US3180609A

US3180609A - Portable lectern

Info

Publication number: US3180609A
Application number: US324155A
Authority: US
Inventors: Clyde N Johnson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1963-11-15
Filing date: 1963-11-15
Publication date: 1965-04-27
Anticipated expiration: 1982-04-27

Description

April 1965 c. N. JOHNSON 3,180,609

PORTABLE LECTERN Filed Nov. 15, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. CLYDE 4/ (/Of/A/SO/ April 27, 1965 c. N. JOHNSON 3,180,609

PORTABLE LECTERN Filed Nov. 15, less 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Cl. yo: IV- dOl/A/SO/V BY MW 6. x AL United States Patent 3,180,609 PORTABLE LECTERN Clyde N. Johnson, 244 SE. 44th St., Oklahoma City, Okla. Filed Nov. 15, 1963, Ser. No. 324,155 1 Claim. (Cl. 248-460) (Granted under Title 35, US. Code (1952), sec. 266) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the United States Government for governmental purposes without payment to me of any royalty thereon.

The present invention relates to a foldable portable lectern.

Prior lecterns have had the common disadvantage of being bulky, unwieldy, and unattractive, which have had the important of detracting from the speakers message. Earlier lecterns have lacked the compactness and ease of transportability and erection which the present inventi-on embodies.

Therefore,'it is an object of the present invention to provide a portable lectern which furnishes the maximum in ease of transportability.

A further object of the invention is to provide a portable lectern which is compact and light in weight.

A further object of the invention is to provide a portable lectern which is sturdy and simple in design.

A further object of the invention is to provide a portable lectern which is easily and economically manufactured.

These and other objects will become readily apparent by the following specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the lectern in the unfolded position;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the lectern in the unfolded position;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the lectern in the folded position;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the lectern in the unfolded position; and FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of the first foldable brace 9 which is identical in design as the second foldable brace 15.

Referring to the drawings and in particular to FIG. 1, the lectern comprises a base 5 which is rectangular in shape and has four gliders 7 on the bottom of the base, one glider on each corner.

A semicircle .23 is cut out of the rectangular base 5 to provide space for the lectern users feet when standing behind the lectern and facing the work platform 13. The base 5 is attached to the substantially vertical support member 1 by means of a piano hinge 19 which is located at the lower end of the vertical support member 1 and connected to the base 5 at a point intermediate the ends of the base 5. The base 5 is also connected to the vertical support member 1 by means of a first foldable brace 9 comprising two brackets. The vertical support member 1 has a strengthening member 3 attached to it in a longitudinal direction to add stability and strength to the vertical support member 1. The vertical support member 1 has two oval openings 21 on each side 'of the structural strengthening member 3 and located midway between the ends of the vertical support member 1. The openings 21 function as carrying handles or handholds for ease in transporting the lectern.

The work platform 13 is attached at the upper end of the vertical support member 1 at an acute angle with respect to the vertical support member 1 by means of a piano hinge 17. The work platform 13 is also connected to the vertical support member 1 by means of a second foldable brace comprising two brackets 15. At the end R 3,180,609 Patented Apr. 27, 1965 of the work platform 13, opposite the end attached to the vertical support member 1, is a projecting strip 11 attached to the work platform 13 to provide a raised rib to function as a stop for the paper or material placed on the work platform.

When the lectern is in the unfolded position the first foldable brace 9 and the second foldable brace 15 are in the extended and locked position.

The lectern is folded by collapsing the first foldable brace g and the second foldable brace 15 into the folded position. The first foldable brace 9 comprises a pair of pivoted brackets, each bracket comprising two

links

23 and 25. One of the links 23 is U-shaped in cross section 31and the other link 25 is rectangular in cross section. When the first foldable brace 9 is in the folded position, the U-shaped link 23 receives and substantially encloses the rectangular link 25.

The foldable brace 15 comprises a pair of pivoted brackets, each bracket comprising two links 27 and 29'. One of the links 27 is U-shaped in cross section and the other link 29 is rectangular in cross section. When the second foldable brace 15 is in the folded position, the U-shaped link 2'7 receives and substantially encloses the rectangular link '29. Each of the

foldable braces

9 and 15 consists of a pair of brackets including a pair of

links

23, 25. Link 23 is U-shaped in cross section 3 1 and link 25 is rectangular in cross section.

Links

23, 25 are pivotally interconnected by pin 28 at a point inward of the end 33 of link 23. This described relationship permits link 25 to be folded into U-shaped link 23 so as to be compact when the lectern is folded. Also, due to the overlapping of the links the end 33 of link 27 functions as a stop when the brackets are in the extended or locked position.

Each of the foldable braces are identical; hence, only one has been described.

When the lectern is in the folded position the base 5 lies alongside and is parallel to the vertical support member I. When the lectern is in the folded position the work platform 13 lies alongside and is parallel to the vertical support member 1.

One specific embodiment of this invention has been described; however, various modifications would be obvious to one skilled in the art; hence, the breadth of the invention is that described in the following claim.

I claim:

A foldable portable lectern comprising a base, a substantially vertical support member hinged to the base at a point intermediate the ends of the base, carrying means on the vertical support member, a first foldable brace means interconnecting the vertical support member and base to rigidly support the vertical support member in a substantially vertical position relative to the base when the brace means is in its unfolded position, a work platform hinged at its upper end to the upper end of the vertical support member, a second foldable brace means interconnecting the vertical support member and the work platform and supports the platform at an acute angle with respect to the vertical support member when the brace means is in the unfolded position, a projecting strip attached to the end of the work platform that is not attached to the vertical support to function as a rest for the paper or material placed onthe platform, the first and second brace means each include a pair of pivoted brackets, each bracket comprising two links, one of the links is U-shaped in cross-section and the other link being rectangular in cross-section, the U-shaped link-is adapted to receive and substantially enclose the rectangular link when the bracket is in folded position, whereby the lectern is foldable by folding the brace means to thereby permit the work platform and base to be collapsed into a position parallel to the vertical support member for 2,567,593 9/51 Bemis 108-150 X easy transponability. 3,117,816 1/64 De Sena 297-156 References Cited by the Examiner FOREIGN S,

UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 900,211 7/62 Great Britain.

7 583,418 10/58 Italy. 348,706 9/86 'Weiner 29746O 2,235,989 3/41 Gruetzmacher et a1. Hui 413 460 FRANK B. SHERRY, Primciry Examiner.