Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
1133~178
The present invention relates to a table.
One object of the present invention is to cause a synchronizing
action between all screws used in raising and lowering the table top to
a predetermined position and having the top surface in one and the same
plane, usually the horizontal position.
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is
provided a table having a table top which is selectively ascendable and
descendable and having a table support, said table support comprising:
a first member, said first member being attached to the under side of said
table top, and said first member including: a plurality of shaft members,
each of said shaft members having a tenon projecting outwardly from said
first member; a plurality of sprockets, each of said sprockets being
mounted on one of said shaft members, and at least one of said shaft members
having a plurality of sprockets mounted thereon; a plurality of chain
members, each of said chain members mechanically coupling one of said
sprockets mounted on one of said shaft members to another of said sprockets
mounted on another of said shaft members, such that each of said chain
members mechanically couples only two of said sprockets; and actuating
means for selectively rotating one of said plurality of shaft members,
wherein when said one of said plurality of shaft members is selectively
rotated, said plurality of sprockets and said plurality of chain members
cooperating such that the tenons included on said plurality of shaft members
rotate in synchronism in the same direction; and a side member, said side
member including: a plurality of screw members, each of said screw members
being threadedly engaged with said side member, and each of said screw
members having means for receiving the tenon included on one of said
plurality of shaft members, such that each of said screw members rotates
in unison with the tenon received by said screw member; whereby when said
,, .......................... `~
. :: , - ,.- . . :
~3~78
actuating means selectively rotates the one of said plurality of shaft
members in a first direction, said plurality of screw members rotate in
synchronism in said first direction, thereby causing said table top to
ascend, and further whereby when said actuating means selectively rotates
the one of said plurality of shaft members in a second direction, said
plurality of screw members rotate in synchronism in said second direction,
thereby causing said table top to descend.
One embodiment having the novel features of the present invention
will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the attached
drawing in which:
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a table top support,
Fig. 2 is a cut sectional fragmentary view through the front part
of a table and
Fig. 3 is a side elevation view showing a foot attached to the
lowermost part of the support.
A table 1 has a table top la. This table top la is supported by
a support constructed according to the present invention. The support
consists of a plurality of parts, which may be caused to cooperate with
each other in a simple manner. One part of the support has been given
the reference numeral 10 and is intended to be attached to the under surface
of the table top la. This first part 10 consists of a rear beam 10a, a
front beam 10b, arranged parallel to each other, and these beams are joined
to two side beams 10c and 10d.
The parts 10a, 10b, lOc and 10d are, as all other parts of the support,
hollo~, and in the drawings are illustrated as square beams with a square
hollow interior.
The first part 10 includes, within its interior space, a first
sprocket, the end portion of the shaft member of which has a tenon arranged
. .
,
,
.' ' ', '``
~3L33~
outside the part 10 and which has been given the reference numeral lOe.
This sprocket is connected to a second sprocket by a chain arrangement, the
tenon of said second sprocket having the reference numeral lOf. The shaft
for the second sprocket has a further sprocket whichl via a further chain
through the beam lOb cooperates with an upper sprocket attached to tenon
lOg, a lower sprocket cooperating via a chain inside the beam lOd with a
sprocket attached to a ten~l lOh.
By the aid of these sprocket arrangements in the corner portions oE
the first part of said support construction 10 and the intermediate chains,
it is possible to turn only one of the shaft members and cause a synchronous
movement of the tenons lOe, lOf, lOg and lOh projecting outside said first
part 10. It is suitable for the invention that all sprockets have the same
number of teeth and the screws have the same pitch.
In Fig. 2 a handle 2 is shown which can turn the tenon lOg either
in one or the opposite direction. This handle may be substituted by a crank
acting directly on the upper surface of the screw 8.
The support according to the present invention consists of a second
and a third part, only one of which is shown in Fig. 1, and has been given
the reference numeral 20. This part constitutes one side portion and con-
sists of a unit having a horizontal beam 20a, intended to face or cooperate
with the beam lOd. The side portion has two vertical beams 20c and 20d, the
beam 20c being the front beam. It should be mentioned that beam 20a
projects further than beam 20b and the projecting portion has the reference
numeral 20a.
In order to obtain a rigid cooperation between two side portions
there is provided a number of beams 41, 42, 43 and 44. These beams are
attached by screws 41a, 42a, 43a and 44a to said side portion 20.
.~
~33~
Because of the fact that the sprocket arrangement for each corner
in the first part 10 is identical, apart from the modification in the corner
between the beams lOb and lOd, just this part has been shown in Fig. 2.
In Fig. 2 it is shown that a chain arrangement 3 connects a sprocket
(not shown) on a shaft having tenon lOf to a sprocket 4 attached to the
shaft 5. This shaft 5 having tenon lOg cooperates with a further sprocket
6, which via a chain 7 cooperates with a sprocket attached to the shaft
having the tenon lOh. By turning the shaft 5 in one of two directions all
the tenons lOe, lOf, lOg and lOh will turn in the same manner.
To shaft 5 is attached the handle 2, the mechanical construction
of which is previously known and does not constitute any part of this
invention. It can be noted that the turning of said handle 2 in one
direction causes the shaft to turn in ~he same manner, but the handle may
be moved in the opposite direction without causing any turning of the shaft
5. The mechanism may be adjusted for opposite action.
It is essential for the present invention that each shaft 5 has a
device, a tenon lOg for example, which may cooperate with a corresponding
device, such as a hole 8a, formed in the uppermost part of each screw 8.
The screw 8 with its thread cooperates with a screw bushing 9 secured to
the interior of the beam 20c. The tenon lOg may have an irregular form and
may have a regular hexagonal form, to correspond to the cross-section of
the hole 8a and thus a stable connection is established between the shaft
5 and the screw 8. The present invention could have a circular tenon and
a circular hole and a screw 50 arranged radially. This screw 50 prevents
the shaft 5 from disengaging the hole 8a by a vertical lifting movement of
the table top.
All the other tenons lOe, lOf and lOh are constructed in exactly
:
~133978
the same manner as illustrated in Fig. 2, with the exception that the
shafts for tenons lOe and lOh have only one sprocket and one chain.
From Fig. 2 it is obv;ous that upon turning of the handle in one
of two directionsl the rotation of the shaft 5 will cause a corresponding
rotation to the screw 8 and thus the tahle top la ascends or descends. The
tenon lOh coacts with a screw 8'.
With reference to Fig. 3 the lower front part 20a' of the side
portion 20 is shown. Fig. 3 shows that it has an adjustable foot 31 having
a thread 32 coacting with a corresponding thread in a bushing 33, which is
secured to the support. By this arrangement it is possible to turn the foot
31 in such a manner that the support rests firmly on the floor 30.
The invention is not restricted to the shown embodiment but can be
modified within the scope of the claims. Thus it should be mentioned that
the part 10 may be built into the table top la.
~ . .
~ ~ -5-
.. ., ~
