US2484809A - Copy table assembly - Google Patents

Description

3 Sheets-Sheet 1 G. D. AUSTIN ETAL COPY TABLE ASSEMBLY GERALD D. AUSTIN j MICHAEL WISHNOVSKY Oct. 18, 1949..

Filed June 2?, 1946 C 1949. G. D. AUSTIN ET AL 2,484,809

COPY TABLE ASSEMBLY Filed June 5, 1946 3 Shee'ts-Sheet 2 FIG? GERALD D. AUSTlN MICHAEL WISHNOVSKY Patented Oct. 18, 1949 COPY TABLE ASSEMBLY Gerald D. Austin, Atlanta, Ga., and Michael Wishnovsky, Yeadon, Pa.

Application June 3, 1946, Serial No. 674,006

(Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 370 0. G. 757) 2 Claims.

This invention relates to a novel and improved copying table assembly and more particularly to a copying table assembly for use in the art of microphotography and other related arts.

An object of the invention is to providea device upon which a chart, drawing, or similar material may be readily placed and held in desired position while being photographed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device for readily placing and holding the desired material being copied or photographed, in which holding means is adapted to be operated without the use of the hands, thus enabling the operator to utilize both hands for other needs, such as adjusting the position of the material while moving the holding means.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a device so constructed as to enable use of desired materials, such as glass or the like to overlie the work, which will satisfy the needs of the operator, and which will assure continuous operation without damage or breakage to its various members thus insuring long, continuous and completely satisfactory operation.

A. still further object of the invention is to provide a device which is simple and compact in construction and is so designed as to speed up operation.

Other objects will be apparent from the drawings and the accompanying description, relating to one embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the copying table.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view of the rear of the apparatus.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on line 44 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a view like Fig. 4 showing the parts in a different position. In the art of micro-photography or like copying process, one of the problems encountered is that of providing a means for holding lengthy materials such as strip charts, drawings, or any similar material in fixed smooth condition and properly disposed to enable the photographer or operator to quickly and easily operate the device for photographing the material. The present invention was conceived to overcome this problem, and provides a novel copying table structure.

The device consists of a copying table assembly r erably wood or metal, and having any desired arrangement for containing control units for the various members of the apparatus, such as controls for lights, camera and the like (not shown) usually mounted in association with the copying table. Fixedly mounted on the table top or copy board I is a plaque preferably constructed of wood or similar material, and being of a size to support the material to be photographed. Adjacent the plaque 3 and hinged at the rear of the table by means of strap or like hinges is a platen frame member 4 adapted to be raised and lowered. The platen comprises a frame constructed preferably of metal, and having an upstanding wall portion 5 having its lower edge turned over to form an inwardly extending flange B. The frame may desirably be made of angle iron. The upper surface of the flange portion 5 is preferably covered with felt I or other desirable cushioning material. The rear vertical wall 5 of the platen frame is preferably faced with a woodstrip 6a. A transparent plate 8, preferably of tempered glass, is inserted in the frame and is of such dimensions and is so disposed as to be capable of freedom of movement up and down within the frame, the glass being cushioned from the metal frame by the felt material 1 covering the flange portion of the frame and the wooden buffer strip 6a at the rear of the frame, when the platen frame is in raised condition, as seen in Fig. 5. The frame is of such size that the inner edges of the flanges 6 thereof will clear the outer edges of the plaque 3, the plaque thus being disposed therein when the platen is in down position. The plaque 3 is of greater height or thickness than that of the flange 6 and its felt strip 1, so that the upper surface of the plaque is at a higher level than the felt I and receives and carries the full weight of the glass plate 8, with the material to be photographed disposed therebetween, when the platen is in down position. Spring hooks 3! are positioned on the front of the platen frame for holding the platen in down position on the copy board I, by engaging the brackets 32.

On each end of the frame is an attaching means 9 for mounting an adjustable arm Ill. The arms I U are fixed to the platen in an adjustable manner and extend rearward of the table and preferably in a plane with the platen. On the outer end of each arm is affixed a counter-weight l l of desirable size and weight to over-balance the weight of the platen. Attached to each of the arms In adjacent the weight is an adjustable sleeve member H. The sleeve members 12 receive and have slidable adjustment with the arms and are aifixed in desired position relative to the arms by a set screw [3 or like suitable means. The sleeve members have extensions the ends of which are pivoted to link rods [4. Attached to each of the rear legs of the table a desired height above the base or floor are brackets l5. Extending through the two brackets I5 is a shaft I6. On the shaft 16 and desirably adjacent to the'inner one of the brackets 1'5 there is aflixed for movement with the shaft a crank lug IT. A second set of crank lugs l8 are provided, one affixed to each of the shafts I6 and are placed at a desired angle-with relation to the crank lugs l1 and are desirably positioned adjacent the outer one of. the brackets l5.

Attached to the front legs of the table are brackets l9, these brackets being similar to those on the rear legs and desirably positioned at substantially the same height above the base. brackets l 9 have pivotally mounted therein a second shaft 2i]. Downwardly extending crank lugs 21 are fixedly attached to the shaft 2B adjacent the inner surface of the brackets iii; The lower end of the crank lugs 2| are suitably construeted to engage the link bars 22, said bars connecting the crank lugs 2| on the front shaft to the corresponding crank lugs H on the rear shaft. To the front shaft is fixedly attached a rod 23 desirably formed to resemble a fiat U. This member will act as a foot pedal or treadle for rotating the shaft 20 and is desirably affixed to the shaft 20 at an angle of about 90 to the crank lugs 2!.

A stop means 24 is provided desirably mounted in combination with the strap hinges 25 which mount the platen to the table. The stop means comprises an elongated horizontally extending plate member 28 suitably attached as by welding to the rear face of each of the strap hinges 25, and being positioned substantially on a level with the rear of the platen frame. The plate member 25 is preferably bent outwardly at its free and providing an extension 21 positioned rearward of the plate and having a bolt receiving hole therein. Aflixed to the rear frame of the platen is a bolt receiving sleeve member 28 positioned adjacent the end of the plate 26' and being designed for pivotal movement of the bolt 29 thereint A bolt 29 having one end bent to form substantially a 90 angle is inserted through the hole in the plate portion 21,. the bent nor-- tion of the bolt being rotatably received in the bolt receiving sleeve member on the platen frame. The other end of the bolt extends outwardly through the plate portion 27 and has a stop nut 30' thereon by which length-wise adjustment on the bolt can be made. the hole in the plate through which the bolt is inserted being considerably larger than the bolt and allowing for angular movement of the bolt therein. In. this manner, the distance the strap hinge can open is controlled by the adjustment of the bolt length by means of the stop nut, and the platen can be raised only a certain distance and cannot be raised beyond the predetermined point by the raising force of the counter-weight. Thus the glass sheet loosely mounted in the platen will not be dropped or jarred out of the frame and broken.

There is thus provided a device comprising a table, a plaque attached to the top of the table for supporting the desired work material, a platen frame so sized as to surround the plaque in spaced relation thereto, and a transparent plate loosely mounted within the platen to rest on the plaque when the platen is in down position. A foot pedal means is provided for lowering the The platen, with a spring hook or latch means for maintaining the platen in lowered condition, and a counter-weight for raising the platen. When using the device the operator places the material to be photographed on the plaque, holding it stra ght and in desired position with his hands. Then by means of the foot treadle, the counter-- weight and adjustable arm upon which the weight is mounted, is forced upward, thus lowering the platen by desired foot pressure, and thereby clamping the work sheet between the frame of the platen and the table, the platen being held in down position desirably by the spring hook arrangement or the like. In the down. position of the platen, the plaque is disposed Within and spaced from the frame of the platen, thus raising the sheet of glass loosely mounted. therein from its seat on the platen frame. The weight of the glass thus bears on the plaque and holds the material in smooth condition for photographing. After the picture has been completed, the spring hook or latch means is disengaged and the platen is returned to its upward position by the counteruveight. The stop means provided at the rear of the platen regulates the maximum up position of the platen.

A photronic cell or photo-electric scanner 33 is fired to the camera tower 36. Also a microammcter 34, which performs the function of an exposure meter, and a voltmeter 35, are mounted on the instrument box on the tower beside the photronic cell.

It will be apparent that this invention is not to be limited to the embodiment disclosed in the drawings and written description, but that various modifications may be made therein Without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention, as defined b the terms of the apparent claims or the equivalents thereof.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

What is claimed:

1. A copy table assembly comprising a table, a horizontally disposed work supporting plaque extending above the surface of said table, work holding means comprising a frame having vertical sides and a horizontal flange on the lower edges of said sides, said vertical sides having a greater height than the vertical height of said plaque above said table, a plate of transparent material loosely mounted on said horizontal flange within said sides for free vertical movement, said plaque having a greater vertical height than said horizontal flange, means for raising and lowering said frame between a down position wherein said lower flanged edge rests upon the table surface and a raised position with said frame spaced above the plaque, said frame receiving and encircling said plaque in the down position with the plaque projecting through said frame and supporting said transparent plate thereon independent of said frame in cooperation to hold a sheet flat on said plaque, said plate being supported by said horizontal flange on the lower edge of said frame in the raised position of said frame, said. means for raising and lowering said frame comprising arms, mounted on opposite ends and extending rearwardly from and in the plane of said frame, a counterweight mounted on said arms to the rear ofv said frame adjustable between the extremities thereof and said frame for normally moving and holding the frame in raised position, and manually operated means for lowering said frame to plaque encircling position against the operation of said counterweights.

2. A copying table assembly comprising a work table, a horizontal-1y disposed work supporting plaque fixed to its upper surface and extending vertically therefrom, a work holding platen hingedly connected at its rear edge to the rear margin on said table and adapted to swing toward and away from said plaque to encircle the same, arms mounted on each end of said platen at one end and extending rearwardly in substantially the same plane therewith, a pair of counterweights, one adjustably mounted on the free end of each arm, said counterweights normally mov ing said platen into raised position, means for lowering said platen operatively connected therewith comprising a pair of shafts rotatably mounted in spaced parallel relation on the lower portion of said table at the front and rear thereof, a U-shaped pedal having the ends secured to opposite ends of the shaft at the front of said table, crank arms mounted on both of said shafts, a link connecting the free ends of said crank arms, another pair of crank arms on said rear shaft, and links connected at one end to said last-mentioned crank arms and adjustably connected at the opposite ends to said first-mentioned arms between said platen and said counterweights, said means for lowering said platen being manually operated by manually engaging said foot pedal to lower said platen against the operation of said counterweights.

GERALD D. AUSTIN.

MICHAEL WISHNOVSKY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,835,340 Satterlee Dec. 8, 1931 1,999,616 Peterson Apr. 30, 1935 2,107,867 Mayer Feb. 8, 1938 2,127,601 Jaife Aug. 23, 1938 2,205,480 Kidwell June 25, 1940

Images