US3565377A

US3565377A - Desk construction

Info

Publication number: US3565377A
Application number: US798259A
Authority: US
Inventors: Kenneth D Schreyer
Original assignee: Lyon Metal Products LLC
Current assignee: Lyon Metal Products LLC
Priority date: 1965-10-23
Filing date: 1969-02-03
Publication date: 1971-02-23
Anticipated expiration: 1988-02-23

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a desk and panel and leg construction comprising a pair of spaced-apart sheet metal sidewalls joined by sheet metal end walls and a bottom wall, a body of rigid cellular construction disposed between the sidewalls, layers of adhesive disposed between the inner surfaces of the sidewalls and the body of cellular construction, a pair of mounting channels respectively disposed adjacent to the sidewalls and extending from adjacent to the bottom wall upwardly and beyond the upper edges of the sidewalls, the mounting channels carrying structure thereon for connection to a desk top, a Ushaped support bracket disposed in the lower portion of the end panel and having openings therein in alignment with openings in the bottom wall to mount a leg on the underside of the end panel, the leg being of generally hollow construction and having a foot thereon adjustable with respect thereto.

Description

United States Patent [72] Inventor Kenneth D. Schreyer Doylestown, Pa. [21] Appl. No. 798,259 [22] Filed Feb. 3, 1969 [45] Patented Feb. 23,1971 [73] Assignee Lyon Metal Products, Incorporated Aurora, 111. Continuation of application Ser. No. 635,939, Apr. 5, 1967, now abandoned which is a division of application Ser. No. 503,157, Oct. 23, 1965, now Patent No. 3,363,955.

[54] DESK CONSTRUCTION 7 Claims, 21 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S.Cl 248/1884 [51] 1nt.C| A47b 91/02 [50] Field ofSearch 248/188, 188.4,188.8, 188.1;312/194,195

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,858,381 5/1932 Vance 248/1888 2,141,954 12/1938 Jones ....(248/188.8UX) 3,063,765 11/1962 Huff 248/1888 1,289,473 12/1918 Keating 248/1884 1,826,670 10/1931 Ohnstrand 312/195X Primary ExaminerRoy D. Frazier Attorney-Prangley, Clayton, Mullin, Dithmar & Vogel ABSTRACT: The present invention is directed to a desk and panel and leg construction comprising a pair of spaced-apart sheet metal sidewalls joined by sheet metal end walls and a bottom wall, a body of rigid cellular construction disposed between the sidewalls, layers of adhesive disposed between the inner surfaces of the sidewalls and the body of cellular construction, a pair of mounting channels respectively disposed adjacent to the sidewalls and extending from adjacent to the bottom wall upwardly and beyond the upper edges of the sidewalls, the mounting channels carrying structure thereon for connection to a desk top, a U-shaped support bracket disposed in the lower portion of the end panel and having openings therein in alignment with openings in the bottom wall to mount a leg on the underside of the end panel, the leg being of generally hollow construction and having a foot thereon adjustable with respect thereto.

PATENTED H823 Is?! 3565; 377

SHEET 1 BF 6 nvvavron KENNETH 0. scum: YER

ATT S.

SHEET 3 BF 6 FIG. 5

DESK CONSTRUCTION This application is a streamline continuation of the copending application Ser. No. 635,939, filed Apr. 5, 1967 for Desk Construction, now abandoned, which was a division of the copending application Ser. No. 503,157, filed Oct. 23, 1965 for Desk Construction, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,363,955.

This invention relates to furniture constructions, and particularly to desks, and to improvements in desk components and the interconnection thereof one with the other.

It is an important object of the. invention to provide in a furniture construction of the type set forth an improved end panel of composite construction including a pair of metal sidewalls receiving therebetween a filler of honeycomb construction secured thereto by mastic to provide a load-bearing member, the end panel also including channels and brackets at the upper end thereof for mounting the end panel on the mounting channels. of an associated furniture top of the present invention.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved furniture leg and foot, the foot being. adjustable with respect to the furniture leg and providing a large floor'contact area and a large adjustment range, all with low construction cost.

In connection with the foregoingobject it is another object of the invention to provide an improved adjustable furniture leg and foot particularly adapted tomounting on the bottom of a desk pedestal, two of the. furniture legs being provided and connected by a stabilizing bar that serves to distribute the load in the pedestal between the two furniture legs.

A still further object of the invention isto provide an improved furniture leg and foot that is attacliment to an end panel.

Further features of the, invention pertain to the particular arrangement of the parts whereby the above-outlined and additional features thereof are attained.

The invention, both as to its organization and method'of construction, together with other objects and advantages, will best be understood by reference to the following specification taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a single pedestal deskmade in accordance with and embodying the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the desk of FIG. .1; FIG. 3 is a rear elevational view of the desk of FIGS. 1 and FIG. 4 is an end elevational view of thedesk illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of the lower end of the end panel and showing the associated leg mounted thereon;

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of the structure of FIG. 5 as seen in the direction of the arrows along the line 6-6 thereof;

FIG. 7 is a view in vertical section through the leg of FIG. 6 along the line 7-7 thereof;

FIG. 8 is a view in vertical sectionthrough the leg of FIG. 7 along the line 8-8 thereof;

particularly adapted for FIG. 9 is a further enlarged view in vertical section with certain portions broken away and illustrating the interconnection between the leg and the pedestal of FIG. 5 at the front of the desk;

FIG. 10 is a view in vertical section through the assembly of FIG. 9 along the line 10-10 thereof;

FIG. 11 is a view similar to FIG. 10 illustrating the connection between the back panel and the end panel and the associated leg;

FIG. 12 is a further enlarged view of the upper end of the leg prior to assembly in FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is an enlarged fragmentary view illustrating a leg mounted on and supporting the pedestal;

FIG. 14 is a side view partly in section along the line 14-14 of FIG. 13;

FIG. 15 is an enlarged view in vertical section through the bottom of the leg and illustrating the connection thereof to the associated foot;

FIG. 16 is a view in vertical section through the leg of FIG. 14 along the line 16-16 thereof, the associated foot and mountingstructure having been removed for illustrative purposes;

FIG. 17 is a view in vertical section through the leg of FIG. 16 along the line 17-17 thereof;

FIG. 18 is a further enlarged view in vertical section through the tie channel and the bottom of the pedestalalong the line 18-l8'in FIG. 14, and illustrating additional features of the mounting of the leg on the pedestal;

FIG. 19 is a rear view of the upper portion of the leg of F IO. 17 as seen along the line 19-19 thereof;

FIG. 20 is a view similar to FIG. 14 but illustrating the mounting of the rear leg on the pedestal; and

FIG. 21 is a side elevational view-of the lower end of the pedestal and illustrating the interconnection between the legs by the tie channel therebetween.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIGS. 1 to 4 thereof, there is illustrated a piece of furniture made in accordance with and embodying the principles of the present invention, a left-hand single pedestal desk having been shown for purposes of illustration. The desk 100 includes a desk top 101 at one end of which is disposed a pedestal 1-50 supported by a pair of legs 500 having associated feet-520, the pedestal having mounted therein a shelf 190, a box drawer "210 and a file drawer 270,'the shelf being provided with a pull.l90P, the box drawer 210 being provided with a pull 210P and the file drawer 270 being provided with a pull 2701. Mounted .on the other end of the desk top 101 is-an end panel 450,supported by a pair of legs 550 having associated feet 570, the space between the pedestal 150 and the end panel 450 at the rear of the desktop 101 being closed by a back panel 400; as may be best seen in FIG. .3, the back panel 400 is provided with a 'pair of wiring openings 415 for the receptionof telephone-wires and the like. There further is mounted .on the desk top 101* a center drawer 380 and a depending front wall or skirt 390, a lock 360 being provided in substantially the center of the front edge of the desk top 101 to lock the

several drawers

210, 270 and 380.

As is seen in FIG. 1 to 4 of the drawings, two of the legs 500 are provided beneath the'pedestal 1'50 to support the same upon an underlying support surface, the legs 500 being disposed substantially centrally laterally of the pedestal 150 .and being respectively disposed adjacent to the front and rear thereof. The detailsof construction and the details of mounting the pedestal legs 500 are illustrated in FIGS. 13 to 21 of .the drawings, wherein itwill be seen that each of the legs 500 Disposed in'the rear wall portion of the upper end 503 is a channel-receiving notch505 extending substantially from the longitudinalmidpoint of the wings 504 rearwardly to the rear end of the body 501. Each of the wings 504 also has a recess 506 in the rearm'ost portion thereof communicating with the notch505, the notch .505 and the recesses 506 cooperating to receive the adjacent end of a tie channel 510 therein. As may bestbe seen in FIG. 18, the tie channel 510 includes a bottom wall 511 adapted to lie on the bottom of the notch S05 and a pair of upwardly and outwardly directed sidewalls S12 lying against the sides of the notch 505 and integral with the upper edges of-the sidewalls 512 are out-turned flanges 513 lying in the recesses .506 in the associated wings 504. Each of the wings .504 has an opening 507 therein that is in general alignment with an opening514 in the adjacent flange 513, these openings receiving a bolt 508 therethrough. The details of the attachment of the front leg 500 are illustrated in FIGS. 14 and 18, wherein it will be seen that the bolts 508 also extend upwardly through an aligned opening in the pedestal bottom wall 167 and into internally threaded embossments 189 formed in the attachment flange 184 of the front bracket 183. The rear leg 500 is similarly attached to the bottom reinforcement 175, and particularly to the main wall 176 thereof by the bolts 508, the bolts 508 engaging in threaded embossments 176a formed in the main wall 176. From FIG. 21 it will be seen that the tie channel 510 extends between the front and rear pedestal legs 500 to provide interconnection therebetween and to reinforce the pedestal bottom wall 167, thereby to stabilize and tie together the various parts thereof.

Referring now particularly to FIGS. 15 to 17, it will be seen that the lower end of each of the legs 500 carries a foot 520, each lower end 502 of each leg 500 more particularly having a vertically extending recess 515 therein on the walls of the lower portion of which are formed threads 516. Each foot 520 includes an elongated shank 521 that extends upwardly into the associated recess 515 and carries on the upper end thereof an enlarged threaded section 522 carrying threads that engage with the threads 516. The lower end of the shank 521 carries an outwardly directed support member 523 that is generally circular in outline and has a generally circular support surface on the underside thereof. The surface 524 can be adjusted vertically with respect to the pedestal leg 500 by threading the threaded section 522 downwardly and upwardly with respect to the threads 516. A substantial distance of adjustment can be achieved while providing good stability between the leg 500 and the foot 520, all while concealing the threaded connection therebetween. As a result, a mechanically strong and stable leg and foot construction of good appearance is thus provided.

The details of construction of the front bracket 183 and the bottom reinforcement 175 of the pedestal 150 are more particularly described in copending application Ser. No. 635,939, filed Apr. 5, I967 for Desk Construction, now abandoned, a division of copending application Ser. No. 503,157, now US. Pat. No. 3,363,955.

The end panel 450 is supported by two end panel legs 550, one of the legs 550 being disposed toward the forward end of the end panel 450 and the other leg 550 being disposed toward the rear end of the end panel 450, both of the legs being centered laterally under the end panel 450. The details of construction and connection of the end panel legs 550 are best illustrated in FIGS. 5 to 12 of the drawings wherein it will be seen that each of the legs 550 includes a body 551 formed of metal, preferably cast aluminum. The body 551 includes a transversely curved upstanding front wall 552 that merges with a pair of substantially flat sidewalls 554 that extend rearwardly with respect to the front wall 552 and are curved upwardly and directed rearwardly as may best be seen in FIG. 6. The sidewalls 554 are joined by a transversely curved and upwardly and rearwardly curved rear wall 553. There further is provided an intermediate wall 555 extending substantially the entire vertical length of the leg 550 and integrally joining an inner wall 556 cooperating to provide a vertically extending recess 567 therein provided with threads 568 on the lower portions of the wall thereof. Finally, a transverse wall 557 is provided joining the upper end of the wall 556 and an intermediate portion of the intermediate wall 555, the transverse wall 557 having an opening 558 therein that is in general axial alignment with the recess 567 and adapted to receive therethrough a fastener as will be described more fully hereinafter. The rear wall 553 also has a fastener receiving opening 559 therein, there being provided adjacent to the opening 559 an upwardly extending projection 560, a cooperating projection 56! being provided on the upper end of the intermediate wall 555, the

projections

560 and 561 extending into cooperating openings or slots 456 in the bottom flange 453 of the end wall 450 (see FIG. 9).

In order to attach each of the legs 550 to the underside of the end wall 450, a first bolt 562 has been provided having an enlarged head 563, the shank of the bolt 562 extending upwardly through the opening 558 in the transverse wall 557 with the head 563 engaging the under surface of the wall 557, the upper end of the bolt 562 carrying a threaded portion 564 that extends upwardly through aligned openings in the clip flange 493 (where provided as in FIG. 11) and the bottom flanges 453 and the bottom wall 474 and threadedly engaging the nut 476. A second bolt 565 is disposed in the recess 566 in the rear wall 553 that is in alignment with the opening 559 therein, the bolt 565 extending through an aligned opening in the bottom flanges 453 and the bottom wall 474 and threadedly engages the nut 477. It will be seen from FIGS. 9 and 10 that the leg 550 is firmly mounted upon the end wall 450 by means of the

bolts

562 and 565, the connection being entirely concealed. It further is noted that the upper edges of the front wall 552, the rear wall 553, the sidewalls 554 and the intermediate wall 555 are all curved to accommodate the curved lower edge of the end panel 450.

The lower end of each of the legs 550 has operatively connected thereto a foot 570, the foot 570 including an elongated vertically arranged shank 571 extending upwardly into the associated recess 567 and having adjacent to the upper end thereof an enlarged threaded section 572 carrying threads that engage the threads 568 in the leg 550. Integral with the lower end of the shank 571 is an enlarged support member 573 of generally circular outline and having a substantially flat support surface 574 on the underside thereof. It will be seen that the foot 570 is adjustable with respect to the leg 550 and pos-. sesses all of the advantages that have been set forth above with respect to the leg 500 and its associated foot 520, whereby in the interest of brevity, the same will not be here repeated.

Fundamentally the desk is formed of sheet metal with the exception of the several parts mentioned during the above description. Furthermore, the sheet metal forming the various parts is of relatively light gauge, as will be appreciated from the following examples of the gauge of the sheet metal utilized to form various parts of the desk 100. For example, in a typical illustrative embodiment of the desk top 101, the top plate 102 is formed of 20 gauge steel, the edging 103 is formed of 18 gauge steel, reinforcing sheet is formed of 24 gauge steel and the mounting channel is formed of l8 gauge steel. In a typical construction of the back panel 400, the outer sidewall 401 is formed of 24 gauge steel, the inner sidewall 401 is formed of 26 gauge steel and the hangers 420 are formed of l4 gauge steel. Similarly, in a typical construction of the end panel 450, both of the sidewalls 451 are formed of 24 gauge steel, the channel 470 is formed of 16 gauge steel, the anchor clips 480 are formed of 14 gauge steel and the leg support 473 is formed of 12 gauge steel.

The remaining parts of the desk 100 not fully described herein are fully illustrated and described in the copending application Ser. No. 635,939, filed Apr. 5, I967 for Desk Construction, now abandoned, a division of the copending application Ser. No. 503,157, now US. Pat. No. 3,363,955, and the description thereof is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.

From the above description it will be seen that there has been provided an improved article of furniture, and specifically an improved desk construction, which fulfills all of the objects and advantages set forth above. Likewise there has been provided an improved end panel of composite construction including a pair of metal sidewalls receiving therebetween a filler of honeycomb construction secured thereto by mastic, the end panel also including stiffening channels and brackets at the upper end thereof for mounting of the end panel on the mounting channels of an improved desk top and for connecting to the end panel legs.

While there have been described what are at present considered to be the preferred embodiments of the invention, it will be understood that various modifications may be made therein, and it is intended to cover in the appended claims all such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

lclaim:

l. A furniture leg construction comprising an upstanding hollow body having a lower end and a substantially rearwardly extending elongated upper end, a transverse wall dividing said body into a lower recess and an upper recess, threads formed on the inner periphery of said lower recess, a first opening formed in said transverse wall in general alignment with said lower recess for receiving the shank of a first fastener therethrough, said upper end of said body having a second opening therein in the rearward portion thereof for receiving a second fastener therethrough, and a foot having an integral shank extending upwardly therefrom and carrying a threaded portion engaging the threads in said lower recess for mounting said foot on said body.

2. The furniture leg construction set forth in claim 1, wherein said transverse wall is integral with said upstanding hollow body.

3. The furniture leg construction set forth in claim 1, wherein said transverse wall is spaced well below the upper end of said body.

4. An end panel and leg construction comprising an end panel having a longitudinally extending narrow bottom wall having upstanding sidewalls extending upwardly therefrom, a support leg disposed beneath said end panel and substantially centrally laterally thereof, said leg including a hollow body having a lower end and a substantially longitudinally extending elongated upper end, a transverse wall dividing said body into a lower recess and an upper recess, threads formed on the inner periphery of said lower recess, a first opening formed in said transverse wall in general alignment with said lower recess and in alignment with a first aperture in said bottom wall, a first threaded fastener extending upwardly through said first opening and into said first aperture for mounting said leg upon said end panel, the upper end of said body having a second opening therein in a portion thereof disposed away from said first fastener and in alignment with a second aperture in said bottom wall, a second fastener extending upwardly through said second opening and into said second aperture for mounting said leg upon said end panel, and a foot having an integral shank extending upwardly therefrom and carrying a threaded portion disposed in said lower recess and engaging the threads thereon for mounting said foot on said body.

5. The end panel and leg construction set forth in claim 4, wherein the bottom wall of said end panel is convexly curved, and the upper end of said leg body is concavely curved to receive and hold said convexly curved bottom wall of said end panel.

6. The end panel and leg construction set forth in claim 4, wherein said bottom wall has a pair of slots therein and said leg has a pair of projections on the upper end thereof extending respectively upwardly into said slots.

7. A furniture leg construction for mounting beneath a piece of furniture, said leg construction comprising an upstanding front wall, a substantially upstanding rear wall, and a pair of upstanding sidewalls integral with said front and rear walls to define an upstanding body with a substantially hollow interior having a lower end with a first opening therein, a substantially rearwardly extending upper end having a second opening therein in substantial alignment with an aperture in the piece of furniture for receiving a fastener therethrough, a transverse wall integral with said body and dividing the hollow interior of said body into a lower recess and an upper recess, said transverse wall having a third opening formed therein in substantial alignment with said lower recess for receiving the respect to said bod a distance equal to said predeterminedthreaded portion 0 said shank 11'! length while concea ing the said recess.

Claims

1. A furniture leg construction comprising an upstanding hollow body having a lower end and a substantially rearwardly extending elongated upper end, a transverse wall dividing said body into a lower recess and an upper recess, threads formed on the inner periphery of said lower recess, a first opening formed in said transverse wall in general alignment with said lower recess for receiving the shank of a first fastener therethrough, said upper end of said body having a second opening therein in the rearward portion thereof for receiving a second fastener therethrough, and a foot having an integral shank extending upwardly therefrom and carrying a threaded portion engaging the threads in said lower recess for mounting said foot on said body.

7. A furniture leg construction for mounting beneath a piece of furniture, said leg construction comprising an upstanding front wall, a substantially upstanding rear wall, and a pair of upstanding sidewalls integral with said front and rear walls to define an upstanding body with a substantially hollow interior having a lower end with a first opening therein, a substantially rearwardly extending upper end having a second opening therein in substantial alignment with an aperture in the piece of furniture for receiving a fastener therethrough, a transverse wall integral with said body and dividing the hollow interior of said body into a lower recess and an upper recess, said transverse wall having a third opening formed therein in substantial alignment with said lower recess for receiving the shank of a second fastener therethrough, said recess carrying threads formed on the inner periphery thereof, and a foot having a shank thereon and extending upwardly therefrom and through said first opening and into said recess, said shank carrying on the upper end portion thereof a threaded portion engaging said threads to permit adjustment of the foot with respect to the body, the portion of said shank between said foot and said threaded portion being unthreaded and having a predetermined length, whereby said foot may be adjusted with respect to said body a distance equal to said predetermined length while concealing the threaded portion of said shank in said recess.