US2733970A - Vertically adjustable lectern - Google Patents

Description

w. M. TONEY ET AL 2,733,970

VERTICALLY ADJUSTABLE LECTERN F eb. 7, 1956 Filed March l1, 1954 3 Sheets-Shes?.l l

WMTO/vey .2/LE c /'o Z Z6 INVENTOHS.

BY l l A ATTORNEYS.

Feb. 7, 1956 w. M. ToNr-:Y ET AL 2,733,970

VERTICALLY ADJUSTABLE LECTERN Filed March ll, 1954 3 Sheets-Sinaai'l 2 WM 'T'O n@ EAI@ Ong INVENTORS,

BY I l f 4 ATTORNEYS United States Patent lO This invention relates to a vertically adjustable lectern and more particularly to a vertically adjustable desk for holding a speech or lecture to be delivered to a group of people as in a hall, school or other location for an assembly.

'It is a primary object of this invention to provide a vertically adjustable lectern of the kind to be more particularly described hereinafter which may be adjusted by a person reading notes from papers on the desk top of the lectern, while delivering a lecture. This type of vertically adjustable lectern is particularly suited for person requiring the use of bi-focal eyeglasses since the lectern may be adjusted by a person to suit the lens desired to be used and changed for use with the other lens at another distance.

It is another object of this invention to provide a vertically adjustable lectern of this kind which maybe properly adjusted by a person so that the lectern may be used by persons of different sizes when the size of consecutive speakers may vary between the different speakers without disassembling and reassembling any parts of the lectern.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a lectern of this kind which may be constructed of readily obtainable parts and assembled at a low cost with due consideration directed to the strength and durability of the device.

Other and further objects and advantages of this invention will be hereinafter described and the novel features thereof defined in the appended claim.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a top plan view of a lectern constructed according to an embodiment of our invention.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation.

Fig. 4 is a front elevation, partly in section, taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section taken on the line 55 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a transverse section of the lectern.

Fig. 7 is a transverse section of the lectern taken on the line 7-7 of Fig. 4.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings the numeral 10 designates generally a lectern constructed according to an embodiment of our invention.

The lectern 10 is particularly adapted to be used by persons reading a speech or a lecture to a group of people as in a school or assembly hall and the lectern is so designed that the speech or lecture may be held at a desirable position for the convenience of the lecturer or speaker.

Frequently at lectures or readings of this kind more than one lecturer Will read a lecture or part of a speech to the listening audience, and in the event that there is a difference in the height of the speakers the lectern may readily be adjusted to suit the particular speaker at any one time. y

The lectern 10 may be adjusted by the speaker rotat- "ice ing a crank conveniently located at the forward side of the lectern.

The lectern 10 is provided with a xed base 11 having vertically extending side, front and rear walls thereon. The vertically extending walls 12 on the base 11 are fixed thereto by any conventional means.

A desk top 13 is positioned above the base 11 and above the upper edge of the vertically extending side walls 12. The desk top 13 is provided with depending walls 14 on the sides, front and rear edges thereof, the side Walls 14 of the desk top 13 being arranged within the confines of the vertically extending walls 12 fixed on the base 11.

A top frame 15 is positioned on the lower side of the desk top 13 for the purposes to be described hereinafter.

The desk top 13 is connected to the base 11 by pairs of vertically extending arms 16, the arms 16 being swingable relative to the base and to the desk top. One end of each of the arms 16 is pivoted on the lower side of the desk top 13 by pivot pins 17 which are secured to the desk top 13 and top frame 15 extending horizontally therefrom. f v

A longitudinally extending shaft 18 is rotatably mounted on the base 11, the adjacent ends of the longitudinal shaft 18 being rotatably supported in one end of a bracket 19 which is fixed to the upper side of the base 11.

The longitudinal shaft 18 is provided with a segment of a worm 20 adjacent each opposite end thereof for the purposes to be hereinafter more specifically described. One end of the longitudinal shaft 18 is extended through the front wall of the vertical walls 12 so that a speaker using the lectern may readily reach a handle 21 which is xed to the outer end of the outwardly extending porytion of the longitudinal shaft 18. Upon rotation of the handle 21 and longitudinal shaft 18 the vertical position of the desk top 13 relative to the base 11 may be adjusted by the speaker.

The worm 20 is operatively engaged with the peripheral teeth of worm gears 22 which are xed to and spaced slightly from the opposite ends of each transverse shaft 23, each of the transverse shafts being rotatable adjacent their ends in a bracket 24 which is fixed to the base 11. The transverse shafts 23 substantially cross asfrom one side to the other of the longitudinal shaft 18 so that the worm gears 22 on each of the transverse shafts 23 may be actuated by the worms on the longitudinal shaft 18.

An internally threaded nut member 25 is threadably engaged with each of the transverse shafts 23 for longitudinal movement thereon upon rotation of the transverse shafts and each of the nut members 25 has a pivot pin 26 extending outwardly therefrom for pivotal engagement with the lower end of an arm 16.

As the longitudinal shaft 18 is caused to be rotated by the handle 21 the desk top 13 will be moved upwardly or downwardly, depending upon the direction of rotation of the longitudinal shaft 18, so that the desk top 13 may be adjusted to the height desired by the speaker at that A lamp 27 is xed to the upper side of the desk top 13 by brackets 2S which are engaged at each end of lamp, as shown in the drawings, the lamp 27 being positioned adjacent to the upstanding wall 29 which is fixed to the desk top 13 extending vertically upwardly therefrom.

Also carried by the desk top 13 is a pair of spaced apart longitudinal arms 30 which also engage the upper edge of the vertically upstanding wall 29 on the desk top as clearly indicated in Fig. 5 of the drawings. While the upstanding wall 29 will support one end of each of the longitudinally extending arms 30 the other end, or forward end of each of the arms 30 is supported by a supporting post 31 which is xed to the upper side of the desk top 13 adjacent to the forward edge thereof and engages with the lower side of each' of the longitudinal particular time.

arms 39 also clearly shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings. In the event that the' lamp 27 is of the electric type a socket 32 is positioned adjacent to one of the ends of one of the walls 12 which are fixed to the base 11.

In order to prevent any glare from the upper side of the desk top 13 there is provided a fixed lamp shade 33 spaced from the upstanding arm 29 so that the papers, being read or used by the speaker, will not cause glare from the lectern.

In the use and operation of the lectern 10 described above, the paper or papers used as reference by a speaker are placedl on the upper surface of the desk top' 13 and the desk top 13` may be adjusted vertically by the speaker upon rotation of the handle 21 so that the desk top 13 will be manually moved to a higher or lower position, to meet the requirements of the particular lecturer.

While the specific details of this invention have been herein shown and described the invention is not confined thereto as changes and alterations may be made without departing from the scope and' spirit thereof as dened in the appended claim.

We claim:

In a vertically adjustable lectern, a box-like base having an open top, a vertically movable inclined desk top including depending side and end walls, tted within said base for vertical sliding movement with respect' thereto, an upstanding wall formed along one end of said desk top, vertical supporting posts secured to the other end of said desk top, parallel arm rests secured to said upstanding end Wall and being connected to the upper ends of said posts supporting said arm rests in inclined positions parallel with said desk top, in spaced relation therewith, said arm, rests being horizontally spaced apart exposing said` desk top and material supported thereon, and manually controlled meansy for raising and lowering said top and bottom rests simultaneously.

References Cited in the lev of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 757,807 Hazard Apr. 19, 1904 862,791 Bawden et al. Aug. 6, 1907 1,381,837 Hopaidaska June 14, 1921 1,398,237 Michaels Nov. 29, 1921 1,730,252 Temple Oct. 1, 1929 2,260,371 Forsberg Oct. 28, 1941 2,531,880 Herring Nov. 28, 1950 2,587,094 Berg et al. Feb. 26', 1952 2,649,137 Rober-ts Aug. 18, 1953 2,649,345 Hubbard Aug. 18, 1953

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