US1181739A - Type-writer desk. - Google Patents

Description

J. G. CLARK.

I TYPE WRITER DESK. APPLICATION FILED MAY 24. 1915.

Patented May 2, 1916.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES G. CLARK, 0F LYONS, NEBRASKA.

TYPE-WRITER DESK.

Application filed May 24, 1915. Serial No. 30,026.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES G. CLARK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lyons, in the countyof Burt, Stateof Nebraska, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Type-l Vriter Desks, of which the following is a full, clear, and eX- act specification. I

This invention relates to typewriter desks, and has for one of its objects to provide improved means for protecting a typewriter and its appurtenances, including stationery, etc., from dust and interference.

Another object is to provide means for holding letters, books, manuscripts, pamphlets, etc.', in position where they can be seen without even turning the head and which does not interfere with the continuous use of the typewriter or'obstruct any part of the interior ofthe desk where supplies of stationery, tools, and the like are kept.

It is also the aiirrof this invention to provide an automatic locking device which will not necessarily lock the cover down when said cover is closed, thus permitting the cover to-be put down so as to protect the contents of the desk without requiring it to be unlocked, andyet allowing the desk or cover to be locked automatically when desired.

A further object-is to construct the desk in compact form, means being provided for storing the typewriter in a small space when not in use, and for readily moving the machine to a position for convenient operation when desired.

Still another object is to provide adjustable means for positioning the typewriter on a slide for moving it back and forth from stored to operating position, said means serving to maintain themachine in proper place while it is being moved from one position to the other and while it is in use, and

yet not interfering with it being raised for cleaning or for transportation to some other place for temporary use.

The invention also contemplates the use of adjustable backs in some or all of the pigeon-holes for holding different sizes of letter-heads, envelops and cards flush with the frdnt of the pigeon-holes where they may be easily reached when needed.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 2, 1916.

Other objects will appear as the descriptron proceeds. i

The invention will be first hereinafter described in connection with the accompanying drawings, which constitute a part of this specification, and then more specifically dc fined in the claims at the end of the de'scrip tion. In the accompanying drawings, wherein similar reference characters are used todesignate corresponding parts throughout the several views :Figure 1 is a perspective view of a desk constructed substantially in accordance with the present invention, the same being shown in closed and locked posi. tion. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the desk, 1 showing the cover raised and in position to form the book and paper rack or holder, the lower end portions of the legs 01' supports of the desk being broken away. Fig. 3'.is a vertical. section taken from front to back:- through the left hand group of pigeon-holes, the cover being shown in raised position forming the book rack, another position of said rack being illustrated in dotted lines. Fig. l is an enlarged detailed sectional view through two of the pigeon-holes fitted with adjustable backs, showing one way in which said backs may be secured in their-different adjustments. Fig. 5 is an enlarged plan view of one of the-rings for positioning the typewriter on the slide. Fig. 6 is a vertical section taken from front to back through the typewriter storing compartment of the desk and showing the adjusting slots and screws for the backing blocks in the pigeon-holes, and also illustrating the unlocked position of the cover when the same is closed upon' the entirely pushed in slide, and Fig. 7 ise detailed broken end elevation of a modified form of desk having the two sections of its cover of the same width. v, f

The desk has a work-slab l supported i r any suitable manner, as by the legs 2, and the space above said slab is inclosed by a back piece 3, end pieces 4, a top piece 5 .and g a hinged cover 6 at the front, said covetbeing preferably arranged on an incline as, shown. The cover is made in two sections 7 and 8, each extending the full length of. the same but only part of its width. The -s upper section 7 is connected to the front edge.

of the mp5 by hinges 9, and the lower section; 8 is attached to the lower free edge of the upper section by hinges 10 in rule-joint fashion, the lower free edge of said lower section being beveled, as at 11, to conform to the top surface of the work-slab when the cover is closed, as illustrated in Fig. 1.

In order to provide a book rack high enoughto support full length letters and papers, the upper section 7 of the cover,

which constitutes the book rack when said cover is raised and adjusted to the position shown in Figs. 2 and is made wider than the lower section 8. The narrower lower section constitutes the brace or support for the rack and is adapted to have its beveled edge 11 engaged in any one of a series of longitudinal grooves 12 in a horizontal strip 13 supported above the top 5 upon a vertical strip 14, said raised structure having the grooves being provided to compensate for the difference in the width of the two sections of the cover, as will be readilyunderstood. A plurality of the'g'rooves 12 are provided to permit therack to be arranged at different angles to suit the eyes of per sons of different heights. Two adjustments of the rack are illustrated in Fig. 3, one in solid lines and the other in dotted lines. It will be noted that the hinges 9 and 10 are on the outside so that the sections of the cover swing upward and outward. The upper section 7 has a ledge 15 on its inner face near its upper edge when in closed position, for the hooks, papers and other articles to rest upon when the cover is raised and adjusted to form the book'rack.

The inclosed-portion of the desk is divided into a compartment 16 for storing a typewriter, and one or more stacks of pigeonholes. As illustrated, the compartment 1.6 is arranged in the center with a stack of pigeon-holes at either side thereof. Said central compartment 16 is preferably made just wide enough to accommodate the typewriter when the latter is not in use, in order to save space and make the desk as compact as possible. At the bottom of this compartment 16, there is a slide 17 constituting a section of the work-slab 1 with which it is flush and has tongue and groove connection. To position a typewriter on the slide four rings 18 are used, one ring to fit around each foot of a typewriter. These rings are adjustably secured to the slide 17 by screws 19 and may be fastened at the proper places to receive the feetof any make of typewriter. While the rings effectively retain the machine in proper'position, theydo not prevent said machine from being raised for oiling, cleaning or moving to another place for temporary use, and are therefore a distinct improvement over the old method of bolting or clamping the machine to the table.

When the typewriter is not in use, the slide may be pushed back as shown in solid lines in Fig. 6 so that the machine will be substantially housed in the compartment 16 and permit the cover to be closed. \Vhen the typewriter is to be used, the slide is drawn out to the position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 6, where the carriage ofthe machine may move back and forth in front of the pigeon-holes.

For locking the cover of the desk in closed position, an ordinary roll top lock desk is used, the same consisting of a socket member 20 indicated diagrammatically in Fig. 6, and

the usual hook-bolt 21 also shown diagrammatically in the same figure. It will be observed that inasmuch as the lower edge of the lower section 8 of the cover. which carries the bolt 21, describes an arc in closing instead of descending vertically upon the socket member or keeper 20, as in the ordinary roll top desk, said bolt w ll not strike squarely intothe keeper when the slide 17 is pushed all of the way in, see Fig. 6. On the contrary, said bolt strikes about half an inch in front of the keeper or socket, thus permitting the cover tobe closed without necessarily locking the same and making it unnecessary to unlock said I cover every time it is closed before it can be again raised. There are often times when the owner of a desk Wishes to cover and protect the contents of the desk without looking the cover, and in the ordinary roll top dest this cannot be done unless some obstruction is placed between the lower edge of the cover. and the front edge portion of the work-slab. In the present invention no such make-shift emergency devices are required, it being only necessary to push in the slide 17 as far as it will go. When it is desired to lock the cover, the'slide is pulled forward about half an inch, whereupon the bolt or striking hookswill drop into the socket in the keeper plate and as said slide is pushed back again into its extreme rear position said bolt or hooks will automatically interlock with said keeper.

In order to provide for holding letterheads, cards and envelops of different sizes in regular order and within easy reach at the front of the pigeon-holes, adjustable the ends of the backing blocks and extending through slots 24 the edges of which they are adapted to clamp when tightened for retaining said blocks at the desired points. The slots 24 are formed in the vertical partition 25 separating the compartment 16 from the left hand tier of pigeondioles.

If desired, both sections of the cover may be made substantially the same width, as at 70 and 80 in Fig. 7, and grooves 26 formed in the upper surface of the top piece 50, thus dispensing with the vertical and horizontal strips 14 and 13, respectively, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 6.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. In a desk, the combination with a slide, of a hinged cover, an automatic bolt carried by the lower free edge of the cover, a keeper mounted on the slide and arranged out of register with the bolt when the slide is fully pushed in and the cover folded down, said keeper adapted to be brought into register with the bolt when the slide is pulled partially out, for the purpose specified.

2. In a desk, the combination with a top piece, of a sectional cover hinged to the same and comprising two sections, one wider than the other, said sections being hinged together and adapted to be folded above the top piece so that the wider sec tion will form a book rack and the narrower section will constitute a brace for the same, and a grooved strip supported above the top piece for engagement by the edge of the narrower section of the cover for the purpose specified.

3Q In a desk, the combination with inclosing walls and a top piece covering the rear portion of the space inclosed by said walls, said top piece carrying grooves, of a cover for the :iront portion oi said inclosed space, said cover being made in folding sections adapted to be folded upon the top piece so that one section will constitute a book rack and another section will serve as a brace by engaging one of the grooves in the top piece, the angle of said rackforming section being variable by placing the edge of the bracing section in different ones of the said grooves.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

JAMES G. CLARK.

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