The present invention relates to computer work stations.

Generally computer work stations are designed for use by people who require continuous access to a computer terminal. However, with the growing use of electronic mail systems and the availability of user friendly software as well as the falling cost of computer terminals, it has become economic to supply terminals to people who do not require continuous access to a terminal. However there is a high proportion of the workforce who do require computer access but only for a relatively small period of time each day.

A need has therefore arisen for a work station which will allow efficient sharing by a number of people of a personal computer or main frame terminal. This is especially so where costly state of the art computers are required.

In the past where a need arose for computer terminals to be shared, the terminal was mounted on a

mobile stand that could be wheeled from one position to another, plugged into the system and used at different work stations throughput the day.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a work station that ^' obviates the need for the computer terminal to be transported from one position to another.

Accordingly the present invention provides a computer work station comprising three to five adjacent subordinate work stations, a rotatable support means for supporting a computer terminal and screening means attached to the rotatable support means for providing privacy to a user, the subordinate work stations being arranged about the rotatable support means wherein the rotatable support means is rotatable between positions corresponding to each of the subordinate work stations to provide access one at a time from each subordinate work station to a computer terminal supported on the rotatable support means.

Preferably, the computer terminal is mounted on an articulated arm or other' mechanism that permits it to be drawn towards the user for use at a particular subordinate work station and then returned to a position on the rotatable support means to permit the support means to be rotated to another position to provide access to another user at an adjacent subordinate work station. A suitable articulated arm is known as a Full Float Valet.

The rotatable support means may comprise a cylindrical hood having an opening on its side and mounted on a balled raced "Lazy Susan" table.

Each subordinate work station may be provided with its own keyboard which can be plugged into the computer terminal during use. Alternatively, a single keyboard may be mounted on the rotatable support means along with the computer terminal. The computer terminal may be a visual display unit ^* connected to a main frame or it may be a desk top computer.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a work station according to the invention;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the rotatable support means; and

Figure 3 is a side elevation partly in cross-section of the rotatable support means and the computer terminal mounted therein.

Figure 1 illustrates a work station 1 having four subordinate work stations 2, 3, 4 and 5. Mounted centrally between each of the subordinate work stations is a rotatable support means 6 for supporting a visual display unit 7. The visual display unit 7 is mounted on a floating arm valet 8. The rotatable support means 6 comprises a cylindrical hood 9 having an opening 10 and a base 11 on which the floating arm valet 8 is mounted. The work station is provided with a conduit 12 for supplying power to the computer terminal and connections to a computer main frame. Each work station has acoustic screens 13, 14, 15 and 16 to divide each subordinate work station from its neighbouring work stations. The base 11 of the cylinder 9 is mounted on a table 17 by means of a ball raced "Lazy Susan" mechanism 18 as seen in Figure 3. The underside of the base 11 has a brake pad secured thereto at a point thereof adjacent to the perimeter and centrally of the opening 10.

In this embodiment, the base 11 has attached to its underside a flange (not shown) which co-operates with a striker plate attached to the table 17 to prevent the rotatable support means 6 from being rotated through more than 360°. This prevents the electrical and computer connections from ultimately being severed should the rotatable support means be rotated at more than 360°. However, it will be

understood that if the computer terminal comprises a PC, then such a feature would not be necessary if each work station were provided with a power outlet.

In use, the rotatable support means is rotated to a position at which the opening 10 faces the subordinate work station from which access to the computer terminal is required. The computer terminal 7 is then drawn out by use of the full float valet support arm 8 to a convenient position for use. When the computer terminal has been drawn through the opening 10, the weight of the terminal applies an overturning moment to the base 11 of the cylinder 9 causing the brake pad 19 to engage the table 17 thereby resisting any further rotation of the rotatable support means while the computer terminal is being used. Once access to the terminal is no longer required, it can be pushed back inside the opening by use of the full float valet support arm ready for rotation to another position at which it is accessible to another subordinate work station.