Adjustable height counter top system
First Claim
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1. An elevator unit for a work counter comprising:
- a right and a left elevator assembly, a drive assembly and a motor,each said right and left elevator assembly including a top frame and a bottom frame with T-slotted vertical side rails, said bottom frame attached to a support surface, said top frame sliding vertically along said bottom frame on rollers received in the T-slots of the vertical side rails of said bottom frame;
said drive assembly including a spaced apart drive and driven pulley attached to one of said top frame and said bottom frame of each said right and left elevator assembly, said drive and driven pulley connected by a synchronous drive belt;
said synchronous drive belt attached to the other of said top frame and said bottom frame of each said right and left elevator assembly, each said synchronous drive belt including compression springs to allow for misalignments between said right and left elevator assemblies; and
a common drive shaft connected to the drive pulley of each of said right and left elevator assemblies;
said motor connected to the common drive shaft,whereby the top frames of said right and left elevator assemblies are raised or lowered in unison by rotation of the common drive shaft by the motor.
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Abstract
A motorized elevator unit for adjusting the height of counter tops has right and left elevator assemblies under control of a primary control switch. Each elevator assembly includes top and bottom frames which may be formed from T-slotted framing with the top frame sliding vertically along the bottom frame on rollers received in the bottom frame. A movable counter top is mounted on the top frames and a motor drive assembly raises and lowers the top frames in unison. The elevator unit may be housed in a standard base cabinet and may be integrated with other standard base cabinets having stationary counter tops.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An elevator unit for a work counter comprising:
a right and a left elevator assembly, a drive assembly and a motor, each said right and left elevator assembly including a top frame and a bottom frame with T-slotted vertical side rails, said bottom frame attached to a support surface, said top frame sliding vertically along said bottom frame on rollers received in the T-slots of the vertical side rails of said bottom frame; said drive assembly including a spaced apart drive and driven pulley attached to one of said top frame and said bottom frame of each said right and left elevator assembly, said drive and driven pulley connected by a synchronous drive belt;
said synchronous drive belt attached to the other of said top frame and said bottom frame of each said right and left elevator assembly, each said synchronous drive belt including compression springs to allow for misalignments between said right and left elevator assemblies; and
a common drive shaft connected to the drive pulley of each of said right and left elevator assemblies;said motor connected to the common drive shaft, whereby the top frames of said right and left elevator assemblies are raised or lowered in unison by rotation of the common drive shaft by the motor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. An elevator unit for a work counter comprising:
- a right and a left elevator assembly, a drive assembly and a motor,
each said right and left elevator assembly including a top frame and a bottom frame with T-slotted vertical side rails, said bottom frame attached to a support surface, said top frame sliding vertically along said bottom frame on rollers received in the T-slots of the vertical side rails of said bottom frame; said drive assembly including a spaced apart drive and driven sprocket attached to one of said top frame and said bottom frame, said drive and driven sprockets connected by a roller chain drive;
a first and second end of said roller chain drive joined by a connecting link received in an angle bracket on the top frame, a first compression spring attached to the roller chain drive above said bracket and a second compression spring attached to the roller chain drive below said angle bracket, first and second limit switches attached to the connecting link for detecting when travel of the elevator unit is stopped and the springs compressed by a preselected amount, said first limit switch triggered by the connecting link and stopping upward travel of the elevator unit when the first spring is compressed and said second limit switch triggered by the connecting link and stopping downward travel of the elevator unit when the second spring is compressed; and
a common drive shaft connected to the drive sprocket of each of said right and left elevator assemblies;said motor connected to the common drive shaft, whereby the top frames of said right and left elevator assemblies are raised or lowered in unison by rotation of the common drive shaft by the motor. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
- a right and a left elevator assembly, a drive assembly and a motor,
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11. A base counter assembly including a base cabinet within which is installed an elevator unit supporting a movable work counter, said elevator unit comprising:
- a right and a left elevator assembly, a drive assembly and a motor,
each said right and left elevator assembly including a top frame and a bottom frame with vertical side rails formed of T-slotted framing, said bottom frame attached to a support surface, said top frame sliding vertically along said bottom frame on rollers received in the T-slots of the vertical side rails of said bottom frame, said movable counter top mounted on a rear counter top brace that joins the right and left elevator assemblies and a work counter mounting rail attached to the top frame of the right and left elevator assemblies; said drive assembly including a spaced apart drive and driven sprocket attached to one of said top frame and said bottom frame, said drive and driven sprockets connected by a roller chain drive;
a first and second end of said roller chain drive joined by a connecting link received in an angle bracket on the top frame, a first compression spring attached to the roller chain drive above said bracket and a second compression spring attached to the roller chain drive below said angle bracket, first and second limit switches attached to the connecting link for detecting when travel of the elevator unit is stopped and the springs compressed by a preselected amount, said first limit switch triggered by the connecting link and stopping upward travel of the elevator unit when the first spring is compressed and said second limit switch triggered by the connecting link and stopping downward travel of the elevator unit when the second spring is compressed; and
a common drive shaft connected to the drive sprocket of each of said right and left elevator assemblies;said motor connected to the common drive shaft, whereby the top frames of said right and left elevator assemblies are raised or lowered in unison by rotation of the common drive shaft by the motor. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20)
- a right and a left elevator assembly, a drive assembly and a motor,
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18. The base counter assembly of 11 wherein a stove is mounted in the movable counter top and wherein an extensible screen is mounted below the stove.
Specification