US3032917A

US3032917A - Turntable

Info

Publication number: US3032917A
Application number: US829895A
Authority: US
Inventors: Edward C Shine
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1959-07-27
Filing date: 1959-07-27
Publication date: 1962-05-08
Anticipated expiration: 1979-05-08

Description

E. C. SHINE May 8, 1962 TURNTABLE 3 sheets -sheet 1 Filed July 27, 1959 I I IN VEN TOR.

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United States Patent 3,032,917 TURNTABLE Edward C. Shine, P.0. Box 232, Shalimar, Fla. Filed July 27, 1959, Ser. No. 829,895 8 Claims. (Cl. 45-131) This is an continuation-in-part of copending application, U.S. Ser. No. 767,688, filed October 16, 1958, and now abandoned.

The invention pertains to drafting equipment, and more particularly to tracing-drawing tables.

An object of the invention is to provide a portable drafting table of the type which has a translucent panel through which light is adapted to pass and on which the drafting paper, linen, etc. is placed.

A drafting table in accordance with the-invention is made of a receptacle having a top wall Within which a rotatable translucent panel is recessed, furnishing the necessary smooth surface on which to support the drafting paper of an appropriate, selected type. Any number of auxiliary instruments may be used with the table; for example, a T-square, the simpler implements, and the more complex and complicated instruments. Any instrument which can be used in any conventional drafting table may be used with the drafting table having the improved features of this invention therein.

An important feature of the invention is found in the translucent panel. It is rotatably supported so that the work may be turned successively to the most comfortable position before the worker, thereby avoiding the necessity of standing, twisting and awkward strained positions in turning that are assumed by draftsmen.

The advantages of having the work movable to any position through a full 360 of rotation are immediately evident to artists, draftsmen, architects, and all others skilled in allied arts. Specific advantages will accrue to special crafts and arts and are not completely enumerated herein.

These, together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent, reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a top view, parts broken away, of a drafting table in accordance with the invention. In this view the cover of the portable drafting table is removed.

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3- 3 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 5 is an exploded perspective view of several of the parts of the portable drafting table in accordance with the invention.

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of the portable drafting table in the carrying or storage position.

In the accompanying drawings, there is illustrated a portable drafting table 10 made of a cabinet or receptacle of flat configuration. It has a carrying handle 12 together with two

sections

14 and 16 separably connected with each other by means of trunk latches 18. An electrical line cord 20 having a plug 22 at the outer end extends through an opening 24 in side wall 25 of section 16 and supplies electrical potential for operating

electric light tubes

26 and 28 which may be of any conventional type, for instance, fluorescent tubes. The

tubes

28 and 26 are supported by conventional sockets 32 at the ends of the tubes, and these are secured to

walls

27 and 29 of section 16. Notice that

tubes

26 and 28 are laterally spaced from central aperture 36 of top wall 40, the top wall 40 forming a part of the lower section 16 of the cabinet. The starters and ballasts 42 for the

tubes

26 and 28 are operatively wired in circuit with the sockets 32. The starters and ballasts are conventional, but the placement is not. They are contained within lower section 16 of the cabinet.

Wall 40 is made of a panel attached, for example, by screws at the four corners thereof, to the shallow walls of lower section 16. As was expressed previously, any number of conventional instruments may be used with the drafting table and to show this, scale 48 is mounted operatively on panel 40 and is adapted to traverse the panel on the guides 50 constituting a part of scale 48.

Panel 40 has central aperture 36, and an annular recess 52 which opens upwardly through the top surface of panel 40 and which communicates with aperture 36. Recess 52 has a side wall 54 and a bottom wall 56, and the inner edge 58 of wall 56 constitutes the confines of the previously mentioned aperture 36. Recess 52 opens upwardly of panel 40 and constitutes a seat for a transparent panel 60. The transparent panel may be ground glass, translucent plastic or a like suitable material. Panel 60 is circular and of a diameter to fit neatly within recess 52.

A plurality of bearings 62 for panel 60 are carried by panel 40 and located in openings 64 (FIGURE 4) formed in wall 56. Each bearing 62 is preferably in the form of a plastic spool having a spindle 66 extending through the central bore thereof and connected with portions of panel 40 on opposite sides of aperture 64. A portion of the bearing 62 projects upwardly from the upper surface of wall 56 so as to form a rolling support for panel 60. It is now evident that panel 60 is capable of a full 360 rotation with reference to panel 40. A full 360' scale 76 is at the periphery of recess 52, and corresponding graduations 72 form a scale at the periphery of panel 60 to enable the draftsman to quickly ascertain the amount of rotation desired or obtained.

Section 14 of the cabinet is also shallow and has a top wall 74 together with side walls 76 to which portions of trunk latches 18 are secured. There is an outwardly opening recess 80 at the perimeter of panel 40 within which walls 76 snugly fit (FIGURE 2) when the section 14 is attached by latches 18 to section 16 (carrying or storage positions).

In use and operation, the light within section 16 emanates from beneath panel 40 and to the sides of translucent panel 60 (FIGURE 2) so that the dispersion of light is favorable, there being essentially no bright spots in panel 60. The draftsman is free to apply his work onto panel 60 which constitutes a turntable, or panel 40, in any way he chooses. However, there is available at all times to the draftsman the feature of being able to turn his work instead of assuming different positions during his drafting.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A portable drafting table comprising a cabinet having a cabinet section provided with side walls, a bottom wall, and a top panel, said top panel having an aperture, a translucent panel, seat means fixed to said top panel for receiving said translucent panel for rotation in said aperture relative to said seat means, anti-friction bearing means mounted in said seat means for contact with and support of said translucent panel, said translucent panel constituting a surface on which to support drafting work, whereby the drafting work together with the translucent panel is capable of being rotated to selected positions.

2. A portable drafting table comprising a cabinet having a cabinet section provided with side walls, a bottom wall, and a top panel, said top panel having an aperture, a translucent panel, seat means fixed to said top panel for receiving said translucent panel for rotation in said aperture relative to said seat means, anti-friction bearing means mounted in said seat means for contact with and support of said translucent panel, said translucent panel constituting a surface on which to support drafting work, whereby the drafting work together with the translucent panel is capable of being rotated to selected positions, a light source in said section, and means to connect said light source to a power source.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein said light source includes a pair of light tubes, said upper panel being opaque and having said tubes located directly therebelow on either side of the aperture for indirect illumination of the translucent panel.

4. The combination of claim 2 wherein said bearing means for supporting said translucent panel include a plurality of rollers, said upper panel having an upwardly opening recess which includes a bottom surface, an outer side and an inner side, said inner side defining said aperture, said rollers mounted with at least a portion of each projecting above the upper surface of said recess and supporting said translucent panel flush with the upper surface of said opaque panel.

5. The combination of claim 2 wherein said bearing means for supporting said translucent panel include a plurality of rollers, said upper panel having an upwardly opening recess which includes a bottom surface, an outer side and an inner side, said inner side defining said aperture, said rollers mounted with at least a portion of each projecting above the upper surface of said recess and supporting said translucent panel flush with the upper surface of said opaque panel, a second section cooperating with the first-mentioned section and forming a cover therefor, and means separably connecting said sections together, i

6. In drafting equipment, a portable drafting table comprising a cabinet section having walls and an upper panel, said upper panel provided with an aperture, a translucent panel located in said aperture and flush with the upper surface of said upper panel, seat means fixed to said upper panel for receivingsaid translucent panel for rotation relative to the seat means so that said translucent panel may be rotated to selected positions at the convenience of the draftsman, and a light source contained within said section on either side of the aperture to transmit light rays to the lower surface of said translucent panel.

7. The combination defined in claim 6 including graduations forming a scale on one of said panels, and a second section operatively associated with the firstmentioned section.

8. A portable drafting device comprising, lower case means, illuminating means mounted within said lower case means adjacent opposite sides thereof, removable panel means mounted on top of said lower case means, fixed seat means mounted within said panel means defining an opening disposed between said illumination means in the lower case means, a plurality of radially disposed spaced roller means mounted in said seat means, a translucent panel rotationally supported on the roller means and closely received within said seat means, peripheral recess means formed on said panel means, a top closure case means capable of interfitting in said recess means and lock means mounted on said lower case means and top closure case means for holding said top case means in assembled relation over said panel means for transport purposes.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,559,665 Berry et a1. Nov. 3, 1925 2,215,462 Davidson Sept. 24, 1940 2,855,721 Shelly Oct. 14, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 248,506 Switzerland Feb. 2, 1948