US506588A - Pulpit or rostrum - Google Patents

Description

UNITED STATES PATENT 'i OFFICE.

DAVID EBERHART, OF SHREWSBURY,'PENNSYLVANIA PU LPIT OR ROSTRUIVI.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 506,588, dated October 10, 1893.

Application iiled March A2, 1893. Serial No. 464.406. (No model.) Y

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that, I DAVID C. EBERHART, a citizen of the United States, residing at Shrewsbury, in the county of York and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Pulpits or Rostrums, of

which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to providea new and improved construction of pulpits, rostrums and the like, wherebythe same may be adjusted vertically to any desired height suited to the convenience of the speaker.

A further object of my invention is to provide a simple and economical means for concealing from the View of the audience the mechanical construction of the pulpit or rostrum which wlllat thesame time automatically accommodate itself to the varying heights of said pulpit-or rostrum and present a symmetrical surface to the audience. These ob- Jects I accomplish in the manner and by the means hereinafter fully set forth and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a rear elevation of the'device, shown raised to its extreme height. Fig. 2 is a central vertical section of the device, taken on the line X`X Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a top plan v1ew with the cushion or table removed. Fig. 4 is a side elevation, the side curtain being removed, showing the device telescoped or closed. Fig. 5 is a broken detail sectional yiew of the sections composing the supporting base, the top section being telescoped into the one next below.

Similar igures of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views.

In the drawings the numeral l indicates the table comprising the top of the pulpit or rostrum, inclined slightly to the rear for the convenience of the speaker as is customary. v

` The numeral 2 denotes the supporting base to which the table lis attached, which is composed of a number of sections each adapted to telescope or nest into the one next below, as shown in Fig. 4, or to be drawn out and retained as shown in Figs. l and 2.

The means for retaining the sections in their raised position consist of a series of spring plates or stops 3 attached at their upper ends to the sides of the sections. These .plates are adapted to automatically spring out and engage the tops of the sections `next below when the said sections are drawn out, as shown in Figs. l and 5. The sides of the sections are recessed as at 4 to receive the spring plates 3 when the sections are` telescoped.

In order to prevent each section from dropping through the section next below I provide the stop plates 5 located at the inner lower edges of the sections which receive and retain the bottom edges of the sections next above. This is more particularly shown in Fig. 5 where the top section is shown telescoped into the one next below and retained by the stop plate 5. In order also to prevent the sections from being completely withdrawn one from another, hooks 6 are attached to the inner and outer surfaces of the sections at their front and rear sides as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, which interlock with each other when the n sections are drawn out, thereby preventing the complete withdrawal of the sections from each other.

At the front and on each side of the pulpit or rostrum are located' curtains 7 of any suitable material.. These curtains are permaneutly attached to the edges of the table 1i, and are of a length sufficient to conceal the base of the rostrum or pulpit when raised to its full extent. The front curtain is unattached at its lower end and will drape gracefully whenthe table l is placed atany one 0f its intermediate heights.

Upon each side of the base at its bottom are located brackets 7 supporting spring rollers 8 of the construction well known in window shades. The lower ends of the side curtains are rolled upon these rollers7 which Will act to wind up the curtains thereon when the table is lowered, and payout the same when the table is raised, thus keeping the curtain taut at all times, and presenting a smooth, symmetrical and unbroken surface.

The operation of the device is as follows: When the pulpit is in the position shown in Fig. 4, in order to raise the same, lift the table l and the sections will withdraw one from the other until the plates 3 of each section spring out and engage the top of the next lower section, thereby retaining them in their raised position,the hooks 6 preventingthe complete withdrawal of the sections from one an- IOO other. To telescope the same press the plates 3 of each section successively into their respective recesses 4, whereupon the sections will slide one within another, being limited in their downward movement by the stop plates 5. It is obvious that any one or more of the sections may be telescoped, leaving the rest raised, in order to accommodate the pulpit or rostrum to speakers of various heights.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a pulpit or rostrum the combination with a telescopic base formed in sections, of spring plates attached to said sections and adapted to reain them in their raised position by engaging the sections next below, and hooked plates attached to said sections for preventing the complete w'.thdrawal ot' the latter one from another, substantially as shown and described.

I 2. In a pulpit or rostrum. the combination with a telescopic base formed in sections, of spring plates thereon for retaining the same in its raised position, hooks for preventing the complete withdrawal of the sections one from another, and stops for limiting the telescoping of each section with the one next below, substantially as shown and described.

3. In a pulpit or rostrum, the combination with a table and a vertically adjustable base, of front and side curtains depending from the table and concealing the base, and spring rollers mounted on the base for winding and unwinding said side curtains to conform with the height to which said base is adjusted, substantially as shown and described.

DAVID o. EBERHART.

Witnesses:

M. J. RIENNYAU, B. S. HARBLE.

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