US1852342A - Composite detachable desk or table top - Google Patents

Description

April 5, 1932. E. ASH 1,852,342

COMPOSITE DETACHABLE lDESK OR TABLE TOP Fileu July 13. 1927 itl result-ant.

Patented Apr. 5, 1932 UNITED STATES PATEN'Ii OFFICE '.ELMER E. ASH, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN DESK COM- PANY, 0F RENO, NEVADA, .A CORPORATION OF NEVADA COMPOSITE nn'rAcHABLE nnsx on TABLE Tor Application filed .Tuly 13, 1927. Serial No. 205,336.

This invention relates to the tops or working surfaces of desks, tables, benches or the like that are preferably formed of wood.

The tops of desks and tables, when subjected to various changes in temperature and humidity incident to general weather conditions, are apt, in a more or less degree, to warp or buckle and thus a surface on such desk or table top that is not perfectly flat is The cause for this defect is in most cases due to the fact that temperature and humidity changes cause the outer or eX- posed part of the table or desk top to expand or shrink, thereby setting up great stresses 1n i the top member which results in its being warped or bent out of shape.

It has been the practice to cover table, desk and other working surfaces with a heavy grade linoleum or other pliable material which has good Wearing qualities, by securing the same to the top in various manners, such as for example by gluing the linoleum or other material to the top member. In practically all instances, heretofore,this resulted 5 in an unbalanced top whereby the natural pull or stress of the top member would cause it to warp or bend out of shape.

An object of my invention is to provide a composite top or working surface for desks, tables, benches and the like, which will be evenly balanced and thus reduce to a minimum likelihood of such top warping or bending out of shape regardless of whether linoleum is used in connection therewith or not. I accomplish this by providing a working surface or top that is mounted on a framework of wood of suiiicient strength to overcome the natural pull or stress that tends to warp or bend the top out of shape, that is, the developed stresses in the working surface due to the causes already enumerated are not of sufficient strength to bend or warp the framework or foundation upon which the top surface or working surface is mounted. As a consequence the working surface or top in my invention remains perfectly true and smooth when subjected to the effects of glue, humidity and temperature changes.

An object is to provide a top member for 5@ desks, tables, and the like to which a linoleum surface may be easily, quickly and cheaply secured without destroying the balance of such top member. That is the top member is so constructed that after applyinga linoleum surface thereto the stress or natural pull of the wood top tending to warping will be so distributed as to be overcome by the stress of the base or foundation to which the top surface member is attached or secured.

Another object of my invention is to provide a smooth and true working surface or table, or bench top which will be much lighter in weight than present tops for similar articles.

An object is to so construct a top member for tables, desks and the like that warping thereof is reduced to a minimum, and practically elminated, especially when linoleum is used in combination therewith to provide a Working surface.

Simplicity, cheapness in manufacture, with a maximum of rigidity and strength are other objects.

A still further ob]- ect is to provide a detachable table or desk top that will be less costly than ordinary and ply wood tops heretofore used.

My invention is broadly new, basic and pioneer in that I provide an open framework or foundation member made of material having a relatively large thickness, and attach or secure thereto a three or more ply top panel member having a thickness relatively smaller than the foundation member.

Other objects, advantages and features of invention may appear from the accompanying drawings, the subjoined detail description and the appended claims.

Although the principles of my invention may be applied to, or embodied in, many devices on which a working or top surface is desired, for the purpose of simplicity I have illustrated my invention in the form I at present deem preferable in the accompanying drawings as applied to an ordinary office desk.

Figure l is a perspective view of an ordinary oiiice desk now in general use, and having my novel top member secured thereto.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of mynovel table or taken on line 4 4, Fig. 2.

The desk body A is of any standardv construction including uprights 11, held in place by horizontal spacing members 12 4at the top and bottom of said uprights. The usual drawers 13 and partitions 14 may beprovided between the uprights 11 or they may be omit- -ted if desired to form atable of ordinary construction.

IThe top member 15 is detachably secured `to 'and heldin place on body A by 'any suitable means as by clips 16 (see Fig. through which screws 17 extend into the uprights 11 of the framework of the desk body A and screws 18 extend Vinto framework of the top vmember A. By removing the screws 18 from the top member A and clips 16 the top member may be lifted from the body A.

The composite'top member 15 comprises an open framework foundation member a that includes side members or rails 19, 2O spaced apart by suitable spacing or cross members 21 that are preferablyvmortised to and extend between the rails`19, as shown in FigfQ and positioned at intervals' along said rails. The cross membersas shown do not extend above or below the rails 19, 20,'but preferably terminate flush with the upper and lower surfaces thereof, so as to obtain a maximum strength and rigidity for the foundation member. A panel or Vsurface member b made out of three or more ply is secured to the foundation member a by any suitable means, such as by gluing and covers'the entire surface of the foundation member a to form therewith the top `member 15. The panel or surface member Z) is relatively tliinner than the base member being approximately one half or one third as thick as the rails and cross members forming-the foundation member.v In the event the panel Z9 is made ofmorethan three ply of material E22, 23, 24 `as shown, the relative total thickness thereof with the'base member a should be about the same as shown.

By constructing the top member-15 as above described the frameor foundation member a will provide a sufficiently strong base for the table or desk top to adapt the table or desk to the use that such devices are usually subjected to. The open framework a eliminates considerable material that has heretofore been required in making table. or desk tops which have heretofore been made of solid material. When the panel b is secured to the base a, the combined thickness will vbe such thereto.

generally used for tops of desks surfaceis fastened around the edge of the top .member 15 togive a finished appearance The banding c may be fastened to the-top-by any suitable-meansysuchastby glue, nails, 'orscrewsl A covering forsaid panel, of ycompositkm cloth ,such Iaslinoleumof any fsuitabl'e4 or ldesirable color, maybe glued to v the f. panel or surface member Z9 -to entirely cover the same and-provide a'working surface instead of-tlie wood veneering 22,28 and-24. e

By constructing Vthe t'op member '15, as abovedescribe'd Lprovide anfovel-ftop for desks, tables and the; like Iwhich willnot warp Vbecause the yrelatively "thinj Vpanel including the composition cloth secured 'thereto will not have of itself,` under temperature or l'iumidity changes jor-the Vaction of the glue securing the composition cloth Vto the; panel, 'sl'iiiicient stress ornatural pull-'tofoffset thestress` or natural :pull of the base orfoundationfmember a and thereby warp or-.bendthefworking surface ofthe top4 member out 'of true.

- I claim:

1. `A. compositeV top .member yfor desks, tables and the like comprising 'an open frame work foundation vmember 5 `and l a relatively thin panel f member "having a vthickness apa proximately one-third to *onedial'f of the thickness of the foundation member, Aand said panel havingfa f natural pulland stress that will not offset the natural pull antistress of the foundationI member toy ca-use 'warping of said' members.

2. 'A compositev top-*member for ydesks, -tablesE and the like comprising'aJ 1foundation member; a. :panel member secured thereto,

said panel member having a thickness irela# tive to the foundation memberl :approxinab ing one-third to one-half thefthickne'ss ofthe foundation memberfzso 'that the' natural stress and pullofthe panelfmember'fwill notfoifset the natural"stress andzpullofthefoundationy member to' cause warping 'of said members Yand a. composition `*cloth fcovering'zsuperimposed upon vand securelyf fastened to' and entirelycovering said panel member.

VIn testimony4 whereof,n I have"` hereuntoset my hand at Los Angeles, '-'GaliforI-im, i' this 5th day of July,*1'927.

' '-fASH.

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