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US 4,625,657 AGranted
Adjustable keyboard supporting mechanism
AssigneeWeber Knapp Company
InventorsCarl H. Little, Richard L. Watt
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Mechanisms are disclosed for use in supporting keyboards in desired adjusted positions relative to a CRT unit supporting table or work station. A first form of the mechanism provides a retracted position for a keyboard, wherein it is disposed beneath a table top and recessed rearwardly of a front end thereof. Additional forms of the mechanism are adapted for use with work stations of the type having a generally U-shaped work surface, wherein the keyboard is intended to be supported on a shelf arranged between the opposite end, forwardly protruding surface areas of such work surface.
Claims17
A mechanism for mounting a keyboard for movement relative to a horizontal support, such as defined by a desk or table top, said mechanism comprising:
- a pair of brackets having means for fixing said pair of brackets to depend from a lower surface of said support;
- two pairs of links, wherein one of said pairs of links is pivotally supported on one of said brackets and an other of said pairs of links is pivotally supported on an other of said brackets;
- means pivotally coupled to said pairs of links for mounting said keyboard for vertical movement relative to said support incident to pivotal movement of said pairs of links relative to said brackets;
- spring means for at least partially counterbalancing the weight of said keyboard;
- and
- clamping means supported by said means for mounting said keyboard for vertical movement with said keyboard, and said clamping means releasably clamping against said brackets for releasably retaining said keyboard in a desired vertical position relative to said support, said means for mounting said keyboard includes telescopic slide means for supporting said keyboard for horizontal movements relative to said support, said telescopic slide means including a pair of slide mechansims each having first parts pivotally coupled one to each said pair of links and other parts for carrying said keyboard, said telescopic slide means carries means cooperating with said brackets for retaining said keyboard in a lower storage position during extending and contracting movements of said telescopic slide means, and said means cooperating with said brackets is carried by said other parts, said brackets having horizontally disposed lower guide edges and vertically extending front guide edges, and said means cooperating with said brackets includes follower means arranged to engage with said lower and front guide edges.
3 more elements
A mechanism for mounting a keyboard for movement relative to a horizontal support, such as defined by a desk or table top, said mechanism comprising:
- a pair of brackets having means for fixing said pair of brackets to depend from a lower surface of said support;
- two pairs of links, wherein one of said pairs of links is pivotally supported on one of said brackets and an other of said pairs of links is pivotally supported on an other of said brackets;
- means pivotally coupled to said pairs of links for mounting said keyboard for vertical movement relative to said support incident to pivotal movement of said pairs of links relative to said brackets;
- spring means for at least partially counterbalancing the weight of said keyboard;
- and
- clamping means supported by said means for mounting said keyboard for vertical movement with said keyboard, and said clamping means releasably clamping against said brackets for releasably retaining said keyboard in a desired vertical position relative to said support, said means for mounting said keyboard includes telescopic slide means for supporting said keyboard for horizontal movements relative to said support, said telescopic slide means includes a pair of slide mechanisms each having first parts pivotally coupled one to each said pair of links and other parts for carrying said keyboard, said telescopic slide means carries means cooperating with said brackets for retaining said keyboard in a lower storage position during extending and contracting movements of said telescopic slide means, and said means cooperating with said brackets is carried by said other parts, said clamping means for releasably clamping against said brackets includes at least one pin for pivotally coupling one of said first parts to one link of one of said pairs of links and a clamping wheel, at least one of said brackets includes at least one arcuate slot for slidingly receiving said pin, said pin having one end thereof fixed to said one of said first parts, extending through said slot and having an opposite end thereof threadably and adjustably mounting said wheel, whereby adjustment of said wheel relative to said pin serves to releasably clamp said one of said first parts and said one link against oppositely facing surfaces of said one of said brackets.
3 more elements
A mechanism for mounting a keyboard for movement relative to a horizontal support, such as defined by a desk or table top, said mechanism comprising:
- a pair of brackets having means for fixing said pair of brackets to depend from a lower surface of said support;
- two pairs of links, wherein one of said pairs of links is pivotally supported on one of said brackets and an other of said pairs of links is pivotally supported on an other of said brackets, each of said pairs of links is arranged adjacent an outwardly facing surface of said bracket on which same is pivotally supported, each of said pairs of links includes a front link and a rear link, said rear link of each pair has a rear end thereof fixed for pivotal movement with opposite ends of a torsion rod having said opposite ends thereof journalled by said brackets, said front link of each pair has a rear end thereof supported on its one of said brackets by a pivot pin arranged forwardly of said torsion rod, each of said brackets has a rear vertically extending arcuate slot disposed concentrically of said torsion bar and rearwardly of said pivot pin and a front vertically extending arcuate slot disposed concentrically of said pivot pin and forwardly thereof;
- means pivotally coupled to said pairs of links for mounting said keyboard for vertical movement relative to said support incident to pivotal movement of said pairs of links relative to said brackets, said means for mounting said keyboard includes telescopic slide means for supporting said keyboard for horizontal movements relative to said support, said telescopic slide means including a pair of slide mechanisms arranged adjacent inwardly facing surfaces of said brackets and each having a first part pivotally coupled to front edges of said front and rear links of each of said pair of links by front and rear pivot pins extending one through each of said front and rear arcuate slots, and an other part for carrying said keyboard, and a pair of connecting links are provided one in association with each said pair of links, each of said connecting links having front and rear ends thereof connected to a pair of front and rear links, and said connecting links are disposed vertically below and above said torsion bar and said pivot pin when said front and rear pivot pins are disposed adjacent lower and upper ends of said front and rear arcuate slots;
- spring means for at least partially counterbalancing the weight of said keyboard;
- and
- clamping means supported by said means for mounting said keyboard for vertical movement with said keyboard, and said clamping means releasably clamping against said brackets for releasably retaining said keyboard in a desired vertical position relative to said support.
3 more elements
A mechanism for mounting a keyboard for movement relative to a horizontal support, such as defined by desk or table top, said mechanism comprising:
- a pair of brackets having means for fixing said pair of brackets to depend from a lower surface of said support;
- two pairs of links, wherein one of said pairs of links is pivotally supported on one of said brackets and an other of said pairs of links is pivotally supported on an other of said brackets;
- means pivotally coupled to said pairs of links for mounting said keyboard for vertical movement relative to said support incident to pivotal movement of said pairs of links relative to said brackets, said brackets are each provided with at least one arcuate slot, one of said links of each pair has a rear end thereof supported for pivotal movement about an axis defined by a torsion bar extending transversely between said brackets, said slot in each said bracket is disposed concentrically of said axis, said one of said links of each said pair has its front end pivotally connected to said means for mounting said keyboard by means slidably received within said slots;
- spring means for at least partially counterbalancing the weight of said keyboard;
- and
- clamping means supported by said means for mounting said keyboard for vertical movement with said keyboard, and said clamping means releasably clamping against said brackets for releasably retaining said keyboard in a desired vertical position relative to said support.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.