GB2196606A - Device for raising, lowering and/or inclining objects such as table tops, drawers and the like - Google Patents

Description

GB2196606A 1 SPECIFICATION trated by a transverse shaft 10a, which con

nects the arms and about which a plurality of Device for raising, lowering and/or inclining supporting rollers 1 la are rotatably mounted objects such as table tops, drawers and said rollers having such a diameter that they the like 70 extend outside the end portions of the arms.

In the same manner the arms 8b and 8b' are The present invention refers to a device for penetrated by a shaft 10b, having supporting raising, lowering and/or inclining objects such rollers 11 b.

as table tops, drawers and the like. Rigidly connected to the arms 8a,8b' are The primary object of the invention has 75 two links 12a respectively 12b and at 13a been to create a device of the above-men- respectively 13b said links are hingedly con tioned character which is so compact that it nected to links 14a,14b, which in the oppo can be incorporated in for instance a desk to sitely located ends thereof at 15a,15b are hin operate a leaf or a reading desk thereof and gedly connected to an arm 16 which interme which further is so simple, sturdy and cheap 80 diate the hinge points 15a,15b is pivotally and so flexible as to incorporating that it may mounted about a substantially vertical shaft be easily adapted for a variety of needs. 17, which extends upwardly from a bottom Another object has been to provide a device rail 18 connecting the sockets 6a,6b.

by which the raising or lowering of the ob- The arm 16 is displaceably mounted in a jects is realized by a simple displacement 85 socket-shaped member 19, which at 20 is movement and with possibility of locking the hingedly connected to the trolley 4, which has device in any desired raising position. a locking screw 21 acting against a beam not In order to fulfill these and other objects the shown and also has a knob 22.

invention has characteristics which will be evi- A spring 23 having one end thereof secured dent from a study of the claims. 90 to the shaft 9a has the opposite end thereof In the accompanying drawing an exemplary secured to the arm 16. The strength of the embodiment of the invention is illustrated spring is such that it will exert a a force upon wherein the arm 16 for swinging the latter in an anti- Figure 1 is a plan view of a device accord- clockwise direction which force is just inferior ing to the invention and 95 to the force exerted upon the arm 16 by the Figure 2 shows the same device in a front lifting arm system 7-10 and the object sup- view, ported thereby which force tends to swing the Figure 3 shows the device according to Fig. arm in question in a clockwise direction and it 1 and 2 incorporated in a writing desk con- is evident that these forces to a major extent struction and 100 will compensate each other such that only a Figure 4 finally shows a box lifter, carried minor force will be required to operate the out according to the invention. arm and as a consequence thereof-which The device illustrated in Figs. 1-2 inclusive will appear from the following-swing the lift- comprises a substantially rectangular frame ing arm construction upwardly.

member, generally designated as 1. This 105 In the initial position the lifting arms frame member includes in the illustrated em- 8a,8a',8b,8b' are lowered with the support bodiment two first sockets 2a,2b which are rollers lying below the upper surface of the mutually connected by means of a shaft or rail frame member and in this position only the 3 extending perpendicular to the length direc- link arms 12 and the links 14 are positioned tion of the sockets and along which is displa- 110 beneath the lower plane of the frame member.

ceably arranged a trolley designated as 4. When it is desired to raise an object such In relation to the sockets 2a and 2b two as a table top resting upon the frame member beams 5a 5b are displaceably mounted such it is only necessary to move the trolley 4 to that they may be fixed in any desired dis- the left in Fig. 1 by means of the knob 22. By placement position relative to the sockets 115 this action the arm 16 will be swung 2a,2b. clockwise about its pivot centre 17. Via the The beams 5a,5b also pass through two links 14a,14b and the link arms 12a, 12b the second sockets 6a,6b which just like the first lifting arm construction will then be swung up sockets 2a,2b may be locked in any desired according to the arrows in Fig. 2 and as a position of displacement relative to the beams 120 consequence thereof the object resting upon 5a respectively 5b. With these said parts form the supporting rollers 11 will of course be a rectangular frame, the width of which being raised. When the desired height position has variable. been reached the trolley 4 is locked to the The numeral 7 generally designates two lift- rail, mentioned but not shown, by means of ing arm constructions, which each comprise 125 the locking knob 21. Since the arm 16 as two arms 8a,8a' respectively 8b,8b' which are mentioned is displaceably provided in a socket pivotally connected to the socket 6a respec- 19 said arm and said socket together form an tively 6b by means of substantially horizontal arm construction useful for the now described pivots 9a,9b. In the ends remote from the purpose since it has to somewhat change its pivotal mounting the arms 8a,8a' are pene- 130 length in the operation just described. Fig. 3 2 GB2196606A 2 shows a first practical embodiment. In this a at least two arms (8a,8a', respectively 8b,8b') table 24 comprising a steel tube stand and at which have the free ends thereof mutually a distance from each other secured planar ta- connected and has support rollers (11 a, 11 b) ble tops has been completed with a device provided to directly support the object which according to the invention and located inter- 70 is to be raised, lowered and/or inclined.

mediate said table tops and upon said device 3. Device according to claim 1, character- has been placed a unit 25 which consists of ized in that the lifting arms (8a,8b') which two by means of hinges mutually connected form part of the lifting arm constructions (7) plates from which the rear one is provided to are secured in an anti- rotational manner to link be raised and lowered by means of the de- 75 arms (12a,12b) which are pivotally connected vice. From a flat position this unit may be to links (14a,14b) which in the opposite ends raised to the position shown in Fig. 3 where thereof are pivotally connected to the operat the front plate is inclined to form a writing ing lever (16) one on each side of the pivot desk with a desired inclination. centre thereof.

Another practical embodiment is shown in 80 4. Device according to claim 1, character- Fig. 4. The device is then so designed that it ized in that the operating lever (16,19) is pivo constitutes a device 26 for lifting boxes. Such tally and somewhat displaceably connected to a device includes four legs 27 which are angu- a trolley which is displaceable in or along a lar in shape and they each have an upper substantially horizontal rail (3) such that a dis support plate 28. The horizontal portions of 85 placement of the trolley brings forth the pivot said legs are insertable in hollow beams hav- ing of the operating lever and as a conse ing a rectangular transverse section and may quence thereof a raising or lowering of the be locked in relation to said beams, which are object.

mutually connected by means of a bottom rail 5. Device according to claim 4, character- corresponding to the bottom rail 18 of the 90 ized in that the operating lever comprises two device just described. members (16,19) telescopically mounted in re- A front rail 30, in which the trolley 4 is lation to each other and from which one is displaceably arranged has upper projecting hingedly connected to the trolley (4) and the portions 31a,31b which are provided to rest other one is pivoted about a shaft (17) which against the support plates of the front legs 27 95 extends upwardly from the stationary part (18) and be connected to them by meansof screws of the device.

or the like and in order to permit the oper- 6. Device according to claims 1-4 inclu- ation just described the arm 16' is bent ac- sive, characterized in that the trolley (4) has cording to Fig. 4. locking means (21) for locking it in any de- The arms 8a,8a' of the pivot arm construc100 sired position of displacement.

tion 7 may have another length than the arms 7. Device according to claim 1, character- 8b,8W. The arms 8a,8a',8b,8W may have a ized in that a coil spring (23) is connected to triangular shape where one of the angular legs the operating lever (16) in such a manner that replaces the respective link arms 12a,12b. it tends to swing this one in a direction which 105 is opposite to the swinging tendency which

Claims (1)

1. CLAIMS the lifting arm assembly exerts upon said arm

   1. Device for raising, lowering and/or in- and that the spring is so dimensioned that it clining objects such as table tops, drawers substantially counteracts such influence of the and the like, characterized in that it has two lifting arm assembly (7).

   lifting arm units (7) pivotally mounted about 110 8. Device according to claim 1, character- mutually parallel substantially horizontal pivots ized in that it is provided to be supported by (9a,9b) and an operating lever (16) located in- a table stand and to support a unit (25) such termediate said pivots and being pivotally as a table top.

   mounted about a substantially vertical pivot 9. Device according to claim 8, character- centre (17) and that first and second link arm 115 ized in that the unit (25) comprises a front assemblies (12a,14a,12b,14b) are pivotally and a rear table top which are hingedly con connected on one hand to said operating nected by means of a hinge and that the lift lever, one (12a,12b) on one side of the pivot ing arm assembly is provided to act solely centre (17) of the arm the other one on the upon the rear table top to accomplish an incli other side thereof, and on the other hand to 120 nation of the front table top when the rear each of said lifting arm units (7) such that the table top is raised.

   latter will swing upwardly when the operating 10. Device according to claim 1, character- lever is moved in one direction and will swing ized in that it comprises on one hand a frame downwardly when the operating lever is member (26) including two hollow beams (29) moved in the opposite direction to raise, 125 of rectangular section which are mutually con lower and/or incline the object in dependence nected be means of a bottom rail (18) extend of the direction in which the operating lever is ing perpendicular thereto and on the other moved. hand four legs (27) which are L-shaped and 2. Device according to claim 1, character- the vertical portions of which upwards con- ized in that each lifting arm construction has 130 tinue in supporting plates (28) while the hori- 3 GB2196606A 3 zontal portions thereof are insertable in and lockable relative, to said beams (29) and that further a rail (30) is secured to the support plates of two of said legs and constitutes a guide for a pulley (4) guided in the length direction of the rail, said trolley being hingedly connected to an angularly bent operating lever (16') for operating the lifting arm assembly (7).

   11. Device according to claim 1 substan- tially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.

   Published 1988 atThe Patent Office, State House, 66/71 High Holborn, London WC 1 R 4TP. Further copies may be obtained from The PatentOffice, Sales Branch, St Mary Cray, Orpington, Kent BR5 3RD.

   Printed by Burgess & Son (Abingdon) Ltd. Con. 1/87.