Unusual Columbia Graphonola lid support question

[phonospud]

When I first got into this hobby as a teenager in the late 1970's, I had a late teens (maybe early 20's) Columbia Grafonola, in a mahogany cabinet. Typical louvre doors on front, nothing fancy. Nothing really rare but what to me was very unusual was the fact that the lid support structure/mechanism had this long rod which came out the front left portion of the lid's frame, with a "button" on it. I assumed that the "button" was to be pressed to lower the lid but since it was badly damaged I could not at the time understand how it should have worked. At the lower end of this mechanism, close to the lid's hinge area was a sheet metal assembly with some Columbia patents stamped into it. This is where most of the damage was.
Has anyone else out there seen or know what I'm referring to? I haven't owned the machine for over 40 years. In that time I've NOT seen another example. Just curious about this.
Thoughts? Pics? Thanks for reading!!

[Jwb88]

The early Columbia Favorites (maybe 1913ish) had that button on the front left of the outside lid to release the catch and close the lid. I had one and it was surprisingly nice, very well built machine and sounded great.