US1094208A - Standing-desk attachment for roll-top desks. - Google Patents

Description

A. HOWE. STANDING DESK ATTACHMENT FOR ROLL TOP DESKS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE25, 1910.

1 094 208 Patented Apr. 21, 191 1 9 a I 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

FIG4 8 7 FlG.5.7 5 4 10' /0 m @w A9 fig WITNESSES COLUMBIA PLANDGRAPH cO.,\vAsH|NuTO D. c.

A. J. HOWE.

STANDING DESK ATTACHMENT FOR ROLL TOP DESKS. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 25, 1910.

1,094,208, Patented Apr. 21, 191% 2' SHEBTSSHEET 2.

FIG.8.

FIG.9. /8 9 WITNESSES F INVENTOR m ARTHUR J. nown,

0F PITTSBURGH,

PENNSYLVANIA.

STANDING-DESK ATTACHMENT FOB, ROLL-TOP DESKS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR J. HOWE, a resident of Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Standing-Desk Attachments for Roll-Top Desks, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide a simple and efficient folding top-forming attachment for a desk, particularly a rolltop desk, whereby upon extending the attachment a high or standing desk is provided, this being accomplished by simply pulling outwardly the attachment from its folded position. With a desk thus equipped its occupant may either stand or sit as he prefers or as the character of the work in hand may make most convenient.

While the attachment is designed primarily to provide a frontwardly extensible top-forming portion above the usual table portion of the desk, it may be so applled as to unfold in a rearward direction and thus in no way interfere with the main table portion of the desk, thus providing its occupant with working room at which he may either sit or stand as best suits his convenience.

A characteristic of the invention is a novel swinging support for the extended top portion, the same being connected to the top and to the outside of the desk and always in position for the top to either unfold or fold up, this without interfering in any way with the operation of the desk roll.

In the accompanying drawings, Figures 1 and 2 are end elevations of the upper portion of a roll-top desk, the attachment being shown folded or contracted in Fig. 1, and unfolded or extended in Fig. 2. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the desk with the attachment extended as in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a cross-section of the attachment in position on the desk, taken on line 4- 1 of Fig. 5, and Fig. 5 is an edge view of a portion of the attachment when folded as in Fig. 1, one end thereof being shown in section. Fig. 6 is a detail of one of the clips for holding the attachment in position. Fig. 7 is a detail of the clamp for securing the lower end of one of the swinging arms to the desk ledge. Figs. 8 and 9 are views similar to Figs. 1 and 2, illustrating the attachment so applied as to extend from the rear of the desk. Fig. 10 is a detail of one of the extensible Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 25, 1910.

Patented Apr. 21, 1914.

Serial No. 568,822.

slides employed in the construction of Figs. 8 and 9, together with the supporting clips therefor.

Referring to the drawings, 2 designates the table of an ordinary roll-top desk, the ends of which project to form the usual external ledges 3.

4 is the cabinet portion of the desk above table 2, and 5 is the top board thereof which comprises the flat top surface of the desk.

The supplemental top-forming attachment consists of a series of leaf-like sections movably connected together, with means for supporting the same in extended position. In the present adaptation three such sections are here shown. The inner or first section 6 is of substantially the same size as desk top 5 and lies flat thereon with its under face preferably surfaced with felt or other nonscratchlng material 6. The second section 7 of the extensible part is hinged at 7 to a longitudinal edge of section 6, and the third section 8 is hinged at 8 to the outer edge of section 7. The hinges are so arranged that when the parts are folded, the top of section 7 turns downward on section 6, and the upper face of section 8 constitutes the top surface of the folded pack, and provides a finished top for the desk when the attachment is not extended. The longitudinal edge of section 6 opposite hinges 7 carries the raised molding 9 which with corresponding moldings 1.0 and 10 011 section 8 box in or inclose the sections and provide the attachment with an attractive edge when the parts are folded, as shown in Fig. 1. The first section 6 may be variously secured to the desk top. The means here shown consists of the hook-like plates 11, notched on one edge at 11, with one or another of the notches engaging a pin 12 secured in the depression 6 in the under face of section 6. The attachment is thus securely held, and at the same time may be readily removed.

Longitudinally extensible arms, preferably of telescoping form, are provided for sustaining the front or extended portion of the supplemental top, the upper section 13 of each arm being of rod form and having a moving fit in the tubular arm 14, such parts being shown square in cross-section in preference to being round, thereby increasing the stiffness of the structure without retarding the telescopic movement. The upper ends of arms 13 are hinged at 13 to the outer edge of top section 8, and while the lower ends of the tubular arms 14 may be variously secured to the desk, I prefer to hinge each at 1st to the yoke-like clamp 15, adapted to embrace ledge 8, to which it is secured at any desired distance from the end of the ledge by screw 16. To prevent shock when extending or unfolding the attachment the lower ends of arms 13 may engage the cushioning springs 17 confined in the tubular arms, as shown in Fig. 7.

The extensible or telescopic arms afford the necessary play incident to folding and unfolding the top-forming attachment, and being at the outside of the desk ends are entirely out of the way. Clamps 15 may be adjusted either backward or forward with reference to the front edge of the desk top for increasing or decreasing the inclination of the extended portion, as will be readily seen by referring to Fig. 2.

The hinged strip 18 may be raised from a groove or slot in base section 6, as in Fig. 2, this strip in conjunction with molding 9 forming a convenient support for book, etc. The attachment is readily manipulated bv means of handle 19 secured to the front of section 8, the attachment raising and readily unfolding in outward direction, with the supporting arms swinging outward and firmly sustaining the extended portion.

In the adaptation shown in Figs. 8 and 9, the folding extensible attachment is the same as that shown in Figs. 1 and 2, its position being simply reversed on top 5 for the purpose of projecting the extensible top from the rear of the desk instead of fronttical line intersecting the hinges connecting sections 6 and 7 and in the adaptation of Figs. 1 and 2 it will be noted that clamps 15 are similarly positioned relatively to hinges 7. To secure a like result for the backwardly extending desk top, arms 13 14 are hinged to bars 20, formed preferably of light angle iron, as shown in Fig. 10, and moving through the loop- like clips 21 and 22 secured to the under surface of ledges 3, the lower edge of each bar being notched at 20 to obtain a secure hold on loops 28 of the clips, the bars being of suflicient length so that they may project more or less as desired for varying the inclination of the extended top, and several notches 20 being provided for obtaining a secure hold in each position.

I claim 2- 1. The combination of a desk, a series of leaf-like sections hinged together for folding one on top of the other and for unfolding in extended top-forming relation, means for securing one of the sections to the desk top, supports at the exterior of the desk for the extended sections, each support consisting of upper and lower 1nembersone freely movable longitudinally of the other, a hinge connecting the upper support member to one of the extensible sections, and a hinge connection between the lower support member and the exterior of the desk, said latter connections being similarly positioned in either position of the attachment, and means for adjusting the last mentioned hinge connection toward and from the front of the desk.

2. The combination of a. roll-top desk having projecting ledges at its ends, a supplemental top consisting of leaf like sections hinged together and adapted to fold into compact relation on the desk top with means for securing the attachment in position,

arms for supporting the opposite ends of the top-forming portion when extended, each arm formed in telescoping sections with the upper end of the arm hinged to an extensible section of the supplemental top, and ledge-engaging clamps to which the lower ends of the arms are hinged, said clamps being similarly located in either position of the sections.

3. A supplemental desk attachment comprising a base section, means for securing said section to the top of a desk, molding projecting upwardly from a longitudinal edge of the base section, movable sections hinged together and to the opposite longitudinal edge of the base section, the movable sections folding together on top of the base section, and molding carried by the movable portion of the attachment and cooperating with the molding on the fixed section to provide an inclosing edge finish for the attachment when folded.

4. A supplemental desk attachment comprising a series of movably connected extensible leaf-like sections adapted to fold together one on top of the other, a strip hinged to turn upwardly on the lowermost section, the strip extending longitudinally of said section and positioned forwardly from the rear edge of the latter, and a molding extending upwardly from the rear edge of the lowermost section against which the other leaf-like sections fold, said strip and molding cooperating to form a book support.

5. The combination with a roll-top desk having projecting end ledges at the juncture of the desk proper and the roll-top portion, of a supplemental top formed in sections hinged together and adapted to unfold in extended relation and fold one on top of the other on the desk top, means socuring one section of the supplemental top to the top of the desk, and longitudinally extensible supports wholly outside the desk and hinged at their upper ends to the supplemental top and at their lower ends to the said end ledges, the lower end connection being relatively fixed in similar location in either position of the sections.

6. The combination of: a roll-top desk, a supplemental top therefor formed in sections hinged together and adapted to fold one on top of the other on the desk top, swinging longitudinally extensible supports hinged at their upper ends to the supple mental top and at their lower ends having a hinge connection to the exterior of the desk, each support consisting of a tubular memher and a rod member with the latter freely movable in the tubular member when folding and unfolding the supplemental top, and means for adjusting the hinge connections for the lower ends of the supports for varying the inclination of the supplemental top when unfolded.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

ARTHUR J. HOWE. Witnesses:

J. W. NESBIT, F. E. GAITHER.

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

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