Improvement in Drop Cabinets for Sewing and similar Small Machines.
Year: 1889

page_text: Improvement in Drop Cabinets for Sewing and similar Small
Machines.
I, EDWARD WARREN ROWLEY, a citizen of the United States residing at No. 757
Main Street in the City of Hartford, County of Hartford and State of Connecticut,
in said United States, gentleman, 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 :—
The objects of my invention are to provide a drop cabinet having a door which
has a series of drawers secured to its inner side, and which door carrying the
drawers with it can be turned through three-quarters of a circle, so as to bring the
ends of the drawers to the front of the cabinet and thus adapt the drawers to be
used when the door is open or closed, and to provide the cabinet with a spring-
actuated platform which will automatically rise into position as soon as the end-wise
moving slide which closes the opening through the top of the cabinet is moved to one
side.
In the accompanying drawings-
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the cabinet closed.
Figure 2 is a similar view of the same, showing the cabinet open.
Figure 3 is a front view of the cabinet, the front part of the frame being removed
so as to show the internal parts.
Figures 4 and 5 are detail views.
A represents the frame of the cabinet, which has a suitable opening through its
top which is closed by the endwise-moving slide B. This slide is only partly as.
wide as the top of the cabinet, and it is dovetailed in position as shown, so that it
can be moved freely back and forth without becoming displaced. When this slide
is in position, as shown in. figure 1, its inner end rests against the stationary top
piece D-but when the slide is moved outward a sufficient space is left between the
inner ends of the parts B and D to allow the platform or shelf C to rise into position
carrying the sewing machine, type-writer, or any other piece of mechanisin which
is placed upon its top. Before the slide B can be returned to position after having
been opened the shelf must be depressed, as shown in figure 3 in dotted lines..

page_text: The front of the cabinet is closed by the door E, which is pivoted at its outer
corners, so that it can be turned freely through three-quarters of a circle 'and' be
moved from the position shown in figure 1 around so as to rest directly against the
end of the cabinet, as shown in figure 2. Secured to the inner side of this door E
and extending in a line therewith, as shown by dotted lines, are the drawers F, which
always move with the door E. A portion of the end of the frame-work is cut away,
as shown in figure 1, just equal to the width of the outer ends of the drawers F, and
when the door E is closed these drawers close the cut away portion of the frame, as
shown. When the door is closed, these drawers have their outer ends extending in
a line with the end of the cabinet, so that they can be freely opened when the door is
closed, and when the door is opened these drawers F' are also swung around through
three-quarters of a circle, so that their front ends are in a line with the front sides
of the cabinet and can be freely used by the operator without having to move from
. his or her seat.
Heretofore drawers have been attached to the inner side of a cabinet-door, but in
such a manner that access can only be had to the drawers by opening the door so
as to swing the front ends of the drawers around into position where they can be
reached. My invention differs from this in cutting away a portion of one end of
the frame and attaching the drawers to the inner side of the door in such manner
that when the door is closed the outer ends of the drawers project through this
cut-away portion, and hence can be as freely reached when the door is closed, as
shown in figure 1, as when the door is opened, as shown in figure 2. After the
drawers F have been swung around so as to extend in a line with the end of the
cabinet, they form a support for the slide B, and thus the slide can be used as an
extension-table without any fear of its being broken down by the articles placed upon
its top.
Extending horizontally through the top portion of the cabinet is the rod G, which
has its ends held in a suitable metallic frame, H, secured to the inner side of the
cabinet, and upon which the shelf C is supported by means of the arms I. The
metallic frame fits snugly inside of the cabinet, as shown in figure 3, both for
the purpose of bracing the cabinet and to support the operating parts. These armis
are placed loosely upon the rod G, so that the shelf can freely move through a
portion of a circle, and applied to the under side of the shelf..C are the ends of the
spring J, which is coiled around the rod G, as shown. Upon the rod midway between
the two arms I is placed an adjustable collar, L, which has a recess formed in one
side, and which collar is held in any desired position by means of a set-screw, N.
The central portion of the spring J catches in the recess which is made in one side
of the collar L, and the spring is coiled around the rod G in opposite directions, as
shown in figure 3, so that the ends of the spring will exert their tension in. lifting
the shelf C into position when the shelf is left free to move. As the collar L can be
freely turned upon the rod G, the tension of the spring can be increased or
diminished at will according to the weight of the machine which is to be placed
upon the shelf. Of course the heavier the machine the more the collar L is turned
backward upon the shaft G, so as to increase the tension of the spring, and the
reverse, the ends of the spring exerting a constant prossure upward against the
shelf, C.
As soon as the slide B is drawn outward, as shown in figure 2, the shelf
moves up into position and forms a part of the top of the table.
The metallic frame H which extends down through the cabinet, has a treadle, 0,
pivoted or journaled in its lower portion, and connected to this treadle O is the
rod P, which is attached at its upper end to the crank on the driving wheel Q
Upon the rod G is placed the loosely-revolving sleeve R, and upon each end of this
sleeve is placed a pulley, ST. A belt extends from the driving wheel Qaround the
pulley S and imparts a rotary motion to the sleeve R and pulley T, and from this
pulley extends a belt, which may be used in driving a sewing or any other machine
which may be placed upon the shelf C. In case a type-writer or other machine is
used and which is not driven by a treadle, there will be no necessity for the treadle O,
driving wheel, and sleeve and its pulleys, for these will not be brought into play.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is-
1. In a cabinet, the combination of the slide B, the shaft G, the spring J, placed
upon the shaft, the arms I, pivoted upon the shaft and operated by the spring, the
platform C, secured to the arms, an adjusting device for regulating the tension of the
spring placed upon the shaft, and means for securing it in position, substantially as
shown.
2. In a cabinet, the combination of the metallic frame placed inside of the cabinet
so as to strengthen it and support the operating parts, the treadle O, the connecting-
rod P, the wheel Q, the sleeve R, provided with the pulleys S T, the shaft G upon
which the sleeve is placed, and drop-platform pivoted to the shaft, substantially as
shown.
3. The combination of a cabinet having a portion of one of its ends cut away with
the door E, and the drawers F, which are secured to the inner side of the door, in a
line therewith, the door and drawers being adapted to be swung through three-
fourths of a circle, and the outer ends of the drawers being made to close the
opening in the end of the frame when the door is closed, whereby the drawers can
be operated without having to open the door, substantially as shown.
Dated at Hartford. Connecticut. this 31st day of December A. D. 1888.