US749653A - Movable storage-pocket - Google Patents

Description

No. 749,653. I PATENTED JAN. 12, 1904 0. ARNOLD. I MOVABLE STORAGE POCKET.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 16, 1903.

H0 MODEL.

4 SHEETS-SHEET L A -155555 E 1 NVENTEIR gm: 749,653. I I v PATENTED JAN. 12, 1904. c. ARNOLD.

MOVABLE STORAGE-POCKET.

APPLIOATIOI PILED "JAH.'IG. 1903. I0 IODEL. 4 SHEETS-411131211 2.

WWNEEEE WV N EJR W a w w 7 g /m N0. 74!),653. PATENTED JAN. 12, 1904.

. c. ARNOLD.

MOVABLE STORAGE POCKET.

APPLICATION BIL-ED m. 16, 1903..

N0 MODEL. 4 SHEETS-$113111 3.

\/\/ 1 TNEEEEE INVENTUR /FM county of Albany,

B'EST AVAILABLE COPY ooLLINs ARNOLD, or ALBANY,

Patented January 12, 1904.

PATENT QFFICE.

New YORK.

MOVABLE STORAGE-POCKET.-

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent Nol749,653, dated January 12, 1904.

i I Application filed January 16, 1903. Serial No. 139,317. NO #10 191!) To (LU w/wm z't may concern:

Be it known that I, COLLINS ARNOL-D, a citizen of the United States, residing at Albany,

the following is a specification.

The invention relates to such improvements; novel construction and combination of parts'hereinafter described and and it consists of the subsequently claimed.

thereon, W tion.

Similar characters refer to similar parts in the several figures.

This invention is well adapted i'or usev libraries and stores where the upper shelves or pockets used to support books, dry goods,

or other commodities are beyond the reach of the attendant. v

The object of the invention is to provide means for moving the upper shelves or pockets up and down, so that when moved to a lower level their contents are easilyaccessible and when moved to a high level their contents.

are stored where the room occupied is less valuable on account of itscomparative i'naccessibility.,

Theinvention consists in dividing the shelves other supports in theupper part of astorage-case into movable sections or pockets,

providing a counterbalance common to a plurality of pockets and mechanism for moving the storage-pockets up and down one at a time and making the connections. between the pocket moved and the counterbalance active while the connections between the counterbalance and the other pockets remain inactive, and means for regulating and controlling the movements of the various parts, as hereinafter more fully described and subsequently claimed.

Referring to-the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of an upper portion of a storage-case provided with my'improved apparatus with the front of the incl'osure for the mechanism removed, showing the cross-partitions in section and showing'one of thestorand State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Movable Storage-Pockets, of which the'mechanism being shown locked position.

age-pockets suspended at v a level below its normal position, Fig, 2 is a vertical crosssection taken on the broken line 2 2 in Figshowing the front of the mechanism inclosure in cross-section.v Fig- 3 i a r ar levati n of the parts shown in Fig l and showing a part of the counterbalance. Fig. 4 is a verticalsection similar to that shown in Fig, 2, showingone of the pocket-supporting drums in side elevation. Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the part shown in Fig; 4. Fig. 6is a section similar to that shown in Fig. 4, showing in side elevation the locking mechanism for locke ing the storage-pockets in a given position, in a locked position. Fig. 7 is a similar view of the parts shown in Fig. 6, showing the parts in an'un- Fig. 8 is a Vertical section taken on the broken line 8 8 in Fig. 3 looking in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 9 is a top plan view ofsthe parts shown in Fig. 8. Fig. 10 is a central vertical section of the gov-' ernor mechanism, takenon the broken line 10 10 in .Fig. 1. Fig. 11 is a vertical section taken on the broken line 11 11in Fig. 1 look- 'ing in the direction of the arrow.

The storage-case 1 (shown in part only in the drawings) may extend the whole length of one side of a room, being provided with shelv-' ing 2 for the reception of books or other commodities, the upper portion being divided into sections or storage-pockets,-one of which, 3, is shown in full and in its normal upper osition, and another, 4, shownin part and suspended at a lower level. The upper portion of. the storage-case is divided into similar sections throughout its length. In the upper portion of the case-frame are provided suitable bearings for the-'.rotary shaft 5, which may'e'xtend the cntireylength of the storage-case. Upon this shaft are loosely-mounted drums 6, prefrotated to wind the cable 7 upon shaft 9, thereby providing means for adjusting the effective length of the cable, the toothed wheel being held in the desired position by means of the spring-stop 11, secured to the upper end of the pocket, as shown. There are also mounted upon the shaft 5 two or more drums 12, fixed by set-screws 14 to rotate with the shaft. Cables 15 have one end secured to one of these fixed drums and the other end secured at 16 to a portion of the case-frame, the cables passing under the counterbalancing-weight 20. The counterbalance is provided with grooves 21, adapted to receive the cables.

As a means for actively connecting the storage'pockets' one at a time with the counterbalance through the drums, cables, and drumsupporting shaft I provide for each loose drum a series of clips 22 on the shaft. I have shown inthe drawings four clips. The outside clip 23 most remote from the drum is provided with a hub 24:, which is fixed upon the shaft by the set-screw 25. The three clips between the fixed clip and the loose drum are loose upon the shaft; but each 'clip is provided with a projecting lug 26. When all the pockets are located at their normal highest position, (shown by the position of pocket 3 in Fig. 1,) the lugs of all the clips engage each other and also the projecting lug 27 on the loose drums, as shown in Fig. 4, so that when a downward movement is imparted to any one pocket its cables communicate fa rotary movement to the loose drums in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 4, which drums through the contacting clips communicate a similar rotary movement to the shaft 5, upon which the clip most remote from the loose wheel is fixed, thereby imparting a rotary movement to the fixed drums and through them and the connecting-cables raising the counterbalance. It will be readily seen, however, that the loose drums connected with the other storage-pockets are not rotated, but remain stationary, because the rotary movement of shaft 5 rotates the most remote clip fixed to the shaft, which causes its lug to leave the contacting lug of its neighboring loose clip until it has made almost a complete revolution about the sha ft, after which its lug engages the lug of its neighboring clip on the opposite side from that shown in Figs. 4 and. 5, and the continued rotary movement of the shaft and fixed clip imparts a rotary movement to its neighboring clip, and another revolution of the shaft 5 will rotate the neighboring clip until its lug has made a revolution on the shaft and engages its neighboring loose clip, and so on, until all the loose clips have been rotated, leaving the loose drums stationary until the pocket has descended to its desired lowest point. The distance to which any pocket can descend without rotating the loose drums of the other pockets will'depend upon the number of loose clipsinterposed between the loose drums and the fixed clip coac ting therewith, as well as the size of the loose drums. Should it be desired to increase the distance to which the storage-pocket may I be moved downwardly, it is only necessary to insert another loose clip. The counterbalance when made in the form of a roll of heavy material, as lead, can be made comparatively small in diameter. and extended the whole,

length of the storage-case o'r row of storagepockets, thereby occupyinga very small space behind the case, the weight being ef fective to balance a single storage-pocket, and by means of the mechanism above described it is possible to make use of the entire weight of the counterbalance for each pocket, the pockets being moved one at atime. When the lowered pocket is restored to its upper normal position, a reverse movement is com-- munieated to the shaft 5 and the lug-clips until they are caused to resume the position shown in Figs. 4 and 5, with the lugs of the several clips all in engagement with each their normal position, wlnreby another-downward movement of the pocket would instantly communicate a rotary movement to the shaft, so as to act upon the counterbalance.- As a means for locking the other pockets in their normal position while one pocket is being moved from its normal position to a lower level I provide another series of lug-clips 30 (shown in Figs. 8 and 9,) one of the outer clips 31 being provided with a hub and set-screw 32, by which this clip can be fixed upon the shaft 5, and the other end clip 33 with'an arm 34, connected by link 35. with a lever 36, fixed upon rotary shaft 37, which runs parallel with the shaft 5 and is supported by suitable bearings in the upper part of the case-frame. Fixed upon shaft 37 by means of set-screw 38 is an arm 39, provided with hook 40, adapted to engage with the pocket-supporting mech other and with the lugs on. the loose drums in anism of theremaining pockets and to hold vided at its oscillatory end witha right-angled. offset 47, having a seat e8 adapted to receive oted at 46, Fig. 2,!to. the case-frame and proshaft 9 and support the pockets in their nor- 1 mal positions, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2. Each pair of arms adapted to sup port a pocket is provided with a connecting rod or shaft 9, which supports the guidepulleys 50. When a pocket is withdrawn from its normal position, it travels in a circular path, the shaft 9'resting upon. the seat 48, While the arm at swings from the vertical position (shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2) to approximately the horizontal position. (Shown by solid lines in the same figure.) The shaft '9 does not leave its seat 48 until the cable t env gages the pulley 5O which'then acts as a guide ,plate 42, secured by bolt for the cable, allowing the pocket to descend in a vertical line. VVhon the pocket is in its normal position, the shaft 49 is very near the back of the case, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2, and the hook engages with this shaft 49 when any one of the pockets is withdrawn from its normal position.

When desired, the hookearm 39 may also be provided with a latch 41, loosely mounted on shaft 37 and adapted to pass in between the shaft 49 of the pocket-support and the 43 to the top of the pocket, the latch 41 being provided with a depressed seat 44, adapted to support the shaft 49 and prevent the pockets from accidentally being withdrawn when not positively locked in position by the hook 40. The hook-arm is provided with a lug 51, adapted to support the latch and prevent-the same from dropping too low when the pocket is withdrawn and at the. same time leaving the hook 40 free to close down upon shaft 49 when the latch 41' is in its supporting position. lines in Fig. 8.)

' To understand fully the operation of the locking mechanism shown in Fig. 8, it should be remembered that the position of theparts shown in Fig. 8 is the position assumed when all the pockets are in their normally highest position, the lug on the end elip.31, which is fixednpon shaft 5, having through the intervening lugs of the intervening clips acted upon arm 34 to raise it to the position shown in said Fig. 8, which disconnects the hook 40 from the rod 49. The pockets are sufficiently supported while all are at their normally highest position by the latch 41, held in the position shown by the link 35, arm 36, shaft 37, and lug 51, fixed upon the shaft. When one of the pockets is withdrawn from the latch 41 and lowered, as shown in the right-hand side of Fig. 1, a rotary movement is at once communicated to shaft 5, which moves the clip-lugs in a direction to separate the same from each other and permit the arm 34 to drop, thereby permitting the hook 40 to also drop and engage the shaft 49 of all the pockets which are allowed to remain at their normally highest position and lock the same in such position, so that there will be no danger of their falling out upon a person while operating a neighboring pocket, the object being to secure a positive locking device for the remaining pockets, in addition to the latches 41, while any one pocket is being'operated' to the exclusion of the others.

The oscillatory arms not only serve to support the pockets when in their normal position, but also serve to deflect the pockets and their supporting-cables from the plane of its support when in its normal position to a plane wholly outside of the supporting-pivot 46, the two positions being indicated by solid and dotted lines in Fig. 2.

(Shown by solid The counterbalance is intended to be of the proper. weight to balance one of the storagepockets at a time, together with its average load, and if a large part or all of the load or' contents of the pocket should be removed from the pocket when in the position shown by solid lines in Fig. 2that is, at a lower level-the empty pocket would be overbalanced vand forced upward unless positively locked in some position. As ameans forlocking the pocketin a lower level I provide a notched disk 60, loose on shaft 5 and secured from turning thereon by the link 61, rigidly connecting the- The arm 62 is provided with dog 64, pivoted thereon at65 and adapted to enter the. notch 66, as shown in Fig. 6, and thereby lock the arm and disk relatively to each other; but the arm being fastened to the shaft 5 and the disk to the case the shaft is prevented from turning in a direction to permit the pocket-to rise. As a means for unlocking this mechanism, so as. to permit the pocket to be raised or moved .upward, the disk is provided with a projecting finger 67, up which the dog 64'rides before reaching the notches 66. To unlock-the parts, it is only necessary to move the pocket a little farther downward, which will move the dog 64 back to the left of finger 67, as shown in the drawings, then quickly move the pocket in the opposite direction, which will cause the dog to jump over the finger and past the'notch into the level surface 68, and so on past the notch, and to prevent the dog from again engaging with the notch until the pocket has been restored to its normal position a loose thin sheet -'metal arm 7 O is loosely mounted upon shaft 5 between the disk 60 and arm 62, and the arm 62, provided with the projecting lug 71, adapted to engage the arm 7 0, so as to keep one just in advance of the other while going in the direction taken when the pocket is traveling upwardly. This arm 7 0 is-so shaped on its oscillatory end as to prevent the dog 64 from engaging the notch 66, as seen in Fig. 7. WV hen any of the pockets are pulled down from their normal position, the revoluble movement of arm 62 is reversed, which causes the lug 71 to pass around shaft 5 and engage arm on the side opposite to that sidewith which the lug is shown in engagement in Fig. 7, which forces the arm 7 O away from notch 66, leaving it open to be engaged by dog 64. When the counterbalance and the loaded pocket are about evenly balanced, the pocket can be easily and steadily moved from a lower to a higher position; but as it approaches its normal position during the later part of its movement, when it is partly supported by the oscillatory arm 45, it moves in an approximately horizontal direction, so that its weight is greatly over-balanced by the counterbal- IIS , vided for retarding its/motion.

ance, and its later movements would be rapidly accelerated if some eans were not pro- I As a means for accomplishing this result I provide a governor mechanism consisting of a bracket 80, fixed upon the case-frame by means of the screws 81 and provided with a worm-thread 83, adapted to be engaged by telith on the toothed wheel 84, fixed upon to rotate with shaft 5, whereby rotary movements of the shaft cause a much more rapid movement of the spindle 82. To the upper end of the spindle 82 are fixed the ordinary governor balance or weights 85. Theoutward movement of the weights forces downwardly the sleeve 86 and causes the same to frictionally engage with the stationary surface 87 on the bearing-support,'the neighboring surface of the sleeve and bearing-support being enlarged, so as to afford a considerable engaging surface. The friction of the rotating sleeve 86 on the stationary surface 87 retards the rotary movement of the wormi-spindle, and consequently of the shaft 5. As a means for allowing the shaft 5 to turn in the opposite direction when the pocket is descending I make the toothed wheel 84 loose upon shaft 5 and provide means for connecting it'when moving in one direction with the hub 88, fixed upon shaft 5 by means ofthe dogs 89, pivoted upon the hub and adapted to fly outward by centrifugal force when the shaft 5 is rapidly rotated and engage notches in the loose toothed wheel,

which immediately puts in operation the governor-balls. The dogs are normally held out of engagement with the notches by means of the light coil-springs 90.

I also provide bufiers to take up the shock caused-by the sudden stoppage of the pockets when they reach their normal positions, which maybe of any known form ofconstructionas, for example, an upright spring-bar 93, secured to the case-frame at its middle by the pin 94, its lower end bearing against the frame and its upper end adapted to be engaged by the guide-pulley 50.

I also provide means for assisting an upward movement of a heavily-loaded pocket consisting of a drum 100, fixed upon shaft 5 and provided with a cable 101, adapted to wind thereon and having one end secured thereto, the other end of the cable passing out through an aperture 102 in the case-wall and over the loose pulley 1-03, supported by ear-brackets 104, secured to the frame-case,

the outer end of the cable being provided with a suitable handle 105. By pulling down upon the handle a rotary movement will be given to shaft 5, which will raise the pocket.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is- T 1. A plurality of movable storage-pockets in combination with a counterbalance; and means whereby the pockets can be moved up and down, one at a time; and means for actively connecting the pockets, oneat a time,

scribed.

age-pockets in combination with a counterbalance; operative connections, between the several pockets and the counterbalance, and means whereby the movement of any 'one pocket renders its connection active and all the other pocket connections inactive, substantially as described.

3. A plurality of mqyable storage-pockets; and means whereby the pockets can be moved one at a time; in combination with a counterbalance; operative connections between the several pockets and the counterbalance; and means for automatically inducing inaction in the'several connections of all the other pockets by the movement of any one pocket, substantially as described.

4. A plurality of storage-pockets, movable,

up and down, one at a time; in combination with locking mechanism at the highest level; and means whereby the movement of any one pocket from the highest level automatically locks all the other pockets at that level,'substantially as described.

5. A storage-pocket movable, up and down; in combination with a supporting drum and described. v

6. A storage-pocket, movable up and down;

combination with a supporting drum and cable; a cable-deflecting arm pivoted at its lower end to the stationary support and provided at its other end with cable-engaging mechanism for transferring the pocket from the plane of its support to a plane wholly outside of the support; and a bifurcate offset on the oscillatory end of the arm engagable with the pocket mechanism during the oscillatory movements of the arm, substantially as described.

7. A storage-pocket, movable up and down; a counterbalance and a supporting drum and cable connecting the pocket and counterbal ance; in combination with an oscillatory cable-deflector, causing the pocket to trave. in the arc of a circle during part of its up-anddown movements; and mechanism for automatically controlling the rate of travel during the latter part of its upward movement, substantially as described. 8. A storage-pocket, movable up and down; a counterbalance; and a supporting drum and cable connecting the pocket and counterbalance; in combination with an oscillatory cable-deflector; and a buffer adapted to be enwith the counterbalance, substantially as decable; a cable-deflecting arm pivoted at its and a stationary support for the same; in

2'. A plurality of separately-movable storup and down, one ata time; a drum-shaft; drums and gaged by the pocket-frame at the end of its upward movement, substantially as described.

9. A storage-pocket, movable up and down; a counterbalance; and'a supporting drum and cable connecting the pocket and counterbalance; in combination with mechanism adapted. to be operated by hand for moving the cable in a direction to raise the pocket from one level to another, substantially as described.

10. A plurality of storage-pockets movable a counterbalance; cables for actively connecting the counterbalance with a pocket; and a hand-cable connected with the drum shaft for raising the pocket from one level to another, substantially as described.

11. Astorag'e- )ocket movable up and down; and a COUIIiJGXbZLl HHCQ; in combination with a stop-lock adapted to close after a downward and-a short, slow, upward movement to hold the pocket at a lower level and to open after a short downward and quick upward movement, substantially as described.

12. A plurality of storage-pockets movable up and down one at a time; and a counterbalance; in combination with a rotaryshaft; beari ngs for supporting-the shaft above the several pockets; one or more drums fixed upon the shaft; cable connection between the fixed drum and counterbalance; a plurality of drums loose on said shaft; cable connections between each pocket and one or more loose drums; and means-for automatically rendering a loose drum active to the shaft during the down movement of the pocket supported by such drum, substantiallyas described.

13. A plurality of storage-pockets movable up and down one at a time; and a counterbalance; in combination with a rotary shaft; bearings for supporting the shaft above the several pockets; one or more drums fixed upon the shaft; cableconneetion between thefixed drum and counterbalance; a plurality of drums loose on said shaft; cable connections between each pocket and one or more loose drums; and

automatically-operirting mechanism for rigdrums on the shaft; cable connections between.

the several pockets and one or more loose drums; and means for maintaining an active connection between the shaft andthe pockets one at a time, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 9th day of January, 1903.

COLLINS ARNOLD. W itnesses:

E. M. OREILLY, H. B. SLoeUM.

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