US1795138A

US1795138A - Furniture construction

Info

Publication number: US1795138A
Application number: US236129A
Authority: US
Inventors: Ohnstrand Enoch; Benjamin G Rand
Original assignee: Remington Rand Inc
Current assignee: Remington Rand Inc
Priority date: 1927-11-28
Filing date: 1927-11-28
Publication date: 1931-03-03
Anticipated expiration: 1948-03-03

Description

March 3, l931 E. OHNSTRAND ET AL 1,795,133

FURNITURE CONSTRUCTION Filed Nov. 28, 1927 Patented Mar. 3, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFicE ENOCH OHNSTRAND, KENMORE, AND BENJAMIN G. RAND, OF NORTH TONAWANDA, NEW YORK, ASSIGNORS TO REMINGTON RAND INC., 0F NEW YORK, N. Y.

FURNITURE CONSTRUCTION This invention relates to improvements in the construction of furniture, particularly metal furniture such as desks and the like.

An object of the invention is to provide a 5. furniture constructon having a top section and a body section detachably associated and secured in assembled relation by suitable movable latching means.

A further object of the invention resides in l". forming the body portion of a piece of furniture with openings adjacent the upper edge in which` suitable movable latch members are removably engaged for detacliably locking a top section on the body portion.

'i Another obj ect of the inventionresides iii providing movable latch members for locking the top section to the body portion o f a piece of furniture, such as a desk or the like,

I in which the latch members are provided 27 with suitable locking means for locking the latch members in engaged relation,iand in which the latch members and the locking means are normally concealed and accessible Q for operation through the use of a special The i invention comprehends numerous other objects residing in the details of con-v struction and relation of the parts which l are more particularly pointed out in the following detailed description, and in the claims directed to a preferred form of the invention, it being understood however, that the latches may be arranged in any desired manner and V that various changes in the construction and association of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as herein set forth.

`In the drawings forming part of this apn plicationz- A l is a perspective showing part of an assembled desk equipped with this invention. j

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view look- 45 ing upwardly, ltaken from below the desk top through one corner portion of the desk, the latches being shown in engaged position.` i

Fig. 3 is a detailed sectional view taken 50 substantially on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2, portionsbeing broken away for convenience in illustration.

Fig. 4 is an endelevation of the operating tool for the latch members.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the tool shown in Fig. 4. j

A metal desk construction is illustrated in Fig. l which includes a top section l and a body portion 2 which are formed for detachable engagement with one another. The body portion 2 includes corner sections 3 between which drawers 4 and the side wall sections extend in the usual manner as is well-knowii in the construction of metal desks. At the upper end portions, these corner sections 3 are formed with slots 5 as clearly illustrated in Fig. 3.

The top section 1 is formed of a mainvtop plate 6 having depending flange portions 7 extending around the edge thereof, termi nating in inwardly extending flanges 8. These flanges 7 and `8 are strengthened by the use of the channel members 9 for providing a rigid edge construction for the top section. Suitable layers 10 may be mounted on the plate member 6 to finish the top section and provide a writing surface thereon iii a manner well-known in the art.

lVhen the top section is applied to the body portion, the flanges 7 and 8 and the channel member 9 extend downwardly around the `upper edge portion of the body portion 2 of the desk. These flanges are proportioi'led so that the lower flange on the channel meinber 9` inside of the flange 8 extends below the slots 5 in the body portion, in assembled relation of the top section on the body portion as shown in Fig. 3.

Retaining levers 11 are pivoted inside of the channel member 9 at one end as indicated at 12, while the opposite ends are provided vwith laterally extending tapered tongues 13 adapted to extend through and engage in slots 5. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, these levers are normally concealed within the top section of the desk and to provide access for engaging and disengaging these levers in the slots 5, the flange 8 and adjacent portion of channel member 9 are formed with a slot extending transversely of flange 8 adjacent the 'Uli free end of each lever as indicated at 14 with which registers the opening 15 formed in the vtree'end of the lever. Y

Between the pivot'12 for the levers 11, and the slot 14, the liange 8 and adjacent channel member; Qafare forme-d fWith an opening 16,y in

vwhichengagesa locking plunger 17-oarried by the lever. This plunger'17 has areduced extension l18 slidably A engaged inthe cylindrical casing 19.," liat'fin`g 'one eiidlniounted;inv *the lever. The opposite "end ofthe casingl is closed and slidably receives thefextension 18 of Vthe locking plunger, which Yisl formed with an enlarged head 129fiforjengagingftheend of casing 19 and limiting its projection into-opening 16. A coilspring 21 is-mounted over the reduced extension 18 aiidihas-'one end "engaged against tlief Aplunger-117 and the opposite end seatedfinf--the casing'l) 'sothatthe springwhich'isynormally under-1'compres-l sion, yWill normally tend to force tlie'lplunger downward Y for-engaging `in the? opening 16. This opening'is-positionedtoreceive the plunger 17` when the 'loclnfg'tongue'l is yinl the V'engaged position in sloty 5 lfor vlocking-the top section -to' the body/portion.l The -head of" plunger.lfengaging linV opening 16 is rounded to permit'readyengagenientand Vdis-` engagemonto'f the plunger-from the opening during operationin' a manner as v'will behereinafter set forth. y

' Any number of these lockingvlevers maybe us'edbn the top'section 1Wliich1niaybe found desirable, f andL they may be located .at'f the crner portions, and' throughout' the central portions of the `top section as, ound'zm ostdesirahlfe. "The'tongues E13fare'.taperedfas shown iii 'Figj in order tli'at the top section Will'be drawn tightly into contact. with the body portion when they are in assembled relation with the loekinglevers in vthe 'engaged' position as shown inxFig, 2.

The tool'illustrated in Figs. elf-and 'is'used to engage and disengage these levers from the locking, position shown in Figs., 22' and 3.

Y For this purpose,lthe tool'coinpiises a b'ar as illi'istrated.1V lVith this tool, theflugsz' on one sideofv the bar are used'for operating one of 'the' locking levers, the lug 25 being insertedf'in-opening 16 solrth'at' it Will substantiallyl disengage the locking plunger 17 from the opening' 16 tothe-extent that a movement ofthe leverwvill cause th'e'rounde'd end'to ride f upjwardlyl through engagemente with the edge of the openingnto'a 'fully releasedpos'ition.

fl/Vitli' l'u'g 25 engagedinoipenin'g 1G for partially disengaging locking plunger 17, the .lug 24 may be engaged in opening 15 in the locking lever, so that the subsequent pivotal movement of thebar 22 on the lug as a pivot will move the locking lever troni kthe locked tothe unlocked position, or viceversa. In using levers as showninrit-ig.A Q'f-at the corner of the desk, it is necessary ,tol extend theseglevers in relative opposite directions Whichnece'ssit'at'esa reversal of the position of 'theslot'ltrelative to openingl so that tlieflugsfaand 25 on one side of bar 2:2 are used in'operating one locking lever extending inone direction while the lugs on the opposite side of the bar are used in operating the other locking lever'extendingA ini the opposite directionly f Y I 1. Y,

The; levers 11i are formed adjacent the tonguesI` 13V with. angular shoulders 26. These shoulders 26-are adapted to engage the: lface ofthe corneripostsof'thedesk in the assembled relation of the partsasLshoWn.

in Fig. 2in order to properly position the` desktop relative tothe corner posts and preventflateralfmovenient thereof, which would otherwise be permitted hythe sp aceV between the flanges Sand thewcorner. posts.y When the latches 17 lare in llocked-positionl as shown in Fig. 2, theseflevers-are rigidlyheld by these latches so that alirm lockingaction is obtainedthrough the medium ofthe levers for locking thetop to the bodytportion of the desk.' f g.- Q From-thestructureas shown in the; drawings`,1it Will' be seen-that: the .looking levers are concealed Within thel top ysection and -requirethe use of the special tool for-attaching andldetaching tlieitop` section from: the `body portion.r Itl Will be further. noted; that the depending flange extending around the edge VVoifthe/top'. seetioni'terininatesl below the slot-s 5' s o that all .of-` thelookin'g.mechanisniais concealed from view with'theexception: of the slots11l'and1'-opening 16 'foimreceiving the lugs oflther'to'ol which operate theelocking' levers. rThe 'plungers 17 further Voperate through their engagement in A'openings in the locking levers' and the-openings 16, in which theV plungeisl are seated` and extend v.tra-nsver'selyto the.; direction of" movement of .the lockinglevers, vfor effectively-.locking said levers in the engaged"relation4 in ,slots` 5,{ and effectively retainingqthe top section locked on the body portion. Y

VllVliat-.is claimed iszy 1. Furniture, comprising a bodyl portion having corner sections, each corner section having openings formed adjacent the upper end, top section mounted' on said body 'having'afdepending flange encircling the upper end'ot'the body, a leverpivoted on saidllange aiidadapted'to'engage in one of said openir'igs for locking the top` on, the body', andlmeans' for retaining the leverv in i top= locking position.

CFI

Q. In a furniture construction, a body portion having corner sections, each corner section having openings adjacent the upper end, a top section having depending portions engaged over the openings in each corner section, a movable member mounted on each depending portion having a tongue for engagement in one of said openings to lock the top section on the body portion, and means for retaining the member in locked position.

3. In a furniture construction, a body portion having openings at spaced intervals adjacent the upper edge, a top section mounted on said body and having an over-hanging margin, means movably mounted on said margin for engaging in said openings to lock the top section on said body, and means for retaining the last-named means in locked position.

4. In a furniture construction, a body portion having openings at spaced intervals adjacent the upper edge, a top section mounted on said body, a series of levers pivotally mounted on said top section in concealed relation, each lever having a portion adapted 1. for engagementin one of said openings for locking the top section on the body portion,

and means for retaining said levers in locked position, said means being manually disengageable.

5. In a furniture construction, a body portion having openings at spaced intervals adjacent the upper edge, a top section mounted on said body, movable locking members concealed in said top section and adapted to engage in said openings for locking the top on thebody, means vfor retaining said members in top locking position, and an operating member formed for detachable engagement with said members and means for disengaging said means from locking position and moving said members out of engagement with said openings.

6. In a furniture construction, a body portion having openings at spaced intervals adjacent the upper edge, atop sect-ion mounted on. said body portion, levers pivoted on said top section for engagement in said openings to lock said top section on the body portion, and resiliently projected retaining elements carried by said levers for engagement in sockets formed in said 'top section to retain said levers in locking position.

7. In a furniture construction, a body portion having openings adjacent the upper edge, a top section mounted on said body portion having the edge portions extending beyond the body, levers pivotally mounted j on said edge portion for locking engagement in said openings, and resiliently projected locking elements movable transversely to the movement of the levers for engagement in openings formed in the top section to lock said levers in top locking engagement in said openings.

8. In a furniture construction, a body portion having openings adjacent the upper edge, a top section mounted on said body portion having the edge portion projecting beyond the body portion, said top section having a depending marginal flange terminat ing in an inwardly extending flange in spaced parallel relation below the top section, levers pivotally mounted on the upper face of said inwardly extending flange for locking engagement in said openings for locking the top section on the body portion, and resiliently projected latches mounted on said lev-V ers and adapted to engage in openings formed in said inwardly extending flanges to retain said levers in locking position.

9. In a furniture construction, a body p0rtion having openings adjacent the upper edge, a top section mounted on said body portion having the edge portion projecting beyond the body portion, said top section having a depending marginal flange terminating in an inwardly extending flange in spaced parallel relation below the top section, levers pivotally mounted on the upper face of said inwardly extending flange for locking engagement in said openings for lock ing the top section on the body portion, and resiliently projected latches mounted on said levers and adapted to engage in openings formed in said inwardly extending flanges to retain said levers in locking position, each lever having an opening registering with a slot 'formed in said inwardly extending flange, and a releasing lever formed for insertion in the opening in said flange, and through the slot-in said flange for engaging in the opening in the lever, and releasing said latches so that said levers may be moved to unlocking position.

ENOCH OHNSTRAND. BENJAMIN G. RAND.