US2986437A - Portable support apparatus - Google Patents

Description

y 1961 H. G. DAVIS 2,986,437

PORTABLE SUPPORT APPARATUS Filed April 24, 1958 INVENTOR.

Holford G. Davis JMJ M United States Patent 3 PORTABLE SUPPORT APPARATUS Halford G. Davis, 6564 Williamsburg Blvd., Arlington, Va.

Filed Apr. '24, 1958, Ser. No. 730,688

1 Claim. (Cl. 31.1-17) The present invention relates to a new and novel portable support apparatus, and more particularly to a sup port apparatus adapted to perform a plurality of functions. The present invention is primarily designed to provide a foot rest mechanism which may be mounted upon a partially opened drawer of a desk or similar article. However, the present invention is so constructed and arranged that it also serves a number of other useful functions. It is often desirable for a person, such as an executive or clerk who works at a desk all day, to relax by elevating his feet upon some suitable support surface. This, of course, is ordinarily done by placing the feet upon a desk or possibly upon a drawer which has been partially extended from the desk. This procedure is obviously undesirable since placing of the shoes on top of such surfaces usually mars the finish of both the furniture and the shoes. In order to overcome this difficulty, such persons often remove their shoes before placing their feet on such surfaces. This, however, is also not practical as a general matter because such surfaces provide a hard and often sharp surface which is very uncomfortable.

The present invention is especially designed to be mounted upon an open drawer in a desk. The novel structure includes a rigid body member having a securing means on the lower surface thereof which is adapted to fit over one side wall of the drawer and thereby maintain the apparatus in proper position. This securing means is preferably made adjustable such that the position thereof relative to the body member can be adjusted in accordance with various sizes of drawers.

The opposite or upper surface of the body member is provided with a resilient pad formed of foam rubber or similar material. Accordingly, when the apparatus is disposed in operative position on a drawer, a person may remove his shoes and place his feet upon the soft upper pad of the apparatus. In this manner, the feet are supported in an extremely comfortable manner, and of course the elevation of the feet may be determined in accordance with ones wishes by placing the apparatus on any one of the plurality of drawers as is commonly found in conventional desks. An additional advantage is obtained since there is no possibility of marring the finish of the drawer. The apparatus itself engages only the side walls of the drawer which are ordinarily not provided with any finish, and are normally out of view.

It is, accordingly, apparent that an extremely compact and efiicient structure is provided to serve as a foot rest or the like. In addition to the above-mentioned functions, the present invention has been specifically designed to serve various other utilitarian purposes. The surface Qff-the body member opposite to that upon which the resilient pad is mounted may also be utilized as a sewing tray for drinks or food, and in this position, of course,

the resilient pad will be disposed on, the surface which it is desired to protect and will prevent sliding of the apparatus. The lower surface of the body member may be provided with a suitable finishing for preventing staining thereof. The apparatus in this position with the resilient portion in engagement with a supporting surface and with the lower surface of the body member extending upwardly also disposes the channel shaped securing means in such a position that the legs thereof project upwardly. These projecting legs may be provided with suitable indentations for supporting cigarettes and the like, and accordingly serve as a complementary feature when drinks and so forth are also disposed on the lower surface of the apparatus.

The apparatus serves a further purpose in that the res-ilient pad may be disposed downwardly and a secretary or the like may place the resilient pad on a suitable surface or in the lap with the lower surface of the rigid body member facing upwardly such that the upper surface serves as a writing or Work surface.

In addition, it is apparent that the lower surface of the body member, which is disposed upwardly when not used as a foot rest, may be provided with suitable advertising material if desired. It is apparent that the present invention structure provides an apparatus which is extremely compact and serves a number of useful purposes, and is completely portable, and may be easily stored when not in use.

An object of the present invention is to provide a new and novel portable support apparatus which is adapted to be secured to a partially open drawer for providing a foot rest.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a portable support apparatus which may additionally serve as a serving tray, a cigarette holder, and a work board for writing and the like.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a portable support apparatus which is very compact, simple and inexpensive in its construction, and yet which is quite sturdy and reliable in operation.

Other objects and many attendant advantages of the present invention will become more apparent when considered in connection with the accompanying specification and drawings wherein:

Fig. l is a perspective view of the invention apparatus disposed in operative position upon a drawer of the desk or the like;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view, taken along line 22 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig, 3 is a perspective view of the invention apparatus with the lower surface thereof facing upwardly;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the modified securing means according to the present invention;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a modified form of the invention;

Fig. 6 is an end view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 5; and

Fig. 7 is a side view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 6.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, there is shown in Fig. l a desk indicated generally by reference numeral 10 having a partially extended drawer 11 projecting outwardly therefrom. Drawer 11 includes oppositely disposed side-walls 1 2 and 13 of conventional construction. An elongated rigid body member 15 formed of wood or similar material is disposed in spanning relationship to the side walls 12 and 13 of the drawer, and has a resilient pad 16 formed of suitable material such as sponge rubber or the like fixed to the upper surface thereof by any suitable means such as by an adhesive or by suitable nails or tacks, if desired. Pad 16 has substantially the same plan configuration as body member 15, and provides a relatively large supporting surface upon which one may rest his feet when desired. As seen most clearly in Figs, 2 and 3, an elongated substantially channel shaped securing means indicated generally by reference numeral 29 includes a web portion 21 having formed integral therewith depending leg portions in the form of spaced flanges 22 and 23. A pair of countersunk openings 24 is provided in web portion 21 of securing means 29 and a pair of flat headed wood screws 25 or similar securing means projects through openings 24 and into body member for rigidly fixing the securing means in position adjacent one end of the body member.

As seen in Fig. 2, the surface of the head or screw means is disposed flush with the surface of web portion 21 such that there are no projections extending downwardly between leg portions 22 and 23, thereby providing a relatively smooth surface for engaging the upper edge of the supporting wall 12. As seen in Fig. 1, when securing member 20 is disposed over the upper portion of side wall 12 of the drawer, the opposite end of the body member will project slightly beyond the opposite side wall 13 of the drawer.

' Lower surface 30 of the body member opposite to the surface upon which the resilient pad is supported may be provided with a suitable stain resistant surface for providing an eflicient serving tray. When the apparatus is disposed in the position shown in Fig. 3 with lower surface 30 facing upwardly, it is apparent that pad 16 will prevent the apparatus from slipping or sliding, and the surface 30 is adapted to receive drinks or food and the like. A modified form of securing means is indicated generally by reference numeral in Fig. 4 and is of channel shaped configuration similar to the securing means previously described, being provided with a web portion 21' and normally projecting leg portions 22 and 23. The upper edges of securing member 35, as seen in Fig 4, are each provided with a plurality of substantially semicylindrical cut-out portions 36 spaced therealong. Cut outs 36 in the two leg portions are aligned with one another, thereby providing a support for receiving cigarettes or cigars and similar objects. This is a very practical consideration since, when the apparatus is being used for supporting drinks, the necessity of providing cigarette rests is often encountered.

When the apparatus is employed with different size .desk drawers, it is often desirable to adjust the position .of the securing means relative to the body member such that the distance which the body member projects beyond either of the side walls of the supporting desk drawer can be adjusted. Figs. 5-7 illustrate a modification of the invention wherein the securing means is adjustably supported upon the body member. Referring now to Figs. 5-7, the securing means indicated generally by ref- ,55 have the heads 56 thereof slidably' disposed within slots 50 and 51, and bolt members 55 project upwardly through openings provided in flange 44. The upper threaded ;ends of bolt members 55 are adapted to receive nut .members 57 thereon for clamping the securing means in desired fixed relationship with respect to the body memher.

It is apparent that when it is desired to adjust the securing means with respect to the body member, nuts 57 are loosened and the securing means may be slidably moved relative to the body member. During such sliding movement, bolts 55 will slide within slots and 51.

When the securing means 40 is in adjusted position, nuts 57 are threaded down upon bolts 55 to clamp the securing means in adjusted position.

It is apparent from the foregoing that there is provided a new and novel portable support apparatus which can be quickly and easily moved into various positions, and which serves a multiplicity of useful purposes. The apparatus is primarily designed to serve as a foot rest, and may be placed in operative position upon the side walls of an extended desk drawer or the like. The apparatus may also be employed as a serving tray, a cigarette holder or a work board .upon which may be used for writing or sorting papers or the like. The structure of the present invention is extremely compact, simple and inexpensive in construction, yet it is very sturdy and efficient in operation.

As this invention may be embodied in several forms without departing fro'm the spirit or essential characteristics thereof, the present embodiment is therefore illustrative and not restrictive, and since the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims, all changes that fall within the metes and bounds of the claim or that form their functional as well as conjointly cooperative equivalents are therefore intended to be embraced by that claim.

I claim:

A device for use as a tray, table and the like when placed in operative position across the top of a partially opened drawer of an article of furniture, said device comprising in combination a flat board of rigid material, the board being of substantial length whereby it is adapted when in said operative position to lie across the width of a drawer body over and upon the top edges of said sides of the drawer body with one surface thereof resting flat upon the said top edges of the said sides of the drawer body, a one-piece length of channel bar disposed adjacent to and parallel with one transverse end edge of the board, the bar having a longitudinal web portion bearing on one side upon the said surface of the board and having spaced leg portions projecting from said surface of the board and spaced apart to receive the top edge of one of the said sides of the drawer body therebetween, whereby the opposite end of the board may rest upon the top edge of the opposite side of the drawer body, means for fixing the bar to the said surface against movement relative to the board comprising a flange extending longitudinally from the side of the bar and lying in the plane of the bar Web to bear with the web upon the said surface, at least two bolt members having a shank passing through said flange and each having a head on one end slidably engaged in one of a pair of parallel T slots formed in and extending longitudinally of the board and opening through said surface and a thumb nut threaded on the other end of the shank and adapted to bear upon the flange to cause the latter to engage tightly against the surface of the board opposed thereto, and a resilient pad overlying and fixed to the opposite surface of the board to function as a slippage preventing means when the board is positioned on a supporting surface with the first said surface thereof uppermost.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,068,593 Koch July 29, 1913 1,360,180 Congdon Nov. 23, 1920 1,369,884 Church Mar. 1, 1921 1,493,036 Hay May 6, 1924 1,662,293 Bennett Mar. 13, 1928 2,647,716 Hudziak et a1. Aug. 4, 1953 2,797,973 Culpeper July 2, 1957 2,867,401 Sheahan Ian. 6, 1959 2,871,928 Swenson Feb. 3, 1959

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