Improvements relating to Vertical and Angular Adjustments for the Supports of Tables, Bed Tables, Desks, and other articles.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Aug., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 20th Apr., 1893-Accepted, 10th June, 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to Vertical and Angular Adjustments for the
Supports of Tables, Bed Tables, Desks, and other articles.
I, ALFRED WAHL of Munich, Prannerstrasse 13, in the Empire of Germany
Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to tables and more particularly to those called bed tables
and consists in vertical and inclined adjustments suitable to be applied thereto or
to other forms of tables or desks or generally to all supporting frames or stands
which are required either to be extensible vertically or to be inclined more or less
at their upper or other supporting platform.
The object of the invention is to provide first a telescopically extending support
which will be automatically fixed and remain inextensible and incompressible
when released at any position of its height until again mauipulated for altering the
adjustment.
The support comprises a tubular socket and a plunger rod or tube sliding therein
each of these is of convenient length and on the plunger is the automatic fixing
contrivance which comprises two cones, arranged on the same axial line with the
plunger, the one cone being contrary in direction to the one; around these cones is
a ring or rings with holes or passages within which are balls or small rollers
according to the shape of section of the socket and of the plunger, a rod extends
upward within the plunger and is connected at the upper end to an annular holder
which surrounds the plunger and has a small amount of longitudinal play of
movement thereon. This rod is connected either to the ring or rings or to the
cones or one of them so that the one or other of these parts may be moved by
movement of the holder by hand so as to release the device and suffer the plunger
to be moved freely up or down. On releasing the holder and consequently the
plunger, the ring or rings or the cone or cones move (preferably by assistance of
a spring or springs) so that the balls or rollers move between the cones and the
cylindrical inner surface of the socket which prevents the plunger from moving
further either upwards or downwards. Presuming the socket and plunger to be
cylindrical and not prismatic (in which case pyramids would replace the cones),
the fixing in a longitudinal direction does not prevent rotary movement of the
plunger in the socket.
It is obvious that this automatic contrivance may be applied to any telescopically
extensible system.
A further object of the invention is to provide for convenient adjustment
of a table or desk which may be inclined for a desired angle from its usual
horizontal plane.
On the pivotal centre of the support which carries the said table or desk is a
toothed sector fixed and under the table extending to its front edge is a pivoted
lever the further end of which carries a tooth which may engage between any two
teeth of the sector. A spring presses the lever so that the tooth remains engaged
except when the lever is pressed down to release the tooth for moving the table.
A second lever bears on the first and extends to the other edge of the table which
is therefore reversible.
For bed tables which may be conveniently provided with the two aforesaid
adjustments it is preferable to prevent too great a swinging movement since if
the table, which usually projects to a great distance on one side of its support, is
swung from over the elongated base formed by the greater lengthening of one of
the legs of the support, the table may be upset. For this purpose in the head of
the socket is a rotary collar with a groove in which a feather on the plunger

page_text: engages the plunger can therefore slide in the collar by its rotary movement
is limited by that allowed to the collar which is limited by a pin and slot.
Dated this 3rd day of August 1802
HERBERT & Co.,
Agents to Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to Vertical and Angular Adjustments for the
Supports of Tables, Bed Tables, Desks, and other articles.
I ALFRED WAHL of Munich, Prannerstrasse 13 in the Empire of Germany
Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :-
This invention relates to tables and more particularly to those called bed tables
and consists in vertical and inclined adjustments suitable to be applied thereto or
to other forms of tables or desks or generally to all supporting frames or stands
which are required either to be extensible vertically or to be inclined more or less
at their upper or other supporting platform.
The object of the invention is to provide first a telescopically extending
support which will be automatically fixed and remain inextensible and incompressible
when released at any position of its height until again manipulated for altering the
adjustment.
The support comprises a tubular socket and a plunger rod or tube sliding therein.
Each of these is of convenient length and on the plunger is the automatic fixing
contrivance which comprises two cones arranged on the same axial line with the
plunger, the one cone being contrary in direction to the other, around these cones
is a ring or rings with holes or passages within which are balls or small rollers
according to the shape of section of the socket and of the plunger, a rod extends
upward within the plunger and is connected at the upper end to an annular holder
which surrounds the plunger and has a small amount of longitudinal play of move-
ment thereon.
This rod is connected either to the ring or rings or to the cones or one of them
so that the one or other of these parts may be moved by movement of the holder by
hand so as to release the device and suffer the plunger to be moved freely up or
down. On releasing the holder and consequently the plunger, the ring or rings or
the cone or cones move (preferably by assistance of a spring or springs) so that the
balls or rollers move between the cones and the cylindrical inner surface of the
socket which prevents the plunger from moving further either upwards or down-
wards. Presuming the socket and plunger to be cylindrical and not prismatic (in
which case pyramids would replace the cones) the fixing in a longitudinal direction
does not prevent rotary movement of the plunger in the socket.
It is obvious that this automatic contrivance may be applied to any telescopically
extensible system.
A further object of the invention is to provide for convenient adjustment of a
table or desk which may be inclined for a desired angle from its usual horizontal
plane.
On the pivotal centre of the support which carries the said table or desk is a
toothed sector fixed, and under the table, extending to its front edge is a pivoted
lever the further end of which carries a tooth which may engage between any two
teeth of the sector. A spring presses the lever so that the tooth remains engaged
except when the lever is pressed down to release the tooth for moving the table.
A second lever bears on the first and extends to the other edge of the table which
is therefore reversible.
For bed tables which may be conveniently provided with the two aforesaid
adjustments it is preferable to prevent too great a swinging movement since if the

page_text: table, which usually projects to a great distance on one side of its support, is swung
from over the elongated base formed by the greater lengthening of one of the legs
of the support, the table may be upset.
For this purpose in the head of the socket is a rotary collar with a groove in
which a feather on the plunger engages; the plunger can therefore slide in the
collar, but its rotary movement is limited by that allowed to the collar which is
limited by a pin and slot.
To further illustrate the construction reference may be had to the annexed
drawings in which
Fig. 1 is an elevational section of a table or desk and its support.
Fig. 1 a detached part thereof.
Fig. 2 a cross section on the line I I, Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 a cross section on the
line II, II Fig. 1.
Fig. 4 is a diagramatic plan view, while the sections represented by Figs. 5 to 13
show the automatic fixing arrangement in detail and in various modifications.
The tube A forms the guide for the tube or plunger B the latter having on its
under end the device serving for the automatic adjustment. This contrivance
(Fig. 1) consists of a double cone C which is perforated along its longitudinal axis
and is provided with a cross slit g and about which cone the two loosely movable
rings D1 and D2 carrying the balls or rollers are arranged and pressed asunder by
the spring E.
The releasing bar E provided with two cross pins S₁ and S' is arranged as shown
so that on pressing down this bar in the tube or carrier B the pin S' presses upon
the ring Di and the balls in the latter are displaced so that the tube B may be
lowered within A. If on the other hand the releasing bar E is lifted, the releasing
of the balls of the ring D² takes place in the same manner, so that the tube or
carrier B may then be lifted.
To easily effect the displacing of the releasing bar E from outside, various
arrangements may of course be made. Such arrangement is shown in Fig. 1 where
over the carrier B the easily displacable ring G is arranged which is connected
with the releasing bar E by means of a pin x movable in slots in the tube B.
Fig. 5 represents both ball systems bedded in one and the same ring the latter
acted upon by the ring spring F sliding in the wall of the tube A.
Fig. 6 shows the same construction but with the difference of only one ball system
being applied for fixing in both directions.
Fig. 7 shows likewise both ball systems combined in one ring with the difference
that here the form of the double cone is inverted.
Fig. 8 represents a combination of the constructions shown in Figs. 1 and 7 since
here as in Fig. 1 each ball system is arranged in a separate ring whilst the double
cone is shaped as in Fig. 7, consequently there are two springs F and F but only
one cross pin g for releasing on the bar E.
The constructions shown in Figs. 9, 10 and 11 differ from those above described
so far that instead of one double cone two separate cones are employed. These are
connected the one with the plunger B, the other with the rod E either as shown in
Figs. 9 and 10 pressed by the spring F towards one another or as shown in Fig. 11
pressed asunder, however always with the tendency to squeeze the balls between
the cone surfaces and the tube A. Here the releasing is effected at the same time
in both directions, namely in Figs. 9 and 10 by lowering and in Fig. 11 by lifting
the bar E.
In Figs. 12 and 13. the construction is further modified, the cones being freely
displacable upon the releasing bar E.
The balls are bedded here in holes of the tube B. so that the cones press between
the balls and the latter against the wall A.
The releasing bar has either two crossheads or only one in the middle so
that on displacing in an upward or downward direction, the releasing is effected
thereby.
Where the bed table is made as shown in Fig. 14 upon a pedestal frame, the oue

page_text: leg of which is prolonged it is necessary in order to prevent a falling over of the
table when turned, to limit this capability of turning so that the centre of gravity
always remains within the base formed by the feet of the frame.
For this purpose the tube B is provided (as shown in Fig. 3) with a rib-t or
groove or any device of other than circular cross section on which the ring K
turnably fixed within the capsule H is adapted, so that the tube B may be easily
drawn through this ring. The ring K now is provided with a notch n in which the
pin i engages thus allowing the ring and consequently the tube B only a limited
amount of rotary movement. The set screw L serves to totally prevent the turning
if desired.
To alter the angle of inclination of the table top to any desired position the
preferably forked shaped bracket M upon which the table top is fixed is journalled
by means of the axle pin O on the fixed portion N the latter having its semicircular
periphery toothed or perforated (as in Fig. 1 or 1^) the lever R' movably connected
to a pin p of the table plate.
This lever actuated by the spring T catches with its nose or pin V into the
intervals or holes in the part N and thus fixes the table top at the desired
angle.
This releasing may also be effected from the opposite side by means of
lever R².
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is.
1. In two telescopically sliding members of a frame, a longitudinal adjustment
consisting in two oppositely directed cones and a system or systems of balls or
rollers adapted to be squeezed between the said cones and the side walls and thus
maintain the system against either extension or compression.
2. The combination with cones and systems of balls or rollers adapted to fix the
relative movement of two telescopically movable members of a frame, of a releasing
bar with cross heads or otherwise adapted to move either the cones or the systems
of balls or rollers so as to free the latter and suffer the member to be moved.
3. In a stand intended to support an object capable of a limited circular move-
ment, the combination with the tube A and tube or bar B of the ring K with
notch pin and rib or equivalent t for the purpose set forth.
4. In a stand intended to support an object capable of limited angular adjustment,
the combination with the stand of a fixed segment N at the centre of which the
object is pivoted by means of a bracket M and a lever R' with nose V adapted
to engage in recesses or perforations in the segment substantially as set forth.
5. A supporting stand having the adjustments herein described.
Dated this 20th day of April 1893.
HERBERT & Co.,
18, Buckingham Street, Strand, London, W.C., Agents to Applicant.