Table with recessed height-adjusting crank

In an upright freestanding table having a horizontally enlarged worksurface having enlarged upper and lower surfaces, and a pair of leg assemblies fixed to and projecting downwardly from the worksurface adjacent opposite end edges thereof for supportive engagement with a floor, each leg assembly including vertically elongate upper and lower leg members which vertically telescope one within the other, a height-adjusting mechanism extending vertically of and interconnected between the respective upper and lower leg members for permitting selective height adjustment of the upper leg member relative to the lower leg member, and a drive arrangement drivingly connected to the height-adjusting mechanisms of the leg assemblies for permitting simultaneous height adjustment thereof, said drive arrangement including a rotatable driving member disposed adjacent the lower surface of the worksurface and a manually-activated crank arrangement rotatably drivingly connected to said driving member, the improvement wherein said crank arrangement comprises:

• a horizontally-elongated recess formed in said worksurface and opening upwardly through the upper surface thereof, said recess defining a pocket at one end thereof which opens downwardly from said upper surface, said recess at the other end defining a passage which extends transversely through the worksurface between the upper and lower surfaces thereof;
• a support member rotatably disposed within said pocket for rotation relative to said worksurface about a main axis which extends substantially perpendicularly with respect to said upper surface, means fixed to said worksurface for rotatably supporting said support member so that said support member is positioned in its entirety substantially at and below said upper surface, said support member having a shaft part which projects downwardly along said main axis and is coaxially and nonrotatably connected to said driving member;
• a generally L-shaped crank for interconnection to said support member to permit rotation thereof about said main axis, said crank including an elongate crank arm which adjacent an outer free end thereof is provided with a handle fixed thereto and extending transversely therefrom, said handle being adapted to be manually gripped;
• and
• pivotal interconnecting means connected between said support member and said crank arm adjacent an inner end thereof for permitting the crank arm to be swingably moved generally within a vertical plane between a storage position and a use position, said L-shaped crank when in said storage position being disposed with the crank arm extending horizontally along and within the recess so that a top surface of the crank arm is substantially flush with said upper surface and said handle projects vertically downwardly through said passage, said L-shaped crank when in said use position being disposed entirely above said upper surface with said crank arm projecting approximately horizontally and radially away from said support member and said handle projecting upwardly from said crank arm.

In an upright freestanding table having a horizontally enlarged worksurface having enlarged upper and lower surfaces, and a pair of leg assemblies fixed to and projecting downwardly from the worksurface adjacent opposite end edges thereof for supportive engagement with a floor, each leg assembly including vertically elongate upper and lower leg members which vertically telescope one within the other, a height-adjusting mechanism extending vertically of and interconnected between the respective upper and lower leg members for permitting selective height adjustment of the upper leg member relative to the lower leg member, and a drive arrangement drivingly connected to the height-adjusting mechanisms of the leg assemblies for permitting simultaneous height adjustment thereof, said drive arrangement including a rotatable driving member disposed adjacent the lower surface of the worksurface and a manually-activated crank arrangement rotatably drivingly connected to said driving member, the improvement wherein said crank arrangement comprises:

• a horizontally-elongated recess formed in said worksurface and opening upwardly through the upper surface thereof, said recess defining a pocket at one end thereof which opens downwardly from said upper surface;
• a support member rotatably disposed within said pocket for rotation relative to said worksurface about a main axis which extends substantially perpendicularly with respect to said upper surface, means fixed to said worksurface for rotatably supporting said support member so that said support member is positioned in its entirety substantially at and below said upper surface, said support member having a shaft part which projects downwardly along said main axis and is coaxially and nonrotatably connected to said driving member;
• a crank for interconnection to said support member to permit rotation thereof about said main axis, said crank including an elongate crank arm which adjacent an outer free end thereof is provided with a handle connected thereto, said handle being adapted to be manually gripped;
• and
• pivotal interconnecting means connected between said support member and said crank arm adjacent an inner end thereof for permitting the crank arm to be swingably moved generally within a vertical plane between a storage position and a use position, said crank when in said storage position being disposed with the crank arm extending horizontally along and within the recess so that a top surface of the crank arm is substantially flush with said upper surface, said crank when in said use position being disposed entirely above said upper surface with said crank arm projecting approximately horizontally and radially away from said support member and said handle projecting generally upwardly from said crank arm.