U.S. patent number 3,794,397 [Application Number 05/264,822] was granted by the patent office on 1974-02-26 for vertically adjustable school desk with an inclined top.
Invention is credited to Fritz Flototto.
United States Patent |
3,794,397 |
Flototto |
February 26, 1974 |
VERTICALLY ADJUSTABLE SCHOOL DESK WITH AN INCLINED TOP
Abstract
A school desk comprises an oblique desk top arranged between two
spaced vertical side boards. The desk has a compartment on which
the side of the desk remote from the user, which adjoins the desk
top, extends over the whole width of the desk and is accessible
from above. A covering board of the compartment is capable of being
slid between a closing position and an oblique use position and a
non-use position in which the covering board is covered by the top
of the desk. This sliding movement is made possible by means of
guide grooves and guide rails arranged on the inner side of the
desk. On each side of the desk there is a lower support and each
such support is adapted to be slid into a cavity between the
associated side board and the compartment side wall spaced from the
side board. The support can be attached in a detachable manner at
different vertical positions on the side wall of the compartment.
On the side remote from the user of the desk the desk top is
connected by means of a hinge at the top of the front wall of each
support accommodating space. The upper connecting board extends at
the same height as the surface of the covering board in the closing
position and on the extended compartment side wall the guides for
the covering board are arranged. In the oblique position the
covering board lies on a frame board connected integrally with the
desk side boards and the front wall. In a coplanar position it lies
with the covering board in its closing position on the support
rail, which is pivoted on the side, adjacent to the user, of the
frame board and can be swung upwards into a vertical support
position.
Inventors: |
Flototto; Fritz (Gutersloh,
DT) |
Family
ID: |
27151122 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/264,822 |
Filed: |
June 21, 1972 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
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Jun 30, 1971 [DT] |
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P 21 32 626.1 |
Dec 10, 1971 [EN] |
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57,589/71 |
Nov 2, 1971 [OE] |
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9442 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
312/231;
312/194 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47B
41/00 (20130101); A47B 41/02 (20130101); A47B
2200/0043 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A47B
41/02 (20060101); A47B 41/00 (20060101); A47b
027/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;312/215,230,235,247,249,255,29,25,194,195 ;297/174,135
;108/1-8,172,93,75 ;248/456,441,188 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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176,884 |
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May 1935 |
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CH |
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432,957 |
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Dec 1911 |
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FR |
|
Primary Examiner: Gilliam; Paul R.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Schuyler, Birch, Swindler, McKie
& Beckett
Claims
What we claim is:
1. A school desk comprising
a desk top arranged between two spaced side boards, said desk top
having an upper surface and a lower surface and having a front
edge, a rear edge and lateral edges extending therebetween;
a compartment disposed rearwardly of and adjacent to said desk top,
said compartment extending across substantially the entire width of
the desk, being accessible from above and including front and rear
walls;
a covering board for said compartment;
compartment side walls spaced inwardly from said side boards and
defining, with said side boards and said compartment front and rear
walls, a pair of support cavities;
guide grooves and guide rails arranged on said side walls and
extensions thereof for permitting sliding movement of said covering
board between a horizontal closing position in which said covering
board closes said compartment, an oblique non-use position in which
said covering board is disposed beneath said desk top and an
oblique use position;
a pair of desk supports for supporting said desk on a floor, each
said support having an upper portion detachably secured to a
respective side wall within a respective support cavity, the length
of said supports located within said support cavities being
selected from a plurality of predetermined lengths to achieve a
desired height of the desk above the floor;
closing boards covering the tops of said support cavities and
coplanar with said covering board when said covering board is in
its horizontal closing position;
hinge means connecting said desk top to the front walls of said
support cavities;
a frame board underlying said desk top and fixedly connected to
said side boards and supporting the front end of said desk top when
said desk top is in a forwardly downwardly inclined position;
and
a supporting rail for said desk top, pivotally connected to said
frame board adjacent the front end of said frame board, said
pivotal connection providing for pivoting of said supporting rail
between a generally horizontal position in which said desk top is
inclined forwardly downwardly, and a generally vertical position in
which said desk top engages said supporting rail in such manner as
to maintain said desk top in an elevated horizontal position
generally coplanar with said closing boards and said covering board
in its closing position.
2. A school desk according to claim 1 wherein said supporting rail
extends across substantially the entire width of said frame
board.
3. A school desk according to claim 1 wherein said frame board
includes a front framing edge with said supporting rail pivotal
connection positioned directly therebehind, and wherein said
supporting rail is positioned to abut said front framing edge when
in said generally vertical position.
4. A school desk according to claim 1 wherein said frame board is
provided with an opening located beneath and adjacent to said
supporting rail when said supporting rail is in its generally
horizontal position, whereby a user may insert his hand through
said opening to manipulate said supporting rail between said
generally horizontal position and said generally vertical
position.
5. A school desk according to claim 1 wherein the rear edge of said
desk top has a convex profile and the adjacent surfaces of said
front walls of said support cavities and the front edge of said
covering board include a corresponding concave profile.
6. A school desk according to claim 1 wherein said side boards,
said compartment side walls, said compartment front and rear walls,
said vertical side boards and said frame board comprise a single
moulded component of synthetic resin.
7. A school desk according to claim 1 further comprising
an arm provided adjacent each lateral edge of said desk top on the
lower surface thereof, each said arm having an abutment head at one
end thereof; and
an inwardly projecting counter abutment provided on each side board
and positioned to engage the corresponding abutment head arm when
said desk top is pivoted about said hinge means to an extreme
forwardly upwardly projecting position.
8. A school desk according to claim 1 wherein said frame board
comprises a receptacle trough.
9. A school desk according to claim 1 further comprising
a supporting rail setting lever including a shank and an angled
handle, said lever connected to and extending transversely of said
supporting rail, whereby movement of said lever transversely of
said supporting rail may actuate said supporting rail between said
generally horizontal position and said generally vertical position;
and
a guide slot formed in said frame board for guiding said lever,
said slot extending transversely of said support rail, with said
lever handle extending therethrough.
10. A school desk according to claim 9 wherein said frame board
further includes an upwardly extending raised portion, open from
below, with said upwardly extending portion being provided with
said guide slot, whereby said setting lever handle may move within
said raised portion during said supporting rail actuation.
11. A school desk according to claim 9 wherein said connection
between said lever and said supporting rail comprises a pair of
spaced, elongated bearing eyes formed on said supporting rail and a
pin extending through said lever shank distal said handle and
engaging said bearing eyes for rotational and translational
movement therewith, and wherein said setting lever is provided with
two pairs of sliding members adapted to cooperate with two pairs of
ramp members formed on said frame board adjacent said guide slot
and extending longitudinally thereof, whereby movement of said
setting lever longitudinally of said slot may cause a portion of
said setting lever to be lifted or lowered, thus causing said
supporting rail to be moved between said generally horizontal
position and said generally vertical position.
Description
The present invention relates to school desks, and more
particularly to such desks with an oblique top, that is to say
means constituting a writing surface, arranged between two spaced
vertical side boards, a compartment, on the side of the desk remote
from the user, which adjoins the desk top, extends over the whole
width of the desk and is accessible from above, a covering board
for the compartment, the covering board being capable of being slid
between a closing position, an oblique use position and a non-use
position in which the covering board is covered by the desk top,
this sliding movement being made possible by means of guide grooves
and guide rails arranged on the inner side of the desk, and, on
each side of the desk, a lower support, each such support being
adapted to be slid into a cavity between the associated side board
and a compartment side wall spaced from the side board and the
support can be attached in a detachable manner at different
vertical positions on the side wall of the compartment.
In the case of a previously proposed school desk of this type, in
which the side boards of the desk are of moulded synthetic resin,
the guide grooves and sliding rails for the covering board are
arranged respectively on the inner side of the side boards above
the respective space accommodating the supports and are made
integrally with the side boards. The side walls of the
compartments, on which the supports can be attached at different
vertical positions, form the lateral limits of the compartment and,
for forming the support cavity, are attached by means of screws
onto spacers projecting from the side boards. In its oblique
position the top of the desk rests on flanges extending inwards
from the side boards and is firmly screwed on it. Furthermore,
inwardly extending resilient rails attached to the side boards fit
into corresponding grooves of the desk top in order to provide a
completely rigid attachment of the desk top between the side
boards. The desk top therefore also serves the purpose of ensuring
that the desk is fully rigid.
Owing to the construction of the desk so as to allow vertical
adjustment and owing to the advantageous design owing to the desk
top being able to be readily moved into several positions for the
desk compartment such a school desk generally fulfills all
requirements which have to be met by school desk constructions. The
possibility of adjusting it in a number of different ways makes it
possible for the desk to be used not only for the school but also
as a home desk or typist's table etc. It has also been found that
in many applications it is convenient to provide a continuous,
large desk top, which is not divided into an oblique desk top and
an adjoining covering board.
One aim of the present invention is therefore to provide a school
desk of the above-described type in which the desk top is
adjustable so that it can be moved between an oblique position and
a second position, in which the desk board forms a continuous, even
surface with the covering board, while maintaining the advantages
of vertical adjustability. A further aim of the invention is to
provide a desk which is simple and robust in construction and in
use so that it is capable of meeting the requirements for school
use.
The present invention consists in a school desk comprising an
oblique desk top arranged between two spaced vertical side boards,
a compartment, on the side of the desk remote from the user, which
adjoins the desk top, extends over the whole width of the desk and
is accessible from above, a covering board for the compartment, the
covering board being capable of being slid between a closing
position, an oblique use position and a non-use position in which
the covering board is covered by the desk top, this sliding
movement being made possible by means of guide grooves and guide
rails arranged on the inner side of the desk, and, on each side of
the desk, a lower support, each such support being adapted to be
slid into a space between the associated side board and a
compartment side wall spaced from the side board and the support
can be attached in a detachable manner at different vertical
positions on the side wall of the compartment, characterised in
that on the side remote from the user of the desk the desk top is
connected by means of a hinge at the top of the front wall of each
support accommodating space, the upper connecting board extending
at the same height as the surface of the covering board in each
closing position and on the extended compartment side wall the
guides for the covering board are arranged, and in the oblique
position lies on a frame board; connected integrally with the desk
side boards and the front wall and in a coplanar position lies with
the covering board in its closing position on a support rail, which
is pivoted on the side, adjacent to the user, of the frame board
and can be swung upwards into a vertical support position.
This construction, in accordance with the invention, of the school
desk not only leads to a design in which the desk top, which in the
normal position is oblique, can be swung up into a horizontal
position in which it is coplanar with the covering board in its
closing position and can be supported reliably on a support rail in
this position, but also improves the possibilities as regards
vertical adjustment to the desk and the possibilities of guiding
the covering board without it being necessary to accept a reduction
in the volume of the compartment or another advantage owing to this
change in form as a price of the improved possibilities. The side
walls of the compartment are extended up as far as the level of the
surface of the covering board and on their inner sides the guide
grooves and sliding rails, necessary for displacement of the
covering board, are arranged. Furthermore, the compartment side
walls are extended towards the user in order to provide for the
possibility of constructing the guide rails and guide grooves as
required for displacement of the covering board into the non-use
position and to support the sliding rails. With this construction
there is the simultaneous advantage that the extended parts of the
side walls of the compartment close the space below the desk top
from the hinges. The upper closing boards of the support cavities
are at the same level as the surface of the covering board in its
closing position so that the continuous desk surface is formed,
when the desk top is in its upper position, by the desk board, the
two upper closing boards and the desk top itself.
The desk top is attached by means of hinges to the front walls,
which are also extended in an upward direction, of the cavities
accommodating the supports. Since the front walls are connected on
all sides with other walls and are therefore made rigid, the hinges
arranged at this position provide for the possibility of a
particularly robust hinged connection between the desk top and the
rest of the desk.
The length of the covering board is shorter than in the previously
proposed design so that no guidance problems can arise and the
covering board cannot become jammed on being slid.
Since in the case of the construction in accordance with the
invention the upper closing boards of the support accommodating
cavities lie at the same height as the surface of the covering
board, the supports can be pushed for a considerable distance into
the body of the desk so that the school desk in accordance with the
invention can be reduced to a still smaller height than the
previously proposed school desk.
Owing to the use and construction in accordance with the invention
of a frame board which is integrally connected with the desk side
boards and the front wall of the compartment there is an increased
stability or rigidity of the desk body. Furthermore, the
above-mentioned connecting operations are no longer necessary,
which have been required in the previously conventional manner of
attaching the desk top to the side boards.
The use, in accordance with the invention, of a support rail, on
which the end, nearest the user, of the desk top is supported in
its horizontal position, provides for a reliable continuous
supporting of the edge of the desk top so that this design fulfils
requirements to be set as regards robustness and rigidity in the
case of a school desk.
In accordance with a further development of the invention there is
the provision that the edge, remote from the user, of the desk top
is convex in profile and the corresponding mating surfaces on the
front wall of the support accommodating space and the edge,
adjacent to the covering board in the closing position, of the
front wall, for providing a joint engagement, are constructed with
the above-mentioned edge of the desk top with a corresponding
concave profile and the desk top is pivotally connected with the
front wall of the support accommodating space respectively by means
of a film or foil hinge. This provides for a transition without any
gap between the connecting positions or joints of the desk top with
the covering board and with the upper closing board of the support
accommodating spaces in every position of the desk top.
In accordance with a further preferred feature of the invention
there is the provision that for limiting the movement of the desk
top when it is swung upwards on both sides of the desk and spaced
from the pivoting axis on the lateral edge of the lower side of the
desk top there is a respective arm with an abutment head at its end
and this arm comes into engagement with an inwardly projecting
counter abutment on the cooperating side board in the highest
position of the desk top.
In order to provide a particularly simple and reliable design for
the upwardly pivoting support rail it is possible to provide the
feature that the support rail is pivoted directly behind the
framing edge of the frame board for the desk top and in its
supported position abuts against the framing edge. In the non-use
position the support rail lies flat against the frame board.
In accordance with a further development of the invention there is
the provision that the compartment side walls are constructed with
the remaining compartment walls, the walls of the support
accommodating cavity and the frame board as a single injection
moulded synthetic resin component. Consequently the desk body has
an increased degree of stability owing to this. Furthermore, the
guide grooves and sliding rails can be constructed on the
compartment limiting walls integrally with the latter as was
previously the case. Furthermore, other parts such as the
counterabutment, the hinged part for the support rail and the desk
top can be made integrally together as well with their connecting
fittings within a single injection moulding operation.
In the case of this integral construction of the desk body the side
wall boards and the trough, which form the front and rear wall and
the bottom of the desk compartment, form a stable box consisting of
one piece, and the zone of the oblique desk top forming part of the
desk body has a particularly stable construction owing to the fact
that the side parts, which extend toward the user, merge in one
part into a frame board or plate running between the two side
parts. The latter immediately adjoins at its edge remote from the
user the front wall of the desk trough so that the stability of the
desk body is additionally increased. Furthermore, the compartment
side walls, on which the supports are to be attached in a
vertically adjustable manner, are also made integrally with the
desk trough so that the forces to be transmitted by the support to
the side wall can be readily transmitted to the remaining desk body
and taken up at this position.
A particular advantage of the invention is that the connecting
elements, previously required, and the attachment operations are
not required, since the components which would otherwise have to be
connected with each other and fixed in place the synthetic resin
injection moulding machine as a single part. It is not necessary to
construct male and female joint parts for connecting the components
together. The improvement of the desk is no longer impaired by
external screw heads and the like. The various walls and boards
have a sufficient degree of accuracy as regards their mutual
arrangement and as regards their dimensioning. When the desk is
loaded, no relative displacements of adjacent parts of it are
possible so that no undesired creaking for other noises can be
produced.
It is preferred to use polystyrene with a foaming agent as a
synthetic resin material. This material is foamed to a density of
approximately 0.7 to 0.9 in the injection mould. By making suitable
use of a foaming agent completely smooth exposed surfaces are
obtained. The walls of the desk body are highly scratch resistant
if a suitable composition is used and have properties similar to
those of wood.
For injection moulding the school desk in accordance with the
invention use is preferably made of a processing machine which is
in a position to injection mould about 6 kg of synthetic resin in
one injection moulding operation.
The structured foam used for the desk in accordance with the
invention makes it possible to use reduced tool holding forces so
that it is possible to make use of light and correspondingly cheap
tools. The holding faces of the machine can be made larger, owing
to the reduced holding forces, than is the case with machines which
process polystyrene without any foaming agent or with only a little
foaming agent. The injection moulding operation can be carried out
comparatively rapidly, something which is reflected by the material
in the strength and surface consistency of the injection moulded
product. In this manner very rational mass production of a high
quality single piece desk body in accordance with the invention is
made possible.
The school desk in accordance with the invention can further
include the feature that at the top of the inner side of the
support rail a setting lever consisting of a shank and an angled
handle is provided and the lever is guided longitudinally in a
guide slot running transversely in relation to the support rail in
the trough and the handle extends for actuation below the slot. For
raising the desk top into its upper horizontal position the handle
of the setting lever is grasped and pulled towards the user and the
setting lever which is guided in the guide slot and is connected
with the support rail swings the latter upwards and the support
rail itself raises the desk top into its horizontal position during
this movement.
In order to ensure that the handle of the setting lever below the
frame board does not cause any interference and is not displaced
unintentionally, it is possible to adopt the feature that the frame
board on the inside has a downwardly opening box-shaped raised
portion with an upper part having the guide slot and the handle of
the lever moves within the raised portion during the sliding
movement. In this manner the handle projects below the guide slot
and can be moved so as to be parallel to the guide slot, but it
remains in every position above the lower plane of the frame
board.
In order that the first phase of the upward movement of the support
rail into its nearly vertical position is facilitated it is
possible to provide a feature that the setting lever is pivoted on
the support rail by means of a pin, which is journalled in a slot
formed by two bearing eyes formed on the support rail so that the
pin can rotate and slide, and the bearing eyes accommodate the
front end of the setting lever between them and for raising the
front part of the lever two pairs of shaped sliding parts, formed
on the setting lever, cooperate with two pairs of sliding ramps,
which simultaneously serve for lateral guidance of the lever.
Instead of a setting lever means it is also possible to adopt a
construction in which underneath the support rail in its folded
down position holes are provided in the frame board, which makes
possible the insertion of the fingers or hands for raising the
support rail.
It is to be emphasized again that the frame board provides an
additional rest for books, magazines, pens, pencils etc., which
after the user has pivoted the desk top up into the end position,
which extends beyond the horizontal position of the desk top, are
readily accessible.
The invention will now be explained in more detail with reference
to the embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a school desk with a desk top in an
oblique setting.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the desk of FIG. 1 with the desk
top in its raised position.
FIG. 3 is a section on the line III--III of the school desk as
shown in FIG. 2, the compartment side walls and their extensions
being omitted.
FIG. 4 is a section on the line IV--IV of a part of the school desk
of FIG. 2.
FIG. 5 is the user's view of a part of the school desk with the
desk top in its raised horizontal position.
FIG. 6 is a section of the desk on the section line VI--VI of FIG.
2.
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the school desk with the
compartment opened, that is to say the with the covering board in
its non-use position.
FIG. 8 is a section of the school desk along the section line
VIII--VIII of FIG. 7.
FIG. 9 is a sectional view, similar to that of FIG. 8, to show a
further preferred means for raising the support rail and the desk
top by means of a setting lever and for holding them in the raised
horizontal position.
FIGS. 10 and 11 represent respectively a plan view and a front view
(in section) of the desk body at a position adjacent to the means
shown in FIG. 9.
FIGS. 12 and 13 show a plan view and a front view of the setting
lever of the means shown in FIG. 9.
FIG. 14 is a view similar to that of FIG. 9 for indicating the
manner of operation of the means of FIGS. 9 to 13.
From FIGS. 1 and 2 it can be seen that the main parts of a school
desk are a desk body 1 and two supports 3 with feet 14. The body 1
incorporating a desk compartment 6 is limited laterally by
respective side boards 2, whose extensions 2a are connected below
the desk top 4 with a frame board 70 in a fixed manner. The frame
board 70 merges at its end remote from the user with the front
compartment wall 41 and in it a trough-like receptacle 9 is
constructed. The desk compartment can be closed by means of a
covering board 5, which in the closed position forms with the
adjacent surfaces of the upper closing boards 75 a continuous and
plane desk top surface. In connection with this invention the term
"front" denotes the portion of the desk nearest the user, and the
term "rear" denotes the portion of the desk remote from the
user.
The actual desk top, denoted by reference numeral 4, can be moved
between an oblique position (see FIG. 1) and a horizontal position
(see FIG. 2). In the horizontal position the desk top 4 is
supported by means of a support rail 76 which can be pivoted
upwards and in its erected position lies against framing edges 77
and a middle part 78 of the frame board 70. The trough-like
receptacle 9 is readily accessible when the desk top is pivoted
into its extreme uppermost position, as is indicated in FIG. 2 in
broken lines, see reference numeral 4'. In the horizontal, raised
position of the desk top 4 in accordance with FIG. 2 there is a
continuous, plane desk top surface, which includes the surfaces of
the covering board 5, the desk top 4 and the upper closing boards
75.
In what follows details of the above-mentioned desk construction
are explained.
As appears from FIGS. 6 and 7, support accommodating cavities 71
are arranged underneath the upper closing board 75 and into the
cavities 71 the supports 3 can be slid in through holes which are
not shown and can be fixed at various different heights on the
compartment side walls 44. The support accommodating cavities are
shown only diagrammatically in FIG. 6. Their interior profile
corresponds to the various guiding faces on the supports 3, so that
the latter are guided satisfactorily vertically in the support
accommodating cavities 71 and undesired movements are not possible.
The vertically adjustable attachment of the supports 3 inside the
support accommodating cavities 71 is preferably brought about by a
screw connection, which can be readily undone, using a single screw
51 which fits into an embedded nut (not shown) in the upper support
part. In the vertical longitudinal hole or slot 52 shown in FIG. 7
the screw can be set at a number of different heights corresponding
to conical holes 53. It can furthermore be seen that an embedded
spring 54 is provided which snaps into correspondingly constructed
notches on the narrow sides of the supports so that the various
vertical positions can be rapidly located by means of this detent
spring and can then be quickly fixed by tightening the screw 51.
The compartment side walls 44 can either be directly adjacent to
the front and rear walls 41 and 42 of the desk compartment 6 and
merge integrally with them, or, as is indicated in FIGS. 7 and 8,
can be connected at this position by means of struts formed in an
integral manner. In either case the bottom 43 of the desk
compartment is rigidly and integrally connected with the
compartment side walls 44.
On the other side of the support receiving cavities 71 the side
boards 2 are opposite to the compartment side walls 44 as an
external cover or abutment (see FIG. 6), while on the front side a
firm front wall 74 and on the rear side the rear wall 42 of the
desk body are provided. The boards 75 forms the upper closing board
in the case of both support receiving cavities. It will readily be
understood that in the case of a complete single piece construction
of the desk body having the above-mentioned walls as a synthetic
resin injection moulded part using polystyrene structured foam
material a very stable construction is produced both as regards the
desk body itself and also for the support accommodating spaces 71,
which have to transmit considerable loads via the supports 3 to the
remaining parts of the body of the desk.
FIG. 7, and more especially FIG. 8 show the guiding mechanism for
the cover board 5, which can be displaced between a closing
position (FIGS. 1 and 2), a non-use position (FIG. 8) with the
compartment opened (see also FIG. 7), and an oblique use position.
The oblique use position is denoted in FIG. 8 with broken lines and
the reference numeral 5'.
The main parts of the guiding mechanism are grooves 20 and rails
27, which are made integrally of synthetic resin on the inner sides
of the compartment side walls 44 and their extensions 44a. At both
ends the covering board 5 rests on a respective horizontal guiding
rail part 28 in the closing position. Via an oblique part 29 of the
guiding rail it can be displaced onto a forward part 29a of the
oblique guiding rail into the non-use position. In the oblique use
position it rests on a steep guiding rail part 30, which is
adjacent to the oblique part 29 of the rail 27. For guiding and
holding a pin or a spring 38 at each end of the covering board 5
the pin fits into a corresponding guide groove 20, which consists
of a widened groove part 22, at whose outlet 25 there is a straight
groove part 26 intended for the non-use position of the covering
board 5 and a branched groove 21 intended for the oblique use
position of the covering board.
A part of the lower and side edges of the covering board 5 is
provided with reinforcing ribs 55 (see FIG. 6) so that even when
the covering board is used frequently no detectable wear can
occur.
In order to ensure that the covering board can be securely held in
the closing position detent balls 56 (see FIGS. 6, 7, and 8) can be
provided at the end of the compartment side walls 44 remote from
the user and it is also possible to provide a corresponding ramp
groove 57 adjacent to the widened part 22 of the groove (see FIG.
8). Furthermore, in a compartment side wall 44 and the associated
upper closing board 75 it is advantageous to provide a lock for
locking the covering board 5 in the closed position, as can be seen
from FIG. 6. The cylinder lock 64, provided for this purpose (see
also FIG. 7), is accessible from the upper closing board 75, while
its lock tongue 65 extends into a keeper 66 on locking. The keeper
66 is moulded at the adjacent end of the covering board 5 below the
latter. A facing plate 63 serves to hold the lock on the side wall
44 of the compartment.
The desk top 4, which is also preferably made of synthetic resin,
has on its rear edge 18 remote from the user, a convex profile
intended for engagement with a corresponding, concave profile, and
with the corresponding connecting faces 19 of the stable front
walls 74 of the support accommodating cavity 71 (see FIG. 4) and
also the covering board 5 (see FIG. 3) on the front edge 13 of the
latter. By means of film or foil hinges 72, which are are attached
by means of screws 73 on the front walls 74, the desk top 4 is
pivotally connected with the connecting faces 19 preferably owing
to the profiled construction of the edges. This profiled
construction provides, in every position of the desk top, for a
gapless transition from the desk top 4 to the surfaces of the upper
covering boards 75 and to the upper side 10 of the covering board 5
in the closing position of the latter. Furthermore, the pivoting
connection is completely invisible and is internally screened off
from the trough-shaped receptacle 9, located underneath the desk
top 4 by the extension 44a of the side walls 44. Furthermore, this
type of pivoting connection between the desk top 4 and the
remaining parts of the desk body is particularly stable and
robust.
In the oblique use position the end, adjacent to the user, of the
desk top 4 rests on parts of the frame board 70, which provide for
a reliable supporting action. In this condition the support rail 76
is folded inwards (see FIG. 8). By means of hinges 84 which are
arranged on the inside surfaces of the side of the frame board 70
directly behind the frame edge 77 and its middle part 78, the
support rail 76 can be gripped through holding holes 79 in the
frame board 70 on the lower side and can be swung upwards until it
abuts against the frame edge 77 and its centre part 78. The hinges
84 are preferably so constructed that one part of each of them is
made integrally with the frame board 70 of synthetic resin. An
other preferred embodiment for swinging up the support rail is
shown in FIGS. 9 to 13 and will be described below. On swinging up
the support rail the desk top is simultaneously pivoted into its
horizontal position so that one single hand movement is sufficient
for swinging up and fixing the position of the desk top 4. The
drawings indicate that the design is in each case so selected that
the sliding movements of the cover board 5 and the pivoting
movements of the desk top 4 do not hinder each other in any
respect.
The desk top 4 preferably has stiffening ribs 62 on its lower side
16. Also the trough-shaped receptacle 9 is preferably stiffened by
means of ribs, care being taken to see that these ribs provide for
a suitable division up of the receptacle for depositing articles in
it. A transversely running dividing rib 85 inside the arrangement
forms a border between the receptacle 9 and the desk compartment
6.
In order for the trough-shaped receptacle 9 to be readily
accessible the desk top 4 can be pivoted open to a considerable
extent. For providing a limitation or abutment in the upper
position an arm 80 is provided on both lateral edges of the desk
top underneath. Each arm 80 has an abutment head 81, which as will
appear from FIG. 3, in its upper position, as indicated by
reference numeral 4', runs against a counter abutment 82, the two
counter abutments 82 being arranged respectively on the inner sides
of the extensions 2a of the side boards.
In the oblique use position the desk top 4 is, as can be seen for
example from FIG. 1, encompassed by the extensions 2a of the side
boards 2 which have slightly proud edge, just as is the case on the
edges adjacent to the user. In this case it is edged by the
slightly proud framing edges 77 and the middle part 78, extending a
certain distance above the desk top, of the framing edge of the
frame board 70. At the position adjacent to the compartment such
framing edges are also provided, as can be seen for example from
FIG. 3. Lower lateral beads 86 form the lateral sides of the desk
top 4 and are arranged both in the oblique and also horizontal
position of the desk top 4 between the extensions 2a of the side
boards 2 and the support rail 76.
In the case of the preferred arrangement for raising and fixing the
support rail 76 and the desk top 4 and for retaining them (see
FIGS. 9 to 13) a setting lever 87 is provided whose front end has a
pin 93 with a circular cross section. This pin serves as a pivot
connection with the support rail 76 and is arranged in a slots 94
of two bearing eyes 95 so as to provide a sliding and rotary
movement. The bearing eyes accept the front end of the setting
lever 87 between them and are moulded on the inner side of the
support rail, as will be seen from the drawing. In the trough 9 of
the desk a box-shaped raised portion 91 is moulded which has an
upper part 92. In the raised portion 91 a slot 90 is provided for
receiving the setting lever 87. On the upper part 92 of the raised
portion immediately adjacent to the edged of the slot 90 a pair of
ramps 99 are provided. A second pair of ramps 98 are provided in a
recessed portion of the framing board between the framing edge 77
and the boxed raised portion 91. The ramps 98 and 99 cooperate with
shoes 96 and 97 respectively arranged laterally on the shank 88 of
the setting lever 87 in pairs. A handle 89 extends obliquely
downwards from the setting lever 87 and is located in the interior
of the downwardly open box-shaped raised portion 91.
For assembly the setting lever 87 is inserted through a widened
portion 100 at the end, remote from the user, of the guide slot 90
from below with an exception of its broad handle 89 (see FIG. 13),
which remains in the box-shaped raised portion 91. By means of the
pin 93 the connection with the bearing eyes 95 is produced and the
arrangement is now ready for operation. FIG. 14 shows the
arrangement for holding up the desk top 4, broken lines showing the
rest position of the latter with the aid of the reference numerals
87', 4', 76' etc.
For pivoting up the support rail 76 and for simultaneous raising of
the desk top the handle is pushed in the direction of the arrow 101
(see FIG. 9 and more particularly FIG. 14) so that the shoes 96 and
97 slide on the ramps 98 and 99 and owing to the inclination of the
ramp surfaces move the shank 88 upwards. The pin 93 firstly slides
in the bearing eye 95 into the outermost left-hand position and
simultaneously the support rail 76 is raised because the front part
of the lever is raised. In this manner the first phase of raising
the support rail 76 and the desk top 4 is substantially
facilitated. During further movement of the setting lever 87 the
support rail 76 moves along the path 102 shown in broken lines in
FIG. 9, in the direction of the arrow 103 owing to the pressure of
the lever 87 until the position of FIG. 14 shown in broken lines is
attained. In this position the shoes 97 and 97' respectively slide
behind the end edges of the ramps 99, so that the lever 87 and 87'
respectively, and thus also the support rail 76 and 76'
respectively are locked. For returning the support rail and the
desk top the handle 89, which extends inside the raised portion 91
is displaced in the direction opposite to that indicated by the
arrow 101 until the support rail 76 again lies against the frame
edge of the frame board.
The setting lever 87 consists of a synthetic resin moulding. With
the exception of the desk top 4, the covering board 5, and the
support rail 76 and also the various fittings the desk body 1
consist of a single synthetic resin moulding, as mentioned above,
so that all guide means, framing edges, connecting surfaces, the
box-shaped raised portion and the like can easily be made by
moulding and do not, for practical purposes, require any additional
working or fitting operations. Furthermore, the desk is
extraordinarily rigid in construction so that it is fully able to
withstand the rough usage which it may be put to in school.
In order to enable the covering board to be brought readily into
the closed position and so that its edge 13 lies in this position
on the edge 18 of the desk top, it is very advantageous to provide
one or more resilient elements on the underside of the desk top
adjacent to the edge 18. Such a resilient element can be in the
form of a rubber band (not shown). Each end of such an elastic
element is fixed on the frame board 70, for example on the sides of
the trough 9 in such a manner that they exert a tension action on
the covering board when the latter is moved out of its non-use
position beneath the desk top, that is to say away from the user.
It is clear that the elastic parts facilitate the movement of the
covering board into the non-use position and into the oblique
position.
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