US3361508A

US3361508A - Multiple desk unit

Info

Publication number: US3361508A
Application number: US570789A
Authority: US
Inventors: Dorothy F Chassevent
Original assignee: Dorothy F. Chassevent
Current assignee: DOROTHY F CHASSEVENT
Priority date: 1966-08-08
Filing date: 1966-08-08
Publication date: 1968-01-02
Anticipated expiration: 1985-01-02

Description

Jan. 2, 1968 F. CHASSEVENT 3,361,508

MULTIPLE DESK UNIT 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 8, 1966 FIG. 1

INVENTOR DOROTHY F. CHASSEVENT ATTORNEYS 1968 D. F. CI-I-IASSEVENT 3,361,503

MULTIPLE DESK UNIT 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 8, 1966 INVENTOR 'DORQTHY F. CHASSEVENT BY 926. 2 c2 D y W ATTORNEYS 1968 D. F. CHASSEVENT 3,361,503

MULTIPLE DESK UNIT F'l d A 8, 1966 1 e 2; 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 62 F G. 4 5| 63 INVENTOR DOROTHY E CHASSEVENT BY ozizso w D y/ow ATTORNEYS United States Patent Ofiice 3,361,508 Patented Jan. 2, 1968 3,361,508 MULTIPLE DESK UNIT Dorothy F. Chassevent, Rte. 1, Box 1560, Herbert St., Port Orange, Fla. 32019 Filed Aug. 8, 1966, Ser. No. 570,789 12 Claims. (Cl. 312-239) This invention relates to desks. In particular it relates to a desk which is designed to conserve ofiice space while maintaining or increasing operating efliciency.

The normal individual desk, which is designed for a single occupant, has a relatively large surface area and occupies much floor space.

In many situations, however, it is more impr rtant to conserve floor space than to provide a large surface area. For example, it may be necessary to place a number of persons, for example four persons, together in a single room. Four individual desks may fill a large room and may not even fit in a small room.

Factors other than space conservation must also be considered. Quite often the duties of the occupants are such that they must confer with each other. Also, all occupants may have to share common electrical office equipment such as an intercom, telephone, dictaphone, etc., and common oflice supplies such as a dictionary, staple machine, etc. Also, in addition to the common equipment and supplies, each occupant may require individual equipment such as a typewriter.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a single compact multiple desk unit to be used by one or more preferably four persons, and so designed as to not only conserve space but also to allow placement of all necessary individual and common oflice equipment and supplies in such a manner as to allow maximum operating efliciency and at the same time provide a neat overall appearance.

Briefiy, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, there is provided a generally circular desk having positions around its periphery to accommodate from one to four occupants. At each position there is provided a typewriter well, a sufficiently large surface area, sufficient storage space, and a large amount of leg room. The desk also includes a storage shelf for common ofiice supplies conveniently accessible to all occupants of the desk. Another main feature of the desk is that individual electrical apparatus such as typewriters, and common electrical equipment such as intercommunication systems, dictaphones, and telephones may be made easily accessible to all occupants, while all electrical wiring associated therewith is almost completely concealed for safety and for a neat appearance.

The concept of providing a square or circular desk to accommodate a plurality of persons has been known heretofore. Some simple arrangements simply partition a round table into four compartments to provide four separate study areas. In other arrangements highly complex equipment is provided in the center of a generally annular desk at which a number of operators, such as telephone operators, refer to the same information storage unit located in the center of the annular desk. However, these previous developments are unsuitable for accomplishing the purpose of the present invention. Partitioned study areas do not provide a means for installing equipment while at the same time providing a sufficient surface area on the desk. On the other hand, the fairly complex annular desks having central information storage units are not suitable for general use, as for a number of secretaries.

Specifically, according to the present invention there is provided a desk having a generally circular top surface and a generally circular base plate parallel to the top surface. The top surface and base plate are separated by a unique network of vertical partitions. The partitions are so arranged and interrelated as to provide at each operating position a typewriter Well and additional storage areas to the sides of the typewriter well. These storage areas may serve either as drawers or bins.

The top surface has cutouts around its periphery in the area of the typewriter wells, and provides a large working area to the right and left of the typewriter well above the said storage areas. The network of partitions is arranged in a highly etficient manner to provide a minimum number of partitions to provide large storage areas and typewriter wells. For example, assuming that four typewriter wells are to be spaced equiangularly about a circular table the partitions serving as the sides of one typewriter well extend inwardly from that well and continue across the base plate to serve as sides of the well across the desk and as sides of the storage areas at the positions corresponding to the other two Wells.

The base plate is supported on a retainer plate which is in turn supported on a square hollow column. Leg partitions extend outwardly from this square hollow column and also serve to support the base plate. Extending upwardly from the center of the top surface is a hollow conduit on which are mounted a first rotary shelf and a second fixed shelf. The fixed shelf is located at the top of the conduit and is intended to hold common electrical equipment such as an intercom or a dictaphone.

An important feature of this invention is that means are provided throughout to allow concealed wiring to extend from all positions where electrical apparatus is to be placed to a source of electrical power. Thus, to this end the central hollow support column is to be placed over a main electrical outlet. Main phone outlets and intercom outlets are also brought to the central hollow support column. From this central support column electrical wiring is conducted through the network of partitions directly to the typewriter well, never passing over the top surface of the desk. Secondly, wiring is passed through the network of partitions to an aperture located near the center of the top surface for a phone which will serve all occupants. Finally, electrical wiring is conducted through the network of partitions, and then through the vertical conduit to the top shelf for the common electrical equipment mounted on the top shelf.

The rotary shelf between the top surface and the electrical apparatus shelf is intended for common one to an ofiice 'office equipment such as, a stapler, dictionary, etc.

Thus, it can be seen that the desk according to the present invention provides a highly efiicient and advantageous general purpose type desk which provides many advantages not possible with the circular desks known heretofore. Like the previous circular desk arrangements, the walls in the room are left free for filing cabinets, chairs or other necessary oifice equipment. However, unlike previous circular type desks the present invention provides an overall conservation of space while at the same time providing a large surface area on the desk on the right and left and in front of the typewriter well, a neat appearance and strategic, convenient placement of all necessary office equipment. Because of the large topsurface desk area the desk may be used with equal efficiency by either a right-handed or left-handed typist. In addition, the large area provides efliciency of operation where work must be passed from one person to another.

Not only are spaces provided for electrical apparatus, but they are provided in such a manner that all electrical wiring is concealed. At each working position the occupant may have an electric typewriter, the wiring for which is routed through the network of partitions to the placed at the center top surface so that the wiring to the telephone is also concealed. In addition, common equipment such as an intercom or dictaphone are provided at a centrally convenient position and the wiring therefrom to the central power outlet is also concealed. In addition the base allows much leg room for added comfort or to accommodate a wastepaper basket at each position.

Thus, it is an object of this invention to provide a highly-eflicient desk intended to serve a number of persons, which has many advantages not possible with circular desks known heretofore.

It is another object of this invention to provide a highly efiicient circular desk serving a number of persons wherein all necessary electrical apparatus may be conveniently and strategically located and wherein the electrical wiring therefrom is concealed for neatness and for safety.

It is the further object of this invention to provide a highly efiicient circular general purpose type desk pro viding a large surface area, suificient storage area, a typewriter Well, and a large leg room area at each operating position.

Other objects of this invention will become more apparent from the detailed description to follow together with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view illustrating the desk according to the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is an exploded view illustrating the components of the desk shown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a perspective plan view of the partition network taken generally along 33 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a vertical sectional view taken along line 44 of FIGURE 1 and showing the electrical wiring through the desk unit from the central support column to the'electrical equipment.

FIGURE 5. is a modification of the present invention designed to be placed against a wall and to accommodate two occupants.

FIGURE 6 is another modification of the invention showing a 90 segment intended to be placed in a corner and to serve one occupant.

The preferred embodiment of the present invention has four operating positions including four typewriter wells spaced equiangularly about the perimeter of the desk.

7 FIGURE 3. The four operating positions are shown by the letters A, B, C, and D. Referring specifically to posi tion A there is shown a typewriter well 24a formed by a right well partition 17, a left well partition 18 and a trans verse partition 21. The position A also has associated therewith a right outer partition 19, a left outer partition I 20, and an inner transverse partition 22. These partitions form the followingareas associated with the position A; the typewriter well 24a, the drawer space 25a, a first bin 26a, a second bin 27a, and an inner rectangular space 32a. The first transverse partition 21a has an aperture 28a located therein, and the base plate 15 has an aperture 29a formed in the area 3211. The purpose of these apertures will be discussed in more detail below.

Each of the positions B, C, and D also have associated therewith the same areas and similar areas are designated by like numerals followed with the subscripts b, c, and d respectively.

In a particularly advantageous manner it can be seen that the partitions of each position, for example position A, are extended to form partitions for the areas of the other positions. For example, the right and left well

partitions

17 and 18 extend completely across the desk to form the sides of the well 24c and the inner transverse partitions of positions B and D. Similarly, the right and left

outer partitions

19 and 20 extend across to form the Outer right and left partitions of position C and the first transverse partitions of positions B and D. The central area bracketed by the inner transverse partitions comprises a central aperture 30 aligned with the central aperture 13 and additional apertures 31 which cooperate with the additional aperture 14.

Referring now to FIGURE 2 there is shown a retainer plate 40 positioned below the base plate 15. This retainer plate is generally square, having straight sides 43 and cut off corners 44. The central portion thereof is open as shown at 41 and has additional peripheral apertures 42 which cooperate with apertures 29a in the base plate in a manner to be described below.

Below the retainer plate 40 there is shown the base'50 having a central square hollow column 51 having side, cut out portions 52 and opened at the top as shown in 53 and also open at the bottom. The column also has corner slots 54 to accommodate leg partitions 55. These leg partitions extend outwardly from the column 51 and have a raised upper portion 56 and a shoulder 57 leading to a recessed upper edge 65. The bottoms of leg 55 have a lower edge 58 and a recessed lower edge 59. The retainer, plate 40 is adapted to lie on the recessed upper edge 65 of the upper leg partition edges while the corners 44 rest in the shoulders 57 and the raised portion 56 rests against the outer edge of the base plate 15.

Below the support column 51 there is shown a cutout base 60 having a central cutout 61. This base is intended to sit in the recessed portion 59 on the leg 55 while the column 51 is received in the central cutout 61. A kick plate 62 is suitably positioned in the opening between two adjacent leg partitions 55 to cover the central support.

area as shown in FIGURE 1. This kick plate has a notched lower edge 63 to accommodate electrical wiring in a manner to be discussed in more detail below.

Above the top surface there is shown an upper column 70 having a lower threaded end 71 and an upper threaded end 72. A shelf 73 is located midway along the column 70 and mounted to rotate thereabout at aperture 75. A top shelf 74 is mounted in fixed relationship to the upper end of column 70 and has an aperture 76 located centrally thereof. An additional column 77 may be located above the upper shelf 74 either for mounting additional ap-y 74 on the column 7!). Threaded flange supportsthe lower end of column 70 on the base plate 15.

FIGURE 4 illustrates the manner in which the electrical wiring is conducted from the various electrical items to the source of electrical power or other main outlets. At the bottom of the central support column 50 there is provided a main electrical outlet 86, a phone outlet 87 and a pair of intercommunication cutlets 88. A plug unit 89. V

is mounted on the side wall of support column 51 while a second plug unit 90 is mounted on the kick plate 62. Electrical wiring is conductedfrom the main electrical power outlet 86 to the plug unit 89 and optionally from the plug unit '89 to the plug unit 90.

A phone 93 is located at the central portion of the' efficiency desk. The wire 94 from the phone is passed through cover plate 80 and through the additional aperture 14 through the central rectangular area and from there to an additional aperture 31, through thecentral opening 41 in the retainer plate 40, and through the open mg 52 on the side of the support column 51 to the phone.

outlet 87. To accommodate a typewriter 95 located in the typewriter well 24 the cord therefrom is passed through the aperture 28 in the first transverse partition 21 and then through the

apertures

29 and 42 to the plug unit 90. Finally, it may be necessary to place common electrical apparatus such as a dictaphone 97 or an intercom 100 at a position convenient to all occupants of the desk. For this purpose the units are placed on the upper shelf 74 and the wires therefrom are directed through the hollow central column 70. The wires then pass through the opening 30 in base plate 15 and through the central opening 41 in the retainer plate 40. Two

wires

99 and 99 are directed from the dictaphone 97. The wire passes through the side opening 52 and through notch 63 to a foot plate 98. The wire 99 is simply passed through the opening 52 and connected to the plug unit 89. Finally, the wires 101 from the intercom 100 are passed directly through the hollow support column to intercom outlet 88. Thus, in a highly efiicient manner all necessary wiring has been provided in a manner which allows the most convenient placement of the electrical items and at the same time conceals all electrical wiring.

Optionally, it may be necessary to direct current to the main electrical power outlet 86 from the ceiling rather than from the floor. This can be provided by simply extending the optional conduit 77 directly to the ceiling and leading the source electrical wiring from the ceiling through

conduits

77 and 70 through the

openings

41 and 53 to the main outlet 86.

As discussed above, in the preferred embodiment of the invention the desk is circular in shape and provides four typewriter wells for four operating positions. However, it is also possible to provide the desk unit in a semicircular shape as shown in FIGURE 5. The embodiment of FIGURE 5 has only two positions A and B and the numerals used in FIGURE 5 are similar to those used in FIGURE 1. Similarly, in FIGURE 6 only one operating position, position A is shown and like numerals are used to designate like parts. The semi-circular unit shown in FIGURE 5 would be employed against a wall while the unit shown in FIGURE 6 would be employed in a corner position. Many of the advantages of the invention are retained in the semi-circular and quarter-circular units. For example, the features of hidden wiring, large surface and storage area and much leg room area are still provided in each of these modifications.

To provide the unit of FIGURE 5, the unit of FIG- URES 1 and 3 would be divided along chain line XOY as shown in FIGURE 3. The unit of FIGURE 6 would be provided by dividing the embodiment of FIGURES 1 through 3 along lines XOZ or YOZ in FIGURE 3. The only structural modification aside from eliminating those portions outside of the specified area would be that the central aperture 30 and the conduit 70 would be moved into the included area so that it would not be at the axis of the circular portion of the perimeter. Also, of course, in a quarter-circle unit it would not be necessary to provide the inner transverse partition 22 and the portion of the drawer 25 lying outside of the appropriate chain lines would be eliminated.

While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown in considerable detail above, it should be apparent that many structural variations and modifications are possible within the spirit and scope of this invention limited only by appended claims wherein:

I claim:

1. A desk comprising: a top having an at least partially circular periphery and a base plate substantially parallel to the top and having an at least partially circular edge vertically aligned with the said at least partially circular periphery of the top, a plurality of vertical partitions spacing the said top from the base plate, at least one well formed in an edge of the desk by two side partitions extending inwardly from the edge of the desk and one transverse partition intersecting the two side partitions, the portion of the said top over the well being cut out, a

hollow support column having vertical side walls, said desk being mounted on the vertical side walls of the support column with the axis of the said circular edges passing through the said column, means for providing an electrical power outlet in the hollow support column, an aperture in the said transverse partition and an opening in the said base plate on the side of the transverse partition away from the well providing access for wires from the electrical apparatus in the well to the means for providing electrical power.

2. A desk as claimed in claim 1 wherein said base plate and said top have vertically aligned apertures formed near the axis of their circular peripheries, a hollow conduit opened at both ends, mounted on the said desk in the said central apertures and extending upwardly from said desk, said conduit being opened into the said hollow support column below and including a shelf mounted on the conduit above the said top so that wires from an electrical device on the said shelf can pass through the conduit to the said means for providing an electrical power outlet.

3. A desk as claimed in claim 1 including a retainer plate positioned between the base plate and the support column, said retainer plate having a central opening vertically aligned with the hollow portion of the support column, and additional apertures vertically aligned with the said openings in the base plate on the side of the transverse partition away from the said well, at least two partition legs connected to the support column and extending radially from said axis, said retainer plate and said base plate resting on the upper edge of the said partition legs.

4. A desk as claimed in claim 3 including a vertical kick plate extending between two adjacent partition legs.

5. A desk as claimed in claim 1 wherein said top and said base are in the shape of a sector of a circle with the well at the circular peripheral edge thereof.

6. A desk as claimed in claim 1 wherein said top and said base are in the shape of a semi-circle in plan View, with two wells positioned along the circular peripheral edge thereof.

7. A desk as claimed in claim 1 wherein the top of the desk on the side of the wells is a plane solid surface, and including a storage space provided on each side of said well between the top surface and the base plate.

8. A desk as claimed in claim 1 wherein the top and base are each in the shape of a full circle except for the said out out portions of the top and the wells being provided spaced equiangularly about the circular peripheral edge of the desk.

9. A desk as claimed in claim 8 wherein the said two partitions forming the sides of each well are horizontally aligned with the partitions forming the well on the opposite side of the desk, each well having associated therewith at least one additional partition parallel to the partition forming the sides of the well and spaced outwardly away therefrom, storage space being provided between each said side of the well and its corresponding additional partition, and wherein extensions of the said additional partitions forming the transverse partitions of the wells spaced 90 from the wells with which the said additional partitions cooperate to form the storage areas.

10. A desk as claimed in claim 9 wherein the continuations of the four well side Walls form a central area in the center of the desk, and including apertures in the top surface and base plate above and below the said central area so that access is provided from an electrical apparatus near the center on the top surface to the inside of the said hollow support colum.

11. A circular desk comprising: a top surface and a base plate, four typewriter wells spaced equi-angularly about said desk formed in a cutout portion of the top surface .and on a bottom formed by the base plate, a conduit extending upwardly from the said top surface, a shelf located near the top of said conduit, a hollow support column positioned below and supporting the base- 7 plate, means for directing electrical wiring concealed from view from the typewriter well to the support column and means for conducting electrical wiring concealed from view from the shelf to the central support column.

12. A desk as claimed in claim 11, including an aperture near the center of the top surface, and including means for directing electrical wiring from an electrical apparatus positioned near the center of the top surface to the support column and concealed from View.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,749,228 3/1930 Rand 312-239 8 Vincent 312'239 X Honeycutt et a1. 312--239 X Thaxt on 10823 X Lewis 312-239 Nall 312239 FOREIGN PATENTS Canada.

JAMES T. MCCALL, Primary Examiner.

Claims

1. A DESK COMPRISING: A TOP HAVING AN AT LEAST PARTIALLY CIRCULAR PERIPHERY AND A BASE PLATE SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO THE TOP AND HAVING AN AT LEAST PARTIALLY CIRCULAR EDGE VERTICALLY ALIGNED WITH THE SAID AT LEAST PARTIALLY CIRCULAR PERIPHERY OF THE TOP, A PLURALITY OF VERTICAL PARTIITONS SPACING THE SAID TOP FROM THE BASE PLATE, AT LEAST ONE WELL FORMED IN AN EDGE OF THE DESK BY TWO SIDE PARTITIONS EXTENDING INWARDLY FROM THE EDGE OF THE DESK AND ONE TRANSVERSE PARTITION INTERSECTING THE TWO SIDE PARTITIONS, THE PORTION OF THE SAID TOP OVER THE WELL BEING CUT OUT, A HOLLOW SUPPORT COLUMN HAVING VERTICAL SIDE WALLS, SAID DESK BEING MOUNTED ON THE VERTICAL SIDE WALLS OF THE SUPPORT COLUMN WITH THE AXIS OF THE SAID CIRCULAR EDGES PASSING THROUGH THE SAID COLUMN, MEANS FOR PROVIDING AN ELECTRICAL POWER OUTLET IN THE HOLLOW SUPPORT COLUMN, AN APERTURE IN THE SAID TRANSVERSE PARTITION AND AN OPENING IN THE SAID BASE PLATE ON THE SIDE OF THE TRANSVERSE PARTITION AWAY FROM THE WELL PROVIDING ACCESS FOR WIRES FROM THE ELECTRICAL APPARATUS IN THE WELL TO THE MEANS FOR PROVIDING ELECTRICAL POWER.