U.S. patent number 3,862,789 [Application Number 05/366,155] was granted by the patent office on 1975-01-28 for suspended pedestal desk.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Steelcase, Inc.. Invention is credited to Donald D. Korell, Gale F. Wilcox.
United States Patent |
3,862,789 |
Korell , et al. |
January 28, 1975 |
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.
Inventors: |
Korell; Donald D. (Grand
Rapids, MI), Wilcox; Gale F. (Wayland, MI) |
Assignee: |
Steelcase, Inc. (Grand Rapids,
MI)
|
Family
ID: |
23441876 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/366,155 |
Filed: |
June 1, 1973 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
312/194 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47B
17/00 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A47B
17/00 (20060101); A47b 017/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;312/194,195,196,197,253-254,257 ;248/188.2,188.3,225
;108/1,6,8,109,144 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Gilliam; Paul R.
Assistant Examiner: Corbin; David H.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Price, Heneveld, Huizenga &
Cooper
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.
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.
* * * * *