US2832658A - Hinged cover for desk sliding reference shelves - Google Patents

Description

April 29, 1958 E. c. BULLOCK 2,832,658

HINGED COVER FOR DESK SLIDING REFERENCE SHELVES Filed Nov. 18, 1954 INVENTOR.

EADLE g. BULLOCK AT To RN 2 Y HINGED COVER FOR DESK SLIDING REFERENCE SHELVES Earle C. Bullock, East Grand Rapids, Micln, assignor to Steelcase Inc., a corporation of Michigan Application November 18, 1954, Serial No. 469,681

1 Claim. (Cl. 312-194) This invention relates to ofiice furniture and more particularly to a hinged shield or cover for the reference shelf of an oflice desk.

It is common practice among many users of desks to use the reference shelf as a convenient bulletin board upon which frequently used reference information is posted.

Typical of such uses is a list of frequently used telephone satisfactory since they are makeshift stop-gaps and frequently result in operating difliculty of the equipment.

This invention is designed to provide a convenient, transparent, protective cover for these shelves beneath which 3 data may be placed at any time and easily and quickly changed when desired.

This invention provides a cover, pivotally secured to the reference shelf whereby it may be raised at any time for removal or insertion of data sheets on the surface of the shelf.

This invention provides such a cover. It is readily detachable from the reference shelf, if the user does not wish to continue the use of the cover or in the event the cover should require replacement.

This invention provides a hinge structure, which, while readily detachable, will not permit the cover sheet to be accidently detached when it is in its fully raised position or in the process of being raised or lowered. The hinge is so designed that a series of manipulations must be executed in a particular order to effect detachment. The hinge also is so designed that if the cover is removed, it will leave substantially no impairment of the shelf surface to reduce its utility for other purposes.

This invention also provides a positive means of holding the cover sheet whereby it cannot work sideways and interfere with the proper sliding operation of the shelf.

These and other objects and purposes of this invention will be immediately seen by those acquainted with the design and construction of office furniture upon reading the following specification and the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary, oblique view of my invention applied to a desk, showing the reference shelf in fully extended position.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary, side elevation view of the reference shelf showing the cover sheet in its normal position in solid lines and in raised position in phantom lines.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional elevation ice view taken along the plane III-III of Fig. 1 showing the cover sheet in its normal position.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional elevation view taken along the same plane as Fig. 3 showing the cover sheet in the position it must be caused to assume to initiate detachment.

Referring specifically to the drawings, the numeral 10 indicates a desk having a top 11, and in this case a drawer well 12 in which are mounted a tier of drawers 13. The structure of the top, drawer well and drawers is conventional. 1

Slidably mounted in the drawer well between the top 11 and the upper one of the drawers 13 is a reference shelf 14. The reference shelf is mounted within the drawer well by any suitable, conventional structure which permits the shelf to be readily and easily extended from the desk structure or pushed back into its stored position.

The invention is described as applied to metal furniture in which case the top 15 of the reference shelf is preferably of sheet metal stock. These reference shelves, in metal furniture construction, are normally hollow. Such hollow shelves may be constructed with or without a bottom panel, even though they always have a top surface panel. This invention is applicable whether or not the shelf has a bottom panel. The shelf 15 is of conventional construction with the exception that adjacent the edge of the desk top 11, when the shelf 14 is fully extended, the top panel 15 of the shelf is provided with a pair of spaced slots 16 (Figs. 3 and 4). These slots are aligned laterally of the shelf and provide the means by which the hereinafter described hinge elements engage the shelf. No other modification of the shelf is necessary in order to incorporate this invention on reference shelves of standard design and construction.

The cover member itself consists of a transparent sheet 20 of such size and shape that it covers substantially the entire exposed portion of the reference shelf 14, when the latter is extended. The sheet 20 may be of any suitable material such as a transparent plastic. It will be understood that it could be of glass although this is not considered preferable because of the weight and brittleness of glass.

The sheet 20 is secured at its rearward end, that is, adjacent the desk top 11, by means of a pair of hinge elements 22. The hinge elements 22 are each identical. Each consists of a pair of L-shaped portions which, when viewed in one position, have the general shape of the letter W. The central section 23 of the hinge forms an L-shaped step having an apex 24 projecting in the general direction of the sheet 20. One leg of the hinge overlays the top surface of the sheet 20 and is secured thereto by any suitable means such as the rivets 25. It will be understood that the means by which the hinge is secured to the sheet is relatively immaterial to this invention since adhesives or other fastening means could be substituted for the rivets 25 without departing from the principle of this invention. In fact, under proper conditions, the leg portion of the hinge overlying the surface of the sheet 20 could be eliminated and that portion of the L-shaped central section bearing against the back edge of the sheet 20 could be secured to the sheet 20 by adhesives to form the bond between these components.

That portion of the hinge 22 below the apex 24 is designed to be beneath the surface of the top sheet 15 of the shelf 14. This portion is itself an L-shaped portion having an apex 26 extending oppositely from the apex 24 (Fig. 4).

In order to attach the sheet 20 to the shelf, the sheet is inclined at a sharp angle of approximately 3045. In this position, the bottom leg of the hinges may be inserted through the slots 16 until the apex 26 is reached. At this point the inclination of the shelf is increased until the apex 26 may pass through the slot 16. The second leg of the hinges will then pass through the slots until the apex 24 is reached. The apex 24 is designed to move into and out ofthe slot 16 as the cover sheet 20 is raised or lowered.

When the cover sheet 2 3 is in its lowered position, as illustrated in Fig. 1, the sheet 20 lies fiat against the top surface of the top surface 15 of the shelf 14. The hinges 22 at this point are idle except that their presence in the slot 16 prevents the sheet from being displaced either lengthwise or sideways of the shelf. The hinges 22 are spaced apart substantially the full width of the shelf 14, thereby preventing the sheet 20 from rotating on the shelf and jamming the operation of the shelf.

When the sheet 20 is pivoted into its fully upright position, it will not become detached, since the bottom end 27 of the hinge will engage the bottom surface of the top sheet 15 of the shelf and thus prevent the sheet from being accidently lifted from the shelf. Because of the zigzag shape of the hinges, the sheet will not become detached as the sheet is being raised or lowered, since it requires a raising then a forward and then a backward manipulation in order to disengage the hinges 22 from the shelf. The hinge, while providing security against accidental disengagement, does not interfere with the ready removal of the sheet from the shelf, when desired.

It will be seen that the memorandums and data placed under the sheet may be quickly and easily changed simply by raising the sheet. With the sheet down, the data beneath is clearly visible through the transparent material, yet is protected from mechanical injury or from being blown away or accidentally knocked 0E. The whole unit may be economically fabricated and adapted to desks of almost any type and construction.

While I have described a preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that various modifications of this invention may be made without departing from the principles herein set forth. Each of these modifications is to be considered as included in the hereinafter appended claim unless this claim by its language expressly states otherwise.

I claim:

The combination comprising: a sheet metal reference shelf of a desk including a sheet metal panel having a top and bottom surface and a pair of spaced and aligned slots; a rigid cover sheet member overlying and substantially covering the exposed portion of the top surface of said shelf when said shelf is fully extended; said sheet member having top and bottom faces; a pair of hinge members received by said slots, each hinge member having a first L-shaped section including a horizontal leg overlying and secured to a portion of the top face of said sheet member, and a vertical leg integral with said horizontal leg and extending downwardly along an edge of said sheet member into one of said slots; and a second L-shaped section integrally connected to said vertical leg of said first L-shaped section; said second L-shaped section including a horizontal leg extending away from said sheet member along the bottom surface of said sheet metal shelf, and a vertical leg integral with and extending downwardly from the end of said horizontal leg; said hinge members permitting said bottom face of said sheet memher to lie directly on the top surface of said shelf without any space therebetween and said sheet member to be pivoted about the juncture between said L-shaped section.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 308,264 Klenha Nov. 18, 1884 367,616 Gray Aug. 2, 1887 470,291 Dowling Mar. 8, 1892 1,180,750 Wolf Apr. 25, 1916 1,870,553 Bullen Aug. 9, 1932

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