US3862789A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Suspended pedestal desk
Assignee: Steelcase Inc
•
Filing: 1973-06-01
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Granted: 1975-01-28
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Expires: 1993-06-01
Abstract
Abstract A desk in which drawer units are suspended at the rear from the desk top by means of a hanger on the rear of the drawer unit which engages a rail assembly depending downwardly from the rear of the desk top. At the front, the pedestal is bolted to the desk top by bolts passing through resiliently compressible spacer washers and into the top. The top can be tilted and the rail assembly includes both top and bottom rails. The hanger hangs in the top rail when the desk top is level and in the bottom rail when the desk top is tilted. In this way, the drawer unit is generally horizontal regardless of the orientation of the top.
Inventors
- 👤 Donald D Korell
- 👤 Gale F Wilcox
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 08:12
CPC Classifications
A; A47; A47B; A47B17/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 28
Claim 1
Independent Claim
177 words
An article of furniture such as a desk, credenza or the like comprising: a top; a top rail positioned underneath said top, generally at the rear thereof; a component such as a pedestal or the like, said component including a hanger generally at the rear thereof; securing means generally at the front of said top and said component for supporting said component at the front of said article of furniture; means attached to said top for adjusting the angle of orientation of said top so that it slopes downwardly from rear to front; a lower rail depending downwardly from said top generally at the rear thereof; said hanger releasably engaging one of said top rails and said lower rail whereby when said top is oriented generally horizontally, said component is supported at its rear in said top rail and whereby when said top is tilted, said hanger of said component can be removed from said top rail and engaged in said lower rail, thereby maintaining said component in a generally horizontal orientation while said top is tilted.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
177 words
An article of furniture such as a desk, credenza or the like comprising: a top; a top rail positioned underneath said top, generally at the rear thereof; a component such as a pedestal or the like, said component including a hanger generally at the rear thereof; securing means generally at the front of said top and said component for supporting said component at the front of said article of furniture; means attached to said top for adjusting the angle of orientation of said top so that it slopes downwardly from rear to front; a lower rail depending downwardly from said top generally at the rear thereof; said hanger releasably engaging one of said top rails and said lower rail whereby when said top is oriented generally horizontally, said component is supported at its rear in said top rail and whereby when said top is tilted, said hanger of said component can be removed from said top rail and engaged in said lower rail, thereby maintaining said component in a generally horizontal orientation while said top is tilted.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
97 words
The article of furniture of claim 1 in which said hanger slidably engages either of said rails when said component hangs on said rail, tilted slightly forwardly and downwardly, and can be slid along said rail until said securing means are secured; engageable locking means on each said rail and on said component, said locking means engaging when the front of said component is raised up and secured by said securing means whereby the rear of said component will be locked against sliding movement with respect to either of said rails when said securing means are secured.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
49 words
The article of furniture of claim 2 in which said engageable locking means comprises a detent on said hanger and a keeper on each said rail; said detent and said keeper being spaced sufficiently far apart that they do not engage when said component is tilted forwardly and downwardly.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
34 words
The article of furniture of claim 3 in which said detent comprises a tab projecting rearwardly from said hanger and said keeper comprises a slot in each said rail adapted to receive said tab.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
59 words
The article of furniture of claim 4 in which said supporting means include fastening means generally at the front of said component for joining said component to said top and resiliently compressible spacer means associated with said fastening means to insure a secure fit between said component and said top regardless of the angle of orientation of said top.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
73 words
The article of furniture of claim 5 in which said spacer means comprises at least two spaced resiliently compressible spacers; said fastening means comprising a separate progressive tightening fastener associated with each said spacer and securing said component to said top, each said fastener being individually progressively tightenable whereby said spacers can be differentially compressed and said component thereby properly vertically aligned with respect to adjacent top support means, components or the like.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
35 words
The article of furniture of claim 6 in which said progressive tightening fastening means comprise bolts; said spacers comprising resiliently comPressible washers, said bolts passing through said components, through said washers and into said top.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
121 words
The article of furniture of claim 2 in which said rail is generally J-shaped in cross-section, having a back wall, a bottom wall and a hook wall projecting upwardly from said bottom wall; said hanger including a rearwardly projecting wall and a downwardly projecting lip for engaging said hook wall of said rail when said component is being supported only on said rail; said engageable locking means comprising a detent projecting rearwardly from said hanger beyond said lip toward said back wall of said rail and comprising a keeper on said back wall of said rail for receiving said detent; said detent and said keeper being spaced sufficiently far apart that they do not engage when said component is tilted forwardly.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
37 words
The article of furniture of claim 8 in which said detent comprises a tab projecting rearwardly from said hanger and said keeper comprises a slot in said back wall of said rail adapted to receive said tab.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
54 words
The article of furniture of claim 9 in which said tab is at least as long as said bottom wall of said rail is deep whereby when the front of said component is lifted upwardly for securing to said top by said securing means, said tab will definitely be forced into its receiving slot.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
59 words
The article of furniture of claim 8 in which said supporting means include fastening means generally at the front of said component for joining said component to said top and resiliently compressible spacer means associated with said fastening means to insure a secure fit between said component and said top regardless of the angle of orientation of said top.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
75 words
The article of furniture of claim 11 in which said spacer means comprises at least two spaced resiliently compressible spacers; said fastening means comprising a separate progressive tightening fastener means associated with each said spacer and securing said component to said top, each of said fastener being individually progressively tightenable whereby said spacers can be differentially compressed and said component thereby properly vertically aligned with respect to adjacent top support means, components or the like.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
59 words
The article of furniture of claim 1 in which said supporting means include fastening means generally at the front of said component for joining said component to said top and resiliently compressible spacer means associated with said fastening means to insure a secure fit between said component and said top regardless of the angle of orientation of said top.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
73 words
The article of furniture of claim 13 in which said spacer means comprises at least two spaced resiliently compressible spacers; said fastening means comprising a separate progressive tightening fastener associated with each said spacer and securing said component to said top, each said fastener being individually progressively tightenable whereby said spacers can be differentially compressed and said component thereby properly vertically aligned with respect to adjacent top support means, components or the like.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
35 words
The article of furniture of claim 14 in which said progressive tightening fastening means comprise bolts; said spacers comprising resiliently compressible washers, said bolts passing through said components, through said washers and into said top.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
46 words
The article of furniture of claim 1 in which said lower rail is not parallel to said top rail but is oriented at an angle such that said lower rail is generally horizontally oriented when said top is adjusted to slope downwardly from rear to front.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
169 words
An article of furniture such as a desk, credenza or the like comprising: a top; a rail positioned underneath said top generally at the rear thereof; a component such as a pedestal or the like, said component including a hanger slidably engaging said rail when said component hangs on said rail tilted slightly forwardly and downwardly; securing means generally at the front of said top and said componeNt for supporting said component at the front of said article of furniture, said component being oriented generally horizontally when said securing means is secured; engageable locking means on said rail and on said component, said locking means engaging when the front of said component is raised up and secured by said securing means to said top, whereby the rear of said component is locked against sliding movement with respect to said rail and said locking means being configured to disengage when said component hangs on said rail tilted slightly forwardly and downwardly whereby said component can be slid along said rail.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
169 words
An article of furniture such as a desk, credenza or the like comprising: a top; a rail positioned underneath said top generally at the rear thereof; a component such as a pedestal or the like, said component including a hanger slidably engaging said rail when said component hangs on said rail tilted slightly forwardly and downwardly; securing means generally at the front of said top and said componeNt for supporting said component at the front of said article of furniture, said component being oriented generally horizontally when said securing means is secured; engageable locking means on said rail and on said component, said locking means engaging when the front of said component is raised up and secured by said securing means to said top, whereby the rear of said component is locked against sliding movement with respect to said rail and said locking means being configured to disengage when said component hangs on said rail tilted slightly forwardly and downwardly whereby said component can be slid along said rail.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
49 words
The article of furniture of claim 17 in which said engageable locking means comprises a detent on said hanger and a keeper on each said rail; said detent and said keeper being spaced sufficiently far apart that they do not engage when said component is tilted forwardly and downwardly.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
34 words
The article of furniture of claim 18 in which said detent comprises a tab projecting rearwardly from said hanger and said keeper comprises a slot in each said rail adapted to receive said tab.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
123 words
The article of furniture of claim 17 in which said rail is generally J-shaped in cross-section, having a back wall, a bottom wall and a hook wall projecting upwardly from said bottom wall; said hanger including a rearwardly projecting wall and a downwardly projecting lip for engaging said hook wall of said rail when said component is being supported only on said rail; said engageable locking means comprising a detent projecting rearwardly from said hanger beyond said lip towards said back wall of said rail and comprising a keeper on said back wall of said rail for receiving said detent; said detent and said keeper being spaced sufficiently far apart that they do not engage when said component is tilted forwardly and downwardly.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
37 words
The article of furniture of claim 20 in which said detent comprises a tab projecting rearwardly from said hanger and said keeper comprises a slot in said back wall of said rail adapted to receive said tab.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
54 words
The article of furniture of claim 21 in which said tab is at least as long as said bottom wall of said rail is deep whereby when the front of said component is lifted upwardly for securing to said top by said securing means, said tab will definitely be forced into its receiving slot.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
117 words
An article of furniture such as a desk, credenza or the like comprising: a top; top supporting means; a component such as a pedestal or the like suspended from said top; at least two spaced resiliently compressible spacers positioned generally at the front of said component, between said component and said top; a separate progressive tightening fastener operably associated with each said spacer and extending from said component to said top to secure said component to said top, each said fastener being individually progressively tightenable in securing said component to said top whereby said spacers can be differentially compressed and said components thereby properly vertically aligned with respect to adjacent top supporting means, components or the like.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
117 words
An article of furniture such as a desk, credenza or the like comprising: a top; top supporting means; a component such as a pedestal or the like suspended from said top; at least two spaced resiliently compressible spacers positioned generally at the front of said component, between said component and said top; a separate progressive tightening fastener operably associated with each said spacer and extending from said component to said top to secure said component to said top, each said fastener being individually progressively tightenable in securing said component to said top whereby said spacers can be differentially compressed and said components thereby properly vertically aligned with respect to adjacent top supporting means, components or the like.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
46 words
The article of furniture of claim 23 in which said fasteners each comprise a threaded bolt and in which each said resiliently compressible spacer is a resiliently compressible washer having an aperture therethrough, said bolts passing through said component, through said washers and into said top.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
41 words
The article of furniture of claim 23 comprising: means for adjusting the angle of orientation of said top said resiliently compressible spacers insuring a secure fit between said component and said top regardless of the angle of orientation of said top.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-01-27 | 1978-07-29 | 1979-01-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-01-27 | 1982-07-29 | 1983-01-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-01-27 | 1986-07-29 | 1987-01-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |