US563663A - The nor - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

W. HORROGKS. TYPE WRITER CABINET.

No. 563,663. Patented July 7, 1896.

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UNITED STATES PATENT 'EErcE.

WILLIAM HORROGKS, OF HERKIMER, NElV YORK, ASSIGNOR TO THE HOR' ROCKS DESK COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

TYPE-WRlTER CABINET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 563,663, dated July '7, 1896.

A plic i n filed April 17, 1896. Serial No. 587.969. (N0 modem To all whom, it ntay concern/.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM HORROOKS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Herkiiner, in the county of I-Ierkimer and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Type-\Vriter Cabinets, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to cabinets for typewriters and similar machines; and the invention consists in a novel arrangement of levers and devices for raising andlowering the shelf which supports the machine, and by which also the shelf is locked in position when raised, all as hereinafter more fully set forth.

Figure 1 is a transverse vertical section showing the position of the parts when the cabinet is closed. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the position of the parts when the cabinet is open and the shelf raised to bring the machine into position for use. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of apart detached. Figs.

. 4 and 5 are views showing modifications of the same, and Fig. 6 is a view of a part detached and enlarged to more fully illustrate the same.

This invention belongs to that class of cabinets in which the pivoted shelf that supports the machine is so arranged that its front edge is not projected beyond the front of the cabinet when raised, and in which the machine or a separate base-board for the same is arranged upon the shelf in such manner that the machine can be drawn forward when wanted for use, and be shoved back when not in use, as described in my patent of August 15, 1893, No. 503,418.

The object of my present invention is to simplify the construction of the operating mechanism by which the machine-supporting shelf is raised and lowered, and to so construct and arrange the operating-lever as to dispense with the additional links heretofore used, and make said lever also operate to lock or hold the shelf in position when raised, thereby dispensing with the stops ordinarily used for that purpose, and at the same time insure a smooth, noiseless, and easy move ment of the parts. To accomplish these results I construct the apparatus as follows:

T he body A of the cabinet I make in the usual form, an d usually with 2. tier of drawers at one or both sides, and with a strip B" across the top at the back, as shown, to unite the sides and give it the requisite strength and rigidity. I also provide a lid or top B of the proper width to fill the space from the frontedge of the strip B to the front of the body A, and which, when the cabinet is closed, serves as a writing table or desk. I then provide a shelf 0 of the proper size, and pivot it to the side walls of the body A by means of brackets a, which. project above the shelf, and turn on pivots fastened to the 'side walls, so that as the shelf is raised its front edge will swing inward instead of outward, as it would if the brackets were made to project below the shelf. 1 then provide a lever D, which is bent, as shown, more or less, as may be required, and mount it so as to turn on a fixed pivot P, secured to the wall of the case or cabinet, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the end of its longer arm being pivoted to a bracket or car (Z, secured to the lid B near its rear edge, as shown. The end of the shorter arm of this lever D is provided with a pin or journal n, on which is secured an antifric- Lion-roller 0, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and enlarged in Fig. 6.

To the under side of the shelf C, l secure a metal plate Z, made as shown in Fig. 3, ithaving a raceway in which the roller 0 rests, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and in which it is free to move to and fro as the lever D is moved, this raceway being closed at one end to limit the movement of the roller and lever.

I provide a link or bar E and pivot one of its ends to a bracket or ear secured to the under side of lid B near its front edge, with its opposite end journaled on a fixed pivot 7 secured to the wall of the case, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, this link being of the proper length to swing from one to the other side and assume a horizontal position when the lid is opened and closed, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Instead of making the plate I in the form shown in Fig. 3, it may be made as shown at Z, Fig. 4, the only difference being that in the latter case the roller .0 will bear against the under side of the shelf direct, instead of against a metallic surface, as in the other case; though, if desired or found necessary, a thin strip of metal may be secured to the under side of the shelf for the roller to bear upon.

In Fig. 5, I have shown the bracket a and the raceway for the roller all made integral, of asingle piece of metal, and which may readily be done, either by casting it complete, or, better still, by forming it of wrought metal, which can readily be stamped or cut and bent to the proper shape by suitable machinery. In this case I have also shown the raceway as being made in the form of a slot, cut or formed in the metal, though, if preferred, by making that portion of the plate of the proper width, its lower edge can be stamped or bent to form a groove of the proper size to receive the roller 0, these various modifications being matters of choice for the manufacturer, as it is obvious that either may be used at will and made to operate the same. So, too, while I have shown the roller, and which I prefer to use, it is obvious that it may be dispensed with, and. the pin .or journal on which the roller is mounted beitself inserted in the raceway, which would necessarily be made correspondingly narrower, the result being the same so far as the movements are concerned; but the roller will insure a smoother and easier movement, and may therefore be generally preferred.

It is obvious that the raceway may be formed by cutting a groove in the ends of the shelf itself, in which case it should be reinforced or protected by a thin strip of metal having a slot in it corresponding with the groove, screwed fast to the ends of the shaft.

If desired, in order to prevent noise the roller may be made of rubber, or be covered with rubber, leather,or anysimilar substance, though ordinarily this will not be necessary.

\Vith the parts thus constructed and arranged it will readily be seen that by taking hold of the front edge of the lid and raising it the lid will be caused to swing over backward from the position shown in Fig. l to the position shown in Fig. 2, and that in so doing it will cause the lever D to turn on its pivot P,

thereby raising the shelf 0 to the position shown in Fig. 2, the free end of the lever,

with its pin or roller, moving backward in the raceway or slot. It will also be seen that when the shelf is thus raised the shorter arm of lever D is made to assume a vertical position, as shown in Fig. 2, and thus forms a rigid brace between the pivot P and the shelf, thereby lockin g and holding the shelf securely in position and dispensing with the use of any other stops for that purpose. In practice I find that it is not necessary that the short arm of the lever should be made to assume an absolutely perpendicular position, as the weight of thelid operating through the longer arm is sufficient to hold it secure even when the short arm is somewhat inclined toward the front, and more especially so where, as in this case, the slidingbase is used, which brings the weight of the machine well forward over the pivot By this arrangement I dispense with all weights, pulleys, and straps to counterbalance the shelf and machine, the weight of the lid itself, with its leverage, being sufficient for all purposes.

It is obvious that the link E may be dispensed with, as bypushing the lid backward it will depress the long arm of the lever and raise the shelf; but I prefer to use it, as the movement of the lid is thereby controlled and the operation can be more readily performed by the use of one hand than it can be without the link.

It will of course be understood that the lever and link, raceway and roller herein described are duplicated, a set being arranged at opposite sides, as is customary in these type-writer cabinets.

Having thus fully described my invention. what I claim isl. The combination in a type-writer cabinet of a shelf pivoted at or near its front edge so as not to project beyond the front of the ca binet when raised, and a lever mounted 011 a fixed pivot with its longer arm pivoted to the lid B near its rear edge and having its shorter arm provided with a pin or stud adapted to slide freely to and fro in a raceway or slot attachedto the shelf, substantially as shown and described.

2. The combination of the shelf 0 pivoted at or near its front edge to the body of the cabinet as shown, the lid 13 attached to the cabinet by the swinging link E, and the lever D having its longer arm pivoted to the lid B. and its shorter arm provided with a pin or stud arranged to slide freely to and fro in a raceway or slot attached to the shelf, where by said lever is made to raise the shelf without moving it edgewise, substantially as shown and described.

3. In combination with a pivoted or swinging shelf, the operating-lever D arranged to turn on a fixed pivot and having its shorter arm arranged to assume an upright position under the shelf when the latter is raised, and thereby lock or hold the shelf in position. as set forth.

In witness whereof I hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses.

\VILLIAH I-IORROCKS.

\Vitnesses CHAS. P. AVERY, A. H. KNIGHT.

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