US2394141A - Utility board - Google Patents

Description

D. c. BRADEN UTILITY BOARD Feb. 5, 1946.

Filed March 6, 1944 IN VEN TOR, DA'WD C fl/PADAW BY 1 W21;

AT T OAWf I) Patented Feb. 5, 1946 UNITED v STATE PATENT OFFICE UTILITY BOARD David C. Braden, Indianapolis, Ind. Application March 6, 1944, Serial No. 525,154

12 Claims. (014155- 127) The present invention relates to a utility board installation, and the primary object thereof is to provide a work board, for supporting work, books, meals, and the like for a sedentary invalid, together with means for suitably securing the board in place upon a chair, either stationary or wheeled. Further objects of the invention will appear as the description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the above and related objects, my invention may be embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawing, attention being called to the fact, however, that the drawing is illustrative only. and that change may be made in the specific construction illustrated anddescribed, so long as the scope of the appended claims is not violated.

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a wheel chair with my invention installed thereon;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary enlarged view of one of my board-retaining brackets secured to an arm of a chair when the board is not in use;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but showing a fragment of the board in place, with the bracket retainingly associated therewith; and

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially upon the line 44 of Fig. 3, and looking in the direction of the arrows.

It is recognized that I am by no means the first to have produced a work-supporting tray or board adapted to be supported upon the arms of a chair. But I believe that I hav cured, by the v present invention, the operational and structural defects inherent in previously known devices intended for the general purpose for which the present invention is designed. By the present invention, I provide a board which isflat upon its upper and lower surfaces; which may be readily removed from, or associated with, the chair;

which provides a maximum, of work space without interfering with movement of the a chair;

which provides support for the patients arms when the board is' used for writing; which may be safely laid upon any flat surface when not in use without interference from brackets, rails, or the like upon the bottom surface of the board; which may be stacked with others like it when not in use; and which may be inexpensively producedin large numbers. I

For purposes of illustration, I have shown my board, in Fig. 1, associated with a wheel chair indicated generally by the reference numeral H1 and having standard, parallel, horizontal arm rests I I and I2. With each of the arm rests is associated a bracket, indicated generally by the reference numeral l3, and manipulable to engage portions of the board M adapted to be supported upon the upper surfaces of the arm rests l l and I2. The board I4 is formed, at its rear edge, with a cutout portion IE to accommodate the body of the patient; and its outer edges, near the rearmost portion of the board, are cut away, as at l6 and H, to accommodate the arms of the patient when he desires to handle the wheels is of the chair. Thus, although the width of the board 14 toward its forward portion is substantially equal to the maximum widthof the chai lll including the wheels 18 and their axles the rearward portion of the board has a width only equal to the distance between the outer edges of the arm rests ll and I2. Because the Width of the forward portion of the board l4 does not exceed the overall width of the chair II), the board will not interfere with any movement of the chair. Thus, for instance, the board [4, when installed on the chair, will pass through any door with a width enough to accommodate the chair itself.

The brackets l3 are identical, and one of them is shown in detail in Figs. 2, 3, and 4.

Each bracket comprises a vertical leg l9, formed with a pair of parallel, spaced, vertically elongated slots 20 and 2|. Screws 22 and 23 pass through the slots 20 and 2 1, respectively, and are projected into the outer vertical edge of the arm rest II or l2. The screws 22 and 23 are set up tightly enough to engage the bracket le l9 fric tionally, but are so set that the bracket [3 may be movedvertically by pressure exerted upon the lower edge thereof or upon the upper edge thereof. The lowermost extremity of the leg [9 is turned inwardly and upwardly as at 24 to provide a smooth, curved surface 25 at the lower end of the leg l9 for engagement by the patients fingers to shift the bracket upwardly.

Each bracket l3 also comprises ahorizontal leg 26 projecting inwardly to overlie the upper surface 28 of the arm rest H or l2 with which it is associated. The bracket leg 26 is formed with a perforation 21 fora purpose later to be described.

The slots 20 and 2| are so proportioned that the screws 22 and 23 are located substantially in their upper ends when thelower surface of the bracket leg 26 is in engagement with the upper surface 28 of the associated arm rest; and that the screws 22 and 23 are substantially in the lower ends of said slots when the lower surface of the bracket leg 26 is spaced from the arm rest surface 28 a distance substantially equal to the thickness of the reduced portion 29 or 30 of the board. Thus, when the board I4 is not in bracket legs 26. a position in which one or another of the perfoplace, the brackets are depressed to the position shown in Fig. 2, wherein the bracket legs 26 are not in a position to interfere with any movement of the patient. When it is desired to associate the board 14 with the chair, upward pressure is exerted against the lower ends 25 of the brackets 13 and they are shifted into the position illustrated in Figs. 1, 3, and 4. he-board i4 is then slid into the position illustrated in Fig. 1, wherein the portions 29, 33 thereof are supported upon the arm rests ll and I2, and engaged between the vertical legs IQ of the two brackets l 3, and

between the horizontal legs, 26 thereof and the" arm rests II and I2. i

The portions 29 and 33 of the board M are preferably formed with a plurality oflongitudinally spaced perforations 3|; and preferably the arm rests H and I2 are formed with sockets 33 registering with the perforations 21 of the The board I4 is shifted into rations 3| of each portion 29 and 33 registers with the perforation 21 of the associated bracket. Such perforation 3| will, of course, register also with thesocket 33 and the associated arm II .or I2.

or chain or the like, may now be dropped through the perforation 21 and the associated board perforation 3|, and into the socket 33, to hold the board l4 against movement relative to the arm rests and brackets.

Alternatively, the sockets 33 maybe eliminated,

I and the bores 3| of the board portions 29 and 3!] may be either perforations or sockets, in which case the pins 32 will cooperate only with the perforations 21 and the holes. 3| in the board portions 29 and 30. It will be appreciated, of course,

that the pins 32 and holes 21, 3|, 33 are not abso-' ing their horizontal branches overhanging the horizontal surfaces of-their respective arm rests, and a utility board having portions adapted to be supported upon said arm rests; said board por- A pin 32, which is'preferably tied or fas. tened to, its associated arm H or H! by a string and with said arm rests for preventing relative tions, when so supported, being confined between said bracket stems and being further confined between said bracket branches and said arm rests.

2. The combination with a chair having horizontal arm rests, of bracket means carried by said arm rests and vertically shiftable with respect thereto, and a utility board having portions adapted to be supported upon said arm rests said bracket means, when at their upper-most positions, overlying and engaging said board portions, and means cooperating with said bracket means and with said board portions for preventing relative movement between said board and said bracket means.

3. The combination with a chair having horizontal arm .rests, of bracket means carried by said arm rests and vertically shiftable with respect thereto, and a utility board having portions adapted to be supported upon said arm rests, said bracket means, when at their uppermost positions, overlying and engaging said board portions, and means cooperating with said board portions movement between said board and said arm rests.

4. The combination with a chair having horizontal arm rests, of bracket means'carried by said arm rests and vertically shiftable with respect thereto, and a utility board having portions adapted to be supported upon said arm rests, said bracket means, when at their uppermost positions, overlying and engaging said board portions, and means cooperating with said bracket means,

said board portions, and said am rests for holding said board against movement relative to said arm rests.

5. The combination with a chair having horizontal arm rests, of bracket means comprising an L-shaped member for each of said arm rests, each of said members including a vertical leg formed with a longitudinal slot, and a horizontal leg, means snugly received in said slot and projected into the outer vertical edge of the associated arm rest to secure its member vertically adjustably in place on said arm rest, with its horizontal leg overlying the top surface of said arm rest, and a utility board h'aving portion insertable between the vertical legs of said members and between the horizontal legs thereof and said arm rests.

6. The combination with a chair having horizontal arm rests, of I bracket means comprising an L-shaped member for each of said arm rests, each of said member including a vertical leg formed with a longitudinal slot, and a horizontal leg, means frictionally engaging said vertical leg, projected through said slot and into the outer vertical edge of the associated arm rest to secure. its member vertically adjustably in place on said arm rest, with its horizontal leg overlying the top surface of said arm rest, the lower extremity of said vertical leg being-bent inwardly and upwardly to provide a downwardly-facing rounded surface at the bottom of said leg, and a utility board having portions insertable between the vertical legs of said members'and between the horizontal legs thereof and said armrests.

7. The combination with a chair having horizontal arm rests, of bracket means comprising an L-shaped member for each of said arm rests, each of said members including a verticalv leg formed with a longitudinal slot, and a horizontal leg formed with a perforation, means frictionally engaging said vertical leg, projected through said slot and into the outer vertical edge of the associated arm rest to secure its member vertically adjustably in place on said arm rest, with its horizontal leg overlying the top surface of said arm rest, a utility board having portions insertable between the vertical legs of said members and between the horizontal legs thereof and said arm rests, said portions being formed with sockets registrable with said bracket perforations, and pins insertable through said perforations and in said sockets to hold said board against movement relative to said brackets.

8. The combination with a chair having horizontal arm rests, of bracket means comprising an L-shaped member for each of said arm rests, each of said members including a vertical leg formed with a longitudinal slot, and a horizontal lg formed with a perforation, means frictionally engaging said vertical leg, projected through said slot and into the outer vertical edge of the asso- V ciated arm rest to secure its member vertically adjustably in place on said arm rest, with its horizontal leg overlying the top surface of said arm rest, a utility board having portions insertable between the vertical legs of said members and between the horizontal legs thereof and said arm rests, each of said board portions being formed with a plurality of spaced sockets selectively registrable with the perforations of one of said brackets, and a pin for each of said brackets insertable through its bracket perforation and into a registering board socket to hold said board against movement relative to said brackets.

9. The combination with a chair having horizontal arm rests, of bracket means comprising an L-shaped member for each of said arm rests, each of said members including a vertical leg formed with a longitudinal slot, and a horizontal leg formed with a perforation, means frictionally engaging said vertical leg, projected through said slot and into the outer vertical edge of the associated arm rest to secure its member vertically adjustably in place on said arm rest, with its horizontal leg overlying the top surface of said arm rest, each of said arm rests being formed in such top surface with a socket registering with the perforation in the horizontal leg of its associated bracket, a utility board having portions insertable between the vertical legs of said members and between the horizontal legs thereof and said arm rests, said portions being formed with perforations registrable with said bracket perforations and with said arm rest sockets, and pins insertable through said registering perforations and into said sockets to hold said board against movement relative to said arm rests and brackets. a

10. The combination with a chair having horizontal arm rests, of bracket means comprising an L-shaped member for each of said arm rests, each of said members including a vertical leg formed with a longitudinal slot, and a horizontal leg formed with a perforation, means frictionally engaging said vertical leg, projected through said slot and into the outer vertical edge of the associated arm rest to secure its member vertically adjustably in place on said arm rest, with its horizontal leg overlying the top surface of said arm rest, each of said arm rests being formed in such top surface with a socket registering with the perforation in the horizontal leg of its associated bracket, a utility board having portions insertable between the vertical legs of said members and between the horizontal legs thereof and rests, and a utility board formed with portions adapted to be supported on said arm rests, a

bracket for each of said arm rests and compris- I ing a vertical leg and a horizontal leg, means cooperating with said vertical leg to secure the same to the outer edge of one of said arm rests for limited vertical movement with respect thereto and with said horizontal arm overlying the upper surface of said arm rest, said means limiting upward movement of said bracket to a p sition in which the lower surface of the horizontal leg thereof is spaced from the upper surface of its associated arm rest a distance substantially equal to the vertical thickness of said portion of said board adapted to be supported on said arm rest, and downward movement of said bracket being limited by engagement of its horizontal leg with said arm rest.

12. For use with a chair having horizontal arm rests, and a utility board formed with portions adapted to be supported on said arm rests, a pair of brackets adapted to be vertically adjustably secured to said arm rests to hold said board portions in position thereon, each of said brackets comprising a horizontal leg formed with a perforation therethrough, and a depending vertical leg formed with a pair of spaced parallel longitudinally-extending slots therethrough, the lowermost extremity of said vertical leg being turned upwardly to incline toward said horizontal leg to provide a rounded surface at the bottom of said vertical leg.

. DAVID C. BRADEN.

Images