Improvements in Desks.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Aug., 1897-Accepted, 18th Sept., 1897
COMEDIN DIMOITICATION.
Improvements in Desks.
We, HORACE DAVID HERMANY, Physician, of Long Street, Philadelphia, and
JOHN ISETT MATHIAS, Agent, of Mahanoy City, County of Schuylkill, both in
Pennsylvania, U.S.A., 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 desks having movable pigeon holes and mechanism for
raising and lowering the same and means for holding the pigeon holes in an
elevated position and a counterbalance therefor. It further consists in providing
the desk with mechanism for locking the drawers of the pigeon holes and in other
novel features of construction.
Referring to the accompanying drawing :-
Figure 1 is a plan view of a desk embodying the invention, the top thereof
being removed and the central drawer being partially opened for clearness of
illustration.
Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the desk with the back thereof removed for the
purpose of showing the interior. Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of a portion of the
back of the desk, showing the counterbalancing devices for the pigeonholes and
their adjuncts. Fig. 4 is a section on line xx, Fig. 1, showing specially the
counterbalancing devices and the means for raising the pigeonholes into elevated
position. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a portion of the centrally located drawer
employed and its adjuncts, showing the means for locking the desk. Fig. 6 is a
side elevation of a portion of the counterbalancing mechanism. Fig. 7 is a
perspective view of one of the detachable weights employed.
Referring to the drawings, 1 is a desk, the same consisting of the back 2, the
sides 3, and the top 4, all of which may be removable according to requirements.
5 is a front wall of the desk, on each side of which are the series of drawers 6,
between which the knees and feet of the user can rest, as is customary, the
drawers 6 being locked and unlocked by a single movement, as will be now
explained, the mechanism for locking and unlocking the drawers on each side
being alike.
7 is an upright bar which is provided in its lower portion with a slot 10; which
is of uniform width and has passing through it the pin or stud 8, which latter
is secured to the wall 9, which is stationary.
Each rear wall of teach drawer 6 is provided with a pin 11, which passes through
the contiguous slot 12, which is located in the bar 7 at the rear of the drawer 6,
each of said slots having an enlarged portion 13, through which the head of the
pin 11 can freely pass when said head and enlarged portion are in alignment, the
drawers in Fig. 2 being seen in locked position.
14 is a spring or similar device which has one end attached to a suitable portion
of the desk, while its free end bears upon the top of the bar 7, thereby always
exerting a tendency to move said bar downwardly, so that the openings 13 and
heads of pins 11 will normally be in alinement and the drawers unlocked.
15 (See Fig. 5) is a lever which is fulcrumed at 16 to the wall 5 and has one

page_text: end 17 pivoted to the bar 7, the other extremity of said lever being bent at an
angle thereto, thereby forming the member 18, which is provided with a beveled
or chamfered portion 19, which is adapted to be engaged by the inclined portion 20
when the central drawer 21 is moved into closed position, as seen in Fig. 4, the
relative position of the parts being understood from Fig. 5, and the said drawer
being supported on the shelf 22.
23 are pins, two in number in the present instance, which project rearwardly
from said drawer and are adapted to engage the sockets 24, which are attached to
the top 25 of the nest of pigeon holes 26, the latter being provided with front and
rear walls and a base 27, which may be in substantial alinement with the top. 4
when said nest of pigeon holes are in elevated position, as indicated in dotted lines
in Fig. 4.
28 is a slot in the shelf or support 22, through which passes a portion of the
button 29, the latter entering the bar 30, which is supported on said shelf and
which moves in suitable bearings and has pivoted thereto at 31 one end of each of
the levers 32, which are fulcrumed at 33 on a suitable support, while the other
ends 34 are pivotally attached to the latches 35, which are adapted to be moved
under the base 27 when the pigeon holes 26 are in their elevated position, as
indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 4, the said latches 35 being thus moved in or
out by moving the button 29 in its slot 28.
36 is a bar or partition which may or may not be employed, and which in the
present instance divides the drawer 21 into two compartments, said bar having
attached thereto one end of the chain or connection 37, which passes over the
roller 38 and thence downwardly to the block 39.
40 are chains or connections which have each an end attached to said block 39,
while their other ends pass under the roller 41, and thence around the drums 42,
said chains being connected to the drums 42 at the points 43.
44 is a shaft, upon which said drums are mounted, said shaft having also
mounted in each extremity thereof the pinions 45 and being provided with
suitable bearings in the standards 46.
47 is a rack whose teeth are adapted to engage with the pinion 45, said rack
being attached to a bar 48, which is bent, as indicated dotted in Fig. 1, said
bar 48 having near its extremity a deflected portion 50, which passes through the
slot 51 in the lower molding 52 and has a foot piece or treadle 53 attached
thereto, as will be understood from Figs. 1 and 4.
54 is a chain or other connection attached to the enlarged drum 54 at the
point 55, said connection passing under the roller 55, which is journaled upon
any suitable support, and thence upwardly, where it is connected with the bar 56,
which is located in the rear of the desk.
57 are chains which are attached to the ends of the bar 56 and pass over the
rollers 58, which are mounted in suitable hangers 59, which are attached to any
convenient portion of the sides 2 of the desk, said chains 57 passing thence down-
wardly and being attached in the present instance to the strips 60, (see Fig. 3),
which are attached by screws, nails, or pins or in any suitable manner to the
nest of pigeon holes 26, the point of attachment of said chain 57 being evident
from the left end portion of Fig. 3, it having been omitted from the other figures
for the sake of clearness of illustration.
61 is a chain (Fig. 2) or other connection which has one end attached to the
above mentioned strip 60, while its other end passes upwardly between the arms
of the bracket or hanger 62 and thence over the pulley or sprocket wheel 63,
which is journaled therein, the other end of said connection being connected to
the bar or weight 64, as is best seen in Figs. 2 and 6.
The preferred construction of said weight or counterbalancing device is in-
dicated in said last mentioned figure, in which the weight 64 is provided with the
depending rods 65, which are attached to the bar 66, upon which the weights 67
are adapted to be supported in any convenient manner.
In Fig. 3 the extremities of the bar 56 are shown also provided with depending

page_text: rods 56, which are connected with the lower strip of bar 56, upon which the
weights 67 are adapted to be superimposed according to requirements.
The operation is as follows: When it is desired to use the desk as a flat top
desk, the parts are caused to assume the position seen in full lines Fig. 4. When,
however, it is desired to use the pigeon holes 26, it is only necessary for the user
to depress the bar 48 by placing the foot upon the treadle 53, whereby the
drum 42 will be caused to revolve, and by following out the direction of rotation
and the trains of weights or counterbalances it will be seen that a downward pull
will be exerted upon the connection 54, and the nest of pigeon holes 26 will be
instantly raised. The same effect is produced by pulling the drawer 21 outwardly,
as will be evident from Figs. 1 and 4, it being seen that a pull will be exerted
upon the connection 37, which will cause the drums 42 and 54 to rotate in the
direction indicated, thereby raising the pigeon holes as described, a slight down-
ward pressure on the latter causing them to move into concealed position.
When the drawer 21 is in closed position, the contact of the parts 20 and 19
will cause the end 17 of the lever 15 to be raised, thereby pulling the bars 7 up-
wardly into the position seen in Fig. 2, wherefrom it will be apparent that since
the drawers are closed and the heads of the pins 11 are out of alignment with
the enlarged openings 13 said drawers 6 cannot be opened until the drawer 21
is opened, whereupon the parts 19 and 20 are disengaged, and the tendency of the
springs 14 will be to press the bars 7 downwardly, and the heads of the pins 11
and the enlarged portions 13 of the slots 12 will then be in alignment, and the
drawers can be readily opened. The nests of pigeon holes 26 can be readily
supported in the position indicated in dotted lines by proper manipulation of the
button 29, as has been explained, said movement causing the latches 35 to move
under the base 27 and thus support the same until the button is moved in the
opposite direction, the movement of said latches being evident by following out
the connections seen in the plan view in Fig. 1.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said In-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is::
1. A desk having movable pigeon holes, mechanism for raising and lowering
said pigeon holes, means for operating said mechanism, a counterbalance for said
pigeon holes, a drawer having connection with said raising and lowering
mechanism, and movable supports for said pigeon holes when in elevated position.
2. A flat top desk, having movable pigeon holes in the rear portion thereof,
connections from said pigeon holes to a system of counterbalances, connections
from the latter to a drum, a shaft upon which said drum is mounted, pinions
carried by said shaft, a rack adapted to engage said pinions, connections from said
rack to a treadle, a drawer supported within the desk and connections from said
drawer to said drum.
3. A desk having movable pigeon holes, a drawer, a drum mounted in said
desk and having chain connections with said pigeon holes and drawer, gearing
connected with said drum and a lever and treadle for operating said gearing
4. A desk having movable pigeon holes, a drawer with mechanism for raising
or lowering said pigeon holes, means with operating mechanism for supporting
said pigeon holes in raised position, and counterbalance-weights connected with
said pigeon holes and with said raising and lowering mechanism.
5. A desk having movable pigeon holes, a drawer, drums mounted in said desk,
the chain 37 passing over the roller 38, the block 39 connected with the lower end
of said chain, a chain 40 connected with each of said drums, pinions secured on the
shaft of the said drums, and a bar with a rack at one end engaging said pinion
and a treadle on the other end.
6. A desk having pigeon holes in its rear portion, a drawer having thereon
means for locking said pigeon holes when in depressed position, and connections
from said drawer for raising and lowering said pigeon holes,

page_text: 7. A desk having movable pigeon holes, a drawer, mechanism, for raising and
lowering said pigeon holes, the strip 60 connected with said pigeon holes, the
bar 56 having the chains 57 connected with its ends and passing over the pulley 58,
and connected with the strip 60, the depending rods 56 with cross bar 50**
carrying weights, and the chain 54 connecting said bar 56, and a drum of said
raising and lowering mechanism.
8. A desk having movable pigeon holes, mechanism connected with a treadle for
raising and lowering said set, a counter balance for said pigeon holes, a drawer
having flexible connections with said raising and lowering mechanism, and
movable supports for said pigcon holes when in elevated position.
9. A desk having a drawer and on each side thereof side drawers, bars guided
on the wall of said desk, mechanism connected with said bars and engaged by
said first mentioned drawer for locking and unlocking simultaneously said side
drawers, in combination with pigeon holes in said desk, mechanism for raising
and lowering said pigeon holes, means for operating said mechanism a counter-
balance for said pigeon holes, movable supports for said pigeon holes, when in
elevated position, and means on said first mentioned drawer for locking said
pigeon holes, when in depressed position.
Doted this 7th day of August 1897
THOMAS R. SHILLITO,
89 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicants.