US3451360A - Collapsible writing shelf - Google Patents

Description

June 24, 1969 R. LEMOYNE COLLAPSIBIJE WRITING SHELF Filed March 15, 1967 //V VE/V 7' OR R990, arrow! United States Patent Int. Cl. A47b 3/00 U.S. Cl. 108-34 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to a wall mounted writing shelf having a cover closed over the writing paper when the shelf is collapsed against the wall, the cover automatically opening when the shelf is pivoted to a writing position.

The present invention relates to a shelf for writing :and, more specifically, to a wall shelf adapted to be installed close to a wall telephone and used for taking notes on a paper pad supported by the shelf.

The general object of the present invention resides in the provision of a shelf of the character described, which is collapsible, that is which is pivoted 'in a fast and easy manner between a substantially horizontal writing position and a collapsed inactive position flat against the wall, whereby the shelf takes up a minimum space when not used.

Another object of the present invention resides in the provision of a writing shelf of the character described, provided with a cover serving to protect the paper pad carried by the shelf, said cover being automatically pivotlable between an open and "a closed position, said cover automatically opening when the shelf assumes its position of use.

Another object of the present invention resides in the provision of a shelf of the character described, which is of relatively simple construction, easy to handle and having a long service life.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a shelf of the character described, in which the shelf proper is automatically locked in .active position, the sys' tem having means to easily release the shelf to pivot the same to inactive position.

Another object of the present invention resides in the provision of a writing shelf of the character described, provided with means to hang a telephone handset.

The foregoing and other objects of the present invention will become more apparent during the following disclosure and by referring to the drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the collapsible writing shelf in its active operative position;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation of the writing shelf in its closed inactive position;

FIGURE 3 is a partial side elevation of the writing shelf in a partially open position;

FIGURE 4 is a side elevation of the writing shelf in its completely open position; and

FIGURE 5 is a partial longitudinal section of the writing shelf in a partially open position.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings in which like reference characters indicate like elements throughout, the shelf in accordance with the invention comprises a wall plate 1, which is flat and of generally rectangular or square shape and adpated to be secured by screws or the like to a wall 2 in the vicinity of a telephone apparatus, not shown, preferably a wall telephone secured to wall 2.

A shelf 3, of generally rectangular or square shape and provided with longitudinal side flanges 4 and with a 3,451,360 Patented June 24, 1969 Ice transverse end flange 5, is pivoted to the top marginal zone of plate 1 by means of pivots 6 engaging side flanges 4 and holes made in ears 7 integral with plate 1.

A cover 8, of generally rectangular or square shape and having dimensions similar to those of shelf 3, is disposed on said shelf 3 and can pivot with respect to the latter. Cover 8 has longitudinal side flanges 9 and a trans verse terminal flange 10. Cover 8 is pivoted to the shelf 3 by means of pivots 11 secured to side flanges 9 and rotatable in ears 12, which are integral with shelf 3 and disposed in the vicinity of pivots 6 of shelf 3.

On one side of the shelf 3 and cover 8 there are provided a pair of toggle links 13, 14 respectively pivotally connected at their outer ends at 13' and 15 to a lateral flange 9 of cover 8 and to wall plate 1.

.Piv-ot 15 engages an ear 16 integral with plate 1 and struck out from the same.

The other ends of the links 13 and 14 are mutually pivotally connected by means of a rivet 17, or the like, which is displ'aceable in a longitudinal slot 18 made in the side flange 4 of shelf 3. The two links 13- and 14 treely enter a longitudinal slot 19, made in the top of shelf 3, and are applied against the inside face of the flange 4, while the rivet 17 has a head overlying the outside face of flange 4.

The sum of the lengths of links 13 and 14 is greater than the distance between pivot 13' and 15 in the fully open position of cover 8.

When shelf 3 is upwardly pivoted about its pivot 6, rivet 17 will move within slot 18 and be guided by the latter in the direction of pivot 6 to thereby automatically open cover 8 with respect to shelf 3 and in such a manner that, when shelf 3 has attained a substantially horizontal position, cover 8 is completely open and has a substantially vertical position, as shown in FIGURE 4. Conversely, by lowering shelf 3 until it comes to rest against wall plate 1, as shown in FIGURE 2, cover 8 pivots through half a turn to fin ally come to rest against shelf 3. Thus, during opening and closing movement, the cover 8 makes one-half turn during the time shelf 3 accomplishes only one-quarter turn.

Coil springs 20 and 20 are preferably provided being attached to the cover 8 and shelf 3 and to the shelf 3 and wall plate 1 respectively and urging opening movement of the cover 8 with respect to shelf 3 and of the shelf 3 with respect to wall plate 1.

These springs 20, 20 are calculated to soften the closing movement of the assembly under the action of gravity, while allowing complete closing of the assembly.

It should be noted that the assembly can be open or closed by exerting a force on shelf 3 \or 'on cover 8. In practice, however, it is natural to exert the force on the shelf 3 to lift the same, because its trajectory is less than that of cover 8.

Shelf locking means are provided to lock the shelf in its horizontal operative position. These locking means comprise a rod 21 bent to form a generally rectangular loop disposed transversely of shelf 3 and freely pivotally connected to the latter underneath the same by means of cars 22 integral with shelf 3 and located adjacent pivot 6 and slightly outwardly of the same with respect to the wall plate 1.

The transverse lower portion of loop 21 is freely movable within L-shaped slots 23 made in brackets 24 secured to wall plate 1 and disposed vertically and at right angles with respect to said wall plate 1. L-shaped slots 23 are in inverted position, that is their transverse legs are at the upper end of the slots and directed towards the outer end of shelf 3.

In the lowered closed position of the shelf 3, the loop 21 engages the lower ends of slots 23 and, by raising the 3 shelf, the loop 21 moves upwardly within slots 23 and automatically engages the transverse legs of said slots 23 and comes to rest against the lower edge of the transverse legs of said slots, to thereby lock the shelf in its horizontal operative position.

The loop 21 automatically takes its locking position when the shelf has attained its operative position, because the loop 21 is pivoted to the shelf in a zone which is slightly offset outwardly with respect to the vertical legs of slot 23. Because loop 21 is freely pivotally connected to the shelf 3, it tends to take a vertical position and, therefore, to engage the transverse legs of the slots 23.

To release the shelf 3 in order to be able to lower the same, it is only necessary to pull outwardly on an extension 25 integral with loop 21 and which upwardly and freely extends through an opening 26 made in the end of shelf 3 adjacent the inside terminal edge thereof.

Shelf 3 is provided with a conventional paper holding spring clamp 27 disposed transversely adjacent the internal terminal edge of said shelf 3. The latter is also provided near an external corner thereof with a struckout cap 28 forming an opening directed towards the inside end of the shelf and adapted to receive the tip of a writing pencil, or the like, to remova'bly retain said pencil on the shelf.

Preferably, also, the assembly further includes a bracket 29 secured to wall plate 1 on one side of shelf 3 and adapted to support the handset of a telephone apparatus.

The writing shelf in accordance with the invention is used as follows:

The shelf 3 normally supports a pad of writing paper maintained in position by clamp 27 and also a pencil retained within sleeve 28. In the closed position of the device, as shown in FIGURE 2, the writing paper and the pencil are completely hidden from view and protected against dust and access to children.

A person using the handset of a telephone with one hand, can lift the shelf 3 with the other hand to bring the shelf 3 into horizontal position. To lift the shelf, the user may insert a finger under terminal tlange of shelf 3.

When raising the shelf, the cover 8 automatically opens. The shelf, once in horizontal position, becomes automatically locked in said position by means of loop 21 engaging the transverse legs of slots 23. Thus, the shelf is positively maintained in horizontal writing position and notes can be jotted down on the pad :of writing paper by using, if desired, the pencil normally retained in cap 28. If the user has to move away from the telephone and writing shelf, he can easily hang the handset on the bracket 29.

The writing shelf can be easily closed by one hand. For this, it is only necessary to pull on extension 25 of loop 21, whereby the latter pivots with respect to shelf 3 so that its lower portion will disengage the transverse legs of slot 23 and slide along the vertical portions of said slot 23. Upon release of the shelf, the latter automatically pivots into closed position. The cover 8 also automatically pivots into closed position over the writing pad and pencil.

Springs 20 and 20' have for their primary object to maintain the cover 8 and shelf 3 in closed position; they also ensure noiseless and smooth opening and closing movements of said cover and shelf by maintaining a constant tension on the cover and shelf during the opening and closing movements.

A preferred embodiment in accordance with the invention has been illustrated and described.

What I claim is:

1. A wall shelf for writing comprising a wall plate adapted to be secured to a wall, a shelf pivotally connected to said wall plate at one end for movement 'between a lowered position alongside said wall plate and a raised position substantially perpendicular to said wall plate, a cover pivoted to said shelf adjacent the pivoted end of said shelf and capable of taking a closed position resting against said shelf and covering the same, and an open position substantially at right angles to said shelf, link means connected to said shelf, cover and wall plate and producing the pivoting movement of said cover between its closed and open positions when said shelf is pivoted between its lowered and raised positions, and locking means for locking said shelf in its raised position and manually actuated means for releasing said locking means, said link means including at least one pair of toggle levers having their outer ends pivotally connected to said cover and to said wall plate respectively at points spaced from the pivot of said cover to said shelf and from the pivot of said shelf to said wall plate, said toggle levers being mutually pivotally connected at their inner ends by means of a pivot, said shelf having a slot in which said last-named pivot is inserted and is guided for longitudinal movement, the sum of the lengths of said toggle levers being greater than the distance separating the pivots of said toggle links to said cover and to said wall plate respectively in the open position of said cover.

2. A wall shelf for writing comprising a wall plate adapted to be secured to :a wall, a shelf pivotally connected to said wall plate at one end for movement between a lowered position alongside said wall plate and a raised position substantially perpendicular to said wall plate, a cover pivoted to said shelf adjacent the pivoted end of said shelf and capable of taking a closed position resting against said shelf and covering the same, and an open position substantially at right angles to said shelf, link means connected to said shelf, cover and wall plate and producing the pivoting movement of said cover be tween its closed and open positions when said shelf is pivoted between its lowered and raised positions, and locking means for locking said shelf in its raised position and manually actuated means for releasing said locking means, said locking means comprising a rod freely pivotally connected to said shelf and extending under the same, an element secured to said wall plate and having an inverted L-shaped slot defining a vertical leg and a transverse horizontal leg, the lower end of said rod engaging said slot, said rod being maintained in an inclined position by said slot when said shelf is in a position other than its completely lowered position, whereby said rod tends to automatically engage the transverse leg of said slot when said shelf attains its raised operative position.

3. A wall shelf as claimed in claim 2, wherein said releasing means include an extension of said rod upstanding from the pivotal connection of said rod to said shelf and accessible to the user of the wall shelf to cause pivotal movement of said rod out of the transverse leg of said L-shaped slot.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 4,503,690 8/1924 Kroschel 10833 1,634,294 7/1927 McGowan l08133 XR 2,882,004 4/ 1959 Leishman. 2,967,077 1/1961 Suben 108-135 3,129,676 4/1964 Brooks, et al. 10833 BOBBY R. GAY, Primary Examiner.

GLENN 0. PIN CH, Assistant Examiner,

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