US3311337A

US3311337A - Parallel motion mechanism

Info

Publication number: US3311337A
Application number: US426628A
Authority: US
Inventors: Hagen Heinz-Gunther Muller Vom
Original assignee: ILSE WERKE KG
Current assignee: IISE WERKE KG; ILSE WERKE KG
Priority date: 1964-02-14
Filing date: 1965-01-19
Publication date: 1967-03-28
Anticipated expiration: 1984-03-28
Also published as: GB1065035A

Description

March 28, 1967 HEINZ-GNTHER MLLER VO M HAGEN PARALLEL MOTION MECHANISM Filed Jan. 19, 1965 =u IIIIIIIIIIlllllnllllll'llllllllllIllllll INVENTOR Hemi-@lumen Mlue Van [MGM United States Patent Ofiflce Paten-ted Mar. 2S, 1967 s claims. (ci. 24e- 1885 The present invention relates to improvements in parallel motion mechanisms, and more particularly to a piece of furniture, such as a two-legged table, wherein one part, i.e. the table plate, is to be vertically reciprocated in relation to a fixed support. Other types of furniture which may advantageously use this improved parallel motion mechanism include benches, chairs and the like, barroom furniture, etc.

Various lifting mechanisms have been used in furniture wherein one part is to be raised in relation to another part, including Bowden cables or motors, such as hydraulic or pneumatic motors, but conventional apparatus has been expensive and/ or unstable.

lt is the primary object of this invention to provide a simple and exceedingly stable parallel motion mechanism useful in furniture wherein one part is to be reciprocated in relation to another part.

This and other objects are accomplished by constructing the fixed support as a stable framework forming a first bridge system and the furniture or other part reciprocatingly movable in relation to its fixed support as a like stable framework forming a second bridge system, a parallel motion linkage means interconnecting the two bridge systems.

According to the invention, the first bridge system includes two substantially parallel, elongated pillars and the second bridge system includes two elongated supporting columns mounted for reciprocating movement in the axial bores of the pillars, parallel transverse struts rigidly interconnecting the telescoping pillars and the columns, respectively.

ln accordance with one preferred embodiment, the parallel motion linkage means is a scissors having two links. Each link has two ends respectively linked to the two bridge systems and a pivot intermediate the link ends pivotally connects the two links of the scissors. However, other parallel motion linkage means may be used between the two bridge systems.

According to another preferred embodiment, brake means is mounted on only a single column to cooperate with a suitable lifting mechanism for permitting reciprocatingly moving the other part in relation to its fixed support upon release of the brake means, the parallel motion mechanism moving the other column in parallelism, and engagement of the brake means between the column and the pillar maintaining the movable part at any desired level.

The above objects, advantages and features of the present invention will be more fully understood by reference to the following detailed description of one embodiment thereof, taken in conjunction with the single ligure of the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing, the invention has been illustrated in connection with a table supported on two legs. The table is shown in a side view, partly in vertical section, and comprises two substantially parallel, elongated pillars 1 rigidly interconnected by a first transverse strut 2, the pillars and the strut 2 constituting a first bridge system. Two elongated supporting columns 4 are mounted for reciprocating movement in the axial bores lof the pillars, the supporting columns being guided for parallel movement in respect of each other by roller bearings 3 interposed between the telescoping pillars and columns. The table plate 15 is the furniture part carried by the supporting columns in the illustrated embodiment of the invention, for reciprocation in respect of pillars 1. A second transverse strut 5 rigidly interconnects the supporting columns 4, 4 and these columns constitute a second bridge system with the strut 5, strut 5 being parallel to strut 2.

The two rigid bridge systems are guided for movement parallel to one another by a parallel motion linkage means which interconnects the tw-o bridge systems. The illustrated linkage means is a scissors having links 7, 7. Each link 7 has two ends respectively linked to the two bridge systems. A pivot 10 intermediate the link ends pivotally connects the two links to each other.

As shown, one of the ends of each link 7 is linked to a fixed pivot 8 and 9 on a respective one of the transverse struts. The other end of each link carries pivot 11 and 12 moving in slot 13 and 14, respectively, in struts 2 and 5, the slots being parallel to the struts.

This parallel motion mechanism makes it impossible for the two transverse struts to move out of parallelism with each other, i.e. for one side of the table top to be lifted higher than the other side when the table top is raised. This, on the other hand, makes it possible to use an actuating means for reciprocatingly moving the columns 4, 4 in the axial bores of the pillars mounted only in a single table leg. The parallel motion mechanism transmits the lifting or lowering motion automatically to the other leg since the stmt 5 of the second or moving bridge system is moved in parallel to the fixed strut 2 of the stationary of first bridge system.

Raising and lowering of the table top is eected in the illustrated embodiment by releasing a brake means which is designed to hold the column 4 at a given level in its pillar 1 of a single leg, and then to engage the brake again when the column has been vertically moved to the desired level. The lowermost position of reciprocable column 4 in this one leg is determined by a transverse abutment 24 mounted on the pillar 1 of this leg, which abutment supports the lower end of column 4 in its lowermost position.

The brake means comprises brake shoes 16 mounted on the radially expansible lower end of the one column 4 and frictionally engageable with the one pillar 1. In the illustrated embodiment, the column is also tubular and the radial expansion of the lower end thereof is attained by slitting this lower end.

The brake actuating means includes a rod 6 having an upper end and a lower end, the rod being axially reciprocable within the tubular column 4. A conical element 17 is carried by the lower rod end and tapers towards the lower rod end, the conical element having an axial bore receiving stud 25 mounted on abutment 24 and serving as a guide support for the element during reciprocation. Ball bearings 18, 13 are arranged around the conical element for attaining radial expansion of the slitted lower end of column 4 by reciprocation of the conical element, i.e. by moving it upwardly to press the balls outwardly.

The means for reciprocating the rod illustrated herein includes the operating handle 23 mounted on lug 21 adjacent and underneath the table plate 15, the lug being mounted on, and extending radially from, the one leg column 4. The handle has an axle extending perpendicularly to the leg axisand which is rotatably journaled in a bearing hole in the lug. The handle axle has a cam 22 keyed thereto and the cam engages cam follower means in catch 21, this cam follower means being a curvilinear cut-out in the catch and the cam extending into this cutout. The catch is pivoted to lug 21 at 26 and has a nose 19 engaging the annular groove 20 in the upper end of rod 6, Turning the handle 23 rotates the handle axle and the cam 2d keyed thereto, thereby pivoting catch 2l and axially reciprocating rod 6 for engagement or disengagement of the brake means.

As seen in the drawing, when the handle is moved to the right, rod 6 is raised, the errpansible end of column 4 is expanded and the brake means engages the inner Walls of pillar i to hold the table plate a desired, vertically adjusted position. When the handle is turned leftwards, the rod is lowered, the tapered end cconical element J7 is adjacent balls and the lower end or column el is permitted to return to its rest position, thus removing tie brale shoes from frictional engagement with the inner walls of the pillar so that the column may be freely moved vertically in the pillar.

This brake mechanism is more cla .led in my copending application Ser. tiled concurrently herewith.

While the present invention has been described and illustrated in connection with furniture, and more particularly a two-column table, it will be clearly understood that tr e parallel motion mechanism herein shown may be used in other pieces of furniture and equivalent devices, Where it is desired to ettect straight-line motion of one part in relation to fixed part, and that various parallel motion linkage means as well as a variety of actuating means may occur to the skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention as dehned by the appended claims.

claim:

Il. A piece of furniture comprising (a) two substantially parallel, elongated pillars, each pillar deiining an axial bore,

(b) a rst transverse strut rigidly interconnecting the two pillars,

(l) the pillars and strut constituting a first bridge system;

(c) two elongated supporting columns mounted for reciprocating movement in said axial bores,

(d) a part of a piece of furniture carried by sai-:l supporting columns for reciprocation in respect of said pillars,

(e) a second transverse strut rigidly interconnecting the fully described and No. 426,629,

it two supporting columns and parallel to the lirst strut,

(2) the supporting columns and the second trans- Verse strut constituting a second bridge system;

(t) a parallel motion linkage means interconnecting the rst and second bridge systems;

(g) brake means mounted on a single one of the supporting columns for perrc ing temporary retention of said one column at a` desired vertical level upon engagement of the brake means and reciprocating movement of said column upon release of the brake l. as;

(h) ans for actuating the bralte means from outside said one column, said means including (3) a rotatable operating handle positioned below said part of the piece of furniture, whereby release of the bral'e means by the operating handle causes reciprocating movement of said column; and

(i) roller bearings interposed between the telescoping pillars and columns.

The piece of furniture defined in claim El, wherein the parallel motion linkage means is a scissors having two links, each having two ends respectively linked to said bridge systems and a pivot intermediate said link ends pivotally connecting said links.

The piece of furniture dened in claim 2, wherein of the ends ot sacri lirtl; is linked to a fixed pivot respective one of said transverse struts, and the otite end of each linli carries a pivot moving in a slot in res ective one of said struts, the slots being parallel o the struts.

CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner.

R. P. SETTER, Assistant Examiner.

Claims

1. A PIECE OF FURNITURE COMPRISING (A) TWO SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL, ELONGATED PILLARS, EACH PILLAR DEFINING AN AXIAL BORE, (B) A FIRST TRANSVERSE STRUT RIGIDLY INTERCONNECTING THE TWO PILLARS, (1) THE PILLARS AND STRUT CONSTITUTING A FIRST BRIDGE SYSTEM; (C) TWO ELONGATED SUPPORTING COLUMNS MOUNTED FOR RECIPROCATING MOVEMENT IN SAID AXIAL BORES, (D) A PART OF A PIECE OF FURNITURE CARRIED BY SAID SUPPORTING COLUMNS FOR RECIPROCATION IN RESPECT OF SAID PILLARS, (E) A SECOND TRANSVERSE STRUT RIGIDLY INTERCONNECTING THE TWO SUPPORTING COLUMNS AND PARALLEL TO THE FIRST STRUT, (2) THE SUPPORTING COLUMNS AND THE SECOND TRANSVERSE STRUT CONSTITUTING A SECOND BRIDGE SYSTEM; (F) A PARALLEL MOTION LINKAGE MEANS INTERCONNECTING THE FIRST AND SECOND BRIDGE SYSTEM;