US1336085A - Support for hinged covers or members - Google Patents

Description

F. E. LEVANSELER.

SUPPORT FOR HINGED COVERS 08 MEMBERS. APPLICATION FILED MAR. H, 1915.

1,336,085. Patented Apr. 6, 19 20.

"UIQTITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK E. LEVANfSELER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

SUPPORT FOR HINGED COVERS 0R MEMBERS.

Application filed March 11, 1915.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK E. LEVANSELER, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of Chicago, in the'county of-Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Supports for Hinged Covers or Members, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in means for supporting the hinged lids or covers of desks, trunks, boxes, pianos and the like, when raised or turned on their hinges to any desired elevation or angle, in such a manner that the supporting action or operation of the device will be automatic, and of such a character as to securely hold the lid, cover or member in its tilted or raised position against accidental lowering or falling of the same, yet, so that, by the proper manipulation of the cover ormember, and by applying slight downward pressure thereto, it can be easily lowered or closed, in which position it will remain until again lifted.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a support of the above named general character, which'shall beextremely simple and inexpensive in construction, strong, durable and efiective in operation, with its parts so made and arranged, that they can be easily applied or attached to the'article and its cover, and when in use, will be concealed or protected, when the cover or memher is closed. Other objects and advantages of the invention will be disclosed in the subjoined description and explanation:

In the accompanying drawing, which serves to illustrate an embodiment of the invention- Figure 1 a vertical sectional view through a portion of a box, trunk or desk with its lid closed, showing one form of the support in position ready for use;

Fig. 2 is a similar view of like parts, showing the cover or lid raised or tilted and illustrating the position the parts of the support will assume, and

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view of a box, showing the lid thereof raised and supported by a modified form of the support, the lid and parts of the support being shown by dotted lines in the positions they will assume when the lid or cover is closed.

Like numerals of reference refer to like Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 6, 1920.

Serial No. 13,821.

parts throughout the different views of the drawing.

The reference numeral 5 designates a portion of the'body or desk, box or trunk, which may be of the ordinary or any preferred construction, and has hinged to its upper portion atone of the sides thereof a cover 6, which, in the present instance, is shown with a depending flange 7, at its perimeter, but which if desired may be omitted. Pivotally connected at one of its ends to the cover 6, at a suitable distance from its hinged portion, is a link or bar 8, which is extended down along the inner surface of one end 9 of the box, trunk or desk, and is pivotally connected at its lower end to one end of a lever 10, which, in the present instance, is shown as being a bell crank lever, and fulcrumed as at 11 to the end of the box or trunk near its upper front portion. The shorter arm 12 of the lever 10 is bodily off-set from the member 10 and has connected to its lower portion one end of a spring 13, the other end of which is connected to one end of an adjustable rod 1%, which is shown as extending through the rear portion of the box or trunk, and has on its rear portion a nut 15, by means of which said rod may be retained in position and adjusted so as to adjust the tension of the spring 13, when desired. Located above the lever 10, near the juncture thereof with the link 8, is a stop pin 18, which will restiict the upward movement of said lever, and which it will be understood may be located at any desired point on the end 9 of the box or trunk so as to permit of greater or less movement of the lid as may be desired.

In the present instance, the upper end of the link 8, is shown as being pivoted to the flange or cleat 7 of the lid, but it is obvious that said link may be pivoted to the lid in any suitable manner.

In Fig. 3 of the drawing is shown a modification in the construction of the support, which consists in employing the link 8, which is pivoted at its upper end to the lid or cover 6, at a suitable distance from its hinged portion, and in the present instance is shown as being pivoted to a bracket 17, secured to said lid or cover. The lower end of this link is pivotally connected to a lever 18, which is also in the form of a 4 bell crank lever having its shorter arm 19 located at an acute angle to the longer arm or lever 18, instead of being located at a right angle thereto, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing. In this modified construction the lever 18 is extended toward the rear portion of the box or trunk 5 and is fulcrumed on a pivot 20, mounted on a bracket 19, which is shown as being secured to the bottom of the boX 5, but which bracket may be otherwise suitably mounted. Connected to the free portion or end of the arm 19 of the lever is a spring 13, which is connected at its other end to a bracket 21, secured to the bottom of the box, or to any suitable support. The link 8, in the construction shown in Figs. 1 and 2, as well as that'shown in Fig. 3, is illustrated as extending through a suitable opening 22 therefor in a partition 23, or the bottom of the box, as shown in Fig. 3, but it will be understood that said partition may be omitted and forms no part of the invention. In the modified construction shown in Fig. 3, and above described, the tension of the spring 13 is adjusted to suit the weight of the lid 6, and the dimensions and locations of the parts before it is placed in position on the bracket 21, and arm 19, so that it will require no further regulation.

From the foregoing and by reference to the drawing, it will be readily understood and clearly seen that by raising the lid or cover 6, from the position shown in Fig. 1, to that shown in Fig. 2, of the drawing, the link 8 and lever 10 will be moved upwardly so that the arm 12 of said lever will be under the tension of the spring 13, thus holding the cover at the desired inclination or elevation until it is desired to lower the same, when, by a very slight downward pressure on the lid, the same will be lowered gradually until it rests on the top of the box, trunk or desk, in which position it will remain until again lifted. When the lid or cover is closed, the weight thereof overbalances the tension of the spring sullic-iently to hold the lid or cover in its lowered or closed position. Upon raising the cover slightly the tension of the spring balances the weight of the cover or liduntil -the latter is raised sufiiciently for the lever to strike the stop 16, which as before stated, may be located in any suitable position, to give the lid or cover the desired inclination. When the lid or cover has been sufficiently raised the tension of the spring overbalances the weight of the cover thus holding it open. To close the cover, only a slight downward pressure thereon is necessary when the spring and lover will permit it to close automatically and quietly.

In the construction shown in Fig. 3, the same result is attained, but it will be noted that the elbow or joint of the link 8 and lever 18 is presented forwardly of the'fulcrum point of said lever, whereas in the former construction said joint or connection is located rearwardly thereof. v

Having thus fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1. The combination with a hinged cover or member, of a link pivotally connected at one of its ends thereto at a suitable distance from its hinged portion, a suitably fulcrumed bell-crank-lever pivotally connected at one of its ends to the other end of said link, and a spring connected at one of its ends to the lever at a point near the end thereof opposite said pivoted end and at its other end to a suitable support, the arms of said bell crank lever being bodily offset at the fulcrum point of said lever with respect to each other so as to move in different planes.

2. The combination with a hinged cover or member, of a link pivotally connected at one of its ends to said cover or member at a suitable distance from the hinged portion thereof, a bell-crank-lever fulcrumed near one of its ends and pivotally connected at its other end to the other end of said link, a spring connected at one of its ends to the shorter arm of the bell-crank-lever and at its other end to a rod, said rod having a screwthreaded portion and extended through a suitable support, and a nut engaging the screw-threaded-portion of said rod to adjust the same longitudinally, the

longer and shorter arms of the bell-cranklever being bodily offset near their pivot with respect to one another so as to move in different planes.

FRANK E. LEVANSELER. Witnesses CHAs. C. TILLMAN, A. S. PHILLIPS.

Images