US2846283A

US2846283A - Edge trim for desk tops and the like

Info

Publication number: US2846283A
Application number: US659111A
Authority: US
Inventors: Leroy W Pasewalk
Original assignee: Invincible Metal Furniture Co
Current assignee: Invincible Metal Furniture Co
Priority date: 1957-05-14
Filing date: 1957-05-14
Publication date: 1958-08-05
Anticipated expiration: 1975-08-05

Description

Aug. 5, 1958 L. w. PAsEwALK 2,846,283

EDGE TRIM F 0R DESK TOPS AND THE LIKE Filed May 14, 1957 INVENTOR. 4L-'foy n( qsfwux BY v w m v.

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A Trae/V516 salinas?) noon rnnvr non ross ann "ran una Leroy W. Pasewaik, Mlanitowac, Wis., assigner to linvineibie Metal Furniture Qompany, Manrtowac, lit/rs., a corporation of Wisconsin Application May 14, 1957, Serial No. glii 6 Claims. (Ci. 311-107) This invention relates to an edge trim for desk tops and the like.

Desk tops covered with linoleum or plastic sheeting have long presented an edge-inishing problem which has only been solved, in many cases, by providing a downward curve on all margins of the desk top about which the covering material is extended on a broad radius. in many instances this curved edge is undesirable.

The present invention provides a square edge for a covered desk and permits the trim band applied to the desk to be flush with the covering material when the maferial comprises linoleum or some similarly flexible and deformable substance. in the case of a fairly rigid material which chips when bent, as is the case in certain plastic coverings, a similar band is used but it has to be applied somewhat differently, the thickness of the band lying above the plane of the material.

ln both cases, the desk top is relieved slightly on all sides as it approaches the side flange. In the case of the linoleum covering, the linoleum bends downwardly onto the slightly offset portion of the top to an extent just sufficient so that the beveled flange of the trim strip overlying the edge of the linoleum is substantially flush with the top surface throughout the intermediate area. The trim strip flange is part of a channel which overlies the facing flange of the desk proper and provides clearance from the edge of the sheet which surfaces the top. There is a substantial difference in expansion and contraction between the surfacing sheet and the metal and, moreover, it is desirable to provide this clearance so that any blow which deforms the trim will not break the margin of the surfacing sheet. This is particularly desirable when the surfacing sheet is plastic and incapable of being bent into conformity to the relieved portion of the metal top.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a fragmentary view in perspective of the corner of a desk or the like embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the desk top lifted from the angle which provides the finished edge of the desk pI'OpeI.

Fig. 3 is a view taken in perspective on the line 3-3 of Fig. l.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing how the same construction appears when used with a plastic surfacing sheet.

The desk proper may be of any conventional con struction or design and is not generally illustrated. In its usual form it includes a mounting angle 5 with a horizontal flange at 6 and a Vertical ange 7, the latter inclosing the trim strip where it is connected to the side flange 8 of the metal desk top 9. The angle will be understood to be continuous about all sides of the desk to pro vide a recess into which is receivable the top structure presently to be described. The corner 11i is formed on a radius. To accommodate the forming, the flange 6 is cut away as indicated at 11 in Fig. 2.

The desk top has a surfacing sheet of linoleum or the ts et like as indicated at 15l in Figs. l, 2 and 3, or plastic as indicated at in Fig. 4. The metal top 9 is generally planiform throughout most of its area but in a narrow zone close to its four sides it is relieved downwardly at 16 as it approaches the corner 17 from which the flange S extends downwardly at right angles to the planiform portion of top 9. In the case of the linoleum top 15, the marginal portions 18 are readily deformed slightly downwardly to conform to the relieved portion 1-6 of the metal top in the manner clearly shown in Fig. 3. In the case of the plastic top, even such slight bending is irnpracticable and the edge 19 of the plastic surfacing sheet 15@ is permitted to extend stiflly in the same plane as shown in Fig. 4.

The nishing strip 20 isy the s'arne in both cases. It comprises an upright'flange 21 which is welded, as shown at 14, to the flange S of the metal desk top 9. Above the flange 21, the finishing stripv is formed outwardly at 22 just sufficiently to overlie the top margin of the receiving flange 7 of the desk. Thence the finishing strip extends upwardly at 23 across the margin of the surfacing sheet 15' or 150 and in spaced relation thereto. Thence the finishing strip extends inwardly at 24 over the

surfacing sheet marginV

18 or 19. In the case of the linoleum top, the flange 24 of the finishing strip is perfectly horizontal and substantially at the level of the surface 25 of the linoleum over the general area of the top. To the extent that there is any deviation in level, it is preferred that the upper surface of flange 24 be below rather than above the surface 25.

At the extreme margin of the flange 24, the flange is beveled as shown at 26 in Fig. 3 so that its free margin merges smoothly with the surface of the linoleum surfacing sheet to provide a neat and substantially right angled corner for the vdesk top. The free margin 18 of the linoleum surfacing sheet is received into the channel 28 formed within the finishing strip between the

portions

22, 23 and 24 thereof.

The same finishing strip is used for the plastic top but its extreme margin 27 is bent slightly downwardly onto the surface 250 of the plastic surfacingv sheet 15d so that the bevel 26 originally `formed on the underside of flange 24 now lies in flat face contact with the surface 250. The free edge 19 of the plastic surfacing sheet 150 lies within the channel 28 free of edge contact with the portion 23 of the finishing strip. The spacing is particularly important in the case of the plastic surfacing sheet, since any crack initiated by deformation of the extreme margin might spread onto the exposed surface of the sheet 150.

Thus, while the construction has major advantages in the case of a top surfaced with a sheet 1S of linoleum or the like, which can be deformed in conformity with the gradually relieved portion 16 of the metal top 9, there are also advantages when the desk top is surfaced with stiffer material.

The prefabricated top with its surfacing sheet and finishing strip needs no anchorage within the receiving flange 7 of the angle 5 of the desk. However, it is conventional to provide an inwardly turned flange at 29 on the desk top engaged by a turn button 30 pivoted to the angle 5 of the desk to be engaged over flange 2f? as shown in Fig. 3.

I claim:

l. A top construction for a desk comprising the comination with a metal top having a downwardly extending flange at its side, of a surfacing sheet covering said top and having a flexible margin extending outwardly beyond the outside of said flange, and a finishing strip having a portion overiying said flange and another portion comprising a channel embracing the margin of the surfacing sheet in spaced relation with the edge thereof,

3 the channel including a flange with a beveled edge overlying and in contact with the upper surface of said sheet at a point spaced inwardly from the sheet margin to clamp said sheet against the top above the flange of the top, said sheet margin being deformed downwardly as it extends beyond the flange of the top and beneath the flange of the finishing strip.

2. A top construction for a desk or the like comprising the combination with a metal top having a downwardly extending ilange at its side, of a surfacing sheet covering said top and having a margin extending outwardly from the outside of said ange, and a finishing strip having a portion overlying said ange and another portion comprising a channel embracing the margin of the surfacing sheet in spaced relation with the edge thereof, the channel including a flange overlying and in Contact with the upper surface of the margin of said sheet, said top having aportion in immediate proximity to the rst mentioned ange in which the desk top is relieved to a level slightly below that of its general area and the surfacing sheet is deformed downwardly in conformity with said relieved portion.

3. The device of claim 2 in which the flange of the linishing strip which overlies the margin of the surfacing sheet has its lower surface beveled.

4. A top construction for a desk comprising a metal top having a major portion generally planiform and a narrow portion in immediate proximity toits sides in which said top is relived'downwardly below the level of said planiforrn portion, a surfacing sheet covering said top and having a margin deformed downwardly in con- 4 i formity with the relieved portion of said top, and a nishing strip extending upwardly across the edge of said surfacing sheet and having a flange overlying the downwardly deformed margin of the surfacing sheet with the upper surface of said ange approximately at the level of that portion of the sheet which covers the planiform portion of the top.

5. The combination set forth in claim 4 in which the finishing strip comprises a channel spaced substantially continuously from the margin of the surfacing sheet.

6. The combination set forth in claim 4 in which the top inclines curvilinearly downwardly toward its said ange to provide the relieved portion aforesaid, the surfacing sheet curving downwardly in conformity therewith and the nishing strip flange overlying the surfacing sheet having its under surface beveled at its inner margin to accommodate the curve of the surfacing sheet and to enable the upper surface of the flange to merge substantially without a shoulder with the upper surface of the sheet portion which covers the generally planiform part of the top.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 18,077 Larson May 19, 1931 1,705,152 Card Mar. 12, 1929 1,815,167 Soper July 2l, 1931 2,032,878 Hunter Mar. 3, 1936 2,562,360 Jones July 31, 1951 2,786,727 Nordmark` Mar. 20, 1957