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US 6,070,840 AGranted
Leveling device for a support leg
AssigneeHerman Miller, Inc.
InventorsJames O. Kelley, Andrew J. Kurrasch, Errol S. Pearsons, Robert L. Beck
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for leveling a support leg on a floor. The apparatus includes an ankle member extending from a bottom of the leg, a foot member, a heel member, and an adjustment device. The foot member includes a rear portion and a front portion which has a surface for engaging the floor. The ankle member is pivotally attached to the rear portion. The heel member extends downwardly from one of the rear portion of the foot member and the ankle member. The adjustment device interconnects the ankle member and foot member and is adapted to allow the foot member to be rotated through and fixed at various angles relative to said foot member.
Claims29
An apparatus for leveling a support leg on a floor, said apparatus comprising:
- an ankle member adapted to extend from a bottom of said support leg, said ankle member having a rear portion;
- a foot member including a front portion and a rear portion, wherein said ankle member is disposed in said rear portion and said rear portion is pivotally attached to said ankle member about a horizontal axis of rotation, and said front portion adapted to engage the floor;
- a heel member extending downwardly from said rear portion of said ankle member, which heel member can be fixedly extended and retracted within said ankle member to adjust the height of the ankle member and thereby adjust the height of the support leg, said heel member adapted to engage the floor;
- and
- an adjustment device operable for adjusting the pivotal relationship between the ankle member and the foot member, said adjustment device interconnecting said ankle member and said foot member at a location spaced apart from said horizontal axis of rotation.
2 more elements
An apparatus for leveling a support leg on a floor, said apparatus comprising:
- an ankle member having a rear portion and a front portion;
- a foot member comprising a housing and a support member extending forwardly from said housing;
- and
- a heel member extending downwardly from said rear portion of said ankle, wherein said heel member is adapted to engage said floor;
- wherein said ankle member is disposed in said housing and is pivotally attached to said foot member about a horizontal axis of rotation, and wherein said front portion of said ankle member is adjustably mounted to said foot member forward of said axis of rotation so as to allow the ankle member to be pivoted through and fixed at various angles relative to the foot member.
2 more elements
An apparatus for leveling a support leg on a floor, said apparatus comprising:
- an ankle member having a forward support lug and a rear support lug spaced apart from said forward support lug, said forward support lug having a vertically oriented threaded opening, and said rear support lug having a horizontally oriented opening;
- a foot member comprising a housing, a support member extending forwardly from said housing, a support bracket mounted to said housing, wherein said support bracket has an opening defining a horizontal axis of rotation, and a bottom plate member mounted to said support member, said plate member having an opening;
- and
- an adjustment device comprising a knob and a threaded shaft extending upwardly from said knob;
- wherein said ankle member is disposed in said housing and a support shaft pivotally attaches said rear support lug to said support bracket about said horizontal axis of rotation;
- and
- wherein said threaded shaft is rotatable secured to said plate member within said opening of said plate member, and wherein said shaft operably engages said threaded opening in said forward support lug;
- whereby a rotation of said knob and said threaded shaft causes said forward support lug to move in a vertical direction relative to said support surface and causes said ankle member to pivot relative to said foot member about said axis of rotation.
5 more elements
A method for leveling an object on a floor comprising:
- providing a foot member adapted to engage said floor;
- providing an ankle portion disposed in and pivotally attached to said foot member about a horizontal axis of rotation;
- providing an adjustment device moveably connecting said foot member and said ankle member at a location spaced apart from said horizontal axis of rotation;
- and
- pivoting said foot member relative to said ankle portion about said horizontal axis to a desired pivotal location;
- fixing the location of said foot member relative to said ankle portion;
- providing a heel member threadably coupled with said ankle member;
- rotating said heel member wherein said heel member is moved between a retracted position and an extended position relative to said ankle member.
5 more elements
An office furniture component comprising:
- a pair of support legs, each of said support legs comprising an ankle portion;
- a foot member pivotally attached to each of said ankle portions about a horizontal axis of rotation;
- a heel member moveably connected to one of said ankle portion and said foot member on each of said support legs, wherein each of said heel members is moveable between a retracted position and an extended position;
- and
- an adjustment device disposed between said ankle member and said foot member at a location spaced from said horizontal axis of rotation on each of said support legs, said adjustment device operable to move said foot member relative to said ankle member at said spaced apart location wherein said foot member is pivoted relative to said ankle member about said horizontal axis of rotation.
2 more elements
An apparatus for leveling a support leg on a floor, said apparatus comprising:
- an ankle member adapted to extend from a bottom of said support leg;
- a foot member including a front portion and a rear portion, said rear portion pivotally attached to said ankle member about a horizontal axis of rotation, and said front portion adapted to engage the floor;
- a heel member extending downwardly from a rear portion of said ankle member, said heel member adapted to engage the floor, wherein a threaded stud interconnects said rear portion of said ankle member and said heel member, said heel member comprising a glide housing having an opening threadably engaging said stud, said glide housing comprising a plurality of vertical ribs which permit a user to grip and rotate the glide housing;
- and
- an adjustment device for adjusting the pivotal relationship between the ankle member and the foot member, said adjustment device interconnecting said ankle member and said foot member at a location spaced apart from said horizontal axis of rotation.
2 more elements
An apparatus for leveling a support leg on a floor, said apparatus comprising:
- an ankle member adapted to extend from a bottom of said support leg, said ankle member comprising a support lug;
- a foot member including a front portion and a rear portion, wherein said rear portion comprises a housing and a support bracket disposed in said housing, wherein said ankle member is disposed in said housing, and wherein said front portion is adapted to engage the floor;
- a support shaft pivotally attaching said support lug to said support bracket about a horizontal axis of rotation;
- a heel member extending downwardly from one of said rear portion of said foot member and said ankle member, said heel member adapted to engage the floor;
- and
- an adjustment device operable for adjusting the pivotal relationship between the ankle member and the foot member, said adjustment device interconnecting said ankle member and said foot member at a location spaced apart from said horizontal axis of rotation.
3 more elements
An apparatus for leveling a support leg on a floor, said apparatus comprising:
- an ankle member adapted to extend from a bottom of said support leg;
- a foot member including a front portion and a rear portion, wherein said ankle member is disposed in said rear portion and said rear portion is pivotally attached to said ankle member about a horizontal axis of rotation, and said front portion adapted to engage the floor, said foot member further comprising a plate member disposed on a bottom of said front portion of said foot member, said plate member having an opening;
- a heel member extending downwardly from one of said rear portion of said foot member and said ankle member, said heel member adapted to engage the floor;
- and
- an adjustment device operable for adjusting the pivotal relationship between the ankle member and the foot member, said adjustment device interconnecting said ankle member and said foot member at a location spaced apart from said horizontal axis of rotation, said adjustment device comprising a knob and a shaft extending upwardly from said knob, said shaft rotatably secured to said plate member within said opening and which operably engages a front portion of said ankle member, whereby rotation of said shaft causes said ankle member to pivot relative to said foot member about said horizontal axis of rotation.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.