Suspended Pedestal Desk

Abstract

A desk in which drawer units are suspended at the rear from the desk top by means of a hanger on the rear of the drawer unit which engages a rail assembly depending downwardly from the rear of the desk top. At the front, the pedestal is bolted to the desk top by bolts passing through resiliently compressible spacer washers and into the top. The top can be tilted and the rail assembly includes both top and bottom rails. The hanger hangs in the top rail when the desk top is level and in the bottom rail when the desk top is tilted. In this way, the drawer unit is generally horizontal regardless of the orientation of the top.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to furniture systems, particularly to modular office furniture in which a variety of different type desks, credenzas and the like can be manufactured from certain basic components.

Many manufacturers offer desks with different pedestal or drawer unit, options. Typically, alternate types of pedestal units can be connected either to the desk top or to the desk frame. The mounting arrangements provided for such constructions are quite complicated.

In some such constructions, the alternative pedestals are suspended from the desk top. In one, the suspended pedestal can be rolled along tracks to different locations but can be selectively locked against movement where desired. However, the roller-track assembly and the locking mechanisms involved are undesirably complicated.

Another drawback to such desk systems is that they are limited in flexibility to a particular type of desk. The only options available are for different types of pedestals. The need for greater flexibility in such systems has always been pressing.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention not only provides a revolutionary means for suspending cabinet units from a top, but also increases the flexibility of an article of furniture, such as a desk or the like, by providing a tiltable top and means for suspending cabinets or other components from the top whether the top is in its horizontal or tilted position. The pedestal or other component includes a hanger generally at the rear thereof which engages either a top rail or a bottom rail positioned beneath the desk top. At the front, the pedestal is connected to the front of the top. If the tiltable top is tilted, the hanger of the pedestal or other component is hung in the lower rail. If the top is level, the hanger is hung in the top rail. As a result, the pedestal component maintains a generally horizontal orientation regardless of the orientation of the top.

To facilitate mounting of the pedestal component, the hanger slidably engages the rail. The hanger has a configuration such that when the pedestal component is first hung on the rail during installation, it is tilted forwardly and downwardly. In this position, it can readily be slid along the rail until properly positioned. Once it is positioned, the front of the pedestal is lifted upwardly and moved toward the rear of the desk and is secured to the front of the desk top by means of the securing means referred to above. The rail and the pedestal component include engageable locking means which engage when the front of the component is so raised. In this manner, the pedestal component is locked against the sliding movement when the front thereof is properly secured to the desk top. The pedestal component is readily slidable on the rail during positioning thereof, but can be locked against movement with respect to the rail after proper positioning and final assembly have been achieved.

To insure a proper fit between the pedestal component and the front of the desk top, even when the desk top is tilted, a resiliently compressible spacer is positioned between the pedestal component and the top. Fastening means generally at the front of the pedestal component are used to join the component to the top and are tightened down until the resiliently compressible spacer means is slightly compressed. Preferably, the spacer means comprises two spaced resiliently compressible spacers. A separate fastener is associated with each, and each fastener is individually progressively tightenable. In this manner, the spacers can be differentially compressed and the pedestal component can thereby be properly vertically aligned with respect to adjacent components or the like.

These and other aspects, objects and advantages of the invention will be more fully understood and appreciated by reference to the written specification and appended drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the desk;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along plane II--II of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the same plane as is FIG. 2, only the top of the desk is shown in its tilted position;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the hanger rail assembly;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary rear perspective view of the drawer component hanger;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing the hanger hung on one of the rails during positioning of the component;

FIG. 7 is the same view as FIG. 6 with the component having been secured to the desk top at the front thereof;

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of the pedestal component;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the front of the desk showing the means whereby the component is joined to the desk top at the front thereof;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary, front elevational view of one side of the desk;

FIG. 11 is an end elevational view of the top itself;

FIG. 12 is an elevational view of the end panel of the desk;

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of an insert which facilitates tiltable orientation of the desk top;

FIG. 14 is a fragmentary perspective end view of a corner of the desk; and

FIG. 15 is the same view as that shown in FIG. 14 with the insert of FIG. 13 being oriented in a different position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

In the preferred embodiment, the pedestals or drawer units 14 are suspended at the rear from the top 10 of desk 1 by the interengagement of a hanger 120 and a rail assembly 130 (FIGS. 1, 2 and 3). At its front, pedestal 14 is suspended by a pair of bolts 141, each passing through a resiliently compressible spacer 140 and into a beam 142 of top 10 (FIGS. 2, 3, 9 and 10). The interconnection between the end panels 12 of desk 1 and top 10 can be adjusted so that top 10 can be oriented either in a horizontal position (FIG. 2) or in a tilted position (FIG. 3). Rail assembly 130 includes a top rail 131 and a bottom rail 132, and hanger 120 engages top rail 131 when top 10 is horizontal and bottom rail 132 when top 10 is tilted. In this manner, pedestal 14 is generally horizontal regardless of the orientation of top 10.

When pedestal 14 is first hooked over either top rail 131 or bottom rail 132, it can be slid along the length thereof so long as it is tilted downwardly slightly towards the front. In such orientation, hanger 120 bears the relationship to rail 132, for example, shown in FIG. 6. When pedestal 14 is in this hanging position, tilted forwardly slightly, a rubber bumper 14c bears against the desk back panel 18. Rubber bumper 14c is mounted on a spacer bracket 146 which projects rearwardly from the back panel 14a of pedestal 14. Once pedestal 14 is properly positioned, its front is brought up and is secured to beam 142 of top 10. This causes a projecting detent tab 125 on hanger 120 to engage a keeper slot 138 on rail 131 (FIG. 7).

Top 10 is made of wood or metal. Beam 142 is formed of metal and is bolted to top 10. Mounting brackets 150 are bolted to the ends of top 10 and provide a securing means facilitating securance of top 10 to end panels 12.

Hanger 120 at the rear of pedestal 14 is formed of metal by bending or the like and is secured to pedestal 14 by welding (FIGS. 2, 3 and 5). Hanger 120 includes a mounting flange 121 which is welded to pedestal 14. Projecting upwardly therefrom is a leg 122 which is joined to a rearwardly projecting wall 123. Wall 123 is bent over at its end to define a downwardly projecting lip 124. Wall 123 and lip 124 hook over a particular rail or rail assembly 130 and provide the actual rail engaging surfaces.

Projecting rearwardly further, beyond lip 124, generally at each end of hanger 120 is a detent tab 125 (FIGS. 5, 6 and 7). These detent tabs 125 engage keeper slots 138 in rail assembly 130 to lock pedestal 14 in position.

Rail assembly 130 is also formed of metal and includes a top rail 131 and bottom rail 132 (FIG. 4). Assembly 130 is bent to define a mounting flange 133 which is secured by welding, bolting or the like on the underside of top 10 (FIGS. 2 and 3). Projecting downwardly therefrom is a back wall 134 (FIG. 4). It is bent at its bottom to define a bottom wall 135 projecting towards pedestal 14. Bottom wall 135 is bent upwardly at its end to define an upwardly projecting hook wall 136. Back wall 134, bottom wall 135 and hook wall 136 define lower rail 132. Bottom rail 132 is oriented at slightly less than 90.degree. with respect to back wall 134 (FIGS. 6 and 7) so that when top 10 is tilted as shown in FIG. 3, bottom rail 132 will be oriented generally horizontally for better cooperation with hanger 120. Top rail 131 also includes a bottom wall 135, a back wall 134 and an upwardly projecting hook wall 136. However, bottom wall 135 and hook wall 136 of top rail 131 are formed by a generally Z-shaped bracket which includes a mounting flange 137 which is welded to back wall 134 at a point between top mounting flange 133 and bottom rail 132. For functional purposes, however, top rail 131 and bottom rail 132 are identical in construction.

Adjacent each of the top and bottom rails 131 and 132 are a plurality of spaced keeper slots 138. These are cut through back wall 134. They are arranged in spaced pairs, each pair being spaced apart a distance approximately equal to the spacing between the detent tabs 125 on hanger 120. Each pair of slots 138 is arranged along its particular rail in locations at which it would be desirable to position a pedestal 14. In the desk shown in FIG. 1, pedestals are positioned at each end thereof. However, there are appropriate slots 138 for hanging two additional pedestals, or one large center pedestal, thereby coverting desk 1 to a credenza unit.

Each detent tab 125 of hanger 120 is sufficiently short that when pedestal 14 hangs on a rail 131 or 132, with the front of the pedestal being unsecured, the detent tab 125 will not hit against back wall 134 or engage a slot 138 (FIG. 6). Preferably, detent tab 125 is a little shorter in length than the depth of bottom wall 135 from hook wall 136 to back wall 134. This insures that tag 125 will not hang up on back wall 134 as pedestal 14 is being slid along rail 130. Yet, when the front of pedestal 14 is lifted upwardly, pushed rearwardly slightly and properly secured to beam 142 of top 10, detent tab 125 will slip through a receiving keeper slot 138 and will lock pedestal 14 against movement with respect to rail assembly 130 (FIG. 7).

Spacers 140 are positioned at the top front of pedestal 14, generally towards either side thereof (FIG. 8). Each spacer 140 is a resiliently compressible washer made of rubber or the like. The front of pedestal 14 is secured to top 10 by passing a bolt 141 through the top wall of pedestal 14, through the hole in spacer 140 and into a receiving threaded aperture in beam 142 (FIG. 9). There is a separate bolt 141 associated with each spacer 140. This makes it possible to use bolts 141 and spacers 140 to insure proper vertical orientation of pedestal 14 with respect to adjacent components or end panel 12. In FIG. 10, for example, a desk is shown in which misalignment between beam 142 and end panel 12 has been exaggerated slightly. In order to compensate for the misalignment, the bolt 141 on the right-hand side has been tightened down more securely than the bolt on the left-hand side. Because spacers 140 are readily compressible, they easily compensate for the differential tightening of the bolts 141 and insure a secure, rattle-free fit between pedestal 14 and beam 142. Yet, the differential tightening of the bolts has made it possible to eliminate any unsightly gaps which might otherwise have existed between the sidewall of pedestal 14 and the inside wall of end panel 12. Any horizontal misalignment between the top of pedestal 14 and the bottom of beam 142 will not be noticed because the width of pedestal 14 is shorter than its height and because, in the preferred embodiment, there is a slight gap for aesthetic reasons at this point anyway.

Spacers 140 also insure that there will be a tight fit between pedestal 14 and beam 142 no matter what the angular orientation of top 10. Each spacer 140 differentially compresses from front to rear to compensate for the angle which exists between top 10 and pedestal 14 when top 10 is oriented at an angle (FIG. 9). Thus, spacers 140 serve two functions with respect to insuring a snug fit between the front of pedestal 14 and the front of top 10.

Beam 142 serves not only as a support for the front of pedestals 14, but also as a reinforcement for top 10. Also, it houses a locking assembly which is more fully described in copending patent application Ser. No. 366,161, entitled "DESK LOCK SYSTEM," filed on even date herewith by Donald D. Korell and assigned to the same assignee of this application, which is specifically incorporated herein by reference.

Top 10 is secured to and supported by end panels 12 by a plurality of bolts passing through end panel 12 and being threaded in threaded apertures 151 in top mounting brackets 150 (FIG. 11). Mounting brackets 150 are themselves bolted to each end of end panel 10 by bolts 152, this specific construction being more fully set forth in a copending application entitled "TILTABLE DESK TOP," Ser. No. 366,161, the specification of which is incorporated herein by reference, filed on even date herewith by Donald Korell and assigned to the assignee of this invention. By selecting different ones of the threaded apertures 151 in which to secure the fastening bolts, one can position top 10 at different levels or one can orient top 10 at an angle. Angular orientation would be achieved by using the bottom aperture 151 in the right-hand bracket 150, the middle aperture 151 in the middle bracket 150 and the top aperture 151 in the left-hand bracket 150, as viewed in FIG. 11.

The bolts which are threaded into apertures 151 pass through apertures 52 in end panel 12 and through an insert 170 which is mounted in an insert aperture 161 at the rear corner of end panel 12 (FIGS. 12 and 13). Apertures 52 and 161 are accessible by removing a cover panel from end panel 12. The construction of the cover panel is more fully set forth in a copending application entitled "END PANEL SUPPORT SYSTEM," Ser. No. 366,218, the specification of which is incorporated herein by reference, filed on even date herewith by Ronald R. Hodges. Gale F. Wilcox, Robert G. Mohr and Douglas Scheerhorn and assigned to the assignee of the present application.

The purpose of employing insert 170 in aperture 161, rather than simply employing another hole 52, is to insure proper alignment of the corner of top 10 with the corner of end panels 12. Insert 170 includes an eccentrically located hole 171 which extends completely therethrough. Hole 171 specifically takes the place of a hole 52 in end panel 12. Insert 170 comprises a central plate 172 and boot-shaped projection 173 projecting from each side thereof. Boot 173 is so called because it has a toe 174 jutting out from one side thereof. Hole 171 passes completely through each boot 173 and central plate 172.

Aperture 161 in end panel 12 is shaped exactly like boot 173, except that it includes a notch 162 projecting from each side thereof, at opposite corners thereof. Each notch 162 corresponds in configuration to toe 174. Insert 170 can be positioned in aperture 161 with toe 174 either in the upper right-hand notch 162 (FIG. 14) or in the lower left-hand notch 162 (FIG. 15). In the former case, hole 171 will be located in the upper left-hand corner of aperture 161 and in the latter case, it will be located in the lower right-hand corner. In effect, insert 170 is used to shift the pivot point of top 10 when it is to be oriented at a tilted angle. When top 10 is to be level, insert 170 is positioned as shown in FIG. 14. When top 10 is to be tilted, insert 170 is oriented in the manner shown in FIG. 15. Insert 170 can readily be removed and reoriented.

In operation, assuming the top is installed level, pedestal 14 is installed by hanging hanger 120 over top rail 131 of rail assembly 130 (FIG. 2). Pedestal 14 will hang on top rail 131, its bottom resting against the back panel 18 of desk 1. In this position, hanger 120 will be oriented with respect to rail assembly 130 in the manner shown in FIG. 6. Pedestal 14 is slid along the length of rail 131 until it is located at a desired predetermined position. The front of pedestal 14 is brought upwardly and pushed slightly rearwardly, thereby causing tab 125 to engage a keeper notch 138. This locks the rear of pedestal 14 against motion with respect to rail assembly 130.

The front of pedestal 14 is then secured to the front of top 10 by threading bolts 141 into threaded receiving apertures in beam 142 of top 10. Proper vertical alignment of pedestal 14 with respect to adjacent components is insured by differentially tightening the spaced bolts 141.

The manufacturer may want to sell the desk with a tilted top, or the user may want to tilt the top after he has purchased the desk. To do so, he removes pedestal 14, removes the covers on end panel 12 and unfastens the bolts which hold top 10 in place. Insert 170 is reoriented so that hole 171 is in the lower right-hand corner of aperture 161 (FIG. 15) and top 10 is rebolted such that a bolt passes through hole 171 and is threaded into the bottom aperture 151 in the right-hand mounting bracket 150 of top 10 (FIG. 11). A bolt passes through middle mounting hole 52 and into middle aperture 151 in middle bracket 150 and a bolt is passed through the left-end hole 52 and into the top aperture 151 in the left-hand mounting bracket 150.

With top 10 thus tilted, hanger 120 of pedestal 14 is again hung on a rail, but this time on bottom rail 132 of rail assembly 130. It is slid along until properly positioned, tilted upwardly at the front and secured to beam 142 in the manner described above.

Because of the unique way in which pedestals 14 are installed, they can actually be installed by a single person. They will hang suspended from their supporting rail while the user or workman slides the pedestal along the length of the rail until it is properly positioned. Once positioned, the user or worker can bolt the front of the pedestal in position and in so doing, he will simultaneously lock the rear of the pedestal against movement.

The present invention also increases the flexibility of a modular desk system by providing a means for suspending a pedestal from the desk top whether it is in a tilted or in a horizontal position. Proper alignment of the suspended pedestal is readily achieved by differentially tightening the front bolts, thereby taking advantage of the fact that the spacers between the pedestal and the desk top 10 are readily resiliently compressible.

Of course, it is understood that the above is merely a preferred embodiment of the invention and that various changes and alternations can be made thereof without departing from its spirit and broader aspects.

Claims

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. An article of furniture such as a desk, credenza or the like comprising: a top; a top rail positioned underneath said top, generally at the rear thereof; a component such as a pedestal or the like, said component including a hanger generally at the rear thereof; securing means generally at the front of said top and said component for supporting said component at the front of said article of furniture; means attached to said top for adjusting the angle of orientation of said top so that it slopes downwardly from rear to front; a lower rail depending downwardly from said top generally at the rear thereof; said hanger releasably engaging one of said top rails and said lower rail whereby when said top is oriented generally horizontally, said component is supported at its rear in said top rail and whereby when said top is tilted, said hanger of said component can be removed from said top rail and engaged in said lower rail, thereby maintaining said component in a generally horizontal orientation while said top is tilted.

2. The article of furniture of claim 1 in which said hanger slidably engages either of said rails when said component hangs on said rail, tilted slightly forwardly and downwardly, and can be slid along said rail until said securing means are secured; engageable locking means on each said rail and on said component, said locking means engaging when the front of said component is raised up and secured by said securing means whereby the rear of said component will be locked against sliding movement with respect to either of said rails when said securing means are secured.

3. The article of furniture of claim 2 in which said engageable locking means comprises a detent on said hanger and a keeper on each said rail; said detent and said keeper being spaced sufficiently far apart that they do not engage when said component is tilted forwardly and downwardly.

4. The article of furniture of claim 3 in which said detent comprises a tab projecting rearwardly from said hanger and said keeper comprises a slot in each said rail adapted to receive said tab.

5. The article of furniture of claim 4 in which said supporting means include fastening means generally at the front of said component for joining said component to said top and resiliently compressible spacer means associated with said fastening means to insure a secure fit between said component and said top regardless of the angle of orientation of said top.

6. The article of furniture of claim 5 in which said spacer means comprises at least two spaced resiliently compressible spacers; said fastening means comprising a separate progressive tightening fastener associated with each said spacer and securing said component to said top, each said fastener being individually progressively tightenable whereby said spacers can be differentially compressed and said component thereby properly vertically aligned with respect to adjacent top support means, components or the like.

7. The article of furniture of claim 6 in which said progressive tightening fastening means comprise bolts; said spacers comprising resiliently compressible washers, said bolts passing through said components, through said washers and into said top.

8. The article of furniture of claim 2 in which said rail is generally J-shaped in cross-section, having a back wall, a bottom wall and a hook wall projecting upwardly from said bottom wall; said hanger including a rearwardly projecting wall and a downwardly projecting lip for engaging said hook wall of said rail when said component is being supported only on said rail; said engageable locking means comprising a detent projecting rearwardly from said hanger beyond said lip toward said back wall of said rail and comprising a keeper on said back wall of said rail for receiving said detent; said detent and said keeper being spaced sufficiently far apart that they do not engage when said component is tilted forwardly.

9. The article of furniture of claim 8 in which said detent comprises a tab projecting rearwardly from said hanger and said keeper comprises a slot in said back wall of said rail adapted to receive said tab.

10. The article of furniture of claim 9 in which said tab is at least as long as said bottom wall of said rail is deep whereby when the front of said component is lifted upwardly for securing to said top by said securing means, said tab will definitely be forced into its receiving slot.

11. The article of furniture of claim 8 in which said supporting means include fastening means generally at the front of said component for joining said component to said top and resiliently compressible spacer means associated with said fastening means to insure a secure fit between said component and said top regardless of the angle of orientation of said top.

12. The article of furniture of claim 11 in which said spacer means comprises at least two spaced resiliently compressible spacers; said fastening means comprising a separate progressive tightening fastener means associated with each said spacer and securing said component to said top, each of said fastener being individually progressively tightenable whereby said spacers can be differentially compressed and said component thereby properly vertically aligned with respect to adjacent top support means, components or the like.

13. The article of furniture of claim 1 in which said supporting means include fastening means generally at the front of said component for joining said component to said top and resiliently compressible spacer means associated with said fastening means to insure a secure fit between said component and said top regardless of the angle of orientation of said top.

14. The article of furniture of claim 13 in which said spacer means comprises at least two spaced resiliently compressible spacers; said fastening means comprising a separate progressive tightening fastener associated with each said spacer and securing said component to said top, each said fastener being individually progressively tightenable whereby said spacers can be differentially compressed and said component thereby properly vertically aligned with respect to adjacent top support means, components or the like.

15. The article of furniture of claim 14 in which said progressive tightening fastening means comprise bolts; said spacers comprising resiliently compressible washers, said bolts passing through said components, through said washers and into said top.

16. The article of furniture of claim 1 in which said lower rail is not parallel to said top rail but is oriented at an angle such that said lower rail is generally horizontally oriented when said top is adjusted to slope downwardly from rear to front.

17. An article of furniture such as a desk, credenza or the like comprising: a top; a rail positioned underneath said top generally at the rear thereof; a component such as a pedestal or the like, said component including a hanger slidably engaging said rail when said component hangs on said rail tilted slightly forwardly and downwardly; securing means generally at the front of said top and said component for supporting said component at the front of said article of furniture, said component being oriented generally horizontally when said securing means is secured; engageable locking means on said rail and on said component, said locking means engaging when the front of said component is raised up and secured by said securing means to said top, whereby the rear of said component is locked against sliding movement with respect to said rail and said locking means being configured to disengage when said component hangs on said rail tilted slightly forwardly and downwardly whereby said component can be slid along said rail.

18. The article of furniture of claim 17 in which said engageable locking means comprises a detent on said hanger and a keeper on each said rail; said detent and said keeper being spaced sufficiently far apart that they do not engage when said component is tilted forwardly and downwardly.

19. The article of furniture of claim 18 in which said detent comprises a tab projecting rearwardly from said hanger and said keeper comprises a slot in each said rail adapted to receive said tab.

20. The article of furniture of claim 17 in which said rail is generally J-shaped in cross-section, having a back wall, a bottom wall and a hook wall projecting upwardly from said bottom wall; said hanger including a rearwardly projecting wall and a downwardly projecting lip for engaging said hook wall of said rail when said component is being supported only on said rail; said engageable locking means comprising a detent projecting rearwardly from said hanger beyond said lip towards said back wall of said rail and comprising a keeper on said back wall of said rail for receiving said detent; said detent and said keeper being spaced sufficiently far apart that they do not engage when said component is tilted forwardly and downwardly.

21. The article of furniture of claim 20 in which said detent comprises a tab projecting rearwardly from said hanger and said keeper comprises a slot in said back wall of said rail adapted to receive said tab.

22. The article of furniture of claim 21 in which said tab is at least as long as said bottom wall of said rail is deep whereby when the front of said component is lifted upwardly for securing to said top by said securing means, said tab will definitely be forced into its receiving slot.

23. An article of furniture such as a desk, credenza or the like comprising: a top; top supporting means; a component such as a pedestal or the like suspended from said top; at least two spaced resiliently compressible spacers positioned generally at the front of said component, between said component and said top; a separate progressive tightening fastener operably associated with each said spacer and extending from said component to said top to secure said component to said top, each said fastener being individually progressively tightenable in securing said component to said top whereby said spacers can be differentially compressed and said components thereby properly vertically aligned with respect to adjacent top supporting means, components or the like.

24. The article of furniture of claim 23 in which said fasteners each comprise a threaded bolt and in which each said resiliently compressible spacer is a resiliently compressible washer having an aperture therethrough, said bolts passing through said component, through said washers and into said top.

25. The article of furniture of claim 23 comprising: means for adjusting the angle of orientation of said top said resiliently compressible spacers insuring a secure fit between said component and said top regardless of the angle of orientation of said top.