US3347184A

US3347184A - Table-lectern

Info

Publication number: US3347184A
Application number: US527338A
Authority: US
Inventors: Joseph L Kiraly
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1966-02-14
Filing date: 1966-02-14
Publication date: 1967-10-17
Anticipated expiration: 1984-10-17

Description

Oct. 17, 1967 J. L. KIRALY ,1 4 TABLE-LECTERN Filed Feb. 14, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig. 3

INVENTOR Joseph L. Kiruly WITNESS BY AM, 5. 121M911.

ATTORNEY J. L. KIRALY TABLE-LECTERN 2 SheetsSheet 2 Filed Feb. 14, 1966 INVENTOR.

BY Joseph L. Klraly WITNESS JIM/17 5 840112119 7%.

United States Patent Ofitice 3,347,184 Patented Oct. 17, 1967 3,347,184 TABLE-LECTERN Joseph L. Kiraly, 18190 Lovell Road, Spring Lake, Mich. 49456 Filed Feb. 14, 1966, Ser. No. 527,338 4 Uaims. (Cl. 10817) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLGSURE This invention contemplates a lectern structure supported by a table, desk, or the like wherein the lectern structure is provided with a supporting panel which may assume a position coplanar with the top of the desk or table, and which may assume positions above and at an angle to the desk or table top. The supporting panel is movable through pivoted linkages relative to the frame of the desk or table. The supporting panel can be latched in any of its selected positions, and biasing arrangements are employed to prevent sudden collapse of the supporting panel as it is shifted from its elevated to its lowered position.

This invention provides a multiple-position structure capable of functioning as a lectern in elevated positions, and as all or part of a table or desk in the fully lowered position. A speaker in a business conference, or a lecturer in a meeting, may muster his notes while seated and awaiting his time to speak. As he rises to speak, he can pull the lectern up with him, with his notes and presentation materials still placed and sorted as he had them. In the preferred form of the invention, the lectern moves away from the'speaker as it rises, thus contributing to his standing room and removing the necessity to shuffle chairs as each speaker begins and completes his presentation. This feature is particularly valuable when a series of speakers is arrayed at a table on a raised platform, commonly too small to permit such maneuvering of chairs. A movable lectern as provided by this invention at each speakers place is a great convenience, as movement of the speakers to and from a fixed central lectern is eliminated.

The several features of the invention will be analyzed in further detail through a discussion of the particular embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view showing a table with the lectern in the fully elevated position.

FIGURE 2 is an elevation on a reduced scale from that of FIGURE 1, from the speakers side of the device.

FIGURE 3 is a side view of the unit in the FIGURE 1 position.

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary view on an enlarged scale of one of the link members supporting the lectern panel.

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary view on an enlarged scale showing the lowered and locked position of the structure.

FIGURES 6, 7, and 8 show three different positions of the movable barrier strip lectern.

FIGURE 9 shows an intermediate elevated positionof the lectern structure.

FIGURE 10 shows a second intermediate position of the lectern in which it isuseful as a drawing board.

FIGURE 11 shows the fully lowered position of the structure.

FIGURE 12 is a schematic view showing a convenient position for a lectern structure in a conference table.

FIGURE 13 shows a view in which a lectern structure forms the right side of a desk.

FIGURE 14 is a fragmentary view on an enlarged at the speakers edge of the V scale showing an alternate form of biasing system for balancing the lectern structure.

The unit shown in FIGURE 1, and in the related views, includes a frame which may be considered as composed of the legs 20-23, the short

horizontal front members

24 and 25 at the speakers side of the unit, the

horizontal bars

26 and 27, transverse bars as shown at 28 and 29, and a group of three modesty panels 30-32 extending around three sides of the frame. The

table panels

33 and 34 may also be considered as part of the fixed frame, and a lectern panel 35 moves from the elevated position shown in FIGURE 2 down into a fully lowered position in which it is in edgewise and co-planar alignment with the

fixed table surfaces

33 and 34. It should be noted that the panel 35 moves laterally in a direction away from the speaker as it rises from the lowered position of FIG- URE 11 to the raised position of FIGURES 1 and 3. This movement provides additional standing room for the speaker, since the

horizontal bars

26 and 27 are both disposed beyond the speaker from the vertical projection of the edge 36 of the lectern panel.

The structure for supporting the lectern panel 35 is based upon a double linkage which is pivotally con nected to the underside of the lectern panel 35 for rotation along two parallel and spaced axes. One of these links is formed by the panel 37 which has a piano type hinge 38 connection along one edge to the bar 26, with the opposite edge being connected at the piano hinge 39 to the panel 35. The link panel 37 is preferably a sheet of steel with a marginal flange 40 extending around all four edges.

The

link bars

41 and 42 remain in parallelism, and are pivotally connected at the opposite ends for rotation oncommon axes. The upper ends of these bars are connected to the underside of the panel 35 at the hinges 43, and the lower ends are connected to the horizontal bar 27 at the hinges 44. A positioning link 45 is pivotally connected to the bar 41 at 46, and has a slot 47 slidably embracing the pin 48 mounted on the member 28 of the frame. A series of notches 49 are engageable with the pin 48 at various positions of elevation of the panel 35, and these notches may be formed in such a way as to provide a tight wedging action that will minimize lost motion or rattling of the device in the locked position. It is preferable to provide some form of balancing action which will attenuate the effect of gravity on the panel 35 so that it does not slam down into the fully closed position, and thus injure the fingers of the user of the structure. Without this provision, the scissoring action between the panel 35 and the adjacent

fixed table panels

33 and 34 provides a source of danger. The biasing action may be provided either by the diagonal coil spring 50 extending between the bracket 51, secured to the panel 35, at a point of connection on the flange 40. Alternatively, the arrangement shown in FIGURE 14 may beused. In the latter, the piano hinge 39 has one of the interengaged elements removed to provide space for the coil spring 39a surrounding the hinge pin 52. The end 53 of the spring bears against the leaf 54, and the end 55 against the leaf 56 to produce a tendency for the hinge to open, which corresponds to the elevated position of the panel 35. The tendency for the panel to slam downward is at a maximumjust prior to the fully lowered position, because of the relative position of the center of gravity of the panel and of the

hinges

38 and 44. It will be noted that the degree of deflection of both the spring 39a and the spring 50 will be at a maximum .at that time, although the spring 50 will tend to reach an over center toggle position which will reduce its biasing effect. A proper selection of spring force and rate, together with a selection of the points of attachment of the spring, can

3 be made to determine the desired characteristics of the device.

The relative movement of the link panel 37 with respect to the panel 35 (about the hinge axis 39) can be utilized to provide a convenient locking action. Referring particularly to FIGURE 4, a latch 57 is mounted on the link panel 37, with the bolt 58 projecting through an opening in the marginal flange 40. The latch 57 is positioned at an interrupted portion in the piano hinge 38, which provides clearance for the keeper 59 secured to the underside of the lectem panel 35 to move on an arcuate path that carries it between the edge of the panel 37 and the corner of the bar 26. This position is shown in FIG- URE 5, and it is preferable that an opening opposite the position of the bolt 58 be provided in the bar 26 for clearance. When the bolt 58 is engaged with the keeper 59, the lectern panel 35 is firmly secured in the fully lowered position. The bolt 57 may be retracted by pulling on the rod 60, which terminates in a grip ring 61, with the rod preferably being guided by the member 62 secured to the link panel 37.

It is preferable to include an adjustable barrier strip 63 at the speakers edge of the lectern panel 35, although this particular device is well-known and forms no part of the present invention. The inclined position of the panel as it is elevated makes it desirable to utilize this standard arrangement to prevent material on the lectern panel from slipping off onto the floor. The strip 63 has a group of at least two slots 64 (refer to FIG- URES 6, 7 and 8) which are engaged with the screws 65 entering into the edge of the panel 35. The degree of slant of the slots 64 is preferably selected so that it is less than the coefficient of friction, so that the strip will tend to maintain whatever position in which it might be placed.

The arrangement shown in FIGURE 12 is particularly well adapted to conference rooms of moderate size. A group of people may be seated around a table, with the end position being reserved for the principal speaker. When the panel 66 is in the down position, it is in edgewise and coplanar alignment with the table surface 67, so that the table retains its original full utility. The arrangement shown in FIGURE13 is intended primarily for use in teaching. The panel unit 68 represents one side of a desk, and the lowered position of the panel 68pmduces the usual coplanar desk surface including a fixed surface 69. It is noteworthy that the fixed surfaces alongside the movable lectern panel are very useful for supporting exhibits, projectors, or for any other equipment or demonstration items used in the course of the presentation. The upright position of the linkpanel 37 may also have additional utility, of the type shown in FIGURE 1. The public address system speaker 70 can be mounted very easily in the panel 37, and it swings upward into the best sound-projecting system as the lectern panel 36 is raised. The link panel 37 may also carry printed material or other forms of equipment, and all of this should be mounted to swing down between the

bars

26 and 27 as the panel 35 is lowered.

The particular embodiments of the present invention which have been illustrated and discussed herein are for illustrative purposes only and are not to be considered as a limitation upon the scope of the appended claims. In these claims, it is my intent to claim the entire invention disclosed herein, except as .I am limited by the prior ant.

I claim:

1. A table-lectern structure, comprising:

a supporting frame; and

a lectern panel and means connecting said lectern panel to said frame for combined vertical and horizontal movement of said lectern panel between raised and lowered positions with respect to said frame, said frame having components thereof extending directly underneath said panel, all of said components being disposed beyond the vertical projection of an elevated position of the rear edge of said lectern panel with respect to the direction of lateral movement thereof to said raised position, said frame including a table structure having a cut-out area receiving said lectern panel in the lowered position thereof in coplanar relationship with a fixed table surface.

2. A structure as defined in claim 1, wherein said means connecting said lectern panel to said frame includes a lock having a bolt mounted for sliding movement parallel to the plane of said link panel, said lock also including. a keeper mounted on the underside of said lectern panel and disposed to engage said bolt in the lowered position of said lectern panel.

3. A table-lectern structure, comprising:

a supporting frame; and

a lectern panel and means connecting said lectern panel to said frame forcombined vertical and horizontal movement of said lectern panel between raised and lowered positions with respect to said frame, said frame having components thereof extending directly underneath said panel, all of: said components being disposed beyond the vertical projection of an elevated position of the rear edge of said lectern panel with respect to the direction of lateral movement thereof to. said raised position, said means connecting said lectern panel to said frame including a lock releasably interconnecting components of said structure having relative vertical movement during elevation of said lectern panel. 4. A table-lectern structure, comprising: a supporting frame; and a lectern panel and means connecting said lectern panel to said frame for combined vertical and horizontal movement of said lectern panel between raised and lowered positions With respect to said frame, said frame having components thereof extending directly underneath said panel, all of said components being disposed beyond thevertical projection of an elevated position of the rear edge of said lectern panel with respect to the direction of lateral movement thereof to said raised position, said means connecting said lectern panel to said frame including a link panel hinged at opposite edges thereof to said lectern panel and to said frame, respectively, and a lock releasably interconnecting components of said struc ture having relative vertical movement during elevation of said lectern panel.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS DAVID J. WlLLIAMOWSKY, Primal Examiner.

FRANK B. SHERRY, Examiner.

G. O. FINCH, Assistant Examiner.

Claims

1. A TABLE-LECTERN STRUCTURE, COMPRISING: A SUPPORTING FRAME; AND A LECTERN PANEL AND MEANS CONNECTING SAID LECTERN PANEL TO SAID FRAME FOR COMBINED VERTICAL AND HORIZONTAL MOVEMENT OF SAID LECTERN PANEL BETWEEN RAISED AND LOWERED POSITIONS WITH RESPECT TO SAID FRAME, SAID FRAME HAVING COMPONENTS THEREOF EXTENDING DIRECTLY UNDERNEATH SAID PANEL, ALL OF SAID COMPONENTS BEING DISPOSED BEYOND THE VERTICAL PROJECTION OF AN ELEVATED POSITION OF THE REAR EDGE OF SAID LECTERN PANEL WITH RESPECT TO THE DIRECTION OF LATERAL MOVEMENT THEREOF OF SAID RAISED POSITION, SAID FRAME INCLUDING A TABLE STRUCTURE HAVING A