US749699A - Convertible table-desk - Google Patents

Description

No. 749,699. Y PATENTED JAN. l2, 1904.

T. M. MGKEE. v CONVERTIBLE TABLE DESK.

APPLICATION FILED DEO. 1, 1902.

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UNITED STATES M Patented January 12, 1904.

THOMAS M. MOKEE, OF GREENFIELD, INDIANA.

CONVERTIBLE TABLE-DESK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 749,699, dated January 12, 1904.

Application filed December 1, 1902. Serial No. 133,338. (No model.)

T0 all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that LTHoMAs M. McKEE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Greenfield, in the county of Hancock and State of Indiana, have invented new and useful Improvements in Convertible Table-Desks; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactrdescription of the invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to articles of furniture that are designed to be employed as combination library tables and desks; and the invention has reference particularly to table-tops or upper portions, of which parts thereof are designed to be employed as the desk-cabinets and of which parts are convertible into the desk or writing-table. 4

The object of the invention is to provide a convertible table-desk that may be cheaply constructed, that may be easily manipulated, and instantly and completely transformed from a table to a desk, or vice versa.

The invention consists in a table having an improved two-part top, of which one part is fixed and the other part is movable and adapted to be dropped below the plane of the xed part and also removed laterally from the fixed part and means whereby the movable part may be controlled and maintained in the desired operative positions relative to the Xed part; and the invention consists also in the novel parts and in the combination and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter-particularly described, and pointed outin the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 perspectively illustrates the article as when converted into a desk, as it may be constructed subject to slight modifications illustrated in other views; Fig. 2, a vertical central sectional view longitudinally of the path of motion of the movable part, the top being arranged as a table and having supporting-legs (shown as broken away) inlieu of the cabinet-base illustratedin Fig. l; Fig. 3, a fragmentary sectional view similar to that in Fig. 2, showing a side elevation of supports for `the movable part of the top, the latter being slightly removed from the fixed part, as when poised in a neutral position; Fig. 4, an end elevation of supports for the movable part of the top; Fig. 5, a longitudinal central verti cal sectional view of the article arranged as a desk; Fig. 6, a fragmentary sectional view of the forward portion of the article arranged as a table; and Fig. 7, a fragmentary top plan view withthe top board of the movable part omitted, showing the operative parts of the movable part in the positions assumed when arranged as a desk.

Similar reference characters in the drawings indicate corresponding parts in the several views thereof. Y

In the description the table-top will be understood 'as including the desk-cabinet and the corresponding movable part and portions thereof as being distinctive from the supporting part and frame thereof.

In construction the supporting part of the article may comprise either an inclosed base arranged as a cabinet, as in Fig. l, or suitable legs and frame, as in Figs. 2, 5, and 6. The cabinet-base is pyramidal and comprises four corner-posts a, two opposite paneled front and rear casings b, and at one side are drawers c and e and doors 0l, while similar conveniences may be arranged in the opposite side. Instead of the above construction legs f may be employed, which obviously may be suitably braced. At the upper portions of the stand or supporting parts is a suitable frame attached thereto, comprising a l horizontal portion g, Vto which the top parts of the table as alwhole may be removably attached by suitable means, as will be understood. The top parts are either built upon or connected with and supportedby means of a suitable base-frame comprising portions A and portions A in aplane just above the portion A, this base-frame being adapted to be attached to either one of the stands above described. The top is divided transversely, forming a part xed to the base-frame and a part connected movably by means of suitable devices with the base-frame. The xed part has sides B, and the movable part has sides B. Suitable corner-pieces O O may be attached to the slides, and a back `B2 is usually attached IOO to the sides B or tothe corner-pieces C. The xed part has a top board D attached thereto and the movable part has a top board D..

attached thereto, the two top boards being in the same plane as one board when the article is arranged as a table. The fixed part has a oor-board E, and immediately at the front of the Hoor-board is a supplemental top board E, which, as shown in Fig. l, may be composed of two separate pieces and which may also be composed of a single board, as in Figs. 2 and 5. The sides B, back B2, top board D, and floor E are all connected together. The movable part is provided either with a hinged front F or with a front F, permanently connected with the sides B and top board D, the front F being permissible when a rather high stand is employed, but would be obstructive on a low stand and interfere with the knees of the writer seated at the desk. The interior of the fixed part of the top is provided with suitable compartments or cabinet-receptacles suitable for desks, as by means of partitions t and one or more drawers z', arranged above the floor E.

The movable part of the top is supported and its movements controlled by means of a plurality of arms two at each side of the tabledesk, as arms G G', pivoted substantially to the base of the top, preferably to the portions A', and movable radially in vertical planes, the opposite or swinging ends of the arms being pivoted substantially to the movable part, at the upper portions thereof. As preferably arranged,specically a pair of the arms are connected by pivots in' to a plate H, having a fiange j, the plate being attached. to the portion A or to any other suitable part of the base. A plate H is attached to the inner side of a side B and is also connected by pivots Z to the swinging ends of the arms G G. Thus the connections may be made to operate precisely. The arms are so arranged that when standing perpendicularly, as they may, the board Dl will be somewhat removed from the board D and also be in a higher plane, as illustrated in Fig. 3, so that by the force of gravity the movable part will be held against the lixed part of the top and will be partially supported thereby, as will be seen in Fig. 2. It will be seen that the plates H and H are in different vertical planes, so that when the arms G G are moved to horizontal positions the two plates may lie in the same horizontal plane with the arms between them.

The front F is provided with hinges m m at its lower edge, which are attached to the portion A of the base, so that the front may swing forwardly and downwardly from its upright position, and the front is connected with the top board Dl by means of a strip n, attached thereto, and a hinge-plate I, attached to the strip, together with a guide-bar VJ, which is connected to the plate I by a pivot or hinge pin 7a, the guide-bar extending into an opening g in a guide-block K, that is secured to-the inner face of the front board F. Ifpreferred, a pair of the sliding connections may be employed, as indicated in Fig. 7. Any suitabledevice may be employed for supporting the arms G G in their horizontal positions, as the ends of the front piece of the base part A, projecting slightly beyond the side pieces thereof.

It will be understood various modifications may be made in the details of construction of the various parts and that other devices than the pivoted arms may be employed for supporting and controlling the positions of the movable part of the two-part top within the scope of my invention.

In practical use, assuming that the article is arranged as a desk, as in Figs. l and 5, the movable part may be lifted readily if the operator stand at the front of the desk until the arms G G' assume upright positions, as in Fig. 3, when the part will be poised upon the arms slightly higher than the fixed part. rlhen a slight push will cause the movable part to approach the fixed part and then descend against the same by the force of gravity, as in Fig. 2 and in dotted lines in Fig. 3. ln elevating the movable part the guide-bar J will, in connection with the guide-block K, swing the front F to an upright position, the bar sliding in the block. The bars and blocks when used in pairs also prevent twisting movements of the movable top in operation. By merely drawing the movable part of the top forwardly the article may be instantly converted again into a desk, the movable part descending by the force of gravity after passing its poised position. It will be observed that the board E forms part of the writingtable, thus supplementing the top board Dl when arranged as a low desk or writing-table.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim isl. A convertible table-desk comprising a frame, a stationary top part, a movable top part, and two pairs of arms normally standing in inclined planes and pivoted to the frame and also to the movable top part and cooperating with the stationary top part thereby supporting the movable top part jointly by means of the arms and the stationary top part, the arms permitting the movable top part to be depressed at either side of the vertical positions of the arms.

2, A convertible table-desk comprising a frame provided with a pair of pivoting-plates each having a pair of pivots attached thereto, two pairs of isolated arms mounted on the pivots, a movable top part pivoted to the arms, and a stationary top part attached to the frame, the arms being adapted to be inclined and to hold the movable top part against the stationary top part in which position the movable top part is supported jointly by the arms and the stationary top part, the arms permitting IOO the movable top part to be depressed at either side of the vertical positions of the arms.

3. A convertible table-desk comprising a frame, a stationary top part having a projecting bottom and having sides extending below the projecting bottom, pivoting-plates secured to the opposite sides of the frame in a plane below the projecting bottom,radiallymovable arms pivoted to the outer sides of the pivoting-plates, a pair of the arms at each side of the frame and having an upper plate pivoted to the ends thereof at the sides opposite to the pivoting-plates, and a movable top part secured to the upper plates at the sides thereof opposite to the movable arms, said arms being normally inclined, and said top part be ing normally held against the stationary top part by the inclination of lsaid arms and the force of gravity.

4. A convertible table-desk comprising a frame, a stationary top part fixed to the frame, stationary plates attached to the frame, radially-movable arms pivoted to the stationary plates, a movable top part provided with a hinged guide-bar at the upper forward portion thereof and having plates attached to the inner faces of the sides thereof pivoted to the movable arms, a front pivoted to the frame, and a guide-block secured to the front and slidingly engaging the guide-bar.

5. In a convertible table-desk, the combination of a frame, a stationary top part, a movable top part, and supporting means for the movable top part comprising a pair of sta tionary pivoting-plates extending along the sides of the frame and having ianges bearing upon upper surfaces of the frame, a pair of pivoting plates secured to the movable top part, and two pairs ofarms pivoted to the stationary plates and also to the pivoting-plates, whereby the movable top part may be held against the stationary top part and Vpartially supported thereby.

6. In a convertible table-desk, the combination with a frame having a hinged front and with a movable top part, of a pair of stationary plates secured to the frame, a pair of pivoting-plates secured to the movable top part, two pairs of radially-movable arms pivoted to the stationary plates and also to the pivotingplates, a plurality of guide-blocks attached to the inner sides of the hinged front, and a plurality of guide-bars hinged to the upper forward portion of the movable top part and slidingly engaging the guide-blocks, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

4 THOMAS M. MCKEE.

Witnesses: i

WM. H. PAYNE, E. T. SILvrUs.

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