GB2230426A - Support for sound reproduction equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

A support table or shelf for sound reproduction equipment comprises a substantially rigid support frame 1 which is preferably made of metal and is devoid of tubular elements and closed cavities in its construction, and at least one glass plate 11 mounted on, and supported solely by, a plurality of support spikes 7 carried by the frame 1. The support provides a superior quality of sound reproduction. <IMAGE>

Description

SUPPORTS FOR SOUND REPRODUCTION EQUIPMENT The present invention relates to a support, for example, a table or a shelf, for sound reproduction equipment such as record turntables, compact disc players, tape players, amplifiers, loud speakers, etc.

It is appreciated, especially by hi-fi enthusiasts, that the nature of the surface on which a piece of equipment is placed will affect its performance in relation to the quality of sound which is reproduced, particularly in the case of a record turntable. For example, there are many materials and structures which are known to affect performance adversely across either part or the whole of the audible frequency spectrum.

Consequently there are a number of purpose built supports for sound reproduction equipment available on the market to the discerning hi-fi enthusiast, some costing as much as from f300 to 400. However, I have found that even reputedly the best of these still leave something to be desired, and I believe my invention provides a support which enables a quality of sound reproduction to be obtained which is far superior to that obtainable from supports currently available.

According to the invention there is provided a support for sound reproduction equipment comprising a substantially rigid support frame which is devoid of tubular elements and closed cavities in its construction, and a glass plate mounted on, and supported solely by, a plurality of substantially pointed members carried by the frame, the glass plate defining the surface on which the equipment is to be placed.

Preferably the support frame is made of metal, preferably iron or steel, and is preferably of a welded construction. A particularly strong and rigid frame may be obtained by using angle-section members for the main components of the frame.

The pointed members for supporting the glass plate are preferably adjustable relative to the frame so that the glass plate can be levelled, and preferably they are formed by screw-threaded spikes received in correspondingly threaded holes in the frame.

The glass plate is preferably of plate glass and may be provided on its under surface with locating rings arranged so that the pointed members will contact the glass within the rings, but without contacting the rings themselves, when the plate is correctly positioned on the frame. These rings will serve not only to position the plate but also to retain it on the frame in the event of the support being knocked accidentally.

There may, of course, be more than one glass plate mounted on the support frame in a manner similar to each other, thus providing the support with more than one surface on which equipment may be placed.

The support may take the form of a shelf or a table.

In the case of a shelf, the frame will include members which are designed to be attached to a wall. In the case of a table, however, the frame will be designed to be free standing, and is preferably provided with adjustable feet for ensuring that the support will be firmly supported on the floor. The adjustable feet may be formed by further substantially pointed screwthreaded members suitably carried by the frame with their pointed ends arranged to engage the floor.

Two examples of a support in accordance with the invention, will now be described with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a front elevation of an example of a support table constructed in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a side elevation of the support table; Figure 3 is a top plan view of the frame of the support table; Figure n is an underneath plan view of the frame; Figure 5 is a scrap view of one of the feet of the frame; Figure 6 is a front elevation of an example of a support shelf constructed in accordance with the invention; Figure 7 is a side elevation of the support shelf; and, Figure 8 is a top plan view of the frame of the support shelf.

The support table shown in Figures 1 to 5 comprises a free standing support frame 1 formed by parallel upper and lower rectangular sub-frames 2,3, which are interconnected at the corners by four upright legs 4 having portions projecting below the lower sub-frame 3 providing feet on which the support frame stands.

Each of the sub-frames 2,3 is constructed from four inwardly facing, mild steel, 900 angle section members a,b,c,d mitred and welded together at the corners so that the upper flanges of the members lie in a common flat plane, and four flat steel corner braces 5 welded to the underside of the upper flanges at each corner of the sub frame. Each corner brace 5 is provided with a tapped hole 6 for receiving a screw-threaded upwardly pointed, adjustable support spike 7 as shown in Figure 1.

The legs 4 are also formed by inwardly facing, mild steel 900 angle section members, and are welded to the sub frames 2,3. At the foot of each leg 4 a relatively thick flat, steel plate 8 is welded within the angle of the leg at right angles thereto, this plate being provided with a tapped hole for receiving a screw-threaded, downwardly pointed, adjustable foot spike 9 as shown in Figure 3. A lock nut 10 is screwed on each foot spike 9 below the plate 8.

The support table is completed by two flat rectangular sheets 11 of plate glass which are placed on the support frame 1, one sheet resting on the support spikes 7 of the upper sub-frame 2, and the other sheet resting on the support spikes 7 of the lower sub-frame 3. This provides the support table with two separate equipment supporting surfaces, but if only one is required, the lower plate glass sheet may be omitted.

In use, adjustment of the feet spikes 9 enables the table to be located firmly on the floor, and adjustment of the support spikes 7 enables the upper surface of the or each of the glass plates 11 to be made absolutely level. For this purpose, at least the support spikes 7 are provided with a relatively fine thread.

In the example illustrated the support frame 1 has dimensions of 19.5 inches (495 mm) by 15.5 inches (394 mm) by 16 inches (406 mm) in height, and the portion of the legs 4 below the sub-frame 3 is approximately 3.5 inches (89 mm). 1 inch (25 mm) angle members with either a matt black or bright finish are used in the construction of the support frame 1, and 6 mm plate glass is used for the glass sheets 11. However, it will of course be appreciated that these dimensions are not critical, and the table can be constructed to any size as required.

In a comparison test in which a support table constructed as described above was set up alongside one of the most renowned and expensive support- tables currently on the market, each table was used in turn to support the record turntable of the same hi-fi system. It was agreed by all present that the sound quality (both in volume and clarity across the entire audible frequency range) obtained using the support table in accordance with the invention was markedly superior to that obtained when using the known table.

The reason for the superior performance of the table in accordance with the invention is not fully understood, but is believed to arise from the use of a glass plate resting in substantially point contact on a rigid support frame (preferably of metal) which does not have any tubular or other resonant cavity members.

The support shelf shown in Figures 6 to 8 comprises a frame 12 which is arranged to be screwed to a wall through a pair of spaced, upright members 13,14 of the frame provided with suitably located fixing holes. The frame 12 also comprises a rectangular sub-frame 15, similar to the sub-frames 2 and 3 of the table described earlier, connected in cantilever fashion to the upright members 13,14 by extended portions e,f of the site members b,d of the sub-frame 15, and supported by a pair of bracing members 16,17 extending at an angle between the underside of the side members b,d and the lower portions of the upright members.

The upright members 13,14, the members a,b,c,d of the sub-frame 15, and the bracing members 16,17 are all formed by mild steel, 900 angle section members, and are connected together by welding.

The sub-frame 15 is provided with flat, steel corner braces 18 welded across the junctions between the members a,b,c,d, and each brace 18 is provided with a tapped hole 19 for receiving a screw-threaded, upwardly pointed, adjustable support spike 20 as shown in Figures 6 and 7. These support spikes 20 serve to support a rectangular sheet 21 of plate glass to form the equipment supporting surface of the shelf. As will be appreciated, the rear edge of the glass sheet 21 will be spaced from the wall on which the shelf is mounted by the extended portions e,f of the sub-frame 15, thus providing sufficient clearance to allow the lid of equipment placed on the shelf to be opened fully.

Claims (14)

1. A support for sound reproduction eauipment comprising a substantially rigid support frame which is devoid of tubular elements and closed cavities in its construction, and a glass plate mounted on, and supported solely bv, a plurality of substantially pointed members carried by the frame, the glass plate defining the surface on which the equipment is to be placed.

2. A support according to claim 1, in which the support frame is made of metal.

3. A support according to claim 2, in which tne metal is iron or steel.

4. A support according to claim 2 or claim 3, in which the support frame comDrises a number of angle section members which are securely fixed together.

5. A support according to claim 4, in which the angle-section members are welded together.

6. A support according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the pointed members for supporting the class plate are adjustable relative to the frame.

7. A support according to claim 6, in which the pointed members are screw-threaded spikes which are received in correspondingly threaded holes in the frame.

8. A support according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the glass plate is provided on its under surface with locating rings arranged so that the pointed members will contact the class within the rings, but without contacting the rings themselves, when the plate is correctly positioned on the frame.

9. A support according to any one of the preceding claims, in which there is more than one glass plate mounted on the support frame in a manner similar to each other, thus Droviding the support with more than one surface on which eauipment may be placed.

10. A support according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the support frame is designed to be free-standing and the support takes the form of a table.

11. A support according to claim 10, in which the support frame is provided with adjustable feet for ensuring that the support will be firmly supported on a floor or other surface.

12. A support according to claim 11, in which the adjustable feet are formed by substantially pointed screw-threaded members carried by the frame with their pointed ends arranged to engage the floor or other surface.

13. A support according to any one of claims 1 to 9, in which the supPort takes the form of a shelf, the frame including members which are designed to be attached to a wall.

14. A support according to claim 1, substantially as described with reference to Figures 1 to 5 or to Figures 6 to 8 of the accompanving drawings.