US1210875A - Control for cabinet-covers. - Google Patents

Description

R. H. WARD.

CONTROL FOR CABINET COVERS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. H. 1916. 1 2 9 375, Patented Jan. 2,1917.

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CONTROL FOR CABINET COVERS. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 11. ms.

Patented Jan. 2,1917.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2 wi bnaoogo 1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RICHARD'H. WARD, OF QUEEN'S, NEW YORK.

con'rnon non canmnr oovnns.

To all whom it may concern v Beitknown that I, RIOHARDH. WARD, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Queens, in thecounty of Queens'and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Controls for Cabinet-Covers; and I' do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertainsto make and usethe same. l

My invention relatesto improvements in mechanisms for controlling the covers of cabinets such as those used for the housing of graphophones and other musical instruments.

The object of the invention isto provide asimple and comparatively inexpensive] mechanism of the class set forthwhich will effectively open and close the cover by:

scribed and claimed, the descriptive matter being supplemented by the accompanying drawings which constitute a part of this application and in which: Figure 1 is aside elevation, partly in section. of a cabinet showing theapplication of the invention thereto, the cover raising meansbeing in position to raise the cover; Fig. 2 is a slmilar view showing the relation of parts when allowing sa-id cover to "lower, Fig. 3 is a detail vertical section taken on the plane indicated by the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 is a similar view of a sli htly modifiedform of construction.

In specifically describing the construction shown in the drawings above briefiydescribed, similar characters will be placed on corresponding parts throughout the several views and reference will be hereinmade to the numeous elements by their respective indices. :To this end, the numeral 1 designates a cabinet having a hinged cover 2 to be controlled by the lmproved mechanism which constitutes the gist of the present invention.

uBriefly speaking, the mechanism in. ques- Specification of Letters Patent.

, Application filed March 11, 1916; Serial No. 83,580.

tion comprises a lever 3 connected with the cover at one end, springs 4 for operating sa d lever to raise the cover, the power of said springs and lever being normally overcome by the weight of said cover, and means for adjusting the lever and its fulcrum relatively to increase the raising power of said lever, together with manual controls for this ad usting means. In the present embodiment of the invention the lever 3 is positioned horizontally and is connected at one end bya link 3 with the cover 2 adjacent the hinged edge of the latter, and the springs 1 cooperate with plungers 5 mounted in dash pots 6, said ,plungers' being carried by rods 7 pivoted at 8 to the opposite ends of the lever 3. The arrangement of the springs and plungers is such that they both exert their tension to move the lever 3 in a direction to raise the cover 2, said springs however, normally remaining idle and coming into use only when certain manual controls to be. described are operated.v When this is done the plungers 5 may move but slowly through the fluid in the dash pots, this movement being caused by vents 5 in said plungers. The size of these vents may be varied as occasion may demand, andby the use of any preferred means, the tension of the springs 1 may be varied.

The dash pots 6 may be mounted in any suitable manner, but they are preferably provided with depending ears 6 which are connected to fixed brackets 9 as shown, it being essential in the present embodiment of the invention that the connections between said ears and brackets be pivotal as indicated at 10.

Between its ends, the lever 3 carries a rack bar 11 whose teeth are positioned downwardly and meshed with those of a pinion 12 which is mounted rotatably on an upright bracket plate 13 or an equivalent device. Teeth on the upper end of a sector 1e mesh with the pinion as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2, this sector being pivoted. at 15 to the bracket 13 and having'in its lower end an arcuate slot 16 lying concentric with the pivot, said slot receiving therein a fixed stop pin or the like 17 projecting laterally from the aforesaid bracket whereby to limit the movement of the sector 14 in opposite directions around its pivot.

A double acting coiled spring 18 is secured at its lower end to the stop 17 and at its upper end to a stud l9 projecting laterally from the sector 14 midway between the side edges of the latter. This spring serves to quickly move the sector in either direction beyond a neutral position, after said sector has been disposed in such position by the manual controls yet to be described. The resu-t of this is that when the pinion 12 is rotated by actuation of the sector l i in one direction or the other, the fulcrum point of the lever 3 will be varied to increase or decrease the lifting power of said lever according to the direction in which the sector be moved. If it be shifted in one direction, the springs 4 may then rock the lever 3 in such a direction as to force upwardly on the link 3 and raise the cover 2, this tak ng place slowly and smoothly due to the action of the plungers 5 within the dash pots 6. If said sector be moved in the other direction, however, the lifting power of the lever 3 is decreased to such an extent as to allow the weight of the cover to overcome this power, whereupon said cover will lower. Obviously, this lowering operation will also take place slowly and smoothly on account of the action of the plungers and dash pots as above set forth.

Any preferred means may be provided for moving the sector 14 from either of its extreme positions to a neutral position from which it will be suddenly shifted by the spring 18. In Figs. 1 to 3, an operating rod 20 is shown, said rod having at one end an elongated loop 21 in which the pin 19 is slidably received, the other end of said rod being pivoted to a lever 22 fulcrumed between its ends. Connected to the ends of this lever by links 23 are two push buttons 2% which project an appropriate distance beyond the front of the cabinet 1. If the proper button 24 is moved to position the sector 14 as shown in Fig. 1, said sector will so dispose the pinion 12 as to increase the raising power of the lever 3 as shown in this figure, whereupon the cover 2 will be opened and held in open position. If, however, it is desired to'close the cover, the parts are disposed as seen in Fig. 2 by actuation of the proper button, thereby decreasing the raising power of the lever 3 with the result that the cover will lower by gravity. This lowering will obviously be slow and gradual due to the provision of the dash pot 6 and thus no shocks will be imparted to the cabinet or to the instrument housed therein.

In Fig. 4, a pinion 12 is shown serving as a fulcrum for the operating lever, said pinion being carried by a spindle 25 having an operating knob 26 disposed on the exterior of the cabinet 1. iVhen this arrangement is used, the push buttons 24 and the connections between the same and the sector may well be dispensed with, in which case the lever and its fulcrum will be adjusted entirely by hand through the instrumentality of the knob 26.

From the foregoing, considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and manner of operation of the improved mechanism will be readily understood, and it will be evident that it will not only be comparatively inexpensive, but will be highly eflicient and will possess a number of advantageous characteristics.

In conclusion, I will state that although certain specific details have been shown and described for illustrative purposes, numerous changes may be made within the sco ie of the invention as claimed without sacri 0- ing the main advantages thereof.

I claim:

1. The combinationwith a cabinet and a cover therefor, of a lever connected with the cover for raising the same, mechanical means connected with said lever for operating the same, the relation between the fulcrum of thelever and the points of connection of said operating means and cover with said lever being normally such as to prevent said means from moving said lever, and means for varying said relation to permit the operating means to shift the lever for the purpose of elevating the cover.

2. The combination with a cabinet and a cover therefor, of a lever connected with the cover for raising the same, means for operating said lever, the power of the latter being normally overcome by the weight of the cover, and means for adjusting the lever and its fulcrum relatively to increase the raising power of said lever.

3. The combination with a cabinet and a cover therefor, of a lever connected with said cover for raising the same, said lever having as its fulcrum a roller, means for operating said lever, the power of the latter being normally overcome by the weight of the cover, and means for rotating the aforesaid roller to adjust it and the lever relatively to increase the raising power of the latter.

4. The combination with a cabinet and a cover therefor, of a lever connected with said cover forraising the same, means for operating said lever, the power of the latter being normally overcome by the weight of said cover, means for adjusting the lever and its fulcrum relatively to increase the raising power of said lever, manually operated means for initially moving said adjusting means, and mechanical means for quickly completing the movement of said adjusting means.

5. The combination with a cabinet and a cover therefor, of a lever connected with said cover for'raising the same, means for operating said lever, the power of the latter being normally overcome by the weight of gamma adjusting said lever and its fulcrum: relatively -to vary the raising power of said .lever,said adjuster being movable 1n opposite directions around its pivot to respectively increase and decreasethe power of the lever, and means for actuating" "said adjuster. r

6'. The; combination with a cabinet and a cover therefor, of a lever connected with said cover for raising the same, means for operating saidlever, the power of the latter beingnormally overcome by the weight of said cover, a pivotally mounted adjuster for adjusting said lever and its fulcrum relatively to vary the raising power of said lever, said adjuster being movable in opposite directions around: its pivot to respectivelyincrease and decrease the power of the lever, manual means for initially moving said adjuster in either direction, and mechanical means for then quickly completing the movement of said adjuster.

7. The combination with a cabinet and a cover therefor, of a lever connected with said cover for raising the same, means for operating said lever, the power of the latter being normally overcome by the weight of said cover, a pivotally mounted adjuster for adjusting said lever and its fulcrum relatively to vary the raising power of said lever, said adjuster being movable in opposite directions around its pivot to respectively increase and decrease the power of the lever, manual means for initially moving said adjuster in either direction, and a double acting spring for then quickly completing the movement of said adjuster.

8. The combination with a cabinet and a cover therefor, of a lever connected with i site directions around its pivot to respec tively increase and decrease the power of the lever and having an a'rcuate slot c011- centric with its axis, a fixed stop extending into said slot, and means for moving said adjuster in either direction at will.

9. The combination with a cabinet and a cover therefor, of a leverconnected with said cover for raising the same, means for operating said lever, the power of the latter being normally overcome by the weight of said cover, a pivotally mounted adjuster for adjusting said lever and its fulcrum relatively to vary the raising power of said lever, said adjuster being movable in opposite directions around its pivot to respectively increase and decrease the power of the lever and having an arcuate slot concentric with its axis, a fixed stop extending'into' said slot, a double acting spring secured'at its ends to said stop and adjuster for moving the latter in either direction beyond a neutral position, and manually oper'ated means for moving said adjusterto said neutral position. I

10. The combination with a cabinet and a cover therefor, a lever connected with said cover for raising the same, a rod extending from said lever and carrying a plunger, a dash pot in which said plunger is mounted, a spring for moving the lever and plunger, the power of said lever and spring being normally overcome by the weight of the cover, and means for adjusting the lever and its fulcrum relatively to increase the raising power of said lever.

11. The combination with a cabinet and a cover therefor of a substantially horizontal lever connected with said cover for raising the same, means for operating said lever, the power of the latter being normally overcome by the weight of the cover, a rack carried by said lever between its ends, a rotatably mounted pinion meshing with said rack and serving as the fulcrum of the lever, a laterally swinging sector meshing with said pinion, and means for shifting said sector whereby to vary the fulcrum point of the lever to increase the raising power of the latter.

12. The combination with a cabinet and a cover therefor, of a substantially horizontal lever connected with said cover for raising thesame, means for operating said lever, the power of the latter being normally overcome by the weight of the cover, a rack carried by said lever between its ends, a rotatably mounted pinion meshing with said rack and serving as the fulcrum of the lever, a sector meshing with said pinion and movable laterally in opposite directions, double acting spring means for quickly shifting said sector in either direction from a neutral position, a stud projecting laterally from said sector, a horizontal operating rod havin an elongated loop on one end slidably receiving said stud, a lever fulcrumed between its ends and pivoted at one end to the other end of said rod, and a pair of push buttons pivoted to the opposite ends of the last named lever, whereby operation of said buttons may move the aforesaid sector to its neutral position, whereupon the double acting spring will continue the movement of said sector to vary the fulcrum point of the first named lever.

13. The combination with a cabinet and a cover therefor, of a substantially horizontal lever connected with said cover and having between its ends a rack bar, a'rotatably mounted pinion meshing with said rack bar and serving as the fulcrum of the lever, means for operating said lever to In testimony whereofI have hereunto set raise the cover, the power of said lever and my hand in presence of two subscribing operating means being normally overcome Witnesses. v by the Weight of said cover and means for RICHARD H. WARD. 5 rotating such pinion to vary the fulcrum Witnesses:

point of the lever thus increasing the rais- RALPH H. ALLEN,

ing power thereof. JOHN J. COLLIGAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner 0! Patent,

Washington, D. C. i v

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