US520526A - homer - Google Patents

Description

(No mm1.) V 2 sheets-sheet 2. C. S. HOMER.

' FLEXIBLE COVER FOR TABLES, BLINDS, DESKS, &c.

No. 520,526. A Patented May 29, 1894.

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UNITED STATES oHAUN'cEY s. HoMER,

PATENT OFFICE.

OF WARREN, PENNSYLVANIA, vASSIGrNOR TO MARY T. HOMER, OF SAME PLACE.

FLEXIBLE COVER FOR TABLES, BLINDS, DE SKS,'&C.

-SSII-ECIFICA'1IO1\T forming part of Letters Patent No. 520,526, dated May 29, 1894. Application file-. January 31,1893. Serial No. 460,314.- (No model.)

To all whom/it may concern,.-

Beit known that I, OHAUNCEY S. HoMnR, a

l citizen of the United States, residing at Warren, in the county of Warren and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Flexible Cover for Tables, Desks, Blinds, &c., of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in flexible covers for use in extension tables, inside blinds, roll-top desks, and other articles.

The objects of my invention are to cheapen and simplify the construction of these covers; to render them flexible and adapted to readily glide over the ways in which they'are mounted and to follow their disposition; to reduce the frictional wear of the same and hence increase their flexibility and durability, and to so construct them as when drawn up or opened the said cover will form a practically continuous unbroken smooth surface, the interstices between the sections or strips being practically closed to prevent the entrance of dust, dirt, dac., and to be practicallyv unobservable; and finally to provide a convenient means for Stringing the sections composing the flexible cover whereby they may expand and shrink and yet remain sufficiently tight and under proper tension.

With these various objects in view the invention consists in certain features of construction hereinafter speciied and particula'rly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings:-Figure l is a perspective view of an extension table of that class employing a central stationary section and opposite movable ends, the same being connected by intermediate flexible covers, the covers in the present instance being constructed in accordance with my invention and being employed in a table of this class merelyY for the purpose of illustration. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of the table, the exible cover being thereon. I Fig. 3 is an elevation of a portion of the flexible cover, the same being adapted for use in a table, inside blind, desk, dto. Fig. i is a longitudinal central section of the table. Fig. 5 is a transverse section of the construction in Fig. 3.

Like numerals of reference indicate like parts in all the figures of the drawings.

In constructing the flexible coverI employ a series of alternating strips and rods, the strips being designated as 1 and the rods as 2. The strips have their lower corners `provided with curved longitudinally-disposed grooves 3, 'which are very slightly greater than the quadrant of a circle, and their upper corners are very slightly rounded as indicated at 4. Between these strips or alternating with the same, the rods 2 are, as be fore stated, located, the said rods being adapted to tit nicely within the grooves 3,. and in length are slightly greater than that of the strips so that the ends of the rods extend beyond the ends of the strips and form bearings or journals 5, which are designed to take into the grooves in the sides of a desk, or in the sides of awindow-frame when used as an inside-blind, or in the opposite sides of the Vendsections of a table when used in an extensiontable.

For the purpose of illustrating the manner of operating the cover I have, as before stated, illustrated the same in connection with an extension-table, but such application I would have it understood is merely for the purpose of illustration, as the cover is as well adapted to the various other purposes, some of which I have herein mentioned, as to tables, though it is principally intended for the latter.

7 designates the opposite end-sections or boxes of a table which, in the present instance, consists of the opposite sides 8, the end-pieces 9 connecting the same, the sta'- tionary top-piece 10, whose inner lower corner is cut away as shown, and thebottom piece ll, the latter being provided with the supporting-legs 12. If desired a cross-piece 13 may be interposed between the opposite side pieces for the purpose of strengthening them and preventing them from spreading or contracting. The inner surfaces of the sides 8 of the end-sections are provided ywith grooves 14, and the same begin at the inner ends near the upper edges of said sides, extend outward toward the ends of the table,

are curved and doubled upon themselves, re-

turning toy the inner ends where they terminate. The distancebetwe'en the sides 8 agrees from which depends the centralv supportingleg 18.

Mounted upon the stationary slides 16 is the central-section of the cover, and it is preferably formed of a plurality of sections or pieces, in this instance two, designated as 19. The outer edges of these central coversections are, like the strips l, provided with similar grooves 3 so that they,receive the adjacent cylindrical-rods 2 of the flexible coversections. The meeting edges of the sections 19, like those of the sections 1, are upon their upper inner corners slightly rounded or reduced, as indicated at 20, so that any inequalities between the sections 19 are compensated for and when the hand is passed over the joint existing between said sections no appreciable unevenness is discernible.

It will be seen that when the cylindrical rods are in position between the strips 1 their lower portions are exposed or extend slightly below the plane of the under sides of said strips 1, and hence whether they are extended between the strips 1 or not they take the wear from the under side of strips 1, reduce the amount of friction,and hence render the cover capable of being slid with greater facility, less rumble or noise, and with less wear.

Various means will suggest themselves for connecting in a iiexible manner the strip and rod-sections of the flexible cover, but I have herein illustrated one simple method which I will now proceed to describe.

At suitable points the rods and strips are provided with openings 22 and 23, respect- `ively,` the same being located at corresponding. points, but those of the strips being formed a slight distance nearer to the surface of said strips than are those of the rods near their outer sides. The opening is continued in the sections 19 of the -central stationary cover-section of the table, as shown at 24, and finally terminates in recesses 25 formedin the under sides of said central coversections. In this instance, two of these sets of openings are provided, but it will be obvious-that more than two may be employed if so. desired. Through this series of rods and sections a flexible wire-connection is passed, thesame being designated as 26, the continuations 24 in the sections 19 terminate in eyebolts 27, which are located in the recesses 25, are passed through rubber cushions 28, which in turn are impinged upon by clamping nuts 29, so that any expansion or contraction of the rods or strips may be permitted `without effecting a binding action of the same at their joints or in any way obstructing the flexibility of the cover-section.

By reason of the fact that some of the sec.-` tions are cylindrical or round upon theirunder sides and project below thehorizontal planes of other sections I prevent the sharp edges of such other sections from catching on the table slides as they would do if permitted to rest directly upon them; also there is permitted. a rocking or rolling motion when movingaround curves or any obstructions that might lie in their path, and thus it will be seen that I reduce to considerable extent the frictional wear that would otherwise occur.

From the foregoing description in connection with the accompanying drawings it will be seen that I have provided a cheap and simple construction of liexible cover, the same being adapted for use in tables, inside blinds, desks, &c., and when in position is adapted to readily operate with a minimum noise and friction; furthermore, that the joints between the sections are such as to avoid accumulation of dust and to form, practically, a smooth, unbroken, continuous surface.

I-Iaving described my invention, what I claim is 1. The herein described fiexible cover for extension-tables, inside-blinds and desks, the same consisting of a series of alternately arranged iiat strips and cylindrical rods, the strips having theirlower corners provided with grooves for loosely receiving the rods, and the under sides of the latter extending below the plane of the strips, and ilexible connections passed through perforations in the rods and strips, substantially as specified.

2. The herein described improved flexible cover for extension-tables, inside-blinds and desks, the same consisting of a series of alternately arranged rods and strips, the adjacent edges of the strips being grooved to receive the rods, said, rods being longer than the strips and extending beyond the same to form bearing-ends, substantially as specified.

3. The herein described improved flexible cover for extension-tables, inside-blinds and desks, the same consisting of an alternate arrangement of dat strips and cylindrical rods, such strips having their upper corners slightly rounded and their lower corners grooved and receiving the rods, said rods and strips being provided with perforations, and the rods having their lower sides extending below those of the strips and flexible connecting devices passing through the perforations, substantially as specified.

4. The herein described flexible cover for extension tables, inside blinds, and desks, the same consisting of a series of sections loosely connected, a plurality of said sections having their lower sides rounded and `extending below the remaining sections to form bearing surfaces, substantially as specified.

IOO

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5. The herein described flexible cover for In testimony that I claim the foregoing as 1o extensiontables, inside blinds, desks, &o., the` my own I have hereto affixed my signature in sameoonsisting of a series o,`f sections loosely the presence of two Witnesses. jointed together, a plurality of said sections 5 having their lower sides extending below the CHAUNCEY S. "HOMER remaining sections and their ends projecting beyond those of said remaining sections form- Witnesses: ing bearing-surfaces, substantially as speei- G. E. HOMER,

fied.

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