US3556622A

US3556622A - Stylized desk

Info

Publication number: US3556622A
Application number: US756761A
Authority: US
Inventors: Ronald W Rubin; Richard L Bennice
Original assignee: VALTRONIC CORP
Current assignee: VALTRONIC CORP
Priority date: 1968-09-03
Filing date: 1968-09-03
Publication date: 1971-01-19
Anticipated expiration: 1988-01-19

Abstract

THIS DISCLOSURE RELATES TO A DESK WHICH IS FABRICATED FROM A PLURALITY OF COMPONENTS IN KIT-FORM WHICH CAN BE SELECTIVELY ASSEMBLED TO PROVIDE A DESIRED DESK STYLE FOR A PARTICULAR ROOM DECOR, THE DESK BEING PARTICULARLY

ADAPTED FOR RAPID ASSEMBLY FROM A KIT DEPENDENT UPON THE COMPONENTS SELECTED THEREFROM.

Description

Jan. 19, 197-1 R. w. RUBIN ETAL 3,556,622

STYLIZED DESK Filed Sept. 5, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 lNvENTORs RWHARD LBENWCE BY 5 4a m- A'fiORI-JIJYS 20mm musmcm' JanQlQ, 1.971 w, RUBIN EI'AL 3556522 STYLIZED DESK Filed-Sept. 3, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 moms mausma mcnmzo LBENNKIE BY K, al mni, 0%

United States Patent 3,556,622 STYLIZED DESK Ronald W. Rubin and Richard L. Bennice, New York, N.Y., assignors to The Valtronic Corp., Bronx, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Sept. 3, 1968, Ser. No. 756,761 Int. Cl. A47b 19/00 US. Cl. 312195 12 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This disclosure relates to a desk which is fabricated from a plurality of components in kit-form which can be selectively assembled to provide a desired desk style for a particular room decor, the desk being particularly adapted for rapid assembly from a kit dependent upon the components selected therefrom.

A primary object of this invention is to provide a kit from which a plurality of different style desks can be constructed by selecting various style base modules, legs of different lengths, and handles and legs of different styles as, for example, wood grain, chrome plated, etc., all of which are readily selected from a kit of components dependent upon the style desk desired.

A further object of this invention is to provide a kit from which can be constructed a desk formed of a top, two drawer modules, and four legs, the modules being further provided with means for selectively interchanging and securing thereto legs of different lengths.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel kit and desk of the type heretofore described wherein one of the drawer modules may be replaced by a plain side panel, and novel means are provided for securing the side panel to the desk top and the adjacent legs in the absence of visible fastening means.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a novel kit and a desk formed therefrom wherein interchangeable hardware, such as different style handles, can be readily secured to the drawers of the drawer modules.

With the above and other objects in view that will hereinafter appear, the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the following detailed description, the appended claimed subject matter. and the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of a desk kit constructed in accordance with this invention, and illustrates a desk top, two drawer modules, side and modesty panels, and two different lengths of legs and associated hardware for selectively constructing the kit into a desk of a desired style.

FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of the desk in inverted form, and illustrates the manner in which the two drawer modules and the modesty panel are secured to the desk top.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of one corner of the desk top and an associated drawer module, and illustrates the manner in which one of the four longer legs shown in FIG. 1 is secured to the under side of the desk top.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the desk corner illustrated in FIG. 3, and illustrates the manner in which the opposite end portion of the same leg is attached to the drawer module.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of one of a pair of threaded fasteners positioned in the bottom wall of each of the drawer modules, and illustrates the man- 'ice ner in which one of the shorter legs of FIG. 1 is secured thereto.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating a plurality of legs and handles which may be substituted for the legs and handles of the completed desk of FIG. 7 to alter the style thereof.

FIG. 7 is a front perspective view of the assembled desk, and illustrates one style formed from the kit of FIG. 1 which includes the two drawer modules, four long legs, the modesty panel and the desk top.

FIG. 8 is a front perspective view of the desk of FIG. 7, and illustrates the manner in which the desk of FIG. 7 is changed in style by substituting the handles and shorter legs of FIG. 6 for the handles and longer legs of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 is a front perspective view of the desk of FIG. 7, and illustrates the manner in which the desk style has been changed by removing the right hand drawer module of FIG. 7 and substituting therefor the smaller side panel of the kit shown in FIG. 1.

A novel kit constructed in accordance with this invention from which varying styles of desks can be constructed is illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawings, and is generally designated by the reference numeral 10. The kit 10 includes a generally rectangular desk top 11, a modesty panel 12, a side panel 13, a pair of

drawer modules

14, 15, a group of long legs 16, a group of short legs 17, a plurality of handles 18, and fastening components which are collectively referred to by the reference numeral 20.

The

drawer modules

14, 15 are identical and each includes a pair of rectangular inside walls 21, outside walls 22, a bottom wall 23 and a pair of

top walls

24, 25 which are suitably secured to each other by angle brackets 26 in the manner best illustrated in FIG. 2 of the drawings. Each of the bottom walls 23 includes a slot 27 at each corner and a pair of threaded fasteners 28 which are positioned generally along a longitudinal center line of the bottom wall 23. The fasteners 28 are adapted to threadably receive threaded studs 30 carried by each short leg 31 of the group of short legs 17, as is readily apparent from FIG. 5 of the drawings. The

drawer modules

14, 15 include guide rails (not shown) for receiving drawers 32 through 36 which each include a pair of openings 37 in the exposed front walls thereof. The

modules

14, 15 are each secured to the desk top 11 by fasteners, such as screws 38 which are passed through the brackets 26 and fastened home to the under side of the desk top 11 without, of course, passing through the upper surface thereof.

If desired, the modesty panel 12 of the kit 10 can be selected and secured between the inside walls 21 of the

drawer modules

14, 15 by brackets 40 and suitable fasteners (not shown) in the manner clearly illustrated in FIG. 2.

Assuming it is desired to construct a desk as shown in FIG. 7, which is generally designated by the reference numeral 45, each of four fastening plugs 42 of the components 20 (FIG. 1) are secured to each corner of the desk top 11 by screws 43 or similar fastening means, as shown in FIG. 3. An identical leg 44 is then selected from the group of legs 16 and is telescopically inserted upon the plug 42, as is readily apparent from FIGS. 3 and 4 of the drawings. The upper end portions of the legs 44 are thereby positively positioned at each corner of the desk top 11.

The lower end portions of each of the legs 44 are secured to the outside walls 22 of both

drawer modules

14, 15 in the manner best illustrated in FIG. 4. In FIG. 4 a bracket 46 selected from the components 20 of FIG. 1 is secured by screws 47 to the lower end portion of the associated leg 44. Each bracket 46 includes a leg 48 which lies flush a a against the inside of the leg 44, a bight portion 50, and a leg 51 which is inserted into the slot 27 and is secured to the outside wall 22 by fasteners 52 selected from the components 20. It should be particularly noted that neither the bracket 46 nor the fasteners 47, 52 are visible from the exterior of the desk, yet the legs 44 are thereby securely fastened to each of the corners of the desk 45.

Each of the handles 18 is then secured to the drawers 32 through 36 by simply threading screws from the interior of the front walls of the drawers through the openings 37 into openings (unnumbered) provided in opposite ends of the handles. The drawers are thereafter positioned within the

drawer modules

14, 15 and the final appearance of the desk 45 is as shown in FIG. 7.

Assuming it is desired to change the style of the desk 45 of FIG. 7 to the style shown in FIG. 8, with the latter ,desk being generally designated by the reference numeral 55, the handles and legs of the desk 45 are removed simply by the reverse procedure heretofore described. Thereafter any of a group of longer legs 56 or shorter legs 57 and handles 58 (FIG. 6) can be selected and secured to the desk 55. The handles 58 are illustrated as having a wooden grain, as distinguished from the plainer handles of the desk 45 which may, for example, be chromium plated. Likewise, the

legs

56 and 57 have a wood grain appearance. Upon the removal of the handles 18 the handles 58 are secured to the drawers (unnumbered) of the desk 55 and in lieu of the legs 44 the shorter legs 57 are threadably secured to the fasteners 28 to complete the construction of the desk 55. It is to be particularly noted that by simply interchanging the legs and handles of the desk 45 the desk 55 of an entirely different appearance is obtained. It is also to be noted that in lieu of the legs 57 being secured to the drawer modules of the desk 55 the longer legs 56 could be secured thereto in the manner heretofore described relative to FIG. 4. Alternatively, the desk of FIG. could also be constructed by securing two of the shorter legs to the under side of one of the two drawer modules and securing two of the legs 56 to the remaining drawer module, again varying the style of the desk 55 in a manner readily apparent from a comparison of FIGS. 7 and 8.

FIG. 9 illustrates a desk 65 which is identical to the desk 45 except that the module has been removed and in lieu thereof has been secured the side panel 13. The side panel 13 is secured to the desk 65 in exactly the same manner as that heretofore described relative to FIG. 4. That is, though not illustrated in FIG. 9 the lower ends of the legs 44 are secured to the panel 13 simply by threading the fasteners 52 (FIG. 4) into the panel 13, as opposed to threading the fasteners 52 into the outside wall 22 of the removed module. Likewise, the upper ends of the legs 44 are received in the associated plates 42 at each under side corner of the desk 65.

It is to be further understood that the desk 65 can be modified in the same manner as the desk 45, namely, by substituting the handles 58 for those illustrated in FIG. 9 and, if desired, substituting for the longer legs at the left side of the desk 65 two of the shorter legs 57 of FIG. 6. It is also to be understood that the front walls (unnumbered) of the drawers may be removable to again alter the appearance of the various desks heretofore described and, if desired, the various drawer modules, panels and desk tops can be varied to alter the appearance of a particular desk.

It will therefore be appreciated that by providing the kit 10 of FIG. 1 several styles of desks can be constructed, and by additionally providing a choice of grains or styles of various components, as the handles and legs of FIG. 6, the kit 10 can be further diversified to construct innumerable styles of desks.

In addition to the advantages heretofore noted, it is also to be pointed out that the stylized desk and particularly the components thereof permit a furniture retailer to substantially reduce his inventory, both in volume and in capital investment, by merely having in stock a few sets of major components and several different sets of legs (large and small, plain and grained), and several different sets of drawer handles (plain and grained, shiny or black, etc.). Thus a customer can choose a preferred style of desk from a brochure or similar advertisement, and the dealer can very quickly assemble the desk to suit the customer without ordering from the manufacturer, and without the necessity of having a large stock of assembled desks of different styles. Of particular note is that each of the advantages heretofore noted are accomplished without marring the exterior surfaces of the desk when change-over is accomplished, e.g., switching of legs, handles, end panels and drawer modules from one style or design to another.

While preferred forms and arrangements of parts have been shown in illustrating the invention, it is to be clearly understood that various changes in details and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure.

We claim:

1. A desk adapted to be formed into any one of a number of different styles by the selective assembly of a plurality of components comprising a desk top, a side panel joined to said top at opposite transverse edge portions thereof, at least one of said panels in part defining a drawer module having a bottom wall, first means for removably securing a first pair of legs to and beneath said bottom wall, second means for selectively removably securing a second pair of legs to either of said side panels along exposed exterior surfaces thereof, said second means includingfastening means received in said last-mentioned legs and associated side panel, and said last-mentioned side panel being devoid of apertures opening through said exposed exterior surface thereof whereby said last-mentioned legs can be removed and said last-mentioned side panel is unmarred and esthetic appearing.

2. The desk as defined in claim 1 including aperture means in said bottom wall adjacent said one panel, said second securing means includes a bracket having opposite ends, one of said opposite ends is received in said opening means in side-by-side relationship to an interior surface of said one panel, and said fastening means secure said one end to said one panel.

3. The desk as defined in claim 1 wherein said lastmentioned legs include tubular upper end portions, means carried by and projecting downwardly from an underside of said desk top, and said upper end portions being in external telescopic relationship to said projecting means.

4. The desk as defined in claim 1 wherein said first means are openings in said bottom wall, and said first legs include threaded members received in said openings.

5. The desk as defined in claim 1 wherein the other of said side panels in part defines another drawer module having a bottom wall, and means for securing legs to said last-mentioned bottom wall.

6. The desk as defined in claim 1 wherein said securing means includes a bracket which is generally of a straightline Z-shaped cross-sectional configuration, said bracket including opposite ends, and aperture means in said ends for receiving said fastening means to secure said bracket to associated ones of said legs through innermost surfaces thereof.

7. The desk as defined in claim 6 including means carried by and projecting downwardly from an underside of said desk top, said last-mentioned legs include tubular upper end portions, and said upper end portions are in external surrounding telescopic relationship to said projecting means.

8. A set of components for assembling a stylized desk which may be formed into any one of a number of different styles by the selective assembly of a plurality of components comprising a desk top, a side panel, a drawer module, said drawer module including inner and outer side panels and a bottom wall therebetween, a plurality of complete but different sets of legs, the length of one of said sets of legs being longer than the remaining set of legs, bracket means for securing the longer set of legs to said desk top and said first-mentioned and outer side panels, said first-mentioned and outer side panels being devoid of apertures opening through exposed exterior surfaces thereof, and means carried by said bottom Wall for selectively securing said shorter set of legs thereto.

9. The assembly as defined in claim 8 including a plurality of drawers in said drawer module, said drawers having apertures, at least two different sets of handles for said drawers, and means for securing either set of handles to said drawers through said last-mentioned aperture means.

.10. The assembly as defined in claim 8 wherein said bracket means includes a plurality of brackets each of which has opposite ends, said ends having openings for securement to innermost surfaces of said side panels and the longer set of said legs, said bracket means further including bosses for securement to the underside of said 2 6 passing beneath said lowermost edge of said last-mentioned side panel and through said aperture means of said bottom wall.

12. The assembly as defined in claim 9 wherein one of the set of legs and handles is of a complementary first design, and the other set of legs and handles is of a complementary but different design than said first-mentioned design.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,918,780 7/1933 Rand 312-195 X 2,886,388 5/1959 Perlmutter 248-188 3,079,207 2/1963 Deaton 312-195 3,087,768 4/1963 Anderson et al 312257 3,088,785 5/1963 Schuette 312-195 3,125,387 3/1964 Abrahamson 312--195 3,346,311 10/1967 Bears 312195 OTHER REFERENCES Yawman and Erbe Mfg. Co.; Time Magazine article; May 3, 1954.

JAMES T. MCCALL, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 312257