US2322648A

US2322648A - Disappearing support for business machines and the like

Info

Publication number: US2322648A
Application number: US462974A
Authority: US
Inventors: Lundstrom Carl Brynolf
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1942-10-22
Filing date: 1942-10-22
Publication date: 1943-06-22
Anticipated expiration: 1960-06-22

Description

Filed Oct. 22, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet l mall/4f W lilllllllu'llllgl y aullllLl/llllllllllll C. B. LUNDSTROM June 22, 1943.

DISAPPEARING SUPPORT .FOR BUSINESS MACHINES AND THE LIKE Gtorucgs M d w mix June 22, 1943. c. B. LUNDSTROM 42,322,648

DISAPPEARING SUPPORT FOR BUSINESS MACHINES AND THE VLIKE Filed Oct. 22, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Snvcntor Carl rxgr-LoZfLundsrom/ @Magg M Cttorucjs Patented June 22, 1943 UNITED STATES PMENTN ortica DISAPPEARING SUPPORT `FR BUSINESS MACHINES AND THE LIKE 4 Claims.

This invention relates to cabinets of the socalled disappearing instrument type, and is directed particularly to a typewriter desk having a horizontal typewriter supporting platform which moves between a projecting working position and a lower retracted storing position in which the `platform is wholly within the pedestal of the desk. In its motion between 'these two limiting positions, the platform is horizontal at all times.

Mechanisms of this general description have been known, but the linkage used has been such as to require considerable metal for the levers and for certain counterbalancing springs. The

present invention produces a structure wh'ch can' be built almost completely of wood, which requires no counterbalancing and which is rigid when in the projecting position.

Success in this respect is secured by the use of two sets of parallel wooden suspender vlinks for sustaining and guiding the platform. The links of each pair have their pivots slightly oset vertically and swing in a common plane so that they engage one another vas the .platform reaches its projecting position and then form what is in effect a rigid extensi-on of the platform serving to resist any tilting motion of the platform.

The platform is chiefly supported in its projecting position by a latching bar which iunderlies the platform, forward of the point of interengagement of the links, and near the forward edge of the desk.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section through the pedestal of a deskshowing the platform `in its retracted position.

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the platform in its projecting position.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective View showing the parts in the position of Fig. 2 and `illustrating the interengagement of the links and the engagement of the latching bar.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective View showing the platform in its retracted position. The View is taken looking upward and to the left.

Fig. 5 is a face view of the bottom `of the platform showing in full lines the .engaged position of the latching mechanisms and in dotted lines the releasing positions thereof.

Only one pedestal portion Iof the desk is illustrated in the drawings, and this is indicated as hav-ing legs l, sides 6 and 9, and -a back I I. The

front of the pedestal is open except for a hinged door I2. In Fig. 2, the door I2 is shown swung back to clear the platform. The top .or bed of the desk is indicated at I3. The parts s o far described are conventionaland may take an-y form known in the art.

In effect, the desk pedestal forms a cabinet open at its front. Mounted within the pedestal are supporting members I4 which extend from front to back of the interior of the cabinet near the top thereof and against the side walls 8 and 9. In the forward corners there are vertical struts I5, whose upper ends are spaced from the supports I4 so that the latching bar, hereinafter described, may enter above the upper ends of the struts I5. The lower edges of the supports I4 are cutaway to permit this, as is indicated at I6. Extending across lthe inner face of the back II 'is a retaining strip Il. This `strip serves as a reinforcement and as a keeper for a second latch.

The machine platform I8 is horizontal and is sustained by a pair of forward links I9 anda pair of rear links 2|. `The forward links are pivoted at 22 to the support `lli and at 23 to the platform IS. The rear links are pivoted at 24 to the support I4 and at 25 to the machine platform. The hinge connections can be made by means of wood-screws, and if preferred, these may turn in tubular metal bushings fixed in the links. The hinge forming screws are fixed in the supports I4 or the machine base IB-as the case may be. All parts so lfar described, except the screws and bushings, are of wood.

The axes of the

hinge connections

22 and 24 are `horizontally spaced a distance which is less than the .effective length of the links. All of `the links are .of 4the same effective length; i. e. the distances between the two hinging axes .are the same for all ffour links. The hinge 4connections 24 and 2'5 are lower than the

hinge connections

22 and 23 by an amount such :that when the links lswing to horizontal positions, the links -on each side of the platform engage. This is clearlyillustrated Fig. 3. A simple Way of ensuring Ithis is 'to make the width of all the links the same and to offset the

hinge connections

24 and 25 downward an amount equal `to this width.

Variations in form or dimension of the vlinks maybe resorted to to ensure collision at the clesired point. The important thing -is formation vof the links so that, in lthe =position -of Figs. 2 and 3, they inter-engage. Then the rear links becomein effect rigid extensions of the platform, and act to prevent tilting .of :the forward end of the platform downward.

In the projecting position, shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the platform is sustained on the struts I5 by a latch bar 26 which extends across the lower side of the platform I8 and is slidable transversely (but lengthwise of the platform) in the wooden guides 2'I. The bar 26 is so located that in its normal position (the full line lposition of Fig. 5) it will lie above the struts I5' if the platform is in the position of Figs. 2 and 3. It can be forced back far enough to clear the struts and thus permit raising and lowering of the platform.

When the platform hangs by gravity, the links I9 and 2I are vertical and the platform is in an intermediate position between those shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The latching bar 26 is urged to its full line position of Fig. 5 by means of the bow springs 28.

A slidable wooden latch 29 is mounted in the guide 3| near the rear of the lower face of the platform I8 and in its rearward position will engage the upper surface of the cross member I'I to retain the parts in the position of Fig. 1. The latch 29 is xed to a wooden pull rod 32 which extends to a point near the forward edge of the platform I8 and is confined in a guide 33. A nger piece 34 is attached to the forward end of the pullrod.

Pull rod l32 carries a cross member 35 which actuates a pair of wooden levers 36. These levers are pivotedat mid-length on screws 31 and at their other ends engage the bar 26. Thus when the pull rod 32 is drawn forward, the latch 29 is movedin a releasing direction and at the same time the bar 26 is moved in a releasing direction. The springs 28, which react upon the. bar 26, serve also to actuate the latch -29 through the mechanical interaction of these parts.

Y Assuming that the platform is in the retracted position of Fig. `1 and that the door I2 has been opened, the operator places her hand against the forward edge of the platform I8 and draws the finger piecev 34 forward. This releases the latch 2.9 and the platform will swing bygravity partway out of the cabinet. It maythen be drawn forward and upward. As it approaches the position of Fig. 2, the latch bar 26 will be struck back by collision with the sides of the struts I5 and then. will snap forward over the upper ends o f the struts I5. This causes the cross bar 26 to become a primary support for the platform. Tilting of the platform will be prevented because the links I9 and 2| at the two sides of the platform are in interengagement as shown in Fig. 3.

When it is desired to return the platform to its housed position, Vthe operator grasps the forward end of the platform, draws the finger piece 34 forward, and lowers the machine into the cabinet. If Vshe wishes, she can swing it continuously to the retracted position of Fig. 1. If she does so, the latch 29 will be struck back and then engage the upper margin of the strip I'I which acts as a keeper for the latch. Y

The invention produces a very simple mechanism which can be constructed almost solely of wood and which is sufficiently rugged to stand the abuse ordinarily encountered by a device of this, character. The fact that the platform and the machine carried thereby swing naturally to an intermediate position makes it unnecessary to provide counter-balancing springs.

The only metal required in the construction of the device is the small amount necessary for the screws and bushings and the wire bow springs.

The embodiment above described in detail is intended to be illustrative and not limiting, the scope of the invention being dened solely in the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. The combination of a cabinet; supporting means carried by the cabinet; a horizontal machine platform movable between a projecting position and a retracted position; four substantially identical links hinged on parallel axes at their upper ends to said supporting means and at their lower ends to the platform, said links being arranged in parallel pairs, the links of each pair being spaced a distance less than the effective length of the links and arranged to swing in a common plane, one link of each pair being hinged sufficiently lower than the other to cause the two links in each pair to engage when the platform reaches its projecting position and substantially as the links reach horizontal positions, and means for latching said platform in its projecting position to the supporting means at a point forward of the interengagement of the links. f

2. The combination of a cabinet; supportin means carried by the cabinet; a horizontal machine platform movable between a projecting position and a retracted position; four substantially identical links hinged on parallel axes at their upper ends to said supporting means and at their lower ends to the platform, said links being arranged in parallel pairs, the links of each pair being spaced a distance less than the effective length of the links and arranged to swing in a common plane, one link of each pair "being hinged sulciently lower than the other to cause the two links in each pair to engage when the platform reaches its projecting postion and substantially as the links reach horizontal positions; a shiftable latching bar extending across the lower face of the platform; and means associated with said supporting means and adapted to be engaged by said bar and then to support the bar when the platform is in its projecting position.

3. The combination of a cabinet; supporting means carried by the cabinet; a horizontal machine platform movable between a projecting position and a retracted position; four substantially identical links hinged on parallel axes at their upper ends to said supporting means and at their lower ends to the platform, said links being arranged in parallel pairs so lo-l cated that under the action of gravity the platform seeks a position intermediate its projecting and retracted positions, the links of each pair being spaced a distance less than the effective length of the links and arranged to swing in a common plane, one link of each pair being hinged sufficiently lower than the other to cause the two links in each pair to engage when the platform reaches )its projecting positionV and substantially as the links reach horizontal positions; means for latching said platform in` its projecting position to the supporting lmeans at a point forward of the inter-engagement of the links; means for latching said platformin its retracted position; and a single means for actuating said latching means.

4. The combination of a cabinet; supporting means carried by the cabinet; a horizontal machine platform movable between a projecting position and a retractedy position; four substanq tially identical links hinged on parallel axes at their upper ends to said supporting meansand at their lower ends to the platform, said links being arranged in parallel pairs so located that under the action of gravity the platform seeks a position intermediate its projecting and retracted positions, the links of each pair being spaced a distance less than the effective length of the links and arranged to swing in a common plane, one link of each pair being hinged sufficiently lower than the other to cause the two links in each pair to engage when the platform reaches its projecting position and substantially as the links reach horizontal positions; means for latching said platform in its projecting position to the supporting means at a point forward of the inter-engagement of the links; means for latching said platform in its retracted position; a spring serving to bias both said latching means in an engaging direction; and a single latch controller operable to move both said latches in a releasing direction.

CARL BRYNOLF LUNDSTROM.