US2173302A

US2173302A - Typewriter desk

Info

Publication number: US2173302A
Application number: US195211A
Authority: US
Inventors: Clarence W Koch
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1938-03-11
Filing date: 1938-03-11
Publication date: 1939-09-19
Anticipated expiration: 1956-09-19

Description

Sept. 19, 1935,

TYPEWRITER DESK Filed March 11, 1938 FIG.2

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

c. w. KOCH 2,173,302

\ G RENCE W. KOCH 4 Sept." 19, 1939. c. w. KOCH TYPEWRITER DESK Filed March 11, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENT OR. CLARENCE W. KOCH BY {6 ATTORNEY.

Patented Sept. 19, 1939 UNITED SATES PTENT ()FFiCE Application March 11,

6 Claims.

My invention relates to a desk for supporting a typewriting machine and particularly to the type of desk known as a pedestal desk in which the machine, when not in use, is concealed in a pedestal at one end of the desk. In desks of this type it is usual to provide the opposite end of the desk with a second pedestal to contain supplies, the space between the pedestals providing knee room for the typist when the machine is not in use.

One object of my invention is to provide efiective means for pivotally mounting the table upon which the machine is carried to swing from horizontal to vertical position on an axis extending in the direction of the length of the machine. As the height of the usual type of machine is less than the distance from its front to rear, this enables me to employ a pedestal of less width than usual. I am thus enabled to substantially decrease the over-all length of the desk without restricting the space for the operator.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved form of carriage for moving the table into and out of the pedestal, as well as improved means for locking said table against movement.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate one form of desk made in accordance with my invention Figure 1 is a perspective view of one end of the desk; Figure 2 is avertical section taken on the line 22 of Figure 5; Figure 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2; Figure 4 is an end View of the carriage; Figure 5 is a top plan view, the desk top being removed; Figure 6 is a section taken on the line t-Ei of Figure 5; Figure 7 is an enlarged detail View of the table looking mechanism; Figures 8 and 9 are enlarged sectional views of the door hinge; and Figure 10 is a detail view of supporting means for the outer end of the table.

The desk, as shown in Figure 1, is arranged to receive the machine in the left-hand pedestal, which alone will be described. It comprises a top H and side walls l2 and I3, respectively, extending between front legs or posts M and rear legs or posts l5. A pedestal door 86 is pivoted to the left-hand post 55 by a pair of hinges, one of which is shown in detail in Figures 8 and 9. Each hinge consists of a bracket i'l set into the inner face of the post and an L-shaped strap l8 pivoted to a pintle 7 l9 carried by the bracket. The end of the strap is secured to the inner face of thedoor and the parts are so proportioned that when the door is open, as shown in Figures 1 and 8, the inner face of the door is flush with the inside face 1938, Serial No. 195,211

of the post and when the door is closed, as shown in Figure 9, the outer face of the door is either flush with the front face of the post or lies slightly behind it to produce a panel effect.

Carried on wall 12 is a rail 29 and on wall [3 a rail 2|. These rails are supported by any suit able means such as brackets 22 and form a track upon which the table supporting carriage travels. This carriage comprises an approximately rectangular frame 23 and a U-shaped member 24. Carried on the left-hand end of frame 23 is a roller 25 engaging with the upper edge of rail 28 and a roller 26 engaging with the lower edge thereof. To retain the rollers in contact with the rail, pins 2? and 28, respectively, engage the edge of the rail opposite the roller. At the right-hand end the frame is provided with a roller 29 engaging the upper edge of rail 2! and opposed by pin 36. Extending between the sides of frame 23 and the arms of member 24 are a pair of trunnions 3! which are surrounded by the looped ends of straps 32 forming extensions of a plate 33.

The table 34 to which the typewriting machine 35, shown in dotted lines in Figure 5, is rigidly secured by bolts or other means (not shown) is provided with a narrow extension 36 secured to plate 33 by bolts 31. The table thus swings from horizontal to vertical position on the trunnions 3|. It will be seen that the trunnions 3! are positioned a substantial distance from the end of the carriage adjacent rail and consequently an extended line passing through their axes will lie a considerable distance forward of the outer side of table 3e. Due to this arrangement the portion of the table lying beyond this extended line will descend when the inner side of the table is raised to bring the typewriter into operative position. This downward movement of the outer side of the table is of importance in securing the proper movement of the stop plate engaging the door as hereinafter described. To permit the table to be more easily raised, I provide a counterbalance spring 38, one end of which is attached to a lug 39 on plate 33 and the other to a collar 4B. The collar is slidingly mounted on a rod M extending between member 24 and the opposite end of frame 23. The left-hand end of rod M is threaded and'provided with a nut 42 by means of which collar 4G may be moved along the rod to vary the tension of the spring to accommodate machines of different weight.

To limit the outward movement of the table and its carriage, rail 28 is provided with a stop 43 and the carriage with a cooperating stop 4 3 formed by bending back a portion of the U-shaped member 24. A support is provided for the forward end of the table by a stop plate 45 secured to the table and engaging with an arcuate recess 45 in the door when the table is in horizontal position. Secured to the door adjacent the recess 46 is an L-shaped wear plate 41 to protect the wood of the door from marring by contact with stop 45. This plate is provided with an inclined face 48 adapted to engage stop 45 as it is swung down into the recess and draw stop 44 firmly against stop 45. This will rigidly lock the table against longitudinal movement while it is in horizontal position.

To hold the table in horizontal position it is provided with the locking device shown in detail in Figure 7. This device comprises a bracket 48 and a lever 49 pivoted thereto at 55. The bracket is bifurcated to provide a slot for the reception of an abutment 5| formed by bending over the end of track 2|. The upper ends of the bifurcation are rounded or beveled as shown at 52 to guide the abutment into the slot. Lever 49 has a lip 53 held in engagement with the upper edge of the abutment by a spring 54. The upper end of the lever is provided with an inclined face 55 to engage the abutment as the table is swung upwardly and move the lever on its pivot to allow the lip to pass back of the abutment. The lip may be released from the abutment by pressure on a finger piece 56. Pivoted to the end of frame 23 at 5'! is an arm 53 having a slot 59 for engagement with the abutment 5| to prevent longitudinal movement of the table when it is lowered and hence lever 48 is disengaged from the abutment and stop 45 is moved out of recess 45. The forward end of arm 58 has an inclined face 58 adapted to engage the upper edge of the abutment when the carriage is moved to its forward position and so raise the arm to allow its slot to drop into engagement with the abutment. When the arm is out of engagement with the abutment, it is supported in position by pin 38. The forward end of the arm is so positioned as to-be accessible from the front of the desk when the table is in its extended position, as shown in Figure 1. Secured to the under face of the table is a Z-shaped guide 65 (Figure 6) for engagement with a track 6! carried on the wall 52 by brackets 52 and situated directly under track 29. The relative position of the track and guide is such that the guide will engage the track as soon as the table begins its rearward movement into the pedestal. This engagement prevents accidental upward swing of the table during its movement into or out of the pedestal which might result in injury to the machine mounted thereon.

The operation of my desk is, briefly, as follows: When the machine, together with its supporting table, is enclosed in the pedestal and it is desired to use the machine, the door is opened to the position shown in Figure 1. The forward end of the table is now grasped and drawn outwardly until stop 44 engages stop 43. The lower edge of the table is now grasped and swung upwardly until the table is in horizontal position. During the latter part of this upward movement, the abutment 5| will enter the slot in bracket 48, lever 49 being swung on its pivot by the action of the abutment on face 55, and at the end of the movement lip 53 will be drawn over the abutmentby tension of spring 54. This will lock the table in horizontal position. At the same time, stop 45 will enter recess 45 to provide an auxiliary support for the front of the table and by its action on face 48 draw stop 44 more firmly against stop 43 to form a rigid lock against longitudinal movement of the table. To return the table and machine to concealed position, finger piece 56 is depressed to withdraw lip 53 from abutment 5| which will release the table so it may be lowered to the position shown in Figure 6. As, however, slot 59 in lever 58 is in engagement with the abutment, the table cannot be accidentally forced into the pedestal during this lowering operation. At the completion of the lowering operation, lever 58 is raised to disengage it from the abutment. The table may then be returned to its initial position.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters l-atent of the United States is:

1. In a device of the class described, a desk provided with a pedestal, a carriage slidable in said pedestal, a table pivotally mounted on said carriage to swing from a horizontal to an approximately perpendicular position on an axis parallel with the direction of travel of the carriage, a door for said pedestal, said door being unconnected with the table when the latter is in perpendicular position, and means carried by the table forward of the carriage engaging with an abutment on the door to support the table when the latter is in horizontal position.

2. In a device of the class described, a desk provided with a pedestal, a carriage slidable in said pedestal, a table pivotally mounted on said carriage to swing from horizontal to an approximately perpendicular position on an axis parallel with the direction of travel of the carriage, a door for said pedestal, said door being unconnected with the table when the latter is in perpendicular position, a stop for limiting the outward movement of the carriage, and means carried by the table forward of the carriage engaging with an abutment on the door to support the table when the latter is in horizontal position, said means and abutment cooperating to exert a camming effect on the table to clamp the carriage against said stop.

3. In a device of the class described, a desk provided with a pedestal, a track in said pedestal comprising a pair of rails positioned at opposite sides thereof, a carriage mounted on said track to travel from the front to the rear of the pedestal, a table pivotally mounted on said carriage adjacent one end thereof to swing from horizontal to approximately vertical position, an abutment on the desk adjacent the other end of the carriage when the latter is in its forward position, locking means carried by the table engaging said abutment to hold the same in raised position, and locking means mounted on the carriage and engaging said abutment to prevent movement of the carriage.

4. In a device of the class described, a desk provided with a pedestal, a track in said pedestal, a carriage mounted on said track to travel from the front to the rear of the pedestal, a trunnion carried by said carriage, said trunnion extending in the direction of travel of the carriage and positioned a substantial distance from the outer end of the carriage, a table pivoted on said trunnion whereby the outer side of the table descends when the inner side is raised, a pedestal door, and means carried on the outer side of the table for engaging with an abutment on the door to form a support for the table.

5. In a device of the class described, a desk provided with a pedestal, a track in said pedestal, 75,

a carriage mounted on said track to travel from the front to the rear of the pedestal, a trunnion carried by said carriage, said trunnion extending in the direction of travel of the carriage and positioned a substantial distance from the outer end of the carriage, a table pivoted on said trunnion whereby the outer side of the table descends when the inner side is raised, a pedestal door, a shoulder on the outer side of said table, and a Wear plate on the door cooperating with the shoulder to form a support for the outer end of the table.

6. In a device of the class described, a desk provided with a pedestal, a track in said pedestal, a carriage mounted on said track to travel from the front to the rear of the pedestal, a trunnion carried by said carriage, said trunnion extending in the direction of travel of the carriage and positioned a substantial distance from the outer end of the carriage, a table pivoted on said trunnion whereby the outer side of the table descends when the inner side is raised, a stop for limiting the outward movement of the carriage, a pedestal door, a shoulder on the outer side of the table, and a wear plate on the door cooperating with the shoulder to form a table support, said plate being provided with an inclined face acting on the shoulder to exert a camming effect upon the table to draw the carriage against its stop.

CLARENCE W. KOCH.