While reading "adjustable cupboards," I was reminded of another idea I had a long time ago, but never told anyone. Most kitchens have a space above the cabinetry that either collects dust or those rarely-used cooking items or both. I propose putting another set of cabinets there, or perhaps just a shelf, that slides forward and lowers to an accessible heighth. The tricky part will be designing an inexpensive mechanism that will track horizontally for a fixed distance, and then vertically or a vertical arc in a controlled fashion. I picture a set of easy-guide drawer slider rails mounted to some type of four-bar mechanism that slides the shelf / cabinet forward to the front edge and then lowers in an arc. Adjustable springs or damping would be needed to respond to the variable load.
-- RayfordSteele, Dec 13 2002

What is a pantograph? http://woodworker.c...ARTNUM=78147&go=281
[half, Oct 05 2004]

Easily bakeable. You just need a parallelogram arrangement (like a pantograph), maybe a counter-balancing spring, and some careful measurement of the clearances. I like it, but isn't it easier to stand on a chair?
-- angel, Dec 13 2002


A pantograph? Isn't that a device used to detect the presence of pants?
-- Pharaoh Mobius, Dec 13 2002


You're thinking of a Polarimiter, [Pharaoh]. An example of a pantograph is the articulated-frame support used as an electrical pickup on some trains.
-- 8th of 7, Dec 13 2002


So it's not a device that allows bad mimes to write what they're acting out then...
-- RayfordSteele, Dec 13 2002



random, halfbakery