US365275A - William h - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

W. H. PORTER. COMBINED DESK AND TYPE WRITER CABINET.

No. 865,275. Patented June 21, 1887.

UNITE STATES ATENT FFICE.

COMBINED DESK AND TYPE-WRITER CABINET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 365,275, dated June 21, 1887.

Application filed March 10, 1887.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, XVILLIAM H. PORTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at \Vashington, in the District of Columbia, have in vented certain new and useful Improvements in Combined Desk and Type-\Vritcr Cabinets; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification, and in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved desk and type-writer cabinet open. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the same closed. Fig. 3 is a similar view showing 1nodifications, and Fig. 4 is a detail view of parts of the desk.

Since the perfection and adoption of typewriting machines, they have become an almost necessary feature in every well-regulated oflice; but, like all machinery, they must be kept as free from dust as possible to give the best results. To do this requires that they must be covered, and to provide such a cover as shall be convenient, neat, and tidy has long been the desire of business men and the subject of the inventive mind. As a stand and a receptacle for stationery, &c., must be provided, as well as a cover, I have combined them all in a cabinet, which can also be utilized as an ordinary desk, and at the same time in such a manner that the change from the one to the other is quickly and easily made.

Thisinvention therefore relates to that class of desks in which when the top is closed the machine is lowered, and when it is opened the machine is raised into position; and it consists in the improved construction and combination of parts of such a desk, as will be hereinafter more particularly described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which the same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures, A represents the desk or cabinet, which can be of any desired size and degree of ornamentation, and which can be provided with drawers at one or both ends. In a desk having drawers at each end Serial No. 230,418. (No model.)

a space, B, is left between them, within which a platform, C, is secured, preferably by means of pivots intermediate its ends. This pivot consists of a short bolt, D, at each side of the platform, screw-threaded at each end, one end being screwed into the platform and the other end passed through a suitable hole in each of the inner panels, and provided with a nut upon its outer end.

To keep the edges of the platform from rnbbing against the inner panels as it is being swung up and down when opening and closingthe desk, a washer, E, is placed between them at each pivot. These washers are preferably made of some material which is a nonconductor of sound, as rubber or leather, and thus help to deaden the sound of the machine when being operated. Similar washers can also be used upon the outer ends of the bolts between the nuts and the panels, and a thimble or sleeve, F, of the same kind of material can be placed around each pivot in the hole through the panel, thus almost completely in sulating the platform acoustically from the rest of the desk.

Instead of the two bolts for pivots, a solid bar can be passed entirely across the space and have its ends secured in the panels in the same manner as the bolts D. This construction adds great strength to the front of the desk, as the nuts at the ends of the pivots enable the panels to be drawn tightly against the sides or edges of the platform, and which will prevent the two ends of the desk from being drawn away from each othcrin moving the desk, which would have a tendency to break them apart if they were not properly braced or secured together. By screwing the ends of the short bolts into the platform, the platform itself takes the place of the continu ous bar from panel to panel. By securing the panels or ends of the desk to the edges of the platform in this manner the ordinary crosspiece is dispensed with, which thus enables the operator to secure acloser position to the desk when closed than if the cross-piece were used, as it would necessarily be so low as to be in the way.

The cover or top of the desk is composed of three sections, the middle one of which, G, is secured to the edge of one of the other sec- ICO tions by means of blind or the ordinary hinges,

. be used for any of the ordinary purposes of a deskin either position. The ordinary drawers or slldes can be placed at each side underneath the end sections ofthe top or cover,

which can be used either when using the device as a cabinet or as a desk. Secured at one end to the under side of this middle swinging section, G, by means of a hinge-joint, is the rod H, to the other end of which is hinged the rod I, which in turn is pivotally secured to the rear portion of the platform 0. The

bar H is secured to the section of the cover G at such a distance from its hinge edge that when the cabinet is open the inner end of the bar will project a slight distance beyond that edge. This will cause the rod I to occupy more nearly a vertical position at all times,

and will also cause the portion of the bar H that projects beyond the edge to act as a lever in raising the platform when the desk is being opened, using the hinge between the covers as a fulcrum. When the section G is lying flat upon the end section when the desk is open, its weight is sufficient, owing to the great advantage it has in leverage, to holdup the weight of the machine on the platform without any catches, hooks, or other means of support.

As the machine cannot be operated as conveniently when placed as high as an ordinary desk, the platform-is placed at some'distance from the top of the panels, so that when open the machine will be of the right height for convenience; but when the desk is closed it will'be the same as an ordinary desk, both in appearance and in convenience, the cover be- As this placing of ingat the usual height. the platform below the level of the top of the desk would leave a space between the front of it and the cover or top when closed, which would admit dust, 850., and also make the desk have an unfinished appearance, I place the pivots-on which the platform swings at such a distance from the front as that when the rear end of the platform'has been let down to its lowest point the front end has been raised until it just touches the lower side of the cover, thus making a close joint and enabling the operator to lock the desk by means of the or- .dinary lock and key. Another advantage secured by this construction is that when the platform is swung into its horizontal position ready for use its front edge is caused to project some distance in front of the desk, which will enable the operator to draw the machine partly out from between the ends of the desk.

The platform can be made long enough so that when in its horizontal position its rear end will extend to the back of the desk, or it can be made a trifle shorter, and a piece, J, secured to it at an angle, so that when in its lowered position the piece J will occupy a horizontal position; and as the platform swlngs 1n a circle when in its lowered position its rear end will be at some distance from the back, leaving a space through which dust could have access. A bottom piece, K, can be secured to the back andinner panels, as shown in Fig. 3, against which the rear end of the platform will restwhen the desk is closed.

To give the desk more the appearance of an ordinary desk when closed, a pendent leaf, L, (shown in'dotted line in Fig. 2,) can be hinged to the under side of the platform near its front edge, which will hang down and give the ap pearance of the ordinary drawer, the lower edge of which must be allowed to swing freely,

so as not to interfere with the person of the operator when using the machine'or desk.

To prevent the machine from slipping down the platform when the desk is closed, it 1s secured by means of the ordinary stopsor blocks,

and to prevent damage to the machine by raising theplatform quickly stop-blocks M can be secured to the inner panels at the proper height, against which the platform will strike when it is raised. A button, of felt or leather, can be-placed upon the swinging top section, G, in such a position that when the desk is opened the bar H will strike upon the button instead of the cover,and thus the sound will be deadened. Instead of hinge-joints being used to secure the end of this bar to the cover or of the bar and rod together, the ordinary hook-and -eye joint can be used, the only requisite being that sufficient play be given to the parts to prevent binding or breaking as the desk is being closed or opened.

If it is not desired to secure the platform upon pivots, as above described, it can be hinged at its front end to a cross-piece, N, secured at its'ends to the front portion of the inner panels, and be swung up and down at its rear end in the same manner as though it were pivoted at its sides. When this construction is .used, a front doorpiece, 0, must also be hinged to this cross-piece, opening outward, so that when the desk is open the door can be let down into a horizontal posi-' tion, so that access can be had to the machine,

and, if desired, the machine can be drawn out in the same manner as with the other platform.

It will be seen that the swinging top and.

platform canbe used upon a desk having chine as well as with the drawers upon both sides of the desk. It will be necessary, however, to provide the desk at that end with the ordinary swinging brace or support to keep the cover in a horizontal position when it is opened for use. As in this style the edge of the cover is hinged to the side panel of the desk in the same manner asit is shown hinged to one section of the cover, and the brace is of any ordinary construction, they have not been illustrated.

It is evident that in a desk having one section of the cover hinged to swing over laterally, it can be opened and closed easily and quickly by the operator without rising from his seat or by an operator who has not such an abundance of muscular power as to be able to operate it if he had to reach out at arms length and force it up and down; but with my improvement the power is applied at the most advantageous point and in the most advantageous way, as the cover must swing through a half-circle in raising the platform and machine a few inches, and when the desk is closed it can be used for all the ordinary uses of a flat top desk, and by making the top inclined have all the advantages of the inclined-top desk.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to-secure by Letters Patent of the United States- 1. In a combined desk and typewriter cabinet, the combination, with a desk having its top in sections,one of which is hinged thereto, of a platform pivotally secured intermediate its ends below said swinging section, the front end of which is adapted to be raised to touch said swinging section when the desk is closed, and means, substantially as described, for connecting said platform and said section.

2. In a combined desk and type-writer cabinet,theoombination,with adeskhavingits top in sections, one of which is hinged thereto, of a platform pivotally secured below said swi nging section, the front end of which is adapted to project in front of the desk when open orin a horizontal position, and means, substantially as described, for connecting said platform and said swinging section.

3. In a combined desk and typewritercab- 5o inet, the combination of. a desk the ends of which are entirely disconnected at their front portions and each provided with a hole, a sleeve of non sound conducting material within each of said holes, a platform between said ends, a pivot upon each edge or side of said platform and projecting through said sleeves in said holes, firmly securing the ends of thedesk to the platform, washers of non-sound-conducting material upon said pivots and between the edges of the platform and the ends of the desk,

a cover hinged above said platform,and means, substantially as described, for connecting said cover and platform.

4. In a combined desk and typewriter cabinet, the combination, with a desk having its top in sections, one of which is hinged to swing laterally, of a platform pivotally secured be low said section and a jointed bar pivotally secured at its ends to said platform and said swinging section.

5. In acom'bined desk and type-writer cab- 6. In a combined desk and type-writer cabinet, the combination of a desk, the ends of which are entirely disconnected at their front portions and having a space between them, a platform within said space firmly secured at its sides to the said ends, a cover above said platform, and means, substantially as described, for connecting said cover and plat- 0 form.

In testimony whereofI afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

\VILLIAM H. PORTER.

\Vitnesses:

W. CLARENCE DUVALL, W. S. BoYD.

Images