US493605A - John n - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

J. N. TIFFANY. ADJUSTABLE SUPPORT FOR BRAGKET TABLES. No. 493,605. Patented Mar. 14, 1893.

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UNTTE STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

JOHN N. TIFFANY, OF SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ROBERT OROOKETT, OF SAME PLACE.

ADJUSTABLE SUPPORT FOR BRACKET-TABLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 493,605, dated March 14, 1893.

Application filed September 23, 1892. Serial No. 446,667. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JOHN N. TIFFANY, of San Diego, in the county of San Diego and State of California, have invented anew and useful Adjustable Support for Reading and Writing Tables, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The objects of this invention are to provide a novel convenient and substantial support for a small table top or other suitable and like support, that is adjustably attachable to a chair or bedstead, for the use of an occupant of the bed or chair, and which will afford means for holding an open book in position before the reader at any desired angle of inclination, projecting the book support over the bed, or the chair as may be desired. Said table top is also available to sustain writing materials, and allow their use by the chair or bed occupant.

To these ends my invention consists in the construction and combination of parts, as is hereinafter described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device attached to the side of a bedstead shown in part. Fig. 2 is a broken enlarged and partly sectional side view of the device. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detached perspective view of a detail of construction. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detached side View of a washer used on theimproved device; and Fig. 5 is a broken, partly sectional side view of a chair seat and the improvement on it.

There is a standard A, provided, preferably made of pipe having a proper diameter and length for effective service. One end portion a of the standard is flattened sidewise and tapered edgewise toward the terminal; the edges named being beveled to adapt them to slide into a slotted keeper bracket plate B, that is dovetailed and tapered in said slot, so as to retain the standard in an upright position, when the plate is attached upon the side rail O of a bedstead as indicated in Fig. 1. A preferably circular collar 1) is integrally formed upon the upper end of the standard A, and is perforated through its body edgewise and screw threaded therein for the introduction of a set screw 1). Within the hollow standard A, a sliding post A, is introduced which loosely fits therein, havinga loose collar 0,10- cated upon it, which is furnished with an adjustable set screw 0'. At the upper end of the post A, an integral or affixed limb d, projects ata right angle, and is fiat and adapted to sustain a similarly shaped swing plate 6, on its upper surface. The limb and swing plate are perforated in alignment near the outer end of the same, to receive a boltf, which has its body squared near the head, as atf', in Fig. 2, the hole in the swing plate being shaped to receive this part of the bolt Which will be locked from rotation when inserted. From the portion f of the boltfits body is cylindrically formed, of a diameter to loosely engage the circular perforation in the limb d, and is screw threaded of a proper length from the end of said cylindric body to receive the winged nut g. Two similar washers h are slid upon the bolt bodyf, so as to embrace the limb d, as shown in Fig. 2,when the nut g is adjusted to press on one of said washers; and by preference the apertures in the washers have a flat place h in each, that will engage a flat side of the bolt body when in place, and prevent the rotation of the washers thereon.

At the end of the swing plate (2, an integral arm e, is formed, which projects at a right angle therefrom above the post A; and parallel with the arm named, an abutment ear 1 is formed on the plate, a proper distance intervening between said members to receive another part which will be described. The upper end portion of the arm e is perforated in a direction toward the ear i, and above it, which hole is square to receive the squared part of a bolt m, which part is formed thereon adjacent to its head which bears upon the outer surface of the arm when the bolt is inserted, its remaining portion being cylindrical and threaded toward the opposite end for engagement of the threaded nut m.

The part D, which is sustained by the bolt m, consists of a plate of metal bent at 17., into L form, producing a depending limb from which oppositely project the members m at its free end; these integral portions of the limb being upwardly curved, and the lower edge of the same curved to conform with the curvature of the parts m thus producing a rocker formation on the depending part of the piece D, that to distinguish it is termed a rocker plate. The portion of the rocker plate D, which extends laterally from the upper end of its limb, is furnished with opposite wing pieces m, that are designed to increase its width at a proper point, and the end portion which projects beyond said wings, is longitudinally slotted as at m, in Figs. 2 and 3. The depending limb having the members 711 is perforated as at m in Fig. 3, to receive the bolt m, two washers n embracing it, these being strung upon the bolt body so as to bear upon the limb at each side, the nut m pressing on one washer when the parts are assembled. The arm 6' is integrally thickened at a point opposite the ear 2', thereby producing a boss that is perforated and internally threaded to receive the thumb screw 2" which will be adapted to bear upon the adjacent side of the limb on the plate D near its lower edge, or on either of its members m as maybe required in service.

There is a preferably rectangular slab E of wood or other suitable material provided, which is of such a thickness as will render it substantial, and sufficient in area for convenient use, which piece is designed to afford support for a book or become a writing table, or for any other desired purpose. The table ,top E, is reinforced on its lower side, by a metal plate 0, which is secured in place with screws or like means, and from its lower surface at a proper point a stud 1) projects downwardly, which stud is designed to have asliding engagement with the slot at of the rocking plate D.

\Vhen all the described parts are assembled as herein bcfore explained, the completed device will appear as shown in Fig. 1, the table top E, extending over the bed whereon the standardA is removably supported. And it will be seen that an adjustment for height given to the collar 0, will retain the structure above it at any preferred elevation over the bed and free to swing horizontally, the thumb screw b when inwardly adjusted securingthe post A to the standard A, so as to prevent its rotation. If the table top E, is to be made to incline toward a person occupying the bed, this can be eifected by loosening the screw 1", and tilting the top into adesired plane, which can be maintained if the screwis again tightened so as to bear on the member m it is opposite. The swing plate 6 may be partly or entirely rotated upon the boltf, and be clamped at any point of such adjustment by the nut g; and in case it is desired to retain -the plate e and post-limb din parallel planes, a knob d on the plate e, is made to enter a socket or cup in the limb d, before the nut g, is screwed toward the limb, which nut when tightened, will bind the parts d 6 together and lock the latter against swinging movement.

In Fig. 5, is shown a means for removably attaching the standard A and sliding post A, upon a chair seat G. To this end, the standard is bent at r, so as to produce a horizontal arm on its lower portion, the bracket plate B, beingin this case secured on thelower side of the chair seat, so that the standard may he slid into the dovetail slot of the bracket plate B, and thus support the post A in a vertical position, all the other parts of the device being constructed as before described.

It will be evident that if the table top-E, is sustained alongside of a chair seat by the specified means, it may be given any required adjustment so as to locate it conveniently for the support of a book or writing material, or any other necessary article, before or at one side of an occupant of the chair.

When not in use, the form of construction of the novel support will permit it to be packed together in a compact manner, so that but little room will be taken up, and when needed the parts can be quickly put together for service.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. The combination with a supporting post, of a table top on said post, arocking platesecurable to said table top and having a depending limb, and a device on the upper end of the post adapted for adjustment in ahorizontal plane and also adapted to support and adjustably secure the limb of the rocking plate at any point of rocking adjustment for the attached table top, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a hollow standard, a post sliding in said standard, a set screw in the upper end of the standard, a loose collar on the post, a set screw in said collar, a dovetailed tapering foot piece on the lower end of the standard, and a bracket plate having a dovetail slot to receive the foot piece and adapted for attachment to a bed or chair, and a lateral limb on the 'upper end of the post, of a swing plate pivoted on the outer end of the post limb, an upright arm at the other end of said swing plate, a spaced ear on the swing plate, a set screw in the arm of the swing plate opposite said ear, a right anscribed.

JOHN N. TIFFANY. Witnesses:

ADAM R. WEIR, CHARLES YEAKLE.

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