs, said levers each having its foot or outer end portion angling downward from the associated leg and of channel form with the upper end portion of its channel webs prolonged and projecting inward to form a fork which straddles the leg and is pivoted thereto, and having a bar fixed at one end of said fork and projecting inward therefrom with its free end in adjacent position to the free ends of the other levers, and means attached to the free ends of said lever bars and operable to oscillate said levers to effect a raising or lowering of the stand legs.

3; The combination with the legs of a stand, of leg raising and lowering levers pivoted to the legs with portions extending outward and" downward from the legs to form feet, said feet portions each being of channel form in cross-section with its end terminating adjacent to the leg to which it attaches and having the upper ends of its side walls extended laterally to form a fork for straddling the leg, and 'means connected tot-he inner ends of said levers and operable to oscillate them to effect a raising or lowering of the stand legs.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOSEPH F. L. UHL.

Witnesses:

C. W. OWEN, M. Q. OPPENHEIM.

Copies 01' this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0:

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